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

It wasn't easy to transport over 100 kilograms of goods back from Shuiwan.

Fortunately, Zhang Wenshan was prepared and brought a carrying pole in advance.

"Team leader, you're amazing! You knew we could catch so much stuff," Lin Cuihua said sincerely as she deftly threaded the lever into the basket rope. "I thought it would be in the way."

Lang Qiuping and Ge Ergui lowered their heads and remained silent.

Their thoughts were similar.

Who would have thought that the snails, which would normally be a struggle to fill a single basin, would be so plentiful under Zhang Wenshan's guidance that they would fill a basket.

The two men silently stepped forward and picked up the lever.

"Uncle Ergui, let me do it!" Zhang Fengxia stepped forward subconsciously.

The oak beam is nearly two meters long and five or six centimeters thick. The whole beam has been peeled, sanded, and the edges have been rounded.

Hang the item in the center when using it.

Each person places one end on their shoulder, and even with shoulder pads, it still causes their shoulders to ache.

"It's alright, my legs can't hold up for long, but I can manage a short distance." Ge Ergui gripped the bar tightly, refusing to let go.

Zhang Fengxia wanted to persuade her again.

Zhang Wenshan quietly tugged at her.

For a disabled person, treating him as an able-bodied person is the greatest respect, especially since he was eager to demonstrate his value after receiving his share of the money in the afternoon.

Both were skilled workers; they quickly found their rhythm and walked fast and steadily.

Zhang Wenshan led the rest of the group, carrying fish baskets, and followed closely behind.

Just as they stepped into the village and were about to rotate the men, a cry of surprise rang out.

"Where did you get all these big snails?"

Several villagers who had returned from the fields quickly caught up with him, their eyes widening as they looked at the large, full basket.

"Wow, there are crayfish too, probably seven or eight pounds?"

"Pretty much. I was thinking of getting some stewed tofu the other day, but I didn't get a single piece."

"Shanzi, what skills have you learned? You're like you've been blessed, you never come empty-handed!"

Chishongtun is a tiny place, and even the smallest thing can cause a stir throughout the entire village, which Zhang Wenshan deliberately flaunts.

His exploits of fishing, catching shrimp, and gathering wild ducks had long been known.

"I was lucky," Zhang Wenshan said with a modest smile.

"Come on, guys, lend a hand."

"What are you standing there for? Give me a hand!" someone shouted, and several villagers rushed over to help lift the lever, their enthusiasm was irresistible.

Lin Cuihua and the other two stood there, unsure of what to do with their hands and feet.

As the most disliked group in the village, they usually have no one to get close to them. They're lucky if they're not ridiculed and gossiped about behind their backs.

"Shanzi, judging by your skill at catching things, you must be quite accurate at Toad Pond, right?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Cuihua and the other two realized that the other person's enthusiasm had nothing to do with them; it was all because of the team leader.

"Follow my instructions, and you're guaranteed to make money." Zhang Wenshan changed the subject deliberately, "Of course, extreme weather is another matter. If there's a sudden flood, or a cold snap at the end of August, then it's hard to say."

"If we really run into that awful weather, not only will the Toad Pond be ruined, but the crops will be destroyed too."

"Then there's no doubt about it. As long as no one is deliberately trying to cause trouble or is blindly working hard only to make things worse, it's a sure thing."

"Which bastard dares to cause trouble? I'll tear up his ancestral graves."

"Shanzi, what does it mean to be overly diligent and end up making things worse?"

"For example, they might use their own precious cornmeal and wheat bran to feed toads, thinking it would make them fatter..."

Zhang Wenshan patiently explained the precautions for Hama Pond to everyone, occasionally throwing in some impressive professional terms that left the audience both bewildered and deeply impressed.

On the one hand, it's to remind everyone.

On the other hand, it also highlights its own authority.

"Good heavens, raising a toad involves more rules than serving ancestors?"

