Chapter 0001: One Wave Destroys, One Wave Rebirth

He merely went out to meet an old friend, had a few drinks, took a nap in a hotel, and upon waking, found himself sitting upright at the entrance of the old house from his memories with the body of an 18-year-old

Li trembled all over, gazing in astonishment at the distance, and then stared blankly at the sky...

This time, I have truly struck it rich

Corn stalks, wheat straw, cotton stalks, bean stems, and sweet potato vines are all included in the distribution. There are many people in the family, but there are no strong laborers to share the work. The allocated wheat straw and rice straw will definitely be insufficient for burning

So many were caught. After delivering the firewood home, Lao San Li Long also came over. Li Long did not understand why he had always been intimidated by Li He since childhood, and never dared to act arrogantly in front of him

As a boy, without any reservations, he simply wore his shorts and dashed forward, jumping into the water with a splash.

The weather is hot, and it is simply impossible to keep the fish alive. Even if they can be kept alive, there is no way to transport them. Without a vehicle and oxygen sticks, they will smell foul by the time they reach the county.

However, the mother of the child, in order to pay the 3.2 yuan high school tuition for Li, borrowed money from various sources without regard for her dignity

After dinner, the weather was sultry. He arrived at the riverbank, and without even touching the river water, he could already feel a refreshing sensation all over his body

With five children in the family, it is a miracle that none have starved to death. They subsist on wild vegetables and corn porridge, each one looking gaunt and emaciated.

Aguo, I will also go fishing for eels with you

The third son, Li Long, aged 16, only graduated from elementary school before going out to earn work points. Later, he married a wife who was not of good standing; for every one word of praise you might say about her, she would retort with ten. The household was in constant turmoil.

Looking down, I saw several eel holes. The soil on this dam embankment is relatively hard, so there is no need to use eel hooks; I can directly spray water into the entrance hole, and before long, the eels will panic and emerge from the exit hole.

The scorching sun blazed down, and the ground was already on fire. A haze, resembling neither clouds nor fog, floated low in the air, making it difficult to breathe

His father, Li Zhaokun, is a well-known ne'er-do-well in the vicinity. While he has not engaged in petty theft, he is rather lazy and unwilling to work in the fields to earn labor points. He often says, "If the model worker dies from exhaustion, then the ne'er-do-well and the lazy will be fed by Chairman Mao."

He remained calm and unhurried, applying force with both his thumb and index finger, and a yellow eel weighing at least 150 grams was pinched out with one hand

Eagerly thinking about making money, even if it is just to avoid eating corn porridge tomorrow, I must go to the county town and see if there are any good opportunities.

Tears slowly welled up at the corners of my eyes, decades of self-struggle, decades of taking one step at a time, all have been in vain

"Hurry up and come over, pick up the fish and take it home first. Raise the big fish in water, and do not scrape off the fish scales." Looking at Li Long who was running over, Li He still found his speed slow.

Looking at my figure, reaching 175 cm at the age of 18 is not considered short. Despite the lack of nutrition, I have a few pitiful ribs, but I do not have the prominent belly that many have in later years, which is still somewhat satisfying. I must maintain this for the rest of my life

After graduating from junior high school, Lao Wu has been by his side. Although he has been somewhat pampered, he has managed to run his business smoothly

Li Mei has already cleaned the dining table and placed a bowl of noodle paste in front of each person

Rebirth, he actually rebirthed. Looking at the few dilapidated earthen houses behind him, he still found it hard to believe

He undergoes a physical examination every year and is in good health; how could it possibly end like this without any illness

The fourth child, Li Bing, is 12 years old, and the fifth child, Li Qin, is only 5 years old; both are girls. Later, when Li's circumstances improved, he supported the fourth child to attend a medical college, from which she graduated with a diploma. In the end, she only managed to become an associate professor.

As the only university student in this village, being able to gain admission to university under such a family environment is indeed a rarity

However, he has always acted and lived according to his conscience throughout his life, and has never committed any acts deserving of divine retribution

The chaotic scene at home is so disheartening that even a glance at it feels distressing

Li looked at the few earthen houses that were about to collapse, feeling a deep sense of despair, devoid of any grand aspirations in life, and lacking the courage to start anew

He placed the little sister on the ground, stood up, and bent the sharpened iron wire to string the earthworms, which is simply a magical tool for catching eels

In this era, there is no pesticide pollution, and few people consume this thing. Goodness gracious, everyone is almost becoming a master of the yellow eel. In the future, if one can dig out a yellow eel weighing six or seven taels, it could make the news. In a short while, seven or eight jin were caught, and the basket was considered full

Three earthen houses accommodate seven people. It is unknown where Li Zhaokun, the drifter, has gone. Currently, only the mother, Wang Yulan, is sleeping in one room with the eldest, Li Mei, and the youngest. He shares a room with the third and fourth children.

Wang Yulan is cleaning the fish belly, while Lao Si and Lao Wu are drying the fish haphazardly in the haystack

He felt that the task was daunting, as he needed to improve the living conditions, enhance the family's circumstances, provide a dowry for his elder sister, and pay a bride price for his younger brother, all of which required him to earn money. He was unwilling to wait even for a minute

"Be obedient and go home with your brother." Li Long did not waste any words, directly picking up the little sister with one hand and carrying the basket with the other hand

He wants to venture out; relying solely on the meager work points earned from working in the brigade, the old Li family will remain perpetually impoverished with no hope of recovery

He decided that he could no longer sit idly by, as Xiaogang Village might have secretly implemented the household contract responsibility system.

