At the end of Shanghe Village, on the riverbank.

Four fishermen sat in a row, each holding a green fishing rod.

However, the four people had different expressions.

With a loud crash!

A silvery-white fish was pulled out of the water.

Azheng stared at the big white fish wagging its tail, her wheat-colored face scrunching up like a meat bun. "Little Hua'er, do you think all the fish in this river have mouths that judge by appearance, just like people?"

Su Hua reached out and pulled the fish to the shore, laughing as she unhooked it, "What do you mean by that, A-Zheng?"

The girl sighed, "Sitting here for half an hour, Xiao Hua'er caught more than ten fish, almost filling the big wooden bucket. My older sister followed closely behind, catching seven or eight fish, though not more than ten. As for me and Xue Lao, we probably wasted the whole afternoon."

The wooden bucket was cleaner than our faces.

"What else would fish in the river be if not judged by their appearance!"

Before the words were even finished, Old Xue, standing at the very edge, shook his head smugly. "If you're going to talk about yourself, then talk about yourself. I'm not like you. My face is very popular with the fish. Not only did I not get any fish, but I also caught a big silver carp! A silver carp weighing eleven or twelve pounds can feed us for at least two or three meals!"

"Oh, a bighead carp that can last two or three meals?" Ah Zheng stretched out her long legs and stepped on the handle of the wooden bucket next to Xue Lao. The empty bucket spun around gracefully under her toes. "Where's the bighead carp? Hurry up and take it out for a look!"

The old man grabbed a handful of his messy hair, his pride fading slightly. "Wasn't it because I got too excited that the big silver carp got off the hook?"

Azheng raised her eyes, her beauty mark at the corner of her eye sparkling. "A fish that's escaped the hook, is it still considered a fish you caught?"

"You brat!" Old Xue's face flushed red. "All you ever do is pick on this old man. Next time I roast a rabbit, I won't leave you any legs!"

Azheng raised an eyebrow. "If you don't want to keep them, then don't. I'll get the rabbits from Xiaohua myself. Anyway, the rabbit pen at home is almost full, and they smell much better than the wild rabbits you catch on the mountain!"

Su Hua couldn't help but chuckle. "Whether it's fish caught by my sister and me, or by Azheng and Xue Lao, it's all the same whether we put them in the same pot to make fish soup or not, so what's the difference?"

Old Xue glanced at the wooden bucket next to Su Hua, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "Girl, tell me the truth, did you secretly use some fish-attracting herbs? Da Lang and Er Lang said that you have a trick for catching fish."

“There are tricks to catching fish.” Su Hua took off the whitebait and casually plucked a stalk of horseroot and put it on the hook. “But we’re fishing now, so what’s the point of using tricks?”

Now that there's no need to make fish balls at home, she hasn't used the spatial water droplets to attract fish for a long time.

Whether it was a coincidence or she was fishing at a spot with plenty of fish, she was catching fish one after another.

Su Sui, who was standing next to her, smiled and said, "Perhaps the spot where Hua'er and I are sitting is just right because the water plants are plentiful and the fish like it. Ah Zheng and Xue Lao, why don't you move over here?"

When it came to moving places, Azheng and Xue Lao waved their hands in unison.

A gentleman does not take what others cherish, and this good fishing spot is even more so.

At this moment, Su Hua's ears twitched, and she smiled, saying, "The fish are here."

Xue Lao and A Zheng both looked at the fish float at the same time, and their eyes widened in unison.

"Hey, the fish really came! And judging by how fast the float is sinking, it might be another big silver carp weighing over ten pounds. Tonight's chopped chili fish head is going to be a hit..."

"Shh! Old man, keep your voice down!" Ah Zheng's eyes were also bright, and she even kept her breathing very low. "If you scare this fish away, I'll make you into a chopped chili fish head."

Su Sui followed the girl's gaze to the narrow path, her smile suddenly freezing on her face. "He actually has the nerve to come here! I'll go and chase him away right now!"

Su Hua shook her head and pulled the other woman back, "Sister, don't be impatient. I've been waiting for these fish for a long time."

"Is he the fish you've been waiting for?" The woman was taken aback, not quite understanding what she meant.

Su Hua put down her fishing rod and gave her a reassuring smile.

Then, he started walking along the narrow path.

At the end of the narrow path, the man hesitated anxiously. When he looked up, he saw a young girl in a long emerald green dress striding towards him. She seemed even more beautiful than before, and each step she took seemed to touch his heart.

Until a clear, cool voice rang out.

"Feng Xiucai came to the end of the village today. I don't know why?"

Upon hearing the word "xiucai" (a scholar who passed the imperial examinations), Feng Zicai felt extremely ashamed. He had been expelled from Qingshan Academy and, despite being a xiucai, was now universally despised and no bookstore wanted him to copy books.

Whether in Shanghe Village, Qingshui County, or even Tangshan Prefecture, from the elderly to children, everyone cursed him as a gambling-addicted scholar.

Every time I hear the words "scholar," it feels like a knife to my heart.

However, the most urgent thing right now is to pay off the two hundred taels gambling debt and save these two hands.

Looking into those bright, watery eyes, the words "borrow money" felt like a ton of bricks, and he just couldn't bring himself to say them.

Su Hua raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the bruises on the man's skin, a cold sarcasm flashing in her almond-shaped eyes, "Scholar Feng, did you come here today to borrow money from me to pay off your gambling debts?"

“Xiao Hua…” Feng Zicai opened his mouth, then nodded and shook his head.

She hurriedly explained, "Xiao Hua, don't listen to the villagers' nonsense. I'm not a gambler. It's all Meng Fu's fault. He forced me to go to the casino and made me take on so much debt for him. Meng Fu is the one who harmed me."

"It's all Meng Fu's fault?" Su Hua smiled gently. "Then do you know about the Meng family's murder and the seizure of Fang?"