Chapter 17: Mental Breakdown
Chapter 17: Mental Breakdown
When Lu Qing and Xiao Yan's figures appeared at the fishing spot, the villagers who were still fishing there were left stunned by the sight of the fish on Lu Qing's back.
"Lu Qing, what are you carrying on your back?" a villager stuttered in astonishment.
"Fish," Lu Qing panted, replying while catching his breath.
He was truly feeling a bit exhausted. His body had not fully recovered, and he had just struggled with the Green-armored Fish and Red Moon Carp for so long. Now, walking with so much weight on his back was truly taxing.
However, his response caused the villagers to fall into a state of dismay.
Of course, they knew that what he was carrying on his back were fish! The question was, where had he caught such enormous fish?
The villagers stared at the fish on Lu Qing's back, its tail dragging on the ground and towering half as tall as his body, and their eyes widened in awe.
"Good heavens!" they exclaimed, "We've never seen such huge fish before!"
However, there were also villagers who noticed Lu Qing's current predicament and quickly stepped forward to help him with the fish.
"Here, let me help you with that. Your body has just recovered, so don't overexert yourself again," one of them said.
Lu Qing did not refuse. He was indeed feeling a bit unsteady, and he had initially thought that he could carry the fish back home. Apparently, he had overestimated his stamina.
"Thank you, Brother Daa," Lu Qing said as he put down the fish and took a moment to catch his breath.
"Hehe, no problem. I've never seen such a huge fish before, so it's my luck to be able to touch it. Wait, there's another one in the bucket! This fish is so beautiful!" exclaimed Wang Daa, the villager who had offered to help.
As he looked down at the bucket, his eyes widened in surprise, and he let out another exclamation. The other villagers couldn't contain their curiosity any longer and immediately gathered around to peek into the bucket.
"There really is another big fish in there!"
"What kind of fish is this red one? I've never seen anything like it before!"
"This fish is so gorgeous. Those rich gentlemen in the city would definitely love it."
"Wow, Lu Qing, how did you manage to catch these? You caught two huge fish in one go?"
With the last question, all eyes turned to Lu Qing, awaiting his response.
"How did I catch them? It's pretty much the same as how you all do it," Lu Qing replied nonchalantly as he took the fishing rod from Xiao Yan's shoulder. "I just chose a spot in the upstream section of the river, and luckily, I was able to catch two big ones. It's all about luck."
"Then where exactly did you catch them?" asked a villager, his eyes narrowing slightly.
As soon as he spoke, the other villagers shot him disdainful glances. His intentions were too obvious, and he didn't even bother to hide the fact that he was trying to take advantage of a child.
Realizing his blunder, the villager quickly tried to save face. "I'm just curious, that's all. Don't tell me you're not curious too."
Lu Qing could easily discern the villager's true intentions, but he didn't give it much thought. Even if he didn't tell them, they would still go searching eventually. There was no way to conceal the traces of his fishing spot preparation.
So, he simply said, "It's not far from here, just upstream. But I advise you not to go there now."
"Why not?" the villager blurted out.
"Because the spot has already been spooked. There aren't any fish there now, not even small ones. That's why I came back so quickly," Lu Qing explained, half-truth and half-lie.
The other villagers found his explanation reasonable. After all, Lu Qing had caught two massive fish, especially the one lying on the ground, which was incredibly huge. Catching such large fish would undoubtedly create a commotion, scaring away the other fish in the area.
However, despite the logic, there were still villagers who clung to a slim hope.
For instance, the villager who had inquired about Lu Qing's fishing spot was determined to sneak over later and find out the exact location where Lu Qing had made his impressive catch.
Lu Qing, however, paid no heed to what the villagers were thinking.
Chapter 17: Mental Breakdown
As Lu Qing and Xiao Yan made their way back to the village with their impressive catch, the villagers who had been fishing nearby were left in a state of awe. They couldn't help but stare at the enormous fish on Lu Qing's back, its tail dragging along the ground, towering over him.
