Lexing, a soldier carrying luggage and a backpack, walked up to Lin Lan’s front door. He raised his hand and knocked. "Anyone home?"

"Yes!" Little Douzi pulled back the latch. "Uncle soldier?" A moment later, he turned his head and shouted, "Grandma, Uncle is back!"

Lin Guozhu set down his duffel bag, bent over, and slid his hands under the boy’s armpits. Laughing, he lifted him high into the air. "You little smarty, so clever!"

Wu Shufen ran out from the kitchen. Seeing her tall, handsome son, her eyes welled with tears of joy. "Guozhu, you’re back! Your father said you weren’t arriving until tomorrow!"

Lin Guozhu put Little Douzi down and stepped forward to take Wu Shufen’s hands, gazing at her with deep affection. "Mom, I’m back."

His mother had gotten old. Her once-straight back was now slightly stooped, her hair had turned gray, and the corners of her eyes were etched with a fine web of wrinkles.

"As long as you’re back, that’s all that matters. It’s so good you’re back." Wu Shufen said, clutching her son’s hand as happy tears streamed down her face.

Little Douzi looked at them curiously. "Grandma, Third Uncle is back. Why are you crying?"

"See? Even Little Douzi is laughing at you," Lin Guozhu said, his own eyes rimmed with red as he took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears.

"I’m not crying, I’m just happy," Wu Shufen said, looking at Lin Guozhu. "You must be hungry. I butchered a chicken today, so I’ll make you some noodles with chicken giblets." With that, she turned and headed for the kitchen.

"Great! It’s been so long since I’ve had your noodles." Lin Guozhu went back to the courtyard gate, picked up his luggage, and closed the gate. Only then did he notice Wangcai watching him warily. "Little Douzi, your dog is pretty impressive!"

Little Douzi nodded. "Third Uncle, his name is Wangcai. He’s very smart and can recognize people. If a bad person comes, he’ll bite them, but he never bites relatives. And he won’t eat food from strangers."

Lin Guozhu nodded. "He’s a good dog."

The uncle and nephew went into the kitchen. Lin Guozhu saw a basin filled to the brim with chicken, and hanging from the rafters were rows of cured pork belly, sausages, cured ribs, and cured pig trotters.

Lin Guozhu exclaimed in amazement, "Wow! Your family has so much cured meat, Little Douzi! I think I’ll just stay here and eat it all instead of going back to Shilian."

Little Douzi nodded readily. "Okay! Third Uncle can stay at my house forever!"

Lin Guozhu grinned at him. "Aren’t you afraid I’ll eat all your meat?"

Little Douzi looked at him and shook his head. "Nope. Uncle Xiangyang has lots of big fat pigs at his farm."

Lin Guozhu took a bag of White Rabbit candies and a few shell casings from his bag and handed them to Little Douzi. "I collected these for you from target practice."

Little Douzi happily picked up the shell casings. "Third Uncle, can I give one to Brother Kai?"

"Of course," Lin Guozhu said with a smile. "You’re such a generous boy."

Wu Shufen ladled a basin of hot water for him. "That’s right. Our Little Douzi isn’t stingy at all. He’s very generous."

Lin Guozhu nodded. "Mom, Little Lan is really doing well for herself!" ’Now I’m starting to believe what Dad wrote in his letters about how capable she’s become and how well she’s living.’

Wu Shufen finished mixing the seasonings, then ladled the noodles into a large bowl. She topped them with the chicken giblets that had been stir-fried for lunch and added two fried eggs on top of that.

Lin Guozhu looked at the huge bowl of noodles and smiled. "This is quite a feast."

Wu Shufen watched him with a loving gaze. "You’re tired from the trip. Eat up."

Little Douzi added, "Third Uncle, if you eat and then take a nap, you won’t be tired anymore."

"Thanks, Little Douzi." Lin Guozhu carried the large bowl to the table, sat down, and began to eat with gusto.

