Chapter 124: Digging for Field Mouse Burrows and Watching a Movie

In this day and age, everyone is lacking something, which is why digging for field mouse burrows in late autumn and early winter is a common scene across the north.

By this time of year, the crops in the fields have basically all been harvested, and the grain has been brought into storage. The fields are temporarily vast and empty, leaving the once-hidden mouse burrows fully exposed. Most of the time, the soil piled up at the entrances is quite obvious, though occasionally, some burrows are kept clean.

People first look at the size of the soil mounds; a larger mound indicates a larger nest, which naturally holds more grain. If the mound is small, people generally don't bother wasting the energy. Another indicator is the tracks around the entrance; if they are smooth and packed down, it means there are many mice inside, and the grain stash will likely be substantial. Furthermore, field mice don’t discriminate between types of crops; they simply store whatever is growing near their burrow. Following this habit, villagers prioritize burrows near the crops they value or are interested in. Once found, they dig them out. If they are lucky, they can harvest a fair amount of grain in a day; if not, they might come up empty-handed.

In this era, there are no pesticides, so there are plenty of field mice; it is rare to return home empty-handed. However, these mice dig their burrows deep and far, making the task a strenuous physical labor that one or two children cannot manage alone. That is why the village children always go out in groups.

Han Li watched the little rascals like Tie Dan march solemnly toward the edge of the village, and he began to ponder something. Although he had collected some of the spilled grain during the harvest, how many furrows could he really cover in such a massive village expanse? There were too many areas he hadn't touched. Besides, much of the grain had been carried off by mice before the villagers even finished harvesting—these were all the ones that had slipped through the net.

He could easily take Yun Yingying out to dig for mice. With his spiritual sense acting as a "cheat code," wouldn't it be a sure thing every time? It would count as an outing, and it would keep her from fretting about it all day.

Just as Han Li was considering whether to go, several people from the educated youth dormitory set off, carrying shovels, winnowers, and snakeskin bags.

"Studying, Comrade Han? Want to join us in digging for mouse burrows?"

"How could I miss out on something like this? You all go ahead; I’ll follow shortly with my partner."

Not long after, Zhang Xiangjun walked over with a shovel, saw Han Li sitting at the door holding his Little Red Book, and asked with a smile, "How about it? Any plans for today?"

Han Li replied, "I’m definitely going to join in on such a meaningful activity, but I have to wait for my partner to finish her laundry first."

"I used to envy you for having someone to help you wash clothes and cook, but seeing you now, I don't envy you at all. You have to be together for even such small things? Don't tell me you have a tendency to be henpecked?"

"Get out of here. There’s no way I’d ever be afraid of my wife. We call this mutual respect; a bachelor like you wouldn't understand."

Han Li watched Zhang Xiangjun walk away laughing, then got up and headed toward Yun Yingying's house.

"How’s it going? How much is left? Do you want me to help you wash?"

"You don't need to do that. I’ll be finished soon. I heard a lot of people are heading out to dig for mouse burrows—can we go too?"

"Of course we can. I’m just waiting for you, but you have to call them 'field mouse burrows'."

"Why?"

"Because today, many people will eat the mice they catch. Calling them 'field mice' makes them feel a little less disgusting."

"Ugh, don’t talk about it anymore."

"So, are we still going?"

"Yes, but go tell my sister first and have them speed things up, otherwise we won't be able to leave until the afternoon."

"No, I’ll stay right here and watch you, and we’ll head over together later."

"Hey, don't put your hands everywhere; I can't wash the clothes like this."

"Then let me tell you a little story while I'm at it, shall we?"

But as soon as Han Li finished his first story, he was shooed away by a blushing Yun Yingying.

Once both sides finished their chores, they finally set off. Under Han Li’s guidance and assistance, they quickly found a burrow filled with grain. Seeing the corn, soybeans, and peanuts tangled with the soil, no one complained. They dug them out with shovels, gave them a quick clean in the winnowers, and poured them into the snakeskin bags. They didn't move on to the next burrow until they had cleared every single grain from the current one.

Along the way, they saw others catching mice and stopped to watch. These people were clearly veterans; they were experts at both catching mice and salvaging grain. They would first locate every exit of the burrow, block one with a stone to cut off the escape route, and then start digging. As the digging progressed, the mice would scramble out, and they would use bags, winnowers, shovels, and stones to deal with them. Most of the mice in the burrow couldn't escape.

