1983, Northeast China

Chapter 54 Leather Goods

Chen Shi opened the old cloth bundle and peeled off the layers of straw paper. Master Meng squatted down and rummaged through it, pinching the wing roots to examine the feathers and then smelling them.

Master Meng hummed in agreement. "The back kitchen is usable, for making broth or adding a side dish for the staff on duty. That's all we have; it won't fetch a lot of money."

"There's also a leather piece."

"I don't want the leather here. I'll go find a fur collector."

"Old Meng, do you have hot water?" someone called out to Old Meng from ahead.

"Pour it yourself," Master Meng called out.

"Did Officer Liu come again a couple of days ago?"

Another voice retorted, "Why are you asking Lao Meng? He's not from the police station."

The first person laughed, "I was just asking. Last time he was here asking questions for ages, then he left after barely eating a couple of bites of food, and he never mentioned the kidnapping again."

"If you want to eat, order some food; if you don't, go stand on the street corner and get some wind."

The laughter from the front room paused briefly, and the conversation ended.

Master Meng carried his bag and walked towards the back of the stove. "Wait here, don't go into the stove."

As soon as he went inside, Li Cheng looked towards the woodpile.

"There were two people smoking there that day, and another one was asking for hot water by the door." Li Cheng gestured to Chen Shi what he saw that day, "I was lying here, and snow was pouring down my neck."

Chen Shi glanced at the base of the wall. "Did he see you?"

"Who? Master Meng? I saw him." Li Cheng pursed his lips. "He even came out of the door. I thought he was going to chase me away, but he moved the bucket to the side and blocked my way."

Chen Shi looked at the black cotton curtain again.

Master Meng had a few cents in his hand, along with half a box of clam oil and a piece of red string.

"The red ribbon was leftover from the counter, it's free." Master Meng handed the item to Chen Shi, "Take it if you have children at home."

Chen Shi took the paper package. "Thank you, Uncle Meng."

Li Cheng couldn't help but move forward a little. "What happened to those people from that day?"

Why are you asking this?

"I wanted to ask around. At that time, I thought you were going to kick me out."

Master Meng stacked the split logs against the wall. "Why are you being chased away? To be shown this out to others?"

"Later, that young policeman even asked me about it."

"Surname Liu?"

"Yes, Liu Dachuan."

Master Meng brushed the sawdust off his hands. "He's been here."

Chen Shi looked up.

Master Meng didn't look at him and continued chopping wood. "He didn't go into the back kitchen, but asked for a bowl of hot water in the front room. He asked if any outsiders had stopped there that day, and if anyone had come to ask for water in the middle of the night."

Li Cheng hurriedly asked, "What did you say?"

Master Meng's axe stopped in mid-air.

Chen Shi reached out and pressed on Li Cheng's arm.

Master Meng then put down his axe. "I said, people at the restaurant ask for hot water every day. Drivers, deliverymen, lumberjacks, hide collectors—anyone who's thirsty comes asking. There are outsiders and locals alike. Which one should I point to?"

Li Cheng grew anxious. "Doesn't that mean you didn't say anything at all?"

Master Meng pushed the cracked wood aside. "What do you think 'saying' means? Standing at the street corner and yelling, 'Someone kidnapped a child in my backyard?' Would my restaurant still be able to stay in business?"

Li Cheng wanted to ask more, but Master Meng cut him off, saying, "If you bring sparrows today, I'll exchange them for other things. As for other matters, don't talk about them in the backyard. The backyard isn't some back alley; the walls have ears, and so does the stove."

Just then, someone lifted the curtain to come out and gather firewood from the back kitchen. Hearing the second half of the sentence, he chuckled, "Old Meng, who are you lecturing now?"

Master Meng threw a stick at him, saying, "I'll teach you a lesson. You can't even chop firewood yourself."

The man, still clutching the firewood, shrank back inside.

This time, Li Cheng dared not say anything more.

Chen Shi tucked the small paper package into his pocket. "Uncle Meng, if you have any clean packages in the future, can you still deliver them through the back door?"

