Fishing and Hunting 82, Starting with Three Sisters Who Overprotect Their Brothers

"Really? I didn't notice."

Zhang Wenshan finished the last mouthful of noodle soup and said calmly.

In those days, being able to eat at a state-run restaurant was a sign of economic strength.

"That's right, we came to eat here a couple of days ago and it's only half the size now."

Have you ever tried braised pork?

"Of course, the master chef's skills are superb, but one chopstick per person is all it takes, not even enough to fill a tooth gap."

As they were talking, several bowls were emptied.

Based on the information he gathered, Zhang Wenshan roughly estimated their income.

Life was better than toiling in the fields, but not as good as being a factory worker. A few unmarried people could occasionally come to the state-run restaurant for a meal.

It's a makeshift team with no potential.

We need to observe and wait before deciding whether to pursue further contact.

He made up his mind, took out seven cents, and pushed it across the table.

"Brother, what are you doing?" Zhao Dezhu raised his hand, blocking his way firmly. "It was agreed that it would be on me!"

"If you keep going like this, we can't talk about anything else." Zhang Wenshan said with a smile, but he wouldn't budge an inch.

Since we don't intend to get closer to each other right away, it's better to keep the accounts clear.

It's not like we can't afford it.

"This, sigh..." Zhao Dezhu took the money with a helpless expression, hesitant to speak, unable to find a way to start a conversation.

In the past, treating people to meals was a very effective way to build relationships.

When he encounters someone who is not short of money, he doesn't quite know how to deal with them.

"Brother Zhao, speak frankly. I've benefited a lot from following your foreign trade plan. Just pointing to the temperature doesn't make me feel at ease."

"Brother, you don't know, the foreign trade task only lasts a few days. If we miss it, we won't earn any money. Your words have been a great help to us."

"Aren't there any other seafood options?"

Zhang Wenshan raised an eyebrow and pressed for an answer.

He really didn't know what the foreign trade tasks were in 1982, or how to complete them.

Zhao Dezhu paused for a moment, then said as if he had made up his mind, "At the beginning of the year, the supply and marketing cooperative also bought large carp and crucian carp, and they had to be fresh."

Zhang Wenshan asked, puzzled, "It doesn't sound that difficult?"

"It's easy for places like Donghetun, which is located by the Lagu River, but not for Xikouyingzi. We can't spread out a large net, so we have to go through several places, and it's also difficult to send the goods to the town."

Once the conversation started, Zhao Dezhu went all out and spoke frankly.

"Actually, we didn't have a fishing team originally. When the land was allocated at the beginning of the year, we leveled the land with the forest and the river bend."

It's true that my family has a family tradition of craftsmanship, but my father died early, leaving behind only two notebooks. I figured it out myself, and that's how I finally got the hang of it.

Zhang Wenshan nodded.

No wonder!

If it's a true family tradition, with guidance from an elder, how could they not know that shrimp and crabs prefer shade in hot weather?

"Don't laugh at me, little brother, but all I've ever wanted in my life is for someone to give me some pointers. Look at this..."

Zhao Dezhu rubbed his hands awkwardly as he spoke, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

"It's really unfortunate that my master passed away." Zhang Wenshan spread his hands, his expression carrying just the right amount of sadness. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have to work alone."

"what!"

Zhao Dezhu froze, as if struck by lightning.

He had considered that the other party might refuse, raise the price, and even planned to find out the name of the expert himself.

But to my utter surprise, he is gone.

In other words, only the young brothers in front of us know that fish-tying technique.

"Brother, you can bring live fish to town without water. Can you give me some pointers on your method?" Zhao Dezhu immediately changed direction.

"Okay." Zhang Wenshan nodded and uttered two words, "Fifty."

"Holy crap, fifty!"

"Why don't you just rob it?"

Zhao Dezhu shuddered but didn't say a word. His two brothers next to him jumped up as if their tails had been stepped on.

Not just them.

Zhang Fengxia was also startled and turned her head sharply. She instinctively raised her arm to grab her younger brother, but then stopped herself.

