Chapter 8: Heart-to-Heart Conversation

The sun rose higher, and with it, the temperature climbed, waves of heat flowing through the air.

In his previous life, the elderly Li Xiangdong had grown accustomed to spending winter days basking in the sun alongside the old men and women in his neighborhood.

But driven by habit, he found himself sitting on the stone steps outside the door, only realizing how uncomfortable the heat was when his heart began to race from the sun’s intensity.

He cursed himself silently for his foolishness. Reborn as a young man, why was he still baking under the sun? Especially in the scorching summer heat—was he mad?

From now on, he resolved to keep his mindset young; he was no longer an old man!

“Third Uncle, the table is cleaned,” came the cheerful voices.

“We dusted it really well, even wiped off the snot on the back,” boasted the two nieces, flushed from the sun, approaching proudly. They feared their third uncle wouldn’t be satisfied—they were still waiting for their creamy ice pops.

“Is that so?” Li Xiangdong went over to inspect. Indeed, the table was quite clean.

“Third Uncle, I’ll go to the supply and marketing cooperative soon to buy you both some creamy ice pops.”

“Great, Third Uncle!”

Li Xiaomei and Li Xiaolan were overjoyed to hear what they wanted.

Meanwhile, Li Xiaotao and his two younger brothers were cooling off under the jujube tree, huddled together, chattering about stirring up an ant nest for fun. When they heard Li Xiangdong mention the cooperative, they all turned their heads.

Only Li Xiaojiang sat alone under the pomegranate tree, sulking.

Seeing his second nephew’s big, innocent eyes fixed on him, Li Xiangdong called out, “Xiaotao, come inside with me.”

“I’m coming, Third Uncle,” Li Xiaotao replied eagerly, hopping to his feet and happily trailing behind him into the west wing.

Inside, Li Xiangdong saw his daughter sprawled out on the kang bed, still sound asleep.

“Why is she still sleeping? Maybe we should wake her—sleeping so long in the day might make her restless at night.”

Zhou Yuqin shot him a sharp glance. Her husband’s words always sounded sweet, but after having two children, she had long seen through his act.

When the children were well-behaved and playful, he would get close and play with them. But when they threw tantrums and cried, he was the fastest to run away, as if wanting to hide far from the trouble.

Their daughter was sleeping soundly now; waking her would only bring tears and fuss, and then she’d have to soothe her herself.

Zhou Yuqin ignored him and instead looked at the nephew who had followed inside. Worried he might lead her husband astray, she felt uneasy about explaining it to her eldest brother and sister-in-law.

“Xiaotao, don’t always hang around your Third Uncle. Even during the holidays, you should study more. Only by learning well can you grow up to be capable.”

“It’s okay, Third Aunt. I like playing with Third Uncle—he’s really good to us and promised to buy me creamy popsicles. And Third Aunt, I don’t like studying. I get sleepy as soon as I open a book, and I can’t remember what the teacher teaches. My mother says I’m meant to be a laborer, born to carry coal.”

Li Xiaotao spoke naively and openly, showing no sense of caution even about his mother’s words.

And indeed, it was true. Li Xiaotao had just barely finished junior high school when their father pulled strings to get him a job at the coal store. But his mind wasn’t sharp, and he couldn’t handle delicate tasks, so he ended up as a coal delivery worker.

Though he earned a few years’ hard money with his strength, when the coal store closed, with no other skills, he was forced to work as a laborer on construction sites.

His eldest brother and sister-in-law worried about his young body being worn down, so they sent him with their eldest brother, Li Xiaojiang, to the south to trade clothes.

There was no choice. The younger generation of the Li family had hit the wave of layoffs in the 1990s. No matter how capable the old Li family was, they were still ordinary folks, powerless against the relentless tide of history.

“I had Xiaotao come over to help move the table,” Li Xiangdong explained. Judging by her tone, he could tell Zhou Yuqin was worried he might spoil the nephew.

He tidied up the teapot and cups on the table, then he and his nephew lifted the table into the main room’s living area.

Later, as Li Xiangdong leisurely strode from the main room to the courtyard’s water pool, Li Xiaojiang approached, his head hanging low.

“Third Uncle, let me help you.”

Li Xiangdong had been curious how long this stubborn eldest nephew would hold out, but seeing him now come forward with goodwill, he said, “Once a task’s done, it’s done. No shame in admitting it. Just remember not to do dirty deeds if you care about your reputation.”

“Got it, Third Uncle,” Li Xiaojiang replied.

He took over from Li Xiaotao, helping carry the cleaned rosewood table to the west wing.

After tidying up, Li Xiangdong began to fulfill his promise.

“You all wait here. I’m going to the supply cooperative to buy some popsicles.”

“Okay, Third Uncle.”

“Don’t forget, mine’s a creamy popsicle,” the children waiting in the courtyard waved their arms excitedly.

“Third Uncle, I’ll go with you.”

Li Xiaojiang jogged after him. As they left the house, he said, “Third Uncle, can you please not scold me in front of my younger siblings?”

Li Xiangdong asked casually, “What’s wrong? If you’re wrong, can’t I say a few words?”

“It’s not that... I just...” Li Xiaojiang hesitated, unsure how to express himself.

“Alright, I get it. I’ll save your face next time.”

Li Xiangdong took a closer look—his eldest nephew’s Adam’s apple had appeared; he was entering puberty.

Having been through it himself, he knew well that in this era, parents primarily educated children with strict discipline—the rod produces filial sons. He had been raised by his father’s hand.

“You’re growing up now. If you ever feel shy talking to your parents about something, you can come find Third Uncle.”

“I know, Third Uncle.”

Li Xiangdong nodded, then changed the subject. “Is there a girl you like in your class?”

Li Xiaojiang’s face instantly flushed red. Stammering, he said, “N-no…”

Li Xiangdong smiled, seeing the little secret was written all over his face.

He pressed gently, “What’s her name?”

After some hesitation, Li Xiaojiang finally revealed the secret in his heart.

Li Xiangdong listened and realized the name wasn’t that of his future niece-in-law.

Tsk tsk…

So this young lady was still his eldest nephew’s youthful first love.