After Jiajiu, Northern Xinjiang grew colder by the day. Even Li Long was reluctant to go out.
But staying home was not an option. That Mongolian gazelle still needed dealing with, and its hide had to be skinned off and taken to someone to tan so he could make Mom a fur-lined coat.
There were plenty of other things to do, too. Quite a few sheep at Old Ma's Place had yet to be slaughtered. According to the plan, they would be fed for another two weeks or more, then slaughtered at the start of the twelfth lunar month and taken to the market to sell.
This winter would be busy, too.
After they got up and ate breakfast, Gu Xiaoxia saw that Li Long looked fine, but still reminded him:
"If you're tired, rest for a few days. Stop running around. You slept so soundly yesterday, you must have been exhausted."
"I'm fine." Li Long smiled. "After that night's sleep, I've recovered. There isn't much left to do. Mostly I just make the trips. Other people do the work."
Gu Xiaoxia nodded, then left for work.
Li Long watched the two children until Sister Yang finished her chores and took over. Then he went to the side room, carried the gazelle into the east room of the main house, and got the stove going. Once the gazelle had thawed, he carefully skinned it. He did not feel like cleaning the stomach and intestines, so he simply squeezed out the dung. Not wanting to wash them either, he chopped them into pieces and put them aside to feed the dog.
Little Black mostly ate leftovers at Li Long's house. Compared with other dogs at the time, he ate quite well, but he rarely got raw meat fed straight to him