Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Catching Fish
The next day, both of them woke up early.
It's sunny outside today and the weather looks very good.
After heating up the leftover porridge from yesterday, Fan Jing wanted to take Kang He for a walk in the mountains and check if there was anything caught in the traps.
His right hand was now injured and he could not draw the bowstring, so he could only catch something by pointing at the traps he had made.
Otherwise, I would come up the mountain empty-handed this time.
The air in the forest is cool in the morning, which makes the nose feel a little uncomfortable, but it makes the mind especially clear.
Every autumn rain brings a chill.
Although it was sunny today, Kang He still felt that the weather seemed a little colder than when he came here.
He regretted not putting on more clothes. When he went out, he saw that Fan Jing was wearing thin clothes. He was much bigger than him and was wrapped more thickly than he should be. If he put on more clothes, he would look too weak.
But after about half an hour out of the house, Kang He was glad that he didn't have too many clothes.
The road in this mountain is uneven. To climb up and down, you not only have to rely on your legs, but you also have to cut a path when you encounter wasteland.
Fan Jingbao was in charge, and Kang He couldn't teach him how to clear the way, so he took over the work of cutting grass and vines.
Who would have known that on the day when they went up the mountain, the hatchet that was as sharp as iron in Fan Jing's hand would be so blunt in his hand that it seemed as if it had never been sharpened.
He soon began to sweat on his vest and no longer felt cold.
"Looks like they have the goods."
Fan Jing, who stretched his neck to look around, shouted and quickly passed Kang He and went to the front.
Kang He was also curious and hurriedly followed.
I saw a big hole half a meter deep dug next to a bunch of red wild fruits the size of fingers.
The surface of the pit was covered with thin and brittle branches, covered with a layer of rotten leaves, and a few muddy weeds, making the trap look like flat ground.
Fan Jing realized from afar that there was something wrong because the painted surface of the pit had been stepped on and collapsed.
However, when Kang He caught up, he did not see anything at the bottom of the pit which was filled with sharp bamboo branches.
Only a few long feathers were left.
"Did he escape?"
Fan Jing looked around with sharp eyes and said, "Maybe he ran away, or someone picked him up."
Things like this probably happen from time to time, Fan Jing said lightly.
Kang He asked suspiciously, "Are there other hunters in the mountains?"
Fan Jing glanced at Kang He as if he were an idiot and said, "How could I be the only one hunting in this mountainous area stretching for hundreds of miles?"
After saying that, he half squatted down and restored the trap.
Kang He saw a piece of cloth wrapped around a tree and asked Fan Jing, "Is this a mark in case you forget the location of the trap?"
"Having walked in the mountains for years, how could I not remember the traps I set myself? This is to prevent those who walk through the mountains from falling into the traps."
Kang He heard this and said, "Wouldn't it let other hunters know that a trap has been set here?"
He thought it would be too easy for other hunters to take advantage of him this way.
Fan Jing stood up and said, "Even if that's the case, we can't harm other people's lives."
"This is the rule that the old hunter taught me when I was learning to hunt."
Kang He felt admiration in his heart.
He asked, "Is your master also hunting in this forest?"
"He died several years ago."
Kang He asked in surprise: "What's going on?!"
"One winter he went into the mountains and was never seen again. Two years later his remains were found at the foot of a cliff."
Accidents in the mountains are common, but when Fan Jing talked about this, his tone was still a little hesitant.
Kang He never thought it would be like this and was speechless for a moment.
The two left here and continued into the woods.
We saw four more traps on the way. Two of them had traces of prey passing by, but there was no prey, and the other two were even still intact.
The whole morning passed without any gain.
On the way, they came across two gray, chirping birds in a tree. Fan Jing said they were called big stupid birds, which tasted very good and could be sold for fifty yuan each in the county.
This kind of bird doesn't like to stay on the ground and almost never falls into traps. Usually, Fan Jing shoots it with a bow and arrow.
It's not easy to come across it on weekdays, and even if he did come across it today, he couldn't do anything about it. He felt a little sorry.
At noon, the two men walked to the edge of the cliff, climbed onto a large flat rock to rest their feet, and ate coarse grain steamed buns in the sun.
The cliff edge faces the sun and is covered with lush vegetation, from which you can see far ahead.
Kang He looked at a stream in the distance and said, "That's the stream you mentioned where the wild ducks have their nests, right? Are there any fish in it?"
Fan Jing bit his dry food and nodded.
