Chapter 2 Stealing Watermelons, Fishing System
Xia Fenghua’s eyes spun rapidly.
Just looking at this guy, you could tell he was full of mischief!
“Can we pack up now?”
“I’ll deal with this old rascal first.”
“How dare you talk to your elders like that!”
“If you, Old Wu, don’t understand the reason, then I happen to know a bit about using my fists.”
Wu Daoyin’s face turned pale and green. He realized the kid was really angry and didn’t dare keep bad-mouthing his father.
A few months ago, Liang Dapao’s wife somehow pushed Bai Zimo’s grandmother and injured her. When Bai Zimo found out, he grabbed a kitchen knife without a word and camped outside Liang Dapao’s house, refusing to leave. When asked what he was doing, he said he was borrowing their doorstep to sharpen his knife!
A teenager like him didn’t know how to hold back. Liang Dapao got so scared he rushed out to apologize and paid a hefty amount for medical and nutrition expenses.
Xia Fenghua licked her lips.
“Bai Zimo, wanna do it?”
Bai Zimo glanced at Wu Daoyin.
“Shit, you’re not thinking of taking me on, are you?”
Wu Daoyin’s heart skipped a beat — he regretted provoking the kid.
“No, no, Bai, buddy, we see each other around all the time…”
Dahua (nickname for Xia Fenghua) looked toward the canal and shouted, “Bai Zimo, the boat’s here! If we don’t go now, it’ll be too late!”
Bai Zimo quickly bundled up his stall and shoved it into a canvas bag.
“Hey, Bai kid, you’re packing up this early? Don’t you want to do business anymore?”
“Oh, right, you didn’t solve the problem earlier, almost forgot!”
Bai Zimo grabbed an old turtle shell from Wu Daoyin’s stall and ran off.
“Wait, without the turtle shell, how am I gonna tell fortunes?”
“You had your chance but blew it. Come redeem it later if you want.”
Wu Daoyin slapped his knee and cursed, “Dammit, should’ve kept my mouth shut.”
As the new millennium arrived, the kids by the canal still couldn’t tell north from south. But they already knew.
Head left from the bridge — you’d reach the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and Peking duck from Quanjude.
Head right — dazzling neon lights of Nanjing Road and sweet White Rabbit candies awaited.
Head down — endless free watermelons.
“Hurry up, run! Bai Zimo, give me your bag and clothes!”
Dahua looked more eager than anyone, no — she was the most excited of them all.
“Zhou Haikuo, get ready!”
Dahua acted like the operation leader — directing this person, yelling at that person.
“Faster, faster! Xie Wanghe, you move it! Bai Zimo is already waiting.”
“Yeah, yeah, stop rushing!”
“Shao Xingchi, you’re the slowest!”
“The boat’s here! Quick! Get your clothes off!”
“Stop yelling! Go watch for the boat!”
Bai Zimo, Xie Wanghe, Zhou Haikuo, and Shao Xingchi had been friends since childhood. And naturally, there was also the little tomboy Xia Fenghua — nicknamed Dahua.
On the surface of the canal, a small engine boat sounded its horn as it slowly cruised by, packed full of watermelons. The boys had already stripped down to their underwear, standing at the edge of the bridge.
Dahua gave the order.
Four boys leaped down in perfect timing. Three of them landed on the iron ship. Zhou Haikuo stayed in the water, using an old tire and fishing net to scoop up watermelons, then tossed the watermelons into the river.
“Run! Run!” Dahua shouted from the bridge.
“You little brats! Put down my watermelons if you don’t wanna die!” The boatman yelled.
“Wanghe, Xingchi, retreat!”
“Don’t jump! Don’t risk your lives! Brats, it’s dangerous!”
Jumping onto a moving boat was dangerous even for good swimmers.
And just like that — Bai Zimo, trying to avoid colliding with Xie Wanghe, smashed his head against the iron boat. His whole world spun into dizziness.
Underwater, even a moment of dizziness could be deadly. It felt like something was dragging him into the abyss. Meanwhile, the boatman shouted angrily, “I know you! You’re Old Xie’s kid! Your dad’s gonna skin you alive!”
“Bleh bleh bleh…” (the kids taunted back)
“Dare steal my melons? I’ll skin you brats alive!”
Stealing watermelons was wrong, but no big deal. It seemed like kids by the canal had been doing it for generations.
Xie Wanghe, Zhou Haikuo, and Shao Xingchi were still thrilled about their successful “mission,” but after the boat sailed off, they realized someone was missing. Panic set in. All canal kids could swim. They often jumped into the river to play.
But there’s a saying—It’s always the good swimmers who drown. If someone didn’t show up after a while… something had gone wrong.
“Oh no, did something happen?”
“Didn’t he just jump?”
“Quick, let’s find Bai Zimo!”
The three of them hurried to dive back into the water. Dahua, still on shore, was completely confused.
“What the heck are you guys doing?”
“Stop yelling — Bai Zimo’s missing!”
Meanwhile, Bai Zimo felt himself sinking to the bottom of the river.