Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

It was the twenty-fourth day of the first lunar month, just as dawn was breaking. The eastern horizon was a hazy gray.

He pushed open the courtyard gate, and Zhang, the foreman, was already standing at the door.

It seems the old leader is about to pass on his skills again.

Today, the old foreman was wearing a black cotton-padded coat. When he saw Lin Nuo get up, he turned around and left.

Lin Nuo was already used to the old foreman's manner. He closed the courtyard gate, slung his musket over his shoulder, and followed.

After walking for about half an hour, we finally entered the old forest.

The old foreman walked ahead, an old hunter, so quiet that he made no sound. Lin Nuo also tried his best to keep his pace slow.

Zhang suddenly stopped, tilting his head to the side, remaining motionless. The wind whistled through the pine branches, making a whooshing sound, like someone whistling in the distance.

Lin Nuo pricked up his ears and turned his head to the side, just like Zhang Ba Tou.

After a few seconds, Zhang lowered his head and said in a low voice:

"The pheasant flaps its wings; it's in the northwest, not far away."

Lin Nuo looked northwest, but couldn't see anything.

Without explaining, Zhang took the musket off his shoulder, handed it to him, and pointed to the northwest.

Lin Nuo took the musket, squatted down, placed the barrel on a fallen log, and aimed in the direction Zhang was pointing.

He wanted to see if the old foreman's amazing skills were real or not.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the bushes to the northwest rustled. A pheasant emerged from them, its plumage vibrant, and it moved slowly, pecking at things on the ground as it went.

Lin Nuo aimed at the pheasant's body. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Zhang, the foreman, pressed his hand against the musket.

"Attack the head."

The old foreman's voice was very low.

Lin Nuo could only adjust his aim; the pheasant's head was too small, just a dot in the crosshair. He held his breath, his fingers slowly tightening.

"Bang!"

The musket fired.

The pheasant was walking along when it was shot. It thrashed about on the ground twice and then lay still.

Lin Nuo ran over and picked it up, this time hitting the target accurately; the pheasant's head was gone. He glanced back at Zhang, the foreman, who walked over, took the pheasant, turned it over to examine it, nodded, and said nothing.

"I was lucky," Lin Nuo said.

Zhang tied the pheasant to his waist:

"Luck is also a skill."

The two continued walking, wandering through the woods for another half an hour. Zhang would occasionally stop to listen intently. He also told him: "A pheasant flapping its wings makes a muffled 'thump-thump,' a rabbit hopping makes a soft 'rustling' sound..."

Can Lin Nuo hear anything?

How could Lin Nuo hear anything? He walked and stopped, standing there, trying his best to listen, but six or seven times out of ten he couldn't hear anything. But occasionally, he could hear footsteps.

Zhang nodded.

This can be considered an acknowledgment of his apprentice's skill level.

However, we weren't lucky today. It's probably because it's not spring yet, and it's hard to find anything unless you go deep into the forest. We walked for more than an hour and didn't catch any big prey, only a few rabbits to practice with.

Lin Nuo tied the rabbit to his waist and followed behind Zhang Batou back.

On the way, Lin Nuo spoke up.

"Uncle Zhang, I won't listen to your old-fashioned advice about retirement."

Zhang didn't turn his head.

"I'll take care of you when you get old."

Zhang snorted. He neither agreed nor refused.

Lin Nuo looked at that thin figure from behind and said nothing more.

After returning home and hanging up the rabbit, Zhao Xiuying spoke:

"Get ready to eat. Your older brother said he'll be coming over in a bit."

During this time, my older brother has been busy with chores at home and hasn't had time to go to the mountains with him.

When his elder brother arrived, Lin Nuo was squatting in the yard polishing his flintlock pistol.

Lin Jiang pushed open the door and, as was his habit, squatted down next to Lin Nuo, twisting a piece of straw rope in his hand:

"Second brother, what are your plans for planting in the spring?"

