Chapter 26

Sigh, there was no way to run away. After dawdling all the way, Li Dong finally arrived at the threshing ground. He had been worried and scared the whole time. Uncle Guofu had left with a look of intense hatred. "If things go wrong, I'll run. A wise man doesn't suffer a loss in front of his enemy. I'll run first and see what happens."

With a plan in mind, Li Dong encouraged himself and took a step towards the threshing ground, but his courage quickly drained away. "I should check the situation first, just in case I can't run later."

But as soon as he looked, he nearly wet his pants.

From a distance, Li Dong saw Uncle Han Guofu holding a whip. Li Dong shuddered. A whip! "He can't be planning to whip me, can he? With such a long whip, I'd be crippled." The whip, plus the handle, was over two meters long, which was terrifying.

"Uncle Guofu, let's talk this out nicely."

From a safe distance of about five or six meters, Li Dong stopped and wiped the grease from his mouth. The rabbit meat had been so fragrant, but now it didn't seem so appetizing.

"Why are you standing so far away? Come over here," Han Guofu grunted, seeing Li Dong dawdling. This kid had some strength, but his dawdling made him look incompetent.

"Uncle Guofu, you're holding a whip..."

"So what? It's for the animals," Han Guofu grunted. "What are you doing, dawdling like this?" Li Dong, hearing that the whip was for animals, thought, "How much does he hate me? I'm done for. I should run."

"Uncle Guofu, you can talk, but don't curse."

"Curse? Who am I cursing? What are you talking about?"

Han Guofu pointed to the mule tied to a tree by the threshing ground. "This is a whip for the mule. How is that cursing?"

"Oh, for the mule."

Li Dong sighed in relief. Thank goodness, it wasn't for him. He was genuinely afraid of being whipped. The team leader was like a god to the villagers. Even if he couldn't control life and death, he could make life miserable and difficult. If Li Dong ran, he might escape the monk, but not the temple. If Uncle Han Guofu shouted, a group of people could tear Li Feng to pieces. Fortunately, Uncle Guofu was a good person.

"Hurry up, what are you dawdling for?"

Han Guofu called Li Dong over to teach him how to drive a mule cart and thresh. These tasks were relatively easy and earned good work points. Han Guofu felt guilty for delaying Li Dong's return to the city.

This kid couldn't handle hard labor. He complained frequently and couldn't do heavy work. He couldn't really work with the women, as that would be embarrassing, and the work points wouldn't be enough for food. If that happened, his wife would starve.

Han Guofu thought Li Dong should learn to drive a cart or thresh. These tasks were easy and earned good work points. After Xiaojuan started school, these points would be enough for two people's food, plus some help from Li Dong's relatives in the city, and they wouldn't starve.

Li Dong looked at the mule tied to a tree. Mules were the true laborers of the production team, doing all kinds of work: threshing, pulling carts, carrying goods, and even people. They were truly hardworking and reliable.

"Stop staring and go get the stone roller."

There were several stone rollers by the threshing ground, big and small. Li Dong was overwhelmed. Which one should he choose?

"Uncle Guofu, which one should I get?"

"The small one."

"Okay."

Li Dong had seen stone rollers before. They were usually made of bluestone, cylindrical, with one end larger than the other, and holes at both ends.

After rolling the stone roller over, Han Guofu brought a wooden frame and tied it with ropes. Li Dong watched, but he was clueless about how to do it. It was definitely a challenge.

"Go get the mule."

"Okay."

Li Dong had seen donkeys and horses in the mountains in his later life, even during the construction of high-voltage power lines, when a donkey and horse team was organized. He had just started working and went with his then-girlfriend, now ex-wife, to watch the team.

Approaching the mule, Li Dong observed this unfortunate creature, a hybrid of a donkey and a horse, unable to reproduce. It was both pitiful and tragic.

"What are you dawdling for? Get the mule over here."

