Chapter 2

Li Mei and Zhang Xiuying, knowing that Li Han was fine, felt relieved and hung up the phone. Li Han put down the phone, rested for a while, and in the afternoon, he began to inspect the agricultural machinery stored in the warehouse. He needed to determine which parts needed to be replaced. Over the years, Li Han had become quite skilled at inspecting most small agricultural machinery. The high level of agricultural mechanization in the United States was indeed well-deserved. Although the machinery in Li Han's home was not extensive, it included a four-wheel drive tractor, a wind drill, a baler, a seeder, and more. The total value of these machines was about $50,000. Many large agricultural machines were expensive, so Li Han often bought second-hand machines from other farmers or even rented large farm machinery. After all, Li Han's financial situation was tight, and even second-hand agricultural machinery could not be purchased in large quantities. However, the small machines he used regularly were all in good condition, mostly second-hand, and were cheap to buy. They worked just as well as new ones, and he often bought them from large farms that had phased them out, saving a lot of money.

"Finally done. Tomorrow, I'll go to town to buy some parts to replace them." As the sun was about to set, Li Han finally finished his work. He wiped the oil off his hands and gently kicked the playful little Millie. Millie was a golden retriever, three months old, very lovable, and fond of being playful and rolling around. She especially liked it when Li Han played with her, making her roll over. While Li Han was inspecting the machinery, little Millie obediently lay in a corner, playing by herself, waiting for her owner. The little thing was very smart and obedient. Seeing that Li Han was done, she ran over excitedly, hoping to play with him.

Li Han happily took little Millie for a run around the pond, stopped at the small dock, pulled up the cage from the water, and caught some fish and shrimp to take back to the cabin in the woods. The golden sunlight shining on the maple trees was very beautiful. These maple trees were planted by the old farm owner, Tom, and Li Han liked them very much, so he kept them. Not far from a maple tree was a well, and next to the well was a pond. Li Han went to the pond to clean the fish and shrimp, which would be their dinner.

American dinners are often quite lavish, while lunch is usually a quick meal of fast food. Dinner is a time to enjoy a hearty meal. Li Han planned to cook a braised fish and a pot of fish soup. Fish and shrimp can be a bit troublesome to eat and clean, and most Americans don't particularly like them. Small ponds on farms are rarely used for special fish and shrimp farming; they are often used to raise pet turtles. Li Han didn't buy fish fry specifically but would buy a few extra fish when he ate them and put them in the pond. Now, he rarely lacked fish and shrimp to eat.

He cooked a lot of fish soup because he had just received a call from Will. Will was coming over, and the baseball game in the afternoon had gone well. The Komi Star team had performed excellently, giving the Hamilton team a good lesson. Will was coming to deliver the game video, and to show his appreciation, Li Han invited Will to dinner. The menu included braised fish, a small fish and shrimp tofu soup, beef and potato stew, a basket of steamed buns, and a plate of pickled chicken. The pickled chicken was from the chickens and ducks that died in the snow disaster, which Li Han had processed and preserved. He had enough to last for half a year, with some still left over.

Not long after, the sound of a motorcycle engine could be heard outside the yard. It was a semi-new BMW three-wheeled motorcycle, a birthday gift from Will's father when Will turned sixteen. Although it was second-hand, Will cherished it and kept it in good condition. Hearing the noise, Li Han poked his head out to look. Will, drenched in sweat, waved to Li Han. Will was accompanied by little Mitch, who had probably just come back and hadn't even gone home yet. "Will, it's so late, and you're bringing Mitch over. Aren't you afraid Mitch will get in trouble?"

"Han, I called Marv. It's okay, isn't it, Mitch?" Will wasn't foolish; he knew that Jewish people had many rules. Fortunately, because Mitch had some disabilities, his father, Marv, doted on him more than anything. Additionally, the Marv family felt very safe with Mitch visiting Li Han, who was even more old-fashioned than the Jews. In four years, Li Han had only had one girlfriend, which surprised many people. Of course, many girls in the small town weren't very interested in Li Han, finding him too conservative and lacking in romance.

