Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

On the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, I went to buy meat.

As dawn broke, Lin Nuo emerged from the east room, her cotton-padded coat draped over her arm, wearing only a vest over her undershirt. A gust of cold wind made her shiver, and she quickly put her coat back on.

As I walked to the gate of the courtyard, I remembered that my older brother Lin Jiang had come over yesterday and said that his pickaxe was dull and he wanted to borrow a whetstone.

His family has a piece of bluestone that Lin Weiguo picked up from the riverbank. It's great for sharpening knives, sickles, and pickaxes.

My older brother said he would need it in the spring and wanted to borrow it for a while.

So he took the whetstone and turned to walk towards his elder brother's house.

My elder brother's house is on the east side of the village, separated from the Lin family's old house by a low wall, about a hundred steps away.

The three mud-brick houses had a small courtyard with neatly stacked firewood. Several farm tools—hoes, shovels, and picks—were placed against the wall, all clean and tidy. Lin Jiang was a meticulous person; he always tidied up everything after using it before putting it down.

The courtyard gate was not closed. Just as Lin Nuo was about to push the gate open and go in, he heard voices coming from inside.

It's Tian Fang's voice.

"Look at other kids eating meat during the New Year, our kids can't even smell the meat. Lin Jiang, can't you think of something?"

Lin Jiang remained silent.

I know it's tough for you.

Tian Fang's voice was trembling with tears.

"Yesterday, Anzi told me, 'Mom, I want to eat meat.' I said, 'Okay, we'll buy it when your dad earns money.' Today, she asked me, 'Has Dad earned money yet?' I said no. Then she cried."

Lin An's voice came through:

"Mom, I won't eat meat anymore, please stop scolding Dad."

"I didn't insult your father..."

Tian Fang's voice choked up.

Lin Ping chimed in, her voice even softer and more childish:

"I won't eat meat anymore either."

Lin Ping is only four years old and can't speak fluently yet.

Lin Jiang finally spoke:

"Alright, that's enough. I'll think of something after the New Year."

"Think of a way, think of a way, you say you'll think of a way every year..."

Tian Fang didn't continue.

The courtyard fell silent.

Lin Nuo stood outside the courtyard gate and pushed it open to go inside.

"Big brother."

Lin Jiang looked up at him, his face expressionless, with dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well.

"Where are Anko and Pingzi?"

Lin Jiang was stunned for a moment:

"What are you doing?"

"Let them come over for lunch."

"Need not."

Lin Jiang's voice was muffled.

"It's not for you, it's for the child, and besides, Dad also wants to help Anzi and Pingzi."

Lin Nuo spoke.

Lin Jiang turned his head and glanced at Lin Nuo.

Hesitated for a moment.

"Anzi! Pingzi!" Lin Jiang called out into the house.

Two children ran out of the house. Lin An was seven years old, with two little braids, wearing a floral cotton-padded jacket that was a bit short, revealing her wrists.

Lin Ping was four years old, with a round face and big eyes. He was wearing a blue cotton-padded jacket with patches on it, and the sleeves were too long, so they were rolled up twice.

"Let's go to my second uncle's house for dinner."

Lin An looked up at Lin Nuo, her eyes brightening for a moment, but she didn't move. She held her younger brother's hand, standing at the door like two timid kittens.

In his past life, Lin Nuo got drunk and acted crazy, which probably frightened them, so they have never been close to him.

"Walk."

Lin Nuo reached out his hand, and Lin An hesitated for a moment before offering his own. The little hand was icy cold. He gripped it tightly, and with his other hand, he picked up Lin Ping. The little guy wasn't heavy; he was light as a feather, like he was holding a bundle of firewood.

Back in the compound.

"Here it comes, here it comes."

Lin Weiguo waved to his two grandsons, his face crinkling with a smile:

"Anzi, Pingzi, come here, come to Grandpa."

Then he pulled two pieces of fruit candy from his pocket. The candy wrappers were brightly colored; they were the kind of hard fruit candy sold at the supply and marketing cooperative, costing one cent each. Lin An took them, but didn't eat them, just clutched them in his hand. Lin Ping, however, had already unwrapped one and stuffed it into his mouth, his cheeks bulging.

"sweet!"

"If it's sweet, have another piece."

Lin Weiguo took out another piece and handed it over. He only had a few pieces in his pocket, which Zhao Xiuying had bought at the market, specifically to appease the children.

Zhao Xiuying poked her head out of the kitchen, her hands and apron covered in flour, with some flour stuck to her hair.

