Chapter 62

Weeding isn't particularly tiring, but it does require some patience. Of course, you also have to be careful of your steps, as some unfriendly little creatures might pop up in the grass. After a busy morning, we didn't encounter any of these little creatures, but we did startle a few rabbits and pheasants. Unfortunately, everyone was too tired to chase after them.

At noon, Li Han opened the car and brought out lunch. A few of us found a shady spot. The lunch was simple: meat sandwiches, vegetable salad, some roasted bread, and potatoes, along with a can of beer. Li Han set up the stand, opened the cooler, and laid out the lunch. His brother-in-law came over to help, and each of us got a large plate. Li Han walked over to Zhou Hao and handed him a plate, then turned around and threw a can of beer to Zhou Hao.

Sitting next to Zhou Hao, he asked with a smile, "The weather is really hot. How are you feeling? If you're tired, take a rest. It's been quite hot in Montana these days." Zhou Hao wiped the sweat from his forehead, opened the beer without any formalities, took a big gulp, and wiped the foam from his mouth. "It's okay, pretty good. Oh, this is a meat sandwich. I haven't had one in a long time, and it really tastes great."

Not far away, his father said with a smile, "If you like it, eat more. Bring plenty when you come." Zhou Hao has a good personality and can endure hardship. By the morning, everyone had become familiar with him, and he wasn't too reserved. This kid has a pretty good appetite, not much worse than Li Han's.

Zhou Hao and his two friends came from the University of Chicago. They didn't return to China for the summer and planned to travel around the U.S., following the Superior Hiking Trail all the way to Montana. They heard about the Montana Country Music Festival and wanted to join in the fun. The three of them traveled by working and staying with locals, spending very little money. Self-guided travel is quite common in the U.S., and Li Han wasn't too surprised. However, his father and brother-in-law were quite impressed by Zhou Hao and his friends. It wasn't easy for them to make the journey.

After lunch, they started working again. By the afternoon, they had almost finished clearing the weeds in the walnut grove.

The weeds needed to be transported down the mountain to be composted. Since the weeds weren't as nutritious as hay, Li Han didn't plan to keep them. He drove the tractor with a flatbed, and his brother-in-law, father, and Zhou Hao loaded the weeds onto the truck and transported them to the bottom of the hill. They worked until around 5:30 PM, finally finishing the weed clearing in the walnut grove. After tidying up the tools, they sat on the tractor, enjoying the cool breeze. Despite a busy day, they didn't seem too tired, chatting and laughing all the way.

During the ride, Li Han learned more about Zhou Hao. Honestly, Zhou Hao and his sister Zhou Rui are quite capable. They've been studying abroad for two years, relying on scholarships and part-time jobs, and have hardly spent any money from home.

By the end of the day, Li Han's father and brother-in-law had grown to like the hardworking and sensible young man. Having been a teacher for a lifetime, they especially liked kids like Zhou Hao. Li Han had been scolded by his father all day, making him a bit regretful. Zhou Hao is a good person, speaking softly and kindly, with a good temper. He works diligently and isn't afraid of hardship or fatigue. "Go take a shower. Later, I'll take you all for a tour of the farm. We'll have a barbecue tonight."

Back at the farm house, Li Han smiled at Zhou Hao, his sister, and Wu Miaomiao. After a day of farm work, a comfortable shower felt great. After showering, Li Han drove the tractor, with a flatbed for transporting hay, waiting outside. Soon, Zhou Hao and the others, along with Doudou and Baobao, the two little farmers, ran over. The two little girls were washed clean, their faces rosy, with two little dimples. Two small turkeys and Xiao Li followed them.

The big turtle and crab had already gone to sleep in their nests. Li Han lifted the two little ones onto the flatbed and said with a smile, "Get in. You must be tired. Rest a bit and take a tour of the farm." Zhou Hao got in first, pulling his sister and girlfriend onto the flatbed. As the sun set, a gentle breeze blew, and they sat on the flatbed, surrounded by green cornfields. In the distance, a tall windmill tower slowly turned on the hill.

Following the Yellow Creek River, they occasionally encountered cowboys herding cattle and sheep, and water birds flying back to their nests. The peaceful farm was full of surprises, with patches of alfalfa in light purple bloom, and fresh green wheat fields, their faint fragrance carried by the breeze. "It's so beautiful. Hey, there's a little deer." Zhou Rui spread her arms, her long hair flying in the wind, her cute apple cheeks with two little dimples, still a bit flushed from the shower.

