I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: A Hold Full of Fish

”Here, let me see if you actually caught anything!”

Little Shanghai led the way, the beam of his flashlight turning everything it touched to daylight.

”Damn, what the hell is this?”

As soon as he reached the side of the boat, Little Shanghai saw the two spotted seals in the tattered fishing net held by Zhao Ergou.

”Seals. Two of them. A hundred pounds!”

Zhao Ergou quickly gave him all the information he wanted, simple and direct.

Little Shanghai immediately grew excited and shouted to the people behind him.

”Hey! Wendong really caught something! Two seals, and they’re fat! A hundred pounds!”

Hearing this, Zheng Guangrong’s face lit up with joy. ’Seals or Hai Pangtou, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s from the sea,’ he thought. With these two seals, freezing out here today hadn’t been for nothing.

”Holy crap, are all these baskets full of fish? Is this the Hai Pangtou?”

”Fish! And several more baskets of fish, all filled to the brim.”

When Liangzi and the others heard what Little Shanghai said next, they got even more excited and unconsciously surged toward the fishing boat.

”Little Shanghai, shine it on me! It’s so bright!”

Zhao Wenwu shouted to Little Shanghai from where he stood. In Dragon King Pond, only the brigade headquarters had a flashlight. During the autumn patrols, Zhao Weiguo would take it with him and the militia at night. He treasured it, never letting anyone else touch it.

Zhao Wenwu’s eyes were filled with wonder. ’A flashlight that can light up like this is so cool,’ he thought. ’If only I had one, then I wouldn’t get beaten by Mom for pissing outside the bucket when I get up at night anymore.’

”Haha, Second Brother, what are you doing bent over like that? What are you holding onto?”

”Fish! A whole net of fish!”

”Fish? Then why don’t you pull it up and put it on the boat, Second Brother?”

”There’s no room!”

Little Shanghai was even more baffled by Zhao Wenwu’s words. ’How could there be no room on such a big boat?’

”Put it in the hold!”

Zhao Wendong walked over with a smile, opened the cover to the boat’s hold, and let Little Shanghai see for himself.

”Take a look and you’ll know!”

Little Shanghai shot Zhao Wendong a sideways glance. ’What’s with all the cloak-and-dagger stuff?’ he thought. ’Fine, I’ll look!’

He shone the flashlight into the hold, and then he froze on the spot as if turned to stone.

”HOLY SHIT!”

Little Shanghai let out a huge yell. The flashlight slipped from his hand and fell into the hold with a CLANG. The beam of light rolled around wildly, and just as it was about to fall into the sea, Zhao Ergou dove and snatched it back.

Zhao Wendong gave Er Gouzi a thumbs-up. ’In my past life, this kid, Sanwazi, and Third Aunt didn’t make it through the famine years,’ he thought. ’After spending time with him today, I see that Er Gouzi is really sharp.’

”What’s wrong?”

Liangzi and the others crowded around, asking anxiously.

”Fish... fish... so much fish!”

Little Shanghai was so stunned he could barely speak. Finally, he just slapped his thigh, stepped aside, and went off to calm down, letting the others see for themselves.

Zhao Ergou fiddled with the flashlight in his hands—it was his first time holding one too. He thoughtfully aimed the beam into the hold so the rest of them could see clearly.

”FUCK!”

”SON OF A BITCH!”

”Oh my god!”

The men stared with wide eyes, frozen in place as if they’d seen a ghost. In the hold, packed so tightly they were almost spilling out, were endless Hai Pangtou. Their silvery-gray bodies shimmered in the light, layer upon layer of them!

Zheng Guangrong’s legs felt weak. He stumbled back a few steps and plopped onto the ground. His mind was buzzing. Only a single thought raced through his head: He, Zheng Guangrong, was going to be a hero! The kind who gets to wear a big red flower and stand on the chairman’s stage during the New Year!

”Dongzi, is it really a ton and a half? Where the hell did so many fish come from in the middle of winter?”

While the others were still stunned, Little Shanghai was the first to recover from the shock. He grabbed Zhao Wendong excitedly.

”That much or more. A ton and a half is a conservative estimate. I think it might be closer to two or two and a half tons!”

”Whoa!”

Little Shanghai sucked in a sharp breath. ’This time,’ he thought, ’Zhao Wendong has really pulled off something incredible.’

Zhao Wendong suddenly reached out and clapped him on the shoulder.

”Brother, thanks for your investment. Half of everything here is yours. Once we sell all these fish, you’ll be able to go home for the New Year!”

Little Shanghai felt as if he’d been struck by lightning, and his whole body began to tremble slightly. ’Go home? It’s all I ever think about. Is it really going to happen?’

