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

"One and a half meters?" Upon hearing the size of the Toad Pond, Zhang Jianshe's brows furrowed. "What can you do with such a tiny place?"

"Raising fifteen or sixteen shouldn't be a problem. If we hurry, we can finish it by tomorrow."

Zhang Wenshan did not offer much explanation.

The gravelly land at home is nearly 0.3 acres, about half the size of a basketball court.

Without machinery, it would take at least a month to turn everything into frog ponds using picks and shovels, which is simply unrealistic during the busy farming season.

Unless you hire someone or ask the team for help.

The former requires capital, while the latter requires some achievements as bargaining chips.

Most importantly, large-scale buying and selling always carries certain risks, but as long as you can register with a brigade, you'll be fine.

You don't need to tell your family these things now.

"Father, my younger brother has studied under him; you can't go wrong with him," the eldest sister, Zhang Fengxia, declared decisively. "Husband, let's get started!"

"Don't rush, brother-in-law," Zhang Wenshan quickly stopped him. "Let's split up and check the soil. Let's dig down thirty centimeters and see if there's a clay layer."

After he finished speaking, no one moved.

He turned his head and saw his father staring at him with wide, angry eyes, while his brother-in-law scratched his head, looking completely bewildered.

Zhang Fengxia rarely showed any unease, and asked in a low voice, "What do you mean by 30 centimeters and the clay layer?"

"Oh dear, it's my fault." Zhang Wenshan suddenly realized, slapping his forehead. "Dig a foot deep and see if there's any yellow mud or a similar sticky layer of soil."

Gravel ground is prone to water seepage.

If there's no clay layer, you have to bring it from somewhere else to fill it in, which is absolutely exhausting.

"After spending a few days in town, he's forgotten how to speak properly," Zhang Jianshe muttered discontentedly, slamming his hoe into the ground and getting to work with heavy strokes.

Zhang Wenshan didn't dare to say much and chose a spot to start digging.

He soon realized something was wrong.

It's true that gravel is hard to dig, but it shouldn't leave you breathless after just a short while.

That's too much!

Turning my head, I saw that my father and eldest sister had already finished digging one hole, and my brother-in-law had already dug the bottom of the second one. Then I looked at myself.

It can be ten centimeters long?

"Young man, why don't you take a break?" Zhang Fengxia asked with concern, seeing him covered in sweat.

"It's alright, you'll get used to it." Zhang Wenshan forced himself to remain calm and waved his hand dismissively.

A man can't say no!

"You haven't put in any real effort for years, and you drink every day. You'll need time to adjust. Don't overdo it."

"Um."

Faced with his elder sister's concern, Zhang Wenshan had no strength to respond and couldn't help but curse the original owner of the body in his heart once again.

Dude.

There are just too many pitfalls left behind.

He soon regretted his bravado, but he had already said the harsh words, so he could only grit his teeth and bear it.

Men have pride!

"Aba aba!"

After an unknown amount of time, the brother-in-law suddenly shouted excitedly, followed by the sister screaming for help.

"Young man, is this it?"

"Here it comes, here it comes."

Zhang Wenshan felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He threw down his pickaxe, shook his aching and swollen arms, and dragged his leaden legs as he staggered over.

The bottom of the fifth pit dug by my brother-in-law was yellowish-brown.

He crouched down and carefully felt inside with his fingers.

It felt moist and sticky to the touch. If you pry away the gravel next to it, you'll find even more of the same yellow mud underneath.

"Okay, this is fine."

Zhang Wenshan perked up, straightened his back, picked up his pickaxe, and drew a square about 1.5 meters wide. He then marked a circular deep-water area about 60 centimeters wide in the corner.

Seeing this, Zhang Fengxia's face showed a look of heartache.

Just as she was about to try to persuade him again, her father suddenly spoke up.

"The weather's bad today, go greet your third sister."

Zhang Fengxia immediately realized: "Yes, just tell us what to do next."

"Okay."

