20 Chapter 20 (Two in One)
◎Wow, what a fierce fish, the meat must be delicious!◎
The reservoir in early summer is like a deep green gem between the mountains. It is calm and peaceful, and the view from afar is refreshing.
The area contracted by Zhou Shi is large and he raises many kinds of animals. Just by looking at the environment, Ye Ping'an knows that he will have a feast today.
The fish in early summer are not as plump as those in spring and autumn, but they also have their own deliciousness.
Farmed fish are exempt from the May fishing ban. However, farmed fish do have varying qualities. Compared to fish that are bred through a gluttonous diet, semi-wild reservoir fish, with their wider range, slower growth, and increased activity, are naturally a better choice.
"No one has ever complained about our fish. Steamed, it's incredibly smooth and tender! Since you've just opened your shop, don't rush to buy any. Try one or two and you'll understand. By the way, be careful when you go over there; our chickens are all free-range and they're all very aggressive..."
Zhou Shi led Ye Ping'an around the path on the edge of the reservoir and stopped in front of the mud house beside the pond. He paused for a moment while talking non-stop.
"Where's the chicken?"
The soft soil along the shore still bore the paw prints of chickens running about, but no chickens were out and about.
Zhou Shi was a little embarrassed. He stepped out of the car and peeked into the chicken coop. "I was so scared. I thought it had gotten lost."
"This is strange. Usually at this time they're out looking for bugs to eat, but today they're so listless. I guess it's about to rain. The water is so damp, I feel stuffy and uncomfortable, and the chickens have all gone home."
Zhou Shi explained, but the more he spoke, the weirder it seemed to him.
She has been raising fish for more than a year or two, so it is normal for it to be hot and stuffy during the summer rain, but today the waterside is abnormally stuffy and cold, as if a stone is pressing on her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe.
Even stranger was the fact that the waterside was usually incredibly noisy in the afternoon, but now the area around the mud house was completely silent. There was no sound of my husband scrolling through videos, no fish leaping, no chickens and dogs clamoring, even the usual ear-piercing frogs and mosquitoes were silent.
There were no mosquitoes, insects, snakes or ants that usually hang around the water - she even used a stick to pick open a few spicy strips on her way back yesterday afternoon!
"Husband, husband? Mr. Wang! Open the door? What are you doing there?"
In the shadows of the water behind the mud house, my husband looked like a gray wax figure. Standing in front of the house, I could only see his pale, expressionless profile. He didn't react to the sound of the approaching car, and just stared at the tranquil water without moving.
Zhou Shi knocked on the door and shouted several times before he saw him slowly turn his head, move to the door slowly and step by step like a rusty machine, and open the door.
Zhou Shi glared at him angrily. "I brought a client here to check the water tank first. What are you doing? The air conditioner is turned down so low, and you're wasting electricity by staying outside..."
After muttering a few words, Zhou Shi gave him a push, signaling him to turn on the back light. He pushed, but it didn't budge. His clothes were damp, and his muscles were as stiff as stone.
Her husband stared at her blankly, his eyes vacant, as if he had no idea what she was saying or doing. After a few seconds, he took a slow step back.
"I told you to open the door, but you just opened it and didn't even turn on the light. I'll kill you!"
Zhou Shi squeezed her husband aside, turned on the light, turned back and smiled as she pulled Ye Ping'an inside. "Apart from the fry we just put in, I've also caught one or two of the other species. Occasionally there are wild fish that come in from outside, and they're all delicious. I'll catch whatever kind you want for you."
Old Wang was pushed to the door, staring at Ye Ping'an, and grinned to match his wife's smile.
There were pieces of fish scales stuck in the cracks of his mouth, which had cut his mouth into a bloody mess.
He slowly turned his head in the direction the two people entered, almost behind him. He stopped only when his skin became pale and his neck was stretched so hard that he couldn't move any further. He shut his mouth and stood blankly at the door.
After turning on the light and seeing the water tank clearly, Zhou Shi suddenly felt dizzy.
Most of the fish in the tank were wilting, and a few of them were swimming sideways and upright, exhaling more than inhaling, and it seemed like they were going to die today.
Normally, we take turns to rest at home and there have never been any major problems. Why did something happen today?
The customer Sister Qin introduced was young, so she specifically told her to take good care of her. She figured the business wasn't big, and she was afraid the customer wouldn't even know how to look at and choose, so she didn't plan to bring him directly into the pond. She wanted to learn the ins and outs of fish farming first.