”Dongzi, you’re the man! Dongzi, you’re the goddamn man! In the whole Commune—no, in the whole county, the whole region—you’re the top dog!”

Zhang Liang’s voice went high-pitched as he hugged Zhao Wendong, jumping up and down.

”Holy shit, alright, alright, stop jumping! You’re stepping on my foot!”

Liangzi’s parents looked at Zhao Wendong with expressions full of relief and admiration. ’How could anyone still call him a street loafer?’ they thought. ’The boy is incredibly capable!’

Big Sister Hua walked over to Zheng Guangrong, helped him up from the ground, and gave him a discreet pinch. She leaned in and whispered in his ear.

”Snap out of it. There’s so much here waiting for you to handle!”

Zheng Guangrong snapped back to his senses. He shot his mistress a grateful look, then rushed over to Zhao Wendong in a few quick steps and grabbed his hand, refusing to let go.

”Brother Dong, I’m not kidding, from now on, you’re my real brother, Zheng Guangrong’s own flesh and blood!”

”This is too big for me. I can’t make the call. There’s just too much stuff; I’m just a small fry, I can’t handle it. First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll call the county and report it up the chain. We’ll have the leaders come and deal with it.”

Zhao Wendong nodded. He had already expected this. There was no way Zheng Guangrong could purchase so many fish on his own.

”Alright. In that case, Brother Zheng, you should go home and get some rest. Just have the county people come early tomorrow. I’m just a little worried... will the county try to rip me off?”

He finished speaking and stared intently at Zheng Guangrong. Zheng Guangrong was taken aback for a moment, then his expression turned solemn—as solemn as when he’d joined the Party. He pounded his chest and swore an oath.

”Brother Dong, don’t you worry! As long as I, Zheng Guangrong, am here, I absolutely will not let you suffer the slightest loss. If I, Zheng Guangrong, fail to do so, then... then may I be cursed with impotence for the rest of my life!”

Big Sister Hua’s smiling face instantly froze. Zhao Wendong laughed heartily. ’To make such a venomous vow... Old Zheng, you’re really putting it all on the line!’

”Alright, Brother Zheng, how could I not trust you? It’s getting cold, you should head back. I’ll wait for you to make the arrangements.”

”It’s fine, no rush, no rush. I’ll just take another look.”

Just moments ago, Zheng Guangrong had been tired and cold, desperate to get back to his warm bed. But now, he was full of vigor. It just goes to show, a career is a man’s best medicine.

”Wendong, so what’s our next move?”

Liangzi glanced at the sled he had brought. With this many fish, it would probably take all night just to transport them with such a small sled.

Everyone looked to Zhao Wendong, waiting for him to make a decision. A flicker of something passed through Big Sister Hua’s eyes as she watched him.

Zhao Wendong thought for a moment and quickly made his decision.

”It’s pitch black and cold out. Let’s just leave the fish on the boat. We’ll unload them tomorrow when the people from the county arrive. No more hassle tonight! We’ll leave the boat here and guard it.”

”Oh, but dinner is cooking back home, and the heated bed is all warmed up. It’s so cold...”

Liangzi’s mother didn’t get to finish her sentence before Liangzi’s father cut her off.

”Dongzi’s right. That’s the way to do it!”

”You boys can take turns going back to the house to warm up. The rest will stay here on duty.”

Zhao Wendong nodded.

”Okay. We’ll leave at least two people here at all times. The rest can go to Liangzi’s house and rest in shifts.”

”Me!”

”I’ll stay!”

Several people shouted at the same time.

In the end, no one was willing to leave. With no other choice, Zhao Wendong waved his hand decisively: they’d go back, grab some firewood, and build a bonfire. The whole group was prepared to camp out and pull an all-nighter.

They also pulled up the net of fish Zhao Wenwu had been holding. Everyone picked out some of the bigger ones, found some sticks, and skewered the fish, getting ready to roast them over the fire.

Liangzi’s father, worried they would freeze, said to them,

”Wait here, kids. Liangzi’s mother and I will go back and bring you all some quilts. You can wrap yourselves up to stay warm.”

”I’ll go get my stuff too! Fatty Li just bought a bottle of Fengcheng Old Cellar that hasn’t even been opened yet. I’ll grab it on the way so we can all warm up!”

”Hehe, damn it, this time I’m not stealing it from him. I’m taking it openly! With a badass brother like Wendong, what have I got to be afraid of!”

At this moment, Little Shanghai was radiant, his face beaming with a brilliant smile. He felt that the best decision he’d ever made since being sent to the countryside was becoming friends with Zhao Wendong.