After Liu Gaolou took the liquor away, Li Long divided some of his own stock among the elderly. Winter was cold, and their legs troubled them, so it was just the time for tiger bone alcohol.
His own parents had never really stopped drinking it. His father, Li Qingxia, had little taste for alcohol and only drank occasionally. Sometimes Li Long even had to remind him. He felt he was still in good shape, anyway, and could take it or leave it.
His mother, Du Chunfang, on the other hand, had developed a drinking habit within two years of coming to Northern Xinjiang. Fortunately, it was a small one: a little cup every evening. At first she drank loose liquor bought from the County Food Factory. Later, as the family became better off, she switched to bottled liquor, local favorites such as Ili Special Zone, Kuitun Te Special Zone, and Ancient City White Poplar.
Later, after Li Long obtained a tiger and steeped its bones in liquor, he encouraged his mother to have a cup or two now and then. After that, she drank this liquor exclusively. Whatever it tasted like, it was good for her health; that much she understood perfectly well.
They kept several jars of tiger bone alcohol at home year-round. He had told his eldest brother about it, but his second brother and brother-in-law knew nothing about it.
There were no elderly people over at their places, anyway, so there was no need. He had, however, given liquor steeped with deer penis to his second brother and brother-in-law, who had helped him so sincerely. Whether they had drunk it, Li Long did not know.
This new batch of tiger bone alcohol had yet to develop its effects. He planned to give away some of the older