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

It was completely dark when the Zhang family ate their meal.

Zhang Jianshe picked up the bowl, slurped up a mouthful of porridge, and his face was as black as the bottom of a pot: "Why are you catching snakes?"

The dinner table was completely silent.

He suddenly looked up and searched for Xu Xiulian, wondering why his wife wasn't worried.

Did you already yell at me this afternoon?

Zhao Hongwei, on the other hand, started babbling, his face showing a mixture of reproach and worry.

"It's alright, there's no danger." Zhang Fengxia held her husband's hand and said excitedly, "Didn't you see? The snake is so hot it can't move. And my little brother has got some powerful stuff."

She paused for a moment and then said, "The living ones didn't let us get close enough."

Zhao Qiang also looked surprised and hurriedly looked at his brother-in-law.

"It's what I should do." Zhang Wenshan smiled and explained again why he caught the snake in the sweltering heat.

"That won't do!" Zhang Jianshe's voice remained icy. "A few little snakes, is it worth risking your life?"

puff!

My nephew couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Zhang Fengxia and Xu Xiulian also squinted their eyes.

"How many snakes did you get?" Zhang Wenhui's eyes darted around, sensing something amiss, and she went straight to the crucial question, "Ten?"

Based on what her younger brother said, she felt she had guessed boldly enough.

"How could that be?" Zhang Jianshe scoffed. "Snakes aren't stupid. Don't they know to burrow for water when it's hot? Five or six at most."

At this moment, those in the know reached a tacit understanding.

They all smiled without saying a word.

"Could there really be ten or so?" Zhang Jianshe asked incredulously.

"Too few."

"Fifteen or sixteen articles?"

"Guess again."

"Twenty!" Zhang Wenhui's voice turned shrill. Everyone knew that snake meat was valuable.

"Still too few."

"Two, twenty-five?" Zhang Jianshe stood up immediately, not even bothering to eat.

"Twenty-eight." Xu Xiulian raised her arm and gestured. "Back then, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Jianshe moved his stool back and ran outside, only to turn back after a few steps.

"Where is the snake?"

"Storehouse".

Having received the answer, Zhang Wenhui also ran outside.

"What can you see in the dark?" Xu Xiulian complained, but reluctantly picked up the kerosene lamp and followed.

Now nobody eats.

"We should ask the captain when the power will be restored." Zhang Wenshan walked at the back, but his mind was on something else entirely.

If I remember correctly, in 82, the nationwide rural power grid expansion was underway.

As an old industrial base, Northeast China should have a relatively fast electrification process, but I don't know what the process was.

With electricity, we can make use of the evenings.

So that you won't have to sleep as soon as it gets dark.

"Goodness, there are rabbits too?"

As the kerosene lamp illuminated the warehouse, Zhang Jianshe couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"These are the only three dead rabbits we found. They just died recently and are still edible. The rest were either eaten by weasels or something, or they've been dead for too long and are rotten," Zhang Fengxia said.

"It's a pity we arrived too late."

"Dad, didn't you just say we shouldn't go?"

"How can that be the same?"

"Hey Dad, take another look at the snake?" Zhang Fengxia shook her head and led Old Zhang to the other side.

Twenty-eight snakes were laid out to dry on a pole, their scales reflecting a ghostly light, making them quite terrifying in the darkness.

Zhang Jianshe shuddered and couldn't help but take two steps back, almost bumping into his wife.

He steadied himself, stepped forward again, his Adam's apple bobbing: "You guys really went all out. These two are huge, a meter and a half?"

"1.8 meters tall."

"Are these three poisonous snakes?" Zhang Wenhui, with her sharp eyes, immediately noticed the difference.

"Yes, I'll put them separately so they don't get mixed up," Zhang Wenshan said with a smile.

"Should I let the teacher know beforehand?"

"Let's talk about it after we settle the money. Any news on the water shoes or anything?"

I'll ask tomorrow.

"Okay." Zhang Wenshan nodded, turned around, and said, "Dad, let's eat after we've finished watching!"

"it is good."

Old Zhang agreed verbally, but didn't move an inch. His eyes were fixed on the snakes, as if he were looking at some rare treasure.