His elder sister, Li Mei, is also 21 years old and has yet to marry, making her quite unique in an era where early marriage is common

"Aguo, it's not hot." The younger sister, drenched in sweat, was still very excited

Later, they did not get married until the age of 26. Fortunately, his brother-in-law was also a capable person. With his support, he contracted a fish pond, and their life became prosperous, which also alleviated much of his guilt.

Sister, I will go to the county town with the third brother tomorrow. I will sell fresh loach and eel, and dried fish. Please make us some pancakes, and we will leave at night said Li He to Li Mei, as she is basically in charge of everything at home.

As the saying goes, the timid starve while the bold are overfed

Li and Lao Si completed some homework in the afternoon, then helped Lao San continue fishing for eels and catching loaches, and they caught over 20 jin.

Well, then walk slowly

Li He spent a miserable childhood here, having no fond memories of it at all. The memories of being hungry and poorly clothed are only cherished by those who are out of their minds

Li Mei did not understand where the sudden change in her younger brother came from; it seemed that after returning from the college entrance examination break, he had a different spirit and sense of responsibility than before. Previously, he would only return home to hide in his room and study, rarely caring about family matters. Occasionally, he would go to the river to catch shrimp and fish, but he had never thought of contributing to the household expenses in such an unprecedented way.

He feels that the air is filled with the scent of money, yet for him, the cash in his hands is indeed far more important than the fresh air

"Please pass the basket to me." Looking at his younger sister behind him, who was struggling to carry the basket with both hands, Li He felt a pang of sympathy.

What about the mothers in that world, what about the wives and children, thinking of it feels like being suffocated underwater, making it impossible for him to breathe

Eels and loaches, as well as hairy crabs, have already been raised in water basins. Li hopes to see if he can sell them in the county town tomorrow. This period is not as strictly regulated as before, and there is already a so-called black market at the south gate of the county town. He has always attended high school in the county town and is quite familiar with the area.

Li and his companions built a dam across the nearby ditch, draining the water. Inside, there were crucian carp, grass carp, and even some catfish jumping around in the muddy holes. If one pried open the crevices between the stones, there were hairy crabs.

By noon, they cleared the dam to prevent the channel from being blocked, and the two brothers directly finished work and went home for lunch

The fifth brother, seeing his elder brother catch a yellow eel, excitedly presented him with a basket

A thin and pale little girl with short legs directly pounced onto Li He, she is the youngest in the family, only five years old

Aguo, I can carry it.

My mother and elder sister squatted on the threshold, husking corn cobs

You take these baskets back home, bring back the empty baskets, and also take the little sister with you. The sun is out now, and it is quite harsh.

Selling dried fish is the most reliable; the sun is harsh, and after turning them over several times, they will be completely dried and hard by the afternoon

Although he cannot serve the dealer, he is self-taught in these unconventional skills such as catching eels, trapping loaches, and fishing. If he claims the second place, truly no one can contest him for the first.

Li and He were sharpening a piece of iron wire with a stone. Upon seeing her rush over, he quickly put down the wire and casually placed her on his shoulder, which made her giggle.

A person who only cares about satisfying their own hunger while neglecting the needs of the entire family will naturally not earn a good reputation in the era of production teams

Now he feels that in his previous life he was quite useless, disregarding the family situation, pursuing his studies and leaving, without fulfilling any family responsibilities

The fish soup in the pot has been simmered to perfection. Pan-frying and braising are luxuries, as they require a lot of oil

Old Three took Old Four out to gather firewood, as the grain needs to be divided, and the firewood must also be shared

This calendar is the only brand new item in the house

This is not the end; in the spirit of not leaving empty-handed, a basket of loaches from the muddy bottom was also gathered.

Carrying a shovel, holding an eel hook in hand, I set out with my younger sister.

However, the calendar on the wall clearly shows: July 11, 1979

Her mother, Wang Yulan, can be described as gentle in a positive light, but in harsher terms, she is merely a pushover. Anyone can easily take advantage of her, which is quite tragic.

The little fish asked the elder sister to make fish soup at noon, and the leftover fish was dried. Li He looked at the sweat all over his body, simply cleaned his hands, and directly took off his shirt

Is this all a result of the cycle of cause and effect

A few years ago, I had my tail cut off for going from village to village peddling rat poison, yet I did not learn my lesson. With the production team's introduction letter in hand, I wandered aimlessly, and throughout my life, I never achieved anything significant

With a substantial fortune, in his fifties, he is at an age of fulfillment and satisfaction, surrounded by children and grandchildren, enjoying the joys of family life. Usually, he spends his time with his spouse tending to flowers and walking the dog, living a most contented life

He is the second child in his family, currently 18 years old, and has just completed the college entrance examination this year. He has been reborn on the second day after the college entrance examination in 1979. If I remember correctly, it won't be long before the university admission letters are issued.

Regardless of the past or the present, he feels a deep sorrow at the thought of these things, almost to the point of tears

A large fish cannot fit into the basket at all, so he simply strung the gills together with a straw and held them in his hand. In this way, Li Long made several trips back and forth, delivering six baskets of small fish and more than twenty large fish, each weighing over one pound.