Kang He said confidently, "Then let's go to the stream in a while. I'll catch two fish and make soup for you tonight."
There seemed to be a flicker of pessimism in Fan Jing's eyes, but his tone remained calm: "Since you want to go and have a look, go that way when you return."
Kang He responded, and a strong wind came from the edge of the cliff, making the midday sun warm, not as cold as in the morning.
He suddenly put down the steamed bun in his hand and took a deep breath: "Do you smell it? It smells so good."
Fan Jing glanced at him.
Kang He stood up from the stone: "It's the fragrance of orchids."
Then he jumped down and said, "The orchids in the mountains are very fragrant. Let's go and see where they are."
Fan Jing saw people wandering around the edge of the cliff for a while, sniffing the fragrance, and then dug up two orchids with their roots and soil.
The orchid is slender and graceful, but its flowers are fragrant. Even if only one flower blooms, the fragrance is refreshing and pleasant.
"Collected from the flower and bird shop."
Kang He asked, "What price can it be sold for?"
"A dozen bucks."
Kang He patted the dirt off his sleeves and said with a smile, "Then my trip today wasn't in vain."
After saying that, he picked two wild taro leaves and wrapped them up carefully.
In the afternoon, the two of them returned along the stream.
Some of the mountain stream water emerges from the rocks, and some flows down from high places, and it is very clear.
In the deep and gentle water, you can see several black carps quietly staying together. The small ones are about two inches long, and the big ones are as big as the palm of an adult man.
As the two approached, several long-legged grey gulls that were foraging immediately flapped their wings and flew high up.
Fan Jing felt a little sorry when he saw the rather large gull flying away.
It's strange, too. When I could use the bow in the past, I might not encounter any clumsy birds or gulls even if I ran up the mountain for a whole day. But when I can't use the bow, they keep flying towards me.
If I can catch all the stupid birds and herons I see, this trip up the mountain will not be in vain.
“Boom.”
Fan Jingjiao was brought back to his senses by a sound. He saw that Kang He, who was still on the shore, could no longer contain himself and had rolled up his trouser legs and gone into the stream.
He grabbed the stone spear and dived towards the green carp lying in the river.
A string of water droplets like icy stones splashed on his face.
Kang He felt that he had a very confident shot, but when he raised his gun, he missed.
Kang He was dumbfounded: "It shouldn't be like this."
He had also taken into account the refraction of sunlight. When he was in the village, he was quite good at catching fish.
So he concentrated his attention and fired a few more shots, but they were all empty-handed.
People began to complain: "It seems that the stone is not suitable for grabbing."
Fan Jing said nothing, went to the stream, cut a bamboo, sharpened the tip and handed it to him.
Kang He changed the bamboo pole and tried a few more times.
The bamboo pole had been used in vain several times and the tip had become blunt. The stream water was stirred up by him and he could not catch any fish. Even the fish that had been lying in the stream had disappeared.
He was sweating all over and his mouth was dry, so he couldn't help smacking his lips.
Fan Jing, whose bottom was nearly numb from sitting at one end, said leisurely, "Gulls, herons, and wild ducks often appear here. These fish have been catching them like masters, so there's no way I can teach you how to catch them with a spear."
"Why didn't you say so earlier!"
Kang He dropped his bamboo pole and climbed out of the stream, his toes wrinkled by blisters.
Seeing that it was almost done, Fan Jing stood up and walked back: "If I get unlucky, I might end up eating fish."
Kang He felt that Fan Jing was making fun of him. He turned to the man's back and said, "Just wait, I will teach you how to eat this fish sooner or later!"
Fan Jing didn't respond to him, out of kindness giving him some face.
When we returned to the cabin, the sun had already set.
Today, the two of them returned almost empty-handed.
Fan Jing went back and went to the back of the yard, took out the whetstone to sharpen the knife.
Seeing that his left hand was inconvenient, Kang He wanted to help him grind it, but Fan Jing refused.
After the war, the price of ironware became more and more expensive every year. The villagers were so poor that they could barely make ends meet. Many people took their hoes and plows to the iron shops in the city to exchange them for money.
When the Fan family was in the most difficult time, Fan's father sold the iron pot that the family bought for him when he got married.
Even now, the price of iron objects remains high.
A well-made hatchet can be sold for hundreds of dollars in the iron shop.
Fan Jing takes great care of the few sharp weapons he has.
Seeing this, Kang He had to give up and told him to grind it slowly and not to hurt his right hand.
He went into the house to prepare dinner.
