Fugui held a whip, occasionally giving his old yellow ox a lash on the rump.
Thinking he should not favor one over the other, he gave Li Ping'an's Old Ox a few lashes too.
At first, Old Ox did not bother taking issue with the old man.
But after they had walked a while, the old man's lashes grew harder and harder.
Old Ox abruptly turned his head and glared furiously at Fugui.
You damned old man!
Whip me again, and I'll stew those old bones of yours for soup!
Fugui asked in puzzlement, "Mr. Li, this ox of yours... isn't he a little strange?"
"Don't mind him." Li Ping'an smiled.
The logging camp.
Fugui pushed open the door and went inside. A fire was burning in the room.
"Come in, come in!"
Fugui welcomed Li Ping'an warmly.
"Quick, sit on the kang and warm yourself up."
Li Ping'an tossed down the tiger's carcass, took off his shoes without standing on ceremony, and climbed onto the kang.
Patches of clay had flaked off the wall, like the scales of long, drifting years.
It reminded Li Ping'an of his old home in the Northeast, before he had crossed into this world.
Before long, Fugui prepared a pot of pork stewed with pickled cabbage.
There was fragrant, spicy chili oil to go with it, along with a jug of liquor.
The sour, spicy broth steamed as they sipped it, blowing on it between mouthfuls.
One bowl was enough to bring out a full-body sweat.
The wind and snow howling outside no longer seemed like much.
The two ate and chatted.
Li Ping'an asked casually, "Uncle Fugui, have there been any eerie happenings in these deep mountain forests? Tell me about them."
"Eerie happenings?"
After several cups of liquor, Fugui's face had long