Rebirth in 1972: Redemption in Changbai Mountain

Zhou Rui's old bicycle had been sitting against the wall collecting dust for almost half a year. When he pedaled hard, the chain would rattle and clatter loudly.

The car is practically brand new, but it's been ruined by rust, making it slightly bumpy.

He took a detour to the repair shop at the entrance of Hongxing Town. The old mechanic, his hands covered in black oil, wiped the chainring clean with cotton yarn, squeezed half a bottle of engine oil into the chain, and finally the pedal started turning smoothly.

As Zhou Rui stepped out of the shop, leaning on his cart, he unexpectedly ran into someone he hadn't seen in a long time.

The man didn't greet Zhou Rui directly. He just pointed to the alley entrance and gestured for him to follow him. He then strolled forward slowly with his hands behind his back, his steps neither hurried nor slow.

Zhou Rui's heart stirred slightly. He pushed his old-fashioned bicycle and followed five or six steps behind. The two of them bypassed the pedestrians on the road and turned into a place where there was no one in front and no shop behind.

"Mr. Lang, it's been a long time."

The old man turned around, still looking lifeless, like an old tobacco pouch that had been stained with smoke for decades.

The only change was a faint rosy glow on her face; she was no longer the thin, paper-thin woman she looked when we first met, as if she would collapse in the wind.

"Thanks to you, kid, I've endured another year." Old Man Lang nodded at him, his withered fingers fiddling with his clothes.

"But you're so patient. I've been waiting in this dilapidated house every day, just waiting for you to knock on the door."

Zhou Rui's eyes darted around, genuinely surprised.

He had just sent over a thick cotton-padded coat and two bags of fine grains before the Lunar New Year. If we had been frugal with the food we had exchanged before, it would have lasted for two more months with some left over. How could it have run out of food so quickly?

"Old Lang, I remember your grain jar shouldn't be empty!"

"Hey, the grain and smoked meat we exchanged before are enough to eat."

Old Man Lang spoke calmly, but at the end his eyes suddenly lit up, like an oil lamp lit in a dark room.

"Later, I got a craving, so I traded all the leftover grain and meat for alcohol, and it was all gone in less than two weeks."

"With your health, how can you drink so much?" Zhou Rui frowned.

"Sigh, at my age, I don't have many days left to live. In my youth, I enjoyed all sorts of pleasures, from raising birds in cages to riding horses and flying eagles."

"When I get old and can't move, all I have left is a sip of wine to relieve my boredom. I'll just drink as long as I can for one day."

Old Man Lang waved his hand, then changed the subject and leaned closer: "So, how's business going lately? Whether it's old items or small fry, take whatever good stuff I have here."

Zhou Rui craned his neck and pondered for a moment before replying, "I have the grain coupons on me, so I can go directly to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy grain, but there really isn't any smoked meat today."

"I'm here visiting relatives, I can't bring that kind of stuff. If you're not picky, I'll go hunting in the mountains tonight, whatever I catch will do, all fresh wild game, you can smoke it yourself when you get back."

"Fresh is best!"

Old Man Lang slapped his thigh with delight, "I'm so tired of smoked meat, all I crave is a bite of freshly cooked meat."

"Don't forget to bring a couple of bottles of wine when you come. I'd like to try the high-end liquor sold in the supply and marketing cooperative these days and see what it tastes like."

Zhou Rui nodded to himself. Having dealt with Old Man Lang several times, he knew his background very well.

This old man must have come from a landlord family or been a capitalist. Otherwise, how could he live so cautiously, even hiding when buying a pound of meat, for fear of being seen by others?

Moreover, the fact that he was able to secretly accumulate such a large fortune after going through so many ups and downs shows how glamorous he used to be.

After finalizing the arrangements, Zhou Rui pushed the cart out of the village. To go hunting in the mountains, they had to get there early; evening was when the animals were foraging, and that would be a good time to stir things up.

Moreover, he only brought a pistol with him today, so he had to go find Zhang Shitou to borrow a gun first. He also didn't know if his third senior brother was feeling better.

