Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

From Ma County to Wucheng, although the road conditions on the Wuyi Highway are much better than those on country roads and there are fewer cars on the road, it still takes two hours for a jeep to travel.

Fortunately, no one in the car gets carsick. Even an old lady like Du Chunfang, who rarely goes out, can sit in the passenger seat and look at the scenery outside the window without feeling any discomfort.

What surprised Li Long was that Li Juan and Li Qiang were not just looking at the scenery outside. Along the way, they mainly helped Gu Xiaoxia take care of Mingming and Haohao, made the two children happy, and helped the two little guys to prevent them from getting hurt and falling.

Very careful.

Well, these two kids are great. I must reward them well later!
The car stopped for a while when it arrived at Beiting. Li Long asked everyone to get off the car to rest for a while, stretch their legs, and then continue on their way.

The car drove directly to Wucheng Zoo. Because there were elderly people and children there, Li Long did not leave anyone behind to pick up other people from the Bayi Guest House. Li Long had already told his eldest brother the route, and they would take the bus.

On weekends, the entrance to the zoo is very busy. Not only are there people coming to visit, but there are also many small vendors setting up stalls to sell things. Some of the stalls are for fun, such as spinning raffles - they are not as sophisticated as those in later generations, but they are just squares cut out of cardboard from a cardboard box, circles drawn on them, and then lines drawn from the center of the circle to the outside to distinguish the prize grids. There is a pointer in the middle that you can move with your hand, and you will get a prize in whichever area you spin.

Several children were playing there. Li Juan and Li Qiang were both very curious, but they helped Gu Xiaoxia keep an eye on Mingming and Haohao and did not go over.

Li Long heard the boss shouting over there, saying that the prize was 1 cent per spin and the biggest prize was two. You could choose a toy doll or a plastic water gun.

The smallest prize is a glass bead, the kind used in pinball and checkers, and of course, there is also an area with no prizes.

Li Long understood at a glance that this thing can be cheated.

The pointer is made of iron sheet and it is very smooth when it rotates. It is obvious that the shaft has been processed. You just need to put a magnet under the cardboard and put the magnet where you want the pointer to rotate.

There is a small table under the turntable. The small table is covered with a tablecloth on all four sides. The stall owner sits behind the table with one of his hands always down. It would be strange if he didn't do anything fishy!
The stall owner was also quite clever. From time to time, he would let a child go to the glass beads to show the winning status, or that the child was only half a grid away from the biggest prize, thus attracting the children to shout and add more money.

After a while, Li Long saw a child draw ten times, and finally got three glass beads and left disappointed.

Li Juan didn't seem to mind, but Li Qiang kept looking over there, obviously wanting to play very much.

There were stalls selling candied haws, postcards, and a bicycle carrying a large piece of paper with many photos on it. It was obvious that this person was taking pictures for tourists.

Li Long took a quick look and found that there were quite a few animals in the photo, with monkeys appearing the most, followed by tigers, cranes, eagles, wolves, red deer and other animals.

It seems that this photographer is able to enter the zoo and take photos for people, which is pretty cool.

Because they had to wait for someone, Li Long simply picked up Mingming and Haohao in each hand and took Li Juan and Li Qiang out to play - he also saw someone selling antiques, mainly copper coins.

It was 1985, and we were selling copper coins at that time?

Well, it is also possible that Wucheng has already become popular.

"You guys go and walk around, I'll just sit in the car. I feel dizzy seeing so many people." Du Chunfang didn't want to walk around, so she wanted to sit in the car. I don't know if she felt it was safer in the car or it was more convenient to look out from the car.

"Then you take them with you, and I'll sit in the car with my mother and the children." Gu Xiaoxia said.

"No, no, I'm holding Mingming and Haohao. Look how much these two like to watch these people." Li Long shook his head. "It's fine for me to sit in the car. The jeep is here and no one dares to move it."

