"Um?"
Jian Dan was stunned for a moment. Wasn't the purpose of coming here to catch fish?
But when she looked up again, a group of educated youth came into view not far away. Jian Dan's mind finally started working again. She looked back, then looked up at Qian Cheng and Yuan Ye running wildly in this direction. Jian Dan simply and roughly tore the fish in her hand and stuffed it into her mouth.
It's not that she's stingy. There are so many people, and she only has one fish, or rather, half a fish. How is she supposed to divide it?
People say it's better to be left behind in a group than to be left behind in a single person, but she's not going to do something that would give others reason to criticize her.
Qian Cheng and Yuan Ye watched helplessly as the fish in their hands visibly diminished with each passing moment, until their hands were empty in just a few breaths.
Coincidentally, they also arrived in front of Jian Dan.
So, when she simply looked up, she met their slightly resentful gazes and was a little dumbfounded. Following their gaze, she looked at the fish bones in her hand.
"You're here to catch fish too?"
This was the only reason she could come up with, since Lin Dongfang and Ling Weidong had just had similar expressions and were catching fish in the back.
He pointed behind him.
"Are you looking for them? Look, they're over there."
They wanted to grill fish, so they didn't remove the makeshift stove they had just set up; they were simply tidying up their baskets.
Smelling the lingering aroma from the fire, Qian Cheng and Yuan Ye's already hungry stomachs growled even louder, making the two boys' faces turn bright red, tinged with embarrassment.
I wonder which is more shameful: being greedy or being hungry?
Jian Dan isn't always a very perceptive person; upon hearing the voice, she simply looked up and asked a question.
"You came over without eating?"
Without expecting an answer, he turned around and gestured to them.
"Then you guys go catch some fish. The fire's still burning, so they'll be roasted faster."
Qian Cheng stood there, unsure of what to say. Was what they lacked really that fish?
The two people hiding by the water finally saw the basket sink. They quickly pulled it up, picked out a larger one, and when they got up, Jian Dan had already cleaned up the mess she had made and was ready to carry the basket down the mountain.
Ling Weidong felt a little uncomfortable carrying the fish, and it was only after Lin Dongfang gave him a push from behind that he took a few steps forward.
Jian Dan didn't think much of it and even moved aside to make room for him in the fire.
"Go and roast it, the fire is still burning, you just need to gather some more firewood."
For a moment, Ling Weidong couldn't quite reach out with the fish in his hand.
"No, that's not what I meant,"
Lin Dongfang rolled his eyes. He knew Jian Danwu was unintentional, but he always spoke to her with such a lack of confidence. It was truly speechless.
Qian Cheng and Yuan Ye exchanged a glance and quickly went to gather the firewood, not daring to watch Ling Ge's commotion.
Other educated youth also sprang into action, some helping Lin Dongfang unload his basket to catch fish, others searching for firewood nearby; in almost an instant, the place was empty.
Ling Weidong was indeed a little nervous, especially when he met Jian Zhiqing's clear-cut, seemingly questioning gaze. He was even more annoyed with himself for being so useless and felt a bit powerless. Did Jian Zhiqing really not understand anything?
Or is it because I didn't perform well enough?
"What's wrong? Weren't you hungry?"
With no one else around, Ling Weidong's emotions quickly stabilized, but he still maintained a serious expression.
"No, it's simple. I wanted to ask if I could trade this fish for some of your grilled fish seasoning."
The main thing is, that smells so good! We've been searching for so long and haven't found anything quite like it. We still crave that taste.
His face was expressionless, and his facial muscles barely moved, but in his tone, one could detect a subtle hint of grievance.
Hmm, is it just my imagination?
"That's all?"
With such a solemn occasion, Jian Dan wondered if something had happened.
But after asking that question, why does it feel even quieter around me?
She looked up and around, and saw that everyone was busy with their own work, so it must have been her imagination.
"I thought you were talking about something else. Wait, I remember I brought a few packs with me,"
The basket had just been pulled out of the water and was already on the main road, so cheating was out of the question. Therefore, the only option was to work on the person carrying it.
Fortunately, it's not that hot yet. My jacket has two large pockets; after rummaging through them, I found two paper packets.
"I didn't think about anything else when I came out, and I didn't bring much with me. Let me look for it!"
Here, there are two more. See if that's enough?
The two paper packages were quite large; any more would have aroused suspicion.
"Enough, enough, enough!"
Ling Weidong readily agreed and hurriedly accepted it. Heaven knows, he had prepared for nothing to happen. However, if it weren't for the enticing aroma, eating grilled fish with only salt would have been quite nice. But this flavor had already taken over his taste buds, making it impossible to eat anything else.
However, this is also because they are in good condition, have basically never suffered from hunger, and have the confidence to be picky.
If you're like the villagers, when you're truly starving, you won't have the mind to be picky. When you're desperate, you'll stuff wild vegetables and grasses into your mouth. Some people would even fight with pigs for food.
After finishing his business, Ling Weidong's mood improved considerably, and he was even able to crack a few jokes.
"Have you finished eating? Would you like to have some more?"
"There are many of us, so we can catch fish quickly."
Jian Dan picked up the basket again, weighed it in her hand, and saw the large fish that Ling Weidong had just handed her inside.
"No need, I just grilled two and I'm full. There's still one left, isn't there? I'll pack it up when I get back, and then I'll have food for tomorrow too."
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