Chapter 55

Tao Daqiang appeared again, Li Long was a bit surprised, but thinking about it, it was normal.

He just took a look and went to Li Jianguo's place to help his brother pick up fish.

At this time, Li Juan and Li Qiang had already collected a large pile of reeds, and Li Qiang shouted:

"Uncle, light the reeds!"

"Are you cold?" Li Long asked, "If you're not cold, don't light them yet. By the way, move that pile of reeds away from the reed bushes, otherwise it will cause a fire."

"Alright." Li Qiang obediently went to move those reeds, and at this time, Tao Daqiang had already arrived at the edge of the old ice hole.

"Splash!" Li Jianguo pulled out another net. This net caught two large crucian carp and seven or eight small crucian carp and gudgeons. It seems there really aren't many fish here anymore.

Logically speaking, there aren't many places in the entire reservoir to let in air, so the fish shouldn't be this smart. Li Long couldn't figure it out; is it because there's a lot of movement here?

Tao Daqiang bent down to pick up fish with Li Long. Li Long asked:

"Is your brother okay?"

"Was beaten up, waist is a bit twisted." Tao Daqiang's tone was a bit heavy, "Old Tian in the team said he needs to rest for a few days."

Old Tian is the barefoot doctor in the team, who has received training and knows a little bit about giving injections, grabbing traditional Chinese medicine, simple massage, and cupping. Of course, a "Barefoot Doctor's Manual" is a must-have.

"That's fine, anyway there's nothing to do recently." Li Long nodded and stopped talking.

Li Jianguo glanced at Tao Daqiang and continued to bend down to scoop fish.

"Brother Jianguo, I'll pay back the money I borrowed from you later." Tao Daqiang said.

"Don't pay it back, I used the money you saved with me to make up for it." Li Long added, "Just right, now no one owes anyone anything."

Tao Daqiang felt that Li Long's words had other meanings, but he didn't understand, just saying:

"Brother Long, the money I saved isn't that much..."

"It is, ran with me a few times, can't let you suffer a loss, don't worry, it's enough."

Tao Daqiang's lips moved, and he didn't speak again.

He felt that Brother Long was a bit distant from him.

But what can be done about that? At that time, on one side was his father and brother, and on the other side was Li Long. Which side to choose?

"Brother, I'll go scoop over there, I guess no fish dare to come over in this ice hole." Li Long waited for Li Jianguo to scoop another net, and when there was only one silver carp weighing more than a kilogram and a dozen small crucian carp, he said.

"Alright." Li Jianguo handed the scoop net to Li Long and climbed up with both hands pressing on the ice surface.

Li Long arrived at that other ice hole, stepped firmly after going down, and started scooping fish.

Anyway, knowing there wouldn't be many fish, his movement was a bit bigger. The first net had a little surprise: one five-striped fish weighing more than a kilogram, one bighead carp weighing nearly three kilograms, and seven or eight gudgeons.

Tao Daqiang squatted to pick up fish, and Li Qiang and Li Juan also came to help.

This continued until lunch time. Li Long finally ran to the two newly smashed ice holes and scooped two nets each, but the result was only twenty or thirty small crucian carp and gudgeons, not a single big fish. He knew he could only wait for the afternoon.

The morning harvest was about twenty kilograms of fish, with twelve or thirteen kilograms of big fish and seven or eight kilograms of small fish. Usually, this would be a big harvest, but if it were to be sold, it was still a bit short.

Carrying the fish and tools back together, Li Juan and Li Qiang kept talking on the road, while the three adults were silent.

Arriving at the Li family, Tao Daqiang said first:

"Uncle Jianguo, Brother Long, I'm going back first."

"Eat at home?" Li Jianguo said politely.

"Not eating, cooked at home." Tao Daqiang left with big strides, as if afraid Li Long would force him to stay.

