[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-reborn-in-1981-fishing-and-hunting-in-the-northw":3,"chapter-reborn-in-1981-fishing-and-hunting-in-the-northw-reborn-in-1981-fishing-and-hunting-in-the-northw-chapter-167":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Reborn in 1981: Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1934048,2572,"Chapter 167: The flood is coming, the small lake","reborn-in-1981-fishing-and-hunting-in-the-northw-chapter-167",167,"\u003Cp>After a short treasure hunt of less than an hour, Li Long’s harvest was over forty fabi and gold yuan notes—mostly because a slightly larger crack in the wall had a whole stack stuffed inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there were three Yuan Datou silver dollars and seven or eight copper coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These copper coins and silver dollars were all rusted. Li Long didn't know how to treat them, so he wrapped them all in paper, planning to take them back and put them in the money bag in his east room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just save them; he wasn't short of money anyway, and this stuff wasn't worth much right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After cleaning the courtyard, Li Long pushed his bicycle out, locked the door, and went home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When passing the middle school, Li Long specifically rode inside. He came often, and the old school janitor already knew him, smiling and pointing to a certain classroom:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teacher Gu is inside teaching class.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long smiled and said to him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Old Uncle, please help me tell Teacher Gu that the shoes fit very well, and I like them very much.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will do.\" The old janitor said with a chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long rode his bike out of the school, feeling wonderful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, when he reached the reed lake outside the village, his mood wasn't so good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the ditch that usually had flowing water in the reed lake was now almost full.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This ditch was less than a meter deep, and usually, there was only a little water. Now the water was muddy, clearly indicating the flood had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long immediately detoured and walked upstream along the reed lake. Less than a kilometer away was the small lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he even reached the small lake, he heard the rumbling sound of water; clearly, the water was even greater here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Parking his bicycle, Li Long immediately ran to the connection between the dry ditch and the dry canal—although he had paid the team to dig this section open last time, he hadn't checked the work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his eyes was a very muddy expanse of water, almost leveling the dry ditch, though the water in the dry canal was still half a meter from the top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water in the dry ditch surged down, rushed into the dry canal, and then made an almost ninety-degree turn to head east.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water in the dry canal had been quite clear, but after merging, it also turned into muddy water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What comforted Li Long was that when the team did the work, they not only dug the dry ditch and dry canal open but also anticipated the impact of the floodwater coming down the dry ditch on the dry canal, so they had used several layers of cement slabs, brought from somewhere, to block it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So although the floodwater rushing from the dry canal had great impact, with the cement slabs blocking it, it wouldn't wash away the canal embankment; there was no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long breathed a sigh of relief and then saw that the water flowing into the reed lake was actually seeping out from the gate of the small lake. The gate had been there for too long, and the cement wall had cracks, causing seepage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, because the project at the time had placed great emphasis on quality, although there were cracks, the water felt like it wouldn't be able to break the gate no matter what. Li Long was reassured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the dry canal and dry ditch were connected, although the water in the small lake was also rising, it was still far from full, and the gate was constantly releasing water, so it was relatively safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long turned back, got on his bicycle, and when he returned to the reed lake, he got off, carried his bicycle, and waded across.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What would happen when the students got out of school?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long thought as he returned home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, his brother and sister-in-law hadn't returned from the fields, and Li Qiang hadn't finished school either. Li Long cooked while thinking about the students getting out of school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He planned to go to the reed lake and wait when it was almost time for school to end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long still made *latiaozi*. Steaming rice in a pot was a technical job; he didn't know how and was afraid of making undercooked rice, which wouldn't be good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jianguo returned first with the horse cart, which was still full of pig fodder—actually just lamb's quarters, weeds, dandelions, and wild amaranth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Long cooking, he asked with a smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xiao Long, with you at home, we've had it much easier.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It won't be easy tomorrow.\" Li Long said while putting the noodles in the pot, \"Big Brother, do you need the horse cart tomorrow? If not, I plan to go into the mountains to deliver some things to them and bring back some manure. We need to plant vegetables in our yard, so we need to apply some manure first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sure, I don't need it tomorrow.\" Li Jianguo tied up the horse, gathered the pig fodder together, pulled over a board and an old kitchen knife, and started chopping. Now that it was cleaned up, he could use the dishwater to boil the pig feed later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Yuemei and Li Qiang returned one after the other. She was also carrying a bundle of pig fodder, which she placed next to Li Jianguo, untying her headscarf as she said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With Xiao Long here, I'm enjoying a blessing; I don't even have to cook at noon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll be busy tomorrow; I'm going into the mountains.