Chapter 5
Lu Qing arrived at the fishing spot, trampled down the surrounding grass to flatten it, placed it in a wooden bucket, and then took out the bamboo tube filled with earthworms.
Removing the sealing clay from the bamboo tube, he revealed the wriggling red earthworms inside.
The keen-eyed children, standing above, immediately exclaimed upon seeing the wriggling creatures in the tube.
Of course, they knew what earthworms were, having often caught them to play with.
Sometimes, they would even dig them up to feed the chickens and ducks at home.
But they didn’t know that these things could be used to catch fish.
Under the watchful eyes of the children, Lu Qing took out an earthworm and threaded it onto the hook.
Then he cast the still wriggling earthworm into the water.
The spot where it landed was precisely the gray light-marked fishing spot identified by his ability.
With the hook in the water, Lu Qing began to wait quietly.The children on the slope behind him held their breath in tense anticipation, watching closely.
Soon, they saw the small wooden float tied to the fishing line begin to move slightly on the water’s surface.
The children grew even more nervous.
Only Lu Qing remained calm and composed, unmoving as he watched the float tremble.
It wasn’t until the float suddenly dipped sharply that he swiftly lifted the rod.
A white line shot out of the water.
When everyone could see clearly, a small white fish, about the width of two fingers, was already hooked.
“He really caught a fish!”
Seeing the small white fish with its tail flicking and jumping on the hook, the children were stunned.
Xiao Yan jumped up, “Brother caught a fish, a big one!”
Lu Qing also smiled.
Luckily, his skills hadn’t dulled, catching one on the first cast. Otherwise, he would have been embarrassed in front of the children.
Taking the fish off the hook, Lu Qing examined it closely.
This small white fish was quite similar to the white-striped fish he had caught in his previous life.
Soon, a faint gray light emerged from the fish’s body.
[Small White Fish: Edible, perhaps a good source of nutrition.]
Seeing the word "edible," Lu Qing was instantly relieved.
As long as it was edible, today’s rations were secured.
He added some water to the bucket and placed the fish inside, hearing the excited shouts from the children behind him with a bit of helplessness.
“Keep quiet, or you’ll scare the fish away.”
Hearing this, the children quickly covered their mouths, not daring to make any more noise.
Their excitement, however, was unmistakable in their eyes.
Seeing Lu Qing actually catch a fish, they felt as if they had discovered a new world, their hearts filled with excitement.
But what happened next truly showed them what excitement meant.
Lu Qing threaded another earthworm onto the hook, and after just a short while in the water, another small white fish was pulled up.
From then on, Lu Qing entered a streak of continuous catches.
One small fish after another was caught effortlessly, as if he was simply pulling fish out of the water.
The fish he caught weren’t limited to small white fish; there were other types as well.
Yellow bone fish, small river shrimp, and many more were caught in abundance.
The children behind him were thrilled, barely containing their excitement to avoid scaring the fish away.
Reaching into the bamboo tube again, Lu Qing found it nearly empty.
Looking inside, he saw that most of the earthworms were already used up, with only a few left at the bottom.
Glancing at the nearby wooden bucket, it was full to the brim with fish.
He couldn’t help but smile.
It had been a long time since he had such a satisfying fishing experience.
No wonder this otherworldly place, with its pristine environment, produced such different fish.
They were full of strength; even the small fish had a great feel when pulled up.
At the same time, he felt a bit lucky.
Choosing this fishing spot was a wise decision. If he had gone to one of the other two spots, the line might have been snapped by a big fish.
Seeing the earthworms nearly used up and the frequency of fish biting decreasing, Lu Qing knew it was time to stop.
If he continued, he would clear out all the small fish at this spot.
They needed time to gather again.
Thinking this, Lu Qing began to pack up the fishing rod and dumped the remaining earthworms into the water before picking up the wooden bucket and heading up the slope.
The children’s eyes were filled with admiration as they watched him approach.
Seeing him coming, they immediately gathered around.
They marveled at the bucket full of fish.
“Brother Lu Qing, you’re amazing! You caught so many fish!”
“So many fish, how long will it take to eat them all?”
“So, it’s really possible to catch fish with a bamboo rod!”
“Brother, brother, so many fish!”
Xiao Yan jumped around in excitement, her face flushed with joy.
“It’s alright, the fish are just a bit small.” Lu Qing said modestly.
When the children had calmed down a bit, Lu Qing added, “You guys help me carry this bucket of fish back. Everyone will get a share.”
He estimated that the fish he caught weighed about seven or eight pounds. With the bucket and water, it was quite heavy.
His body was still weak, and while he could carry it briefly, hauling it back to the village was beyond him.
Besides, there were too many fish for just him and Xiao Yan to eat in one or two meals.
Small fish die easily, and without proper storage conditions at home, it was better to share them.
“Alright, Brother Lu Qing!”
Hearing they would get fish, the children were instantly excited.
Two of them easily lifted the bucket.
Those who didn’t get a chance were almost in tears from frustration.
Lu Qing had to intervene, organizing them to take turns carrying the bucket, finally settling the dispute.
With the children carrying the bucket, they headed back to the village.
The children’s excited chatter attracted some villagers out of their homes to see what was happening.
Seeing the scene, they were surprised.
“Lu Qing actually caught fish, and so many of them!”
During the time Lu Qing was fishing, news of his recovery had spread through the village.
Many villagers knew he had gone to the river to fish.
But no one expected him to catch so many fish.
Looking at the bucket, there seemed to be at least ten pounds of fish.
When had Lu Qing learned this skill?
Curiosity piqued, many villagers, especially those who had tried fishing themselves, wanted to know Lu Qing’s secret to catching so many fish.
Driven by curiosity, some villagers followed them to Lu Qing’s house.