Take your time, it's not like she's not doing business anymore. If people see her, they'll think she just lets the fish live like this!
It would be unfair if the reputation is ruined!
Ye Ping'an stood in front of the water tank without saying a word, his smile faded a little, and he looked a little solemn.
Zhou Shi's heart was pounding, and he rubbed his hands awkwardly, "Boss Xiaoye?"
Ye Ping'an touched his chin and thought seriously, "Boss Zhou, your family..."
Zhou Shi pulled out his phone and said repeatedly, "Fish aren't usually like this! They're not in good shape today. Look at the pictures I took last night!"
"Dead fish..."
Zhou Shi was anxious. "We don't sell dead fish at home. They're all fresh, jumping around! We eat these dead ones ourselves—"
"...Is it the same price as live fish?" Ye Ping'an insisted.
Zhou Shi was stunned, "Huh?"
Ye Ping'an's smile was particularly sincere, and it didn't look like he was calculating something or just waiting for a cheap fish that had just died.
There is always some loss when trying food, as fish will eventually die. As long as they are not sick, it doesn't matter if they are killed or caught immediately after death.
Zhou Shi was speechless for a long time, "Well, if I really die later, I'll give you a discount and take you away with me."
"Well, shrimp, needless to say, is the peak season right now. You can't go wrong with small shrimps, and crayfish will be available soon. Grass carp and crucian carp are common, and there are also many small whitebait. I'm not sure if you can cook carp. Bighead carp and silver carp, it's also good to have multiple uses with one fish. Sea bass isn't very fat right now, but it's very nutritious..."
Zhou Shi knew them all like the back of his hand, then said helplessly, "There's a huge black carp in the library, almost as tall as a man. It's old and cunning, and it broke several of my rods. I guess its meat won't be very tasty, but it's so frustrating that I can't catch it. I don't know who will benefit in the end."
She was pointing at the water tank and patting the fish below to make them jump. A carp that was lying motionless in front of her hand flicked its tail.
Bang!
The fish opened its mouth wide and suddenly jumped up.
Zhou Shi shuddered and withdrew his hand, then looked again. The carp had already fallen back into the tank, becoming limp again.
She always felt that... the fish was about to jump up and bite her.
It's not just a little suck or leaving a mark, I really want to see blood!
Is it an illusion?
"I'd like to see some big fish. The black carp is almost as long as a man, so it must be at least 200 kilograms, right?" Ye Ping'an replied casually, walking around the tank. "Give me more than ten kilograms of shrimp. And a few sea bass and carp, big ones. If you can catch some big fatheads, give me a few. I have a tank in my shop, so I can keep it in there for a few days when I get home. Let's try it."
Zhou Shi simply nodded, "Okay, I'll ask Lao Wang to fish it out for you. Sit down and rest for a while. The ground near the water is soft and there might be snakes, so don't come over here. Oh, and if you want to see the chickens, they're just up ahead. The big ones are fierce, so how about we find you some little chicks to play with?"
"Old Wang - you old bastard! You're dazed again! Did you steal the cow last night?" Zhou Shi turned around and looked at her dazed husband, filled with anger. She stomped her feet, picked up the fishing net and walked to the back of the house.
As Zhou Shi left, Ye Pingan glanced at the tank and was disappointed to find that the fish were still alive. She had already checked the tank, said hello to Lao Wang, who was standing there in a daze, and went out to the chicken coop to play with the chickens.
Old Wang's neck moved slowly with her, staring straight at Ye Ping'an's back, and he raised his legs stiffly to follow her.
Ye Ping'an was quite satisfied with the Zhou family's chicken.
Although it looks a little wilted, the legs and wings of the free-range chicken look quite thick and tasty at first glance.
As I was picking, I heard a voice behind me.
Ye Pingan waved his hand and said, "Boss Wang, how much are your chickens for?"
Black mucus seeped out of Lao Wang's damp clothes bit by bit, fish scales came out of his mouth, and his face became paler and paler.
The mucus wrapped around the fish scales spread forward, almost reaching Ye Ping'an's feet.
The smell of the chicken coop was mixed with a fishy smell. Before Ye Ping'an could get a response, he turned around and saw fish scales and black water all over the floor. His face turned dark.
"Boss Wang! Don't spit on me!" Ye Ping'an quickly pushed Old Wang's shoulder and turned around.
Lao Wang shook straight up, and the mucus on his body spurted out one after another.
"Ugh!" Old Wang lay there vomiting until he was dizzy and unconscious.