\" Li Long said, serving the noodles and placing them by the stove, \"Going into the mountains to be lazy for once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you call that being lazy? That's real work.\" Although Liang Yuemei knew Li Long was joking, she corrected him, \"You go do your work; I was just joking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qiang came over to help Li Jianguo, putting the chopped pig fodder into the pig feed basin. After cleaning up, they washed their hands and ate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Water is passing through the reed lake ditch; I'll go pick up the kids from school this afternoon.\" Li Long said while eating, \"Tonight I'll go find the team leader to see if he can arrange for someone to keep watch there in the afternoon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don't need to worry about that.\" Li Jianguo said while peeling garlic, \"Daqiang's dad said he'd take the donkey cart to pick up the kids there. The team is paying attention to this matter. Schooling for the kids is a big deal; we can't afford to delay it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Xinjian Village. Except for two or three households that were locals with a history of hundreds of years, the others had come from all over the country—some to support the border, some fleeing famine, and some joining relatives. Because of the different customs from various places, they had actually discarded the bad habits of favoring boys over girls and not letting girls go to school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plus, it was easy to get enough to eat here, and with the example of Gu Xiaoxia, who had gone to school, passed exams, and become a teacher working for the state, the villagers attached great importance to education. As long as they could go to school, whether boys or girls, they would try their best to let them go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that the team had made arrangements and someone was taking the initiative to pick up the children, Li Long felt relieved. However, when school ended in the afternoon, he still went to the reed ditch and saw Tao Jianshe already waiting with the donkey cart. Two other people from the team were rolling up their pant legs and chatting there. Seeing Li Long come over, they said with a smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yo, Xiao Long, you're here to pick up the students too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, you too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right. The water has risen; we can't let the kids get drowned.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long nodded heavily, in total agreement with this statement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled at Tao Jianshe and took cigarettes out of his pocket to distribute to the others. Although he didn't smoke, he kept cigarettes in his pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cigarette closed the distance, and the two men asked Li Long about the situation in the mountains, chatting and laughing. Li Long could feel that since the land was divided, the smiles on the faces of the team members had clearly increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The children arrived one after another. Several adults took turns carrying the children across the canal, either in their arms or on their backs. Tao Jianshe couldn't help, so he simply put several children on the donkey cart at once and sent them home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was half an hour later when Li Juan arrived. \"Xiao Long, you take Juan and go back; we'll send the rest of them.\" The villagers said to Li Long, \"There's no need for so many people here; staying is just a waste of time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long didn't act coy; he carried Li Juan's schoolbag and went home with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jianguo and Liang Yuemei had already gone to work in the fields. After Li Long heated the food for Li Juan, he went to the east room and started cleaning his gun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the 1990s, guns would be completely banned, and the Type 56 semi-automatic would definitely be confiscated first; the small-caliber ones might last a few more years. This gun had to be well-maintained so that he could improve his accuracy when hunting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After cleaning the gun, Li Long started packing. There was nothing at the winter shelter, so he had to bring some things to keep there for emergencies. He could buy some grain, but he planned to bring some of the cured meat and braised meat here. This stuff could be stored, and he would definitely be cooking at the winter shelter in the future; he wouldn't be able to catch something every time he got there, so bringing some was the right thing to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides these things, there wasn't much else he could bring; most of it would need to be purchased in the county town tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, Li Long finished breakfast, hitched the horse cart, and drove Li Juan toward the outside of the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, they picked up the primary and middle school students they encountered, and soon the cart was full. The students weren't picky; if they encountered more students, they would squeeze together and laugh happily. If they encountered smaller children, the older ones would take the initiative to jump off and help the little ones onto the cart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long led the horse cart, feeling quite happy watching this scene. People at this time mostly carried a simple kindness and didn't worry about being extorted or misunderstood. Li Long felt they must be the group that was well-protected, or perhaps it was survivor bias; anyway, in his previous life, until he had his brain hemorrhage, he had never seen human traffickers or people staging accidents for compensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they reached the primary school, a large group of young people jumped off the cart happily. One child even shouted \"Thank you, Uncle,\" and the students behind followed suit. Li Juan also said \"Goodbye, Little Uncle,\" and the other primary school students followed, which made everyone laugh out loud. Even when he reached the middle school, the corners of Li Long's mouth were still turned up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When passing the middle school, the few middle school students got off, politely thanked Li Long, and entered the campus. The old janitor at the school gate looked at Li and said with a smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teacher Gu is in the office.