Riding the wind of rebirth

In order to create a clean and hygienic environment, an antique-style wall was built in Zhongshan Park next to my home, clearly separating the sanitation responsibility area from the park's responsibility area.

To ensure a unified image, the government also painted and renovated the Zhou family's courtyard, making it look somewhat like part of a park.

In exchange, Dad requested that a small gate be opened on the left side of the yard, allowing direct access to the park, just like before the park was fenced off.

This makes it much easier for Grandma to go to and from the park in her wheelchair every day.

“Once Huanhua Park is completed, we should also apply to allow Suihuaxuan to open a gate directly connecting to the park,” Zhou Zhi said to Feng Xueshan as he pushed his grandmother into the park.

“It should be easy to discuss,” Feng Xueshan said with a smile. “It’s like discussing river maintenance and stone bridge traffic.”

Suihuaxuan is located on the banks of the Qingshui River, and its area includes part of the riverbank and a stone bridge. When Suihuaxuan was renovated, Zhouzhi also carried out unified engineering renovations on the small river dock, the stone bridge leading to the Second Ring Road on the opposite bank, and the garage inside the dock.

This renovation involved many approval agencies, because river management, road and bridge management, and real estate renovation can be considered three separate systems. Fortunately, the engineers entrusted the task to Jinli Group, which had considerable resources.

“Even so, we still have to pay a fee every year, and at the same time, we have to ensure proper maintenance and be ready for inspection and acceptance at any time.” Zhou Zhi laughed: “Fortunately, the staff of the river management office always complain that we have set the standards too high.”

"Yes, opening a door like this is actually more convenient, Grandma, don't you think?" Feng Xueshan used to push her grandmother around the park often and was very satisfied with the changes to the park.

"After the wall was built, there were fewer young people," Grandma said. "But there were more old men hanging thrush cages."

Before the wall was built, the park had seven or eight entrances, but now it has been reduced to three. One of them is still by the river, so people from the city have to take a detour. In reality, only the east and west gates are used regularly. This small change has caused many young people from the residential area across the street to be unwilling to come over.

On the contrary, the elderly don't mind. Walking a little further is considered exercise. The park is quieter without young people, which is perfect for eyebrow fighting.

Walking through the park and exiting from the south gate, you'll find yourself on Binjiang Road. The river has already risen, and along the riverbank below the Binjiang Road embankment, many people are setting up nets, casting dangling hooks, and catching shrimp and mantis shrimp, taking advantage of the rising water and the small fish being brought closer to the shore to catch some small river delicacies.

Behind them stood many more citizens who had come out after dinner to cool off, take a stroll, and watch the excitement.

Fishing is still permitted in the Yangtze River, and fishing with various tools remains a popular activity for the public every summer. Some enjoy doing it, while others enjoy watching.

"Has anyone caught a fish?" Zhou Zhi and his group joined the crowd watching. Zhou Zhi asked an old man with a palm-leaf fan next to him.

The old man with the palm-leaf fan waved his hand and said sternly, "Nothing special, just some small crucian carp, melon seeds, and small whitebait boats."

Another old man holding a large glass bottle of malted milk powder retorted, "Those fishing under the barge over there still managed to catch a few fish!"

"Hey, grandpa, your bottle is pretty fancy!" Zhou Zhi said to the old man with the glass bottle.

The bottle was a brown glass bottle that had previously contained large malted milk powder. A pretty sleeve had been woven over the outside with rubber bands, which not only made the bottle look nice but also prevented it from slipping and getting burned.

The old man chuckled and said, "My daughter-in-law made it; it's a way to reuse waste."

"What did you find under the pontoon? Clear water?" Zhou Zhi asked.

"Hey, how did you know?"

"There's moss growing under the old boat. Qingbo likes to eat it. We scoop it out with a big net from the bottom of the boat. There are usually a few kinds that don't escape." "Do you want some? If you do, I'll have Erwa bring them up for you. They're all a little over one or two pounds each, thirty-one per boat."

