Chapter 30
Fish in the Water
Su Cheng couldn’t help but replay in his mind how Qin Zhenzhen had helped him clear his name. Her protective demeanor and intelligence were nothing like the Qin Zhenzhen they had known before.
Could a person truly change so drastically?
Su Ning nodded in agreement, remaining silent.
“She does seem like a completely different person. I believe she genuinely wants to divorce Third Brother.”
Despite it being autumn, the afternoon sun was still scorching.
Qin Zhenzhen decided to go out when the sun began to set, or perhaps she would return to her parents’ house the following morning. She wasn’t in a rush.
She decided to take a nap after lunch.
The old-fashioned house provided a cool respite from the heat. With no fan or air conditioning, one could still sleep soundly.
Qin Zhenzhen felt an overwhelming wave of drowsiness enveloping her body.
In the courtyard, Su Ning pleaded with Su Cheng in a soft voice.
“Fifth Brother, let’s go fishing too. I really want to eat some fish. It’s been so long since we had any meat.”
Su Cheng shook his head. “Catching fish in the river isn’t easy. Even if we’re lucky, we might only catch a few small ones after waiting for hours. And if luck isn’t on our side, we might not catch anything at all.”
“You know how unlucky we are. We always return empty-handed. So, let’s not go. It’s better not to waste our time.”
Trying to console his sister, Su Cheng continued, “Our second brother went hunting in the mountains. Maybe we’ll have some meat tonight.”
But Su Ning remained reluctant. “What if Second Brother comes back empty-handed again?”
After all, the chances of their second brother successfully hunting prey were quite slim.
“I have a feeling that luck is on our side today. Look, Aunt and the others tried to frame you, but Third Sister-in-law proved your innocence.”
“So, I believe we can catch some fish today.”
Su Ning’s desire for meat was strong.
However, Su Cheng remained uninterested. “I need to water the vegetables in the backyard later. They’ve been drying in the sun.”
Su Ning couldn’t hide her disappointment, but she understood not to push further.
“Fine, I won’t go then.”
Su Cheng suggested, “Why don’t you call Qian Xiaohua to join you? I taught you how to fish last time.”
Su Ning pouted. “Qian Xiaohua and her brother have already gone!”
She only felt motivated to go fishing when she saw Qian Xiaohua and her brother doing it.
However, she couldn’t be unreasonable if Su Cheng had to water the vegetables.
“Forget it. If I go alone, I probably won’t be able to catch anything since I haven’t learned properly.”
Even her mentor couldn’t catch fish, let alone her.
She asked Su Cheng to accompany her because she had hope.
But going alone was out of the question, as she might become a laughingstock.
Seeing his sister’s unhappiness, Su Cheng relented. “Alright, I’ll go with you. We’ll both shower the plants when we come back.”
Su Ning happily jumped up. “Hehe, Fifth Brother, you’re the best! We can shower the plants together when we get back.”
The siblings headed to the river with excitement to catch fish.
By the time Qin Zhenzhen woke up, the sun was already setting.
The disappointed siblings returned from their fishing trip.
“Fifth Brother, I just don’t understand. Why can they catch fish while we can’t?”
Su Cheng replied, “Maybe our fishing skills aren’t as good. Fishing requires technique.”
“When I sell the cabbages, I’ll buy fish for you, okay?”
Su Ning shook her head. “No need. We should save the money from selling the cabbages. Plus, cabbages aren’t easy to sell, and they’re not expensive.”
Then, she smiled again. “I’ll wait for Second Brother to come back and see if he managed to hunt any rabbits!”
Qin Zhenzhen’s heart skipped a beat. The fish in the river were known to be exceptionally delicious, especially in ancient times when there was no pollution. The freshness of the river made the fish even more flavorful.