Whether the mice were caught alive or killed, they would remove the entrails, wrap the entire carcass in mud, and toss it into a fire to roast—much like making 'beggar's chicken.' Truth be told, once they cracked the hardened mud open, a very distinct, savory aroma filled the air. If not for the inexplicable psychological barrier, Han Li would have definitely asked for a small taste. The Yun sisters, Hao Hongmei, He Mi, and Yang Xiuying all looked rather pale, though only Qi Zhaodi seemed largely unaffected.

With that, the day’s activity came to an end, and everyone headed home with their spoils. Just then, Yang Xiuying, perhaps reminded of something, said with a slightly sour tone, "The autumn harvest is over. I want to send a letter home tomorrow; otherwise, my family will keep worrying about it."

Some of them didn't need to go to the county town, such as the Yun sisters, He Mi, and Qi Zhaodi, who had no one to write to. Han Li whispered to Yun Yingying, "I need to write home too, to tell my parents that I'm seeing someone. You should take a portrait, and then we’ll take a group photo together. Once they’re developed, we can send them to show my parents."

Hearing this, Yun Yingying felt as if she were about to meet her future parents-in-law. Her face flushed, and she let out a soft "mm," barely louder than a mosquito.

With Yun Yingying’s change of heart and Yang Xiuying’s full support, they all agreed to go to the county town the next day. Even if they didn't do or buy anything, they decided to go just to clear their heads. As for the grain they harvested that day, it would need to be washed and dried thoroughly. However, the sight of people eating the mice had left them all feeling a bit squeamish, and they unanimously decided that this grain would only be used for barter, even the peanuts in their shells. The Yun sisters were even more affected and ate very little at dinner. Seeing this, Han Li didn't dare tell any more stories and sent them home early after the meal.

The next morning, they gathered at the village entrance to wait for the cart. Few people were heading to the county town that day; many of the educated youths hadn't quite recovered from the exhaustion. The villagers were busy scraping together everything they could for the winter, and besides, the grain hadn't been distributed yet, so nobody had much money.

It was already chilly sitting on the ox cart in the early morning; napping was out of the question, or one might easily catch a cold. Once they reached the county town, Yang Xiuying found out about Han Li and Yun Yingying’s plan to have their photos taken.

"I want to take a photo too, so I can send it to my family next time I write."

Han Li thought for a moment and said, "In that case, why don't we all take a group photo as a souvenir?"

Han Li hadn't considered Qi Zhaodi, but He Mi was standing right next to her. Seeing a sullen Qi Zhaodi ready to object, He Mi gently pulled her aside and whispered a few words. And so, the group marched grandly toward the photo studio, each taking a solo portrait before posing for a collective group photo.

Han Li really wanted to take a photo with just Yun Yingying, but he couldn't bring himself to ask after trying a few times. The wait for the photos was quite long; they had to wait for the film to be finished, then sent to the city to be developed, which meant at least a week. To be safe, they’d have to wait ten days if they didn't want to make a wasted trip.

After the photos were taken, the group split up to wander around. Han Li sent Yun Jingjing off to join He Mi and the others, wanting to enjoy some time alone with Yun Yingying. However, there really wasn't much to do in this era. After walking around for a while, Han Li spent four mao on two movie tickets. They were originally one and a half mao each, but he paid an extra mao to ensure he could sit next to Yun Yingying.

It was said that being a projectionist was a good job, but even the ticket seller had it made. They sat there all day with a cold face, ignoring people, and if you wanted a good seat, you had to pay more, while the buyers had to keep smiling. In this day and age, a life without a movie date would be incomplete, so Han Li endured it.

The viewing environment was truly poor, but with his beloved by his side, the setting didn't matter, and it didn't matter what was playing on the screen; being together was enough. The film playing was "Tunnel Warfare," which Han Li had already seen back in Beijing. They had both seen it several times; after all, there weren't many movies to watch in these days—the same few were played over and over.

Han Li’s seat was indeed worth the extra money, though even with a good seat, neither of them dared to move too much. If someone were to suddenly point at them and shout, it would be a disaster. So, they could only hold hands in the dark, watching a film they already knew by heart.

When the theater lights suddenly came on, their hands flew apart. Yet, this feeling was different from being caught in front of Yun Jingjing; it made their hearts race faster and stronger.