Chapter 234: Truly “Thank Q”
Ning Xiyue picked up a kitchen knife and gestured at the meat on the table. “Come on, let’s not waste Aunt Huaihua’s good intentions. Half for each of us.”
After making a couple of cutting gestures, she brought the knife down the middle, splitting the meat into two equal portions. Then she wrapped each half neatly using the old newspaper Aunt Huaihua had brought for wrapping meat.
Ning Qingyuan also wrapped his share in old newspaper and couldn’t help sighing about how kind and simple the villagers were. Getting free meat made him feel a little guilty.
“It’s fine, let’s just take it,” Ning Xiyue said lightly. “If we refused, they’d feel uneasy, like they owed us something. Better to accept it and put their hearts at ease.”
She really took things easily. She knew Uncle Anguo’s family didn’t like owing others favors, so after a few polite refusals, she accepted their gift.
But Uncle Anguo’s family truly were warm people—he even packed her a big piece of cured bacon to take home. They really knew how to maintain good relations.
It made sense that he could serve as the team’s accountant and be so loved by everyone.
He had good character.
The kind of person worth keeping long-term contact with—not someone who’d forget kindness or betray trust.
Seeing that his sister got along so well with the commune members, Ning Qingyuan finally felt relieved.
He glanced at the sky, then at his watch, and stood up to hang his luggage on the bicycle.
“Little sis, it’s getting late, I’ll head back now. See you tomorrow. Just bring a bucket for holding fish; I’ll bring the rest of the tools.”
“Alright, got it.” Ning Xiyue handed him the flashlight from the cupboard. “Here, take this. Ride safe.”
“Will do. It’s cold out, don’t see me off. You’ve worked hard all day—boil some hot water, soak your feet, and get to bed early.”
As he spoke, Ning Qingyuan used a bit of wire to fasten the flashlight securely onto the bike’s handlebar, then waved as he pushed the bike out the door. “I’m off!”
Ning Xiyue didn’t follow him out. She stood in the kitchen doorway watching her second brother’s back until he disappeared, then turned back inside to heat water for washing her feet.
When she carried the basin into the room, Chen Ye Chu was already soaking her feet. The two of them chatted while soaking about tomorrow’s fishing trip by the river.
Afterward, Chen Ye Chu—for once—didn’t pick up a book. Sitting cross-legged on the heated brick bed, she reminded Ning Xiyue:
“Let’s sleep early tonight and get up at dawn to claim a spot. Ever since Zhang Jianguo broke the ice and caught a few big fish the other day, half the team’s been going there. If we go late, there won’t be any place left for us to fish.”
“Alright, then let’s sleep now. Tomorrow we’ll try to bring back a few big ones.”
Ning Xiyue was intrigued. She was determined to experience ice fishing at least once.
After pouring out the foot water, she climbed onto the kang and turned off the light.
For once, she put aside all thoughts of studying—books could wait anytime, but fun like this didn’t come often.
Maybe she was just too tired, because as soon as she closed her eyes, she fell asleep instantly.
Early the next morning, Ning Xiyue woke up unusually early. Staring at the patchwork mosquito net above her, she was still a little dazed.
She’d dreamed the whole night.
And in every dream was Comrade Ji—
Sometimes chasing her with several big grass carps in his arms, asking for a reply letter;
Sometimes confessing to her after catching a whole basket of fish;
Sometimes cooking her a full-course fish banquet;
Sometimes rewarding her with a cartload of fish after catching all the human traffickers.
Truly… “Thank Q.”
Ning Xiyue scratched her hair into a messy chicken nest, half laughing. What kind of ridiculous dreams were those? So random and absurd, hammering here and there with no logic at all.
Utterly hilarious.
“Xiyue, you awake?” Chen Ye Chu, still sleepy, was sitting on the kang getting dressed, calling out to her.
“Awake. Getting up now.”
Ning Xiyue rolled around under the quilt until she was fully awake, then started dressing.
Just then, Liu Yao’s excited voice rang out from outside:
“Xiyue, Yechu, you up yet? I’m going to dig some worms first, you guys take your time!”
“Okay!”
Ning Xiyue hurriedly finished dressing. That friend of hers was already so excited she couldn’t wait to start digging bait—it showed just how much she was looking forward to today’s fishing trip.
After all, she’d dreamed about fish the entire night. No matter what the dream was about, there were always fish.
And what did that mean? It meant she was destined to catch a lot of fish today! If she didn’t bring any back, it’d feel like a betrayal of her whole night’s worth of dreams.
Honestly, who could understand—fish had been swimming around in her head all night long, and now even when she opened or closed her eyes, all she could see were fish. Everything looked like a fish.
After breakfast, all the educated youths in the compound grabbed their handmade fishing tools and little stools, setting out together in a lively group toward the big river outside the team area.
Each face was filled with eager anticipation—everyone hoping to bring back some fish.
Ning Xiyue followed happily behind, carrying two small stools and two fish baskets she’d woven herself from bamboo strips, full of enthusiasm for the day’s adventure.
Big fish, here she comes!