“I was originally thinking of buying some small river shrimp.” Zhou Zhi was a little tempted and looked at Feng Xueshan and Mai Xiaomiao: “But Qingbo is also a good aquatic product.”

"You can take two for Grandpa Yu and Little Liu," Grandma said. "And your godfather, godmother, and fourth cousin as well."

“Then I’ll take them all,” Zhou Zhi said to the old man with the glass bottle, thinking his grandmother’s suggestion made sense.

The old man was very happy and shouted to the middle-aged man and young man who were still working by the barge, "Erwa! Erwa has a guest. He has to collect all your fish!"

Upon hearing this, the man below dragged a huge fish scoop from the bottom of the barge, which he had been carrying on his shoulder, and placed it on the shore. Then, together with the young man, they went into the water and pulled out a fish basket and a fish trap, which were filled with jumping fish.

The two men came over carrying a fish basket and a fish trap. The fish basket contained four fairly large blue bream and two carp, while the fish trap contained a bunch of small fish, grass shrimp, and prawns.

"The price for the ripples and carp is negotiable, but this small basket is free," the middle-aged man said quickly, looking at Zhou Zhi and thinking he looked young, afraid that he wouldn't buy it.

"This old man said there are thirty-one articles in Qingbo, but can he really make that decision?"

“Whatever Grandpa Liu says goes,” the middle-aged man said. “Thirty-one it is then. The two carp weigh five jin in total, so let’s say twenty. That’s a total of one hundred and forty. This basket of mixed fish and shrimp is yours.”

River delicacies are really cheap these days. Apart from river catfish, the prices of special aquatic products like green eels have become outrageous. Even the price of Qingbo River fish hasn't risen, and the river shrimp, which is Zhouzhi's favorite, is practically worthless.

“But if you want oxygen, that’s a different story. There are two bags in Grandpa Liu’s shop…” The man looked at the old man with the glass bottle.

"Two bags for ten yuan, five yuan each." Grandpa Liu pointed to a small shop by the roadside. There was a pile of water tanks in front of the shop. It turned out that Grandpa Liu ran a seafood shop.

"Make me three bags. One bag for this 'Qingbo' and one bag for this 'carp', one bag for this 'Qingbo' and one bag for this 'carp', and one bag for these two 'Qingbo'," Zhou Zhi said. "I'll give you twenty yuan, Uncle Liu. The extra five yuan is the brokerage fee."

"There are very few young people as well-mannered as you," the old man with the palm-leaf fan laughed. "You even charged Old Liu five yuan for the brokerage fee."

That wasn't enough. After packing several packages, there was space under the wheelchair, so we put the fish there. The small fish and shrimp were placed in a separate plastic bag, and everyone happily headed back.

Back in the yard, Zhouzhi fetched a large basin and an oxygenator, put the two blue bream in to keep them alive, took a large winnowing basket and placed it on top of the basin, weighing it down with two bricks to prevent the fish from jumping out. Then he and his parents split up; his parents delivered the fish to Grandpa Yu, while Zhouzhi and Mai Xiaomiao delivered the fish to their godparents.

Grandma, Feng Xueshan, and Yang He stayed home to prepare the basket of complimentary small fish and shrimp.

"Come and see, Zhouzi," the godfather said, delighted to see Zhou Zhi. He pulled Zhou Zhi and Mai Xiaomiao into the study, where a map was laid out on the large desk. It looked like some kind of architectural or regional planning map.

"Where is your godmother?" Zhou Zhi asked.

"She's busy at work," her godfather said with a smile. "There's fruit juice powder at the water dispenser; she can make it into a drink."

Zhou Zhi chuckled upon hearing this: "These watermelons will be on the market soon, right? Your way of entertaining guests has become even simpler than cutting a watermelon."

The godfather, far from being ashamed, was actually proud: "Hmm, this water dispenser you asked Sister Liu to give me is really a good thing. Hot water is always available when guests come, no need to boil it fresh." (End of Chapter)