The group returned loaded with their catch, chatting and laughing on the way back.
Old Mrs. Qin couldn't close her mouth from the laughter upon seeing the fish in the bucket—seven or eight big carps were enough for the whole family to feast for a while. She picked out two of the biggest and called Li Qiao to take them back to her parental home.
Li Qiao felt extremely reluctant on the inside; it wasn't that she was unwilling to show filial piety, but rather that Li Jinhua was too much to handle, and they couldn't afford to fall out. However, she couldn't find an excuse to shirk the task. Her gaze swept over Qin Jin, who was busy cleaning the fish, "How about this evening, then? I'll go together with Jin."
That way, she could spend more time reading during the day.
Old Mrs. Qin thought it was a good idea, as the young couple walking together at night might help to foster their relationship.
Qin Jin wasn't pleased, "Going out at night, who knows, they might think I'm out to commit theft."
Old Mrs. Qin rolled her eyes, what a dim-witted boy! With the dark night and high winds, and no one around, wasn't his wife there for him to do as he pleased?
The family was talking amicably when Peng Chunhua from next door came over. Catching sight of the big carps in the bucket, she let out a long, drawn-out "yo". "Did you catch these fish from the reservoir?"
Li Qiao responded, emphasizing that it was Qin Jin who had crafted the hole.
Peng Chunhua felt envious and jealous in her heart. She had long noticed that Qin Jin was capable; while others of the same age still relied on their parents, he could single-handedly support his family.
Keeping a forced smile, she said, "You really have good fortune, just focusing on reviewing for the university entrance exams without having to do anything else. With all this effort, you're sure to get admitted next year."
Li Qiao felt somewhat embarrassed and smiled coyly, "Yeah, when Jin is not at home, I do some work. When he's back, I'm basically idle."
Qin Jin couldn't help but chuckle inwardly—what a fool, agreeing to such backhanded praise. Can't she tell it's loaded?
Now the whole village was going to know that she was so lazy that she only relied on her grandmother-in-law and husband to look after her. If she failed the college entrance exams, no one knew how many people would laugh.
Peng Chunhua chuckled lightly, mentioning offhandedly, "Jin didn't call our Huzi to go fishing with him."
Li Qiao gave her a puzzled look, "Isn't your man supposed to be feeding pigs in the production team?" It was a rotational duty for taking care of the livestock in the team, and today it was their neighbors' turn, because tomorrow it would be hers.
Qin Jin almost laughed out loud; Peng Chunhua was obviously just envious of the fish he had caught, hinting that she wanted one. Silly girl.
Peng Chunhua's pretense was immediately exposed, her face turning red and then white. She retorted with forced composure, "I went back to my mother's home today and didn't pay attention."
Li Qiao pursed her lips, thinking to herself that Peng Chunhua always bragged about how much she did at home, yet she didn't even know what her own partner was up to.
She excused herself with, "Please excuse me," and turned to go back inside to continue tackling the problems left from the midday study session.
After double-checking her answers and copying the wrong ones into her notebook with detailed notes on the reasons for her mistakes.
Unwittingly, it had become late.
As dusk fell, Peng Chunhua had long since left, having been lured out by the tantalizing scent of fresh fish in the yard.
In the iron pot, the milky white broth with the faintly visible white flesh of the fish was topped with a handful of fresh green onions, bubbling and steaming.
Her mouth watered just looking at it.
Old Mrs. Qin ladled her a generous bowl, and she carefully blew on the hot soup, sipping slowly along the edge of the bowl.
It was deliciously fresh and fragrant, with the fish melting in her mouth.
Old Mrs. Qin smiled and said, "Qiaoqiao, you have such a lovely way of eating, unlike little rascals who slurp away loudly, so crude."
Qin Jin was displeased, "You praise her and then insult me? If I were as pretentious as her, you'd probably scold me for being girlish."
Li Qiao adored watching the grandparent and grandchild banter; it was hilarious to her.
After having a large serving of soup, she quickly tidied up and went to return the fish to her parental home with Qin Jin.
With the cold moon hanging high and the chill wind blowing, dry leaves rustled ominously.
As they passed through the wasteland, every so often there came a creepy clattering sound that made Li Qiao's heart chill.
