It was already noon when Li Long returned to the Big Courtyard. If he went to Sister Yang's now, he could actually make it just in time for lunch.
But Li Long did not go. He drove the tractor into the courtyard, got down, and latched the gate. He unloaded the fritillaria and everything else from the tractor one by one and put them away, then went into the bedroom, changed his clothes, and fell straight into bed.
He had actually been resting fairly well lately. He had hardly stayed up late at all, and there had been no need to.
But right now, he just wanted a good sleep.
A major job was finished and settled, leaving an empty space inside him, as though he had laid down a great many invisible burdens. His nerves, which had been taut all this time, had relaxed, and he really did need some proper rest to recover.
Some people said that to recover from exhaustion, men needed food and women needed sleep. In fact, men also needed proper, deep sleep to recover.
Li Long did not sleep for very long. When he woke and looked at the sunlight coming through the window, it seemed to be around five or six in the afternoon.
In the past, a poor afternoon nap had sometimes left him dizzy. Not today.
All he felt upon waking was hunger.
He got up and dressed. He balled up the clothes he had worn back from the mountains and tossed them into the basin behind the door, ready to wash that evening. After changing, he went out.
There were ingredients in the kitchen: steamed buns and stewed meat. If he wanted to cook, he could have a delicious meal ready in half an hour.
But Li Long did not