There is a large well next to Zhou's house, and there is a stream about ten meters away. People in the two rows at the foot of the mountain are there to fetch water and wash clothes.
When I arrived, I saw Li Changle sitting barefoot on the edge of the ditch smoking, with his boots, net bag and net aside.
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Zhou Ruonan walked down two steps and said, "My sister-in-law gave me three yuan, saying it was money to help sell fish."
"Just take it." Li Changle thought of the things he put under the oilcloth bag, "Nan, there is a pair of trousers in the backpack. Remember to take them out and wash them."
Then he came forward again and whispered, "After dinner, I will take you to the place where I catch sea fish. There are many oysters and locusts in there, the big ones are bigger than my feet. Quietly, don't let anyone know."
Zhou Ruonan glanced at his feet and said, "Where can there be such a big oyster locust? The ones that existed have been pried off long ago."
"Your husband is famous for his good shipping skills. As long as I'm there every time he goes shopping, the goods will be 100% guaranteed!"
"...Every time you go out, you are a big deal. Why haven't I seen you go shopping in the sea in these years?"
These days we don’t talk about chasing the sea, but “Taohai” or “Chasing the sea”, which means seeking life from the sea.
"This..." Li Changle sneered, "Honey, I wasn't sensible before, but you can see how I behave in the future."
Zhou Ruonan looked at Li Changle like this and felt that if he could really change, it wouldn't be necessary for him to find valuable seafood, as long as he would stop wandering around like before and be looked down upon by others.
Seeing that she didn't respond, Li Changle hurriedly held her hand, "Wife, if your student does something wrong, you will give him a chance. I am your husband, and we are a family. Give me a chance to correct my mistakes!" "
Zhou Ruonan took out her hand and said, "Xiao Hai is getting older every day, I hope you won't let him down!"
The cold look of his eldest son flashed before Li Changle's eyes, "It will definitely not happen this time."
Zhou Ruonan nodded and buried himself in cleaning the shrimps.
Li Changle grinned with a fawning look on his face, "Anan, I'll kill the fish for you."
Zhou Ruonan gave him the kitchen knife and said quietly: "Don't break the gall."
"Don't worry, you won't break it even if you kill with your eyes closed."
Zhou Ruonan didn't answer, the look on his face was clear that he didn't believe it.
Li Changle then remembered that he had never even touched a kitchen knife at home before, "I didn't kill fish at home, but Awei and I were grilling fish and eating them outside. I killed them all. If you don't believe me, see your husband show you his hands."
Zhou Ruonan still ignored him and focused on cleaning herself up.
Li Changle finished killing the fish, put it in the porcelain basin, and looked at her with a proud look on his face, "You're not bragging!"
Who grew up by the sea and doesn’t know how to kill fish?
Zhou Ruonan cursed and gathered the fish entrails together, "I'm going to cook, and you go see if Xiao Hai and his brother are still playing in the alley? I'm worried that he will take his brother to the long pond to look for fish."
"Looking for fish? What kind of fish are you looking for?" Li Changle realized that he really had no memory of the two children's childhood.
"He was playing by the long pond yesterday and saw a bass floating on the bank of the pond. Before he could run back and call me, it was fished away by Lao Wai's father. I'm worried that he will go there again."
"Okay, I'll go take a look." Li Changle took the net and the net bag home and hung them on the clothes drying pole. He looked around the alley and saw the two brothers and the children in the back row playing with spinning tops.
During lunch time, there was not a single woman weaving nets in the alley, and smoke was pouring out of every house's chimney.
"Who wants to go fishing with us after dinner?"
"I want it!" Li Xiaozhou immediately abandoned his brother and ran towards him, "Abba, I want to go!"
"Okay, daddy will take you there after dinner." Li Changle held her hand and looked at Li Xiaohai, "I heard that you saw a bass by the long pond yesterday?"
Li Xiaohai pursed his lips, "It was a big bass, so big. When Lao Wai's father caught it, he said it weighed two kilograms and could be sold for more than one yuan. I didn't drag the net, so he caught it."
Li Changle saw a distressed look on his face that was inconsistent with his age, and his heart ached as if he had been pinched, "Li Xiaohai, how old are you?"
"One year old and five years old!" Li Xiaohai raised six fingers, "Six years old."
Li Changle looked at him seriously, "You still know that you are only six years old? At such a young age, you dare to go fishing in a long pond. If you are pulled into the water by a fish, do you think your mother will cry to death?"
Li Xiaohai looked at him with a stubborn and dissatisfied expression, "My old crooked father will help him catch fish. If you are not at home every day, who should I ask to help me?"
Li Changle was speechless for a while and stepped forward to rub his head. The child dodged his hand and said, "You are not at home every day. People say you are a second-rate son and that you are the boss raised by my mother-in-law."
Damn it! What kind of beast said this in front of a child? Let me catch him and knock out all his teeth!
Looking at his son's expression, he wished he could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.
"Don't listen to those nonsense. Dad used to go out to play because there was nothing important at home. Look, today I was bitten by a poisonous insect and the family was short of money. Dad immediately went fishing to make money. Don't believe me. Ask your grandma."
Li Xiaohai pursed his lips and looked at him for a while, then said: "My mother-in-law said that you gave her all the money from selling fish today. Let me give you a chance to correct your mistake. If you don't correct it properly, my brother and I will both be together in the future." I don’t want you to be my father anymore.”
Li Xiaozhou was anxious and quickly put his arms around Li Changle's neck, "Brother, I want a father!"
Li Changle looked at his son, who had been independent since he was a child, and quickly rubbed his head, "I worry so much every day, no wonder he doesn't grow taller."
"Brother is growing taller!" Li Xiaozhou imitated his example and touched Li Xiaohai's head.
"I'm not short, I'm so much taller than Lao Wai!" Li Xiaohai gestured dissatisfied, turned around and ran home.
Li Changle carried his youngest son home. He didn't see his son and went straight to the kitchen. He saw him helping to light the fire in front of the stove, while Zhou Ruonan stood in front of the stove frying fish.
The two green fish had been cut into six sections and fried in the pan until both sides were browned. Because there was too little oil, she also put fish oil in it, and the fishy smell was a bit strong.
Zhou Ruonan sprinkled on shredded ginger, garlic slices, white scallions, and two small sections of chili peppers, poured in rice wine, added a little water, covered it and simmered for about two or three minutes.
Flip and simmer for a few more minutes until the soup is almost reduced. Add a handful of green onion leaves and simmer for a while before serving.
Li Changle, who had not smelled the food cooked by Anan for more than 20 years, had a sore nose.
Li Xiaozhou sniffed, "Mom, it smells so good! Mom, my brother is hungry!"
Zhou Ruonan glanced at the father and son, "Go and wash your hands with your brother. You can eat soon."
"Xiaohai, take your brother to wash his hands." Li Changle put down the child, took out the shrimps on the stove and put them on the table.
Zhou Ruonan put the fish on a plate, poured a ladle of water into the pot, picked up the porcelain bowl and walked outside.
The year before last, the village had divided the fields and worked alone, and a family of four was divided into two acres of land and four acres of mountain land.
Chapter completed!