"Don't give them too much candy, or they won't want to eat dinner later."

"It's Chinese New Year, what's wrong with eating an extra piece of candy?"

Lin Weiguo didn't take it seriously and stuffed the candy into Lin Ping's mouth.

He patted Lin An's head and asked a question.

"Anzi, what do you want to eat for lunch?"

Lin An lowered his head and remained silent. His hands were clenched together, his fingers twisting and turning.

"Just tell me what you want to eat."

Lin An raised his head, glanced at his grandfather, and then at his younger brother.

I want to eat meat.

Her voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of saying something wrong.

Upon hearing the word "meat," Lin Ping immediately followed suit:

"Meat! Meat!"

The candy almost fell out of his mouth, so he quickly rolled it back in with his tongue.

Lin Weiguo laughed. His laughter echoed in the main room, carrying a warm feeling.

"Okay, let's eat meat!"

He took a dollar out of his pocket and slapped it on the table.

"Second brother, go to town and buy a pound of meat."

Lin Nuo didn't answer.

"What's wrong?" Lin Weiguo looked at him and frowned.

"Dad, I don't need your money. I have my own."

Lin Weiguo's brows furrowed even more, forming a deep frown. Zhao Xiuying came out of the kitchen, her apron covered in flour and a piece of dough stuck to her hand.

"You have it? Where did you get the money?"

Lin Nuo didn't answer, but turned around and went out, bringing back the sack containing the sheep.

"We'll have money if we sell this."

Zhao Xiuying came closer, looked down at the sack, then looked up at him, her face full of disbelief.

"Are you really going to sell it? How much can this thing fetch? Don't make a wasted trip. You'll have to pay for the round trip, and you'll lose money if you don't make much."

"It can be sold."

Lin Nuo hoisted the sack onto his shoulder:

"Enough to buy meat."

Zhao Xiuying wanted to say something, but Lin Weiguo waved his hand and said, "Let him go."

Lin Nuo carried the sack to the door, stopped, and looked back.

Lin An and Lin Ping leaned over the table, their eyes fixed on him expectantly.

He thought of his past life.

After the rabbit died in his previous life, his family was left with a mountain of debt. When Lin An reached school age, they couldn't afford the tuition. Lin Jiang went to the school several times and begged the principal many times, but in the end, they only managed to get a six-month tuition waiver.

Lin An went to school for two years before dropping out to help with chores at home. She married early, to a man from the next village. He was an honest man, but his family was poor. Lin Ping went to school for two more years, but dropped out of junior high and went to work, carrying bricks on construction sites, just like Lin Jiang.

The people he owed the most in his life, besides Su Wanqing, were his elder brother's family.

"Anzi, wait for your second uncle to come back and stew some meat for you."

Lin An nodded, a smile playing on his lips, revealing two shallow dimples.

Lin Nuo carried the sack out the door.

A horse-drawn carriage was parked at the entrance of the village.

The carriage belonged to Old Sun from the village; it had rubber wheels, wooden sides, and a layer of dry grass on the floor.

Old Sun was in his forties, with a dark, wrinkled face. He wore a plain leather coat that was rubbed until it shone. He had a dog-skin hat on his head, and his ears drooped down, swaying as he walked.

He sat on the edge of the carriage, clutching a whip in his hand, the tip of which dangled stiffly on the ground. There were already three people inside the carriage.

"Uncle Sun, are you going to town?"

"Go. One cent."

Lin Nuo tossed the sack onto the cart, climbed on, and found a spot to sit on the side. The wooden cart was covered with a layer of dry straw, which was hard and uncomfortable to sit on. He pulled the sack closer to him and leaned against the side of the cart.

Old Sun cracked his whip, the sharp crack echoing in the cold air. The horse snorted, its hooves digging into the ground, the wheels crunching and creaking as it rolled through the snow.

……

We arrived in town.

The town is much smaller than the county seat, with only one main street.

Lin Nuo went to find Liu Jun first.

Liu Jun is Liu Dezhu's son and works as a sales clerk at the supply and marketing cooperative.

"You're Lin Nuo? My dad told me."

He peeked out from behind the counter, looked Lin Nuo up and down, then opened the bag to take a look:

"Earth sheep?"

"Yes. Does the herbal medicine station accept it?"

"Wait a moment."

Liu Jun went out. Lin Nuo stood in front of the counter waiting. The supply and marketing cooperative was warm and cozy, the stove was burning brightly, and the iron chimney was glowing red.

After a while, Liu Jun returned with one person.

