Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

Zhou Jianguo sat in the main room, his notebook open, and began to take notes.

Lin Nuo, holding an enamel mug, recounted the events of that day on the bus from beginning to end.

He didn't embellish the story, nor did he feign modesty.

Zhou Jianguo listened intently, his pen never stopping as he took notes. When he heard the old foreman's shot, he suddenly looked up, his eyes shining:

"Where is this old foreman now? Can I interview him?"

Lin Nuo shook his head, a hint of helplessness on his lips:

"Comrade Zhou, my Uncle Zhang doesn't like talking to strangers. If you go there, he might not even open the door for you."

Zhou Jianguo hesitated for a moment, closed his notebook, stood up, and spoke sincerely:

"Comrade, I still want to try. Even if it's just to take a picture. That old man's shot was miraculous; not just anyone could do that."

Seeing his insistence, Lin Nuo didn't dare to stop him any longer. He stood up and called out into the house:

"Mother, I'm going out for a bit, I'll be right back."

Zhao Xiuying poked her head out of the house:

"Go ahead, don't delay your comrade's important business."

The two people left the courtyard one after the other.

The distance from Liujia Gou to Song Village wasn't far; it took about the time it takes to eat a meal. Zhou Jianguo followed behind Lin Nuo.

"Comrade Lin Nuo, your village is a nice place, the air is fresh."

"We're just poor."

Lin Nuo smiled:

"But things have gotten much better in the last few years."

Upon arriving at Song Village, the gate to the old foreman's house was ajar. Lin Nuo pushed the gate open, and the old foreman was squatting in the yard, drying medicinal herbs. Several baskets of herbs were spread out in the sunlight.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw that Lin Nuo was followed by a stranger. He frowned and paused for a moment with the bamboo tongs in his hand, but pretended not to see them and continued to rummage through the medicinal herbs.

Lin Nuo steeled himself and went inside, squatting down next to the old foreman, his voice lowered:

"Uncle Zhang, this is Zhou Jianguo, a reporter from the provincial newspaper. He wants to interview you..."

Before he could finish speaking, the old foreman flipped a piece of codonopsis root over with his bamboo tongs, making a soft sound:

"Just one shot, nothing more to say."

Zhou Jianguo quickly pulled out his notebook from his pocket, his attitude respectful:

"Old comrade, your shot that hit the assailant in the wrist saved everyone in the car. It's all over the police system now, and our newspaper thinks this story is particularly worthy of publication..."

"There's nothing to say."

The old foreman interrupted him, but his hands didn't stop. He picked up another piece of Bupleurum root and smelled it under his nose.

"I meant to shoot him with his gun."

Zhou Jianguo paused for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.

Lin Nuo squatted down beside him, a slight smirk playing on his lips. He thought to himself, "Take what the old foreman says as gospel."

His marksmanship is something most people couldn't achieve even after a lifetime of practice.

Zhou Jianguo asked a few more questions, and the old man either hummed in response or simply didn't answer. Zhou Jianguo wasn't in a hurry and squatted down to wait, his attitude unusually polite for a provincial newspaper reporter.

After a while, he tentatively asked:

"Excuse me, sir, may I take your picture?"

The old foreman didn't look at him or answer.

Lin Nuo winked at him, moved his lips, and mouthed:

"Take the picture."

Zhou Jianguo quickly picked up the camera hanging around his neck and found the right angle. "Click."

The old foreman flipped through the medicinal herbs in his hand without looking up.

Lin Nuo knew that the old man was giving him face. If he didn't want to, even ten Lin Nuos wouldn't be able to wink at him.

Leaving Songcun, Zhou Jianguo tucked his notebook into his coat pocket and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Comrade Lin Nuo, thank you. This old foreman is truly an extraordinary man."

Lin Nuo smiled:

"Uncle Zhang is a good person, he just doesn't like to talk much."

"That's right, all great people have their own personality."

……

A few days later, one morning, Lin Nuo was squatting at the entrance of the chicken coop feeding the chickens when he heard the sound of a bicycle bell outside the gate.

"Ring ring, ring ring"

The voice was urgent and crisp, as if it wanted to shout out the entire village.

Lin Nuo stood up, brushed the dirt off his knees, and walked to the gate of the yard. The postman, Xiao Liu, had already propped up his bicycle.

"Brother Nuozi! Provincial newspaper! Full page!"

He pulled a newspaper out of his bag and handed it over with both hands, as if he were handing over some extraordinary treasure.

Lin Nuo took the newspaper and unfolded it.