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I won't go over to see her; I'll get busy first and talk about it when I come back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long got on the horse cart and hurried to the county town. He first went to the department store to buy bedding and sundries, then went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some pots, bowls, and chopsticks, finally went to the morning market to buy some grain, went to the herbal medicine company to buy some common medicines, and then returned to the courtyard to load the scythes before rushing into the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The families of those in the team's sideline group knew they could eat meat while working in the mountains, so they weren't worried anymore and just entrusted Li Long to pass on a few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Long arrived at Halimu's winter shelter, he found that they were also preparing things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the dogs started barking, Nasen ran out, followed by Halimu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long greeted them with a smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dorsen, are you doing well?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good, good. You are...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I brought the scythes, fifteen of them. You distribute them to them. There's also some grain; let them come and get it themselves later. I don't know where they live.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long carried the package of scythes, while Halimu carried a bag of grain and followed him to the winter shelter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long put down the scythes and opened the packaging to show Halimu:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look, it's correct, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Correct, correct! Brand new, good stuff!\" Halimu looked very happy, \"A scythe like this isn't cheap, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not expensive, just a few kilograms of mutton.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it that cheap?\" Halimu didn't believe it and looked at Li Long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Really, we are Dorsen, I wouldn't lie to you.\" Li Long said seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Okay, okay, I believe you.\" Halimu said hurriedly. He picked up a scythe and gestured with it, very satisfied, \"Once we attach the handles, cutting grass will be much more convenient. The one we have at home is almost worn out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forgot, I should have brought you a few whetstones.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need, no need, we aren't used to those. We have them in the mountains; whetstones, there are plenty in the mountains!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long unloaded the grain, keeping a small bag of rice and a small bag of flour for himself, intending to put them in his own winter shelter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There's also a bag of medicine here. Let me tell you how to use it. Look, they are all packed separately. This is for pain, this is for fever, this is white medicine for stopping bleeding—you can take it orally, it works if you have internal bleeding from a bump—and this is for diarrhea...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long explained the medicine to Halimu. He had prepared quite a lot, at least ten bottles (boxes) of each, which was enough for the herdsmen to use in an emergency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To ensure they didn't take the wrong medicine, Li Long asked Halimu to mark each bag of medicine so it would be convenient to distribute to the herdsmen later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you about to migrate?\" Li Long asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" Halimu said, \"Spring came early this year, and the grass in the mountains is already green. In a few days, we might be at the summer pasture. When we meet again, it will be winter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No problem, I'll come to the mountains often. Maybe one day when I'm free, I'll just run into the mountains.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then let me tell you the location of our summer pasture.\" Li Long's joke was taken seriously by Halimu. He pulled Li Long to squat down and said seriously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look, this is the ditch we are in now. Follow this ditch, walk into the mountains, and when you reach a wide grassland in the ditch, from here—in the direction of the sunrise—continue walking inside, you have to cross... hmm, cross seven mountains, and there is a larger grassland there. That is our pasture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From here to there, it should take five days.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, Li Long immediately dismissed the idea of going there. Walking for five or six days—was he planning to cross the northern Tianshan Mountains?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, you guys get busy. I'll take some things to my winter shelter, and then come over to dig some manure from you. By the way, when I leave, I'm taking those two little deer back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Okay, okay.\" Halimu said with a smile, \"The little deer are very lively, but they don't get along with our sheep, so they have to be raised separately. They are very delicate.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Long led the horse cart toward his winter shelter. Because there was no road, the cart was very bumpy when crossing the ditch, but fortunately, there wasn't much loaded on the cart, so it could tilt at thirty degrees without things falling off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seventy-six was used to walking in the mountains, so it was accustomed to it, occasionally neighing, but never stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arriving at the winter shelter, Li Long unlocked the door, unloaded the things, and took the things inside to load onto the cart—mostly some jade and skins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the things loaded and the door locked, he returned the same way. By the time he reached the winter shelter, Li Long was already a bit tired. The sun was already high in the sky, and Halimu smiled and called him into the house to drink tea and eat *nang*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The meat is left over from last time. Eat a little, and we'll load the manure together later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Okay.\" Li Long saw it was still early, so he didn't plan to leave in a hurry. He unhitched the horse cart, wiped the sweat off Seventy-six, and drank milk tea. He had originally planned to go to Xiaobaiyang Ditch, but without a bicycle, Li Long was a bit lazy. He planned to load the manure today, take it back, unload it, and then ride the bicycle over later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 168 =====\u003C\u002Fp>",2948,"2026-06-14T06:06:39.549Z",1,"Qwen3.5 122B","841976390a6ca927eea6ea5d7889b09213c2f05b246207d088c26022425f35b6","reborn-in-1981-fishing-and-hunting-in-the-northw-chapter-168","reborn-in-1981-fishing-and-hunting-in-the-northw-chapter-166",180,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Freborn-in-1981-fishing-and-hunting-in-the-northw-cover.jpg"]