Li Han didn't pay much attention to it. He was still young, and running the farm was very difficult. He didn't have much money, and his life was somewhat tight. To be romantic would mean wasting money, and Li Han didn't have any extra money to waste on romance. However, he didn't expect that his financial difficulties and focus on the farm would earn him some recognition from the Jewish community, which was quite amusing. Li Han smiled and shook his head. Will was probably using his reputation again, which wasn't the first time. Sure enough, not long after Will and Mitch entered the house, the living room phone rang. It was Marv calling. "Yes, Marv, Mitch is having dinner with me tonight. I'll send him home by eight. Don't worry too much."

Hearing Li Han's words, Marv felt relieved and hung up. "Will, send Mitch home by eight, don't forget. Let's eat." Li Han took the digital camera from Will and sat on the sofa, asking casually.

"The beef stew is really good, Mitch. You like the steamed buns, right?" Will nodded in agreement, using a spoon to scoop up the beef and potato stew. Don't underestimate this dish; Li Han had bought the seasonings from a Chinese shop in a city two hours away from Komi Star. The beef was stewed for a long time, making it tender and falling apart at the touch, especially when paired with the rich meat sauce, which was incredibly delicious.

Will didn't like it at first, but after trying it a couple of times, he became completely hooked. He didn't particularly like the fish and shrimp, though, because of the many bones and the trouble they caused. Mitch, on the other hand, ate quietly, taking small bites of the steamed buns and sipping the delicious fish soup. Li Han watched the video for a while. The Komi Star team had truly performed impressively today. "Tim really hit the ball beautifully."

"Of course, Tim is on the school team. He only came back because Mark invited him. Han, it's such a pity you didn't go." Will's face was flushed, and his voice was higher than usual, showing his excitement.

"It's a real pity I didn't see Hamilton's dejected look." Li Han handed the digital camera back to Will, saying with a hint of regret.

"Damn, I forgot to take a picture of Hamilton. Mitch, why didn't you remind me?" Will slapped the table, feeling frustrated. Mitch shook his head and gestured, and Will paused, looking a bit embarrassed.

Li Han immediately understood. Will must have been too excited to notice Mitch. Seeing Will's red face, Li Han smiled and opened a can of beer, handing it to Will. "But, this is enough for Komi Star to be proud. Tomorrow, the news of Hamilton's loss will spread throughout the town."

"To Komi Star, cheers." Will was indeed excited, raising his beer and shouting. Beer and stewed meat, a perfect combination. Dinner didn't last long, about half an hour. As Li Han saw Will and Mitch out, Will remembered something and handed Li Han an invitation.

"Hali is hosting a charity party at the farm tomorrow night." Will finished speaking and, without waiting for Li Han's response, pulled Mitch onto the motorcycle. Hali was Will's sister, a third-year student at the University of Montana. Li Han had known Hali for three years and had even had a close relationship with her, but their relationship had become distant over the past year as Li Han focused on the farm.

As for the charity party, it was quite common, with about ten or so events a year. They were similar to second-hand sales, where items not in use were auctioned off, and the proceeds donated to children's funds. The last time Li Han had auctioned a dagger he bought in Chinatown for $5, which was a nice little item.

Usually, Li Han didn't buy many items, as he wasn't wealthy. Swelling one's face to look rich wasn't a good thing in America and could even lead to a loss of reputation. However, since Hali was organizing the party, he would have to contribute something. Li Han planned to bring $50 in cash, and there might be something he wanted. He didn't think too much about it.

Running the farm was Li Han's biggest headache. The machinery was old, the large gas tank was almost empty and needed to be refilled and inspected by a gas company, the septic tank and drainage pipes needed to be cleaned and unclogged, and the cowshed and stable needed materials for repairs. All in all, it would cost nearly $10,000. Li Han had only about $20,000 left in cash and loans. He needed to buy chickens, ducks, and seeds, and pay for various agricultural insurance policies, which were a significant expense. Thinking about these things, Li Han felt a bit troubled.