Reborn in the 60s, I hunt to support my family and even seduce the village beauty.

Chang Qing led Xiao Huoshao towards the grove at the village entrance. The village could no longer afford to raise cattle and sheep, and the grass in the grove was very lush.

Behind them, Chang Muxiaoshui and Xiuer skipped and hopped, singing "I have a little donkey..."

Everyone wanted to get close to the little fire-baked bun and ride it around as soon as possible.

When they reached the grove, Chang Qing removed the donkey's bridle and let the small fire burn as he ate the grass.

Hearing the cicadas chirping loudly in the nearby tree, she sighed, really wanting to climb up and catch them.

She was scolded by her older brother for climbing a tree to pick dates last time, so she dared not climb trees again.

Chang Mu and Xiao Shui each held a tree branch and assumed a fighting stance, the two female swordswomen of Shili Slope facing off.

With shouts of "Hey ha!", the chrysanthemum greens were cut down, and Xiu'er clapped and cheered beside her.

"Hey! A carrying pole hook!" Little Shui suddenly stopped holding the branch and pointed at the grass, exclaiming.

"Where? Where?" The other kids heard this and gathered around.

"Watch this!" Chang Qing spotted it immediately, cupped his hands, crept closer, and snatched the carrying pole in his hands.

"This one seems to have seeds too." Chang Qing drooled as he looked at the carrying pole hook he was holding in his hand.

This thing has different names in different places, such as Guada Bian'er, Lao Bian Dan, Jian Tou Ma, and Sang Men Jia. It is actually a type of locust. Because its body is long and slender and looks like a sword, its scientific name is Sword-horned Locust.

Chang Qing had eaten this many times since he was a child, and knew that it was delicious even if you just roasted it in a fire.

"Let's catch some more!" The other girls also swallowed hard.

"Yes, our brother gives us good food every day, so let's grab some good food for him to try too."

"Yes!" several people echoed, and Xiu'er also raised her little hand in agreement.

……

While the girls were busy catching grasshoppers, Chang Kun had already gotten into Ma Zhao's jeep and returned to the city.

"Brother Chang, what exactly happened?" Ma Zhao had asked no less than five times, but he was still completely clueless about what had happened in the underground river.

He only heard a long cry, a sound like a tiger or an ox. A few minutes later, Chang Kun returned and said that the giant snake had left and would no longer affect the reservoir project.

Just as Ma Zhao was scratching his head in impatience, Chang Kun smiled slightly and said, "Brother Ma, just think of that giant snake as a descendant of the white dragon. It won't harm anyone."

Earlier, in the underground river, he threw several wolves to the giant snake. The wolves were swept into the river, and the giant snake then disappeared into the river.

From the giant snake's subsequent hissing, he discerned gratitude and farewell.

"It doesn't seem like it's harmful, otherwise, Xu Jun would probably be snake dung by now..." Ma Zhao nodded in agreement.

"That last cry was its farewell to us. I guess it will never appear in front of people again."

Chang Kun sighed inwardly. No wonder such strange and unusual events became less and less common after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Those with some knowledge of the times understood the timing and found places to hide.

"Hey! Brother Chang, you can even understand animal sounds? No wonder you're so amazing!" Ma Zhao exclaimed in surprise, turning to look at Chang Kun.

"Uh, I know a little bit..." Chang Kun realized he had accidentally let something slip.

"Hehe, great job, Brother Chang!" Ma Zhao chuckled to himself, patting the steering wheel, seemingly lost in thought.

The two chatted idly until they arrived at the research institute, which was already past closing time.

"Brother Chang, I'm sorry to have troubled you this time. There's nothing to thank you for, but please keep this." Ma Zhao stuffed two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes into Chang Kun's pocket.

"You can't refuse, otherwise I'll be embarrassed to ask you next time I need something."

Although it was official business, Ma and Zhao still handled the personal relationship very well. It's always good to make friends with someone as capable as Chang Kun.

"Alright, Brother Ma, then I won't stand on ceremony." Chang Kun waved goodbye to Ma Zhao.

Upon entering the research institute, I happened to run into Cheng Rongjiang, who was leaving get off work.

"Uncle Cheng, have a smoke." Chang Kun took out a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes and handed it to him.

"Hey, you got some good cigarettes on your trip?" Cheng Rongjiang took the Zhonghua cigarettes, tossed them in his hand, and asked, "What did you do in Miyun?"

"I did a small favor and got two packs of cigarettes in return. That's enough for you and my dad to each have one."

"What small favor?" Cheng Rongjiang pressed, the less Chang Kun explained, the more he wanted to know.

He also knew Ma Zhao, who came from a mysterious department, so he was even more interested in the matter of him coming to see Chang Kun.

Seeing that he couldn't get away with evasions, Chang Kun leaned closer to Cheng Rongjiang: "It's about Bailong in Miyun!"

"What?!" Cheng Rongjiang exclaimed in surprise. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, he whispered, "Is the White Dragon real?"

Chang Kun nodded. The giant snake had horns on its head and was almost turning into a dragon. Given time, it might become a new white dragon.

Cheng Rongjiang clicked his tongue in amazement. As a native of Beijing, he had heard countless versions of the story of the White Dragon, and thought that the dragon was just a legend. He never expected that it was actually true.

"I wonder if the White Dragon is effective. I'll ask it to bless Xiaomin's mother and Xiaoxin, so that they can be reborn into a good family in their next life..."

Perhaps it was the tune from his hometown that stirred his thoughts, but these past few days Cheng Rongjiang has been dreaming of his wife and youngest son from time to time.

Chang Kun: ...

Cheng Min's mother and younger brother, how come they're already in their later years, while the other two are still living in the south?

My father-in-law is pitiful; it wasn't easy for him to raise two children. I should try to find his wife as soon as possible.

They chatted for a few minutes before going home separately.

Chang Kun hadn't even stepped inside his bicycle when he heard a cheer from the yard: "Big Pot's back!"

"Missing your older brother?" Chang Kun caught Xiao Xiu'er who rushed towards him and picked her up in his arms.

"Big pot, delicious!" Xiu'er pointed vigorously towards the main room, pointing to the other older sisters inside.

Walking to the stove, Chang Qing bent down and pulled something out of the firebox, holding it out to Chang Kun: "Big brother, look!"

"Hey! You caught Biandangou?"

"Yes, yes! We caught them together, and our parents have already eaten them." The little girls lined up, heads held high, waiting for praise.

"Not bad, where did you catch them?" Chang Kun rubbed everyone's foreheads, then broke the Biandangou in half and fed the part with seeds on the lower half to Xiao Xiuer.

I haven't had this in a long time. Taking a bite of it now brings back so many fond memories.

"We caught five of them in the grove of trees at the village entrance! We even fed Little Firebone a good meal."

"Five?..." Chang Kun was speechless. He ate one, his parents and eldest sister ate three, leaving only one. It was rare that the sisters didn't fight over it.

"I'll take you guys to catch some later and you'll have a good meal." After eating half of Biandangou, Chang Kun himself was getting a little hungry.

This stuff is still quite common in the grass on the mountains now, but in later generations, with pesticides and fertilizers sprayed everywhere, it's rarely seen in rural areas.

Most of the grasshoppers that people buy in later generations are farmed in greenhouses.

Farmed grasshoppers are one thing, but the real problem is they don't have the same aroma as grasshoppers at all, and they're ridiculously expensive, selling for hundreds of yuan per kilogram. The rip-off factor is almost on par with Xibei's steamed buns...