Chapter 3: Want to Go Fishing
“Brother, what’s this?” Xiao Yan had been quietly watching Lu Qing the entire time, her eyes wide with curiosity as he finished crafting the Fishing Rod.
“This is a Fishing Rod,” Lu Qing said, waving the bamboo pole lightly to test its balance. He gave a satisfied nod. “Whether we eat today depends entirely on this.”
In his previous life, he’d been an avid fisherman—whenever the mood struck, he’d even make small rods for fun. Never had he thought that skill would come in handy here.
Xiao Yan’s eyes lit up instantly. “Brother, can you really catch fish?”
“Not sure yet,” Lu Qing replied with a smile. “Let’s try first. If we actually catch one, we’ll have fish soup.”
“Fish soup…” Xiao Yan murmured, already lost in daydreams. A small droplet of drool escaped from the corner of her mouth.
“Brother, let’s go fish right away!” She couldn’t wait.
Her last meal of fish had been years ago—during the Lunar New Year, when her father had bought a big one from the market. In her memory, fish was the most delicious thing in the world.
“Not so fast,” Lu Qing said. “We still need to prepare some Bait.”
Bait wasn’t hard to find. In the corner of the yard, where the soil was cool and rich, Lu Qing dug two shovelfuls and quickly unearthed what he needed.
[Red Earthworm: A helpful creature for loosening soil, possibly useful as medicine.]
Ignoring the floating information, Lu Qing placed the wriggling worm into a Bamboo Tube. He wasn’t collecting it for medicine—he didn’t know anything about healing.
Sealing the tube with only a tiny air hole, he slung the Fishing Rod over his shoulder and picked up an Old Wooden Bucket with his other hand. With a determined stride, the two siblings marched out of the courtyard, full of purpose.
They hadn’t gone far when a woman called out to them.
“Lu Qing! Are you really better? Can you walk now?”
The woman—Wang Sheng—was carrying a basket of freshly washed clothes. Her voice trembled with disbelief.
Earlier, the whole village had believed the boy was dying. Even Chen Ye Ye had given up, saying there was nothing more to be done. They’d already been discussing when to prepare his funeral.
And now? Just one day later, he was walking, alert, and ready to leave the house?
“Yeah,” Lu Qing replied, echoing the quiet tone of the original owner’s personality. “Not sure how, but after sleeping two days, my health gradually improved. I was able to get up this morning.”
Wang Sheng didn’t notice the subtle shift in his demeanor. She only cared that he seemed to be recovering. A relieved smile spread across her face.
“Good, good,” she repeated, exhaling. “That’s all that matters.”
Her relief was genuine. For two days, the village elders had come to visit, each confirming the grim prognosis. They’d even discussed what to do if Lu Qing died—whether to have one of the families adopt Xiao Yan, and the others contribute money to support her.
Wang Sheng’s husband had even suggested taking her in, claiming that years ago, Lu Qing’s father had saved his life during a famine. He couldn’t let the last of the Lu family be left without care.
But Wang Sheng hated the idea. Another mouth to feed? She wasn’t willing to take on that burden.
She couldn’t refuse her husband directly, so all she could do was pray that Lu Qing would survive.
Now, seeing him standing strong, she felt real joy.
With a serious expression, she said, “Lu Qing, you must take care of yourself from now on. Xiao Yan only has you left. If anything happens to you, what will become of her?”
Lu Qing blinked in surprise. In the memories of the original body, Wang Sheng had never seemed this kind-hearted.
Still, he nodded politely. “I understand, thank you, Wang Sheng. I’ll take good care of Xiao Yan.”
“Good,” she said, satisfied. “That’s a good boy.”
As long as Lu Qing was alive, her husband wouldn’t act on his plan to adopt Xiao Yan. That thought alone eased her heart.
Only then did she notice the bucket and bamboo pole in their hands.
“What’s all this for? You’re carrying a bucket and a stick—what are you planning to do?”
“Wang Sheng, Brother and I are going fishing!” Xiao Yan beamed.
“Fishing?” Wang Sheng frowned. “With just a stick and a bucket? What kind of fish can you catch?”
She remembered the state of the Lu family—no crops, no food, no work.
Could it be… they were starving? That’s why they were trying to catch fish in the river?
“Are you hungry?” she asked quickly. “Come home with me. I still have some food left. You’ve only just recovered—don’t go near the river. You’ll catch a chill and get sick again.”
“No need to worry,” Lu Qing said with a warm smile. “We’re not going into the water. We’ll just try fishing from the bank.”
He wasn’t ungrateful—he’d gladly accept a meal. But he couldn’t rely on the kindness of villagers forever.
Eventually, even the strongest bonds would wear thin if they were constantly drained.
“Fishing?” Wang Sheng stared, amazed. “You know how to do that?”
She knew the concept, of course, but no one in the village had ever shown any real skill at it.
“I just know a little,” Lu Qing said. “Father used to talk about it. I thought I’d give it a try.”
Wang Sheng remembered—Lu Qing’s father had been literate, had traveled outside the village, and had seen things most of them hadn’t. Maybe he’d learned something unusual.
Still, she hesitated. “It’s not urgent. You’re still recovering. You should rest. Is fishing really worth it? What if you catch a cold from standing in the wind?”
If he fell ill again, with his frail body, could he survive another bout?
Lu Qing sensed the genuine concern in her voice. He felt a strange warmth in his chest.
“I promise, Wang Sheng,” he said. “I won’t push myself. I’ll be careful.”
She tried one last time to dissuade him, but seeing his resolve, she gave up. “Fine… but you must promise me—no going into the river.”
“Promise,” Xiao Yan chirped. “We won’t go in. Goodbye, Wang Sheng!”
Wang Sheng watched them walk away, then suddenly froze.
“Wait—quick, I have to tell my husband! Lu Qing’s alive! He can forget about adopting Xiao Yan!”
She turned and ran home, heart pounding.
Meanwhile, Lu Qing and Xiao Yan passed several more villagers on their way out of the village.
Each one stopped in shock, asking how he’d recovered.
And every time, Xiao Yan would proudly announce, “Brother got better after drinking Chen Ye Ye’s medicine!”
The villagers were stunned—and then filled with renewed respect for Chen Ye Ye.
The old doctor’s skill is truly miraculous. He brought back a boy who was already dead!
They were glad for the Lu family. The bloodline was preserved.
Then, when they heard the siblings were going fishing, their concern returned.
“After such a serious illness, you shouldn’t expose yourself to cold water!” they warned.
Only after Lu Qing repeatedly assured them he wouldn’t go into the river did they finally let it go.
And once they learned he was fishing? Well, they lost interest.
Fishing? Everyone knows how to do that.
Some had even tried themselves—after all, river fish were fat and free, and no one owned them. Who wouldn’t want a bite?
But every attempt ended in failure.
After spending half a day by the bank, you might catch one or two tiny fish.
Even if you got a larger one, it wasn’t worth the effort.
Who had time for that? There was always work to do in the fields.
Only someone like Lu Qing—without land, no crops, no food—would waste time fishing for survival.
Understanding his situation, the villagers no longer stopped him. They offered a few warnings, then went their separate ways.
But a few older children, curious and excited, followed behind.
They wanted to see—really see—how Lu Qing would catch fish.
(End of Chapter)
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