The location is decent; the title is "The 'Hero with Musketeers' in the Deep Mountains." The subtitle is in a smaller font: "A Record of the Heroic Deeds of Lin Nuo, a Young Man from Liujiagou."

The article occupies a considerable amount of space.

Lin Nuo held the newspaper in his hand. In both his lives combined, he had never imagined that he would one day be featured in a provincial newspaper.

Xiao Liu stood to the side, rubbing his hands together, his eyes narrowing into slits with a smile:

"Brother Nuozi, you're the first person from our village to be featured in the provincial newspaper! My uncle said he's going to frame it and hang it on the wall of the village committee!"

Lin Nuo folded the newspaper, tucked it into his pocket, and patted Xiao Liu on the shoulder:

"Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Liu. Would you like to come in and have some water?"

"No, no, I still have to take you to the next stop."

Xiao Liu hopped on his bicycle, pedaled a couple of times, then stopped, turned around, and shouted:

"Brother Nuozi, you've really brought honor to our village!"

The bells jingled as they went, disappearing into the distance.

Lin Nuo turned and walked into the east room. Su Wanqing was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), combing her hair, a red scarf draped over her shoulders, her hair not yet tied up. She saw Lin Nuo enter, clutching a newspaper in her hand:

"What's wrong? Who sent the newspaper?"

Lin Nuo didn't say anything, but unfolded the newspaper and handed it over.

Su Wanqing took it, looked down, and her eyes widened.

"Provincial newspaper...?"

Her voice was very soft, so soft that it sounded like she was talking to herself.

"Um."

Lin Nuo sat down next to her, put his arm around her waist, rested his chin on her shoulder, and smiled.

"Teacher Su, your husband is in the newspaper."

Su Wanqing didn't reply, but read the article from beginning to end. She read until the end, where it mentioned her teaching.

"Now you're famous."

"Let's become famous together."

Lin Nuo pulled her closer into his arms:

"Your name, Teacher Su, is known throughout the entire province."

Just then, the loudspeaker at village chief Liu Guicun's house blared.

"Hey, hey,"

Liu Guicun's voice, crackling with static, blared from the loudspeaker, echoing through the village:

"Attention, fellow villagers of Liujiagou! Comrade Lin Nuo's heroic act has been reported in the provincial newspaper! This is an honor for our entire village! Please give him a round of applause!"

A round of applause came from the loudspeaker; it was Liu Guicun himself taking the photos at the brigade headquarters.

In the courtyard, Zhao Xiuying smiled, but her words were sharp:

"That old Liu, when he blares his horn, nothing good ever comes of it, but this time it's actually a good thing."

Lin Nuo probably didn't expect how much influence this would have if it were reported in the provincial newspaper.

This matter is not over yet.

Two more days passed.

Lin Nuo was inspecting the muskets in the yard when someone knocked on the gate.

"Dong dong dong," the sound is slow and rhythmic.

Lin Nuo put down his musket and went over to pull back the latch. Two people were standing outside.

A middle-aged man in his forties was leading the way, holding a red banner with gold lettering that gleamed in the sunlight. Behind him followed a young staff member carrying a video camera with the lens cap already open.

"Excuse me, is Comrade Lin Nuo home?"

The middle-aged man's voice was calm.

"That's me."

Lin Nuo was stunned for a moment.

The middle-aged man handed the banner forward, holding it with both hands, his attitude solemn:

"Comrade Lin Nuo, on behalf of the township party committee and the township government, I would like to express my condolences and gratitude to you. Your act of bravery in protecting the lives and property of the people on the bus is worthy of emulation by all the people of our township."

The banner bore four large characters: "Heroic Acts of Righteousness." It was embroidered with gold thread, each stroke neat and precise.

Lin Nuo accepted the banner with both hands. Before he could speak, the staff behind him raised a camera and snapped a picture. Lin Nuo squinted.

When Zhao Xiuying came out of the kitchen and saw this scene, she was stunned for a moment, then quickly wiped her hands on her apron and greeted them with a smile:

"Comrades, please come in and have a seat. I'll pour you some tea."

The middle-aged man waved his hand and smiled politely:

"No, no, sister-in-law, we still have to go to the next village. Comrade Lin Nuo, do a good job. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, just come to the township to find me."

Lin Nuo nodded and hung the banner on the wall of the main room. The red background and gold lettering stood out against the gray wall.

Zhao Xiuying stood at the door, looking up at the brocade banner:

"This child has really made something of himself."

