Returning Home

The following morning...

Hu Ming, Hu Bayi, and Fatty Wang had everything ready. They began checking their belongings to make sure they wouldn't leave anything behind when they departed.

That would save them some trouble later.

Hu Ming turned to Hu Bayi, who was busy getting things together. "Old Hu, did you pack your candies and some gifts? Don't forget. Otherwise, those kids will give you a headache."

"Don't worry, I've got everything ready," Hu Bayi replied. "Mingzi, you can relax. I prepared everything you told me about yesterday. There's a gift for everyone, no one's been left out. Look, this is what I bought."

Hu Ming nodded. "Good. As long as nothing's missing!"

Then Hu Ming turned to Fatty Wang. "What about you, Fatty?"

Fatty Wang thumped his chest. "Don't worry, Mingzi. I bought twice as much. There's definitely enough."

Hu Ming gave him a sidelong glance. "Really?"

"Of course."

Hu Ming didn't say anything more.

Just then, Fatty Wang quietly came over and whispered, "Mingzi, gas masks, glutinous rice, a twenty-year-old black donkey's hoof, fishing nets, coins to subdue corpses, candles... Did I miss anything?"

"Looks good!" Hu Ming said, nodding at Fatty. They had all the gear they needed.

Hu Bayi didn't know about the things Fatty Wang had bought. Hu Ming had secretly told Fatty to get them. Given Hu Bayi's somewhat stubborn nature, Hu Ming hadn't wanted him to buy that sort of stuff.

Once they got to Niuxin Mountain, Hu Bayi would probably come around.

As for the digging tools, the old village secretary in Niuxin Mountain had plenty, so there was no need to bring any along. That saved them the trouble—and they wouldn't have been able to take them on the train anyway.

It wasn't until they boarded that Hu Ming realized Fatty Wang had bought a whole lot of things. He'd even bought a television.

Hu Ming was speechless. They didn't even know whether the countryside had power lines yet.

Hu Ming knew that Fatty Wang and Hu Bayi had spent all their money on this trip home, which left him even more at a loss for words. Still, he said nothing. He'd already decided that he would never let those two handle the money when they went into business in the future.

The three of them had spent more than ten hours on the train before they got off.

Fatty couldn't help grumbling. "Damn, this train reeks. I feel like beating the hell out of that guy."

As soon as he'd finished complaining, Fatty Wang said, "Old Hu, look over there. Isn't that Uncle Ge from Niuxin Mountain?" Outside the station, an old man seemed to be waiting for someone.

Fatty Wang pointed in a direction.

"Hey, you're right," Hu Bayi said.

Fatty Wang looked over at him. "Come on, let's get over there." The three of them grabbed their bundles and hurried over.

Uncle Ge had been sent by the village secretary in Niuxin Mountain. He'd been waiting for Hu Ming and the others for quite some time.

Back when they'd gone to the countryside, Fatty Wang and Hu Bayi—and Hu Ming, who'd arrived later—had often stayed at Uncle Ge's home.

Uncle Ge had taken especially good care of them.

They'd been educated youths, after all—future pillars of the nation.

Many years had passed, and though Hu Ming and the others had changed, Uncle Ge still recognized them.

He knew them at a glance.

Then he laughed and said to the three of them, "Ha ha! You three brats! How many years has it been? You haven't come back to visit us. What's the matter? Got married out there?"

Hu Ming laughed too. "No. But Uncle Ge, I remember Fatty here was always thinking about your daughter."

"Get lost! That little punk Fatty was always lurking by the wall of my house back then," Uncle Ge said, swishing his horsewhip.

Fatty Wang laughed. "Hey, Uncle Ge, how can you say that about me? I was appreciating her, that's all. You know, like a fine horse meeting a good judge."

"Good judge, my foot. Get lost!" Uncle Ge snapped.

"Heh." Fatty knew Uncle Ge was only joking with them, so he didn't get upset.

After chatting for a while, they climbed into Uncle Ge's horse cart and headed for the village.

On the way...

Hu Ming sat beside Uncle Ge. "Uncle Ge, I heard there was a small earthquake around here a while back, and it uncovered a large tomb?"

"Sure did. It's a huge tomb. People from above came, too. They say the owner of the tomb had quite a remarkable identity." Uncle Ge told Hu Ming what had happened at the time.

The only pity was that the old village secretary was much too conscientious. Anything of value had to be turned over.

Who knew how much was left now?

As for the tomb, if people from above hadn't come, Hu Ming would really have liked to take a look.

News that Hu Ming was bringing Hu Bayi and Fatty back had already been passed along by telephone to the village secretary and the villagers in Niuxin Mountain.

When they reached the village entrance, they saw a crowd waiting there

"Mingzi!" "Brother Hu!" Just then, Yanzi put down what she was carrying and ran over to greet them.

Fatty Wang said, "Hey, Sis Yanzi, how come you didn't call out to me?"

Yanzi shot back, "You big lump!"

"Hey, Sis Yanzi, where's Yingzi?" Hu Ming remembered how Yingzi used to follow him around, calling him "Brother" over and over. Back then, she'd run around barefoot with snot bubbles hanging from her nose.

"You mean Yingzi? She went hunting. I think she should be back soon," Yanzi replied.

Fatty Wang was surprised. "Hunting? That little girl can hunt?" He could hardly believe it. Back then, she'd run after them and burst into tears at the sight of a bug.

Yanzi glanced at Fatty Wang. "You idiot. Haven't you heard that a girl changes eighteen times as she grows up?"

Uncle Ge laughed. "All right, Yanzi. Let Xiao Ming and the others get into the village!"

Everyone laughed and led Hu Ming and the others into the village, arranging for them to stay at Yanzi's house.