"Comrade Old Zhou, if you can't catch any fish, are you really going to buy them from the market?"
Zhou Yan pursed his lips, looking at Comrade Lao Zhou, who was making a lot of subtle movements. It was a little difficult for him to lie.
"This is really good. These crucian carp would be perfect for braising." Zhao Tieying took down the crucian carp, nodding repeatedly, and said to Zhou Miao, "Then you should go fishing whenever you have free time. I like to eat fish, and Momo likes to eat fish too. From now on, we can eat fish often at home."
"This...that..." Zhou Miao was stunned for a moment, hesitating to speak.
Zhou Yan was stifling his laughter, almost unable to hold it in.
It was clear that Comrade Old Zhou's personal savings were running low; buying two fish everyday would really be a burden for him.
Zhou Yan was thinking of secretly giving him some money.
Comrade Little Zhou had received plenty of financial assistance from Comrade Old Zhou in the past.
[Ding! Side quest triggered: Initial investment in a food supplier. Old Zhou needs understanding and support; provide financial assistance to Zhou Miao to support his passion!]
[Quest Reward: Agastache crucian carp recipe]
[Accept: Yes/No]
A system quest suddenly popped up.
Alright, alright, the system is really bold, daring to act as an investor for the Old Zhou guy.
But of course, he had to accept such a good task.
He could even have agastache crucian carp for dinner tonight!
"Dad, you kill these two crucian carp and the eel. You're good at this, we'll cook them for dinner tonight." Zhou Yan chimed in, helping his father out of the awkward situation.
"Okay." Zhou Miao replied, and carried the crucian carp away.
Zhou Yan then said to Zhao Tieying, "Mom, go and pick some perilla leaves. We'll have crucian carp with perilla leaves for dinner tonight, okay?"
"Okay, crucian carp with perilla leaves is delicious." Zhao Tieying said, and went out in the opposite direction.
Zhou Yan picked up the small bucket containing the eels and followed Old Zhou.
"Cleaning eels requires a bit of skill, do you want to learn?" Zhou Miao tossed a crucian carp into the bucket and then grabbed an eel.
The slippery eel was held firmly between his two fingers, unable to escape no matter how much it wriggled.
"Sure, the more skills I have, the better." Zhou Yan smiled and nodded. "I'll learn how to fish from you in a couple of days; these fish look so delicious."
Old Zhou paused for a moment, glanced in the direction Zhao Tieying had gone, and mused, "Fishing isn't that easy. I just lucky to catch them today; it's not something that happens everyday."
"If you want fish to come ashore, you need money." Zhou Yan said with a smile, taking out a large banknote and slipping it into Zhou Miao's pocket.
"What?" Zhou Miao patted his pocket and looked at him suspiciously, saying, "Why are you giving me so much money?"
"Dad, don't I know your skills?" Zhou Yan said with a smile, "Today I sold 160 bowls of noodles and 100 bowls of cross-legged beef. This is my personal contribution to you for going to the vegetable market. This way you can hold your head high in front of Mom."
Zhou Miao's face flushed. He didn't expect Zhou Yan to have figured it out. He coughed twice and said, "Well... I just missed a big one, otherwise I wouldn't need to buy anything."
"Hmm, I believe you'll definitely catch one next time. It must be a problem with the fishhook, fishing line, or fishing rod. You should go to town and get some good equipment when you have time." Zhou Yan said with a smile. "I fully support this hobby of yours. Anyway, you'll be fishing when you're old, so starting now will save you decades of detours."
What's wrong with comrade Old Zhou liking to fish? He doesn't play cards or drink alcohol.
Moreover, he always finished his work and took care of all the household chores before going fishing, and he only went fishing no more than four times a month.
"Why buy any equipment? A bent embroidery needle makes a fishing hook, a duck feather is a float, dig up some earthworms, and I can fish just fine with a bamboo pole. Save the money you earn properly and pay off the debts first." Zhou Miao shook his head, took out the money, and was about to hand it back to Zhou Yan.
"You keep it, otherwise I'll tell my mom that you bought these fish." Zhou Yan took a step back and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll be able to pay back the money I borrowed in two months, including the five hundred yuan from you."
"This is your private money, I won't tell my mom, it's a secret between men."
Zhou Miao held the banknotes in his hand, looking at Zhou Yan with a somewhat complicated expression and feelings. After a while, he nodded, "Okay, then I'll keep this money to buy fish."
"Then you can clean the eels, and I'll learn some techniques." Zhou Yan said to him.
"Cleaning eels is very simple; just follow this rhyme." Old Zhou said, grabbing an eel and pinning it to a wooden board. He hammered a nail into its head, took out a small knife, and recited, "One eel, yellow belly, pointed head and long tail, a nail in its head, a knife to send you to the King of Hell..."
With a few quick strokes, five eels were cleaned.
Zhou Yan understood the process, but he certainly couldn't do it so smoothly.
Old Zhou's knife skills were too steady; he had to admit defeat.
"Guo Guo! Daddy!" Zhou Momo's voice rang out.
Zhou Yan turned around. Zhou Momo was running towards him, holding a doll in her hand, with Xia Yao following behind her.
"Look! The doll Sister Yaoyao gave me!" Zhou Momo held up the blonde Barbie doll. "Isn't it pretty?"
"Hmm, it's beautiful." Zhou Yan smiled and nodded, looking at Xia Yao. "You shouldn't have to waste money."
"I saw it at the Jiazhou Department Store. It was so cute, so I thought I'd get one for Momo." Xia Yao smiled. "It looks like she really likes it."
"Yes, yes, I love it!" Zhou Momo nodded, "This is my first doll."
