Chapter 4: Isn't it just that they're hoping for his death, so they can seize the Huang Family's assets?
Huang Weiguo took a little spiritual spring water from his space, soaked the fishhook in it, and then cast it into the water.
The spiritual energy contained in the spiritual spring water quickly attracted fish.
Huang Weiguo took a closer look and, wow, it was actually a huge fish weighing forty catties.
"Huahua, Qing Qing, move aside a bit, I've hooked a big one!"
Huahua and Qing Qing cheered happily: "That's great, we can eat fish today!"
The onlooking anglers nearby were dumbfounded.
"You can catch a fish without bait? It probably isn't anything more than some insignificant little trash fish, right?"
"Splash—"
With a huge splash, a forty-catty large Grass Carp was pulled onto the ice.
"This... it's actually a big fish?"
"Young man, are you selling this fish?"
This was the year 1952. Joint State-Private Ownership hadn't been implemented yet, and buying and selling things didn't require ration coupons. There was no need to worry about being accused of speculation and profiteering.
"I'll sell it! But, Old Man, I can still catch other fish. Do you want to take all of them together?"
"Oh? Young man, what makes you think more fish will bite?"
Huang Weiguo replied with a serious expression: "Because I have confidence in myself!"
That Old Man scrutinized Huang Weiguo with sharp eyes for quite a while, his brows involuntarily furrowing.
This young man before him looked remarkably like an old friend of his, but he couldn't quite remember exactly which one for the moment.
"Haha, well done, young man! Just for those words, I'll buy all the fish you catch today, at market price!"
Hearing this, Huang Weiguo's eyes immediately lit up. If he could earn more money by fishing, he probably wouldn't have to worry this winter.
Looking at the thin cotton clothes on Huahua and Qing Qing, Huang Weiguo felt even more motivated.
He dipped the fishhook into the spiritual spring water again and then cast it into the water.
Someone nearby couldn't help but advise: "Young man, catching a fish without bait the first time was pure luck. This time it definitely won't work!"
Huang Weiguo replied: "Since I had good luck the first time, I can have it a second time too. I believe I can do it!"
The Old Man buying the fish looked at Huang Weiguo approvingly. This young man had a determined gaze and could stick to his own ideas; he was truly promising.
"Something's on the hook!"
"Wait, that's not a fish! It's actually a turtle!"
"Goodness, this must be a wild turtle weighing twenty catties, right?"
Huang Weiguo hadn't expected that the spiritual spring water could even attract turtles.
"Old Man, do you want this turtle? If not, I'll put it back."
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"
The Old Man looked at the turtle as if it were a treasure, his eyes gleaming.
With his outstanding comprehension ability, Huang Weiguo's fishing skills improved day by day.
Before long, he had caught several dozen catties of fish of various sizes.
"Old Man, aside from these few small fish I'm keeping, I'll sell all the others. Please calculate how much they're worth!"
"Carp and Grass Carp have a market price of two mao and five fen per catty.
These fish weigh a little over one hundred catties. Let's count it as one hundred and ten catties for you, young man. That comes to twenty-seven yuan and five mao in total.
As for this turtle, a flat price of forty yuan. How about it?"
The price was very reasonable. Huang Weiguo agreed immediately: "Deal, Old Man. Let me help you carry it back!"
"No need, someone will come to pick me up later!"
The Old Man waved his hand, carried the fish aside, and before long, a man pushing a bicycle walked over.
Huang Weiguo's eyes flickered slightly. In this era, having a bicycle meant you weren't from an ordinary family.
Huang Weiguo packed up the remaining fish.
There were also some small trash fish. Huahua and Qing Qing couldn't bear to throw them away either, so they were all put into the bucket.
Only when there was no one else nearby did Huahua and Qing Qing excitedly hug Huang Weiguo's legs and ask:
"Big brother, does this mean we'll never have to go hungry again?"
Huang Weiguo knew very well in his heart that over the past three years, although he occasionally went hunting to supplement the family income,
most of the family's money had been spent by him on buying a house, after which he fell ill.
First, Qin Huairu contracted a serious illness, and then Bai Ling also fell gravely ill.
Huang Liying spent all the family's savings for Huang Weiguo. Other families' children could still eat some meat during festivals and holidays.
But for Huahua and Qing Qing, being able to eat a full meal to their heart's content was a luxury.
He squatted down and carefully straightened the crumpled clothes on Huahua and Qing Qing:
"Big brother will take you to buy grain. We'll cook fish for dinner and let you have a good meal, okay?"
"Okay!"
"We get to eat fish!"
"Qing Qing can finally eat her fill!"
Watching Huahua and Qing Qing's jubilant expressions, Huang Weiguo felt a lightness throughout his entire body.
Before, when he hadn't recalled his past life's memories, he ruined his own health all day long for the sake of Qin Huairu and Bai Ling.
How incredibly foolish!
Weren't those neighbors in the Siheyuan just hoping for his death, so they could seize the Huang Family's assets?
He was determined to make the Huang Family's life rich, fulfilling, and prosperous.
Just from fishing today, he earned sixty-seven yuan and five mao, and still had two three-to-five catty Grass Carp left.
Plus some small trash fish, enough for the family to have a good meal.
But eating only fish wouldn't do; they needed to buy some grain.
Huang Weiguo led Huahua and Qing Qing to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative first, purchasing flour, rice, and quite a few seasonings and daily necessities.
After leaving the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Huahua and Qing Qing each held a bag of popcorn in their hands.
Just as they entered the front courtyard of the Siheyuan, they ran into Third Uncle, wearing black-framed glasses, his eyes darting around.
Seeing the things in Huang Weiguo's hands, Third Uncle asked with a surprised look: "Weiguo, has your illness recovered?"
Huang Weiguo replied with a calm gaze: "Yes, it's better."
Yan Bugui's face turned as ugly as if he had swallowed something foul. He had long been coveting Huang Weiguo's Home.
He was just waiting for Huang Weiguo to breathe his last.
He never expected that Huang Weiguo had actually recovered.
"Hey, did you go fishing? Goodness, such a big fish! Huang Weiguo, I always knew you were skilled at hunting.
I didn't expect you to be so capable at fishing too. This fish needs to be handled properly. If done poorly and the fish's gallbladder breaks,
the entire fish meat will turn bitter. How about this: leave the fish here, and I'll have your Third Aunt help prepare it. She's an expert in this area!"
As he spoke, Yan Bugui reached out to grab the bucket in Huang Weiguo's hand.
Huang Weiguo sighed inwardly. Sure enough, it was the notoriously stingy and cunning Third Uncle.
In the original novel, Third Uncle was a primary school teacher who liked to nitpick over words, considered himself refined, and was particularly fond of scheming.
He schemed not only against outsiders but even against his own sons. He demanded a return on every cent he spent, practically possessed by the spirit of 'Grandet'.
At this moment, was Yan Bugui's offer to help Huang Weiguo prepare the fish truly out of goodwill?
In reality, he had his eyes on things like the Fish Roe, Swim Bladder, and Fish Bones. He'd probably even chop off the Fish Head and take it.