Year 1979: Eating meat with my wife and children

Hou San looked at Li Xiangdong, who was making tea for him, and asked, "Brother Dong, is this my father's Tieguanyin tea?"

"That's right, I don't have any other tea at home."

Looking at the steaming cup of Tieguanyin tea in front of him, Li Xiangdong thought to himself, "It's so fitting for the occasion!"

Hou San, the son, was planning to beat his father after taking on a disciple, but the tea for the apprenticeship ceremony was Tieguanyin, a type of tea that even his father was reluctant to drink.

tsk tsk~

This is truly a clash between cause and effect and logical reasoning!

"Li Xiaotao, good apprentice, come quickly and serve your master tea."

Hou San smiled and pointed to the hot tea on the table, his heart filled with anticipation. This tea must be delicious!

"Ah~"

Li Xiaotao was completely bewildered. He had no idea what had happened. How did he suddenly have a master?

He looked at Li Xiangdong and asked, "Third Uncle..."

"This is the master your third uncle found for you. Hurry up and go over to offer him tea. From now on, he will be your master."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Xiangdong pointed at Hou San and handed the teacup to Li Xiaotao.

Ah Zhe, standing nearby, egged them on, saying, "This is a new society now, we don't kowtow anymore. Xiao Tao, stand in front of your master, bow first, and then offer him tea."

"Hey, don't bow!"

Hou San shuddered as he recalled the dramatic scene in the courtyard earlier. "Just have Xiao Tao hand me a cup of tea," he said.

Li Xiaotao was pushed forward by Li Xiangdong and stood respectfully in front of Hou San, offering him a cup of hot tea. "Master, please have some tea."

"Yes, good, good apprentice."

Hou San pretended to take a sip, put down the teacup, and then took out a large 10-yuan bill from his pocket. "Xiao Tao, take this. This is a gift from your master."

"Third Uncle~"

Li Xiaotao looked at Li Xiangdong beside him, and seeing him nod, he took the money from Hou San's hand, "Thank you, Master."

"No need to thank me, the tea my apprentice served was delicious!"

Hou San chuckled and took another sip of tea. He raised his wrist to check the time. "Brother Dong, I've accepted you as my apprentice. It's getting late, I should go home. If I go back any later, I won't be able to explain it to my mother."

"Okay, it is indeed getting late."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangdong got up and escorted the person to the front door.

"Hou San, do you know the way back?"

“I recognize him, Dong-ge, you can go back now.”

Hou San patted Li Xiaotao on the shoulder beside him, "Good disciple, I'll come to visit you when I have time. Your school is on holiday now, so you can have your third uncle take you to see me."

"Yes, I understand, Master. Take care, Master."

Only after Li Xiangdong prompted him did Li Xiaotao finally speak and say goodbye to Hou San.

Little did he know that he had unwittingly chosen a master, and that this would completely rewrite his life from that moment on.

Seeing Hou San walk away, A Zhe said, "Dongzi, I'm going back too. I'm exhausted from being away for so long."

Li Xiangdong reached out and grabbed A Zhe, who wanted to go home, and said, "Don't rush back."

"What's wrong, Dongzi?"

Li Xiangdong pointed to the three sacks of bamboo tubes and the cricket box in front of the screen wall, "My family is large and has many things to do, so we'll send these things to your house. If your father asks, just say these things are all mine."

Ah Zhe nodded. "Okay."

Li Xiangdong looked at his second nephew beside him and asked, "Xiaotao, did you understand what we just said?"

Li Xiaotao shook his head. "I don't understand. What's wrong, Uncle? Could you tell me again?"

"no need."

Li Xiangdong smiled as he looked into his second nephew's clear, seemingly foolish eyes. Sometimes it's good that kids are a little slow; they won't talk too much.

The three entered the courtyard, and Li Xiangdong patted the door of the east wing where Brother Li's family lived.

"Li Xiaojiang, come out here right now and take Li Xiaobo and Li Xiaohai to clean up the yard. We'll let this matter go this time."

