The next day was the weekend, and Li Baolong was enjoying his holiday. Today was the day he was moving. He told his uncle about his plans, and his uncle readily agreed, telling him to take good care of himself and to come over for a meal if he wanted anything delicious. His uncle also entrusted Li Baolong with keeping an eye on his older cousin, Huang Jian, to prevent him from doing anything illegal or disorderly. Li Baolong nodded earnestly in agreement, saying he would definitely study hard, strive to get into university, and earn more money in the future.
Around noon, Li Baolong arrived at his new residence. He saw his cousin-in-law busy at work, her voluptuous figure swaying before his eyes. A slight stirring rose in Li Baolong's heart, but he quickly composed himself. He said to his cousin-in-law, "Cousin-in-law, why don't you rest for a while? I'll mop the floor and clean." His cousin-in-law replied that she would be finished soon, and then they would go downstairs together to buy some pots and pans so they could cook at home, which would be cleaner, more hygienic, and save money. Li Baolong thought this was a good suggestion and even said he could cook. His cousin-in-law laughed heartily and said she definitely wanted to try his cooking sometime.
Then, Li Baolong handed his cousin's wife one hundred yuan and said, "This is three months' rent. My cousin and I have discussed renting a place. I have the money and am willing to pay half of the cost. You don't need to be so polite with me."
That evening, Li Baolong's cousin, cousin's wife, and he prepared dinner at their new home. His cousin's wife, a skilled cook, prepared four dishes and a soup, all delicious and homely. His cousin had even bought a bottle of wine. Li Baolong, due to his own health concerns, was hesitant to drink. His cousin persuaded him, "Drinking a little now is good for your health, so you won't be afraid of alcohol later. When I was your age, I was already into smoking and drinking, and I started dating when I was sixteen or seventeen." Li Baolong replied shyly, "I blush when I talk to girls; I don't even know what dating is all about." His cousin said, "Drink this glass, and I'll teach you how to meet girls and date. Besides, you're tall and handsome; what girl wouldn't like you? Come on, cheers!" His cousin's earnest persuasion made Li Baolong steel himself, and he downed an ounce of wine in one gulp. Instantly, a surge of heat rushed into his stomach, his abdomen burned, and soon his face flushed red. My cousin's wife laughed and said, "Baolong's brother has a good capacity for alcohol. He becomes even more manly after drinking."
After moving to his new home, Li Baolong often spent his weekends at the video arcade in the alley. The owner of this video arcade was a friend of his cousin Huang Jian. Although Huang Jian had some hoodlum habits, his family was well-off. His family invested over ten thousand yuan to help him open the video arcade.
The video arcade was cheap; during the day, one yuan could watch three videos, and at night, two yuan could watch five. One of the films contained adult content. After watching the nighttime videos several times, Li Baolong developed a vague understanding of matters between men and women. This understanding acted as a catalyst, prompting him to gradually mature psychologically, becoming more mature than his peers and learning to hide his feelings. With both physical and psychological development, at seventeen, he was almost an adult, lacking only a symbolic coming-of-age ceremony.
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