Just wait and see

"Dad, how come you didn't cook?" Tao Daqiang put the two fish in the kitchen and called out to his father in the inner room.

Tao Daqiang's father, Tao Jianshe, was leaning against the head of the kang, smoking his pipe. At the sound of his younger son's voice, he lowered the pipe, tapped it out, and said:

"I did. You still weren't back even though it was getting late. Your nephew Mao Dan came over and said playing had made him hungry, so I gave him the food I'd saved for you. If you're hungry, there are potatoes in the kitchen. Roast a couple under the stove."

Tao Jianshe spoke calmly, and Tao Daqiang didn't think much of it either. His older brother, Tao Dayong, was already married and had a son, Mao Dan, who was the darling of the whole family.

In the past, Tao Daqiang really would have been happy to roast a potato. His family had called him stupid ever since he was little-his father, his brother, and even his sister-in-law all said the same thing. He had grown used to taking whatever came his way.

But today, he had eaten Gugu Chicken at the Li house, then had fish soup, and even caught fish himself. He felt he was useful after all, so he raised his voice and said:

"Dad, I caught some fish and brought them back. I want to cook them!"

"You caught fish? What kind?" Tao Jianshe was surprised to hear that Tao Daqiang had brought back fish. He got up from the kang and called out:

"Bring them over here. Let me see."

Tao Daqiang picked up the fish and proudly walked over from the kitchen.

"Oh, these are nice fish!" Tao Jianshe had assumed his son had brought back nothing more than palm-sized crucian carp, since those were the easiest to catch. Instead, these were big fish weighing a kilo or two apiece, if not more. That was a rare sight indeed. "Where did you catch them?"

"I went to Little Haizi with Brother Long and caught them there," Tao Daqiang said proudly.

"Brother Long? Who's that?" Tao Jianshe was confused.

"Li Long, Li Jianguo's younger brother," Tao Daqiang said.

"You mean that good-for-nothing?" Tao Jianshe said disdainfully. "He's capable of that? Surely Li Jianguo took you out to catch them?"

Tao Daqiang thought for a moment, then nodded.

"All right, then. Never mind who took you. Take these fish over to your brother's place," Tao Jianshe said. "We don't have much oil left. Don't you need oil to cook fish?"

"I don't need oil. I'll make fish soup!" Remembering the fish soup he'd had at the Li house that evening, Tao Daqiang had a flash of inspiration. "Just water!"

Tao Jianshe suddenly lost his temper and knocked Tao Daqiang on the head with his pipe.

"How can you be so stupid? Just water? Won't you have to light the stove and waste coal? All you think about is yourself. What are you going to do later? Your mother died young. Once I'm dead, someone as stupid as you will have to rely on your brother to survive, won't you? If you don't get on his good side now, you won't even have food to eat when the time comes!"

"I'll have food!" Tao Daqiang dug his heels in that day and refused to take the fish over. "Staying with my brother-I haven't had a full meal all winter. Even my supper got eaten by Mao Dan! With Brother Long, I can eat my fill. I even get chicken and fish!"

"I'll give you chicken! I'll give you fish!" Tao Jianshe had never expected his usually obedient son to argue and talk back. Furious, he swung his pipe at Tao Daqiang's head and face. Tao Daqiang stood there and took several blows, but when he realized his father wasn't holding back at all, he angrily pulled the door open and ran out, leaving his indignant voice trailing in the wind:

"I won't eat the fish, then! Give them to whoever you want!"

Tao Jianshe stood with his pipe raised, somewhat bewildered. Only after the cold pouring through the open door had driven all the warmth from the room did he feel the biting chill. He hurriedly shut the door, cursing angrily:

"That little brat thinks he's grown up now! Won't listen anymore! How dare he defy me!"

Looking at the fish at his feet, Tao Jianshe sighed. He bent down, picked them up, and put them in the kitchen, planning to set aside three for Tao Dayong to take home when he came over the next day.

While he was still around, his elder son would agree to look after the younger one out of respect for him.

When Li Long returned from the stable, he saw a big, dark figure lingering outside his courtyard gate. Instantly on his guard, he looked around, broke a clod of earth off the back courtyard wall, and shouted:

"Who's there?"