A few days later, the people who came to collect wild animals also arrived.

Lin Nuo had just reached the village entrance when he saw a hand-operated tractor chugging along. Two men sat in the back, wearing city jackets and leather shoes. The tractor stopped at the village entrance, and one of them jumped off and shouted to Lin Nuo:

"Comrade, could you tell me how to get to Lin Nuo's house?"

Lin Nuo glanced at him:

"That's me."

The man's eyes lit up, and he quickly walked over, took out a business card from his pocket, and handed it to him.

"Comrade Lin, I'm Sun, and I run a restaurant in the county town. I heard you sell wild game here, and I'd like to discuss a collaboration with you."

Lin Nuo took the business card, glanced at it, and put it in his pocket:

"Boss Sun, six yuan a rabbit, six yuan a pheasant, no bargaining."

Boss Sun paused for a moment, his lips moved. This price wasn't low. He wanted to say something, but seeing Lin Nuo's indifferent expression, he swallowed his words. He gritted his teeth:

"Okay! Six dollars it is. How much do you have?"

"No today. I'll have someone pass on the message when we have stock again in a few days."

In the following days, people kept coming to the village looking for Lin Nuo.

They all wanted wild animals, and Lin Nuo quoted a price. It seems this matter will continue for some time. His demand for a high price is actually because he doesn't want to sell.

Zhao Xiuying stood at the kitchen door, watching wave after wave of people carrying things out of the yard, muttering to herself:

"These city folks really don't care about spending money."

Lin Nuo squatted at the entrance of the chicken coop, feeding the chickens while smiling:

"Mom, that's called being a savvy businesswoman. They buy some, stir-fry a plate, and sell it for several dollars. They earn more than I do."

Zhao Xiuying rolled her eyes at him:

"You're so clever."

Yang Sanshun gossiping

Under the old locust tree at the village entrance, several idle men were squatting and chatting.

A cigarette dangling from one mouth:

"It's just good luck, isn't it? You just happened to be in that situation. If it were me, I could have done it too."

He held the cigarette between his fingers, exhaled a puff of white smoke, and spoke with a tone so sour it could be vinegared.

Wang Lao Er was squatting nearby smoking when he heard this. He stubbed out his cigarette on the ground, looked up at Yang Sanshun, and his eyes were filled with disdain.

"You think you can? You can't even kill a chicken, what are you capable of? Would you dare to hold that musket that Nuozi has? That thug has a gun, would you dare to point a musket at his head? You'd probably pee your pants from fright."

Yang Sanshun's face turned bright red, his lips trembled, and he wanted to say something but couldn't get the words out.

Zhao Dana, who was standing next to him, chimed in:

"Alright, alright, it's their own ability to become famous. If you're jealous, why don't you go and fight those thugs? You'll be in the provincial newspaper tomorrow too."

Yang Sanshun snorted, stood up, dusted himself off, and turned to leave.

He took a few steps, muttering something under his breath, but his voice was too soft for anyone to hear.

Wang Lao Er watched his retreating figure, shook his head, and lit another cigarette.

"This is how a person's life will always be."

Once his reputation spread, people came to him seeking apprenticeship.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Lin Nuo pushed open the courtyard gate and saw three young men standing there.

The leader was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a slightly worn blue cotton-padded jacket and a pair of liberation shoes. His eyes lit up when he saw Lin Nuo come out.

"Brother Nuozi, I want to learn hunting from you!"

Lin Nuo looked him up and down and recognized him as Zhao Dazhuang, the son of Zhao Da Nao from the next village. He was in his early twenties, strong, and said to be a skilled worker in the village.

Lin Nuo had also considered finding someone to help with the work, but his older brother was too busy, and Da Wu had to watch the chicken farm. He shouldered the musket, his tone neither warm nor cold:

"Going up into the mountains is tough, can you endure the hardship?"

Zhao Dazhuang patted his chest, the sound of his hand hitting his cotton-padded jacket making a dull thud.

"I can eat it!"

Lin Nuo glanced at him, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

"Alright. Come with me into the mountains first, and we'll talk when we get back. Don't come looking for me if you can't make it."

Zhao Dazhuang quickly followed, and the other two young men followed behind.

After walking for less than half an hour, the mountain path became increasingly steep, and the loose stones hurt our shoes.

One of the young men began to pant heavily, his pace slowed, and finally he squatted down by the roadside, hands on his knees, gasping for breath.

"I can't... I can't walk anymore..."

Lin Nuo didn't stop or turn his head:

"Those who can't walk, go back on your own."