Ye Pingan: ...
-
The fish contracted for aquaculture in the reservoir were all semi-wild, with some feed added from time to time. Zhou Shi had a rough idea of where the fish were at this time.
We walked past the shrimp and shellfish ponds, where nets were used for breeding, and onto the simple pier that stretched into the center. The sun was already slanting, and the water had become darker. While still clear, the swaying waterweed at the edge of the shallow pool cast shadows, making it even less clear.
The creaking sound of the floating board under my feet was particularly piercing in the dead silence. From time to time, water was stepped on and the soles of my feet felt cold.
The light from the mud house behind me could not shine into the water, as if it was covered by a layer of shadow and was already far away.
The path I was used to walking on was strange today. Zhou Shi tied up a loose fence rope and quickened his pace. "Ropes are rotting fast in the summer. This one needs to be repaired again."
Walking to the end of the pier, the ripples created by his footsteps shattered the mirror-like calm of the water. The ripples spread out in circles, then vanished completely before long, as if dragged along by the rest of the water and solidified. Zhou Shi looked at the still water, devoid of even the shadow of a passing fish or a ripple, and couldn't help but feel a little worried.
What's going on? There don't seem to be any fish around?
Zhou Shi sprinkled a handful of fish food. Carp love to grab food, and their movement easily drives other fish out. They will also come to the pier for a bite.
As soon as the fish food was thrown, ripples suddenly appeared on the water surface.
A huge black shadow was stirring underwater, like a school of fish huddled together, splashing water and vying for the falling fish food, no different from usual.
Zhou Shi breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that grabbing food wouldn't be a big problem.
Those who engage in aquaculture fear encountering unexplained diseases, and in reservoirs, they also have to worry about other fish entering and eating the fish—it's fine if ordinary wild fish get in, and it can also increase diversity. But in recent years, more and more people are releasing fish into the wild. Let them go, but catching and releasing exotic species with no natural enemies is simply unethical.
At first, when no fish came, she thought a big fish or an infectious disease had come in and ruined the entire reservoir.
Zhou Shi narrowed his eyes and stared at the shadow stirring in the water, then found the right spot and lowered the net.
Crash——
Water splashed everywhere, and she felt her hand sink, and she quickly pulled the net back in. Halfway through, Zhou Shi was stunned: Why didn't she catch any fish?
The weight of the net couldn't be faked, and the chaotic underwater shadows became clearer. A huge black shadow was dragging the net, rushing in the opposite direction. When the net was pulled, Zhou Shi was almost dragged into the water.
Zhou Shi was surprised at first, then delighted. He hooked the net onto the sling on the shore and began to quickly reel it in. "No wonder the other fish ran away. Daqing, it's you again! I finally caught you this time!"
The line spool spun, leaving a shadow. Experienced anglers knew how to reel in a fish, loosening and tightening the line appropriately to avoid losing the fish. It wasn't long before Zhou Shi saw the shadow of the fish being dragged back.
The huge tail that flashed across the water was as long as her leg, even longer than the last time she encountered a big black carp. But the color was a little strange, darker than the black-blue color of a black carp, with a hint of red in the black.
Seeing that he was about to land a rare big fish, Zhou Shi paid no attention to any details. He put aside the unhappiness of not catching a single fish in the afternoon fishing and the unpleasant things that happened when he returned home.
She shook the shaft happily, "You're a veteran of the reservoir, and you're still growing? Daqing, you might even break the association's fishing record!"
The floating plank beneath my feet, stretched to its limit by the immense force, had already sunk halfway into the water, creaking with an unbearable sound. A crack had appeared in the lower half of the tightly wound hand-rocker shaft, and the crack widened in the blink of an eye.
Snap!
The roller nailed to the float broke completely, and the broken fishing net hit the water surface, splashing a lot of water.
"It ran away again..." Zhou Shi wiped his face, stepped back angrily, and prepared to change the net to another place to catch fish again.
She happened to catch the big green fish, and the customer was still waiting for her to take it back after catching the fish.
The splashing sound had not stopped yet. When the water fell, Zhou Shi could see that the net that had been pulled out was getting closer and closer, and a huge black shadow in the shape of a fish was rapidly rising.
"Daqing? Have you had enough of life?"
Crash——
The big fish jumped out of the water completely. Its huge and fat body almost blocked Zhou Shi's entire vision, and the shadow completely enveloped her.
It was covered in black scales, and even had a layer of sharp spines on its head. It looked more like some kind of crocodile or dinosaur than a fish.
