Chapter 014: Finding You a Bride

Liu Xing shook his head in disapproval. To avoid any misunderstanding, he hurriedly hid the White Rabbit milk candies in the bamboo basket. Only after they had walked some distance did he take out a piece, unwrap it, and place it in Guazi’s mouth. “Savor it slowly, don’t eat it all at once.”

In his memory, Guazi had probably never tasted White Rabbit milk candy before the age of ten. As for himself, it wasn’t until he was seventeen or eighteen that he finally knew its flavor—a fact he found unacceptable. Now that money was no longer an issue, he naturally bought and ate whatever he wanted.

“Wow, big brother, this White Rabbit milk candy is delicious!” Guazi exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement after tasting it.

“I know, but you absolutely can’t eat it at night,” Liu Xing reminded her again.

“Okay.” Guazi nodded repeatedly, her happy eyes curling into crescent moons.

Seeing the sun blazing fiercely overhead, Liu Xing mounted the black calf and tightened the rope, urging it to quicken its pace toward Saltpeter Village.

An hour later.

They left the boundaries of HY City and arrived at the territory of Zhangmu Township. Because it was daytime, Liu Xing took a shortcut with the black calf and headed for Dr. Wang’s house.

There was no other way—now that he had money, he needed to get his father’s leg treated as soon as possible.

But unexpectedly, on the way to Dr. Wang’s, he encountered a jeep stuck in the mud. The license plate was that of the police, and many passersby avoided it as if it were trouble.

Liu Xing originally intended to keep his distance, but when he saw that the driver was someone he recognized—Director Wu from the Donghe Police Station—he hesitated, tightened the rope, and let the black calf approach.

“Director Wu, do you need any help?” Liu Xing knocked on the jeep’s passenger window.

“Who are you, kid?” Director Wu, younger than Liu Xing remembered from his previous life, wore a buzz cut. He rolled down the window and regarded Liu Xing with deep suspicion.

“Who I am isn’t important. What matters is that I know you!” Liu Xing smiled from atop the calf. “Do you need help pulling the jeep out?”

“How would you do that?” Director Wu was annoyed. If not for work, he would never drive to such a godforsaken place.

Liu Xing patted the black calf. “Have you forgotten about this big fellow beneath me? As long as we have a rope, it’ll definitely pull the jeep out.”

“That’s right!” Director Wu finally looked Liu Xing over carefully, finding his face somewhat familiar. He hurried to fetch a coil of rope from the back seat and got out.

Liu Xing wasted no time and helped tie the rope to the black calf’s back.

Satisfied with the knot, he patted the calf’s horn. “Pull hard—when we get home, you’ll get an extra meal.”

Hearing the promise of extra food, the black calf let out a moo and, after only three steps forward, drew the jeep out of the mud.

Director Wu was so astonished that his eyes nearly popped out. He stood there in shock for a long moment, speechless.

He knew cows were strong, but to make a cow follow instructions and easily pull out a jeep seemed nearly impossible.

Yet the youth before him made it look as simple as eating or drinking—utterly incredible.

Seeing the jeep freed, Liu Xing promptly untied the rope from the calf and handed it back to Director Wu. “Well… if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

“Wait, I don’t even know your name!” Director Wu called out.

“Liu Xing from Saltpeter Village,” Liu Xing replied with a faint smile.

“I’m Liu Qingmei,” Guazi, still sitting atop the black calf, waved her little hand at Director Wu.

“Oh!” Director Wu nodded slowly. He wanted to say he didn’t know these people, but the words stuck in his throat. After all, the children had helped him so much—it would be heartless to claim ignorance.

“Take care,” Liu Xing said, then led the black calf away, disappearing into the rugged mountain path.

“That kid is really something special,” Director Wu chuckled at himself. Noticing the time, he hurried back into the jeep and drove toward Saltpeter Village.

…

Around eleven o’clock.

Liu Xing arrived at Dr. Wang’s door, only to be disappointed—Dr. Wang was not home. After asking his wife, he learned Dr. Wang was out on a house call at Wang Mazi’s place.

If he wanted to find Dr. Wang quickly, he’d have to go to Wang Mazi’s house.

With no other choice, Liu Xing led the black calf home first. Wang Mazi lived nearby, and it wouldn’t be too late to look for Dr. Wang after dropping off the pork, ribs, and other things from the bamboo basket.

