Chapter 49

"Shotgun?"

Who doesn't like playing with guns, especially for hunting? Just thinking about it gets you excited. But after Li Dong saw the shotgun, he immediately kept his distance and joked, "This is a homemade gun, right?"

He made it himself; this thing is very dangerous. Don't mess around, or if something happens, I can't take the responsibility. "Wei Guo, let's not play with guns. We don't want the militia to come and confiscate them. Besides, the rabbits you kill aren't worth much."

Han Weiguo, who is only in his early twenties, isn't Uncle Weiguo yet. He's quite bold for a young man, and playing with a homemade gun made Li Dong nervous. This thing is too dangerous, with gunpowder, explosions, and jams. Li Dong doesn't dare to play with it.

"Alright, I'll wait until I have money to buy a good shotgun."

"Can you buy a shotgun?"

Li Dong really isn't sure about this. He hasn't thought about it before, after all, you can't own guns in the future.

"They have them at the supply cooperative, but you need industrial coupons, and they're quite expensive."

Han Weiguo isn't sure how much they cost, but it's definitely more than a bicycle. Who has the spare money to buy this thing? It's better to make a homemade gun with a steel pipe. It only costs a few dozen yuan, and it's just as powerful as a shotgun.

Li Dong thought, I'll ask Gao Weimin later. A shotgun, sounds exciting.

"Wei Guo, have you thought about learning a skill, like cooking?"

"Cooking?"

Han Weiguo looked puzzled. Cooking, where would he do that? The chefs in state-owned restaurants are all city residents, and they don't take outsiders as apprentices.

"I won't learn. In Bijiavillage, the old man who cooked for the landlord was criticized and had his head shaved. His legs were even broken."

Han Weiguo is determined to be a farmer. It's a good life, working the fields, getting married, and having a family. Da and his mother have already agreed to build a house in the fall. They'll work hard for another year and get him married next year. Compared to the surrounding areas, Han Village is relatively wealthy, and it's not hard to get married.

After hearing Han Weiguo's current ideal, Li Dong gave him a thumbs up. Good, you'll learn eventually, but you won't be eating his cooking for a few years.

"Brother Li, have you seen any city girls? Are they pretty?"

Li Dong chuckled, thinking about the future Han Weiguo. Uncle Weiguo, you didn't expect to be so shy in your youth, did you? "They're okay, not that pretty, but they dress better than us and wash their faces with soap every day."

"Really?"

Han Weiguo thought about washing his face with soap every day. How fragrant would his face be? "Brother Li, do you have any soap? I can trade you for a wild chicken."

"I don't have any soap right now."

Seeing Han Weiguo's disappointed face, Li Dong thought, is this kid in love? "Wei Guo, what's up, do you have a crush?"

"No, no, I... hehe."

A crush, Li Dong thought, Uncle Weiguo, you're doing well. "I have a soap coupon, I'll give it to you. Bring me a wild chicken later."

"Really?"

"Of course, I also have a way to get the的确良 (polyester) fabric that city girls wear." Li Dong looked around to make sure no one was around and whispered.

Han Weiguo's eyes lit up, but then he smiled bitterly. "My mother won't give me the money."

City girls' clothes cost at least ten yuan. His mother would never give him the money. Even asking for a few cents takes a long time. If he spent ten yuan on clothes, his father would beat him with a stick.

Li Dong laughed. "Wei Guo, I'm here for you. How about this, I'll help you. Eight wild chickens, no, six wild chickens, and I'll get you a piece of fabric. How does that sound?"

"Really, Brother Li, you're not lying?"

"Why would I lie?"

"What about the fabric coupon?"

"For a rabbit, I'll get you the fabric coupon."

Li Dong patted his chest, feeling righteous. He thought, I need to figure out how to sell the clothes. Maybe I should sell them in Han Village, but thinking about the consequences if Han Guofu found out that he was encouraging young men to spend ten yuan on clothes for a pretty girl...

Li Dong dismissed the idea. No way, this is a bigger sin than eating a little meat. "Don't tell anyone about this."

"I know."

Why would he tell anyone? Han Weiguo thought Li Dong was really good to him. "Brother Li, I'll help you with the work tomorrow."

Li Dong was touched. What a good person, so sincere.

Thinking about how much easier tomorrow would be, Li Dong walked home a bit faster. "Uncle, why are you here?"

"Where have you been? I've been waiting for you for a while."

"I went to Wei Guo's to talk about the manure pile for tomorrow."

"Let's go to the threshing floor."

The reeds on the threshing floor were already half-dry, ready to be used on the roof in a couple of years. "Don't just stand there, start bundling. I checked your roof; you need a lot. Bundle ten first, and if it's not enough, come back for more."

"I've already had Guobing record it for you."

Han Guofu said, "Ten cents per bundle, do you have any objections?"

"No objections, but ten cents seems a bit low."

Han Guofu looked at Li Dong as if he were a fool. Who complains about getting too much money? "Stop talking nonsense, bundle them well. Borrow a cart from Uncle Guobing, I'm going home."

"Hehe, you're busy, Uncle."

Li Dong remembered the dried tofu he brought. "Uncle, I'll bring you some dried tofu later. It goes well with alcohol."

Han Guofu thought, this kid, what alcohol do I drink? But the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming, and dried tofu with some chopped scallions and soy sauce would be delicious. "Don't bring too much."

Li Dong laughed. Han Guofu was really nice to him. After bundling the reeds, Li Dong went to borrow a cart from Uncle Guobing. "You're late, I've been waiting for you."

"I was delayed at Wei Guo's."

Li Dong took out a cigarette and offered it around. Uncle Guobing, his wife, and his eldest son all smoked.

