Chapter 5: Bountiful Harvest
Lu Qing arrived at the fishing spot and flattened the surrounding grass with his feet before placing it into the wooden bucket. Then he took out the bamboo tube containing the earthworms. Removing the clay seal, he revealed the wriggling red earthworms inside.
The little kids, perched higher up on the slope, spotted the squirming creatures instantly and let out a collective gasp.
They knew what earthworms were—plenty of times they’d caught them just for fun, or dug them up to feed to their chickens and ducks. But they had no idea these wriggly creatures could be used to catch fish.
Under their wide-eyed stares, Lu Qing carefully pulled out one earthworm, threaded it onto the hook, and cast it into the water—right onto the gray glowing spiral mark that the ability had highlighted.
The hook sank beneath the surface. Lu Qing stood still, waiting calmly.
Behind him, the children held their breath, eyes locked on the scene.
Soon, they noticed the small wooden float tied to the fishing line—floating on the surface—begin to tremble slightly.
Their tension spiked.
Only Lu Qing remained utterly composed, unmoving, letting the float tremble as it was.
Then, with a sudden jerk, the float shot upward—then plunged sharply downward.
At that moment, Lu Qing yanked the fishing rod up in one swift motion.
A silver streak shot from the water.
When everyone got a clear look, a long, slender white fish—about as thick as two fingers—was already hooked and thrashing wildly.
“Fish! He actually caught a fish!”
Staring at the wriggling little fish dangling from the hook, the children were stunned.
Xiao Yan leapt up, eyes wide with excitement: “Brother! You caught a fish! It’s so big!”
Lu Qing couldn’t help but smile.
Good thing his skills hadn’t faded. First cast, and he’d landed one. Otherwise, he’d have been mortified in front of these kids.
He carefully removed the fish and examined it closely. The small white fish looked remarkably similar to the bai tiao he’d caught in his past life.
Instantly, a faint gray glow began to emanate from its body.
【White Fish: Edible. Might be a good source of nutrition.】
Seeing the word “edible” brought a wave of relief.
As long as it was safe to eat, today’s food supply was secured.
He poured some water into the bucket, then gently placed the fish inside. Behind him, the kids continued to cheer and shout in delight—so much so that Lu Qing couldn’t help but sigh.
“Quiet down,” he said, “you’ll scare the fish away.”
Immediately, the children clamped their hands over their mouths, their voices silenced—but their eyes still sparkled with uncontainable excitement.
Now that they’d seen Lu Qing actually catch a fish, it was like discovering a whole new world. Their hearts pounded with wonder.
But what came next would make their hearts race even faster.
Lu Qing rethreaded another earthworm onto the hook and cast it back into the water.
No more than a minute passed before the float twitched again—and another white fish was pulled up.
From that moment on, Lu Qing entered a rhythm—catch after catch.
One small fish after another came up, as effortless as pulling fish straight from the stream.
The haul wasn’t limited to white fish. He also caught yellow-boned fish, tiny river shrimps, and more—each one a testament to the richness of the river’s untouched ecosystem.
The children were utterly electrified. If they weren’t afraid of spooking the fish, they’d have been screaming in joy.
Lu Qing reached into the bamboo tube again—but this time, his hand came up empty.
He peered inside. Most of the earthworms had already been used. Only a few remained at the bottom.
He glanced at the bucket beside him—now brimming with fish, a truly bountiful catch.
A smile tugged at his lips.
It’d been a long time since he’d felt this good pulling in fish.
No wonder this was another world—the pristine environment here produced fish with real strength. Even the smallest ones gave a satisfying pull.
He felt a twinge of relief, too.
Good thing he’d picked this spot. The resistance was strong enough to be satisfying, but if he’d gone to the other two fishing spots, the line would’ve snapped under the strain of a single big fish.
The earthworms were nearly gone, and the catch rate had noticeably dropped.
Lu Qing knew it was time to stop.
If he kept going, he’d empty the entire area of fish. They needed time to regroup.
With that thought, he began winding in the fishing rod, then poured the last few earthworms into the water before lifting the bucket and heading back up the slope.
The little kids, now utterly awestruck, followed him up the hill like disciples.
As he reached the top, they swarmed around him, eyes glued to the overflowing bucket.
“Lu Qing Ge! You’re incredible—how did you catch so many fish?!”
“How long will it take to eat all of these?”
“So it really is possible to catch fish with a bamboo pole!”
…
“Brother! Brother! Fish! So many fish!” Xiao Yan bounced up and down, her face flushed with excitement.
“Not bad,” Lu Qing said modestly. “Just… a bit small.”
Once the kids had calmed down a little, he added, “You three—help me carry this bucket back. When we get home, everyone gets a share.”
He estimated the total weight at around seven or eight pounds—plus the bucket and water, it was no light load.
His body was still weak from illness, so carrying it all the way back to the village would be tough.
Besides, he and Xiao Yan couldn’t possibly eat that much in just a few meals.
Small fish didn’t last long without refrigeration, and they had no way to preserve them. Better to share.
“Got it, Lu Qing Ge!” The kids cheered instantly.
They each grabbed an edge of the bucket and lifted it with ease.
Those who didn’t get a chance to help nearly burst into tears.
Lu Qing had to step in, arranging a rotation system—only then did the bickering die down.
And so, the group marched back to the village, carrying the heavy bucket of fish.
When they arrived, the children’s excited chatter drew a crowd.
Curious villagers stepped out of their homes, eyes widening at the sight.
“Wait… Lu Qing actually caught fish? And so many?”
In the time he’d been gone, news of his recovery had spread through the village. Everyone knew he’d gone fishing by the river.
But no one expected this.
The bucket was overflowing. At least ten pounds of fish, easily.
When did Lu Qing learn how to do this?
Now, the curiosity of the entire village had been sparked.
Especially those who’d tried fishing themselves—many of them had failed miserably.
They couldn’t help but wonder: What’s his secret? How did he catch so many fish so quickly?
Driven by curiosity, more and more villagers followed behind Lu Qing, drawn toward his home like moths to flame.
(End of Chapter)
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