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

Zhang Wenshan, carrying the state-run restaurant voucher, went straight to the brigade leader's house but found no one there, learning that the person was at the Hama Pond construction site.

"Didn't you stay home for the afternoon?"

He was somewhat surprised and looked up at the sun, estimating it to be around thirty degrees Celsius.

Go to work in the fields?

Furthermore, the end of June is the crucial busy farming season, and the corn needs to be shoveled a second time. Everyone goes to the fields before dawn and works for more than seven hours until noon.

If you keep working without getting enough rest, can you really hold on?

Splash!

The team leader's wife poured the cooled boiled water into the bucket without looking up: "Road repair, canal repair, disaster relief... this is how the collective does all the work, have you forgotten?"

She spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Zhang Wenshan was speechless.

Scientific concepts, health is paramount, work-life balance... all these words were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Seeing that the team leader's wife was about to carry two buckets of water outside, he quickly stepped forward and said, "Let me do it."

The hardwood carrying pole is about 1.5 meters long and 3-4 centimeters thick. It has flat ends with a groove on each end, with a rope hanging down and an iron hook tied to the end.

The middle section is wrapped with hemp rope to prevent slipping.

The two buckets, about 30 centimeters high, with thick iron wire bent into handles, were filled with about 20 kilograms of water and hung on the carrying pole, swaying precariously.

Zhang Wenshan had carried water before.

It's fine if a little bit is spilled at home, but it's not good if it's given to others to drink, so I have to be extra careful and take every step with caution.

They hadn't moved more than a hundred meters in half a day.

"Let me do it." The team leader's wife snatched back the carrying pole, picked it up, and strode forward with great speed.

Zhang Wenshan couldn't help but feel ashamed.

It's not that I don't know how to choose, it's just that my delicate skin can't withstand the strain.

"You haven't done any heavy work for years, the calluses will wear off eventually," the brigade leader's wife comforted him with a smile. "You're much better than those intellectuals who went to the countryside back then; they spilled most of the bucket of water."

"They're really impressive now."

"That's right, that fat Shen who can't even start a fire, now he's doing some kind of work in town, managing a lot of people's jobs."

"A civil affairs officer?"

"It seems so..."

As they were talking, the two arrived at the Hama Pond construction site. Before they even got close, they could hear loud work chants.

The sun overhead was scorching, baking the ground beneath their feet until it emitted waves of heat.

Zhang Wenshan looked around and stood there, stunned.

The once desolate gravel ground was now bustling with people, shovels and picks striking the ground in a symphony of activity, and the smell of sweat seemed to waft from afar.

Former Party Secretary Zhou Bingren, Brigade Leader Wang Tieshan, Accountant Tian, ​​Li Yuejin...

The people who had been arguing heatedly at the previous meeting were all there, and the leaders were working with great enthusiasm. Many of them even took off their shirts, and beads of sweat rolled down their sunburnt backs.

Not only them, but many other young people of similar age are also working hard.

Even the teenagers were running around, picking up the pebbles with quick hands and feet, their faces beaming with smiles.

The number of people was far greater than the number of workers who had been scheduled to come to Hama Pond.

Most importantly, my father and brother-in-law were among them, no wonder I hadn't seen them all noon.

I was so busy with my own things that I didn't even think about it.

After all, whether or not the Toad Pond project succeeds is irrelevant to him; there are other paths to take.

But for the villagers of Chishongtun, Hama Pond represents hope.

It means being able to buy a few more pounds of meat for the New Year to buy new clothes for the children; it means not having to rely entirely on the harvest from the fields and depend on the weather for a living; it means having some cash on hand so that you won't be short of money or have to beg for help when needed...

"I've had some water."

The team leader's wife's shouting stopped the workers and brought Zhang Wenshan back to his senses.

"Oh ho, Shanzi's here?"

"Well, inspecting our work? We did a pretty good job, didn't we?"

"I heard you caught several pounds of fish, is that true...?"

Inquiries and greetings came from all directions. Zhang Wenshan instinctively wanted to give a perfunctory reply, but looking at the smiling faces soaked with sweat, he was taken aback.

I simply can't bring myself to say it.

"You bunch of good-for-nothings, hurry up and rest. Get the pond ready as soon as possible, and start raising frogs sooner."

The old Party Secretary strode over, grabbed a ladle, filled it with cool boiled water, gulped it down, wiped his mouth, and looked at Zhang Wenshan.

"What's up?"

Zhang Wenshan took a deep breath and pulled out the warm voucher from his pocket: "I went to the state-run restaurant to deliver goods today and came here to report the expenses to the team."

The old Party Secretary wiped the sweat from his hands on his trouser leg, took the money, and exclaimed, "A little over twelve yuan?"

The exclamations immediately drew a crowd to watch.

"Let me see, did it really sell?"

"Things sell so well in town? Those were seven wild ducks!"

"The market is packed with vendors, but how many of them actually make a sale?"

"It's a state-run restaurant, my god, you're not kidding..."

Zhang Wenshan felt a bitter taste in his mouth as he listened to the comments of the crowd.

In later generations, almost everyone could spout a few words about business, at least knowing that doing business requires hawking and actively promoting...

But for the honest, simple farmers of the 1980s, it was nothing short of a secret or divine revelation.

Even if they know the truth, they can't bring themselves to speak up or take action, and they're even more worried about being accused of crimes like being caught or engaging in speculation.

By the time people get used to it, the hype will have already passed.

"Is this approach reliable?" The old Party Secretary waved for everyone to disperse, his cloudy eyes filled with anticipation.

"It's hard to say," Zhang Wenshan said hesitantly. "People want rare things. This time I'm bringing a few fine-scaled fish."

"A fine-scaled fish?"

"The small-scaled prawn is rare in the water, but its meat is delicious." Accountant Tian slapped his thigh, smacked his lips, and reminisced, "I tried it once a few years ago, and it was absolutely amazing."

"I see!" The old Party Secretary squinted and thought for a moment, quickly understanding the key point: "You need some rare and unusual item as a stepping stone, something that doesn't go into the public accounts!"

Zhang Wenshan nodded.

State-run hotels openly use public accounts for procurement, so it doesn't matter whose money they receive.

The key lies in those secret accounts, which can satisfy those people's appetites; everything else is negotiable.

"Don't worry about it, I'll cover for you if anything goes wrong." The old Party Secretary clenched his fist tightly. As long as this path continues, he's willing to take the risks.

Zhang Wenshan shook his head and said, "State-run restaurants have limited capacity. If those in need get a taste of success, others will definitely be envious."

These words caused everyone's expression to change.

"Just say what you're thinking," the captain asked in a deep voice.

Zhang Wenshan glanced at his father and brother-in-law not far away and said, "Get my sister's license."

The three leaders looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Your sister's coming to collect it?" Accountant Tian's mind raced. "To check the quality?"

The problem with collective industries, where the team provides a safety net for business transactions, is that there are many things that cannot be refused.

"Then your family has offended someone!" The captain looked worried.

"What if others want to do this business too?" The old Party Secretary thought deeper, his brows furrowing. "This matter... needs careful consideration."

Zhang Wenshan said no more.

That point has been thoroughly explained.

He silently turned around and left the noisy construction site. On the way back, he couldn't concentrate, his mind filled with images of his fellow villagers working.

At this time.

Suddenly, a series of off-key songs drifted from behind.

"Unity is strength..."