Li Long rode back to the County Town and first made a circuit of the Free Market. Li Jianguo was nowhere to be seen; he had probably sold all his fish and gone home. Meng Zhiqiang, another fish seller from the team, was gone too, but Zheng Dongsheng was still there. A wet Urea Sack lay in front of him, with a pile of fish on it. He had not even brought a basin, just carried the Urea Sack over on his back, found a stall, and laid the fish out on the sack, with an Enamel Basin beside it for measuring them out.
There were still over two kilograms of fish left, all crucian carp. They were doing all right and had not dried out and died. He probably fetched water from the ditch beside him to splash over them now and then.
Zheng Dongsheng showed no embarrassment when he saw Li Long and greeted him with a smile.
"Xiao Long, did you go to Stone City? I saw your big brother head home."
"You haven't sold out yet?"
"No, just this little bit left." Zheng Dongsheng was quite content. "Every few mao I can make is something."
"Well, carry on. I'm off." Li Long could hardly say anything. The man was different from him, content with what he had. Actually, Li Long wanted that kind of life too, but having seen such wonderful sights and eaten such good food, he could no longer swallow coarse chaff.
He made a circuit but did not see the mother and daughter who sold meals. Guessing they had sold out and packed up, he rode to the Big Courtyard.
Gu Xiaoxia was not there. Li Long put away the basin and scales, checked the bicycle tires, and, finding they did not seem