Lin Nuo put down the musket and wiped his hands. He knew what his older brother meant: if he went into the mountains to earn money, would he still farm? His older brother was honest and embarrassed to ask directly, so he beat around the bush.

"Farming cannot be abandoned. But relying solely on farming is not enough."

Lin Nuo also shared his thoughts: during the busy farming season, they would farm, and during the off-season, they would go into the mountains. Hunting and gathering herbs were ways to make money faster than farming.

However, it's not very stable.

After listening, Lin Jiang tied the straw rope around his waist and muttered:

"Okay. You point and I'll hit wherever you want."

The two brothers didn't say much. Lin Jiang stood up:

"Second son."

"Um."

"Your sister-in-law invites you over for dinner sometime. Go if you're free lately. If you and Wanqing don't go, she might overthink it."

"Okay, I'll go after I finish dealing with Da Wu's matter."

Lin Jiang nodded, pushed open the door, and left.

Lin Nuo squatted in the yard, sighing:

This family is getting better little by little.

Lin Nuo left not long ago,

The courtyard gate was pushed open again, followed by the sound of a bicycle bell.

"Ding-a-ling," a crisp sound echoed around the yard.

Lin Jian pushed the cart in.

A bag of rice was tied to the back of the bicycle, and two bottles of liquor, contained in a net bag, hung on the handlebars, swaying back and forth, the bottles clinking softly.

His cotton-padded coat was open, his face was red from the wind, and there was sweat on his forehead, as if he had traveled a long way.

Lin Weiguo came out of the main room, and the father and son looked at each other for a moment.

Lin Weiguo's lips moved:

"You're back?"

Lin Jian propped up the car and unloaded the bag of rice from the back seat:

"I'm back. It was distributed by the factory, and I brought it back with me."

Upon hearing Lin Jian's voice, Zhao Xiuying peeked out from the kitchen, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Lin Jian unloaded the rice, stood up, dusted off his knees, took the liquor off the handlebars, and placed it next to the rice bag.

"Mother, the wine is for Father."

Zhao Xiuying smiled and nodded.

Lin Jian's gaze fell on Lin Nuo's shoulder:

"Second brother, where did this musket come from? This thing is not easy to get."

Lin Nuo smiled and said, "It was given to me by the old foreman."

"……Good."

The two brothers looked at each other, unsure of what to say next. Lin Jian looked away, squatted down to tidy the rope on the back seat of the car, as if he hadn't seen anything.

During dinner, the family sat around the main room.

It's possible that the third son has returned.

Zhao Xiuying cooked two more dishes, and Lin Nuo thought to herself that her mother was being unfair.

Lin Weiguo sat in the main seat, with a wine cup in front of him. He poured himself a cup and then poured one for Lin Jian. He had never poured wine for Lin Jian before.

Lin Jian picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and put it down. He picked up a piece of egg with his chopsticks and broke the silence:

"Second brother, spring is here, and the factory has a heavy production workload. We need to hire a few porters."

"One yuan and thirty-five cents a day, food and lodging included. I told the factory manager that a few of our family members would go. If we go for ten days, each person can earn more than twenty yuan."

"You, Big Brother, and Da Wu, the three of you go, how about it?"

There was a moment of silence on the table.

Lin Jiang glanced at Lin Nuo. Lin Nuo picked up a piece of meat and thought for a moment:

"Okay. Ten days is enough time to see if there are any new opportunities in the county town."

Lin Jian would never have asked his family members to do this kind of work before. He worked at the fertilizer factory for three years and never mentioned asking his family to do any work. Back then, he thought his family members were unsophisticated and embarrassing to him.

Now they're actually lowering themselves to find them work.

The atmosphere at the table immediately eased considerably.

After the meal, the kerosene lamp in the east room was still lit.

Su Wanqing turned to face Lin Nuo. The light from the kerosene lamp softened her features, and Su Wanqing spoke:

"You've forgiven the third brother?"