The door remained closed, but Li Xiaojiang's voice came from inside, "Third Uncle, do you keep your word?"

"You'd better get out here and get to work."

Li Xiangdong had just helped his family solve a big problem with Li Xiaotao, and he was in a good mood so he was too lazy to cause them any more trouble. Otherwise, he would have made them taste the power of the feather duster today.

Li Xiangdong called out to A Zhe and Li Xiaotao, and the three of them carried the items by hand and on their shoulders to A Zhe's house.

A Zhe's father wasn't home, so they put their things directly in the back room.

Li Xiangdong put down the sack on his shoulder and looked at the brand-new old bicycle in front of him. "Ah Zhe, I'll borrow the bicycle for a bit. I'm going to my father-in-law's house tomorrow, and I need to go buy some gifts for the visit. I'll bring the bicycle back to you later."

Ah Zhe laughed and said, "Why don't you just ride it to your father-in-law's house? When you get to the village, just say you bought it yourself, and it will make your father-in-law proud."

"You've got to be kidding me. Don't let me break down before we even get to my father-in-law's house."

"Go back."

Li Xiangdong pushed his bicycle out the door, and after getting on his bicycle, he called Li Xiaotao to get on.

"Third Uncle, can you ride one?"

"Oh, you're questioning me? Then you can walk home."

Li Xiangdong pedaled back half a circle, then stepped on the pedal with all his might and rode off. This was because he was married; before he got married, he would always pedal while standing up!

"Third Uncle, wait for me!"

Seeing his third uncle ride away, Li Xiaotao quickly ran a few steps to catch up and jumped onto the back seat.

The handlebars wobbled twice, and the bike almost crashed into the wall of the alley.

"Li Xiaotao, do you think this is your own kang (heated brick bed)? Can't you take it easy?"

"Third Uncle, I didn't mean to. How about I go down and do it again?"

"No need! Just sit still and don't move."

Li Xiangdong rode his bicycle to take Li Xiaotao to his door.

"Xiaotao, where's the money your master just gave you?"

"Give this to your third uncle. You can use it to buy cigarettes."

“You’re quite the filial son. Your third uncle was worried you’d lose the money. I’ll give this 10 yuan to your dad tonight.”

"Hehe, whatever you want, Uncle. You can handle it without telling me."

"It's alright, you can go back now."

"Li Xiaotao, let go! What are you doing grabbing the back seat?"

Li Xiaotao gripped the back seat of the car tightly with both hands and chuckled, "Third Uncle, you still haven't given me the chicken wings you promised."

"All you ever do is eat, kid."

Helpless, Li Xiangdong took out the braised chicken from his cloth bag, opened the oil paper package, tore off a chicken wing, and stuffed it into Li Xiaotao's hand.

Li Xiaotao held a chicken wing in his hand, but his eyes were fixed on the oil paper package in Li Xiangdong's hand.

"Uncle, why don't you keep the braised chicken at home? What if it gets lost when you go out?"

"Keep it at home? By the time I get back, there won't even be any chicken bones left."

These days, the temptation of meat is too great. If there were an adult at home watching over things, Li Xiangdong wouldn't keep carrying the braised chicken in his satchel all the time.

Li Xiaotao readily agreed, saying, "Don't worry, Third Uncle, I'll keep an eye on things for you."

Li Xiangdong asked doubtfully, "Are you sure?"

Li Xiaotao finished the chicken wing in a few bites, still sucking on the bone and savoring the taste. Hearing his third uncle's words, he quickly nodded, "Mhm."

Seeing his second nephew's earnest expression, Li Xiangdong handed him the braised chicken, saying, "Don't try anything funny with me, or I'll definitely beat you up when I get back. Hurry up and go home, and lock the door properly."

"Understood, Third Uncle."

Li Xiangdong watched as Li Xiaotao closed the front door of his house before riding his bicycle straight to Wangfujing Department Store.