Darkness fell. After dinner, Li Long and Li Jianguo rubbed Fengyoujing on themselves to keep the mosquitoes away. August nights were already cool, so both put on jackets before setting off for the seed-watermelon field.
The tractor would make too much noise at night, and they would not be able to see the road clearly on bicycles. Walking was better.
Li Qingxia had wanted to come too, but Li Long had talked him out of it. In the dark, with the road hard to see, a misplaced step or a fall could mean trouble.
So Li Jianguo and Li Long had both insisted he stay home and watch the house. Besides, school had not started yet. With the color television in Li Qingxia's room, plenty of children came over with the adults to watch it. They really did need someone keeping an eye on things.
Without the owner watching, those kids really would reach out and twist the television's channel knob. After all, there have always been Mischievous Kids. There were far more kids who raided hornets' nests and stole birds' eggs in those days than in later years. Almost any sparrow's nest that came into view was doomed. Li Qiang had raided several himself.
Some children were even unruly enough to destroy swallows' nests-though, of course, that earned them a beating from their parents.
Swallows nesting in a home were a good omen. When some families built new houses, they deliberately left the windows open to let swallows in.
The village barely had any streetlights then. Once darkness fell, people could not make out much at a distance, so no one would notice Li Jianguo and Li Long heading to the field with flashlights after dark.
Li Long reckoned they would not have to stay in the field long.