As they walked, Su Ning couldn't resist the urge to show off. Whenever she spotted someone, she called out to them, beckoning them to come and see the fish.
"Did you catch all these fish with your third sister-in-law?"
The little girls looked on with envy.
The little boys wore expressions of disbelief.
Su Ning took the opportunity to explain, "Yes, that's right! It happened under the big tree by the river. Maybe we got lucky and stumbled upon a hungry school of fish. As soon as we baited the hook, they eagerly took it!"
"After a while, we ended up catching nine fish."
The little boys saw the fish in the wooden bucket with their own eyes, finally believing Su Ning's account.
Curiosity took hold, and they started bombarding her with questions.
"Su Ning, what did you use as bait?"
"Was it roasted sweet potatoes or earthworms? Or something else delicious?"
"Did you use a large piece of sweet potato or a small one?"
"Did you use a whole earthworm or just half?"
Su Ning generously answered all their questions at once.
"My third sister-in-law said that we didn't need a lot of bait. The key was to entice the fish with its scent. So, we used a small piece of earthworm as bait each time."
The little boys exchanged glances. It didn't seem like a fancy fishing technique, but they couldn't deny the fact that they had caught so many fish.
Was it possible that there were truly hungry fish in the river?
It was better to err on the side of caution.
So, the little boys, who were eagerly yearning for some meat, abandoned their farm work and hurried home to fetch their fishing rods before rushing to the river.
Qin Zhenzhen was at a loss for words, but she couldn't deny the existence of fish in the river.
*
When they returned home, they were astounded by the abundance of fish.
Su Ning excitedly recounted the entire process.
Su Cheng gazed at his sister, his disbelief evident. "You actually caught three fish too?"
Su Ning nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I caught three fish all by myself. Isn't that impressive?"
"But Third Sister-in-law is the true champion. She picked the perfect spot, used just the right bait, and taught me the best techniques!"
Su Cheng still struggled to comprehend it all.
How could something so magical happen?
If only he had known, he would have gone with them to witness this extraordinary phenomenon.
Su Ning cheerfully transferred the seven fish from the bucket into the water tank.
The two large fish in the fish basket would be prepared for dinner.
"Third Sister-in-law, I was thinking of making goldfish soup and half-frying the common carp. What do you think?"
Qin Zhenzhen nodded. "Sounds good."
"It would be even better if you could cook. I'll assist you."
Su Ning had developed trust in Qin Zhenzhen's cooking skills.
However, Qin Zhenzhen surprised her by saying, "No, cook it yourself. I'll be going back to my parents' house later."
"Huh?" Su Ning was taken aback.
Why was Qin Zhenzhen going back to her parents' house?
Was she planning to convince her brother to divorce their third brother?
Su Ning didn't want Qin Zhenzhen and her third brother to separate. What should she do…
"When… when will you be coming back?"
Su Ning was genuinely worried that Qin Zhenzhen might not return.
Qin Zhenzhen casually replied, "We'll see."
Su Ning felt even more disheartened.
She really didn't want her third brother and Qin Zhenzhen to divorce…
However, Qin Zhenzhen misunderstood Su Ning's intentions and reassured her, "You can still eat the rice I bought. Even if I'm not at home, you can eat it. You don't need to return it."
Realizing the misunderstanding, Su Ning stammered and explained, "That's not what I meant… I meant that Fifth Brother and I are still young and need an adult at home…"
"With adults present, we won't be bullied."
Just like this morning when her uncle's family had bullied her fifth brother.
"My second brother can't stay at home."