Year 1979: Eating meat with my wife and children

Li Xiangdong rode his brand-new bicycle out of the alley, heading north along Chongwenmen Inner Street, then turning left onto Chang'an Avenue. He arrived at his destination in about ten minutes.

Even now, the Beijing Department Store remains the shopping mall with the most complete range of goods and the widest variety in the country.

For example, in the footwear department, there are more than a thousand kinds of shoes alone.

In modern terms, this place is now a popular spot for internet celebrities to take photos; anyone visiting Beijing from out of town will inevitably make a trip to the department store.

Whether or not I can afford to buy the things inside is another matter, but at least it broadens my horizons and I can brag about it to others when I go back to my hometown.

Some people are even more extreme; they'll pester the sales clerks at the counter to say nice things, flatter them, and incidentally ask for a piece of wrapping paper from the Beijing Department Store.

Because the paper had the words "Beijing City Department Store" printed on it, it would be more convincing to brag about it when I got back!

Li Xiangdong parked his bicycle and followed the flow of people into the department store.

The crowds coming and going were comparable to those at a train station, but there was very little pushing and shoving.

Especially for women, there's a complete vacuum around them; these days, they could easily end up in jail for a single crime of hooliganism.

Holding the receipts he had exchanged with Ququ Sun, Li Xiangdong began his shopping spree from the first floor.

First, I used up all the cigarette, alcohol, and candy coupons. Then I bought two boxes each of clam oil and face cream, and finally, I bought a large roll of fabric.

"Hey comrade, how much are the calligraphy practice books?"

"This is 'Serve the People,' published by Dongfanghong Calligraphy and Painting Publishing House. It costs 6 cents a copy."

"Give me 20 copies!"

Li Xiangdong looked at the stack of small regular script calligraphy copybooks in his hand and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

He, as the uncle, doted on his nephew the most. Since corporal punishment was abolished, he would find another way.

If you're bored and have nothing to do, practicing calligraphy at home is a good option; it can also add some happiness to your holiday.

When Li Xiangdong came out of the department store, his satchel was already full, and he was carrying a floral cloth and calligraphy copybook in one hand and four bottles of Niulanshan Erguotou in the other.

Finally, there was a cane tucked under her arm; this was bought for Old Lady Li.

I rode my bicycle, holding the handlebars with one hand, making my bag conspicuous all the way home.

Push open the door and enter the courtyard.

Li's mother was cooking at the stove in front of the main house when she saw her youngest son enter the yard. She asked, "Third son, whose bicycle is this? And why did you buy so many things?"

Li Xiangdong parked his bicycle and explained, "I borrowed the bicycle from A Zhe's house. These things are gifts I'll bring when I visit my father-in-law's house tomorrow."

After he finished speaking, he looked at the four people, including Li Xiaojiang, who were standing motionless under the eaves of the main house, arranged in order of their height.

"Hey~ what are you four doing here?"

Li, who was helping with cooking at the door, said, "They're being made to stand as punishment. The four of them ruined a bowl of pickled vegetables while we were out, and when we asked them, they insisted that they ate them themselves."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangdong covered for them, saying, "I know about this. When I came back just now, I saw the four of them eating cornbread and pickled vegetables."

"is it?"

Li Ersao asked doubtfully, "Dongzi, did they really eat him?"

When Li Xiangdong saw Li Xiaojiang and the other three looking up at him, he nodded and said, "I watched them eat with my own eyes. Second sister-in-law, you don't know, Xiaobo ate the most. He ate half a bowl of pickled vegetables by himself."

Upon hearing this, Li Ersao stepped forward and slapped her son, saying, "Aren't you afraid of dying from eating so much salty food? Go and drink some water right now!"

"You three, don't just stand there, go do what you're supposed to do."

Li's mother said they should be allowed to eat, as long as they weren't wasting food, and that it didn't matter if they thought it was too salty.

Li Xiaojiang ran to Li Xiangdong's side and whispered, "Thank you so much, Third Uncle."

