Chapter 45

Er Langzi played outside until very late before coming back. It was only because a soldier came to tell him that Colonel Zhang wanted to have dinner with him that he finally returned; otherwise, he would have stayed at the local family’s house all night.

After returning to the courtyard, Wang Wankai poked his head into the room and said, "Hmm, not here!" Hu Hao looked at the food on the table and hurried over, grabbing the chopsticks and starting to eat.

Colonel Zhang came out from inside with two bowls of rice, placing one in front of Hu Hao and one for himself.

"Er Langzi, I sent the persimmon cakes and apples you gave me to the hospital. The patients don’t have much to eat during the New Year, so I left you some popcorn!" Colonel Zhang said as he ate.

After hearing this, Hu Hao’s chopsticks paused in mid-air.

"Eat!" Colonel Zhang shouted.

"Bro, why do you still have this habit? I bought these, I didn’t steal them, I spent money on them! You just gave them away without even leaving me some!" Hu Hao complained.

"Didn’t I leave you the popcorn?" Colonel Zhang said.

"What about the apples and persimmon cakes?" Hu Hao asked.

"They’re all gone, I gave them all away! What, you have a problem with that? I haven’t even settled accounts with you for spending so much money, are you asking for a beating!" Colonel Zhang put his bowl down and said.

"Oh, keep eating, eat, come on, bro, your cooking is really good, try this!" Hu Hao quickly put a piece of meat in Colonel Zhang’s bowl. Colonel Zhang gave Hu Hao a look, picked up his bowl, and started eating, ignoring him.

"Tomorrow, you’ll put up the couplets. I wrote them this afternoon. Also, stay put these few days. If you can’t, you can go to the detention room!" Colonel Zhang said.

"Why? I haven’t done anything wrong," Hu Hao said unhappily when he heard about the detention room.

"Hmm, you haven’t made any big mistakes recently, but to prevent you from making any, I suggest you go to the detention room," Colonel Zhang said as he ate.

"No way," Hu Hao said.

"Then behave yourself!" Colonel Zhang said.

"Okay! It’s the New Year, don’t worry, I won’t go out!" Hu Hao said.

"Good! Also, the meat is all marinated. Hang it up tomorrow and smoke it. See if you can make it taste like home. I haven’t had home-style marinated meat for 5 or 6 years, do a good job!" Colonel Zhang said.

"Don’t worry, I’ll definitely do a good job, I want to eat it too!" Hu Hao said.

After dinner, there was nothing else to do. Hu Hao lay on the kang bed, feeling depressed, while Colonel Zhang was still studying some documents. Hu Hao said, "Bro, you’re just a peasant, why are you studying? It’s better to go home and farm after the war!"

"You know nothing. How can I command the soldiers without studying? Do you think I’m like you, doing nothing all day?" Colonel Zhang said.

"Why do you say I’m not doing anything!" Hu Hao said.

"I’m too lazy to argue with you. Go to sleep, and if you keep nagging, I’ll make you stand guard outside!" Colonel Zhang said.

The next day, Hu Hao put up the couplets, hung the meat, and started smoking it with firewood. After lighting it, there was nothing else to do, so Hu Hao picked up a fish spear, a shovel, and a net and went to the river. The weather was cold, and the river surface was covered with thick ice. He just needed to open a hole and put some food in it, and the fish would come.

He found a backwater area, used the shovel to dig a few holes, laid the net down, and then made a large hole in the middle, putting some rice soaked in alcohol inside.

After about an hour, Hu Hao started to pull the net.

"There are big fish, so heavy!"

Hu Hao slowly pulled it up, which took about 10 minutes. Finally, he dragged the net up, and it was full of fish. Some passing soldiers hurried over to help.

"Er Langzi, you’re good, you have this skill. This net has about 200 pounds of fish!" the soldiers said, surrounding the net of fish.

"Stop talking, quickly take it back. I’ll pick some, and then you take the rest back to the unit!" Hu Hao said.

At this moment, the political commissar and Colonel Zhang came over.

"Er Langzi, quickly, clean it up and take it back. I was worried about how to get food for the New Year, but you’ve solved it all!" the political commissar said.

Hu Hao ignored him, picked out a few big fish and some large catfish, and carried them back.

"Bro, bring the net, fish spear, and shovel back later. I’m going back, it’s too cold."

"Okay, you go back first, I’ll bring them back later!" Colonel Zhang said.

"Hey, Old Zhang, let Er Langzi do another net this afternoon. We can give the whole unit a good meal!" the political commissar said to Colonel Zhang.

"Okay, I’ll talk to him this afternoon. You guys quickly take the fish back and help me bring the tools to my courtyard," Colonel Zhang said.

Hu Hao returned home, threw the fish into the kitchen, and ignored it. He waited for Colonel Zhang to come out and went to warm himself by the fire, his hands were frozen. "It’s already noon, why didn’t you cook first!" Hu Hao complained.

After a while, Colonel Zhang returned, and Hu Hao stood up.

"Bro, why didn’t you cook!"

"I’ll cook soon, we’re having fish today!" Colonel Zhang said.

After the meal was ready, as they started eating, Colonel Zhang said, "Er Langzi, go do another net this afternoon. This way, the soldiers can have a good New Year!"

"Ah! No way, we have enough for the New Year!" Hu Hao said.

"No way!?" Colonel Zhang said.

"No way!"

"Okay, then I’ll send all our food to the unit. We won’t cook at home from tonight on, and we’ll all eat at the unit headquarters!" Colonel Zhang said as he ate.

"Why! Didn’t we give them fish and meat!?" Hu Hao said.

"Why, you eat fish and meat every day, but the soldiers only eat dry food. Are you still a soldier of the Eighth Route Army? Do you still know the discipline of the Eighth Route Army? You act like a rich peasant!" Colonel Zhang said.

"But I can’t do everything alone, why should I!" Hu Hao said.

"True, but you’re a soldier, and soldiers must obey orders!" Colonel Zhang said.

"Didn’t you say soldiers must obey orders?" Hu Hao said.

"If you know that, why are you asking? Go catch fish this afternoon! If you don’t, you’ll eat in the canteen tonight!" Colonel Zhang said.

"Okay, then give me another silver dollar, bro!" Hu Hao said.

"What do you need a silver dollar for? Didn’t you already buy cigarettes? You’ve already bought New Year’s goods, what else do you need to buy!" Colonel Zhang said.

"Just to go to the city and see if there’s anything good!" Hu Hao said.

"No, you can’t go to the city. The Japanese are watching it closely. If you go, you’ll be caught!" Colonel Zhang said.

"You underestimate me. If I go, and the Japanese try to catch me, I’ll make sure they can’t have a good New Year!" Hu Hao said.

"Even so, you’re not allowed to go. If you dare to go, I’ll definitely break your legs this time!" Colonel Zhang said. Seeing that Hu Hao didn’t respond, he said, "Did you hear me!"

"Bro, it’s boring to