Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Guest (1)_1 Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Guest (1)_1 This time, the Lin family headed up the mountain with a clear objective. Since Lin Yanzhi was too small and could hardly keep up, Lin Changshu and Wu Dayou took turns carrying him up the mountain.
“Harvest all these water knotweeds,” Lin Ziyin swiftly instructed the family.
“Alright, leave it to me.” Wu Dayou was initially planning to hunt a few game in the mountain with Lin Changshu, but since they were accompanied by two youngsters, he decided to help Lin Ziyin with the work instead.
Lin Changting, who turned six this year, often took on the responsibilities of an adult due to the family’s poverty and the need to care for Lin Yanzhi. After they reached the mountaintop, he promptly started helping Lin Ziyin with the foraging.
There’s strength in numbers. In less than an hour, Lin Ziyin and Wu Dayou’s baskets were filled with the valuable things they had found.
“Sis, there are fish!” Lin Changting exclaimed excitedly once they got to a stream.
“Fish.” Lin Yanzhi hadn’t seen the fish, but he always echoed his older brother regardless of the topic.
“Let’s head back down. These are just guppies, barely enough to get caught in your teeth,” Wu Dayou joked, grinning. “If you want fish, I can catch a few for you in a couple of days.”
“Fish doesn’t taste good; it’s too fishy. Just coax him as you wish,” Lin Changshu defended his brother from his friend’s teasing.
“Brother Wu, can you catch fish?” Lin Ziyin’s eyes lit up at the possibility.
“I can’t promise a large amount, but I can certainly catch a few fish,” Wu Dayou answered cheerfully, “Your big brother can too.”
When they were kids, whose mischievous antics didn’t involve catching a few fish in the river?
“If you can bring me a few, I can cook them for you. I guarantee there won’t be any fishy smell,” Lin Ziyin said with a smile, already stepping toward the stream.
Indeed, the mountain streams were filled with fish, but none of them were big. As Wu Dayou had stated, they’d hardly make a dent in filling one’s stomach.
Regardless, Lin Ziyin was delighted. The taste of mountain fish was undoubtedly more unique than those from elsewhere.
“Let’s catch some with baskets and take them home. I’ll make fish dumplings for you tonight,” Lin Ziyin proposed cheerfully.
“Alright.” When Wu Dayou heard there was food involved, he got straight to it and began catching fish using the empty basket Ziyin carried on her back. The stream’s fish might be small, but they were not few. In a short time, by employing rustic methods, he managed to fill half the basket with fish.
“That’s enough,” Lin Ziyin said, beaming.
With that, they all set off back home.
“Lin Lao Master, Ziyin, you’re back!” As soon as they returned home, Lin Ziyin saw a group of people sitting in the house, sharing laughter with Guo Huiniang and Lin Zige.
She recognized the mother and daughter-in-law from the Bai family, but she wasn’t familiar with the other older woman and young woman.
“This is Mrs. Zhang from the Lou Zheng family, and this is her daughter-in-law. You should call her Sister Zhang from now on,” Guo Huiniang introduced.
“Poor child, you must be tired.” Everyone in the village knew about Lin Ziyin’s misfortune, so Mrs. Zhang didn’t find it strange. Instead, she comforted Ziyin, holding her hand and speaking a few reassuring words.
Lin Ziyin offered a polite smile in response. She didn’t wish to become too familiar with people she didn’t know.
“How did you catch so many tiny fish?” Mrs. Bai looked at the basket Wu Dayou put down, and couldn’t help but laugh as she asked.
Wu Dayou grinned in response, “Splurged a little on a craving. Saw them in the stream and decided to catch ’em.”
“Fish, little fish.” The moment they got home, Lin Yanzhi and Lin Changting fetched a basin to put the fish in.