"Thank you, Third Uncle."

Li Xiangdong looked at the simple-minded Li Xiaotao and asked, "Don't thank me yet, where's the braised chicken?"

"I put it in the cupboard."

Li Xiaohai, who had run over, circled the bicycle once, then looked up at his father's cloth bag and asked, "Dad, is there something delicious in your cloth bag?"

Li Xiangdong turned to look at his son, "What do you all think about? Where's your mother?"

Li Xiaohai said, "My little sister wet her pants, and my mother is changing her clothes inside the house."

"Dongzi is back."

Old Mr. and Old Mrs. Li stood at the door of the main house, and seeing their grandson return safely after being away for several days, the old couple smiled continuously.

"I'm back, Grandpa and Grandma."

Li Xiangdong pointed to the handlebars and the items on the back seat of the bicycle and said to Li Xiaojiang and Li Xiaotao, "Put all of these on the dining table in the main room for me."

"Okay, Third Uncle."

Li Xiangdong, holding a cane, quickly walked to his grandparents' side. "Look what I brought back for you! Try it on and see if it's comfortable for you."

Grandma Li took the walking stick her grandson had bought and said happily, "Dongzi really knows how to think of me. It's so handy. My grandson's purchase is bound to be handy."

Li's mother leaned over to take a look. "Didn't Dongzi's father make one for you too? I've never seen you use it."

Old Li watched his wife spinning around in circles with her cane, and he said with a smile, "Is that thing Dongzi's father made even usable? Your mother looks like one of those beggars from the old society when she's using it."

Grandma Li chuckled and said, "That's right, otherwise I wouldn't use it. I'd be ashamed to take it out."

“I see your grandson picking up a tree branch by the roadside, and you would say it’s good.”

Li's mother complained, then added sourly, "Grandson is the best; he knows how to think of people."

“Your four grandsons are still young, so you still have to rely on me.”

Li Xiangdong led his mother into the house, pointing to a roll of fabric on the table, "There's some floral fabric in there. Please leave me enough to make a dress, and the rest is yours."

Li's mother touched the fabric, and her face immediately darkened. "Come inside with me."

Li Xiangdong knew that his mother had finally realized something. How could someone who had just started working have so many receipts?

Li's mother closed the door behind her and asked in a low voice, "Did you go out and do something shady?"

"No, please don't wrong me."

Li Xiangdong knew his family would ask, so he didn't intend to hide it and told them everything about his cricket trading business.

After hearing this, Li's mother clutched her chest and said angrily, "Are you trying to scare me to death? How can you do such a thing as speculation? Do you want to die?"

As she spoke, she was about to hit him, but Li Xiangdong quickly dodged the slap that was about to come.

"Mom, can you please not rush? Do you think I'm the only one doing this? They even dare to bring back TV sets that were taken to other places by truck."

"What I'm doing is nothing compared to what they're doing. I've been honest enough as a son! They're all fine, so what could possibly happen to me messing around with crickets?"

Li's mother's slap stopped in mid-air. "Are you really alright?"

"It's really nothing! Everyone from top to bottom is doing it, nobody cares about it."

Li Xiangdong didn't lie to his mother. It wasn't until the 90s, with the abundance of resources and the pronouncements of high-ranking leaders, that this unhealthy trend was officially banned and completely eradicated.

Li's mother sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) to calm down. "I had heard people say before that those who work in railway units have everything they need, and the kitchen is always filled with the aroma of meat. Now I know what that means."

"You're really something, kid. You know not to touch the obvious things. You must have made a lot of money this time, right?"

Li Xiangdong waved his hand and said, "I didn't make much."

"Stop talking nonsense. Do you really think I'm clueless? There used to be plenty of wealthy families living on the north side of our alley who would bring cages for birds and cricket fighting."

Li's mother suddenly laughed as she spoke, "Those people are really interesting. There was a family whose cricket died once, and wail, they were crying and wailing at home. I thought someone in their family had died."

Li Xiangdong: "..."

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