Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

Chapter 61 Going South

Just as it was getting dark, the courtyard gate opened.

Lin Jian stood at the door, wearing a slightly worn military overcoat with the collar turned up, his face flushed red from the wind. He was carrying two bottles of liquor.

Zhao Xiuying was squatting at the kitchen door picking vegetables when she heard the noise. She looked up, stunned, then quickly wiped her hands on her apron and stood up.

"Third brother? Why are you back at this time?"

"Mother, I've come back to visit."

Lin Jian placed the wine on the windowsill, went into the kitchen, and lifted the pot lid to peek inside. Cabbage and glass noodles were simmering in the pot, bubbling away, the steam coating his face. He put the lid back on and turned around.

"Mother, where is my father?"

"In the main room."

Zhao Xiuying looked him up and down, her brows furrowing:

"You've lost weight. Is the food at the factory bad?"

"good."

Lin Jian didn't say much and turned to walk towards the main room.

Watching his retreating figure, Zhao Xiuying felt a strange sense of unease. This child usually didn't come back on his own initiative, and today, neither a holiday nor a day off, his sudden return must mean something was wrong.

No one knows a child better than their mother.

Lin Weiguo was sleeping in a chair.

Lin Jian sat down next to him without saying a word, and stayed with him for a while.

After a while, Lin Weiguo stopped snoring. Half asleep and half awake, he slowly came to his senses, turned his head and glanced at him:

"You're back? Have you eaten?"

"not yet."

"Fry an extra egg tonight."

Lin Weiguo shouted towards the kitchen, and Zhao Xiuying responded.

Lin Weiguo turned around and looked at Lin Jian. He had watched Lin Jian grow up, and he could tell at a glance that his son had something on his mind.

"Speak. What is it?"

Lin Jian lowered his head and rubbed his fingers together on his knees. After a moment of silence, he managed to squeeze out a few words.

"Father, I want to go south."

A moment of silence fell over the main room. The flame of the kerosene lamp flickered, casting a swaying shadow on the wall.

Lin Weiguo remained silent for a moment.

"Have you thought it through?"

His voice was soft, and his emotions were unreadable.

"I've made up my mind."

"Where are you going?"

"A coworker in the factory, his brother-in-law owns a factory in the south and is hiring. He said that if he goes there, he'll get room and board, and the salary will be much higher than here."

Lin Jian raised his head and looked at Lin Weiguo:

"Dad, I don't want to spend my whole life stuck here carrying fertilizer. My second brother's life is getting better and better, and I want to... give it a try too."

Lin Weiguo didn't reply. He put a cigarette in his mouth and squinted at the roof.

Zhao Xiuying came in from the kitchen carrying a plate of scrambled eggs, placed the plate on the table, and then turned back to serve porridge. She heard the last few sentences but said nothing:

"Eat. Let's eat first."

The family sat down around the table. Lin Jian held his bowl but didn't touch his chopsticks.

Lin Weiguo put down his chopsticks and looked at Lin Jian.

"Your second brother is doing well raising chickens, and he's planning to expand soon. You don't earn much at the fertilizer factory, so why don't you come back and help your second brother? Family matters are ultimately your own responsibility. You know your second brother; he won't mistreat you."

Lin Weiguo still didn't want his youngest son to go far away; it was too dangerous.

Lin Jian shook his head, his voice not loud:

"Father, I don't want to go home to help my second brother."

Lin Weiguo frowned.

That's not a pleasant thing to hear.

"It's not that I'm unwilling to help my second brother."

Lin Jian put down his chopsticks, looked at the table, and continued to explain:

"My second brother has helped me so much. If it weren't for him, I don't know where I would be now if it weren't for that fake fertilizer incident. I just... don't want to keep owing him. I want to rely on myself."

Even if they are brothers, they are unwilling to rely on each other for help.

Zhao Xiuying listened from the side, her eyes slightly red.

Lin Weiguo knew his youngest son well and said:

"Rely on yourself? You're going to the South, where you don't know anyone. If something happens, your family won't be able to help you. Your mother isn't in good health; she'll worry about you all the time and won't be able to sleep well."

Lin Jian lowered his head and remained silent.

He also couldn't bear to part with his parents.

Zhao Xiuying wiped her eyes, her voice slightly choked:

"Third brother, your father is right. You're doing just fine at the fertilizer factory, why go so far away? Things are better at home now, your second brother has connections, why don't you work for him? Isn't that better than going south?"

Lin Jian remained silent; he had made up his mind to leave.

It's impossible to be easily influenced and give up.

Lin Nuo pushed open the door and walked in. He saw that the lights were on in the main room and the family was sitting around the table. The atmosphere was strange, and he paused for a moment.

"What's wrong? Are you in a meeting?"

Zhao Xiuying glanced at him, but it didn't seem like anything.

