Year 1979: Eating meat with my wife and children

"Bah~!"

Wang Erkui spat on his fingers and began to count his spoils.

Qin Liu and his group consisted of five people. Li Xiangdong crippled one of them, three others came to chase them, and the remaining one should have stayed at the market to take care of Qin Liu.

But who would have thought that in such a short time, the three unlucky guys who came to chase them were all left behind in the cornfield by Wang Erkui.

"Qin Liu and his gang are really rich."

Wang Erkui counted several times but still couldn't figure out how much money he had. In the end, Li Xiangdong counted it for him.

"Which of these people who bully and monopolize the market doesn't have money? And that money is probably what they use to speculate on crickets."

Li Xiangdong pointed to the three cricket boxes next to him.

Wang Erkui nodded in agreement, then asked with a puzzled look, "Brother Dong, how come Qin Liu and his gang are so bold? Aren't they afraid of the police?"

"Who knows."

Li Xiangdong smirked, thinking to himself, "You're even bolder than them!"

This is considered kidnapping and robbery. If the police catch you, you'll most likely be executed!

"Huh~"

Wang Erkui suddenly noticed that Li Xiangdong had a stone in his hand, and he asked, "Brother Dong, what are you doing with the boundary stone in the field?"

"Is this a boundary stone?"

Li Xiangdong pretended to be stupid and carefully examined the stone in his hand.

"I knew this stone was so beautiful. If you hadn't told me it was a boundary stone, I wouldn't have known."

Wang Erkui chuckled and said, "What's so interesting about a broken rock?"

He slapped his forehead as he spoke, "I forgot, Dong-ge, you're from Beijing, you've definitely never seen anything from our countryside."

"Yeah, I've never seen this before. I'll hold it and admire it for a while longer."

Li Xiangdong wore a sincere smile, but in his heart he was thinking, "Your brother Dong has lived in the countryside for several years, how could I not even recognize the boundary stones in the field!"

Brother, I'm worried you'll get carried away. I really can't beat you empty-handed!

"Brother Dong, I have another watch here. If you don't want the money, you can have it."

As Wang Erkui spoke, he threw the watch into Li Xiangdong's arms.

"I do not want!"

"Brother Er Kui, keep this for yourself when you get married!"

Li Xiangdong quickly threw the watch back to Wang Erkui, even though he really wanted to own a watch of his own.

But is what Wang Erkui threw into his arms now a watch?

This is a time bomb!

If he takes it in the middle of nowhere, what if Wang Erkui gets upset?

If you want it, you'll have to wait until you're out of the cornfield...

Li Xiangdong urged, "Brother Er Kui, let's hurry up and go. Your father and the others must be looking for us. If we stay any longer, they'll start to get worried."

"Yes, yes, I've been blinded by money and have forgotten all about my dad."

As he spoke, Wang Erkui stood up, stuffed a large wad of cash into his pocket, picked up a cricket box in each hand, and led the way.

Li Xiangdong carried a stone in one hand and the remaining cricket box in the other, walking behind Wang Erkui while maintaining a certain distance.

"Brother Dong, hurry up!"

"Okay, I'm following you. It's just that you're walking too fast, and the corn leaves are hitting my face."

This cornfield is big enough.

Li Xiangdong followed Wang Erkui for a while before finally crawling out.

He felt itchy all over, and the red marks on his arms and neck from the corn leaves were particularly itchy.

Looking at the dirt road in front of me, and the villagers carrying hoes to work in the fields not far away.

Li Xiangdong took a deep breath; he was finally out.

Most importantly, his life is finally in his own hands!

"Brother Er Kui, those three people you knocked unconscious, are they alright?"

"Nothing will happen, Dong-ge. You're from the city, so you don't know. The corn cobs are watering right now. We farmers go to the fields every day to check on things, worried that some unscrupulous people might come and steal our grain. Don't worry, they'll definitely be caught soon."

"That's good."

Li Xiangdong felt relieved. He had only come to collect crickets and had no intention of getting involved in a murder case.

As he walked along the dirt road, he saw more and more people. Li Xiangdong casually threw the stone in his hand to the side of the road.

Once safety is guaranteed, this thing will no longer be needed.

When Li Xiangdong could see the main road of the county town in the distance, he quickly walked up to Wang Erkui and said, "Brother Erkui, I just thought about it and I think you can't keep that watch."

Wang Erkui stopped in his tracks upon hearing this and looked at him in confusion, asking, "Why, Brother Dong? Didn't you tell me to save it for getting married?"

Li Xiangdong sighed and said, "Alas, I didn't think things through at the time. Qin Liu and his gang suffered such a big loss at your hands, they will definitely not be willing to accept it."

Upon hearing this, Wang Erkui hurriedly defended himself, saying, "They didn't even see my face, so how can they believe whatever they say? I clearly went home a long time ago and am currently hoeing the field with my brothers."

Li Xiangdong was stunned when he heard this. This guy has thought it through from beginning to end!

"What if they see this watch? How will you explain that?"

This problem stumped Wang Erkui. Not to mention in their village, even in their town, very few people wore watches.

If he takes this watch back, unless he hides it and doesn't wear it, it will eventually reach the ears of Qin Liu and his gang.

"I knew it! Dong-ge, if you take this watch away, how will Qin Liu and the others find their way to the capital?"

As he spoke, Wang Erkui put down the cricket box in his hand, took out a watch from his pocket, and shoved it into Li Xiangdong's hand.

"Hey~ Dong-ge, you threw away that boundary stone?"

"Yes, you said it yourself that it's a boundary stone in the ground, so its final destination is naturally in the ground."

"Hey, Dong-ge, what you said makes so much sense. It's just like me, a farmer. I catch crickets just to earn a little money to spend. Even if I die, I'll still be buried in the field."

Li Xiangdong was trying on a watch and didn't pay any attention to what he was saying, but listening to what Wang Erkui was saying, he wondered how the central idea had been elevated.

"Brother Dong, this watch fits you perfectly."

"Brother Er Kui is right."

Li Xiangdong nodded in agreement. The watchband length was just right; it was a blessing from God!

He examined the watch closely; it was about 8% new, not bad at all.

Taking off his watch and putting it in his pocket, Li Xiangdong said, "I don't have any money on me right now. I'll give you the money for the watch when I meet my two friends later."

"What are you saying, Dong-ge? I don't want money. If you insist on giving me money for the watch, then let's split the money we stole from those people first."

As he spoke, Wang Erkui pulled out a large wad of banknotes, divided them into two stacks, and handed one of them to Li Xiangdong.

Wang Erkui managed to steal nearly three hundred yuan in cash and banknotes from those three unlucky guys.

Half of that is 150 yuan, which is about the same value as the watch in Li Xiangdong's pocket.

Why bother? If he insists on giving the money, the Er Kui brothers will be at a disadvantage.

"Dongzi! Dongzi!"

"Brother Dong, we're here!"

"My son Er Kui, your father is here!"

Seeing the three people running towards him from a distance, Li Xiangdong said, "Brother Er Kui, quickly put the money away. I won't give you the money for the watch. I'll make it up to you later when I come to buy crickets from you."

"I understand, Brother Dong."

Wang Erkui nodded with a smile. He didn't feel like he was at a loss. He always felt that it was a great honor for a country bumpkin like himself to be able to be on friendly terms with a Beijing native like Li Xiangdong.

Besides, his brother Dong will be coming to him to buy crickets again in the future.

Well, both of them felt like they got a great deal!