"My goodness! I've never seen such huge fish before!" one of them exclaimed.
Lu Qing, feeling a bit winded from the weight of the fish, took a moment to catch his breath before responding, "They're just fish."
His casual reply only added to the villagers' dismay. Of course, they knew he was carrying fish, but they were curious about where he had caught such massive creatures.
"Where did you catch these, Lu Qing?" another villager asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
The other villagers shot him disdainful glances, knowing his intentions were less than pure. He was trying to take advantage of a child, and he didn't even bother to hide it.
Realizing his blunder, the villager backpedaled, "I'm just curious, that's all. Aren't you all curious too?"
Lu Qing could see right through the villager's true intentions, but he didn't give it much thought. He knew that even if he didn't tell them, they would eventually find out. There was no way to conceal the traces of his fishing spot preparation.
"It's not far from here, just upstream. But I wouldn't bother going there now," Lu Qing said nonchalantly. "The spot's been spooked. There aren't any fish there at the moment, not even small ones. That's why I came back."
The other villagers found his explanation reasonable, especially considering the size of the fish he had caught. Catching such large fish would undoubtedly create a commotion, scaring away the other fish in the area.
However, despite the logic, one particular villager remained determined to find out the exact location of Lu Qing's impressive catch. He planned to sneak over later and investigate for himself.
Lu Qing, unaware of the villager's scheming, thanked Wang Daa for his help and bid the group farewell as they made their way back to the village.
"You're welcome, Lu Qing. I've never seen such a huge fish before, so it's my pleasure to help. And I can't wait to taste it! Let me know when you plan to cook it, and I'll come over," Wang Daa said excitedly.
As Lu Qing, Xiao Yan, and Wang Daa walked back to the village, the remaining villagers exchanged glances, their curiosity getting the better of them.
"Forget about fishing! Let's head back to the village and see what happens next!" one of them shouted.
"Yeah, we've been here all morning and only caught a few small fish. I'd rather go back and watch Lu Qing clean those huge fish!" another added.
"I didn't get a good enough look at those two big ones. I'm going back to get a better view," said a third villager.
...
The villagers' patience had worn thin after witnessing Lu Qing's extraordinary catch. They had spent two to three days fishing with minimal results, only to see Lu Qing return with two massive fish in a matter of hours. It was enough to make anyone jealous and question their own efforts.
"Forget about fishing! Let's go back and see what all the fuss is about!" one of them grumbled, packing up his things.
The others quickly followed suit, their hearts not truly in it anymore. They began to pack up their gear, ready to return to the village and catch a glimpse of Lu Qing's fish.
"Aren't you coming, Old Zhao?" one of them asked, noticing that one villager remained seated, seemingly unfazed by the excitement.
"You all go ahead. I'll stay and fish a little longer. Maybe the fish will start biting soon," Old Zhao replied with a smile.
"Suit yourself, but I doubt there are any fish left. That spot has been fished dry, and you saw how disappointed Lu Qing was with it earlier," one of the villagers said as they walked away.
Before Lu Qing's impressive catch, the villagers hadn't taken his fishing skills too seriously. They attributed his previous success with catching many small fish to his use of earthworms as bait, thinking it was his secret.
However, after witnessing the sheer size of the fish he had caught, no one dared to underestimate him anymore. They knew that if it had been them, they wouldn't have been able to land such massive catches.
In fact, over the past few days, some of the villagers had indeed hooked large fish, only to have their lines snap or their rods break under the immense strength of the struggling fish. None of them had been able to replicate Lu Qing's success.
As the villagers left, Old Zhao remained, continuing to fish calmly. Once he was sure they were out of sight, he sprang into action, quickly gathering his belongings.
"Those fools! They believe whatever that kid Lu Qing says. I don't buy it. There's no way he fished that spot dry!" Old Zhao muttered to himself.
With determination in his eyes, he set off in the direction Lu Qing and Xiao Yan had come from, eager to discover the truth behind their extraordinary catch.
(End of Chapter)
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