Although there are private cars these days, they are still very rare. A jeep is not only a car, but also a symbol of status. Even if someone has some bad intentions, they dare not touch this car. The commotion in the past two years was too big. Wucheng was much more noisy than Shicheng and Ma County. Some children from the big courtyards were affected. Don't think that there are no big courtyards in Wucheng. There is a big district stationed here.

"Don't worry about me, Mingming, you guys go around and don't worry about me." Du Chunfang waved her hand, "It's so comfortable to sit in the car, I love to sit in the car and watch. I'll follow you in when we go to see the animals later, you guys go and play your own things now."

Since Du Chunfang said so, Gu Xiaoxia no longer insisted - in fact, she didn't really want to sit in the car with Du Chunfang, after all, there was nothing to talk about. If it was Liang Yuemei in the car, she would definitely be willing. Liang Yuemei had taken care of her since she was a child, so at least they could talk together -

In Gu Xiaoxia's mind, Liang Yuemei is more like a mother-in-law.

Du Chunfang got into the car. Li Long opened the window and let her lean against the door to look out. He held Mingming and Haohao in his arms, and then took Li Juan and Li Qiang out to play.

Gu Xiaoxia originally wanted to hold a child to share the burden, but Li Long didn't let her. Although Haohao was only one year old at that time, to be honest, he was quite heavy and had good nutrition. He weighed nearly ten kilograms, so it was better for him to hold it by himself.

He is tall and strong, with long and strong arms, and he holds the two children as if they are playing.

At this time, the group of children who were playing on the carousel had been led into the zoo by their adults. When Li Long and his friends came over, the stall owner's eyes suddenly lit up.

The main reason is that although Li Juan and Li Qiang look left and right and seem to have never seen the world, what they are wearing and what they are wearing are not cheap, so they definitely have money.

That's them!
Li Long and the other three gathered in front of the stall, while the others did not gather around and looked at other stalls.

"Juan, Qiangqiang, if you want to play, the two of you, one turns after the other, each of you turns ten times, how about that?"

"I don't want to play! I just want to watch!" Li Juan suddenly said, "Qiangqiang, you can only play twice. I just saw that the three kids spun more than ten times, and that girl spun five times. At most, they just spun a glass marble."

Li Juan had a very good idea. As soon as she opened her mouth, she defined the actions of Li Juan and Li Qiang.

When the stall owner heard that the business was going to fail, he immediately said:
"No, no, let me tell you, there is a probability of this spinning needle. Watch me spin it," he stretched out his hand and fiddled with the pointer. The pointer turned seven or eight times and when it stopped, it pointed to an angle with the word "sandbag" written on it.

"Look, there's something when you spin it out. If you're lucky, you can even spin out a toy gun or a doll. Don't you like that?"

After saying that, the stall owner put one hand down and gestured to Li Qiang with the other hand: "Look, this toy water gun is fun. I've already let two people take it today. This is the last one. If you don't take it, someone else will take it and it won't be yours. Think about it, you can get a water gun for 10 cents, and this water gun sells for 1.5 yuan in the mall!"

Everyone has a gambling nature, adults and children are no exception. However, Li Qiang still turned his head to look at Li Long to see his reaction.

"Play, play, you can play." Li Long said with a smile, "You play, I pay."

Li Qiang squatted down excitedly and prepared to start moving the pointer.

In fact, Li Juan also wanted to play, but she was more rational. Now that Li Long said they could play, Li Juan hesitated for a moment and squatted down as well.

Gu Xiaoxia whispered:
"This... is there some kind of trap? It's hard to get hit, right?"

"It's okay, just look at me." Li Long held the child and moved closer to the stall owner, squatted down, and whispered:

"Boss, let's discuss this."

"What's the matter?" The stall owner immediately became alert when he saw that Li Long was tall and strong.

"I'll pay two dollars and let them both spin," Li Long said. "And you, don't do anything tricky. Of course, it would be best if each of them gets a doll or a toy gun. That way, we can all be safe. How do you think?"