The young man hesitated for a moment, then stood up, turned around, and walked back.

Another young man gritted his teeth and followed for another two miles before finally squatting down.

Only Zhao Dazhuang followed behind Lin Nuo, not falling behind at all.

Upon reaching their destination, Lin Nuo stopped, turned around, and looked at Zhao Dazhuang.

Zhao Dazhuang leaned against a pine tree, bent over, panting heavily, his legs trembling like a leaf.

Lin Nuo looked at him and recalled the first time he went into the mountains with the old foreman; he was also exhausted.

"Will you come again tomorrow?"

Lin Nuo asked.

Zhao Dazhuang raised his head and nodded vigorously, so hard that his neck made a crisp "crack" sound.

"Come!"

Lin Nuo's lips twitched slightly, then he turned and continued walking forward.

"Keep up."

This guy is alright; he'll need someone to hunt with in the future.

After the eldest brother returns, there's also Da Wu; he has other plans.

……

The town's supply and marketing cooperative.

There were rows of canned fruit on the shelf, the glass jars sparkling and beautiful.

Su Wanqing stood in front of the counter for a long time.

Zhao Xiuying stood to the side, holding a piece of cloth in her hand. She had come to buy clothes for Lin Weiguo. The cloth was nice; it felt smooth to the touch.

She glanced at Su Wanqing, then at the canned goods on the shelf, a slight smirk playing on her lips, but said nothing.

Su Wanqing didn't know what to buy.

Lin Nuo seems to have everything he needs. He seems to have been quite greedy before, so let's buy some food.

She probably doesn't have enough money for clothes and shoes.

"Comrade, one jar each of hawthorn, yellow peach, and orange."

The sales clerk took three cans of food from the counter, put them in a mesh bag, and Su Wanqing handed over five yuan without hesitation.

Zhao Xiuying stood to the side, watching Su Wanqing pay, but didn't say anything to interrupt. It was her daughter-in-law buying things for her son, so she shouldn't rush to pay.

I'll give the money to Lin Nuo tomorrow.

At night, the kerosene lamp was placed on the table, and the flame flickered, casting a swaying shadow on the wall.

Su Wanqing placed the three cans of food in front of Lin Nuo, arranging them in a row.

Lin Nuo paused for a moment, then looked up at Su Wanqing:

"Did you buy this for me?"

His words carried a hint of surprise.

Su Wanqing lowered her head, the tips of her ears turning red:

"Otherwise what? Buy it for the chickens?"

Lin Nuo couldn't help but laugh. He picked up the jar of yellow peaches and unscrewed the lid. The metal lid popped open with a "pop," and the sweet aroma of the syrup wafted out, mingling with the fragrance of the yellow peaches, filling the room.

He picked up a piece of yellow peach with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth:

"sweet."

Su Wanqing's lips curled up.

After eating the two halves, Lin Nuo seemed to have thought of something and spoke:

"Teacher Su, I'll dictate a story, and you can write it down, okay?"

Su Wanqing paused for a moment, but had already picked up the pen and unscrewed the cap:

"it is good."

Lin Nuo was referring to a short story he had read in a magazine called "Story Collection" in his previous life. It was about an old hunter who adopted an orphan and taught him to hunt. The orphan grew up day by day, and the old hunter grew old day by day.

Later, when the old hunter could no longer walk, the orphan carried him on his back, and they walked through the mountains for a whole day until they found the sacred tree the old hunter had spoken of in his youth. The old hunter sat under the tree all night, and the next morning, he passed away peacefully.

After Lin Nuo finished speaking.

Su Wanqing stopped writing, finished reading the story, and looked up at Lin Nuo:

How did you come up with all this?

Lin Nuo smiled but didn't explain:

"Teacher Su, this is your article. From now on, when you write, I'll help you think of ideas."

Su Wanqing shook her head and put down the manuscript paper:

"No, that's what you thought..."

"Why do we, as a couple, need to be so particular about separating things?"

Lin Nuo took her hand and gently rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand:

"You haven't won that bet with me yet. Once you win, you'll be in charge."

Su Wanqing spat lightly and said nothing.

She leaned closer, resting her head on Lin Nuo's shoulder, her hair brushing against him.

"Lin Nuo, you've been in the newspapers, you're quite famous now."

Lin Nuo leaned against the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her hands behind her head, looking at the ceiling:

"What's this fame? There's always bigger fame to come. Believe it or not?"

Su Wanqing looked at him:

I believe you.

With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?