Rebirth in 1972: Redemption in Changbai Mountain

"Hehe...it has to be you." Chen Datou particularly admired Zhou Rui's brain; he felt there was nothing Zhou Rui couldn't solve.

Zhou Rui sat on the kang (heated brick bed) at Zhao Changshan's house for a short while, then strolled slowly toward Zhao Changshan's house with his hands in his pockets.

He's the director of this big production, so naturally I have to go see the ending in person to feel at ease.

By the time he arrived at the location, the villagers who had gathered to watch the commotion had long since dispersed, leaving only a few of Zhao's uncles and a few people from the brigade headquarters, Zhao Youzhi and Zhang Aimin, standing in the courtyard.

The pile of firewood was only half burned; the charred wood was soaked with water and wisps of smoke rose from it, but it hadn't even touched the woodshed next to it.

"Uncle Changshan, we found a cigarette butt here."

A young man from the Zhao family picked up a cigarette butt from the ground. It was soaked and only about the size of a fingernail.

The group looked around, and finally the cigarette butt ended up in Zhang Aimin's hand. He frowned as he held the cigarette butt.

"No doubt about it, it must have been an accident caused by some smoker who didn't put out their cigarette butt and carelessly threw it away."

"Damn it, damn it, damn it, I'm so angry! Which damn bastard is it that smokes without putting out their cigarette and litters like that? Damn it, damn it, damn it..."

Zhao Changshan was so angry that he stomped his feet in the mud, his shoes almost making holes in the wet soil, but he couldn't do anything about it.

The person who threw the cigarette butt had already slipped away while everyone was busy watching the commotion at Chen Datou's house. The whole village was crowded in the courtyard making noise, and no one paid any attention to the person on the roadside.

He was caught in the middle, suffering in silence; he had no choice but to swallow the bitter pill himself.

Zhao Youzhi, with a pipe dangling from his mouth, casually tapped on the collapsed fence.

"Perfect timing. Let's use this incident to remind the whole village that fire prevention awareness campaigns need to keep up."

"Let's also hold a legal education session about Zeng Ping's remarriage at the same time. We'll have a big meeting tomorrow under the big locust tree at the village entrance."

"Secretary Zhao, is it really necessary for everyone to freeze in this freezing weather?"

Someone nearby whispered in response, looking clearly unwilling.

It's not like we're distributing grain or money. Who would want to stand in the cold wind and listen to this? Even the literacy classes we held before didn't get many people going.

Zhang Aimin's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded, "I think it's a good idea."

"We'll organize the materials tonight, and I'll give a proper presentation to everyone on stage tomorrow."

He attended many meetings in the commune and loved the atmosphere of speaking on the stage. He couldn't let this opportunity slip by.

Just as Zhou Rui was about to go to the village entrance to push the heavy wooden pole under the tree, a childish voice suddenly called out from behind him, "Second Uncle! Second Uncle!"

He turned around and saw that Xiao Yan'er in Zhao Dazhu's arms was reaching out her little hands towards him, her pigtails all loosened.

Zhou Rui quickly took two steps and caught the little girl. Her soft little body sank into his arms, as light as a ball of cotton.

"What's wrong, Yan'er?"

"Daddy's beard is too stiff." Little Yan'er switched arms and immediately reported him.

The little girl buried her face in Zhou Rui's neck, her soft little hands rubbing her cheeks a couple of times, as if trying to wipe away the itch caused by Zhao Dazhu's stubble.

Zhou Rui felt a tickle on his neck from her rubbing against him and couldn't help but chuckle softly. He reached out and rubbed her soft little face.

Little Goose giggled and kicked her little feet wildly in his arms.

"You little brat, you were just begging your dad to take you out to play, and now you've sold him out."

Zhao Dazhu patted Xiao Yan'er's bottom from behind, feeling both amused and exasperated.

The weather had just turned cold, and the wind was carrying icy shards, so even adults were reluctant to go out.

Only a restless little girl like Xiao Yan'er could drag him out to run into the street.

Zhou Rui guessed that his little darling was probably at home making a fuss about wanting to play with someone.

"Zhou Rui, where did you go just now?" Zhao Dazhu came over and offered him a cigarette.

"I just dropped An'an off at school and was rushing over here when the commotion had mostly died down," Zhou Rui lied without batting an eye, showing no sign of guilt whatsoever.

"Haha, then you've really lost out. Just now, the Chen and Zhao families were arguing in the village, like a theatrical performance, going back and forth for most of the day."

"Oh? Aren't you also from the Zhao family? Why didn't you rush forward?" Zhou Rui glanced at him sideways, speechless.

"How could I dare? I'd rather stand at the back and shout a few words. I'd never be the one to charge ahead and fight the Chen family to the death."

Zhao Dazhu waved his hand, his face full of understanding.

Zhou Rui nodded; this was the true thought of the young man from the Zhao family in the village.

If it weren't for those old fogies clinging to outdated rules, most people would rather stay home and chat idly than get involved in this mess.

Just as the two were about to continue their conversation, the little girl in their arms immediately became unhappy, swaying her little body and snuggling into Zhou Rui's arms: "Second Uncle, let's go home and find Gao Gao."

"Which home are you going back to? Your mother is still at home stewing meat and waiting for you." Zhao Dazhu pretended to reach out and hug her.

Little Yan'er immediately hid under Zhou Rui's armpit, her little voice ringing out throughout the village: "Second Uncle, hurry up and find my sister. Daddy's a bad guy."

Zhou Rui was overjoyed, picked up the little girl, and ran away.

I walked to the big locust tree, stuffed the little gosling into the small rattan chair on the front of the bicycle, and slowly pedaled home on the old-fashioned bicycle.

Anyway, Xiao Niangao would be bored at home alone, so having the two little girls play together would save Lin Qiuyue from being too tired to take care of the kids at home.

"Dazhuzi, has your little Yan'er been kidnapped by that bandit Zhou Rui again?" Aunt Yang, carrying a vegetable basket, passed by and teased with a smile.

The old folks in the village all know that Zhou Rui takes advantage of Xiao Yan'er's affection for him, bringing her to his house every day. When Zhao Dazhu misses his daughter, he has to go to Zhou's house to pick her up.

Zhao Dazhu smiled, revealing a set of white teeth, and waved to Aunt Yang.

"Hehe... Aunt Yang, it's alright. It's perfect that my little Yan'er eats and drinks from the Zhou family, and he even takes care of my child for free."

"You two are closer than brothers; you even take turns looking after each other's daughters."

"Of course! Maybe we were switched at birth and we're actually brothers."

Zhao Dazhu smiled and replied, but no one could hear the unspoken disappointment hidden in his tone.

The wind brushed past her ears, cool and refreshing. Little Goose sat in front, raising her little hands to catch the wind blowing in her face, and singing a nursery rhyme she had just learned from the village.

As soon as I turned into my own courtyard, I saw Xiao Niangao sitting on the threshold with a small stool, holding half a roasted sweet potato in her hand, looking longingly at the door.

Seeing Xiao Yan'er's pigtails peeking out of Zhou Rui's bicycle basket, the little girl jumped up from the stool with a shout, put the sweet potato on the threshold, and rushed over with her short legs.

"Yan Yan".

"Gao Gao".

The two little girls reached out and pounced on each other across the bicycle, their soft little hands clasped together, their dimples sinking into their smiles.

Lin Qiuyue poked her head out of the kitchen, her hands still covered in flour, and couldn't help but laugh when she saw the scene.

"I was just saying that Xiaoniangao was making a fuss at home looking for Yanyan, and you brought her back. The two little girls are really on the same wavelength."