"Yes," Master Meng said. "Deliver it before dark, and don't knock on the door in the middle of the night. Keep the items clean, and don't let blood seep along the way. One person is enough; don't send a whole bunch of people."

As he spoke, his eyes swept across Li Cheng's face.

Li Cheng quickly said, "I won't shout."

Master Meng neither believed it nor exposed it.

The two turned and went to Pihuo Hutong.

Pihuo Hutong still has that same old feel.

The smells of tanning agents, smoke, and frozen mud mingled together, and the door curtains grew thicker and thicker. People carrying burlap sacks came out from inside, and when they saw the baskets on their backs, their eyes would first glance at the openings of the baskets, then quickly look away.

The old man's shop is inside.

Chen Shi lifted the old felt curtain. The room was a little warmer than outside, and several rabbit skins and miscellaneous hides hung on the wall. Old Nian sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding a pipe in his hands. Hearing the noise, he didn't even lift his eyelids.

"No sable today."

Li Cheng almost burst out laughing, and quickly turned his face away.

Chen Shi placed the old cloth bundle on the corner of the table. "Little sir, could you take a look at this?"

Old Nian then looked up, "That kid from Chen Mancang's family."

"Um."

"You come here quite often," Old Nian tapped the table with his pipe bowl. "Things in the mountains aren't just found by shoveling in the stove; you can just dig around and get them. If you come too often, you might get yourself into trouble."

"This one is covered up."

Old Nian untied the straw paper, revealing the yellow weasel's back fur. He didn't lift the tail, but pressed his fingers against the back fur against the grain, then straightened it back, and then turned it over to look at its belly, around its mouth, and at the base of its legs.

"Not peeled?"

"I didn't dare to make a reckless cut."

"At least you know you're not very skilled." Old Nian turned the weasel back over. "Have you hung it on the shady side before?"

"Um."

Who watched it?

"My sister."

Old Nian hummed in agreement. "Your sister has a steady hand. That sable from last time was not only of fine quality, but also meticulously cleaned. If it had fallen into the hands of an impatient person, it would have sold for less."

Li Chengli immediately chimed in, "That's right, it's my sister Xiulan—"

Chen Shi stepped on his foot.

Li Cheng swallowed the second half of his sentence.

Old Nian glanced at him sideways, "You're not a rascal, why are you making those faces?"

Li Cheng touched his nose and remained silent.

Old Nian wrapped the weasel in his coat. "Little weasel, the fur is alright, the tail isn't bristling, and there's no blood around its mouth. The purchasing station would give you at most one yuan, and they'd still complain you didn't skin it properly. I'll give you one yuan and eighty cents."

Li Cheng's eyes lit up immediately.

Chen Shi remained silent.

Old Nian slammed his pipe on the table. "Not enough?"

"no."

"What are you standing there for?"

"I'd like to trade some things," Chen Shi said. "Matches, needle and thread, and maybe some cheap brown sugar. I'll pay for the rest."

Old Nian scoffed, "You think I'm a supply and marketing cooperative?"

"You have a way."

"Don't flatter me," Old Nian cursed, but moved toward the back room. "Just you wait."

Li Chengli immediately leaned close to Chen Shi's ear, "One yuan and eighty cents isn't bad, is it?"

"Quite a few."

"You're still not happy about it?"

"If he goes to get his things, we can still talk."

Li Cheng blinked, as if he had just learned a new skill.

Old Nian carried out an old wooden box and placed it on the table. Inside were several boxes of matches, two rolls of thick thread, a few needles, and a small piece of brown sugar wrapped in oil paper.

"The price will be calculated based on the item's value." Old Nian flicked out a match. "I'll give you two dollars for the leather. Don't go around saying that Old Nian gave Little Yellow Weasel two dollars. If you bring me a bunch of rotten fur tomorrow, I'll curse you out too."

Chen Shi took the things, "I won't say anything."

Li Cheng kept his mouth tightly shut and even gestured with his hand over his mouth.

Old Nian was annoyed. "Whether you cover your mouth or not, it'll all be the same; it'll show on your face first."