Chapter 18: The Crowd
The villagers never managed to catch up with Lu Qing and the others. With Wang Da An’s help, their pace wasn’t slow at all—especially since the river wasn’t far from the village. By the time the villagers were still tidying up by the riverside, Lu Qing and the rest had already returned to the village.
And when they did, the reaction was nothing short of explosive.
There was no way to ignore it—Wang Da An’s massive fish was simply impossible to miss. Worse yet, the man couldn’t resist showing off. As soon as he stepped into the village, he’d strut toward anyone he saw, proudly displaying the enormous fish on his back.
People weren’t blind. Of course they noticed.
The moment someone spotted the fish, a shout erupted.
“Da An Brother caught a giant fish! Look at that huge thing!”
That single cry was enough to send the entire village rushing out to see what the fuss was about.
And when they did, they saw it—yes, it was a real giant. A fish so large it was downright frightening.
The crowd exploded.
“Good grief, Da An! You actually caught a fish this big? Tell us how you did it!”
“Man, this thing must weigh over twenty catties! You’ve really got a talent, Da An!”
“Da An Brother’s amazing! How did you even land such a monster?”
Everyone swarmed around Wang Da An, reaching out to touch the fish while marveling at its size. The children were especially excited—jumping, squealing, and shouting with pure delight.
Lu Qing watched with a small smile as Wang Da An proudly displayed the Green Armor Fish.
It reminded him of his past life—those fishing buddies who, after catching a big fish, couldn’t help but brag like they’d just conquered the world. As if not showing it off would somehow disrespect the long hours they’d spent by the river.
Finally, after Wang Da An had finished showing off, Lu Qing sighed and called out, “Alright, Da An Brother, we should head back now.”
With pride thoroughly satisfied, Wang Da An finally squeezed through the crowd and joined Lu Qing.
“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you—this fish wasn’t actually mine. It was Lu Qing who caught it!”
“Wait… Lu Qing caught it?”
Everyone instantly turned to look at Lu Qing.
Xiao Yan instantly lifted her chin with pride. “That’s right! My brother worked so hard to catch this big fish. And we’ve still got another even more beautiful one in our bucket!”
“Really? Lu Qing caught it?”
“Another big fish in the bucket?!”
The villagers surged forward, pressing around Lu Qing, eager to peek into the bucket he was carrying.
And when they saw it…
They were utterly stunned.
There was no other explanation—Red Moon Carp was simply breathtaking.
Its vibrant crimson scales glowed like flames dancing in the water, instantly telling anyone who saw it: This is no ordinary fish.
“What kind of fish is this? It’s so beautiful!”
“I’ve never seen a red fish like this before!”
“Lu Qing, where on earth did you catch this?”
“Do you even know what this fish is?”
The questions poured in, full of wonder.
“I don’t know what it is,” Lu Qing said, shaking his head. “Tomorrow, I’m going to take it to Chen Ye Ye. Maybe he’ll recognize it.”
“Exactly! Chen Laodaifu has seen everything. He’ll definitely know.”
If there was one person in the village who commanded the most respect, it was Chen Laodaifu. It wasn’t just because most villagers had visited him for treatment at some point. It was also because he was widely regarded as the most knowledgeable person in the village—someone who’d traveled to the city often, whose experiences far surpassed those of ordinary country folk.
For a long while, the crowd gathered around, marveling at both fish, admiring every detail. Only after they’d fully soaked in the spectacle did they finally drift away, satisfied.
Lu Qing had offered to invite everyone back to his home to cook and share the fish. But the villagers all knew his family’s situation. They politely declined.
Even if a few were tempted—eager to taste such a rare dish—they didn’t get a chance to speak. Others quickly pulled them away.
What kind of people were they? Taking advantage of two poor orphans? They’d be mocked for life!
Once the crowd had finally dispersed, Lu Qing picked up the bucket and walked back with Xiao Yan and Wang Da An to their small courtyard.
“Lu Qing, I’ll head back now,” Wang Da An said as soon as they arrived, setting the fish down.
Lu Qing quickly called out, “Wait, Da An Brother! We said you’d eat with us!”
“Are you serious? I was just joking! You know how poor your family is. If I stayed for dinner, my old man would chase me home with a stick!”
“But you can’t just let me break my promise,” Lu Qing insisted.
“I just can’t stay. Not even for a meal.”
They stood there, arguing back and forth—neither could convince the other.
“Da An Brother, you know, this fish is way too big for just the two of us. We can’t eat it all. The weather’s warming up—fish won’t keep long. Take a couple of pieces home. It’ll help me out.”
Lu Qing spoke with sincere honesty.
Wang Da An hesitated, then finally gave in. “Well… alright.”
Seeing him agree, Lu Qing immediately went into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and began preparing the fish.
It wasn’t easy. The Green Armor Fish truly lived up to its name—the scales were incredibly tough. It took a lot of effort, and even with Wang Da An helping, they barely managed to scrape off the outer layer.
Once the fish was gutted, Lu Qing tossed out the internal organs—guts, liver, and all. Though, in truth, he’d once loved eating fish intestines. But with their meager supplies, even salt was scarce. There was no way they could handle such a strong-smelling dish.
After removing the organs, Lu Qing immediately cut out two large chunks of meat and wrapped them in banana leaves, handing them to Wang Da An.
“Are you serious? That’s so much!”
Wang Da An stared in disbelief at the two hefty portions—easily several catties.
“It’s not much,” Lu Qing insisted. “Look, there’s still plenty left. Xiao Yan and I can’t eat all of it.”
He forced the fish into Wang Da An’s hands.
Wang Da An glanced at the chopping board—still covered in fish meat—and finally stopped resisting.
“Lu Qing, I think you’re the only one in the whole village who’s got the luxury of worrying about too much fish.”
He laughed, accepting the meat.
After seeing Lu Qing’s performance today, Wang Da An had realized one thing: Lu Qing’s household might never run short of fish again.
“Fish won’t fill your belly,” Lu Qing sighed. “People still need rice. But our fields are still barren, and it’s not planting season yet.”
“That is a problem,” Wang Da An nodded.
He knew all too well about the tragedy that had struck the Lu family—how Lu Qing had missed the entire planting window. The next season wouldn’t come for months.
Then, suddenly, an idea struck him.
“Lu Qing, you’re so good at fishing. Why not sell the fish at the big market nearby? With the money, you can buy grain!”
“Sell fish?” Lu Qing frowned. “But I remember—going into the city requires a fee. I don’t have any money.”
“I’m not talking about the city,” Wang Da An clarified. “I mean the big market—just a few miles from here.”
“The big market?”
Lu Qing blinked.
(End of Chapter)
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