When the stall owner heard what Li Long said, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes, but then he calmed down and said with a fake smile:
"It all depends on luck. Whether you can win depends on your child's luck. How can you let me tell you? You are right, right?"

"Of course it's right if I say so, but it's hard to say if you say so." Li Long's voice was low and his tone was normal, but to the stall owner, it sounded different:

"I'm telling you, if you behave your right hand and put the magnet to the side or where the prize is, we'll be fine. If you do the same thing as you did to those kids before, do you believe I can yell at you right now and take down your stall so you can't set up your business here?"

"You...what are you talking about?" The stall owner was a little panicked.

"You should have heard what I mean. I won't expose you, and you don't play tricks. I just want my two children to be happy. How about that?"

Li Long glanced at the stall owner's hand again. The stall owner's hand shrank back as if it had been electrocuted, and his hand was clenched tightly.

Li Long saw that the stall owner was still reluctant and knew that his intimidation might not be enough, especially since he was holding two children and looked obviously weaker. He stood up and stepped on a brick on the roadside, breaking the brick into two pieces!
The stall owner immediately became timid. This guy is amazing!
"I got it, I got it!" Li Qiang suddenly shouted, "Uncle, look, I got hit by the toy gun!"

"Hey, what good luck!" Li Long said with a smile, "Come on, Juan, you turn around too. Qiangqiang, a toy gun is enough."

"Okay, okay!" Li Qiang was able to control himself. He moved aside and looked at the stall owner.

The stall owner looked bitter. Although he was reluctant to give it, some people gathered around him at this time. He reluctantly took a plastic toy water gun from the side and handed it to Li Qiang.

In Li Long's opinion, this toy water gun is worth at most one dollar, and if it is wholesaled at the place of production, it may only cost a few cents.

But at that time, the small commodity wholesale city in Wucheng had not yet appeared, so it might be sold in shopping malls, and this thing would cost more than one yuan.

Li Qiang was very happy when he took the gun. He wanted to find some water to continue playing, but Gu Xiaoxia held him down.

"See how many people my nephew's shout attracted to you? My suggestion is not a loss." Li Long reminded the stall owner in a low voice.

Sure enough, many people around heard Li Qiang’s shout, and some children immediately surrounded him when they saw the water gun Li Qiang really got.

Li Juan had already started turning, and the stall owner hesitated for a moment, but really didn't do anything else.

Li Juan was also lucky. She turned twice. The first time was a sandbag, and the second time was the position of the doll (water gun).

She also shouted excitedly.

As Li Long's gaze approached, the stall owner handed Li Juan a doll. Gu Xiaoxia took out the money, and Li Long said:
"Give him two pieces, and we won't transfer the rest."

The stall owner felt it was okay, barely making back the investment, not a loss.

Although it was different from what was originally expected, at least this person didn't cause any trouble again.

Although Gu Xiaoxia was confused, she still listened to Li Long's words.

When I got up with the two children, the place was immediately surrounded by other children.

Previously, seeing that one child didn't win anything, the others naturally worried that the stall owner was playing tricks. Now that two people have obviously won something, three pieces at that, the children nearby naturally think that this stall can sell something.

"Don't push, don't push, come one by one, pay first and then turn! Pay first and then turn!"

Li Juan and Li Qiang were holding their toys and smiling happily.

"There are so many people here, don't get separated. Since you've already gone east and west, just move closer to the car. There's a faucet under a tree nearby. Li Qiang, you can get some water." Gu Xiaoxia called to the two children.

Li Long held his own children, and Gu Xiaoxia consciously took charge of Li Juan and Li Qiang. It was different for those who had been teachers. As soon as she spoke, the two children obeyed obediently.

