On the twenty-eighth day of the last lunar month, Li Long was sweeping the courtyard. There was no thirtieth this year, so the twenty-ninth was New Year's Eve. Li Long planned to go to the Fourth Team the next day, but his second older brother and his family drove over that very day.
Li Anguo and Chen Lirong, with their two children, Xueping and Xueqin, drove to the Purchasing Station first. Finding it closed, they went to the Big Courtyard instead.
The two children had last visited for the Mid-Autumn Festival, more than three months ago. This time, both looked a little like city children. Li Long opened the gate, and after getting out of the car behind Li Anguo and Chen Lirong, they greeted him politely:
"Hello, Uncle!"
"Hello, hello! Come on in, hurry. It's cold outside." Li Long welcomed his second older brother's family into the courtyard, but Li Anguo said:
"I thought we'd stop by the Purchasing Station to see whether Dad was there, but it had closed..."
"Not closed down-closed for the holidays!" Chen Lirong corrected his wording.
"Right, right, closed for the holidays. We just came to let you know before heading down to the Team."
"All right, go on ahead," Li Long said. "Xiaoxia doesn't get off until tomorrow. I have to wait and go back with her."
"Right, right, of course." Li Anguo smiled. "Where are Mingming and Haohao? Should I take them back first?"
"Ha, those two went to the Fourth Team ages ago and haven't come back. They've been running wild with Qiangqiang." Li Long smiled. "Then I won't keep you for lunch. Hurry along. Eldest Brother and the others are probably about to eat."
"All right, get on with what you were doing." Li Anguo nodded and took his family