Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

The next morning, while carrying fertilizer, Lin Nuo kept secretly watching Cheng Youtian. Cheng Youtian was the most efficient, carrying an 80-pound bag on his shoulder with his back straight and his steps fast and steady.

What takes others one trip, he can carry one and a half. And he never slacks off; while others rest, he's still stacking the bags, making sure they're neatly piled up.

No wonder this person will achieve great things later in life.

At lunchtime, under the shed outside the dormitory, cabbage stew with vermicelli was still the main dish, with the occasional thin, translucent piece of fatty meat floating on the soup.

Lin Nuo, holding a bowl, deliberately sat down next to Cheng Youtian.

He picked up the piece of fatty meat from his bowl and said, "Brother Cheng, eat more. Your child is waiting for you to raise him."

Cheng Youtian paused for a moment, his lips moved but he didn't say anything. His eyes were a little red, but he didn't let the tears fall.

The two ate and chatted. Cheng Youtian wasn't a talkative person, but once the conversation started, he was willing to say a few words.

He told Lin Nuo that he used to be an accountant in the village, but he offended someone and couldn't stay there any longer, so he came out to work.

"Accounting?"

Lin Nuo's heart skipped a beat:

"Brother Cheng, you did a good job with the accounts?"

Cheng Youtian smiled:

"Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are no problem for me."

Lin Nuo didn't ask any more questions and lowered his head to eat his rice.

Cheng Youtian suddenly lowered his voice:

"Nuozi, on the day you first arrived, the factory manager told me you hunted wild boars?"

Lin Nuo nodded.

Cheng Youtian looked around and lowered his voice even further:

"I know someone from the south who specializes in buying medicinal herbs. Are you interested? His prices are much higher than those at the supply and marketing cooperatives."

Lin Nuo's eyes lit up. He had heard in his previous life that medicinal herbs could double in price if transported to the south. Holding his bowl, he didn't rush to give an answer, but instead asked:

"Brother Cheng, why are you still buying medicinal herbs?"

Cheng Youtian drew a circle on the table with the tip of his chopsticks, as if he were doing some calculations:

"I used to work in the village buying and selling medicinal herbs, so I still have connections. Even though I'm out doing manual labor now, those connections haven't been severed. I can tell you're a genuine person; you can't do manual labor forever, you need to find some other ways to make a living."

She paused:

"These are all good; the nibs are smooth and don't scratch the paper."

Lin Nuo picked up the Yong Sheng 101 pen, unscrewed the cap to look at the nib, then screwed it back on and twirled it between his fingers. Ten yuan, roughly his wages for ten days.

Thinking of Su Wanqing, Lin Nuo gritted her teeth:

"This is it. Immortality 101. And a bottle of ink."

The sales clerk's eyes lit up; this was a big customer, as Yong Sheng hadn't sold many of them in total.

So he quickly put the pen into the small cardboard box, grabbed a bottle of ink (costing two cents), wrapped them together, tied them tightly with string, and handed them over.

Lin Nuo took it and carefully tucked it into his pocket. The pen felt heavy and hard against his chest, but he felt warm inside.

After leaving the stationery counter, he went to the tobacco and liquor counter and bought two jin of Bright cigarettes for one yuan. Zhang, the head smoker, thought cigarettes were a good thing, lasting longer than cigarettes.

In total: the fountain pen cost ten yuan, the ink cost two mao, and the tobacco cost one yuan. Not counting the five yuan that Lin Jian had brought back, he still had two yuan and thirty cents left.

Lin Jiang watched him spend money like water, opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

In the past, Lin Jiang would definitely have said something to persuade him, but now that his second son can make money, he bought it without hesitation.

In the evening, the three of them boarded the bus back to town. The bus swayed and rattled, the roar of the diesel engine echoing in their ears the whole way.

Lin Jiang and Qi Dawu were dozing off by the car window, each with their newly purchased items tucked into their pockets, their hands resting on them as if afraid of losing them.

Lin Nuo leaned back in his chair, gazing at the fields outside the window. The snow had mostly melted, revealing patches of black earth. Smoke rose from the distant villages, thin and wispy, slowly dissipating into the twilight.

