Li Long topped up the fuel and water in his eldest brother's yard, then drove the tractor back to his own yard.
Although no one was living there now, all sorts of vegetables had sprouted in the vegetable patch, and the chives were already ready to eat. The yard had also been swept spotlessly clean, without a single stray weed on the ground.
Li Long unlocked the door and went inside. With the doors and windows shut for so many days, the house smelled damp and musty. He opened the windows to air it out, sprinkled some water on the floor, and, seeing the fine sunshine outside, carried out several quilts to sun them.
While he was airing the quilts, he heard voices outside the yard. Turning to look, he saw Tao Daqiang pushing a bicycle loaded with bedding and luggage on the rear rack, with Tao Jianshe walking beside him.
"Uncle Tao, Daqiang, you're here." Li Long straightened the quilts as he spoke. "Put the luggage on the tractor. We'll be leaving shortly."
Besides their luggage, they had tools. Tao Daqiang had woven taibazi last year and knew all about the work there. Tao Jianshe had done it before too. This time, they had brought not only sickles and short shovels, but also dry provisions, pickled vegetables, and other daily necessities.
"Brother Long, when are you leaving?"
"Five thirty. It'll take two hours to get into the mountains, and once we get there, we'll have to repair last year's winter camps, or they won't be fit to stay in," Li Long said. "Move in today, start work tomorrow. My eldest brother and Tietou's dad started weaving taibazi today."
"Having a tractor really does make things easier." Tao Jianshe stroked Li Long's tractor enviously. "I wonder when our family will