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

"My goodness! You caught all of these?"

The team leader's wife stepped forward and looked at the wild ducks in the sack in disbelief.

"It's the fishing and hunting group." Zhang Wenshan wouldn't let go of such a good opportunity to boost his reputation, and he said loudly.

"No, no, no, it's all thanks to the team leader. I was just helping out."

"Yes, we just follow orders."

The members of the fishing and hunting team quickly waved their hands and took a step back.

"Good heavens, how much are these? How much did someone sell for last time after catching them?"

"It seems to be one yuan and three jiao."

"His is small, I estimate these would cost more than ten yuan."

"Not necessarily. It's easy to die if you try to get them to town, and they won't fetch a good price. How about this, I'll take care of your fishing and hunting group's business and give you one dollar and fifty cents each."

As he spoke, the old man reached into the sack.

"no."

Lin Cuihua reacted incredibly quickly, shoving the person away and protecting the sack tightly.

She walked back carrying a sack, knowing exactly what was going on.

A wild duck weighs at least two and a half pounds, and you can take it away for just one dollar and fifty cents. What's the difference between that and robbery?

"You want to rebel?" the old man said defiantly, his neck stiff.

"So what if I don't want to sell?" Lin Cuihua retorted without backing down an inch.

"Who gave you the right to speak?" The old man pointed a finger, lecturing like he was scolding a child. "When have the collective groups ever neglected the villagers?"

Li's daughter-in-law also squeezed forward to chime in: "The team took pity on you two and took care of you. You don't know what's good for you. Be careful they don't kick you out."

As soon as they opened their mouths, people behind them immediately started making a fuss.

"Exactly! What's a little girl doing taking up a group spot? Shanzi, I'm stronger!"

"A young lady who's a bit crazy might never get married."

"With the Lin family demanding such an exorbitant dowry, who would dare to marry into their family?"

"Go to hell..." Lin Cuihua opened her mouth to retort, but suddenly remembered something and stopped herself from speaking. She bit her lip tightly and secretly glanced at Zhang Wenshan out of the corner of her eye.

She knew very well that this might be her only chance to turn her life around.

Don't leave a bad impression on the team leader, don't...

"Everyone, our Chishongtun village was once recognized as an advanced village in literacy campaigns. We have teachers who have taught us to read and write. We should know that some of the words we use are vulgar and should not be said."

Zhang Wenshan stepped forward and separated the crowd.

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an air of authority, immediately silencing the clamor.

These words seemed to have a magical power, directly separating the crowd and leaving the few who had spoken in the middle.

"The selection of fishing and hunting teams is a matter of the brigade's own rules. The higher-ups have set the regulations, and your opinions don't count. I can't change them either."

Zhang Wenshan silently tied the sack shut.

"It's true that the collective groups were close to the villagers, but that was in the past. As you all probably know, we are now responsible for our own profits and losses, not the old system of sharing resources like a pot."

These wild ducks have already been reserved, so we really can't share them with everyone.

If you want to eat meat, let us know in advance, and the group will try to save some for you next time.

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Zhang Fengxia leaned closer to her mother and whispered, "Why is my little brother talking like a brigade cadre? It's kind of intimidating."

Xu Xiulian pinched her daughter's thigh without hesitation, then turned around and said apologetically, "Children can't talk."

"My husband can't even memorize these words."

The captain's wife stepped forward with a smile.

"Everyone, you can leave now! Have you finished working in the fields?"

The crowd slowly crept away.

The old man, who hadn't gotten a good deal, pursed his lips and muttered, "A reservation? Who knows if it's just empty talk?"

The sound was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for everyone to hear.

Many people's expressions changed slightly, and Xu Xiulian subconsciously wanted to defend her son.

It's hard to build a reputation, but easy to destroy it. The fourth brother finally found the right path, so why are there blind fools causing trouble?

"Don't believe me? Come with us to the state-run restaurant now and see for yourself!"

Zhang Wenshan sneered.

"I have to pay the team money at the end of the year; that's for repairing bridges and roads, buying fertilizer, renting tractors..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

The crowd's gazes turned strange. The old man's face flushed red instantly, and he ran away in a flash, no longer caring about anything else.

His speed is in no way inferior to that of young people.

After everyone had left, the team leader's wife walked up and patted Zhang Wenshan's shoulder twice.

"Work hard, and your uncle will definitely cover for you."

"Just you wait and see!" Zhang Wenshan grinned.

"Okay, I'm going back."

"Take care."

The two exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly at each other.

"Next, two of you will stay and learn how to weave cages from my mother. Who will come with me to town to deliver the goods?" Zhang Wenshan asked, turning to his team members.

"My legs aren't strong enough, I won't go and join in the fun," Ge Ergui said first.

"I..." Lin Cuihua glanced at Lang Qiuping, thought for a moment, and said, "I'm not going either."

"Don't worry, everyone will take turns going to town to learn how to buy things and deliver them," Zhang Wenshan said with a smile. "Uncle Ergui is no exception."

Arrange things at home.

Zhang Wenshan, along with his elder sister and Lang Qiuping, went out carrying wild ducks.

Along the way, there were naturally many curious and inquisitive glances, as well as various questions.

After leaving the village, he parted ways with the two men and headed straight for the underground river.

After taking out the fine-scaled fish they had collected over the past two days, they met up at the town entrance.

"Not many!" Zhang Fengxia skillfully took the fish basket, shook it, and showed a disappointed expression. "There aren't any left in the river."

"Fine-scaled fish are afraid of heat, so they all hide in underground rivers and don't come out."

"If only we could get in..."

"Don't even think about it! It's pitch black inside, people could easily die there."

The siblings entered the town chatting and laughing, with Lang Qiuping helping to carry their things without saying a word the entire time.

In Zhang Wenshan's eyes, the small town in the 1980s was no different from the countryside.

But for Lang Qiuping, it was nothing short of a new world.

Even if they try to appear calm, a sixteen-year-old can't suppress their curiosity; one pair of eyes simply isn't enough.

In the blink of an eye, we arrived at the entrance of the state-run restaurant.

"I, I won't..."

Lang Qiuping lowered his head, staring at his worn-out cloth shoes, which were covered with dried mud, and couldn't take another step.

"What are you afraid of?" Zhang Wenshan put his arm around his shoulder and shook his own mud-caked shoes vigorously. "It's all the same!"

The eldest sister, Zhang Fengxia, also stomped her foot.

The three people pushed open the door and entered.

Several gazes were cast over, many of them filled with contempt and disdain.

Lang Qiuping shrank his neck and tensed his shoulders, while Zhang Fengxia found a corner and sat down as if she knew the place well, completely unconcerned.

Zhang Wenshan walked straight to the window: "Sister Xia!"

"Hey, Shanzi!" Wu Xia came running out, her face beaming with a warm smile. "Didn't you say you weren't coming these past few days?"

"Sister Xia said she had to send over some good stuff," Zhang Wenshan pointed to the sack. "How could I dare disobey!"

Instantly, the diners' gazes turned to envy and astonishment.

In those days, being able to connect with a state-run restaurant meant having enough to eat and wear and a guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood.

Lang Qiuping froze on the spot, staring in astonishment at the scene before him.

He had previously thought that the claim of reservations at state-run hotels was Zhang Wenshan's fabrication.

did not expect.

It turned out to be true!