Lin Nuo remained silent for a moment.

He put his hands behind his head, looked at the ceiling, and said naturally:

"There's no such thing as forgiveness or not forgiveness."

"He lives his life, we live ours. As long as it doesn't affect this family, it doesn't matter."

Su Wanqing didn't ask any more questions. She could sense the indifference in Lin Nuo's words.

Lin Nuo must have hated the third brother, Lin Jian, to death in his past life, and he still harbors some hatred in this life, after all, he personally experienced the despair after all the rabbits died in his past life.

That feeling was something he would never forget.

Anyway, he couldn't be completely without barriers, but none of those things happened. He just wanted to maintain a reasonable distance from Lin Jian. As long as Lin Jian didn't harm his family, they would still be brothers.

She reached her hand out from under the covers and took his hand in hers.

Lin Nuo pulled his other hand out from under the pillow and placed it on her waist.

Lin Nuo's breathing was a little heavy, as if he wanted to do something.

Su Wanqing gently pressed his hand down.

"...I have class tomorrow."

Lin Nuo smiled, withdrew his hand, and hugged her from behind instead. His arms were around her waist, his chin rested on her shoulder, and he didn't move.

"Okay, go to sleep."

Another day has passed.

The 25th day of the first lunar month.

As soon as it was light, Zhao Xiuying got up.

The aroma of noodles wafted from the kitchen. The dough on the cutting board was kneaded until smooth, and she rolled it out with a rolling pin, the dough swirling on the board, getting thinner and larger with each roll.

Then, deftly fold the dough into several layers, and with swift, precise cuts, slice it into thin strips. Sprinkle the sliced ​​noodles with dry flour, shake them apart, and arrange them on a bamboo mat, ensuring each strip is separate and not sticking together.

Hand-pulled noodles are considered the most substantial breakfast in this day and age.

Lin Nuo followed the aroma into the kitchen.

"Mother, why is the food so good today?"

Zhao Xiuying laughed as she put the noodles into the pot:

"We have a lot of work to do today, so let's eat something good. Da Wu is getting married tomorrow, so we need to steam the buns, prepare the dishes, and move out the tables and chairs today. There's so much to do; how can we have the energy to work if we don't eat our fill?"

The water boiled, and Zhao Xiuying put the noodles into the pot. The white noodles tumbled in the boiling water. She stirred them with long chopsticks and then put the lid on the pot.

Add some sesame oil, salt, and chopped green onions, and you have a hearty breakfast.

However, these hand-rolled noodles seem to be under a spell.

After finishing his meal, Qi Dawu walked around in the yard.

Like a headless fly.

Lin Nuo squatted by the wall, polishing his flintlock pistol, watching him pace around the yard. Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, pulled one out, and handed it to him.

"Relax. Tomorrow you'll have a family."

Qi Dawu took the cigarette, his fingers still trembling. He put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it on Lin Nuo's match, took a puff, and coughed violently from the smoke.

Lin Nuo couldn't help but laugh.

It's normal to feel excited and nervous when you're getting married soon.

The night before Lin Nuo's wedding, it was pretty much the same; he just couldn't fall asleep.

According to custom, the groom's family should go to the bride's house the day before the wedding to "urge the groom to prepare the wedding dress." Zhou Laoshuan had already sent word that Qi Dawu could come by himself and did not need anyone to accompany him.

Therefore, Qi Dawu went alone.

When she came back, her face was flushed, and she was covering her chest with both hands, as if she were holding some precious treasure.

Lin Nuo went up to him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Qi Dawu took out a pair of new cloth shoes from his pocket. The soles were tightly stitched, with each stitch neat and tidy.

"Xiaoyu secretly slipped it to me."

His voice sounded a little unsteady.

"Tell me... to wear this tomorrow."

Lin Nuo examined the cloth shoes several times, turning them over and over. The stitching was quite dense. The girl's eyesight wasn't very good, but her hands were very skillful. This was no small feat.