Lin Jian raised his head, looked at Lin Nuo, and his lips moved slightly:

"Second Brother."

Lin Nuo walked over and sat down next to him. He glanced at the dishes on the table, barely touched them, then looked at Lin Jian's expression and understood most of what was going on.

"Third brother, are you here to discuss something?"

Lin Jian nodded:

"Second brother, I still want to go to the south."

Lin Nuo didn't reply, but simply said:

"Have you thought it through?"

"I've made up my mind."

"Do your parents disagree?"

Lin Jian didn't answer, but his expression said it all.

Lin Nuo spun the wine cup twice, his fingers slowly tracing the rim. He looked up at Lin Weiguo and Zhao Xiuying, then at Lin Jian.

"Third brother, you're going south with your coworkers. Which factory are you going to? What are you doing? How much do you earn a month? Is someone going to pick you up?"

Lin Jian was taken aback, not expecting his second brother to ask such detailed questions. He took out a slip of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and placed it on the table.

"In Shenzhen, at an electronics factory. My coworker's brother-in-law is the workshop foreman; you can get a job there. It's about 70 or 80 yuan a month, with room and board included."

Lin Nuo picked up the note, glanced at it, and then put it down. He took out the small accounting notebook from his pocket, flipped through a few pages, and placed it on the table.

"Father, Mother, look!"

Lin Weiguo glanced down at the notebook, which was filled with numbers: how many eggs, how much money was made, how many wild animals, how much cost, and how much profit—everything was clearly written down.

Lin Nuo has always remembered it.

"In the past two weeks of raising chickens, we've sold eggs for over 40 yuan each. After deducting the cost of buying the chickens and only considering the cost of feeding them, we've made a net profit of more than half."

Lin Nuo pointed to the numbers in the notebook:

"The third brother earns a little over forty yuan a month at the fertilizer factory. If he can make a lot of money in the south and send it home, our chicken farm can be expanded. I'll consider him a shareholder then."

He paused, then added:

"It's not a bad thing for the third brother to go south. There are many factories and opportunities there, and he has someone to guide him, which is better than him venturing out on his own."

Zhao Xiuying fell silent. Lin Weiguo's hand, holding the wine cup, froze in mid-air.

"I believe what you say, but the third brother going so far away alone..."

"Mother, the third son isn't alone. His coworkers went with him."

Lin Nuo turned to look at Lin Jian:

"Third son, when you get over there, write home once a month. Don't let your parents worry."

Lin Jian nodded vigorously:

"Second brother, I've got it."

Lin Nuo agreed, and the matter was almost settled.

Lin Weiguo sighed, picked up his wine cup, and downed it in one gulp. He slammed the cup down on the table.

"Go then. Once you're there, write home often."

Zhao Xiuying's tears finally fell; she couldn't bear to part with her son.

Lin Jian also stood up, took out a wad of money from his pocket, and placed it on the table.

"Father, Mother, please take this money. I'm leaving now, and I won't be able to take care of you here anymore, so the money must stay with you."

Zhao Xiuying peeked out from the kitchen and saw the stack of money on the table; her eyes welled up with tears again.

"Keep this for yourself, you can use it on the road!"

"I still have some."

Lin Jian pushed the money towards Lin Weiguo:

"This is my salary for this month, thirty-eight yuan. I'll send it back next month when I get paid."

Lin Weiguo looked at the stack of money but didn't take it. He reached out, picked up the money, counted it, and then put it back.

"Your mother is right, it's for the journey. We don't need the money."

"Father, please take it. It will make me feel better."

Lin Weiguo remained silent for a moment, then put the money in his pocket.

Lin Nuo stood up, walked up to Lin Jian, and patted him on the shoulder:

"Third brother, when you get there, do a good job. Don't bring shame to our family."

"Second brother, don't worry."

"besides,"

Lin Nuo lowered his voice:

"If things really don't work out, come back. There's food at home, and we'll save a spot for you in the chicken coop."

Lin Jian also spoke up:

"Second brother, after I leave, I'll entrust our parents to your care."

"Do you even need to tell me?"

Lin Nuo smiled, sat down next to him, and picked up his wine cup.

Just then, the courtyard gate was pushed open.

Lin Nuo turned her head and saw Lin Jiang standing outside the door.

"Brother? What's wrong?"

Lin Jiang walked in and stood at the entrance of the main room without sitting down. His gaze swept around the room, landing on Lin Jian before returning to his own.

"Second brother, my father-in-law... has passed away."

The hall was quiet for a moment.

When Lin Nuo saw Lin Jiang's expression, he roughly guessed what was going on.

Lin Jian stood up: "Big Brother..."

Lin Jiang waved his hand, stopping him from continuing. He walked to the base of the wall, squatted down, and remained silent.

Lin Nuo walked over and squatted down next to him. He didn't say anything, but simply put his hand on his older brother's back and patted him gently, just like when his older brother used to pat him when they were little.