"Nonsense! If it were easy to raise, would you even have a chance? Someone did that eight hundred years ago!"

"It has to be Shanzi. He really learned some real skills in town. My silly son of mine can only do heavy lifting. He didn't get any money and still has to live off his father's food."

As they spoke, the group returned to the Zhang family home.

Zhang Wenshan's parents came out to greet him when they heard the voice, and naturally, they exchanged pleasantries.

"Shanzi is really capable."

"You two have raised a good son."

"They're setting up frog ponds and fishing and hunting groups, all they do is shove benefits at our village. Their awareness is almost on par with the cadres."

A barrage of flattering words completely stunned Zhang Wenshan's parents, who ended up acting as his straight men, uttering "uh-huh" and "yeah," unable to find the words to express themselves.

"Wouldn't half of them be dead by tomorrow morning?"

After the helpers dispersed, Zhang Jianshe looked at the mountain of snails, his smile quickly fading and replaced by worry.

Lin Cuihua was also anxiously rubbing her hands: "The ones I used to keep never survived overnight; some even went bad."

"The team leader must have a plan, right?" Ge Ergui looked at Zhang Wenshan expectantly, and the others also turned their attention to him, full of anticipation.

The villagers don't collect these things to sell for money, partly due to policy reasons, but also because they die quickly and can't be stored.

A trip to town takes up most of my day.

The quantity is small, and the money from selling it can't even make up for the time wasted. We can manage without money, but without food, we'll really go hungry. If the harvest is bad, people will die.

"Don't worry, I have a plan," Zhang Wenshan said calmly. "Uncle Ergui, do you have any unused water tanks, wooden buckets, or basins at home?"

We raise turtles at home, and the remaining equipment is simply not enough.

As for Lang Qiuping and Lin Cuihua, their family situation is self-evident.

"I..." Ge Ergui had just started to speak when a voice came from the next yard, "Why bother with all that trouble? We have it at home."

Looking up, Aunt Zhu peeked out from the dim sky.

Everyone was stunned, especially the Zhang family. They had been neighbors for so many years, when had the other party ever asked to borrow anything?

"Thank you so much, Aunt Zhu." Zhang Wenshan immediately put on a smiling face.

"Neighbors, no need to be so polite!" Aunt Zhu turned and yelled into the house, "Old Han, are you dead inside? Come out and lend a hand!"

"These things need to be kept in cold water overnight..."

Zhang Wenshan turned around to assign tasks, but before he could finish explaining the reason, Lang Qiuping and the other two had already rushed towards the carrying pole.

That's incredibly efficient!

Watching their hurried figures disappear into the distance, Zhang Wenshan smiled and shook his head.

Less than twenty minutes.

Snails, crayfish, and clams have been separated and are each soaking in water of different depths.

"Team leader, slow down!" Lin Cuihua stamped her feet impatiently. "The crayfish need to be placed on clean corn stalks and branches to prevent them from getting caught and climbing. How many snails were there again?"

"Two-thirds, about three inches," Lang Qiuping said disdainfully. "Lay the clams in one layer, absolutely do not stack them."

"It also needs to be placed in a cool, well-ventilated place covered with a lid; an iron pot or a cement trough would be best."

"What else? What else?"

"I have to turn over in the water before bed..."

Everyone chimed in, even the Zhang family members joined in, and finally managed to repeat the key points.

"My goodness, this is really exhausting." Lin Cuihua sighed and scratched her head. "I'm still confused about the proper way to set shrimp and crab traps."

Everyone nodded vigorously in agreement.

Who would have thought that there are so many intricacies hidden in the business of catching fish and shrimp?

Every kind of thing needs to be cared for differently.

As everyone sighed with emotion.

Xu Xiulian silently walked to her son's side, her rough hands tightly gripping Zhang Wenshan's wrist, her eyes filled with heartache.

"Fourth brother, you've suffered."

How much effort will it take for my son to remember all this stuff?