Scales exploded like bone spurs, hanging from the net and exposed to the air. A sticky, foul-smelling black liquid dripped from beneath the scales, and small fish caught in the scales, wrapped in the black liquid, struggled and jumped in their dying breath.
The water's edge grew even colder, and the tranquil surface of the water became dark green, with no bottom visible at a glance.
It was a fish, but not the big bluefish she thought it was!
The big fish swung its tail and fell, hitting Zhou Shi directly.
No, it should be said - bite!
The eyeballs on both sides of the fish's head bulged, and the usually dull fish eyes flashed with bloodthirsty light, aiming at the human in front of it.
The fish's gaping mouth wasn't like the usual fish's throat. Instead, a series of sharp teeth, like meat grinder blades, frantically opened and closed behind its lips. The dark cavity was large enough to fit a head. Between its teeth hung waterweed, torn net ropes, and rotting, broken fish bones.
Zhou Shi sucked in a breath of cold air, swung up the broken wooden board, and hit the strange fish that was rushing down with all his strength.
Click!
The wooden board hit the strange fish's head, paused only for a moment, and then exploded into sawdust like a crispy cookie hitting the ground.
The huge recoil force made Zhou Shi's head buzz and he was knocked to the ground.
A foul smell of decay mixed with water rushed over, and a huge mouth full of sharp teeth grazed her shoulder and bit her.
Swish!
A bloody mark was instantly cut on half of the shoulder, and blood gushed out.
Zhou Shi's vision went dark due to the pain. He took advantage of the strange fish falling back into the water and rolled backwards to avoid it.
She had been to many remote places for her farming business and had heard other strange stories. She had also heard about the strange illness Aunt Qin had suffered some time ago, but fortunately she recovered in the end.
It is said that when you encounter strange things, you must stay calm and find the pattern behind them, only then will you be able to solve the problem and escape.
Whatever this monster is, it was in the water at first and might not be able to get ashore?
Snap! Snap!
However, things went against his will. Zhou Shi scrambled away from the end of the pier, and the strange fish, with its tail curled up, bounced and caught up. Every time it jumped, the pier shook violently. Its tail, as thick as a bucket, lashed against the pier, and the still intact wooden planks cracked and seemed ready to collapse at any moment.
The struggle and jumping of a fish out of water is pitiful, but when a strange fish as big as a human jumps, it is like a scene from a horror movie!
Calm down, think about it calmly... Calm down! Who can stay calm when they are almost bitten to death?!
"Help, help!"
Zhou Shi's scream seemed to be blocked by a layer of frosted glass, and even she could only hear the vague and faint sound.
The dark green water on both sides of the pier continued to flood the bridge surface as he stumbled and ran. The slippery and cold water mist surged up, pressing Zhou Shi so hard that he almost couldn't breathe.
The light was getting dimmer and dimmer, and then it became a little brighter amid the screams. She could see the earthen house at the end of the pier again through the mist.
The earthen house at the end of the pier was dimly lit. The short bridge, which usually only took a few minutes to walk back and forth, seemed to take an unusually long time. The earthen house was very quiet, as if no one was there.
Zhou Shi's excited heart sank to the bottom.
She recalled the inexplicable strangeness that happened on the way back.
Her husband had probably been caught long ago, and now she was about to be eaten by the strange fish! As for the boss Xiao Ye who brought her here, alas, it was she who harmed the little girl.
The cold mist that rose up from all directions tightly wrapped around her limbs. Her escape speed became slower and slower, and the fishy wind was getting closer and closer.
The light of the earth house was so close yet so far away. Zhou Shi shouted in despair, "Open the door, husband, open the door!"
Snap!
The sound was drowned out by the heavy mist, and there was another piercing sound of bouncing behind him.
The strange fish, as big as a hill, brought with it a heavy wind, and the life-threatening wind rushed straight towards her!
She only had time to lunge forward to avoid it, and her waist sank.
The strange fish that bit her dripped black mucus that stuck to her. Her limbs turned pale and stiff uncontrollably, and Zhou Shi shivered and couldn't speak.
Is she going to die?
Squeak——
The back door of the mud house opened, and the young woman strolled out with one hand in her pocket.
"The lakeside is still quite steamy in the evening."
Ye Pingan waved his hand, and the mist in front of him was dispersed. "Boss Zhou, did you catch any fish? I only heard you humming. Do you need help?"
