Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

It was just dawn.

Lin Nuo had already woken up.

He tiptoed off the kang (a heated brick bed), dressed, and went to the chicken coop. He pushed open the small wooden door and reached into the henhouse. It was time to sell the eggs; he'd have to go to the supply and marketing cooperative sometime, he couldn't rely entirely on Zhao Jianming.

Zhao Xiuying saw Lin Nuo squatting at the entrance of the chicken coop:

"Going to the county town again?"

"Um."

Lin Nuo:

"I've been saving up eggs for three days; I need to deliver them. I'll also check on the third son while I'm at it."

Zhao Xiuying paused for a moment before speaking:

"I wonder how the third brother is doing at the factory."

Her voice was soft, tinged with worry:

"Go and talk to him properly, don't keep it bottled up. He's the kind of person who doesn't talk about his problems, and if he keeps it bottled up, it'll cause him problems."

Lin Nuo tied the basket tightly and stood up:

"Okay, Mother."

Zhao Xiuying added another sentence:

"Tell him to come back for a meal. Your dad has been talking about it for years, he doesn't say it but he's always thinking about it."

Lin Nuo nodded and turned to walk towards the storeroom. He took the musket off the wall, inspected it, and then took the pheasants and rabbits that Zhao Dazhuang had brought him yesterday out of the basket.

He packed a pheasant and two rabbits, all very fat with glossy fur. He put them in a burlap sack, tied it tightly, and placed it next to the egg basket.

Zhao Xiuying saw it, walked over, and reached out to touch the burlap sack. She could feel its weight even through the cloth.

"This wild rabbit is plump; it must fetch a good price, right?"

"Yes. Brother Zhao has been urging us several times, specifically asking for wild game."

Lin Nuo hoisted the sack onto his shoulder:

"Mother, I'm leaving."

"Be careful on the road. Come back soon."

Lin Nuo carried the egg basket and sack out of the courtyard.

Under the old locust tree at the village entrance, several women had already gathered. Aunt Wang, with her sharp eyes, was the first to spot Lin Nuo:

"Hey, Nuozi! Going to the county town to deliver eggs again? What's in that sack?"

"Pheasant and rabbit."

Lin Nuo switched the basket to his shoulder without stopping.

Aunt Liu craned her neck to look at the burlap sack, clicking her tongue twice:

"Goodness, eggs and wild game, the Lin family is really going to make a fortune."

Another aunt lowered her voice:

"They have connections; we can't be envious of them."

Aunt Wang sighed; even the melon seeds didn't taste good anymore.

Lin Nuo didn't turn around and quickened his pace toward the town.

The town bus was already at the stop. The driver was squatting in front of the bus checking the tires. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw Lin Nuo carrying large bags and small packages towards him. He grinned.

"Hey bro, delivering goods again? What's it this time? Eggs? Wild game?"

"Yes, we have them all."

Lin Nuo loaded the things into the car.

The driver tossed the wrench into the toolbox, stood up, brushed the dirt off his knees, took a cigarette from his pocket, put it in his mouth without lighting it, walked over, bent down to feel the burlap sack, and his eyes lit up:

"A wild rabbit? Is it fat?"

"Fat. All I can feel is fat."

Lin Nuo untied the burlap sack, revealing the rabbit's furry hind legs.

The driver clicked his tongue and tucked the cigarette behind his ear.

"Brother, you're living a better life than city folks. Raising chickens and hunting, when are you going to let me invest?"

Lin Nuo smiled:

"Uncle, just drive carefully. I'll ask for your help when I get too busy."

"That's a deal!"

The driver chuckled, turned around, returned to the driver's seat, and started the car.

By the time we arrived in the county town, the sun was already high in the sky.

Lin Nuo got out of the car carrying his things and walked along the main street towards Jianming Restaurant. Pushing open the glass door, Zhao Jianming was already waiting to greet him.

"Brother Lin! You're here?"

He glanced down at what Lin Nuo was holding, his eyes brightening even more:

"These are... eggs? And wild game?"

"Hmm. Thirty-five eggs, one pheasant, and two rabbits."

Lin Nuo put the things on the ground, squatted down, and lifted the old cloth and burlap sack opening.

Zhao Jianming also squatted down and reached into the sack to feel for the wild rabbit:

"This rabbit is plump, and its fur is in good condition. Was it just caught?"

"The traps were set yesterday and collected this morning; they're fresh."

Lin Nuo lifted the rabbit out of the sack, turned it over, revealing its snow-white belly:

"Look at this head."

Zhao Jianming narrowed his eyes to slits, clapped his hands, and stood up:

"Brother, how much?"

Lin Nuo calmly stood up and patted the dirt off his knees:

"Eggs are 12 cents each, pheasants are 6 yuan each, and rabbits are 6 yuan each. No bargaining."

Zhao Jianming paused for a moment, then smiled, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and handed one to Lin Nuo:

"Brother, you're even better at calculating than I am. Even wild pheasants and rabbits at the supply and marketing cooperative aren't this expensive."