"First, dig down about 20 centimeters, which is about half a foot and two inches, then continue digging down another two feet from this spot..."

When the steps reached him, Zhang Wenshan didn't insist any further. After explaining the follow-up matters, he strolled down the mountain.

The roads are difficult to walk on after it rains.

After just a few steps, my shoes get covered in wet mud, which I have to shake off hard or rub off somewhere, otherwise they get heavier and heavier as I walk.

"Accounting is great!"

Zhang Wenshan suddenly remembered that his original self's third sister had studied a professional field in vocational school, and his mind began to wander.

These days, graduates are guaranteed job placement.

At worst, they could return to their own brigade as accountants, and those with good grades might even have the opportunity to directly enter the town government.

Who would dare to imagine this in later generations?

The original owner was fired from the factory and had no chance of pursuing a career in politics, but the third sister had a much better chance. She also knew about the policy trends for the next few decades and was giving advice behind the scenes.

Achieving results isn't something that can be done effortlessly.

The more Zhang Wenshan thought about it, the more he felt there was great potential. Who would have thought that he would have the opportunity to experience what it's like to have connections in high places?

"Um?"

It's about a mile away from the village.

In the dim light, the girl's figure gradually became clear.

She carried a military green canvas bag, had her hair neatly styled to ear length, and her slightly oversized polyester top was soaked through; her corduroy pants barely covered her ankles.

"three……"

Just as Zhang Wenshan was about to greet her, he suddenly noticed a young man in a black cloth jacket opposite his third sister, who was excitedly gesturing and talking.

"Wenhui, my father is the accountant of Donghetun. You won't have to worry about food and drink after you marry into the family. I'll even help you pay off the grain debts your family owes."

The young man in black became more and more agitated as he spoke, and his voice grew louder.

"Think about what kind of life you're living at home right now?"

"Everything good gets given to your fourth son. Your eldest and second eldest sisters had such miserable marriages, do you want to end up like them?"

"I, Liu Tiejun, swear I will treat you well."

Zhang Wenhui pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "How much dowry can you give?"

"What?"

"My brother is getting married, and we need money."

"How much do you want?" Liu Tiejun pressed, a calculating glint in his eyes.

"..." Zhang Wenhui's lips trembled slightly. After a moment, she made up her mind and was about to speak.

"No amount is acceptable!" A furious roar suddenly rang out.

Zhang Wenshan rushed out and pulled his third sister behind him.

That was close.

The family's only hope for him to take the civil service exam was almost dashed.

These days, even if you only verbally agree to a marriage, you can be drowned in spittle if you go back on your word. If the other party is unscrupulous, they might even come to your door and snatch you away.

Liu Tiejun was startled and instinctively took two steps back.

After seeing who it was, a contemptuous smile appeared on his face: "Who do we have here? Get out of the way. Your sister and I are discussing our life's important matters. Don't get in our way, you little brat."

As he spoke, he reached out to pull the person away.

"Snap!"

A sharp cracking sound suddenly rang out, followed by a series of wailing and howling.

"Oh my god, it's broken, it's broken."

Zhang Wenshan grabbed Liu Tiejun's wrist, twisted his arm behind his back, and pressed him to the ground.

He grew up in an orphanage and started doing part-time jobs from a young age, so fighting was already second nature to him.

"Don't bother my third sister again, understand?"

"I understand, I understand, brother, I won't do it again."

"Get out!"

Zhang Wenshan released the person and pushed him forward.

Liu Tiejun fell flat on his face, tumbling and crawling away, disappearing into the twilight without daring to look back.

"Pah!" Zhang Wenshan spat.

Using debt to threaten a marriage, what kind of nonsense is that?

"Don't do anything foolish again. I'll take care of the family's debts. Just focus on your studies..."

"What, you managed to win it back at the poker table?"

Zhang Wenhui said irritably, taking out her hand from her pocket and stuffing the sharp stone in her palm into her schoolbag.

He continued walking forward without looking back.