Siheyuan: I am the Smart Pillar

The next day was a day off, and every household in the courtyard had a rare day off. The men gathered in groups of three or four to drink and play cards, while the women continued to do housework or chat with familiar neighbors. The people in the courtyard seemed very comfortable.

Tomorrow she will go to the steel mill to take over the job. Jia Zhang's old face was full of black lines. She had enjoyed a lifetime of happiness, and when had she ever suffered such a hardship? Her face was so ugly that it frightened the young girls and wives in the courtyard. They all hid from her secretly, fearing that the old woman would have something unpleasant and quarrel with them.

He Yuzhu decided to go fishing with his wife and children today. There was no need to stay at home on a long day off. When Yan Fugui heard that He Yuzhu was going fishing, he followed him shamelessly. It didn't matter whether he could catch a big fish today, but he had to get along well with He Yuzhu, the canteen director of the steel mill. This was the right thing to do!

Yan Fugui also bought a bicycle some time ago, but it was a second-hand one. Although the bicycle made noises everywhere, it was still a bicycle after all, and the neighbors in the courtyard were really envious of it. When the group arrived at Shichahai, many people started fishing early in the morning.

Yan Fugui thought he was an expert at fishing. As a veteran, he kept showing off his fishing experience to He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu was speechless. This Yan Fugui really liked to show off. He took out a thicker sticky cloth from his bag, spread it on the grass, and sat on it.

The bait was very simple. I dug a few earthworms next to the grass, pierced them with a fishhook, and threw them into Shichahai Lake, waiting for the fish to bite. I took out the snacks from my bag and shared them with my wife and daughter.

Seeing Yan Fugui on the side looking envious, he also passed some to Yan Fugui. Yan Fugui's old face was full of joy, and he took it with both hands with a smile. While eating the dried fish, he looked at the surrounding scenery. The scenery of Shichahai has not been polluted by later generations and is still very beautiful.

He Qingmei blinked her beautiful eyes, eating her dried fish while looking at her parents. Qin Huairu wiped the corners of her daughter's mouth lovingly. The couple naturally liked this clever little girl very much.

"Zhuzi, Zhuzi, the fish float is moving, the fish float is moving," Qin Huairu said with a smile as she watched the fish float on her husband's fishing rod move in the water. The fish in the water were very strong, and He Yuzhu grabbed the fishing rod and wanted to pull the fish out of the river.

The arc of the fishing rod was very large. Yan Fugui, who was standing nearby, was stunned. He quickly said to He Yuzhu, "Oh my god, it looks like a big catch is coming. Zhu, let the fish go first, and then use the scoop net to catch it after it is exhausted." He Yuzhu nodded, gritted his teeth and continued to fish by the river. The scene here scared the people who were fishing nearby, so they simply gathered around.

The fish was very strong, but He Yuzhu was even stronger. He struggled with the fish for more than 20 minutes before he was dragged back to the shore. As soon as the fish was dragged back to the shore, everyone was stunned when they saw the big fish. An old man blinked and said, "Could it be that we caught the Dragon King? What a big fish! This fish must be more than 20 kilograms."

Of course, there were also people who used foul language. An old man who was sarcastic said, "Hey young man, this fish has grown so big, I'm afraid it has become a spirit. I think we should release it back into Shichahai so that it can rest in peace. This fish has become a spirit. Do you still want to eat a spirit fish?"

He Yuzhu curled his lips. He didn't want to listen to any of the nonsense the old man said. He just hoped that he could throw the big fish back into the river, and then they would find a way to catch it for him. Could this little trick fool him, He Yuzhu?

He Yuzhu smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Sir, what you said is a bit inappropriate. Nowadays, we have to get rid of all the monsters. This fish is just a little bigger. What does it mean to become a spirit? After the founding of the country, no animal is allowed to become a spirit. Don't you understand this kind of thing?"

The old man who had just spoken was so angry that his face turned red. He snorted and said unwillingly, "You young people don't know how kind I am. Forget it, just do whatever you want." There was a middle-aged man wearing glasses next to him. He smiled and said, "Hey, brother, if you want to sell this fish, just sell it to me. My price is very high, 3 cents per pound, oh, no, 4 cents, what do you think?"

A slightly younger man came out of the crowd and said, "Hey, big brother, I'll pay 5 cents a pound, how about you give me this fish?" The middle-aged man with glasses was a little unhappy, and glared at him fiercely and said, "I say, kid, do you understand what first come first served means? I was here first, so this fish should be sold to me."

The young man said nonchalantly, "Humph, in this kind of situation, whoever bids the highest gets the bargain. You bid the lowest, so who can you blame?" He Yuzhu smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Oh, comrades, stop arguing. I don't plan to buy this fish. As you can see, I want to have a picnic by the river with my wife and children today. If I really sell this fish to him, what will my wife and daughter eat?"

The two looked a little unhappy, but nodded helplessly. Yan Fugui next to them was shocked and said, "Zhu Zhuzi, such a big fish, if you sell it, you should get at least 10 yuan." He Yuzhu quickly said firmly, "I, He Yuzhu, am a very upright person. I will never do such speculation. You are in for a treat today, Third Uncle. I have researched a new dish and I will cook it for you today."

He Yuzhu said to his wife Qin Huairu, "Huairu, take good care of the girl. I saw some wild peppers in the woods nearby. I'll go and check some." Qin Huairu nodded quickly. She was not idle either. She prepared a knife in her bag. She asked He Qingmei to follow Yan Fugui while she walked to the river to collect the fish.

Now is the best time of the year, and there are still many people picnicking on both sides of Shichahai. People either call friends to gather together, or families come out for a picnic to increase their affection for each other. In short, picnics are very common.

Yan Fuguier felt it was a bit of a waste. If he had really caught the fish, he would definitely sell it to him. But he didn't catch the fish himself, and after He Yuzhu finished grilling the fish, he could also get some credit. Why not?