Lunch was rice, stewed fish, and a stir-fried pickled vegetable wild boar meat. This meal, which usually looked very rich, was now considered home cooking in the Li family. If it were told, don't know how many people would envy it. Washing hands and eating, the two children shoveled rice into their mouths. Although the team planted rice, the amount of rice distributed to the family wasn't much, so eating rice was also rare.

Li Jianguo asked Li Long while eating:

"What do you think about this matter with Daqiang?"

"What's wrong with Daqiang?" Liang Yuemei asked suspiciously.

"Just now when we were scooping fish, he went over to help."

Liang Yuemei didn't speak, looking at Li Long. The final decision-making power for this matter was with Li Long.

"If he wants to come and help, I naturally welcome it." Li Long thought for a while and said, "Some things are more convenient if he follows me—for example, going to Shicheng to sell fish, at least he can help me watch the horse cart. I wouldn't be at ease if I changed to someone else.

Of course, later I won't share money with him like before, just pay him for each time he works."

Li Jianguo understood. In the past, Li Long treated Tao Daqiang as a partner, but now that is the relationship between a shopkeeper and a clerk.

He nodded. His brother's decisiveness was quite strong.

!.

Doing this is also good, at least no need to worry about his brother suffering a loss in the future.

Honestly speaking, Tao Daqiang didn't do anything wrong—people have to distinguish between distant and close, and between his father and brother and Li Long, he chose his family, which is very normal and reasonable. It is estimated that 99.9% of people would choose this way.

Li Long certainly understands; if it were him, he would also choose this way.

But Li Long has his own position. He can't continue to maintain the previous relationship just because Tao Daqiang did the right thing; that's impossible.

This matter has nothing to do with right or wrong, only with position.

Li Long can't have the same relationship with him as before. After all, there was one choice, and if there is a major matter next time, does he still need to choose?

And Tao Daqiang's strength, size, and personality make Li Long not need to worry too much when using him to help. Daqiang is much better than Ermao, or even Xu Haijun and Huang Siping.

Knowing Li Long's thoughts, Li Jianguo didn't say anything more and started eating big mouthfuls.

Fish soup with rice, although not very good for the stomach, the taste is really good!

After eating, Li Juan and Li Qiang were tired from playing and went to the heated brick bed to sleep. Li Jianguo and Li Long rested for a while, then took their things and walked toward the small lake.

As soon as they walked out of the courtyard gate, they saw Tao Daqiang wandering outside the courtyard. Li Long said with a smile:

"Daqiang, why not come into the room?"

"I... I just came too."

Li Long didn't expose this not-so-clever lie, and called him to walk toward the small lake together.

In the afternoon, the two new ice holes started to produce fish. Although not many at one time, with four ice holes taking turns, they scooped up more than sixty kilograms of fish in the afternoon, most of which were still big fish.

Li Long estimated that there were more than twenty fish over two kilograms, while those over one kilogram were fewer, about five or six, and the remaining small fish were ten-plus kilograms. The largest one was still a bighead carp, weighing more than five kilograms.

Dividing the fish into two bags, the three of them brought them back to the Li family together. This time Tao Daqiang didn't refuse Li Long's invitation and entered the Li family to drink fish soup.

"Daqiang, I'm going to Wucheng tomorrow, my brother is catching fish, if you have time, come over."

"Alright." Tao Daqiang was a bit surprised to hear this, but still agreed readily.

Li Long had already determined to go to Wucheng tomorrow. Now to go to Wucheng, you have to go to Shicheng to take a bus, because this county and Wucheng are not connected by bus. Fortunately, the departure time of this bus is not particularly early, twelve o'clock. Li Long estimated that starting at eight o'clock in the morning would basically be in time.

Thanks to Brother Fa for the reward again, thanks to book friend 20230401012332143 for the reward, thanks for everyone's monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and various suggestions and opinions. The SMS for the second round of recommendations has arrived, can continue to code words with peace of mind. Also, ask a question, should both chapters be posted around midnight or like now, one chapter at midnight and one at nine o'clock?

(End of chapter)