Wu Shufen said to Little Douzi, "My dear grandson, it’s time for your afternoon nap."

Little Douzi looked at her. "Grandma, I want to read my picture book for a bit, then I’ll sleep."

"Alright," Wu Shufen agreed, then added, "But your mom said you’re not allowed to read lying down in bed. It’s bad for your eyes."

"I know." Little Douzi went to the side room, got his picture book, and sat down at a desk to read.

Wu Shufen carried a porcelain basin over to a large wooden tub and sat down to begin curing the chicken.

The porcelain basin held a mixture of salt, powdered bay leaf, and fennel seed. The chicken in the wooden tub had already been patted dry and rubbed down with a layer of white liquor.

Wu Shufen took the thoroughly mixed seasonings and rubbed them evenly all over the inside and outside of the chicken. After working the spices in, she placed the chicken into a large crock and sealed the lid.

After curing for three days, she would flip the chicken over. Then, after another three to four days, she would take it out, rinse it with warm water, and use two bamboo splints to prop open the cavity. Finally, she would tie a hemp rope around the chicken’s neck and hang it in the courtyard to air-dry.

After finishing his huge bowl of noodles, Lin Guozhu went to help Wu Shufen rub the seasoning on the chicken. "Mom, is Little Lan’s shop open for business already?"

Wu Shufen nodded. "It’s been open for over ten days. Your father went into the city to see them today. Little Lan helped us buy three storefronts, and we’ve opened one as a shop selling bulk spices and local goods."

"Some of the big markets had their grand opening today, along with the pastry shop and the general store, so your father, Little Lan, and the others all went into the city. Little Lan wants us to open a restaurant here, but your father says he wants to go back and discuss it with your eldest brother before deciding."

Lin Guozhu looked at her and asked, "Mom, what’s Little Lan’s fiancé like? Is he good to Little Douzi?"

’He felt like he was hearing about someone else’s sister. The Little Lan he remembered was a girl you had to practically force-feed, not this capable businesswoman.’

Wu Shufen’s face broke into a wide smile at the mention of Li Xiangyang. "Xiangyang couldn’t be better to Little Lan and Little Douzi. Little Douzi is very close to him, too. Xiangyang is tall and handsome, a good-looking man. He went to Yangcheng City a few days ago to stock up on goods. When he gets back, you’ll meet him. I know you’ll be pleased."

Seeing how happy she was, Lin Guozhu breathed a sigh of relief. "That’s good. If Little Lan can settle down and have a stable life, things will be easier for you and Dad."

Wu Shufen stood up and looked at him. "Guozhu, since you’re back now, will you stay past the New Year before leaving again?"

Lin Guozhu helped Wu Shufen place the seasoned chicken into the crock. "Mom," he said, "I’m not leaving this time. I’ve been discharged from the service."

Wu Shufen’s face lit up, and she nodded again and again. "That’s wonderful! It’s time you settled down and started a family. Other men your age already have kids in elementary school, and you don’t even have a girlfriend."

Lin Guozhu didn’t respond to her comment about finding a partner. He washed his hands, pulled a large envelope from his backpack, and handed it to Wu Shufen. "Mom, this is my discharge pay. The military also arranged jobs for the NCOs in my group. I’ll be working at the local armed forces department now."

Wu Shufen gave him a reproachful look. "My hands are covered in spices. You hold on to it for now."

Lin Guozhu smiled. "I heard from Dad that Little Lan advanced the money for the shops. You can use this to pay her back."

"That’s right," Wu Shufen said happily. "Little Lan also advanced the money for the spices we bought. We originally planned to let her manage the general store, but after we got here, we saw how she’s constantly on the move, busy from dawn till dusk. Your father and I are worried she’ll wear herself out."

"If you weren’t the one telling me, I’d never believe you were talking about our Little Lan." Lin Guozhu smiled and put the envelope away. He picked up the stone weight Wu Shufen had set aside and placed it on top of the chicken in the crock, then moved the whole container to a corner of the room.