Lin Nuo returned the shoes to him, and Qi Dawu carefully tucked them into his clothes, wishing he could cover them with both hands.

Lin Nuo looked at him, a slight smile playing on her lips, but said nothing more. She turned and went back to the kitchen to continue adding firewood.

In the afternoon, the kitchen was steaming hot.

Zhao Xiuying lifted the pot lid, and white steam billowed up, covering her face. She squinted and poked at the steamed buns in the pot with her chopsticks. The chopsticks sank in and bounced back, fluffy and steaming.

"Alright."

She placed the pot lid on the stove and began collecting the steamed buns. The white buns, round and steaming, were stacked on the steamer rack. Their surfaces were smooth; when gently pressed, they bounced back without collapsing or sinking.

She's steaming buns. Qi Dawu is getting married tomorrow, and she needs to steam several batches; buns are a major dish at the banquet.

In those days, people were poor and couldn't afford the grand feasts of later generations with seven or eight dishes.

Lin Weiguo was kneading dough on the cutting board. His hands were covered in flour, and even his cuffs were coated with it.

He was strong, and the dough was kneaded quickly and evenly in his hands. He flipped it over, pressed it down, and the kneading board made a dull "thump-thump" sound.

Lin Nuo squatted in front of the stove, adding firewood. Pine wood was stuffed into the stove, and the flames licked the bottom of the pot, making a whooshing sound. The firelight made his face red, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Pingzi and Anzi looked at the white steamed buns and jumped around shouting at the kitchen door.

"We have steamed buns to eat! We have steamed buns to eat!"

Zhao Xiuying took a steamed bun out of the pot, broke it in half, and handed one half to Pingzi and the other half to Anzi. The bun was too hot, so the two children tossed it back and forth between their hands, grinning from ear to ear.

Lin Jian stood in the courtyard for a while, then walked to the door of the empty courtyard and pushed it open to take a look.

He walked back and said to Zhao Xiuying, "Mother, my yard is empty. Why don't we let Dawu use it first?"

Zhao Xiuying was picking up steamed buns, her hands never stopping:

"No need. Old Zhou has bought the neighbor's courtyard. After Da Wu's wedding tomorrow, he can take his wife to live in that courtyard."

Lin Jian paused for a moment, nodded, and said nothing more.

Lin Nuo added a piece of firewood to the stove, the firelight illuminating his face, making it appear reddish. He clicked his tongue.

"Uncle Zhou really treats Da Wu like his own son."

Zhao Xiuying kneaded the dough while laughing, her eyes narrowing into slits, and the curve of her lips impossible to suppress:

"Of course. People treat each other with kindness. Da Wu is a good kid, and Zhou Laoshuan and his wife are no slouch either. The two families get along well, so everything is easy to discuss."

The kitchen was quiet for a while. Only the water in the pot was bubbling away.

Lin Weiguo kneaded the dough in his hands until it was smooth and shiny. He patted it, and the dough jerked and bounced back. He flipped the dough over and continued kneading.

Zhao Xiuying carefully stacked the steamed buns one by one into the basket, layering them, then placing a cloth underneath, and then adding another layer. The basket gradually filled up, the buns piled high, white and fluffy, like a small mountain.

Hirako and Anko squatted by the kitchen door, finished their steamed buns, licked their fingers, and kept their eyes fixed on the basket. Anko licked her lips, didn't speak, and licked them again. Hirako spoke directly:

"Grandma, do you want some more?"

Zhao Xiuying glanced at him:

"Are you still eating? Are you going to eat dinner tonight?"

Pingzi stopped talking, but his eyes remained fixed on the steamed bun, not even blinking.

Zhao Xiuying shook her head, took out two small ones from the basket, and put one in each of their mouths. The two children took them, blew on them again, and then put them in their mouths, their cheeks puffing out again.

I'm just waiting to send Qi Dawu off to his wedding tomorrow.