Han Guofu puffed on his pipe, seeing Li Dong dawdling. "What is this kid doing, always so curious?"

Li Dong untied the rope. The mule, a product of a male donkey and a female horse, was strong and agile, almost as big as a horse. It looked perfect.

Li Dong thought about trying to ride it. Riding a horse was rare and expensive in his later life. However, as soon as he untied the rope, the mule ran, dragging Li Dong around the threshing ground in circles.

"Ah!" Li Dong almost vomited the rabbit meat he had just eaten. "What's going on? Did the mule read my mind and get angry?" Li Dong was on the verge of tears. What should he do?

The mule was acting up, running in circles at high speed. Han Guofu was stunned, seeing the mule drag Li Dong. "Let go!"

"I can't. If I let go, the mule might hit me," Li Dong thought. The mule was running in circles, like chasing its own tail. If he let go, he might get hit.

Li Dong was at a loss. He wouldn't mention riding the mule again. The mule had its own ideas.

Han Guofu, amused and exasperated, stepped forward and grabbed the rope. Together, they managed to stop the mule. "Whoa, you need to learn better."

With Han Guofu in control, the mule was as obedient as a lamb. After tying the mule, Han Guofu waved the whip, and the mule started pulling the stone roller in circles. After a few rounds, Han Guofu called the mule to stop and handed the rope to Li Dong. "What are you looking at? Come and take the rope."

"Uncle Guofu, can I do it?" Li Dong was joking. He had just been dragged around and was scared. The mule didn't seem friendly.

"Come on, watch carefully. You'll take over in a bit," Han Guofu said, trying to teach him.

"Really, I have to learn?"

"Yes, learn well."

Han Guofu was genuinely trying to teach him. If it were someone else, they would have been whipped by now. Driving a cart and threshing were envied by many, and few had the chance to learn. If other team members knew, they would be envious.

Li Dong sighed. Was he supposed to become a versatile farmer? When would this end? He checked the screen.

95:45:54

Almost 96. There was hope. He could finally rest for a few days. Li Dong thought he would rest for a few days after returning and then come back. Life in 1978 was too intense, and he needed a break.

"What are you standing there for? Here."

Han Guofu handed the rope and whip to Li Dong. What could he do? Drive the mule and thresh. Han Guofu started watering the ground and spreading rice chaff. Li Dong managed to make the mule go in circles, without being kicked or hit by the stone roller, though he nearly fell a few times.

The mule was obedient with Han Guofu but misbehaved with Li Dong, often going in ellipses or even figure eights. Li Dong had to pull the rope tightly to keep the mule on track, thinking he would get his revenge eventually.

"Uncle Guofu, why are we threshing now? The rice is still a month away."

"Drying sweet potatoes."

Han Guofu patted his hands. The ground was good enough for drying sweet potatoes. "Later, we'll go with the mule cart to get sweet potatoes. Tomorrow morning, the team will distribute sweet potatoes. Your family needs to pay some money, so remember to bring it."

"Ah, distributing sweet potatoes?"

"What, don't you want them?"

"No, no, of course we want them."

Li Dong thought, "Sweet potatoes taste good in this era, especially roasted. I haven't had them in years. I usually don't have the heart to buy them from street vendors, but roasting them myself is quite fragrant."

"Uncle Guofu, I need to take Xiaojuan to the commune primary school to register tomorrow morning, so I'll be a bit late."

"Okay."

Li Dong thought about tomorrow. He had a lot to do and couldn't return until the next evening. He needed to arrange Xiaojuan's schooling and get some sweet potatoes to take back. He also wanted to buy some things from the commune supply and marketing cooperative in the morning. He decided to return the next evening.

"What are you thinking about? Untie the mule and put the stone roller back. Let's go hitch the cart."

"Okay."

Hitching the cart and pulling sweet potatoes, Li Dong was excited. It was his first time distributing food. He happily followed Han Guofu to hitch the cart.