Lin Nuo didn't take the cigarette, a smile playing on his lips:

"Brother Zhao, a stew of pheasant and rabbit for ten or eight yuan isn't expensive, is it? The cost is less than half. You won't lose money on this deal. Can you trust the quality of the pheasant and rabbit from the supply and marketing cooperative?"

Zhao Jianming put the cigarette in his mouth, struck a match to light it, took a drag, and exhaled a puff of white smoke. He looked at Lin Nuo with admiration in his eyes and nodded.

"Alright! Eggs are 12 cents, pheasants are 6 yuan, and rabbits are 6 yuan. Old Li, come out and collect the goods!"

The fat chef ran out of the kitchen, picked up the pheasant, weighed it in his hand, and turned it over to look at its rear end:

"Male, three pounds or more, good quality."

Pick up the rabbit again and stroke its hind legs and back:

"Both are good quality, plump."

Zhao Jianming counted out the money from the drawer; it totaled twenty-two yuan and twenty jiao. He handed the money to Lin Nuo: "Brother, you count it."

Lin Nuo took the money, didn't count it, and stuffed it directly into his pocket, patting it down.

"Brother Zhao, I can trust you."

Zhao Jianming:

"Brother Lin, next time you hunt something good, send it to me again. Pheasants, rabbits, turtles, whatever you have, I'll take it all."

Lin Nuo nodded:

"Alright. Brother Zhao, I'll be going now."

"What's the rush? Eat before you leave!"

Zhao Jianming turned around and grabbed Lin Nuo's sleeve:

"Let's have a couple of drinks, you two."

Lin Nuo waved his hand:

"No, I have things to do at home. I need to keep an eye on the chicken coop."

Zhao Jianming didn't insist on keeping him and saw him to the door.

"Take care, brother."

After leaving the restaurant, Lin Nuo didn't rush to the station. Instead, he turned a corner and headed towards the fertilizer plant.

Lin Nuo recognized the old man at the gatehouse, and the old man let him in directly.

The workshop was filled with the roar of machines, and the pungent smell of ammonia mixed with the rust made people's throats dry.

Lin Jian was squatting on the ground moving fertilizer, wearing a dusty work uniform, his face covered in dust, and his forehead beaded with sweat. He saw Lin Nuo and paused for a moment.

"Second Brother? What brings you here?"

"I came to town to sell eggs, and I thought I'd drop by to see you."

Lin Nuo walked up to him and looked him up and down:

"You've lost weight. Have you been eating properly?"

Lin Jian lowered his head and patted the dust off his hands:

"I ate. I'm just tired because I've been working a lot lately."

The two walked to the open space outside the workshop and squatted down against the wall.

A moment of silence.

Lin Jian put a cigarette in his mouth, squinted at the distance, and said in a muffled voice:

"Second brother, I want to talk to you about something."

Lin Nuo didn't reply, and waited.

"Several of my coworkers at the factory said they're going to the south. There are more factories there, the wages are higher, and there are more opportunities."

He took the cigarette out of his mouth:

"They say... while you're young, go out and explore."

He paused:

I want to go too.

Lin Nuo didn't speak. In his past life, Lin Jian left and never came back. Back then, he hated the third brother to the core.

Now, sigh.

"Third brother,"

Lin Nuo spoke, his voice not loud:

"Have you thought it through?"

Lin Jian nodded, his gaze fixed on the ground, his finger tracing patterns on the surface:

"I've made up my mind. I don't want to spend my whole life stuck here carrying fertilizer. Second brother, your life is getting better and better now. I want to... give it a try too."

Lin Nuo took a deep breath and patted his shoulder:

"I won't stop you from going out and making your own way. But you have to go back and talk to your parents clearly. You can't just leave on a whim. If you really want to go, go over there and see what it's like. If it doesn't work out, come back home. There's always food to eat."

Lin Jian looked up, his eyes a little red:

"Second brother, thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?"

Lin Nuo stood up:

"Mom said you can come home for a meal."

Lin Jian paused for a moment, then nodded:

"Sigh. I'll be going back in a couple of days."

After leaving the fertilizer plant, Lin Nuo went to the post office and mailed Su Wanqing's newly written manuscript. Chen Yuanzhi wasn't behind the counter, and he didn't say much.

By the time I got home, the sun was already setting. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, scattering golden fragments across the ground.

From afar, Lin Nuo saw his elder brother Lin Jiang squatting at the gate of the courtyard.

His hair was messy, and he had deep bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept for several days.

Lin Nuo's heart sank, and she quickened her pace to walk over.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

Lin Jiang's eyes were red, and his voice was hoarse:

"Second brother, my father-in-law... doesn't have many days left. The doctor said to prepare for his funeral."

He turned his head to the side, his shoulders trembling slightly.

Lin Nuo felt a pang of sadness. In her past life, her sister-in-law's father had also passed away around this time. Back then, the family was poor, and the money for the funeral had to be scraped together from various sources. This life was much better, but some things still couldn't be changed.