The man was in his fifties, short and stout, with a round face and a red nose. His surname was Ma, and he worked as a purchasing agent at the herbal medicine station. People in town called him Old Ma.

Old Ma squatted down, untied the sack, and picked out the sheep one by one to check their quality.

"Two large and three small, good quality." Old Ma stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, "We'll sell it by weight, two yuan per pound."

"Two pieces?" Lin Nuo shook his head. "Uncle Ma, sheep bones can be used as tiger bones, this price isn't right, is it?"

Old Ma paused for a moment.

"You know about this too?"

"I know a little."

Old Ma put the sheep down and said...

"You're right, sheep bones can replace tiger bones."

He lowered his voice:

"But how many bones does a single goat have? Two large and three small ones, five in total, would only yield a maximum of two ounces of bones. Even at the price of tiger bones, two ounces of bones isn't much."

"We mainly buy sheep for their meat. The meat can also be used in medicine, but the price isn't high. Two yuan a pound is already a fair price. You'll find the same price elsewhere."

Lin Nuo didn't rush to answer.

"Uncle Ma, three yuan and fifty cents."

Old Ma smiled. The smile started at the corners of his mouth and slowly spread across his face.

"You little punk, you can even haggle? Three yuan and fifty cents is too high. I'm just taking these to the county, and they only pay two yuan and fifty cents there. I'm only giving you two yuan because it's your first time here."

"Uncle Ma, using sheep bone instead of tiger bone will save you a lot of money. What's the price of tiger bone? Several yuan per gram. What's the price of sheep bone? Only a few yuan per kilogram. That's the difference in price."

"Alright, alright."

Old Ma interrupted him:

"You even foresaw this?"

"hey-hey."

Old Ma laughed too, this time a deeper laugh. He threw the cigarette butt on the ground, stomped it out, and held up four fingers.

"Four yuan a pound. That's the highest I can go. Any higher and I'll lose money. To be honest, the county is offering three yuan and fifty cents, and I'm adding fifty cents as a gesture of goodwill. Come back to me next time you have stock, don't go through other people's channels."

Lin Nuo thought for a moment and nodded.

"OK."

Old Ma put the sheep on the scale.

"Three jin and two liang. Four yuan a jin, twelve yuan and eighty cents. I'll round it up to thirteen yuan for you. Consider the two mao as a loss on my part."

He pulled a wad of crumpled banknotes from his pocket, all small bills and large denominations, bound together with a rubber band. He untied the rubber band, counted out thirteen bills, and handed them over.

Lin Nuo took the money, carefully folded it, and stuffed it into the inner pocket of her cotton-padded coat. The inner pocket, sewn by Zhao Xiuying, was specifically for holding money; it had a button that fastened it tightly.

"Uncle Ma, thanks."

Old Ma waved his hand, put the sheep into a cloth bag, and tied the opening tightly.

"I've been taken advantage of. Come back to me next time you have stock. Don't follow other people's methods, remember that."

Lin Nuo smiled but didn't say anything.

How could Lao Ma possibly lose out on this business?

But at least they can talk.

After leaving the herbal medicine station, Lin Nuo went to buy meat first.

The butcher shop was at the other end of the street. There was a wooden table covered with a white cloth, on which was laid half a pig. The pig had just been slaughtered that morning and was still steaming. The hair on the skin had been scraped off cleanly, and the fat was white and glistening.

Zhang the butcher stood behind the counter, wearing a shiny apron.

"Give me two jin."

Butcher Zhang made a swift and decisive cut, the blade following the bone without hesitation. The cut meat was weighed on the scale: two pounds and one ounce.

"One yuan per jin, a little over two jin and one liang, two yuan and thirty cents."

Lin Nuo took out some money from his pocket, counted out two yuan and thirty cents, and handed it over.

The meat felt heavy in my hand.

After walking a few steps, Lin Nuo stopped again.

I glanced back at the small restaurant on the street. A wooden sign hung above the entrance, bearing the four characters "Zhang's Snacks," written in red paint. The paint had mostly worn off, leaving only half of the character "Zhang" and the radical "己" for "Ji." The sign also listed "Noodles, Steamed Buns, Braised Chicken Legs."

Braised chicken leg. Five cents each.

Lin Nuo stood on the street and thought for a while.

Thirteen yuan. Two yuan and thirty cents went to the meat, and two mao went to the horse-drawn carriage for a round trip. Ten yuan and fifty cents were left. Spending fifty cents to buy a chicken leg wasn't unreasonable.

After all, Wan Qing loved to eat this.

