Year 1979: Eating meat with my wife and children

After saying goodbye to Wang Erkui, Li Xiangdong and the other two rode back in a swaying donkey cart.

A Zhe took out three steamed buns from his satchel. "Dongzi, Hou San, are you hungry? I brought some steamed buns with me."

"Any more?"

Li Xiangdong took the steamed bun, took a bite, and gestured with his chin to Uncle Zheng, who was sitting in front driving the carriage.

"Have."

Ah Zhe took out another steamed bun, "Uncle Zheng, have one to tide you over."

"I'm not hungry, you don't need to feed me."

Uncle Zheng swallowed hard when he saw the snow-white steamed buns. He hadn't eaten pure white steamed buns many times. The donkey cart wasn't his own; it was village collective property.

Although the fare for traveling with Li Xiangdong and the others was only one yuan, this money had to be handed over to the village collective. He was just someone sent by the village to do the work. The only advantage was that he could rest in the afternoon and his work points would be counted as a full day's work points.

"Eat up, Uncle Zheng, don't be shy."

Li Xiangdong took the steamed bun from A Zhe and stuffed it directly into Uncle Zheng's hand.

"Uncle Zheng, your home is near the guesthouse, isn't it?"

"Yes, our village is not far from where you live."

Uncle Zheng looked at the steamed bun but didn't eat it. He opened the satchel on his shoulder and put it in.

When Li Xiangdong saw his actions, he didn't say anything. He had given him the steamed bun; whether he ate it or not was his business.

"Uncle Zheng, when we get back, we'll visit your house to get acquainted with it. We'll ask you for help next time we need a car. We didn't bring enough steamed buns this time, but next time you come with us, we'll bring you two more white steamed buns each time."

Li Xiangdong thought Uncle Zheng was a good person; he didn't talk much and wasn't curious when he saw them collecting crickets. He just focused on driving the carriage.

They will continue to collect crickets from Wang Erkui's house for the next period of time. By directly partnering with Uncle Zheng, they can save time and money.

He wouldn't be foolish enough to bring the roast chicken to the guesthouse staff again next time he comes.

"it is good."

Uncle Zheng nodded happily. He thought it was a one-time deal, but he didn't expect there would be a next time.

For no other reason than that coming with Li Xiangdong and his group not only meant free cigarettes, but also the chance to bring back two extra steamed buns on each trip. He excitedly cracked the whip in his hand, and the donkey, feeling the pain, walked even faster.

The temperature is rising, and it's getting hotter and hotter.

There were no green belts on either side of the dirt road, and with the sun shining directly on him, plus having eaten a steamed bun, Li Xiangdong wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Zhe, did you bring any water?"

"I brought it with me."

Ah Zhe then pulled a military water bottle out of his satchel.

"Thanks."

Li Xiangdong took the water bottle and drank a couple of sips. That was why he brought A Zhe along; A Zhe's role in their team was that of a logistics manager.

When Hou San saw A Zhe take out his military water bottle, he complained, "A Zhe, your military water bottle is no good. It's broken and old. It's not as good as mine."

Ah Zhe mocked, "What about yours? Hurry up and bring out your brand new kettle so I can see it."

"hey-hey."

Hou San smiled. His military water bottle had been confiscated by Gao Xinmin, and the thought of it made him angry.

"Brother Dong, are you still going to drink? If not, give me some."

"I won't drink it, you drink it."

Li Xiangdong handed the military water bottle to Hou San, who took the bottle and started chugging water down his throat, drinking almost half of it.

Looking at Hou San who kept drinking water, A Zhe said speechlessly, "Hou San, are you that thirsty? Can you drink less? Uncle Zheng and I haven't had a drop yet."

Uncle Zheng smiled and turned around, saying, "I'm not thirsty, you don't need to worry about me."

Hou San rolled his eyes at A Zhe, "Did you hear that? Uncle Zheng isn't drinking."

Ah Zhe retorted angrily, "If Uncle Zheng won't drink, I'll still have to!"

Hou San snorted, "I'm not drinking anymore, okay?"

"It's better not to drink."

Ah Zhe took a few sips from the water bottle, then screwed the lid on and put it back in his satchel.

Hou San, who had just drunk a lot of water, couldn't hold it in any longer. "Uncle Zheng, stop the car, I need to pee."

"Xu~"

Uncle Zheng pulled on the reins to stop the donkey.

Hou San went to urinate, while Li Xiangdong and A Zhe got out of the car to stretch their bodies.

A Zhe took out a cigarette and offered one to Li Xiangdong and Uncle Zheng. He looked at Hou San, who had run far away, and shouted, "Hou San, why are you running so far? We're all grown men, what's there to be ashamed of?"

Li Xiangdong chuckled as he smoked, "Alright, Zhe, stop arguing with Hou San."

A short while later, Hou San emerged from behind a tree by the roadside, pulling up his trousers.

"Hey hey hey~ The little donkey is peeing too."

Hou San ran excitedly and curiously to the donkey's side. After the donkey stopped urinating, he tilted his head and stared at it.

A Zhe walked up to Hou San and asked, "Hou San, what are you looking at?"

"It's huge."

Hou San swallowed.

Ah Zhe couldn't help but laugh and said, "What are you thinking about all day? Stop looking, or you'll get a sty."

"It's okay, let me take another look. I haven't seen it before."

As Hou San spoke, he took two steps forward and reached out to touch it.

Li Xiangdong and Uncle Zheng, who were smoking nearby, saw Hou San reach out his hand and hurriedly called out, "Hou San!"

"Don't touch!"

A Zhe was also startled, and he pulled Hou San back quickly.

But it's still too late.

Startled, the donkey turned its rear end around and its hind legs shot out.

'clang'

Hou San was pushed to the ground by A Zhe first, but he himself was kicked to the ground by the donkey.

"Fuck!"

"Uncle Zheng, you go check on the car, I'll go see if the person is alright."

Li Xiangdong threw down his cigarette and told Uncle Zheng to calm the agitated donkey. He quickly ran over to A Zhe's side.

"Are you okay?"

After being helped up by Li Xiangdong, A Zhe calmed down and said, "Cough cough~ I'm fine."

Hou San belatedly realized he had gotten himself into trouble. He walked over with his head down and asked, "Ah Zhe, are you alright?"

"Fuck off!"

Ah Zhe cursed at Hou San in annoyance, then pulled out a military water bottle that had been kicked flat from his satchel.

Looking at the shriveled kettle, he said thankfully, "It's God's blessing that I was kicked by the donkey's hoof, otherwise I would have been in big trouble."

Li Xiangdong glanced at the kettle, still somewhat uneasy, and lifted A Zhe's clothes to take a look.

It's nothing serious, just a red mark on my body, probably caused by the donkey's hoof hitting the kettle with too much force.

"Take a few steps, then jump around, and see if your bones are okay."

A Zhe obediently took two steps, not only jumping a few times but also twisting his waist. He saw Li Xiangdong's tense expression, smiled, and said, "I'm fine, only the place where I was kicked feels a little uncomfortable."

"It's okay."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangdong's tense expression relaxed. "It's good that you're alright. Let's get in the car and head back."

Uncle Zheng was an experienced driver; he had already calmed the frightened donkey down, and the three of them got back into the cart and set off again.

Hou San, that troublemaker, stopped sitting in the front and sat next to A Zhe, apologizing incessantly. If A Zhe hadn't pushed him earlier, his small frame would have been kicked two meters away by a donkey.

"Ah Zhe, I'm sorry. I was just curious because the donkey's thing was so big. I've never seen anything like it in my life."

"Just because you've never seen it before doesn't mean you can touch it!"