She seemed not to feel the thick cold barrier on the water. She stepped onto the pier and looked up at Zhou Shi lying on the ground with a look of surprise.
Just as Zhou Shi felt a glimmer of hope, it was extinguished.
The young girl had a well-proportioned figure, and even if the cook swung the spatula with more strength than others, it would be impossible to stop the crazy monster behind her.
The strange fish that bit her fluttered again, its mouth aimed at the new prey.
"Run..." Zhou Shi squeezed out a weak voice, but could only watch the strange fish leap up and pounce on Ye Ping'an without moving.
The strange fish's sharp white teeth were wide open, almost touching Ye Ping'an's face.
Bang! Boom!
The dull crash caused the pier to shake.
Zhou Shi closed his eyes in despair, unable to bear to see the miserable condition of the little girl.
She didn't hear the screams.
What's going on?
Ye Ping'an's surprised laughter came to his ears, "Hey, Boss Zhou, you are so honest! You said you would pick a big fish for me, and you really picked a big one. This must be the king of fish, right? It's really fresh, and it's jumping around!"
Zhou Shi: ...Ah?
Zhou Shi barely supported his neck and raised his head. The next second after seeing clearly what was in front of him, he closed his eyes.
She may be close to death and is hallucinating.
Otherwise, how could we see Ye Ping'an holding the fish's tail, studying the strange fish that fell into the water with a smile on his face?
A strange fish, as tall as a man, lay straight and rigid beside the pier. Its turbid eyes, once gleaming with ferocity, now cleared up, its mouth wide open, gurgling and bubbling, looking completely inert.
If you shrink it down countless times, it will be no different from any fish thrown on a chopping board and knocked unconscious.
So, probably, it should be...
Boss Xiaoye swung the fish up?!
Zhou Shi opened and closed his eyes before he dared to believe that he was not seeing things.
She lay on the ground exhausted, and suddenly noticed the fish's tail shaking. Her heart jumped up, "Be careful--!"
The strange fish was stunned for a few seconds, then its tail lifted up again, whistling with the sound of wind, and with a force as strong as a thousand pounds, it whipped fiercely towards the human behind it.
Pop.
A white hand, which was less than one-tenth the size of the tail, stretched out, and without even the veins bulging, it grabbed the huge fish tail.
The ferocious monster fish struggled and bounced in the air, splashing water everywhere, and its open sharp teeth kept interlocking with each other, making dangerous clicking sounds, but it could not break free from the seemingly ordinary palm.
The scales exploded like spikes, dripping with black mucus. The cold mist shadow evaporated on the water surface, but it dissipated before it got close to Ye Ping'an.
Ye Ping'an grabbed the tail of the frantically struggling fish and flicked his wrist. The strange fish fell into the water with a bang and fainted, with only its tail still shaking slightly instinctively.
"Oh, what a fierce fish! It's strong enough, the meat must be delicious!" Ye Ping'an smiled from ear to ear, and when he lowered his head, he found Zhou Shi was still lying on the ground.
"Boss Zhou, are you tired? It's not easy to catch such a big fish. But if you want to show off that you caught a big fish, you should also pay attention to your health. Your clothes are all wet. Get up quickly and wipe the water off. Be careful not to catch a cold. You two can't both get sick..." Ye Ping'an took a closer look and found something wrong.
My goodness, Zhou Shi’s shirt and pants were torn, and the marks left by the fish were still bleeding.
No wonder Boss Zhou said that big black carp is difficult to catch. If you don’t know, you would think you are fighting with some ferocious beast.
Ye Pingan pulled her clothes to cover the two holes, and held Zhou Shi's arm. "A fish bit your butt. Doesn't it hurt? Why are you still lying there in a daze? Get up quickly."
Seeing her staring at him speechlessly, Ye Ping'an smiled knowingly, "Don't worry, I won't steal your limelight. You and Dayu should take a photo together, or how about I pick you up and hold you in my arms for a photo?"
It’s normal for a fisherman to show off his big fish.
Zhou Shi's scalp tingled, and he scrambled to avoid the strange fish that Ye Ping'an was holding and almost hitting his face with, "No, no, no, no need!!! I can get up by myself!"
"Oh." Ye Ping'an withdrew his hand regretfully.
Half of the strange fish sank into the water. Ye Ping'an dragged the fish's tail and walked back from the pier.
Strands of mucus were wriggling in the dull fish eyes, reflecting the faint light like tears.
【Author’s words】
Ferocious beast and fish: I knew it was in rotten water.jpg
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