Chapter 1

In the winter of 1999, in Huabei City.

According to the weather forecast, a cold wave from Siberia will hit, causing temperatures to drop by five to ten degrees, reaching between minus thirty and forty degrees.

But what was even more chilling was that the corn purchase price this year had dropped to 42 cents per pound, five cents less than the expected 47 cents. It might sound like a small amount, but for farmers who toil from dawn till dusk, it meant that after deducting the costs of seeds and fertilizers, the year would be very hard to get through.

Today, it was snowing heavily, with a thousand miles of ice and ten thousand miles of snow.

Liu Feiyang sat on the doorstep, holding a cheap tobacco roll in his hand, gazing at the heavy snow outside. To his left was a fence of corn, about ten thousand pounds. In a normal year, he would have called it a bountiful harvest.

The corn was covered with a thick layer of snow, like a blanket spread over it.

He took a deep puff of the tobacco, coughing a couple of times from the smoke.

He thought about how it was New Year's Eve tomorrow, and he only had a few pitiful dollars in his pocket. In previous years, the corn would have been sold for cash long ago, but this year, everyone was waiting for the price to rise. The longer they waited, the more it dropped. Now, there were no corn buyers, and after the snow melted, the corn would absorb more moisture, further reducing its price.

He took another puff of the tobacco, the tip of the cigarette already glowing. He blew out the smoke, extinguishing the flame.

At just nineteen, he was already a heavy smoker. He had started smoking at sixteen, the day his parents died in a car accident, using nicotine to stimulate his lungs, finding comfort and relief in it.

His family had been farmers for generations, with no inheritance. His parents left behind only two rooms and six acres of land.

People returning from the market passed by the front door, carrying bags filled with essential New Year's supplies. Their faces were filled with the joy of the holiday, buying fish and meat to reward themselves for their hard work.

He threw away the cigarette butt, stood up, and turned to shout into the house.

"Erhai, let's go, take the pliers up the mountain..."

"What are we going to do?" Erhai, lying on the kang, wiped his nose and asked.

Erhai's real name was Zhao Zhigao, the second son in his family. His parents and sister had died in the same car accident as Liu Feiyang's parents. Seeing him in need, Liu Feiyang took him in. For over three years, the two had relied on each other, living a life that was not happy but at least they had enough to eat.

"Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. We should catch some fish from the river and chase some pheasants in the mountains. We can't just eat plain food; we need some meat!" Liu Feiyang came in, put on his military overcoat, and then a fur hat, making him look bulkier.

"Why suffer on New Year's Eve? I have money. I'll take two hundred to buy meat later!" Erhai sat up on the kang but didn't get down, wiping his nose again.

"You know how to spend money when you have it, but what about when you don't? Money is for emergencies. We can't use it unless we're starving. Get dressed and come out, I'll get the pliers and wait for you..." Liu Feiyang said, then stepped out again.

Though only two years apart, the maturity gap between them was significant. At a young age, Liu Feiyang had to take on the responsibility of the family, speaking with the authority of a parent.

Erhai's parents had been factory workers. The money in his pocket was collected by his coworkers out of pity. It had remained untouched for years, and the family house had been divided among his aunts and uncles, leaving him with only a symbolic portion.

The driver responsible for the accident had fled, and as a farmer, Liu Feiyang had received nothing. He had to rely on his own hands to make a living.

Erhai followed Liu Feiyang's orders, putting on his overcoat and a fur hat and coming out.

The two deliberately avoided the main road, taking small, secluded paths. Despite their young age, they had strong self-respect and didn't want others to see their difficult life, having to go up the mountain during the New Year.

The northwest wind was like a knife on their faces, making it hard to open their eyes. Even a puddle of urine would freeze instantly on the ground.

Liu Feiyang walked in front, with Erhai following behind. Each carried a large iron pliers made of rebar, weighing about twenty pounds.

At first, the road was manageable, with snow only up to their calves. Near the foot of the mountain, it was already knee-deep, making it difficult for them to move forward. Erhai wiped his nose with each step, leaving a long trail of footprints behind him.

After half an hour, they finally reached the river.

The river was not large, no more than three to four meters wide in summer and about two meters in winter, with a depth of less than one meter.

The fish in the river were locally called "white fish tickets," about five to six centimeters long, and very fragrant when fried.

"Alright, let's start here. I'll dig first, and you can help once I've made a hole..." Liu Feiyang said, taking off his military overcoat and tossing it into the snow.

Wearing it would restrict his movements and waste energy.

"Alright... give me a cigarette to perk me up," Erhai sat down on the ground.

"Little brat, what do you need a cigarette for? Just sit still!"

Liu Feiyang cleared the snow from the river, exposing a two-square-meter area. The water was clear, and he could see the current and the "white fish tickets" beneath the ice. He got to work, lifting the iron pliers high and slamming it down on the ice.

"Crack..." The ice made a sharp sound, and pieces flew in all directions.

The ice had been frozen all winter, and a single piece was as hard as iron. His first blow only chipped off less than a centimeter.

The ice was at least fifty centimeters thick. To create a hole large enough to catch fish, it needed to be at least thirty centimeters square, a massive task that would take at least two to three hours.

"Keep an eye on the mountains. Don't let a pheasant pass by without you seeing it. You have big eyes, so use them!" He had already struck a few times, and his arms were numb from the impact. This was a purely physical job, a test of strength.

"Yesterday, I went to the west of the village and talked to someone. When spring comes and construction starts, I'll take you to work. We'll start with bricklaying and learn from the masons in our free time. I think in three months, we can become apprentices. At that time, we'll earn half the salary of a regular worker. I've calculated that the money we earn in a year can be used to repair our parents' graves."

He straightened up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and took a deep breath. People often say that those who live by the sea have broad minds, but he felt that his wasn't any less. Looking out at the vast, white landscape, he felt a surge of ambition.

It was a desire to conquer, to cross the snowfield and see what lay beyond.

Suddenly, a black shadow flashed in his peripheral vision.

"Pheasant!"

"Whoosh..."

Erhai was quick on his feet, jumping up and chasing after the pheasant.

Pheasants, like ostriches, don't fly very high or far. If chased, they would eventually tire and fall into the snow, where they could be easily picked up.

Liu Feiyang kept an eye on the chase, knowing no pheasant could escape from this "mad dog." He smiled in satisfaction.

He turned his attention back to the task, took out a tin of tobacco from his pocket, and placed a roll in his mouth.

"Click..." He struck a match and lit the tobacco.

He lifted the iron pliers high again.

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