Chapter 36: Old Man Zhang’s Utter Frustration

Upon entering the house, Lin Yang immediately activated his system’s scanning mode.

He knew Old Man Zhang all too well. With that old miser’s penny-pinching nature, he certainly wouldn't have the heart to kill all the fish and shrimp at once. Fresh fish and shrimp had a milder smell and tasted better; once dead, the fishy odor intensified, and without good seasonings, it would be impossible to mask that unpleasant stench. Nowadays, with everyone living hand-to-mouth and lacking oil and spices, Old Man Zhang would undoubtedly keep the catch alive.

As Lin Yang expected, he quickly locked onto his target with the system's assistance. He strode straight to the kitchen and gave the lid of the water vat a forceful yank. When he saw the fish swimming vigorously inside, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He hadn't expected those six baskets to have netted at least seven or eight fish. There were grass carp, common carp, and catfish. The largest catfish, weighing over four pounds, was thrashing wildly in the vat, splashing water everywhere. The others were at least a pound each. There were also three or four crabs scuttling about, waving their claws menacingly. While he didn't see any shrimp, a bowl of prepared shrimp paste sat on the stove, emitting a rich, salty aroma.

At that moment, several villagers followed him into the kitchen.

"Good heavens, there’s so much?!" One villager’s jaw practically dropped. His exclamation exploded through the kitchen, instantly drawing everyone’s attention. When the crowd saw the fish in the vat, their eyes filled with disbelief. Aside from the Lunar New Year, people rarely saw meat on their tables. And fish and shrimp were definitely considered meat! Many couldn't help but gulp, the sound of their swallowing audible in the quiet kitchen.

Lin Yang wanted exactly this effect. He smiled and said to everyone, "Take a look! Those baskets are hanging right there on the kitchen wall. They’re brand new—used less than three times—yet here they are in his house."

As he spoke, he took down a basket and inspected it closely. There were uncleaned fish scales stuck to the sides, and some small shrimp, dried into husks, were wedged in the mesh.

"The evidence is irrefutable!" Lin Yang held the basket high for all to see and announced loudly.

Just then, Old Man Zhang burst in, looking frantic. His eyes were wide as copper bells, filled with malice and resentment as he glared at Lin Yang. Gritting his teeth, he spat out, "Lin Yang, I admit I framed you, but I only wanted to get out of that I.O.U. I had no other ill intent! Besides, you tell me, everyone—we’re all fellow villagers. We see each other every day. I just wanted to learn how to fish, and you made such an outrageous demand: fifty pounds of rice and two old hens! Aren't you being a bit too ruthless?"

The crowd exchanged glances. Privately, they also felt Lin Yang’s asking price was a bit steep. Those few baskets together weren't even worth a dollar; a standard basket at the market only cost twenty cents. Asking for fifty pounds of rice and two hens just for selling eight baskets and teaching someone how to fish did seem excessive.

Before they could begin to murmur, Lin Yang suddenly threw his head back and laughed. The unexpected laughter drew everyone’s gaze. They looked at him, bewildered, unable to understand what he found so funny.

"Old Man Zhang, have some shame!" Lin Yang stopped laughing, his gaze piercing as he looked at the old man. "The villagers have sharp eyes. You just learned how to fish from me, and in a single day, you’ve caught over ten fish and several crabs. Just one day! That’s over ten pounds of fish meat. If you keep fishing like this for a month or two, how much will you harvest?"

"Do you still think my price was high? You’re just trying to have your cake and eat it too!"

The crowd hadn't realized it at first, but after Lin Yang’s explanation, they suddenly understood.

"That’s right! Yangzi is right. To catch this much in one day—if this goes on, it’ll be a fortune!"

"Exactly! These aren't even the expensive varieties. If he caught fine-scaled fish, mandarin fish, or even a large snapping turtle, he’d be rich!"

"Hey! Old Man Zhang is just too greedy. To learn such a good trade and then try to burn bridges—he’s no man at all!"

Listening to the one-sided criticism of Old Man Zhang, the corners of Lin Yang’s mouth curled into a faint, mocking smile. His eyes were like torches, boring into Old Man Zhang as if he could see through his very thoughts. His tone was firm and beyond doubt:

"Old Man Zhang, let’s settle this account properly. On the market today, a pound of rice costs only twenty cents. But fish from the river—even common carp—sells for over ten cents per pound. Just based on today’s catch, you’ve already earned the equivalent of ten pounds of rice, haven't you? Think back to how you looked before—begging me to teach you the way of the river. My heart softened, and I agreed."

"And besides, if you’re lucky, you can catch snapping turtles in that river. A pound of turtle can sell for ten dollars! Think about it—how much income is that?"

As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a boulder crashing into a calm lake. The villagers reacted, their eyes shining as they looked at Lin Yang. A burly man in the crowd could no longer suppress his excitement and bellowed with his raspy voice:

"Yangzi, I’ll give you fifty pounds of rice! Have mercy and teach me how to fish! My kids are waiting at home, eyes wide, dying for a taste of fish—they're drooling just thinking about it!"

The others were ignited by the same passion and chimed in, one after another, until the air was filled with a chorus of eager requests.

"Yangzi, teach me too! You know my situation—it’s truly hard. If I can learn this skill, I can at least add some meat to the table and improve our lives."

"Yes, yes, Yangzi, have a heart! Take us in; we’ll always remember your kindness!"

Everyone knew deep down that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Who wouldn't want to seize the chance to earn extra money and feed their families delicacies they usually didn't even dare to dream of? These hardworking farmers, who spent their lives facing the dirt and sky, rarely saw meat more than a few times a year. Now that such a possibility existed, how could they not be ecstatic?