"Brother, don't be too sad. You all did your best while Uncle was alive. Now, let's take care of the rest."

Lin Jiang mumbled an "Mmm," tears streaming down his face.

Lin Nuo squatted down next to his older brother, without saying anything more to comfort him. He knew his brother didn't need those things; he just needed someone to be by his side.

Zhao Xiuying saw the two brothers squatting at the gate of the courtyard, and she sighed at Lin Jiang's appearance.

"Have some water. It's cold, don't get cold."

Lin Jiang took the bowl but didn't drink it.

……

The next day, just as dawn broke, the old foreman arrived.

He was still the same as always; when he saw Lin Nuo come out, he turned around and left.

However, Lin Nuo felt that he had become thinner.

Lin Nuo slung his musket over his shoulder and followed.

Spring has arrived, and the trees in the mountains are sprouting tender buds.

The two walked one after the other into the depths of the old forest.

When they reached a gentle slope, the old foreman stopped, turned around, took out the deer whistle from his waist, and handed it to Lin Nuo.

"You're bragging."

Lin Nuo took it, put it to his lips, puffed out his cheeks, and blew. The whistle was sharp and piercing, like something screaming in agony, echoing through the valley and startling a flock of birds.

The old foreman frowned, reached out and took the whistle back:

"No, not like that. Softer, shorter, like a doe's call."

He put the whistle to his lips and demonstrated. The sound was much softer, like the wind blowing through the treetops, or like a doe calling softly in the distance, echoing through the forest, making one's heart melt.

"Got it? Keep it soft and short. Don't sound like you're blowing a bugle."

Lin Nuo nodded, took the whistle back, and practiced it a few times. The old foreman listened from the side, occasionally giving him a correction.

"Alright. It works best when deer are in estrus in autumn. It's only early spring now, so the effect might not be as good."

The old foreman lowered his voice:

"And this thing will attract other things, tigers, leopards, bears, they all love to come this way. Remember, if you blow on it a few times and there's no response, quickly move to another place. Don't stay in one place for too long."

Lin Nuo's heart tightened, and his hand unconsciously gripped the musket.

"I'll remember that, Uncle Zhang."

The old foreman glanced at him, said nothing more, and pointed into the depths of the woods:

"Blow it that way, but don't make it too loud."

Lin Nuo took a deep breath, put the deer whistle to his lips, and blew it softly and briefly a few times.

The two waited for a while.

There's been no movement.

Just as the old foreman was about to speak, a rustling sound suddenly came from the woods. Lin Nuo held his breath, his finger on the trigger of the musket.

The bushes swayed slightly.

Then, a fawn peeked out from behind the tree.

The old foreman narrowed his eyes. Lin Nuo slowly raised his musket.

The old foreman pressed his hand down and shook his head.

"It's too small, let it go."

His voice was low, but firm.

The fawn stood by the bushes for a while, then, perhaps smelling human scent, snorted, turned, and hopped into the depths of the forest.

Lin Nuo let out a long breath and put the musket down.

"Uncle Zhang, why aren't you fighting?"

The old foreman put away the deer whistle, glanced at him, and said calmly:

"Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. If we kill it now, there won't be any left in the fall. In this line of work, we can't just look at the immediate future."

Lin Nuo paused for a moment, then nodded.

"I'll remember that, Uncle Zhang."

The old foreman grunted in agreement and turned to walk down the mountain.

When we returned from the mountains, the sun was already setting. The old foreman left first.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, Su Wanqing was squatting at the entrance of the chicken coop, feeding the chickens. The setting sun shone on her face, making it appear translucent.

So lovely.

She heard footsteps, looked up, and smiled at him.

"You're back? Are you tired?"

Lin Nuo squatted down next to her, watching the chickens running around in the coop. The fifty-four chickens had grown a bit bigger, their feathers glossy and they were full of energy, clucking and scrambling for food on the hay-covered ground.

These chicks are really good, but they'll only lay eggs at most. We'll still have to buy chicks in the future, so we'll always be at the mercy of others.

When I have money, I'll think about hatching chicks.

"Not tired."

Lin Nuo reached out and put his arm around her:

"Teacher Su, I have something to tell you."

He told Su Wanqing everything about Lin Jian's desire to go to the south and his elder brother and father-in-law's serious illness.

There's been a lot going on lately.

Su Wanqing was silent for a moment, then reached out and took his hand. Her fingers were cool to the touch.

"You can't stop the third brother from going out and making his way in the world. As for the eldest brother, we'll help him if we can. Life is about solving problems one by one."

Lin Nuo squeezed her hand tighter and curled up the corners of his mouth:

"Teacher Su is right."

As the sun slowly sank below the horizon, the clouds on the horizon were dyed orange-red, as if someone had spilled a palette of paint.

Su Wanqing leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder, her hair brushing against his chin, tickling him.

"Lin Nuo".

"Um."

"No matter what happens in the future, I will stay with you."

Lin Nuo felt a warmth in her heart.

"Teacher Su, I will stay with you too."