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

"A net that costs seven yuan, even if you only use it for three years, will cost less than two cents a month, which isn't even enough to buy a pound of cornmeal."

Zhang Wenhui calmly counted on her fingers.

"Besides, there's a daily income. With my skills, I can earn it back in two or three days at most. If we form a fishing and hunting team, the money from the nets will basically be free."

"I didn't say it wasn't worth it." The old man bent down to pick up the pipe. "It's just that spending seven dollars without batting an eye is a bit scary."

Older sister Xu Xiulian chimed in, "In the past, those fish could only fetch three or five yuan at most."

"Exactly, what do the townspeople want? If they want to eat something, why can't they just get it for themselves? Why spend money?"

"The supply and marketing cooperative also has cheap options; it's not like the dead can't be eaten."

Listening to his parents arguing about how things had changed, Zhang Wenshan smiled but didn't say anything.

Ultimately, they have to adapt to some things on their own.

Instead, the eldest sister couldn't help but say, "If things were still the same as before, where would our family's income come from?"

"What if they settle scores later and make us pay back all the money we've earned?" The father glared at his eldest daughter. "Why didn't you advise your fourth son to save some money? Do you think we'll always be lucky?"

In his mind, going up mountains and down rivers was ultimately not a stable way to make a living.

"Why not?" Xu Xiulian said proudly. "Fourth Brother is quite capable, and besides, he didn't squander the money."

"I didn't say he wasn't capable; he just needs to save money and spend it wisely."

"Why didn't you plan ahead?"

While his parents were arguing, Zhang Wenshan and the others chuckled as they finished eating the rice in their bowls.

Meanwhile, in a warehouse in Chishongtun.

The woman sat on a bed made of wooden planks, fumbling and twisting hemp rope, while the clanging sound of chopping wood came from outside.

"You damn fool, causing trouble at night, what were you doing during the day?"

"You can't even finish the smallest tasks, you're just as useless as your mother, I..."

The sounds outside were getting increasingly foul, and the woman bit her lip, her mouth becoming increasingly salty.

I don't know how much time has passed.

Lang Qiuping pushed open the door and came in: "Mother, why are you working in the dark again?"

"It's alright, you don't need your eyes."

"Mom, look what this is?"

"Where did these cornbread and fruit candies come from?"

"Given by Aunt Xiulian."

"Sister Xu is a good person. I heard that her fourth son has also turned to the right path."

"Yeah, Brother Shanzi is really skilled. He caught seven or eight pounds of fish, as well as river crabs and shrimp, in just one afternoon."

"That's really something... Mother won't eat it."

Lang Qiuping stuffed a piece of fruit candy into his mother's mouth. "I'm thinking of moving out."

The woman didn't speak.

"Brother Shanzi has set up a fishing and hunting group. He said he can't guarantee making money, but you can learn skills... He might not be back until dark." In the darkness, Lang Qiuping hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"Go ahead, Mother is fine. You've made it big, they won't dare do that again."

……

"Dad, why can't I learn a skill?"

Feng Jianwei looked at his father, who was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), and asked in confusion.

"Didn't you see? Shanzi was amazing! Seven or eight fish, not a single one escaped, and that fish trap too..."

"Who doesn't eat dumplings during the New Year?" Old Man Feng didn't even lift his eyelids. "Hunting and fishing won't last. The village has been reorganized before, and it ended up completely destroyed, didn't it?"

Mother Feng also advised, "Is Zhang Wenshan a good person? What can you learn from him?"

"That's right," Old Man Feng continued. "If a dog's belly doesn't have two ounces of sesame oil, he'd be lucky to make any money. You're coming with me to the fields tomorrow, and you're not allowed to go anywhere else."

"Awei, listen to your dad. They're all bad people. Look at the mess Li Dongjia had, with such good conditions, now look what's happened!"

……

Early the next morning.

Zhang Wenshan was awakened by the noise. He put on his clothes and came out, where he saw his father and Ge Ergui sitting on a bench by the door chatting.

"Good morning, Uncle Ergui. Wait a moment, I'm going to wash my face."

"No, no, I'm just early."

Ge Ergui waved his hands repeatedly, a forced smile on his face.

Although she was only in her early thirties, she looked as if she were over forty.

"Uncle Jianshe, Auntie, Fengxia, Uncle Ergui..."

Not long after, a girl with two thick braids rushed into the courtyard. It was Lin Cuihua. She greeted everyone in a crisp voice.

"Okay, everyone's here..."

After washing his face and fully waking up, Zhang Wenshan was about to start assigning tasks when he noticed a silent figure standing outside the courtyard gate.

"Lang Qiuping?"

Lin Cuihua exclaimed in surprise, and involuntarily took half a step back. Ge Ergui also frowned.

Clearly, this caused some resistance from the teenager.

"Come in when you're here." Zhang Wenshan nodded to him, his voice completely calm.

Putting aside the life-saving favor, this kid's taut muscles make him the most useful labor force in the team right now, so how can we push him away?

"I'll say it again, as agreed before in front of the captain: I'll take 10% of the profits from the fishing and hunting team."

Zhang Wenshan's gaze swept over the crowd.

"I'll allocate 40% of the total cost, including tool wear and tear and operating expenses. The rest will be divided according to contribution. Any objections?"

He naturally wanted to take the lion's share of the fishing and hunting team's profits, but he had to change the name on the books.

Ge Ergui and Lin Cuihua shook their heads vigorously. Having someone to lead them to make money was a great thing, and they didn't care about anything else.

"Alright, we have two tasks for today: catching wild ducks and gathering snails."

Zhang Wenshan raised his arm, pointing to the prepared equipment.

"The main methods used are blocking nets and trap nets. The key is in driving them away; it has to be done gently and steadily..."

He quickly finished explaining the key points of catching wild animals.

Ge Ergui pursed his lips and remained silent, Lin Cuihua opened her mouth, her eyes flashing with unease, and even Lang Qiuping tensed up.

I didn't understand!

Zhang Wenshan could tell at a glance that they hadn't fully grasped the situation, so he said directly, "It's alright, just follow my instructions when we get there."

The weather is hot and humid, and the window of opportunity for catching ducks is very short, so we have to act quickly.

Besides, you can't learn something properly just by listening to lectures without hands-on practice. Giving us advance information is more about letting everyone know what to expect.

He was even prepared to catch nothing.

The siblings led three new members and plunged into the bay in the southeast of the village. The reeds rushed towards them, taller than a person, blocking their view, and the soft, rotten mud under their feet sank right into their ankles.

"Be gentle."

Zhang Wenshan gave a low shout and took the lead in using a bamboo pole to clear away the reeds blocking the way. The people behind him held their breath and followed his footprints step by step, their hearts in their throats.

"Splash!"

Parting the last thick clump of reeds, a wide-open space suddenly appeared before me.

"Good heavens!"

Lin Cuihua gasped sharply, nearly collapsing from the excitement. Ge Ergui's eyes widened, and he clutched the tools in his arms tightly, barely managing to keep quiet.

Even Lang Qiuping, who was always expressionless, suddenly turned his head to look at Zhang Wenshan, his eyes showing surprise.

On the shimmering water, where the morning mist had not yet dissipated, seven or eight robust wild ducks led a dozen or so fluffy ducklings, leisurely paddling in the water.

They had no idea they were coming.