"Sister!"
"Oh, the labor force is back! We just got home and heard that you all went to plant rice seedlings!"
Brother Nan's younger brother, Li Dong, had already returned, and so had Brother Nan's Second Uncle. Her parents, however, had not come back; presumably, they had had enough of their old home during the New Year's celebrations.
Brother Nan's Second Uncle was quite tall. His large belly protruded, a floral shirt was tucked into his trousers, and his belt buckle shone brightly. Although he wasn't wearing any gold necklaces or rings, he revealed a mouthful of tobacco-stained teeth when he smiled. Seeing the basket Brother Nan was carrying, he asked, "How many fish and shrimp did you catch while planting rice seedlings? It must have been hard to catch them just after the rain, right?"
"Half a basket," Brother Nan said.
"Not bad," her Second Uncle feigned surprise.
