Chapter Nine: Making Clothes for Little Hua

The sky grew dim, and the snow fell ever more heavily. After walking for nearly two hours, Li Xiaohua’s pace had clearly begun to falter.

"Tired?" Li Xiangyang stopped in his tracks.

"No... not at all," Li Xiaohua insisted, though her face was flushed bright red from the biting cold.

"Silly girl," Li Xiangyang said, setting down the rope. "Here, take my canteen and have some water."

As his younger sister retrieved the canteen from his backpack, he added, "See that crooked-neck pine tree ahead? It’s sheltered from the wind. Let’s rest there for a moment."

Li Xiaohua nodded and ran ahead with the canteen.

"Slow down, don't trip," Li Xiangyang cautioned, quickening his pace to catch up.

Once they reached the tree, he secured the sled and pulled out a piece of dry rations wrapped in oiled paper from his pack. He broke it in two and handed half to his sister.

"Eat this to tide you over."

The bitter winds of the Northeast whistled through the trees, yet huddled together, the siblings felt a sense of warmth.

"Brother," Li Xiaohua asked suddenly, "could you teach me how to recognize animal tracks? That way, I can help you next time."

Li Xiangyang shook his head. "No."

"Why not?" Li Xiaohua looked dejected.

"You need to go to school," Li Xiangyang said firmly. "Didn't your teacher say that literacy is important? If you can't read, you won't even be able to understand the wall posters."

"But many girls in the village have stopped going to school..."

"That won't do," Li Xiangyang interrupted. "When Father was still here, he said that all our children, regardless of gender, must go to school. Dirty, exhausting work like hunting is enough for me to handle."

Li Xiaohua lowered her head and thought for a moment. "Then... once I've finished my studies, I'll write a letter of commendation for you to post at the brigade headquarters."

Li Xiangyang chuckled. "That sounds good, but before that..."

"Before that, what?"

"We need to make your scarf and hat first," he said, flicking her nose gently. "In this freezing weather, the hope of our family can't be allowed to catch a cold. You have classes to attend tomorrow."

After a short rest, the siblings continued on their way. In the distance, wisps of smoke curled into the air—the direction of home.

The day darkened further, and the wind and snow grew even more violent. Li Xiangyang and Li Xiaohua trekked through the thick snow toward home.

"Brother, look!" Li Xiaohua pointed ahead. "Mother is in the courtyard."

Through the dim twilight, Li Xiangyang saw his mother peering out from the courtyard gate.

Though still some distance away, he could feel her anxious gaze searching through the blizzard.

"Let's go, quickly." Li Xiangyang picked up his pace, and his sister trotted along behind him.

"You're finally back!" Seeing her two children return safely, their mother hurried to meet them. "The weather is getting worse by the minute; my heart has been pounding with worry."

"Mom, look at what Brother and I caught!" Li Xiaohua pointed excitedly at the game on the sled.

"Come inside, come inside," their mother urged, ushering her daughter toward the house. "You're both frozen stiff, hurry in and get warm."

Li Xiangyang watched his mother lead his sister inside, a warm smile touching the corner of his lips.

He set down the sled and called out, "Mom, I'll handle the deer. You and Xiaohua just stay inside."

"Be quick about it, then. Don't let yourself get frostbitten," his mother’s voice drifted from the house.

Li Xiangyang rubbed his nose; he didn't want his sister to see the bloody work that lay ahead.

The heavy stag lay on the snow—a small fortune in its own right. He pulled out his hunting knife with practiced ease and spat on the blade.

In his past life on the African savannas, he had processed hundreds of kills; this was a trivial task for him. He sliced open the deer's belly, and steam rose into the frigid air. With efficient movements, he removed the internal organs and sorted them neatly. The heart and liver were delicacies, and the gallbladder was a rare medicinal ingredient.

"These are truly good times," Li Xiangyang mused as he worked. "If this were the future, killing just one deer like this would be enough to get me locked up for years."

He carefully peeled away the hide—a valuable commodity. He then removed the stag's virility organs, which could be sold to those who specialized in medicinal wines—another tidy sum. He then skillfully butchered the venison. The lean leg meat could fetch a high price, and the rest could be salted for the family to eat for quite some time.

With this, the pressure of their debts would ease; they might even be able to pay them off in one go. Of course, there was no rush. His immediate priority was to get his mother and sister some new clothes.

In these times, having skill was the key to survival.

Li Xiangyang cut a small piece of the most tender meat from the carcass, skewered it on a wooden stick, and roasted it over a fire he had started. He prepared it as a treat for his mother and sister.

"Son," his mother called from inside, "come in now. It's too cold out there."

"Almost done!" Li Xiangyang replied, quickening his pace.

He packed the processed venison into several wooden basins. As the flames licked at the meat, the distinct, savory aroma wafted through the air, making even his own mouth water.

Stepping into the house, the heat from the *kang* bed made his frost-numbed fingers tingle.

"Mom, come taste this," Li Xiangyang said, handing his mother the roasted tenderloin. "This is the freshest part of the deer. I’ve roasted it over the fire."

"You eat first, son," his mother insisted, trying to push it back.

"Mom, please, just try it," he persisted. "If you don't eat, Xiaohua and I won't eat either."

His mother’s eyes grew misty. She took a bite, chewed slowly, and then handed the largest piece to Xiaohua.

"It's delicious!" Xiaohua exclaimed after her first bite. "Brother, this tastes even better than rabbit!"

Watching his sister’s satisfied expression, Li Xiangyang calculated the best way to utilize the rest of the deer. The hide was the most valuable part, but in this bitter cold, it was only right to keep it to make clothes for his family.

As he ate the steaming venison, Li Xiangyang said, "Mom, the hide is quite large. Aside from making a set of clothes for Xiaohua, the rest should be enough to make a hat, a pair of boots, and a scarf for both you and her."

"What about you?" his mother asked, looking at him with concern.

"Me?" Li Xiangyang laughed. "I'm tough as leather; I don't fear the cold. Besides, the mountains are full of game, so don't you worry."

"No," his mother insisted this time. "If we're making clothes, you come first. You child, you only ever think of us."

"That's right," Xiaohua chimed in, hugging her brother's arm. "Brother, we have to make clothes for you first."

"Alright, alright," Li Xiangyang said with a laugh. "But I'm so tall, I'm afraid there won't be enough material. Besides, your brother is so capable—who knows, before you even finish your little outfits, I might have bagged an even bigger prize."

"Let's settle it like this: I'll get a set of clothes, and you and Mother will each get a hat, a pair of boots, and a scarf. That's settled, right? Besides, there are plenty of valuable parts on the deer; once I sell those, Mother and I can buy some proper cotton-padded coats."

Seeing his resolve, the family finally agreed, breaking into laughter.

"Alright," Li Xiangyang said, smiling. "It's a happy day; let's stew some venison."

"Xiaohua, go get your brother some green onion, ginger, and garlic."

Soon, the fragrant aroma of venison filled the room as the dish was brought to the table. The three of them sat together, watching the steaming broth, and smiled. In that moment, the cold winter night turned warm once again.