Li Long was not comfortable holding the child, so he turned around and looked around, but it was difficult to buy things. He thought for a while and said:

"Xiaoxia, you give Juan ten yuan, and then watch Qiangqiang go get some water. I'll take Juan to buy some candied haws, how about that?"

"Okay." Gu Xiaoxia naturally had no objection. Since she was out, she must have some fun. There were almost no people selling candied haws in the county town. Not to mention Li Juan and Li Qiang, even Gu Xiaoxia wanted to eat some.

The candied haws sold at that time were not so standardized. There was just a big straw bundle with twenty or thirty strings of candied haws stuck on it. They looked like strings of hawthorns, and I don't know how the hawthorns had been preserved until this time.

"How much are the candied haws?" Li Long walked up to the middle-aged man and asked.

"Fifty cents a piece." The man had just seen Li Long's situation at the needle-spinning stall, and now he spoke politely.

"50 cents, not cheap." Li Long said. The price of popsicles has increased, and they are sold at 1 cent each. Doll head ice cream is 30 cents each. The price of this candied haws is really not cheap.

"It's mainly because the raw materials are hard to find." The stall owner hurriedly explained, "The hawthorn I use is very rare here. It's shipped from Kouli, and the shipping fee is quite high!"

Well, it's not easy to eat sweets at this time - except for sugar. Li Long guessed that Li Juan and Li Qiang had only seen candied haws in books.

"I want ten." Li Long said, "Can it be cheaper?"

"Then..." The stall owner didn't expect Li Long to buy so much. After thinking for a while, he said, "Then I'll charge 40 cents per stick. No less."

"Okay." Li Long smiled. Bargaining itself is a test. He would buy it even if the price is not lowered.

Li Juan took five in each hand and asked the stall owner to put the six yuan change into Li Long's pocket. Li Juan ran back excitedly:

"Let's eat candied haws!"

Hey, this clear voice also attracted many customers to the candied haws seller.

"Slow down, slow down, don't fall!" Gu Xiaoxia shouted hurriedly when she saw Li Juan running back with a candied haws in her hand.

"Auntie, you won't fall, hehe." Li Juan ran to Gu Xiaoxia with a smile and handed her a handful of candied haws: "Here, have some!"

"Go to your grandma first." Gu Xiaoxia whispered, "She's sitting in the car."

"We have everything." Li Long came over with the child in his arms and said, "Haohao obviously can't eat it, but everyone else has it."

Li Qiang was having fun playing with a plastic water gun, but when he saw the candied haws in Li Juan's hand, he felt that the water gun was not so fun anymore and immediately came over.

"Here." Li Juan turned her head and looked at Li Long. Seeing that Li Long was smiling, she handed the candied haws to Li Qiang and said, "Take one."

"Well, I'll just eat one!" Li Qiang nodded firmly.

Du Chunfang didn't want it, but Li Juan was very determined and forced a candied haws into her grandmother's mouth. In fact, she knew that her grandmother also liked to eat candy. Sometimes she would secretly take a piece of fruit candy and hold it in her mouth for a long time, savoring the sweetness.

When Li Long was still thinking about whether to go shopping again, Li Jianguo and his friends had already arrived. Li Juan immediately ran over with the candied haws and handed them out one by one.

The adults were very reserved and refused. Li Juan had already regarded the distribution of candied haws as her own responsibility and forced one into everyone's mouth.

So, these people were like a tour group waving small flags, with each person holding a candied haws. You know what, it was pretty good.

"This hawthorn is really rare." Li Jianguo ate one, tasted it and said, "I haven't eaten it for many years... It's not easy to eat hawthorn in Northern Xinjiang!"

"That's right, it won't produce anything." Li Qingxia also held one.

Li Long thought, wait a little longer, wait a little longer, then we can plant it in the yard. This is one of the few fruits that can be planted in one's own vegetable garden and does not need to be buried in the winter.

The hawthorns grown in your own yard are much more delicious than those on the market.

Everyone is here, so we go into the zoo together. (End of this chapter)