Chapter 6: Fishing 3.0

The wine had been through three rounds, and the dishes had been through five flavors.

"Ping'an, come, let me introduce you to everyone. This is my brother-in-law, Zhang Ping'an. He will be living in our courtyard for some time to come."

"Hello everyone. Aside from Brother Xu and Brother He whom I haven't met yet, I know everyone else."

He Daqing had the same heavy eye bags and fish-eye look as in the original show; just looking at his face, he seemed older than Lao Jia, while Xu Fugui had a shrewd appearance.

"Oh? Ping'an, you know Teacher Yan too?"

"Yes, I happened to be fishing with Teacher Yan this afternoon. Isn't that right, Teacher Yan?"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes." The two looked at each other and smiled, both secretly thinking of the other as an old fox.

"Hahaha, good, that's fate. Come, come, come, drink, drink."

"Eat, everyone just help yourselves to the dishes, don't be polite."

The banquet made everyone familiar with each other. Men, after all, can become good friends after meeting for three consecutive days, let alone eating and drinking together.

This drinking session didn't end until nearly nine o'clock in the evening, and everyone returned to their own homes.

"San Jie Fu, come, drink some water before you sleep."

"Hmm~" With a mouthful of Space Water swallowed, the originally muddled Lao Jia became much clearer.

"Youcai, it is your brother who has failed you." Zhang Ping'an was a bit stunned by the sudden hug; in the end, Lao Jia cried until he fell asleep.

"San Jie, what is wrong with San Jie Fu?"

"Sigh, your San Jie Fu originally had a younger brother fifteen years his junior. Before he was born, his name was already chosen: Jia Youwei. Unfortunately, his mother had a difficult labor, and it was almost a double tragedy."

"Later, his mother passed away, and this younger brother was born mentally disabled. Later, no one knows how, but he went missing and hasn't been found to this day. His father was old, and because of this, he was overcome with grief and passed away not long after."

"Because your San Jie Fu had to work in the city, he didn't have time to take care of his mother. All these years he has been blaming himself, and he has always taken care of you like a younger brother, just to make up for that regret in his heart."

After hearing this, Zhang Ping'an felt heavy in his heart. He didn't expect San Jie Fu Lao Jia to have such a sad past. If Jia Youwei was still alive, he would definitely bring him to see San Jie Fu if he had the chance.

"Alright Ping'an, things are in the past. Let's not mention this in front of Lao Jia in the future, so as not to make him sad again."

"Mm, okay."

The next morning, the group of four was left with only him; the three of them had all gone to school. Shazhu also graduated from primary school this summer; it is estimated that after graduating from primary school, he will start his career as a chef.

Zhang Ping'an changed his fishing spots every day, and he sold fish in different locations. These days, he had managed to get a good grasp of the surrounding roads.

Even with different fishing spots every day, his deeds spread in the circle of anglers. Everyone knew there was a fishing expert who could calculate and predict, always able to pick the spots where schools of fish passed by. If they could meet this expert, they could also pick up quite a bit of leftovers each time.

"Father, Mother, why are you here?"

"I'm taking advantage of your San Jie Fu's day off to bring you some flour and the game you hunted before."

"Father, Mother, come in and sit."

"Father, Mother, didn't I have Xiaohua tell you that there is enough to eat at home and we aren't lacking anything? Why did you bring so much?"

"Eh~, Ping'an is living here, and he has become a bottomless pit during this time. I'm afraid he'll eat you out of house and home."

"....."

"Father, Mother, you don't know, Ping'an gave me 500,000 yuan this week alone, it's impossible to spend it all."

"What? Ping'an, what have you been doing? Where did you get so much money?" After saying this, he picked up a stool and was about to take action.

"Father, Father, don't do anything. It's my fault for not explaining clearly. This is all money earned by Ping'an fishing. Dongxu and two children from our courtyard also earned one or two hundred thousand following him."

"Fish in the city are that valuable?" Zhang Laohan looked suspicious.