When he arrived at Gao Zhiqiang's house in Xigou Village on his bicycle, the children inside, with their sharp eyes, rushed out with a shout.

The third brother, Gao Chuang, ran to the edge of the field and within half a quarter of an hour, he had called Gao Zhiqiang and his wife back home from the field.

"Ruiwa's here, come inside and sit down." Gao Zhiqiang grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the main room, his voice so loud it could lift the roof off. He then turned and shouted toward the inner room.

"Da Ya, why haven't you poured tea for your cousin yet? What are you dawdling about?"

Gao Xiaolan was busy running around, wiping the table and serving melon seeds, her eyes curving like crescent moons.

The couple didn't ask any unnecessary questions or wonder why he had suddenly come to their door. They were genuinely warmed to see their nephew standing in the yard.

When Daya came out of the kitchen carrying an enamel mug, her fingertips still had some sugar flakes on them, and she was licking them clean.

These days, white sugar is extremely precious. Da Ya spilled some when making sugar water, and this time she can't bear to waste it.

Zhou Rui drank his sweet soup and handed Gao Zhiqiang a Daqianmen cigarette. The two chatted for a while about everyday things.

Just as we were about to get down to business, my younger siblings suddenly surrounded me, especially Gao Chuang, who started talking with a lecherous grin.

"Brother Rui, can we borrow your old bicycle for a ride? I promise we won't go far, just a couple of laps around the threshing ground."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Xiaolan came out of the kitchen carrying a basin of cold water, with a relatively new towel draped over the basin.

She reached out and shoved Gao Chuang, who was closest to her, aside: "Don't give me that. How tall are you anyway? You think you can ride a bicycle? If you crash and damage your cousin's new bike, I'll beat you up."

"Mother, Er Ya and I can manage." Daya wasn't intimidated at all. She took half a step forward and gestured to show off her leg length.

"My feet can reach the pedals, I can definitely ride steadily." Getting scolded a couple of times is nothing compared to being able to ride my cousin's one-of-a-kind new bicycle.

Zhou Rui took the towel and wiped his face, instantly dispelling most of the summer heat.

He casually tossed the towel into the basin and immediately instructed, "Er Ya, take Gao Chuang and the other two to go cycling. Be careful not to go near the pond."

"Da Ya, stay here. I have some good news to tell your parents, and it happens to involve you."

The children suddenly burst into a commotion, pushing and carrying the bicycle over the threshold of the courtyard gate, and ran noisily towards the threshing ground.

Daya stood there, feeling a little disappointed at not getting to ride the bike, but mostly curious. Her cousin had come all this way; what good thing could he possibly have for her?

Seeing that he was getting down to business, Zhou Xiaolan didn't even bother to put away the washbasin, but put it down at her feet, pulled Gao Zhiqiang to sit down, and looked up to ask, "What's the matter? Why are you being so mysterious?"

"You know Zhang Zhenbei from Xiangyang Forest Farm, right?" Zhou Rui flicked his cigarette ash. "He's the deputy director who came to drink with Xiao Niangao when she turned one year old, and also when I got married."

"Yes, we know each other perfectly." Zhou Xiaolan nodded immediately. "Your uncle sat at the same table with him at the last banquet, and the two of them got along very well. That banquet was so grand; even the city officials came. Who can forget it?"

Gao Zhiqiang chimed in, "Director Zhang is indeed a good man. He's knowledgeable and a good drinker."

Seeing that the two were familiar with each other, Zhou Rui didn't beat around the bush: "I have a close relationship with Director Zhang. Recently, their forest farm is going to set up its own supply and marketing cooperative, which has created several permanent positions."

I asked him in advance for a guaranteed job spot, which I originally wanted to give to Qiuyue, but she didn't want to go to the forest farm.

It would be such a waste to waste such a valuable opportunity, so I thought, why not give this permanent position to Daya?

"What? You're giving me a formal job at a forest farm?" Daya was completely stunned, as if a huge pie had fallen from the sky and hit her right on the head.