Chapter 20: Still Need to Borrow a Carriage?

“You went out for a whole day and only brought back a few pieces of wood and a single kilogram of sesame cakes? That kid from the Li family brought back a whole sheep—why didn't he share any with you?”

Tao Daqiang had entered the house in high spirits, but when he handed the sesame cakes to his father, he never expected to be met with a torrent of verbal abuse from Tao Jianshe.

Stunned by his father's outburst, it took him a long while to react. He began to defend himself

“That sheep was obtained by Brother Long; naturally, it belongs to him. I went to help, and Brother Long even bought me a pair of gloves!” He flashed the new rabbit-skin gloves at his father to prove his point.

“A single pair of gloves was enough to bribe you!” Tao Jianshe had originally been quite happy, but after someone told him that Li Long had brought back a sheep, he couldn't help but think that since his son had gone along, he should have at least brought back some meat.

“I even ate at their house, but when I come home, there’s no food! Even the fish I brought back, I can't even eat it myself. Even if I brought back meat, what would be the use?” In the past, Tao Daqiang wouldn't have dared to talk back, but today he had returned to find no food and no fish. He couldn't help but roar at Tao Jianshe

“At least they gave me something!”

Stunned that his son actually dared to yell at him, Tao Jianshe’s eyes flickered with momentary panic. Then, he grabbed his tobacco pipe and swung it down toward Tao Daqiang’s head

“You’ve grown some wings after being out for two days, haven't you? Daring to talk back to your old man? If you're so capable, go follow them instead! If you're so capable, stop using the surname Tao! Since you carry the name Tao and live in this house, I am the one who calls the shots here! You want to eat? Go cook for yourself!”

Tao Daqiang panted heavily, feeling stifled and aggrieved, while Tao Jianshe coughed repeatedly in anger. Just then, there was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” Tao Jianshe asked irritably.

“Uncle Jianshe, it’s me, Li Long.” Li Long’s voice came from outside.

Tao Jianshe instantly felt a surge of panic. He had just been badmouthing the man, and now the man was right outside.

Unable to find the words to speak, he shot a meaningful look at Tao Daqiang.

Tao Daqiang didn't catch his father's look, but he had already walked over to open the door.

“Uncle Jianshe, Daqiang. We’ve already thawed the frozen sheep. This leg belongs to Daqiang.” Li Long handed a sheep leg to Daqiang and said to Tao Jianshe

“Don't worry, Uncle Jianshe, this is good meat, it's edible. Our family is already cooking sheep offal soup.”

“Xiao Long, thank you for going out of your way to bring this leg over. Look at you...” Tao Jianshe’s face burned with embarrassment. He hurriedly sat up and said, “Just let Daqiang take it... Come in, sit down!”

“I can't stay. I have to go to the Captain's house; I need to tell him about using the horse carriage tomorrow.”

“You're going again tomorrow?” Tao Jianshe asked immediately upon hearing this. “Are you taking Daqiang with you?”

Li Long looked at Tao Daqiang and asked

“What about you, Daqiang...”

“I'll go to your house tomorrow morning,” Tao Daqiang said.

“Alright, I'll wait for you tomorrow.”

After Li Long left, he pulled another sheep leg from the snow outside and headed straight to Xu Chengjun's house.

“You say you want to borrow a horse carriage again?” Looking at the sheep leg Li Long brought, Xu Chengjun hesitated. “What about the work-point money...”

“I'll pay it in full.” Li Long pointed to the sheep leg. “This leg is clean. It’s a sheep that froze in the mountains from a herder's flock; I asked specifically. My family is cooking offal soup with it; it's good to eat.”

“Fine. Leave the work-point money here and I'll write a note, but you'll have to change horses tomorrow.”

“I'll do whatever the Captain says,” Li Long said with a smile as he pulled out the money.

At the Li house, Li Juan and Li Qiang were eating sesame cakes while watching the sheep offal soup simmering in the pot.

“You know, Xiao Long has changed so much,” Liang Yuemei remarked with emotion. “Regarding borrowing the carriage tomorrow, he knew to bring a sheep leg to the Captain's house. I wonder if the Captain's family even dares to eat it.”

“Why wouldn't they dare?” Li Jianguo was still busy butchering the meat. The sheepskin was already hanging outside, frozen solid. The offal had been processed first, and the room was filled with a faint scent of raw meat mixed with the aroma of boiling offal.

“If things go like Xiao Long says, we might even bring back more sheep tomorrow. Then our family can get through this winter properly. It's just that this sheep isn't very fat...”

“As long as there's meat to eat, it's fine. I originally thought this winter would be a struggle for us,” Li Jianguo said with a smile. “With fish, sheep, and those 'quagga' chickens, even an immortal wouldn't trade this life!”

“That's true! This winter, we can actually have a proper New Year!” Liang Yuemei said happily. “We won't be short on firewood either. Xiao Long is truly capable!”

“Sigh, I didn't expect Xiao Long to change this much either.”

“My uncle even said he wants to catch fish to sell in the county,” Li Qiang suddenly interjected. “He said one fish can sell for over a yuan!”

Li Jianguo and Liang Yuemei exchanged a glance but said nothing.

Did Li Long look like someone who could sell goods?

Thinking back, he certainly wasn't.

But given what had happened these past two days, it was hard to say!

Not long after, Li Long pushed the door open and walked in.

“Is everything settled?” Li Jianguo stopped cutting the meat and looked up.

“Settled,” Li Long said. “I have to go drive the carriage early tomorrow morning.”

As he spoke, he pulled ten yuan from his pocket and handed it to Liang Yuemei

“Sister-in-law, here is the ten yuan earned today. Please take it.”

“I can't take this money,” Liang Yuemei said, waving her hands hurriedly. “You already gave us ten yuan before. The family isn't short on money; you keep it.”

“Sister-in-law, please take it first, and then listen to me.” Li Long pushed the money toward her. “I also have something to ask my brother.”

Liang Yuemei glanced at Li Jianguo, and Li Jianguo nodded, saying

“Just put it away for now. Xiao Long, tell us what's on your mind.”

“I went to a herder's house today. He has a gun but no bullets. He mentioned there are wolves. I was wondering if you might have some.22 caliber bullets left, brother? Could you spare some for me?”

“I have a few dozen rounds; you can take them all.” Li Jianguo stood up, took a ring of keys from his waist, found a chest in the corner of the bedroom, and pulled out a paper packet to hand to Li Long.

This chest had been made from wood Li Jianguo bought when he got married; the paint was starting to peel, but it was still sturdy. The Li family's valuables were all kept inside.

“Since they gave us this frozen sheep, we must show our gratitude,” Liang Yuemei said, knowing the sheep came from Harimuk's family. “When you go back, buy them some tea or something.”

A sheep was worth dozens of yuan, while a pack of tea was only one or two yuan. One shouldn't take advantage of people too much. This was Liang Yuemei's simple philosophy.

“I know,” Li Long nodded. “There are many valuable things in the mountains. If I can get more of them in the future, our family can become wealthy.”

“Dad, when we eat the sheep leg, give me and my brother one piece of *bishi* (knucklebones) each!” Li Juan said immediately, seeing Li Jianguo continuing to butcher the meat.

Li Long remembered the *bishi* that Nathan and the others were playing with at Harimuk's house, and his heart stirred.

If there were dozens of *bishi* on that wooden heated bed, surely taking a few wouldn't hurt?

In this era, there were so few toys for girls. Having a few *bishi* to play with made a child as prestigious as an emperor among children, much like a boy having two iron oxen in his hands.

That night, many families in the production brigade were discussing the Li family.

Some people even suffered from insomnia because of it.