She squatted down, suddenly made a gesture toward the sky, framing a rectangle with her hands, and smiled, “Brian Brooks, look, right now you can only see this much of the sky, so you’re able to be content. But if one day you leave this land and see more, will you still be satisfied with just two thousand yuan?”

Brian Brooks turned to glance at this somewhat inexplicable woman. It seemed that rich, beautiful, and smart women all had a tendency for sentimental melancholy. He gave a straightforward and crisp answer: “Of course not.”

“I like smart people who know when to be honest.” The woman laughed out loud in a way that was far from ladylike. Though it wasn’t exactly reserved and even bordered on neurotic, her laughter was exceptionally clear and pleasant, reminiscent of the sound of trickling water when the heavy snow here first begins to melt. So Brian Brooks found it very comfortable, even though his standards for aesthetics weren’t exactly strict—just that the figure was passable, the face was passable, the voice was passable, the brains were passable, and the temperament was passable. But when you add up all these “passables,” it directly resulted in Brian Brooks, who had no capital to speak of, still being a virgin to this day. Although he couldn’t make out the woman’s features clearly, Brian Brooks thought she was probably quite attractive. But his imagination stopped there; he didn’t expect anything further to happen. According to Brian Brooks’s way of thinking, since he was a penniless nobody, if he didn’t at least have some self-awareness, wouldn’t he really end up like that loser Li the Cripple?

That wooden stick of a man standing motionless nearby watched her laughing, his expression complicated—there was surprise, comfort, and even a hint of approval for Brian Brooks, though only a tiny bit. Most of his interest was focused on the big oaf. He wasn’t like those hotheaded kids who only knew a little about archery; only an insider like him could truly appreciate what it meant to fully draw that horn bow. He glanced at the big oaf who was lowering his head to wipe the longbow, and sighed inwardly—what a rare talent.

Afterward, this group of rich second-generation kids hunted a few more insignificant small animals. The huge victory at the start quickly made them lose interest in going further, so they suggested returning to the village. Brian Brooks naturally had no objections and told Henry to stay in the woods and watch the wild boar. He planned to send the others back first, then return to help Henry haul the beast home.

On the way back, the distinctive woman didn’t speak to Brian Brooks again, only muttered with that wooden man. Because of the wild boar, the young masters’ gazes toward Brian Brooks became much friendlier, and they all returned to the village without incident. A group of kids who had been poking and prodding the off-road vehicles scattered like birds and beasts. Kevin Young tossed Brian Brooks twenty-five hundred-yuan bills and said he’d come again if he had time. Watching Brian Brooks carefully count the money twice before tucking it into his chest made them all snicker.

As the sun set in the west, it cast a dusky, twilight veil over the village, which was as weathered as an old woman. The off-road vehicles roared to life one after another, causing all the chickens, ducks, cats, and dogs—just as inexperienced as their owners—to jump and scamper about. Brian Brooks gazed intently at the jeep with the “Shen Y7” license plate as it slowly pulled away, his eyes clear and pure.

He touched the 2,500 yuan pressed against his chest. Without waiting for the convoy to completely disappear from view, Brian Brooks resolutely turned and walked toward the deep mountains.

He wasn’t highly educated, but he knew that standing here for a hundred years would never get him into that circle.

As he walked, Brian Brooks thought sourly, When I get rich one day, I’ll buy a car and buy the models along with it. Then I won’t even use them myself—I’ll just give them all away to the beggars by the roadside.

※※※※

Ethan Zhou was driving that Hummer with Shanghai plates, still immersed in the shock brought by the wild boar, when his phone suddenly rang, interrupting his reverie. It was Kevin Young. He answered, put on his earpiece, and the other’s laughter had a playboy’s tone as he got straight to the point: “Ethan, aren’t you going to try your luck with that chick?”

Ethan Zhou glanced in the rearview mirror at the Beijing 212 military vehicle behind them and smiled, “There just wasn’t an opportunity.”

The voice on the other end laughed loudly: “You, I bet once you get to Harbin you’ll be even less likely to do anything with her. By then, you can have any woman you want, whenever you want, at your beck and call.”

Ethan Zhou shrugged and said, “We’re already on our way back. Since I’m not at the point where hormones are clouding my judgment, I’m not going to make a move on her. Judging by her behavior these days, I’d say she might be either a lesbian or just frigid. Even though it’s obvious she’s got a great figure, I’m not so desperate that I can’t find a pretty woman to sleep with. Besides, I’ve heard that this kind of Beijing 212 is usually used by company-level officers and below during military training. I’m most wary of these cadre kids—tiny officials with a ton of trouble and aftereffects if you get involved. On second thought, I’d better forget it.”