Chapter 329: If You Have Business, Speak; Otherwise, Don’t Bother
Ning Xiyue’s gaze flitted back and forth between Tang Xiaohu, Yu Zhiyu, and Chen Yechu, trying to detect something—mainly, she was curious about Tang Xiaohu’s eyes.
But as much as she wanted to study them, reality didn’t allow it. After pulling Yu Zhiyu away from the crowd, Chen Yechu squatted by the wooden basin, inspecting the fish.
Tang Xiaohu glanced a few times, then withdrew her gaze and sat seriously on a stool to eat.
Her second brother called her over to help pick the fish and eels from the basin and to discuss how to prepare the seafood.
Ning Xiyue squatted by the big wooden basin, sorting the catch into a new basin. Three baskets were spread across the bottom, tightly packed. If Wang Mengmeng and Liu Yao were outside, they would undoubtedly try to use her as a human shield, scared out of their wits.
Here, the eels and loaches were even more numerous than what the newcomers had caught, entwined together in an intimidating mess.
There were also plenty of fish—crucian carp, carp, and even grass carp had been caught.
The carp and grass carp weren’t huge but were still sizable, about a pound each; the crucian carp were smaller, around the size of two fingers—perfect for frying.
These three baskets were caught by Ning Qingyuan, Yu Zhiyu, and Wang Jiandong together, and the contents of the large basin would be handled by them. Since each basket had different ratios of fish and eels, they decided to dump everything together and pick what they wanted individually.
Liu Yao, afraid of eels and refusing to eat them, didn’t want to touch the fish mixed in with the eels either; she had firmly decided to eat in the canteen instead.
Yu Zhiyu didn’t force her and planned to cook today’s catch with Chen Yechu, sharing the basket between them. He let Chen Yechu choose whatever fish and eels she liked, and she accepted freely.
Yu Zhiyu only took the grass carp, which he had prearranged with Ning Qingyuan and Wang Jiandong to reserve for Chen Yechu.
“This doesn’t seem right,” Chen Yechu murmured, pointing at the grass carp. With only two large fish, taking one directly felt improper.
“It’s fine, it was agreed beforehand,” Yu Zhiyu replied softly, reassuring her.
Ning Xiyue also squatted by the basin with a basket, picking her share.
Since neither Ning Xiyue nor Ning Qingyuan wanted the carp, the remaining carp went to Wang Jiandong.
“How should we cook these fish and eels?” Ning Qingyuan asked happily, pouring a basin of water into the large basin.
“Eels are great for stir-frying with chili—spicy eel slices are delicious. The fish can be stewed or fried; they should be fresh without any fishy smell,” Chen Yechu suggested confidently.
Chen Yechu was sure that if Liu Yao tried even a little, she would like it.
Yu Zhiyu immediately agreed: “Then that’s how we’ll cook it today.”
“Fine, I’ll do the same,” Wang Jiandong said, liking the idea.
“Little sister, what do you think?” Ning Qingyuan asked, not following the others but seeking Ning Xiyue’s opinion.
“Let’s pick more eels, stir-fry them with pickled vegetables for sour-eel slices. Whatever’s left can be used as a meat sauce for our gnocchi soup—just pour a spoonful over noodles, should be delicious.” Ning Xiyue pointed to a large stone tank nearby: “We can also keep the extra eels in a lotus-root tank like mine to eat later.”
“Moon Sister, can we put the basket in your tank for a couple of days? There’s too much for me to eat at once, and the others in the hostel only eat in the canteen. It’s too much for one person.” Wang Jiandong wanted to store them for a few days and then take them into town to trade.
“Fine, keep them there if you want. But just a warning: any loss or death of the eels or fish is your responsibility, not mine.” Ning Xiyue drew the line despite their good relations.
“Got it,” Wang Jiandong replied, giving her a cheerful high-five.
The group divided the fish and eels. The newcomers couldn’t join in the conversation but were comfortably eating from their lunch boxes.
At that moment, Zhao Jianshe and Wu Guifang returned.
Ning Xiyue handed the basket to Ning Qingyuan and stood up. “Guifang Sister, Jianshe Brother, these four are the new youth. The captain asked me to inform you. Follow the usual arrangement; I’ve told them almost everything, only the rations remain to be decided.”
“Understood,” Wu Guifang nodded, calling over the two female newcomers while Zhao Jianshe attended to the two male newcomers.
Once the four were handed off, Ning Xiyue felt a weight lifted.
With tasks at hand and Tang Xiaohu listening to Wu Guifang, she temporarily ignored Tang Xiaohu’s gaze.
After sorting the fish and eels, Ning Xiyue stored the remaining eels for later in a basket with a lid, tied with a rope and a stone on the other end, suspending the basket upright in the tank so only the top was exposed.
Wang Jiandong and Yu Zhiyu did the same with their portion, suspending them in the lotus-root tank.
Ning Xiyue led Chen Yechu to the kitchen, followed by Yu Zhiyu and Ning Qingyuan carrying the basin.
In the kitchen, Ning Xiyue handed Chen Yechu the two pounds of meat she was tasked to bring. Then they each went to prepare the fish and eels.
“Second Brother, you handle the fish, I’ll wrap buns and dumplings for tonight,” Ning Xiyue said. She eyed the cherry jam in the automated kitchen—it looked enticing; wrapping buns would be fun.
“All right, I’ll go outside. I need a nail to gut the eels,” Ning Qingyuan muttered, searching for a nail and a wooden board.
He hammered a nail into the board, making a tool for gutting eels. Ning Xiyue watched as he impaled an eel on the nail without blinking, the eel writhing as he slit it open with a knife. It was brutal to kill but mouth-watering to eat.
Ning Xiyue turned away to wash her hands and wrap buns and dumplings, stopping after only the amount needed for dinner.
She placed the vehicle repair book on the table, grabbed the seeds and sprouted watermelon seeds, and headed to the prepared vegetable plot.
“Brother, I’ll plant the vegetables and watermelon first. When you’re done, bring two buckets of water to irrigate,” she said.
“All right, go ahead. I’ll finish quickly,” Ning Qingyuan replied, focusing on the last two ungutted fish in the basin.
Ning Xiyue carried the hoe to her nearly cultivated plot and dug energetically. Wu Guifang, passing by with the new youth, pointed out the plot to the two new girls without interrupting Ning Xiyue’s work.
“Each of you has a small plot to grow your own vegetables. You must cultivate it yourself. The plots you see already worked on belong to someone else, so don’t pick from them. If you want vegetables, grow them yourself—self-sufficiency.” Wu Guifang said proudly, gesturing at Ning Xiyue as an example.
“Understood,” Ning Xiyue replied, amused and a little embarrassed at being held up as a model. She had only been motivated by the thought of fresh vegetables and watermelons in summer.
Tang Xiaohu, in the back, clenched her fists and nodded. “I’ll start cultivating my plot this afternoon.”
Wu Guifang didn’t comment further; her intention was simply to encourage the newcomers to work for themselves rather than expecting ready-made food. After saying her piece, she left with the group.
Ning Xiyue continued digging and planting with earnest effort.
Soon, Tang Xiaohu tiptoed over, smiling as she greeted Ning Xiyue.
“Xiyue, you’re planting vegetables? You’re amazing—so skilled at everything. Your hoeing is so precise and neat. This plot is fantastic…”
Ning Xiyue, embarrassed by the flattery, raised her right eyebrow. “Hmm, if you have something to say, just say it. I’m still planting; I don’t have time to chat.”
Her unspoken message was clear: If you have business, speak; if not, don’t bother.
