Chapter 2: Uncle, I want to eat meat

“I don’t have any money either.”

“No money? How could you not have money?” Gu Ermao looked astonished. “You work at the food factory. Even as an apprentice, you make ten or twenty yuan a month, right? You haven’t saved a cent in three months? Impossible, that’s absolutely impossible!

Xiaolong, we’re brothers. How can you not help when a brother is in trouble? In the past, you were always the first to jump in whenever something came up. Isn’t my business your business? Let me see, where is the money…”

As he spoke, he reached out to rummage through Li Long’s pockets.

*Slap!* Li Long swatted his hand away and said bluntly

“What are you doing?”

Gu Ermao had often rummaged through Li Long’s pockets before, and he was used to it. Li Long had never refused him either. Every time, as long as Gu Ermao said a few sweet words, Li Long would be too embarrassed to refuse and would just go along with it.

He hadn’t expected Li Long to turn hostile today. Gu Ermao was stunned for a moment before his face flushed red and he asked

“What are you doing? I told you, I’m borrowing some money. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely pay it back!”

“I told you I don’t have any!” Li Long raised his voice. “It’s true I earn a wage, but don’t I have to spend it? I live with my brother and sister-in-law, I eat their food—don’t I have to contribute something? Besides, if you’re in trouble, why don’t you go find your own brother? Why come to me? I’m not your real brother!”

This ruthless outburst left Gu Ermao bewildered. Then, his face turned beet red, and he said angrily

“If you won’t lend it, then don’t! Why all the bullshit? Li Long, I really misjudged you! Don’t ever call me your brother again! This is all you’re good for. No wonder you got fired; I think you deserved it! If you’ve got any guts, don’t come looking for me again! Let’s see if I ever take you to hang out with Mao Dan and the others!”

With that, he slammed the door in a rage and left.

As Gu Ermao walked out, he counted silently in his heart.

One, two, three…

In the past, whenever he got angry, Li Long would usually rush out within ten counts, wearing a fawning smile to coax him. He knew Li Long was a very vain person who didn’t want others to speak ill of him. After all, Li Long wasn’t a native of the village and hoped to gain the approval of the other young people here. And he, Gu Ermao, was the first person to accept him.

But today, he counted all the way to fifty, and Li Long still didn’t come out. Gu Ermao couldn’t figure it out. Had Li Long changed? Or was he really broke?

But since he had already said his piece, he couldn’t possibly turn back to find Li Long again. Since he hadn’t borrowed the money, he would have to think of another way. However, he wouldn’t let Li Long off easy.

“Since you don’t give me face, don’t blame me for being unkind. I’ll spill your business to Wu Shufen!”

Actually, Li Long knew that by tomorrow, Gu Ermao would spread the news that he had been fired, and tomorrow, upon hearing the news, Wu Shufen would come to break up with him.

That would be just fine.

In the west room, the couple Li Jianguo and his wife exchanged glances, both a bit confused.

Because the voices were loud, they had vaguely heard the conversation between Gu Ermao and Li Long. They just couldn’t figure out why Li Long, who had always been obedient to Gu Ermao, had reacted so violently today.

“Did getting fired from the food factory change Xiaolong’s temper?” Liang Yumei guessed.

“Maybe. Xiaolong isn’t stupid. Experience brings wisdom; maybe he’s finally realized he shouldn’t let others use him. Either way, it’s a good thing.”

“But the money…”

“Let him decide about the money himself,” Li Jianguo shook his head. “He’s a young man, and he’s courting someone. How can he get by without money?”

Just as they were talking, the door to the east room opened, and the two immediately fell silent.

The door to the west room was pushed open, and Li Long walked in.

He took out ten yuan and handed it to Liang Yumei

“Sister-in-law, my return was quite sudden. There shouldn’t be enough firewood at home. Use this money to buy some coal. I’ll go find some firewood in the next couple of days, don’t you worry.”

“You’re going to find what?” Li Jianguo glared. “In this freezing weather, thirty degrees below zero, where are you going to find firewood?”

“Yes, yes, you keep the money. A young man needs to have some cash on him.” Liang Yumei didn’t actually have much of an opinion of Li Long; she was quite satisfied with her brother-in-law’s current attitude.