Qin Jin walked ahead carrying the fish, and she followed in his steps. They were suddenly startled by a stray cat that leapt out, scaring her into jumping and screaming.
Qin Jin teased, "It's just a cat. What is there to be afraid of? The really scary things are the deserted graves ahead. When we pass by, don't look around at random, or you might be easily haunted by ghosts..."
"Ah!" Li Qiao felt as though her soul had left her body, trembling and falling to the ground as she cried, her little face turned red, her heartbeat quickened, she was angry and scared. He was just too mean and nasty.
The faint sound of crying spread all around.
Qin Jin realized he had taken the joke too far, and while helping her up and dusting the dirt off her clothes, he said, "I was just teasing you, stop crying."
"You're too much, I don't think I've wronged you in any way, and yet you keep bullying me, wuwu..." Li Qiao vented her emotions, voicing her dissatisfaction.
Listening to her sobs, Qin Jin felt at a loss for what to do. In the past, even if she cried to death, he wouldn't have cared.
But not this time; he felt uncomfortable.
He grabbed her hand and slapped it against his own face, "Hit me to vent your anger, can you stop crying now?"
Li Qiao cried even louder.
Qin Jin was immediately out of ideas, "What do you want me to do to make you stop crying?"
"My hand hurts, hitting your face made my hand ache," Li Qiao was still in shock, feeling extremely wronged.
Qin Jin: "..." What? "How about you kick me a couple of times?" He grabbed her ankle and was about to press it against himself.
Li Qiao subconsciously retracted her leg, her small fists pounding on his chest, "Wuwu...you big baddie."
"I'm a baddie, I'm a baddie," Qin Jin echoed, seizing the opportunity to hold her hand, so small and soft.
Her skin was smooth and supple like fine jade, and for a moment, he couldn't bear to let go, gently stroking it with his fingertips.
He thought to himself that if it really were a piece of jade, such a large piece would be worth quite a bit of money.
Li Qiao's mood gradually stabilized, and noticing that he was still touching her hand, she saw it as a good opportunity to get closer to him, leaning into his embrace.
The faint scent of soap from the girl's body invaded his nostrils.
The sudden closeness made his heart race uncontrollably, and not liking the feeling of losing control, he chose to back away, speaking in a rather unnatural tone, "Don't be afraid, I really was just talking nonsense before."
Li Qiao frowned, actually avoiding her.
Qin Jin cleared his throat, "Let me tell you something funny. You know, the loudspeakers from the electricity poles the big team yard installed a while back? Someone in the village was tapping his shoe against the pole to shake out dirt clumps, and the team leader passing by thought he got electrocuted, and knocked him out with a wooden stick."
He bent over laughing at his own story.
After a while, he didn't hear Li Qiao's voice, "It's so funny, why aren't you laughing?"
Li Qiao, speechless, he moved closer to her still laughing, "Give me a smile."
Li Qiao stubbornly refused to smile, picking up her pace. As fear overtook her and she stopped in her tracks, the sound of the young man's teasing voice reached her ears, "Not mad anymore, are you?"
Li Qiao huffed softly and continued on. After an indeterminately long time, they finally arrived at her parents' home.
The gate was tightly shut.
Li Qiao knocked on the door without much force and called for someone. Dong Lamei was roused from her sleep and started cursing without holding back, "You wretched girl, running back home in the middle of the night? Were you beaten by a man?"
When the door opened and she saw the young couple standing side by side, with the son-in-law holding two big fish, she immediately beamed, "It's really our Qiaoqiao who's considerate, thinking of me whenever there's something good, I haven't doted on you in vain. Look, Shengcai, our daughter and son-in-law brought two big fish back."
Li Qiao felt contempt in her heart, that was not what you just said a second ago.
Li Shengcai, wearing a cotton coat, came out of the main room slowly.
Qin Jin was busy offering a cigarette and lighting it for him, and Li Shengcai was quite pleased.
Inside the house, Li Jinhua called out, "Is it the third sister who has come back?"
Li Qiao really didn't want to respond, but she pursed her lips and said, "Yes, Jin brought some fish for the family to have two, we'll be leaving soon, won't disturb you."
"Third sister, there are some things I want to talk to you about," Li Jinhua called to her.