The next day, after dropping Mingming and Haohao off at kindergarten and watching the two children dash happily inside, Li Long drove off. He bought some supplies at the Department Store, made a circuit of the market, then drove into the mountains.
As he entered the mountain pass, he glanced habitually at Bolati's wooden cabin. Finding the door locked, he continued without stopping.
When he reached his own cabin, Li Long was surprised to find Bolati's horse there, along with a man sitting beside the shed, his hands bound behind his back and something stuffed in his mouth-socks, apparently?
He stopped the vehicle in front of the cabin. Hearing the noise, Bolati came out and smiled when he saw Li Long.
"Adasi, you're here? See that? I caught a thief!"
"What happened? Did he come here to steal things?"
"Yep." Bolati nodded. "Didn't you say you wouldn't be coming for a few days? I traded for a few sacks of fritillaria a couple of days ago. Hauling them back was a hassle, so I stayed here overnight. Then last night this bastard came to pry the lock open. I fired a shot and scared him so badly he pissed himself."
Bolati's face was full of scorn. The gun the Forestry Team had issued him had been taken back, but he had acquired another himself. Staying here overnight, he mainly wanted protection against wolves. Instead of a wolf, a thief had turned up.
Li Long turned to look him over. The thief was only in his twenties or thirties, but his face was covered in stubble. It looked as though he hadn't groomed himself for days.
Whatever the circumstances, though, they couldn't let this man go. If they did, his cabin would probably be in danger. Li Long wouldn't take that