“Sister-in-law, please take it.” Li Long stuffed the money into Liang Yumei’s hand. “I can’t just let you spend money on me. I’m an adult, after all… Brother,”

He turned to Li Jianguo and said

“I’m almost twenty. I didn’t have much sense before and did some wrong things, but I know now that those things weren’t right. It’s fine that it’s cold, I’ll just wear more layers. Don’t worry about that. Anyway, there’s nothing to do in the winter… Alright, I’m going back to my room.”

After saying this, he turned and left the west room, returning to the east room.

Li Long let out a long breath, feeling that he had at least taken the first step.

In his previous life, every time he looked back on the stupid things he had done, he felt regret. Now that he had a chance to start over, how could he possibly repeat the same mistakes?

But right now, he was a little hungry.

In the countryside, people usually ate two meals a day in the winter. Activity levels were low, rations were limited, and in winter, they had to be even more careful with their food.

Now that he was added to the mix, it would probably be very hard for his brother and sister-in-law’s rations to last until spring.

He really was a “scourge.” In the past, he only knew how to ask his brother for food and clothes, and he did it with such self-righteousness, never once thinking about where those things came from.

Thinking about it now, it was infuriating!

He was still blaming himself when the door rattled.

He looked up and saw his five-year-old nephew, Li Qiang, pushing the door open.

“Uncle, I came to… play.” Li Qiang was dressed thickly; he wiped his nose with his sleeve and said, “You came back from so far away, did you bring anything fun?”

Li Long felt a bit ashamed. He really hadn’t bought anything since returning from Wucheng. Not to mention gifts for his brother and sister-in-law, he hadn’t even bought anything for his niece, Li Juan, or his nephew, Li Qiang.

He rummaged through his bag and only pulled out a box of glutinous rice paper.

This was used in the food factory to wrap candies. After the milk candies were processed, they were wrapped in glutinous rice paper and then wrapped in candy wrappers.

Glutinous rice paper was common in the food factory, but in the village these days, it was almost never seen.

Li Long picked up a sheet and said to Li Qiang

“Open your hand.”

Li Qiang obeyed and opened his hand.

Li Long placed the rice paper on his palm and said

“Don’t move. Watch closely, this paper is about to move.”

Li Qiang was very obedient. He held his hand straight and still, his eyes fixed intently on the paper.

Sure enough, the rice paper moved, slowly curling up.

“It moved, Uncle, it moved!”

Li Qiang shouted in surprise.

Li Long smiled. Having lived two lives, he knew the principle behind why the rice paper moved. But not many people knew it now, so Li Qiang was amazed.

Li Qiang’s voice was loud, and before long, Li Juan also pushed the door open. She looked at Li Long with caution.

Li Juan was ten years old, in elementary school, and often helped out with chores—even doing some work that Li Long wouldn’t touch.

This made Li Juan quite resentful of Li Long. If Li Long weren’t there, she wouldn’t mind the chores; children of her age all helped out at home. But when Li Long was there, he wouldn’t do anything while making her do the work, which naturally felt unfair.

“Sister, Sister! Look, this thing moves… Huh? Why did it melt?” Li Qiang was about to tell Li Juan, but he saw the rice paper in his hand had stuck to his skin.

“It’s okay, there’s more.” Li Long put another one on Li Qiang’s hand. Li Qiang acted like a curious baby, showing his sister.

Li Long also placed one on Li Juan’s hand. She didn’t refuse, but she didn’t say anything either.

Although the ten-year-old girl had her grievances, she was at an age of curiosity. Seeing the rice paper moving in her hand, she was also amazed, though she didn’t ask.

“Uncle, why?” Li Qiang didn’t care about anything else and asked Li Long directly, “Why does it move?”

“Because this thing is very sensitive to temperature. It means that because the room is warm, it shrinks and melts. It’s like plastic meeting fire,” Li Long explained briefly. “You can eat this, too.”

“Can eat it?” Li Qiang’s eyes lit up, and he immediately lowered his head and licked it.

“Mmm, it melted. But it doesn’t taste as good as meat.” Li Qiang looked at Li Long

“Uncle, I want to eat meat.”