Otherwise, if the pork spoiled in the basket, it would be troublesome.

By the time he got home, it was already one in the afternoon.

Zhou Qiuxiang was busy cooking in the kitchen. Hearing Guazi’s sweet and tender voice calling, she immediately rushed out.

Liu Dazhao, resting in the main hall, limped out as well and came to stand before Liu Xing. “Son, did you sell everything?”

“Yes,” Liu Xing nodded.

“Not only did he sell everything, but he bought me lots of tasty treats too.” Guazi waved her White Rabbit milk candy and showed the fried dough twist in her pocket.

Liu Dazhao was stunned for a moment, then frowned, though he said nothing.

But Zhou Qiuxiang was not so forgiving. She looked at Liu Xing and spoke earnestly, “Son, it’s rare for you to go out and sell things—how could you waste money on fried dough twists and White Rabbit milk candies? What if there isn’t enough for your father’s medical bills?”

In rural areas of the 1980s, it was very hard for farmers to make money. So many developed the habit of saving, living frugally, and hoarding what little they earned.

Even when they had money, they dared not spend it recklessly, for they never knew when their income might dry up.

Liu Xing’s actions ran counter to such thrift, prompting Zhou Qiuxiang’s stern questioning.

Her aim was to make Liu Xing understand how hard-earned money was, and that he shouldn’t spend it all as soon as he got it.

Liu Xing understood his parents’ intentions. Shaking his head, he took out the ribs from the bamboo basket. “The fried dough twists and White Rabbit milk candies cost next to nothing. You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”

“Where did you get these ribs from?” Liu Dazhao asked, startled.

“Bought them, of course!” Liu Xing replied.

“You rascal, even if you’re selling meat, you should buy pork belly or loin! How can you buy a bunch of bones—are we dogs?” Zhou Qiuxiang was truly angry now, her face darkening.

But in the end, she didn’t hit Liu Xing. In her eyes, it was the meat seller who had tricked him—she couldn’t blame Liu Xing, as he was still young.

“There’s pork belly too,” Liu Xing took out a big slab. “Five pounds—enough for two meals for the whole family.”

“And marrow bones, perfect for soup—very nutritious,” he unloaded everything from the basket, except for the inner tube for the bicycle.

Seeing all this, Liu Dazhao’s face changed. He opened his mouth, finally forcing out a question, “Just tell me how much money you have left.”

“Not much—all here.” Liu Xing took out a thick wad of bills from his pocket, at least five or six centimeters thick.

Liu Dazhao’s eyes widened. He wanted to say something, but the words stuck in his throat.

Zhou Qiuxiang was dumbfounded as well. She swallowed and grabbed Liu Xing’s hand. “Son, did you do something wrong?”

If he hadn’t done something illegal, she couldn’t believe those river snails could fetch so much money.

“No,” Liu Xing replied quickly.

“Then where did you get so much money?” Zhou Qiuxiang was nearly in tears.

Liu Dazhao was anxious, too.

If he really had broken the law, Liu Xing would be in deep trouble.

“My brother earned it selling river snails. Mom, you don’t know how well those snails sold—forty cents a pound! The customers almost got into fights over them!” Guazi tilted her little head, trying to help.

Seeing his parents’ disbelief, Guazi added, “I was right there watching. My brother wouldn’t do anything bad in front of me, right?”

“Is that true?” Zhou Qiuxiang’s heart beat wildly.

Even Liu Dazhao held his breath.

In their minds, city folk seldom ate river snails. Even if they did, they would never pay forty cents a pound—once shelled, there was so little meat left.

But today, Guazi’s account upended their assumptions. Not only did city folk buy them, they fought over them—truly unexpected!

“It’s true. The river snails were sold for forty cents a pound—over a hundred pounds fetched fifty or sixty yuan. As for the eggs, eight cents each, all bought by one auntie, mostly paid in cash,” Liu Xing explained, worried his parents might get too excited.

“Right, I’ve also got some cloth and oil coupons here,” he said, pulling them from his pocket.

Liu Dazhao looked at them and saw they were indeed rare coupons seldom seen in rural areas. He was so excited he nearly cried out.

Zhou Qiuxiang was overjoyed as well. Coming to her senses, she snatched the wad of bills from Liu Xing’s hand. “Let me keep this money for you—when you get married, you’ll need it.”