After a long while, Lin Jiang finally raised his head and wiped his face with the back of his hand:

"The doctor said...it would happen in the next day or two. But I didn't expect it to be so fast...He was fine this morning, and even said he wanted to drink porridge...I went to buy him some porridge, and when I came back, he was already gone..."

His voice was intermittent, as if he were talking to himself, or as if he were telling Lin Nuo something.

Lin Nuo didn't reply. He knew his older brother didn't need comforting words, he just needed someone to listen to them.

Zhao Xiuying brought a bowl of hot water from the kitchen, squatted down, and handed the bowl to Lin Jiang.

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

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

Lin Nuo stood up, walked up to Lin Weiguo, and spoke in a soft but firm voice:

"Father, we have to help with my eldest brother's funeral. The family will cover the expenses. We can't count on Shan Jun's side, so we can't make the funeral too shabby."

Lin Weiguo nodded, took out the wad of money Lin Jian had just given him from his pocket, and handed it over:

"Use this first."

Lin Nuo took the money and stuffed it back into Lin Weiguo's hand:

"Dad, keep this money. Don't touch the third brother's gift. I have money on hand for the eldest brother."

He turned around, squatted down, and looked into Lin Jiang's eyes:

"Brother, go back and tell your wife not to worry about the funeral arrangements. I'll go to town tomorrow to buy everything we need: the coffin, the burial clothes, the paper money—everything. If Shan Jun makes a fuss, tell him to come find me."

Lin Jiang raised his head, his lips trembling several times, and finally he only said in a muffled voice:

"Second brother... thank you."

"Brother, we're family, no need to thank me."

Lin Nuo pulled him up from the ground and patted the dirt off him:

"You go back first and keep your sister-in-law company. I'll come find you first thing tomorrow morning."

Lin Jiang nodded, turned around, and staggered out. After a few steps, he stopped and looked back at Lin Jian.

"Third brother, are you going south?"

Lin Jian was stunned for a moment:

"Brother, how did you know?"

"I heard it at the door just now."

Lin Jiang's voice was hoarse:

"Go and do a good job. Don't let your parents worry about you."

Lin Jian nodded: "Brother, I understand."

Lin Jiang didn't say anything more, turned around and disappeared into the night.

The main room fell silent.

Zhao Xiuying squatted at the kitchen door, clutching the apron in her hand, her eyes red, and said nothing. Lin Weiguo sat at the table, picked up the wine cup, put it down, picked it up again, and put it down again.

Lin Jian stood by the window, looking at the moon outside, lost in thought.

Lin Nuo walked over and turned the kerosene lamp a little brighter. The flame flickered, and the room became a bit brighter.

"Third brother, go back to the factory tomorrow and get the paperwork done. Before you leave, visit your eldest brother. His wife can't handle things alone; help her out if you can."

Lin Jian turned around and nodded:

"Second brother, I understand."

Late at night.

Zhao Xiuying and Lin Weiguo went back to their room to sleep. Lin Jian sat alone in the main room, the two bottles of wine in front of him, but he didn't drink them.

Lin Nuo came out of the east room, put on his clothes, and sat down next to him.

The two sat side by side, neither of them speaking.

The moon outside the window is bright, and its cool light spills into the courtyard.

After a long while, Lin Nuo spoke first: "Third brother."

"Um."

"When you get there, eat well. Don't go hungry."

Lin Jian didn't say anything.

No matter how well you do out there, come home for Chinese New Year and have some dumplings. Your parents will miss you.

Lin Jian stubbed out his cigarette on the sole of his shoe and muttered:

"Second brother, I've got it."

Moonlight streamed into the courtyard, and the two sat side by side, neither of them speaking.

Lin Nuo stood up and patted him on the shoulder:

Go to bed early. You have things to do tomorrow.

He turned and walked towards the east room, glancing back:

"Third brother."

"Um."

"Don't worry about things at home. I'm here."

Lin Jian's eyes reddened again. He blinked hard a few times to keep the tears from falling.

"……Why."

Lin Nuo pushed open the door to the east room. Su Wanqing was still awake. She sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding the fountain pen in her hand, with several sheets of manuscript paper spread out in front of her. The kerosene lamp sat on the table, its flame flickering and casting her shadow on the wall.

She looked up at Lin Nuo:

"Is everything settled in?"

"Um."

Linno sat down next to her.

"The third brother is going south."

"I know. I heard it just now."

Su Wanqing put down her pen and reached out to hold his hand:

"You want him to go?"

"He wanted to go, and I couldn't stop him."

Lin Nuo's voice was a little muffled:

"You can stop a person, but you can't stop their heart. It's better to let him go openly than to sneak away. At least his family knows where he is."

Su Wanqing didn't say anything, but simply tightened her grip on his hand.