Having made up his mind, Lin Nuo went into the restaurant.

The restaurant was small, with four tables and benches, the tabletops glistening with oil. The air was filled with the aroma of braised meat—the fragrance of soy sauce, star anise, and cinnamon, all blended together, so rich and intense it was almost overwhelming.

"Give me a braised chicken leg."

The owner scooped a chicken leg out of the pot, wrapped it in oil paper, and handed it over.

"50 cents."

Lin Nuo took the chicken leg and tucked it into his pocket.

It's like they've hidden some treasure.

……

When the carriage stopped at the village entrance, the sun was already setting.

Lin Nuo jumped off the cart carrying the meat and walked towards the village. The meat, tied with straw rope, swayed in his hand, its white fat gleaming, making it particularly eye-catching in the eyes of the villagers.

As usual, a few people were squatting under the old locust tree at the village entrance.

Wang Lao Er squatted at the front, a pipe in his mouth, the tobacco burning red and glowing, flickering on and off. Besides him, there were Zhao Dana and Li San.

When they saw Lin Nuo approaching, their eyes were all fixed on the piece of meat in his hand.

It weighed over two pounds and was tied with straw rope. The fat was white and plump, clearly a piece of fatty pork belly.

Wang Lao Er almost dropped the pipe from his mouth.

The Lin family was so poor they could barely afford meat.

"Nuozi? You sold that mouse you were groping around for?"

"Um."

"How much did you sell it for?"

Lin Nuo didn't stop walking: "Enough to buy meat."

"How much meat is enough?"

Wang Lao Er pressed on, craning his neck as if asking a long question.

Not many.

Lin Nuo carried the meat away, her steps neither fast nor slow.

The three of them were left staring at each other in bewilderment.

"This kid has even learned to speak in secret."

Zhao Dana put down the enamel mug and said thoughtfully:

"If he didn't make money, how could he afford two catties of meat? He must have sold quite a few sheep."

Wang Lao Er smacked his lips, swirling the pipe in his mouth.

"Shall we go dig some next time? I think there are some caves in that area behind the mountain. Last time I went up the mountain to chop firewood, I saw several mounds of earth, arched up, those must be the burrows of the goats."

"Do you know which cave has them?"

Li San glanced at him sideways, his lips curling downwards:

"If Nuozi has found it, you might not be able to. Those earthworms dig deep burrows with many branching paths; you could dig for ages and still not find it, wasting your energy."

The three of them remained silent for a while.

Zhao Dana spoke slowly and deliberately:

"That kid's like a completely different person lately. He's stopped gambling, stopped drinking, and even started making money. Do you think he's been possessed by something?"

Wang Lao Er spat out a "pui":

"What possession stuff? That's all nonsense. They've just figured it out."

"What do you want to understand?"

"I've realized I can't live like that anymore."

Wang Lao Er tapped his pipe on the sole of his shoe:

"His wife is already sleeping in a separate room. If he doesn't change this, what if she runs away?"

The three of them remained silent for a while.

Looking in the direction Lin Nuo disappeared, Li San said, "If he can really get his life going, that would be a good thing. The Lin family hasn't had an easy time these past few years."

No one responded.

Lin Nuo pushed open the courtyard gate.

Zhao Xiuying came out of the kitchen to greet him. She immediately noticed the meat in his hands, the white fat standing out conspicuously in the dim light.

"Did it really sell?"

"Um."

"How much did you sell it for?"

"Not much, just enough to buy meat."

Lin Nuo handed over the meat:

"Mom, that's more than two pounds, enough to stew a big pot. Add more glass noodles, they'll fill you up, and the kids love them."

Zhao Xiuying took the meat, wanting to ask more questions, but she swallowed the words back. She watched as Lin Nuo placed the sack in the corner and turned to walk into the west room.

She stood at the kitchen door, watching her son's back.

This kid used to brag about every penny he had, wanting the whole village to know. Now that he's made money, he's silent, refusing to say how much it is.

Lin Weiguo came out of the main room and glanced at the meat in her hand.

"Sold?"

They said they sold it, but wouldn't say how much it cost.

Lin Weiguo remained silent for a moment:

"Fine, don't say it then. Anyway, I didn't go to play cards."

Zhao Xiuying paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Too."

Lin Nuo walked to the door of the west room.

He knocked on the door.

"Late Qing".

It was quiet inside for a while. Then the footsteps were very light, like bare feet walking on the brick floor.

The door opened a crack.

Su Wanqing stood behind the door, looking at him.