"Good girl, I'll bring you another doll next time." Xia Yao patted her head.
"Okay, thank you, Sister Yaoyao." Zhou Momo said obediently, and then went to show the doll to Fanwa.
"Are you all going back to Shancheng tomorrow?" Zhou Yan asked her.
"Yes, the sketching is finished, it's time to go back to school." Xia Yao nodded.
Zhou Yan wasn't good at saying goodbye and couldn't say anything sentimental. "You're staying at the factory guest house tonight, right? It's a bit far from here, how about I give you a ride?"
"No need, it's quite close if I walk..."
"I'll get the bicycle out. It's getting dark, it's not safe for you to be alone." Zhou Yan turned and walked away, pushing his bicycle out of the shop, with three bags of puffed rice candy hanging from the handlebars.
"Suji doesn't have many local specialties, but this is puffed rice candy. Take it with you to eat on the way." Zhou Yan handed the puffed rice candy to Xia Yao.
"This... that's too much." Xia Yao said, a little bewildered, holding the three bags of puffed rice candy.
"I prepared a portion for each of your friends too, you can share it with them." Zhou Yan got on his bicycle. "Get on."
"Okay." Xia Yao replied, sitting on the back seat, a slight smile playing on her lips.
He's quite thoughtful.
He rode his bicycles along the riverbank, the setting sun casting long shadows of the two of them.
Xia Yao slightly tilted her head, gazing at Zhou Yan's profile, lost in thought.
"After graduating from university, are you planning to go back to Hangzhou, or stay in this mountain city?" Zhou Yan asked.
"Huh?" Xia Yao was startled for a moment, then shook her head: "I haven't decided yet. I might go back to Hangzhou, or I might go to Beijing."
"That's good, they're both big cities, suitable for designers like you to develop your careers." Zhou Yan nodded.
"What about you?"
"What?"
"Do you have any plans to open a restaurant in a big city in the future? Like Chengdu, for example?" Xia Yao suggested seriously, "I think your cooking is exceptionally delicious, and you should have better opportunities in Chengdu. Suji is nice, but it's a bit small."
"I don't know when I'll be able to go to Chengdu, but that day will come." Zhou Yan smiled slightly. "Chengdu is big, but there's no place for me there yet."
"You're a clear-headed and optimistic person." Xia Yao said thoughtfully.
He rode his bicycles slowly, chatting about many things along the way—their ideals, their plans for the future, and even literature and music.
In this era without mobile phones or the internet, the world after dark was completely silent, as if it had been switched off.
A sense of loneliness was inevitable.
Zhou Yan realized for the first time that he also had a desire to confide in someone.
Communicating with someone his own age made him feel happy and gave him a more realistic sense of the world.
It was like a drifting ship had found its anchor.
Or perhaps it was because the other person was a beautiful girl?
Xia Yao was articulate and had many ideas that transcended the limitations of the times, so modern that she surprised him.
They weren't really that different, except that he had a little more knowledge of the future.
The bicycle slowly stopped in front of the guest house.
Xia Yao got off the bicycle and smiled, "Thank you for taking me back."
"You're welcome." Zhou Yan looked at her, then turned his bicycle around.
"Zhou Yan." Xia Yao took a step forward and called out to him.
"Yes?" Zhou Yan turned back to look at her.
"I'll write letter to you." Xia Yao said confidently, looking at him. "I hope I'll receive a reply from you too."
"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded, smiling. "Then you have to remember to include your address."
Xia Yao smiled and waved at him, "Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Zhou Yan raised his hand slightly and rode away on his bicycle.
Xia Yao watched him disappear around the corner before turning and entering the guest house.
Just as Zhou Yan turned the corner, he almost bumped into someone.
"Brother Zhou! It's you! I was just about to go look for you!" Ma Xingye grabbed Zhou Yan, his face beaming with joy.
"Did it work out?" Zhou Yan asked, smiling at the radiant Ma Xingye.
"It did! Deng Hong said she likes me too." Ma Xingye nodded, then stuffed a paper bag into Zhou Yan's hand. "This is a small token of my appreciation. If you come to Shancheng to see Xia Yao, be sure to look me up. I'll take you to eat the best food in Chongqing."
"I'm very happy for you two. You don't need to give me anything..."
Zhou Yan hadn't even finished speaking when Ma Xingye had already run off.
"Brother Zhou, be sure to call me when you come to Chongqing!"
"Okay, I'll definitely call you."
Zhou Yan shook his head helplessly. The paper bag in his hand felt heavy; it seemed to contain glass bottles of cola.
He tossed the bag into the bicycle basket. The important thing was to go back to the restaurant and cook.
...
"Did Zhou Yan bring you back? Yaoyao, what were you two talking about at the door? We all saw you, so confess!"
"Wow, he brought you so much food? He's so thoughtful!"
As soon as Xia Yao opened the door, Deng Hong and Zhu Yuyu crowded around her.
"These are for you, one bag each. Puffed rice candy, a specialty of Suji, from the best shop." Xia Yao said, putting the bags down and giving one to each of them.
"Zhou Yan is really nice, he even thought of us." Zhu Yuyu exclaimed.
"Yes, he's so considerate, and he takes such good care of Yaoyao." Deng Hong nodded, unwrapped a piece, took a bite, and looked at Xia Yao, asking, "So, did he confess his feelings?
"Eat yours, we still have a pure revolutionary friendship." Xia Yao said, putting her bag of puffed rice candy into the box, a smile unconsciously playing on her lips.
Zhou Yan was indeed an interesting person.
He was humorous, knowledgeable, and had wildly imaginative ideas that even she couldn't help but admire.
Although he was a chef, she felt they weren't so different.
He was even more like an artist than she was.
...