"Wow, with a filter." The eldest son happily took it. Han Weijia, who is a bit younger than Han Weiguo, is already married.

With a child running around, Li Dong saw that the cigarette box was almost empty and handed it to Han Weijia. "Take it."

"How can I accept this?"

"Don't be so formal."

Li Dong directly put it in Han Weijia's hand. He smiled, good cigarettes, with a filter. He'll show off in front of Wei Guo and the others. "Da, I'll help."

"Go ahead."

As Han Weijia left, his wife ran over and said something. Li Dong thought, a young woman is already a wife.

In those days, being a wife wasn't easy. The family finances were controlled by the elders, and wives had little money.

Han Weijia helped Li Dong load the reed bundles onto the cart and delivered them to Li Dong's yard. On the way, Li Dong noticed Han Weijia seemed to want to say something. "Weijia, what's up? Are you being formal with me?"

Han Weijia smiled bitterly. This was his wife's doing. Li Dong had brought soap, and the two sisters-in-law at the captain's house were using it. His family was supposed to get a small piece, but his mother locked it away, saying they would use it for the New Year's bath.

Using it for the New Year's bath was fine, but when his wife went to work, she noticed that Qiujun's sister-in-law smelled fragrant. Everyone was envious, and she found out that she used the soap Li Dong brought back. When Li Dong came to their house, his wife asked Han Weijia to ask if Li Dong had any more.

Buying soap, Li Dong thought it was a big deal. "I have a soap coupon, but Wei Guo asked for it, so I gave it to him."

"Ah."

Han Weijia looked disappointed. What could he do? His wife rarely asked for anything, and he couldn't ask his mother.

"Let me see if I can help when I go to the city. It's not a big deal."

Li Dong smiled. "I can't let your wife be disappointed."

"Thank you so much, Brother Li."

Han Weijia felt Li Dong was really giving him face. He owed him a favor. "How much will it cost?"

"What cost? How about a wild chicken, like Wei Guo?"

"How can I accept that?"

"What's there to accept or not? We're friends."

Li Dong thought, a wild chicken for a bar of soap is a good deal.

Han Weijia was so touched that he helped Li Dong unload the reeds and promised to help with the house repairs. As Han Weijia left, Li Dong thought about whether to introduce the polyester shirt to him.

Forget it, thinking about Uncle Guobing's big tobacco pipe, Li Dong decided to be cautious. Start with the soap, break the blockade, and then gradually introduce new things. Young people like new things.

After stacking the reeds, Li Dong started making dinner. Tomato and egg noodles, with some tofu and scallions, and some dried tofu. He almost forgot.

While Xiaojuan wasn't back yet, Li Dong wrapped half a pound of dried tofu and a piece of tofu in his pocket.

He closed the door and left the yard. A while later, he arrived at Han Guofu's house. "Auntie."

"It's Li Dong, come in."

She was cooking, and the two daughters-in-law were busy in the kitchen. Han Weijun, Han Weijiang, and Han Guofu were discussing the work for the next day. "Uncle, Brother Weijun, Brother Weijiang, are you busy?"

"Come in."

After the door closed, Li Dong took out the dried tofu and tofu. "Auntie, some dried tofu for Uncle to have with his alcohol, and a piece of tofu. The tofu doesn't keep well."

"This kid."

Zhang Chunhua was delighted. Tofu and dried tofu were hard to get, especially dried tofu, which smelled so good. She put them away, and the tofu was sent to the kitchen. The two daughters-in-law were also happy. Tofu was delicious, whether stewed or fried.

In those days, vegetables and radishes were common, and pickles were the norm. A piece of tofu was a treat. The slogan back then was "Carry water to irrigate the seedlings, eat rice and tofu soup," which was people's aspiration for a better life.

Rice and tofu soup, that was a good life. Eating tofu wasn't easy.

"Uncle, I'll leave the money here. I have to go back."

Li Dong gave the money for the reeds to Han Guofu and was about to leave.

"Stay for dinner." Zhang Chunhua said politely.

"No, Auntie, Xiaojuan will be back soon, and I need to cook for her."

At home, there was good food, tomato and egg noodles, and two small dishes, including beef sauce. Why stay for tofu soup? Li Dong left, and Zhang Chunhua praised him.

What's so good, Han Guofu thought. He's good at these tricks but doesn't work hard on the farm.

Li Dong got home, and soon Xiaojuan returned with a group of children.

"Uncle."

"We found some stones on the way."

"Good, good, I'll give you some candy."

Xiaojuan stopped them. The children each had a few stones, and half a piece of candy was enough. "We're not stingy, but they need to bring us a basket of stones."

After giving out the candy, Li Dong waved. "Eat quickly and go home."

"Uncle, goodbye."

"Xiaojuan, are you tired from school?"

"Not tired, we've pulled all the weeds on the playground."

Xiaojuan put down her schoolbag and went to the kitchen to cook for Li Dong. "Da Da, I'll cook for you."

"Father has already cooked. Wait for the water to boil, and we can eat."

A bowl of tomato and egg noodles, two small dishes, and a small bowl of fragrant beef sauce. Xiaojuan was really hungry and finished a large bowl of noodles.

"Xiaojuan, we'll repair the house in a few days."

"Okay."

Thinking about tomorrow, Li Dong smiled. Wei Guo and Weijia will help, making it easier for him.

"By the way, we need to go to the supply cooperative to deliver the mosquito net." Li Dong thought about asking how to buy a shotgun and go hunting during the off-season.

"Thinking about the shotgun, I almost forgot the main thing. Stamps, I need to go to the city where the stamps are more complete."