White-tailed deer are often seen, but Li Han didn't think much of it. When they got closer, he realized the little deer was injured, possibly attacked by a wild animal. "Don't move. I'll go check it out." Li Han opened the tractor's toolbox and took out a hunting rifle, carefully approaching the deer. The little deer, about the size of a half-grown lamb, had an injured leg. As Li Han approached, the deer became very nervous, letting out a series of whimpers. Li Han took a quick look and had a good idea. The little one was probably targeted by a fox. This area is fallow land, overgrown with weeds, and foxes and wildcats are common.

"You're lucky." Li Han picked up the little deer and brought it back to the truck, handing it to Doudou. Doudou is great at calming animals, and sure enough, the little deer soon snuggled up to her. Zhou Hao and the others were quite curious about why the little deer was injured, especially Zhou Rui, who blinked and secretly glanced at the hunting rifle Li Han had placed beside him. It was getting late, so Li Han turned the tractor and followed the Oram Lake back to the farmyard.

Doudou and Baobao found their sister Li Mei and got some disinfectant and bandages to treat the little deer's wound. The little white-tailed deer looked pitiful and tugged at the heartstrings. Zhou Rui followed Doudou and Baobao, while Wu Miaomiao helped her mother prepare the tableware. Zhou Hao helped his father in the yard. His father really liked Zhou Hao, speaking with the concern of an elder. The two of them got along well, and Li Han felt a bit jealous. After all, his father, who had been a teacher for a lifetime, liked kids who were good at studies and well-mannered. Even his mother couldn't stop praising Zhou Rui and Wu Miaomiao, saying their parents must be very proud of them.

This made Li Han a bit speechless. Who could blame him for being mischievous as a child and secretly running to the U.S. after high school? He just didn't have the brains for studying and envied Zhou Hao and the others for being able to attend a good university like the University of Chicago.

Li Han busied himself with the tableware, bringing a bucket of beer from the beer house to the yard. The smell of grilled meat filled the air, and Doudou and Baobao were already eating with their mouths full of oil. Zhou Rui was taking care of the little deer, showing a lot of love.

Li Han placed the beer on the table, and Wu Miaomiao helped her mother bring the dishes. There was boiled fish, stewed beef, a few stir-fried dishes, green peppers and eggs, small dried fish, minced meat and eggplant, and braised chicken, mostly organic vegetables from the farm. It was rare to see Chinese people, so the table was full of dishes, barbecue, and beer. After a while, the food was ready, and Li Han poured beer for everyone, raising his glass. "Here, Zhou Hao, Zhou Rui, Wu Miaomiao, meeting you in Montana is a kind of fate. Cheers."

Zhou Hao didn't hesitate, finishing his drink in one gulp. Zhou Rui and Wu Miaomiao, showing a bit of the spirit of women not yielding to men, followed suit. "These kids, eat some more. The dishes are all home-grown. How do they taste?"

"Auntie's cooking is definitely delicious," Wu Miaomiao said, and Zhou Rui nodded vigorously. "Auntie, the food is really fragrant. I haven't had such delicious food in half a year. Yes, it's really good. Auntie's cooking is better than many chefs'."

"These two kids, eat more. You must be tired from the day's work," Zhang Xiuying said happily, urging the two girls to eat. Li Ping didn't forget to invite Zhou Hao. Li Han and his brother-in-law exchanged a glance and shook their heads. Zhou Hao and the others were quite good at making people happy. Li Han gave Doudou some beef and fish, as she couldn't reach them with her little arms and chopsticks. By the end of the dinner, Li Han's family and Zhou Hao's group had become much more familiar.

After dinner, Wu Miaomiao and Zhou Rui helped their sister and mother clear the dishes, while Zhou Hao helped Li Han move the beer barrels back to the beer house. They didn't expect to finish two barrels of beer that night. "Zhou Hao, let's have a good drink tomorrow."

"Sure, the beer tastes pretty good. Han, is this beer brewed on the farm?" Zhou Hao thought Li Han had bought the beer, but when he saw the beer house, he realized there were many more barrels. "Yes, it's the first batch. The taste is still a bit off, but it will be better next time."

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