He pondered: First, he'd go see Zhang the foreman, deliver the tobacco, and ask about the spring mountain expeditions. He also needed to think about the medicinal herb business Cheng Youtian had mentioned. And then there was Su Wanqing's fountain pen; he wondered if she'd like it.

She'll probably like it.

Lin Nuo thought to himself.

By the time they got back to the village, it was completely dark. The three of them got out of the car and went home separately.

Lin Nuo walked quickly, her steps light, as if her feet had springs in them. Pushing open the courtyard gate, she found the kitchen light off and the main house windows dark. Only the east room window emitted a dim, yellowish light.

He felt a warmth in his heart and quickened his pace.

Pushing open the door, Su Wanqing sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding the calligraphy book in her hand. The kerosene lamp sat on the table, its flame flickering and casting her shadow on the wall.

She heard the sound and looked up.

The two looked at each other. Neither spoke, but the corners of their mouths turned up in a smile.

"You're back?"

She spoke first.

"Um."

Lin Nuo took off her cotton-padded coat and hung it behind the door, then walked over and sat down next to her.

Without much hesitation, he took out the cardboard box and ink from his pocket and placed them on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

Su Wanqing looked down and didn't react: "What is this?"

"Open it and take a look."

She picked up the cardboard box and untied the paper rope.

I opened the cap. Inside lay the pen, its black body and silver clip gleaming softly in the light.

Her hand froze in mid-air, stunned for a moment.

Eternal Life 101—this was the model her father used to use, and he never let her touch it. Su Wanqing had asked about the price when she was in school, but she never imagined that someone would buy it for her.

"Why did you buy this? It's so expensive..."

Her voice was a little strained, sounding like a complaint, yet also like heartache.

Lin Nuo smiled, reached out and took the pen out of the box, and handed it to her.

"When we got married, we didn't have any of the three essential items. This pen will count as one of the three essential items."

Su Wanqing didn't answer, but looked at him with slightly red eyes.

Lin Nuo placed the pen in her hand and took her hand in his.

"Don't you enjoy writing? From now on, just submit your work directly. How could Teacher Su's handwriting be bad?"

Su Wanqing lowered her head, looking at the pen in her hand, and gently touched the pen with her fingers. It felt cool and smooth.

How much did you spend?

She asked.

"Ten yuan."

Her fingers tightened:

"You only earn thirteen yuan and fifty cents after carrying fertilizer for ten days..."

"I'm happy to spend the money on you."

Su Wanqing didn't say anything more. She slowly leaned closer, rested her head on his shoulder, and took her hand from his hand to hold his.

The two sat there in silence. The flame of the kerosene lamp flickered.

"Thank you."

Her voice was very soft.

Lin Nuo's lips curled up, and he turned his head to look at her with a mischievous smile:

"Just a verbal thank you?"

Su Wanqing was stunned for a moment, then her face turned red, starting from her earlobe and spreading upwards little by little.

"Then... what do you want?" Her voice was as soft as a freshly cooked glutinous rice cake.

Lin Nuo looked into her eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

He reached out and gently brushed the stray hairs from her face.

"Guess?"

……

The next morning, Lin Nuo walked out feeling refreshed and stretched. Perhaps it was because of the fountain pen; Wan Qing had been very cooperative last night, giving him whatever he wanted.

Zhao Xiuying pushed open the door, saw Lin Nuo, and was stunned for a moment: "Second brother, you're back?"

Lin Nuo smiled and said, "I'll come back after I finish my work."

Zhao Xiuying's face lit up with joy.

Lin Nuo took out five yuan from his pocket and handed it to Zhao Xiuying. Zhao Xiuying said, "Keep the money you earned for yourself, buy something for Wanqing."

Lin Nuo smiled and said, "This is from the third brother who asked me to give it to you."

Zhao Xiuying took the money only after hearing this:

"No wonder! I told you it would be good if you didn't ask for money. When are you going to give me the money?"

Lin Nuo: "..."