The temperature in the mountains is not high, so food can be stored for a longer time. However, if it is kept for too long, it will easily become tasteless and lose its freshness.
He still had quite a few bones left from what he had carried back yesterday, and he planned to eat some every day until they were all gone.
It’s better to finish it than not to eat it and keep it until it goes bad.
He first washed two pieces of pork fan bones and threw them into the pot, added pepper and ginger, and simmered the broth.
In fact, if you add ingredients such as cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, star anise, and galangal, the bone soup will be more delicious.
But with these ingredients, anything can be made with them. Braised meat and dishes are just endlessly delicious.
I calculated the amount of dough for each person, about 300 to 400 grams, kneaded a ball of dough, covered it with a clean white cloth and left it to wake up.
He stuck his head out and said to Fan Jing outside the door, "I made noodles tonight."
Fan Jing was puzzled for a moment about what noodles meant, and then he looked over to see that Kang He was going to make some noodles.
Naturally, he had no opinion on what to eat. When he was alone in the mountains, he didn't care much about food.
For a few days, most of the food we ate was the bread and steamed buns made at home.
When I have free time, I can only cook some porridge. I have never fried any vegetables or kneaded dough.
"Um."
Fan Jing could actually already smell the aroma of stewed bones.
"So do you prefer wide noodles or thin noodles?"
"All right."
"What do you mean by 'all-in-one'? I don't have any 'all-in-one' here. Tell me quickly whether it's wide noodles or thin noodles."
Fan Jing stopped what he was doing and looked up at Kang He, who had only stuck his head out.
Seeing that he was waiting to get to the bottom of the matter, he opened his mouth and uttered two words: "Thin."
“This is incredible.”
The sun has set outside, the air has risen from the ground, and the wind has blown, making it cold.
The firewood in the stove at the head of the wooden house was burning with a roar, the bones in the pot were cooking to produce the aroma of meat, and white mist filled half of the room.
The aroma of food and the light of fire in the evening always give people a sense of security no matter where they are.
After sharpening the knife, Fan Jing went into the house and sat on a small stool in front of the stove to watch the fire. He saw that Kang He did not turn away.
Instead, he planted the two orchids he brought back in the yard with soil, and then cut some green bamboo nearby.
Running east and west, in and out, he has no time to rest.
That would be fine, but I always have to discuss everything with him first.
"Why do you like eating thin noodles? Do you like to put fresh vegetables in your noodles?"
"I took such good care of this orchid that it was still in bloom when I came down the mountain."
"The bamboo in the mountains is so beautiful, and the skin must be tough."
His ears were buzzing, and he felt as if he was not in the desolate mountains, but in the kitchen at home.
I really can't imagine how one person can say so many words and make so much noise.
It was completely dark when Kang He finally stopped going out.
He washed his hands, threw the noodles into the pot, and when the noodles were about to be taken out of the pot, he threw in a handful of ground vegetables that he had dug up when he went out to chop bamboo.
Freshly kneaded noodles, topped with a bowl of oily pork bone soup and sprinkled with a few chopped wild onions.
When the big earthenware bowl was brought to Fan Jing, the aroma made him so hungry that he almost swallowed it.
Fan Jing looked at the appearance of the food and felt that it was no worse than those sold at the stalls in the county.
After blowing away the onions and taking a sip of the soup, he felt that Kang He was lying. He must know how to cook.
The Fan family eats noodles quite often, but they have never stewed bones to make soup noodles.
Making vegetarian cakes is also a delicious feast for the whole family.
Accompanied by the ghostly howling of the wind outside, the two of them stayed in the tightly closed wooden house and comfortably ate a large bowl of noodles, drinking up all the noodle soup.
After dinner, there was no need to change the medicine today, so Kang He and Fan Jing filled a bucket of hot water for him to soak his feet.
Fan Jing, whose feet were red from soaking, wiped them and went to bed.
In the past, he might have gone out and wandered around nearby, hoping to see if he could be lucky enough to encounter any wild animals that appeared at night, but now that he couldn't use his bow, he wouldn't take the risk.
I don’t know if it’s because the injured arm really makes people sleep more, or what, but Fan Jing’s breathing became steady after he lay in bed for a while.
I just felt extremely warm in my dream. There was a ball of warm yellow fire outside the curtain, which was lit for a long time.
Kang He didn't rush to bed, but went to make bamboo strips from the bamboo he had cut.
Six or seven more pieces of wood were added to the stove before the fire was finally extinguished.
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