"Brother Long, it's me, Daqiang," came Tao Daqiang's voice.

Li Long relaxed. I never noticed it before, but that big frame of his is pretty intimidating in the dark.

"What are you doing here?" Li Long asked as he approached. "We're leaving first thing tomorrow. Why aren't you getting to bed early?"

"I... I can't sleep," Tao Daqiang stammered. "I want to stay at your place, so tomorrow... I can leave with you."

"All right." Li Long found it a little strange, but since Tao Daqiang was already here, he couldn't very well send him away. "Come on. I've borrowed the cart already. Let's go tell my brother, then turn in early so we can set off early tomorrow."

Seeing that Li Long asked no further questions, Tao Daqiang silently followed him.

Li Long first went to the West Room to tell Li Jianguo two things: he had borrowed the cart, and Tao Daqiang would be staying with him that night.

Hearing that Li Long had already arranged for the cart, Li Jianguo said:

"All right. You've had a tiring day, so get some rest and go to bed early. Set off early tomorrow and get back early. Oh, Long, I skinned that Water Rat. When you get to the county purchasing station tomorrow, see how much you can sell the pelt for. Buy yourselves something to eat on the road."

"I'll get up early tomorrow and steam some sponge cake for them to take," Liang Yuemei said. "I'll wrap it in a steamer cloth and tuck it into the shoulder bag."

"Okay." Li Long nodded. "We'll go to bed, then."

"Bank your stove with plenty of coal," Li Jianguo added. "Otherwise it'll get cold in the middle of the night."

He said nothing more. Two strapping young men sharing one quilt would certainly be a squeeze, but hardly any household had spare quilts these days. Fortunately, Li Long had a coat in his room that would help them make do.

Li Long had the same idea himself. If he heated the kang well and used the padded coat too, they could get through the night.

Early the next morning, just as the sky began to lighten, Li Long woke up and roused Tao Daqiang. They quickly dressed and went over to the West Room.

Liang Yuemei was already cooking, and Li Juan and Li Qiang were both up too. Li Juan was sweeping the floor, while Li Qiang was washing his face.

Breakfast consisted of leftover fish soup from the day before, stir-fried pickled vegetables, and cornmeal porridge.

At the sight of the fish soup on the table, a sudden wave of sadness washed over Tao Daqiang. He hurried off to wash his face and hide it.

After breakfast, Li Jianguo rolled up the wrapped Water Rat pelt and put it into a urea sack. Liang Yuemei handed Li Long the shoulder bag containing the wrapped sponge cake and told him:

"If you two get hungry on the road, eat it. Don't save it for later."

After saying goodbye to the family, Li Long took Tao Daqiang to the stable. With Lao Luo's help, they harnessed the horse to the cart and loaded two bundles of fodder. Then they climbed aboard and drove toward the county town.

The mountains lay to the south, but the road led west. They had to travel five kilometers west to the commune, then three kilometers south to the county town. Clearwater River Commune was another ten kilometers or so southwest of the county town. From there, they still had to go five kilometers farther before reaching the mountains-even by horse cart, the journey alone was nearly thirty kilometers.

And that still wouldn't get them to their destination.

Not long after Li Long left, the Li family received their first visitor: the elder Mrs. Lu from across the way.

A visitor was a guest. While Li Jianguo took Li Juan and Li Qiang to clean the fish in the East Room, Liang Yuemei welcomed her inside. Once they were seated, Mrs. Lu, who was in her fifties, asked:

"Sister, I heard your brother-in-law came back. Got fired, did he? And today he's gone into the mountains to haul timber? Hasn't he caused enough trouble in the village? What sort of fool is he making of himself now?"

In the village, Li Long was something of a joke.

He had gone through so much trouble to get into the factory, only to be fired.

He had finally won over a pretty girl from the village, only to be dumped.

Now he was making a fool of himself again, paying for the work points needed to use a horse and driving a cart into the mountains to haul timber-as if timber was easy to haul out of those mountains! Someone like him might not even be able to find the road in!

Thanks to Dian Lao for the tip and suggestions, and thanks to everyone for your support!

(End of chapter)