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Chapter 6: Borrowing Grain
Chapter 6: Borrowing Grain
Upon returning home, Lu Qing did not hesitate to distribute the fish to the eager children waiting for him. He went to the back of the small courtyard and plucked a couple of banana leaves, cutting them into several pieces.
He gave each child a small handful of fish, not a large amount, perhaps just under half a pound per person.
Though the quantity of fish was modest, the children were thrilled.
Holding their precious catch, they scampered home excitedly as if they had obtained some priceless treasure.
As Lu Qing finished dividing the fish, some villagers approached him.
"Lu Qing, how did you catch so many fish all of a sudden? What's your secret?"
"Just luck, I suppose," Lu Qing replied with a smile. "Maybe it's because the bait I used is particularly attractive to fish."
"Oh? And what bait did you use?"
"Earthworms. They're quite common in the fields."
Lu Qing saw no reason to keep it a secret, so he honestly shared his method.
After all, even if he didn't tell them, the villagers would likely find out soon enough since a crowd of curious children had been watching him fish.
If word got out that he was keeping something from them, they might accuse him of being stingy. Therefore, he figured it was better to be forthright about it.
"Earthworms? You can use those for fishing?" A villager exclaimed in surprise.
"Of course," Lu Qing replied. "And the fish seem to love them."
He wasn't surprised that the villagers were unaware that earthworms could be used as bait.
From the original host's memories, he surmised that he was now in a world similar to ancient China—a world that was not only ancient but also feudal.
In such an era, transportation was challenging, and information was often scarce and restricted.
People tended to be cautious and conservative when it came to new things, rarely venturing out of their comfort zones.
Common knowledge in one place could be a rare novelty in another.
It wasn't unusual that no one in the village was skilled in fishing or aware that fish relished earthworms as a meal.
"I never would have guessed that fish liked earthworms," a villager marveled. "No wonder our past attempts at fishing yielded little to nothing. We've been using the wrong bait this whole time."
"Lu Qing, did your father teach you this trick?" another villager asked.
Lu Qing hesitated for a moment before nodding. "My father mentioned it once, and I happened to remember it. Little Yan kept complaining about being hungry, and we had nothing to eat at home, so I recalled this method and decided to give it a try. I didn't expect to actually catch anything."
Hearing this, the villager's eyes shifted to Xiao Yan, who was crouched by the bucket, examining the fish. Sensing his gaze, she looked up and offered him a bright smile.
The villager's heart twinged with sympathy as he turned to look at the frail Lu Qing.
"What are you going to do now? You can't just eat fish. Your stomachs won't be able to handle it."
"I was hoping to discuss something with you, uncles," Lu Qing said earnestly. "As you all know, my family is in a difficult situation right now. We don't even have a single grain of rice to our name. I was wondering if I could borrow some grain, oil, and salt from you. Once I find a way to earn some money, I promise to repay you double what I owe."
"Nonsense! Do you think we're the type to take advantage of others' misfortunes?" the villager said, his voice thick with emotion. "We're all from the same village, and it's only right that we support each other in times of need. I'll get you some grain right away!"
Moved by his words, the other villagers chimed in:
"Indeed, it's just a bit of grain. I'll go get some for you right now!"
"I bought too much salt at the market earlier this month. I can spare some for you."
"Oil? I still have plenty left. I'll go get you some!"
The villagers proudly puffed out their chests, eager to help.
Chapter 6: Borrowing Grain
Lu Qing was overjoyed. "Thank you so much, uncles!"
"Hold on a moment, Lu Qing. I'll go get some rice for you right now," Shan Bo said as he hurried out. The other villagers also scattered to their respective homes.
Not long after, they returned to Lu Qing's courtyard, carrying various items.
"Here, take this half bag of rice for you and Xiao Yan to eat. Come to me if you need more!"
"Lu Qing, this half jar of lard should last you a while, right?"
"Here's some salt, about half a bamboo tube's worth. It should be enough for now."
"I also have a few flatbreads that your aunt made this morning. They can be stored for quite some time. One piece can fill you up for a long while. Will this be enough?"
Lu Qing was deeply grateful for the villagers' generosity. He bowed repeatedly, saying, "Thank you so much, uncles! This is more than enough."
He then scooped out several handfuls of fish from the bucket and divided them into portions, further reducing the amount of fish in the bucket.
"Please take these fish, uncles. Consider it a small token of our appreciation."
Shan Bo and the others waved their hands in refusal. "We can't take these. You just caught them, and they're all you have to eat. Keep them for yourself and Xiao Yan."
"Xiao Yan and I can't possibly finish all these fish. The weather is hot, and we don't have any chickens or ducks to feed them to. They'll go bad quickly. Consider it our way of sharing your burden and preventing waste." Lu Qing insisted, pressing the packages of fish into their hands.
"Alright, alright, we won't refuse anymore then." The villagers had just contributed a significant portion of their own rations, and now with the addition of the fish, their initial reluctance melted away.
After seeing the villagers off, Lu Qing heaved a sigh of relief. He felt fortunate that the villagers were so kind and simple; otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to ask for their help so boldly.
Now, with the food they had provided, he and Xiao Yan wouldn't have to worry about meals for at least ten days to half a month. This buffer gave him some time to figure out a long-term solution to their survival in this world.
"Brother, this flatbread smells so good!" Xiao Yan's voice interrupted Lu Qing's thoughts.
He looked down to see Xiao Yan crouched on the ground, eyeing the flatbread one of the villagers had brought with a hungry gaze.
Lu Qing tore off a small piece of the flatbread and placed it in Xiao Yan's hand. "Be a good girl, Xiao Yan. Eat this while I prepare our meal."
"Okay, brother! I will!" Xiao Yan nodded obediently and began nibbling on the flatbread happily.
With Xiao Yan content for the moment, Lu Qing set about preparing their meal in the kitchen. First, he washed the rice and set it to steam. Then, he cleaned and gutted about half a pound of the small fish.
However, as he prepared to cook the fish, Lu Qing realized a problem—there was no cooking pot in the kitchen.
He racked his brains and recalled that the original owner of this body had sold the iron pot they used to have to buy food. Now, they only had the clay pot for steaming rice, with no proper cookware for preparing dishes.
With a sigh, Lu Qing had to make do with what he had. He found a relatively flat and smooth stone slab from the courtyard, cleaned it thoroughly, and placed it over the fire to heat up.
Once the stone slab was scorching hot, Lu Qing carefully scooped out a small spoonful of solidified lard from the clay jar one of the villagers had brought.
The moment the lard touched the hot stone, it sizzled and melted, releasing a mouthwatering aroma.
(End of Chapter)
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