"Cough, cough, Father, it's because I catch a lot, I can catch about eighty or a hundred catties every day."

"Stop bragging, are there really that many fish in the city's rivers?"

"Father, I have been reading books besides fishing in my spare time lately. All of it is fishing knowledge learned from books." Zhang Ping'an was a bit speechless; why did no one believe him when he told the truth?

"Fine, fine, fine, as long as you aren't messing around."

"......"

After lunch, Zhang Laohan and his wife drove back to Zhang Family Village. Before leaving, Zhang Ping'an pulled Zhang Laohan aside.

"Father, go back and change my age to be two years older. I plan to go to school in the city. I have been self-studying the primary school curriculum during this time and plan to go directly to junior high school."

"You? Still self-studying?" Zhang Laohan looked suspicious.

"It's true, Father. Ever since I woke up, my memory has become exceptionally good, almost photographic."

"Then fine, if you do well on the exam, our village might produce a Top Scholar."

"Father, don't have such high expectations."

"Hmph, I knew it."

Just like that, half a month later, Zhang Ping'an had saved nearly five million.

"San Jie, Brother-in-law, let's buy that room next door too. It will be more convenient for Dongxu to live there when he gets married in the future."

"Uncle, how old am I?" Jia Dongxu was still a bit embarrassed.

"You're still young? When I was your age, I already had you."

"....."

"Fine." Lao Jia gritted his teeth. He had over four million in his hands, and this room would cost at most two million, which was enough.

In the evening, Lao Jia took two white Steamed Buns and, with two million tucked in his pocket, went to the Back Courtyard. Zhang Ping'an originally planned to follow him to take a look, but he didn't expect to be grabbed by Zhang Xiaohua.

"What's wrong, San Jie?"

"Don't go, that place is ominous." Zhang Xiaohua was clearly afraid of the Deaf Old Lady.

"Oh, oh, okay, I won't go over then."

"Is the old lady home? It's me, Lao Jia from the Middle Courtyard."

"Is that Youcai? The door isn't locked, come in."

"Okay."

"Youcai, do you have some business?" Deaf Old Lady looked at the white flour Steamed Bun that Lao Jia was holding.

"I can't hide anything from you, old lady. I want to buy the room next to mine; I wonder what the price is?"

"Fine, we are old acquaintances after all, you give me 1.5 million."

"Done, here is 1.5 million, please count it."

"Good." After counting the money, Deaf Old Lady handed the land deed and key to Lao Jia.

"That's settled then, old lady, you rest, I'll be heading back."

"Mm."

"Whew~" Once out of the Back Courtyard, Lao Jia finally let out a sigh of relief. Facing Deaf Old Lady, he always felt an inexplicable pressure, like the feeling of facing a high-ranking official during the Republic of China era.

"Xiaohua, Ping'an, Dongxu, the house is bought."

"Good, that's good, Dongxu's wedding room is settled."

"Brother-in-law, Dongxu will be graduating from junior high school this summer vacation, do you have any plans?"

"Hmm~ I originally planned to spend money to get Dongxu into the Rolling Mill with me, but the workshop is a bit dangerous, so I'm at a loss for now."

"Dongxu, what are your own thoughts?"

"Me? My grades are just average, the best outcome is still to enter the factory."

"How about letting Dongxu learn fishing and hunting with me? Many of the fish I caught before were sold to the Procurement Section of the factory. Brother-in-law, you find a way to get Dongxu into the Procurement Section too; this way, we can consider it a business with no capital investment, and the work is also free."

"Done, this is a good idea."

"Dongxu, what do you think?"

"Good, I have no objections."

"That's settled then, after the summer vacation, you can learn properly from me."

"Alright."

Early the next morning, Zhang Ping'an rarely didn't go out fishing and started cleaning the room next door with Zhang Xiaohua.

"Sister-in-law, you bought the place next door too?"

"Yes, Dongxu is about to get married, we have to prepare early."

"That's true, that's true."

"If you need any help, just say the word."

"No need, no need, the two of us siblings will have it cleaned up in a while."