I made some spicy and sour fish with fermented black beans tonight and specially brought you two cans.

Didn't you tell me last time that it was delicious?

We just finished making them and brought them over to you right away. Look, they're fresh out of the oven. My brother and I grabbed them as soon as they were done.

Why don't you try some now? It's perfect with your drinks.

Yu Chengyuan smiled and pointed to the two cans of spicy black bean fish; you could still smell the spicy aroma.

"Oh my, it really is black bean fish! I love this stuff."

"Then I'll accept it without hesitation."

Zhou Jianguo's eyes lit up when he heard it was black bean fish.

He hadn't noticed what it was just now.

Then he said to his wife, "Qiumei, go get me a pair of chopsticks. I want to try this fish. It's making my mouth water just looking at it."

"You've only just finished dinner!"

Although Hao Qiumei said this, she quickly walked towards the kitchen and soon brought out a pair of chopsticks.

Zhou Jianguo immediately picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth, smacked his lips in satisfaction, and said, "Delicious, fragrant and spicy, and not fishy at all. This taste is amazing."

"Right? It's delicious!"

Uncle Zhou, I'm glad you like it!

However, my brother and I are here today because we do have something to discuss with you.

Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Yu Chengyuan prepared to get down to business.

"Go ahead and say it! Just tell me if there's anything you need my cooperation with." Zhou Jianguo thought Yu Chengyuan was planning something big again.

"Village chief, this time we don't need your cooperation much. Just nod, stamp, and complete the formalities."

"You know, there's that fishpond in the village that's been abandoned for a long time, it's quite big, about the size of a dozen acres of farmland, do you remember it?"

"Fishpond? Abandoned fishpond? Where in the village is there such a big fishpond?"

How come I didn't know?

Zhou Jianguo tried hard to recall the situation in the village. He remembered that there weren't many fish ponds, only two or three, and none of them were very big.

"Chengyuan, you're not talking about that ghost pond near your old house where people died, are you?"

Hao Qiumei, who was sitting to the side, suddenly spoke up.

“Auntie is right, it’s that ghost pond.” Yu Chengyuan nodded.

"Why are you asking about that ghost pond, you little rascal?"

Someone died there.

The villagers have always been wary of that place and dare not go near it on ordinary days. They have never even dared to fish in that ghost pond.

To be honest, even if they were caught, no one would dare to eat them, for fear of getting them contaminated with something unclean.

"Yeah, you two brothers absolutely mustn't go there. I've heard it's haunted!"

Hao Qiumei also quickly offered her advice.

Yu Chengyuan understood that in this era, feudal superstitious ideas still had a certain influence on people's minds.

"Uncle Zhou, Auntie, there are no ghosts in this world!"

Drowning is an accident; there's no such thing as a water ghost.

I won't go on and on. To make a long story short, my brother and I have been discussing it for several days and we've decided to lease that ghost pond and raise some fish there.

Now that my brother has lost his job in the coal mine, this is a good opportunity for him to do.

That fishpond has been abandoned for so long that it's basically like it's unclaimed.

It's a pity to leave it there undeveloped.

"It is a pity, a little bit of a pity."

The village chief nodded subconsciously, agreeing with what Yu Chengyuan said.

"And I also want to buy the houses over there, the foundations and everything."

In my brother's name.

The fishpond is contracted by my brother and me, and we can sign a contract for three to five years, whichever is fine.

As for the rent, village chief, just name a figure, and let's settle this quickly.

Yu Chengyuan thought to himself that the place was actually not bad. After those houses were demolished, he could buy the land and build houses there.

Moreover, the place was large enough, no smaller than their old house, and close to it, with a large bamboo grove behind it. In his opinion, according to feng shui, it was an excellent location.

Zhou Jianguo frowned. "Everyone says that place is unlucky."

Chengyuan, Ping'an, you two brothers need to think this through carefully.

By the way, do your parents know about this?

"Yes, Ping An, Cheng Yuan, this is no small matter. Will your parents agree?"

Hao Qiumei really couldn't understand why these two brothers insisted on contracting that ghost pond.

Everyone avoids that place like the plague; they'll go out of their way to avoid it if they can.