I'm terrified of being poor!

Zhang Wenshan sighed, knowing that this meal was probably not going to be peaceful.

……

In fact, many families in Chishongtun have trouble having dinner in peace.

For the first time ever, Lang Qiuping and his mother, Wang Guihua, were summoned to the main room's dining table.

Grandpa Wang Changlin took a sip of his wine and slowly said, "Qiuping, your brother Huzi is educated and cultured..."

The couple, Wang Weidong's uncle and his wife, immediately put down their chopsticks and looked over with intent eyes.

"Mother, eat more." Lang Qiuping didn't even lift his eyelids as he served food to his mother.

"Are you deaf?!" Wang Weidong slammed his hand on the table and yelled, pointing at his nose.

"Uncle, what did you say?" Lang Qiuping slammed the axe out of his waist and threw it on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Wang Guihua, look at the good son you raised! What is he trying to do?" Wang Weidong's wife screamed.

"Aunt, say it again?" Lang Qiuping held the axe in her hand.

"Shut up, you two." Wang Changlin glared at his daughter-in-law. "Qiuping, you're a smart girl. You know in your heart what's best for you and your daughter."

"Grandpa, what about my eldest uncle's family? What about my second uncle's family? And my third uncle's family?"

"Why bring them up?" Wang Weidong said impatiently. "Give up your chance, and from now on you and your mother can come inside for meals."

His wife looked up at him.

They acted as if they were offering the greatest possible benefit.

"Grandpa, what do you think?" Lang Qiuping glanced at his uncle and his wife and said coldly, "I won't get a share of the money from Shanzi."

Wang Changlin was stunned upon hearing this.

Wang Weidong retorted defiantly, "He earns twelve yuan, why shouldn't you get a share?"

Wang Weidong's wife also glared and said, "The Zhang family must give us an explanation."

"Has there ever been a tradition of charging money for apprenticeship?" Lang Qiuping fumbled with the axe handle. "You can pay me if you want Wang Hu to join the fishing and hunting group!"

Wang Weidong and his wife were speechless for a moment, staring longingly at their father.

"Can I learn a skill?"

"Yes, Grandpa, don't worry, I'll definitely take care of you in your old age."

"Guihua, pack your things and move to my room with Qiuping."

"Why should I, Dad?!"

"Because I'm your father."

……

The same situation played out in the Lin family, but with a different twist.

"Tomorrow, you should give your spot to Lin Gang."

"Sure!" Lin Cuihua answered readily. "Let him transfer his household registration to my family, become my father's son, and kowtow at my father's grave every year to take care of my mother."

"Why should I?"

"Just because the fishing and hunting group is a low-income household, Second Aunt, you were the one who forced our family to separate from it, haven't you forgotten?"

"You brat, you're asking for a beating, aren't you?" Second Aunt made a move to pounce on her.

Lin Cuihua looked around and realized that her so-called uncles, aunts, cousins, and other relatives were clearly in cahoots.

The grandparents huddled in the corner, their heads bowed even lower, their cloudy eyes filled with only evasive guilt.

"Second Aunt, think it over carefully."

Lin Cuihua slowly pulled a small knife from her pocket, the blade gleaming coldly in the dim light.

"I'm just a worthless life, there's nothing I'm not willing to risk!"

……

The Feng family's house at the east end of the village.

"Dad, you've heard about the fishing and hunting group, and I want to join."

Feng Jianwei, who was following behind Zhang Wenshan that day, brought up the old story again.

"Why bother getting in? You've got lucky a couple of times, it won't last."

"Yes, your brother is about to get a promotion at the factory in town, and he needs money for everything."

"Then I'll learn a trade, okay?" Feng Jianwei said, still unwilling to give up.

"No, there's so much work to do in the fields. If you're not there, how much less grain will we harvest?"

"Ah Wei, if you help your brother out now, he'll remember you when he becomes successful, won't he?"

Looking at my parents who are completely unyielding.

Feng Jianwei sighed heavily, his face filled with despair.

Can you really rely on that older brother who has only asked for money when he comes home for the past three years?