"What's up?"

Lin Nuo didn't speak, but took out the oil paper package from his pocket.

The oil paper was still warm, carrying the warmth of his chest. The aroma of braised chicken legs seeped out from the cracks in the paper, condensing into a thin wisp of white steam in the cold air, entering the nose with a salty and fragrant scent.

"For you."

Su Wanqing glanced at the oil paper package but didn't take it.

"I do not want."

"Bought."

"I do not want."

She repeated it again, but not in a loud voice.

Lin Nuo knew she would refuse.

It was the same in her past life; whenever he bought her something, her first reaction was always to say no.

It's not that I don't want it, it's that I'm not used to being remembered.

She's always been like this. If Lin Nuo hadn't been so good at pretending back then, he wouldn't have been able to marry her.

Lin Nuo didn't back down. He just stood at the door holding the oil paper package and told her about selling the sheep that day.

"Wanqing, I sold thirteen yuan today."

Su Wanqing's finger twitched.

"The sheep sold for thirteen dollars. The meat cost two dollars and thirty cents, the round trip by horse-drawn carriage cost two cents, and this chicken leg cost five cents."

He lowered his voice:

"Ten dollars left."

He said "ten dollars left" very quickly, as if afraid someone would overhear. After he finished speaking, he let out a sigh of relief.

Su Wanqing looked up at him.

He would unexpectedly tell her all this.

He never said that before.

Why are you telling me this?

"I just wanted you to know."

Lin Nuo handed the oil paper package to her:

"I bought this myself, here you go."

Su Wanqing hesitated for a moment.

This time she didn't refuse. She reached out and took it.

Lin Nuo took out some money from the inner pocket of his cotton-padded coat, counted out five yuan, and handed it over. Five yuan, a crumpled bill with frayed edges. He unfolded the money, flattened it, and presented it to her.

"Take this."

Su Wanqing did not answer.

"What are you doing?"

"Please keep it for me."

Lin Nuo said:

"It's safer to leave it with you than with me."

"Can't you manage it yourself?"

"No," Lin Nuo said. "It never will."

He spoke softly, as if it were just a casual remark. But Su Wanqing heard him clearly. She glanced at him, a glance longer than before, as if confirming something.

She reached out and took the money.

"Eat the chicken leg while it's hot."

Lin Nuo said.

Su Wanqing gave a soft "hmm." The "hmm" was very soft, but she didn't close the door immediately.

Lin Nuo turned to leave.

"Lin Nuo".

He stopped.

"Does your hand still hurt?"

Lin Nuo was stunned for a moment.

I looked down at my hand. There was still a mark on my right index finger, from when I was bitten by a goat yesterday. The wound had scabbed over, but the surrounding skin was still a little red and felt slightly swollen when pressed.

"It doesn't hurt anymore."

Su Wanqing didn't say anything more.

The door closed.

Lin Nuo turned around and continued walking towards the kitchen.

My steps were much lighter than usual.

In the kitchen, Zhao Xiuying had already washed the meat and was cutting it.

"This is pork belly you bought, it's good quality meat."

She said to push the fatty pieces of meat aside:

"They're very fat, so we can render a lot of oil from them. The rendered oil, stored in jars, can last for several months."

"Mom, stew it a little longer, Anzi and the others like it well-cooked."

"I know."

Zhao Xiuying put the meat into the pot, added water until it covered the meat, and then added scallions.

Soon, the pot started bubbling and the aroma quickly wafted out.

She glanced back at Lin Nuo.

"Second brother, how much did they sell the sheep for?"

Not many.

"How much is a little?"

Lin Nuo added a piece of firewood to the stove, the firelight reflecting off his face, making it appear reddish. He stared at the fire for a while, the flames licking the bottom of the pot, crackling and popping.

"Enough to cover my expenses."

Zhao Xiuying knew she wouldn't get any answers, so she snorted.

"Okay, you can keep it hidden. Just don't use it for gambling."

"I won't fight."

"You said it."

"Um."

Zhao Xiuying didn't ask any further questions and turned back to continue her work.

Lin Nuo sat behind the stove, adding firewood to the firebox.

The firelight shone on his face, making it feel warm.

He took the five yuan bills out of his pocket and glanced at them. The five bills were crumpled, but they had become warm from his grip. He put the money back in and patted his pocket.

Five pieces.

Adding the five yuan in Su Wanqing's hand, that makes ten yuan.

This was his first savings.

Not much, but enough.

Lin Nuo leaned against the stove, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips.

There will be even more money in the future.