The townspeople work hard all month and their wages are only thirty-eight yuan and fifty cents.

Fifty dollars.

I have to tighten my belt and save up for three months.

Not to mention the people in the countryside, whose entire family depends on the autumn harvest; if they give up eighty yuan, the whole family will go hungry.

"Brother, fifty yuan is no small sum. Can you let us discuss it?" Zhao Dezhu asked after a moment of silence.

"It's okay, see you tomorrow morning."

"it is good."

Zhao Dezhu nodded stiffly and led his two brothers away.

"They won't stop us from selling shrimp and crabs, will they?" Zhang Fengxia watched the people walk away, her brows furrowed, her face filled with deep worry.

"If they won't allow it, they won't. It's not like they own the supply and marketing cooperative," Zhang Wenshan shrugged, nonchalantly. "Besides, we can do other things."

"Oh, you're not selling parallel imports anymore?"

"Let's try something different."

As Zhang Wenshan spoke, his gaze fell on the system panel.

[Today's News 1: Due to the high temperatures, the activity level of aquatic life has decreased significantly]

[Today's News 2: A moderate quantity of wild wood ear mushrooms are maturing northeast of Chishongtun (click to view specific location)]

The first piece of intelligence was expected.

He had expected it when he learned that the high temperatures would continue.

During this period, fish will hide in the deepest parts of the water and hardly move, making them difficult to catch regardless of whether you use a net or a cage.

They only become slightly active in the early morning hours.

Shrimp and crabs are more affected and die less quickly after being out of water.

It's good to take a break; there's no need to rush to weave a cage.

Zhang Wenshan shook his aching hands. After continuous high-intensity work, he had developed several blisters that felt like needle pricks when touched.

……

"Brother Zhao, that kid is a real swindler, he's obviously trying to rip us off."

"That's right, fifty yuan can buy five hundred catties of cornmeal."

Zhao Dezhu frowned, shook his head, and said, "Actually, it works. That method allows live fish to come to town without water, so we can negotiate prices and sell them without having to guard the water buckets."

"Have you forgotten how much money we wasted when the foreign trade plan included carp? We had to beg and plead, borrow cars and find people."

After the two of them carefully calculated the bill, their anger subsided considerably, but they still felt the pinch.

"Fifty yuan is too much. Aren't we helping him earn money from foreign trade tasks?"

"If they really pay us, the three of us will have worked for nothing this month, and our belts will break."

Zhao Dezhu scoffed and slapped his brother on the back of the head: "Are you stupid? Why should the three of us get paid for the fishing team's business?"

The team has about a dozen people, but that's not a lot.

……

Chishongtun, at Li Dong's home.

Two figures, one tall and one short, slipped into the house and sat down on the kang (a heated brick bed) as if they knew their way around.

"Ergou, Lao Wang, how's it going? Did you find out anything?" Li Dong asked anxiously, dragging his leg wrapped in dirty bandages.

"This is fucking bizarre, I just ate meat yesterday." Er Gou said, taking out a deck of cards and shuffling them around, licking his lips repeatedly.

"We can eat some today too." Old Wang spat the sunflower seed shells on the ground. "His mother is at home cleaning river crabs and shrimp, quite a lot of them."

"Damn it, my mouth is practically tasteless!" Li Dong cursed upon hearing this, his lips twitching uncontrollably.

"That shouldn't be the case!" Er Gou asked疑惑地, "Your uncle was drinking with some people yesterday, didn't he invite you?"

"Who knows what's wrong with that old man?" Li Dong's face darkened further. "He came over in the middle of the night that day to warn me not to touch the toad pond."

"After all, being nominally affiliated with the Party Secretary is risky, isn't it?" Er Gou and Lao Wang exchanged a glance, not daring to agree.

"Do you two want to eat meat?" Li Dong asked, his eyes darting around.

"Why wouldn't I want to?"

"We're broke! If Shanzi goes to town, we'll lose a sucker. And after you broke up with him, even fewer people will want to hang out with us."

"Can't you use your brain?" Li Dong sneered. "You guys go keep an eye on Zhang Wenshan and see what he's up to."