Eldest Sister, Why Haven't You Married Yet

49

Chapter 49. In peach blossom-mirrored stream, mandarin fish have fully grown

This was what happened. Originally river was overflowing due to the spring rain. You Jin walked along the river from a height. She never thought she reached the river base with low-lying areas. A schools of fish had flowed in due the river. Seeing the fish, You Jin first blocked the gap in the river bank to prevent the fish from swimming back into the river. Then she rolled up her trousers and waded into the 40cm deep pool to catch fish.

The river water was turbid. You Jin didn't see what kind of fish was in it at first. Catching the fish was the only thing on her mind. Once she caught the first fish out of the water, she immediately caught on! Mandarin fish! You Jin exclaimed and then hurriedly looked around. Fortunately, it was raining and no one was around.

You Jin didn't bring any other tools when she came out; only a wooden barrel and a homemade twine fishing rod. She swiftly threw the fish into the wooden bucket and made quick work of her hands and feet, she ignored the slippery ground and climbed out of the pool. Afterward, she hurried home with the wooden bucket.

Mrs. Su and the few daughters were at home sewing the clothes they had already worn away. When they heard the movement outside, they knew that it was You Jin coming back. You Zhu hurriedly ran out in the rain to open the courtyard door: "Eldest Sister, you're back!"

She reached out and took the wooden barrel in her hand,. Seeing the hand-sized fish, she couldn't help being a little disappointed: "Even the fish don't go out in the rain?"

However, You Jin didn't have the mind to respond to her. She rushed into the storeroom next to the kitchen where grain and miscellaneous things were piled up to find a sack. Then she entered the main room and asked Mrs. Su to cut the sack along the seam with scissors.

Mrs. Su Shi found it puzzling: "Why cut a good sack for?"

You Jin was slightly panted as she suppressed the excitement in her heart: "Mother, I found a group of mandarin fish in a pool by the river! The mandarin fish is worth much more than ordinary fish! The water in the pool is too much. By cutting a sack, I can use it as a fishing net to catch all the fish. It can at least sell them for few liang!"

Seeing that her daughter had a legitimate purpose, Mrs. Su didn't ask much. She cut the sack open in few moves. As soon as the other little girls heard that they were going to fish, they hurriedly bundled up and followed behind You Jin to help fish. Mrs. Su couldn't join them. So she stayed at home and boiled a large pot of water with You Bao. Then she made a thick cold-dispelling soup as she wait for her daughters' return.

Back to the three sisters, You Jin, You Yin, and You Zhu rushed to the place where You Jin found the mandarin fish with their back-basket on their backs. They didn't encounter any villagers from Wuliqiao along the way; avoided all the explanation. The three sisters came to the pool, took off their shoes, and went into the water one by one. You Jin and You Yin spread the cut sack and chased the direction of the mandarin fish in the water.

Although the pool wasn't shallow, the area was only so big. You Jin and sisters chased the mandarin fish in the direction that they were fleeing. After a few rounds, they caught all the mandarin fish in the pool.

At the edge of the puddle, You Zhu kept putting fish into the back basket. When You Jin and You Yin came out of the pool, the three's back basket were already full. You Jin grinned like a Cheshire cat as she shook the mud-filled sackcloth net in the water a few times. Only then, the three sisters hurried home with the basket on their backs.

In Su Family's yard under the eaves of the kitchen porch, the two wooden tubs that were usually used for washing clothes and bathing were now filled with fresh water from the well. In the water, swum the mandarin fish the three sisters caught. After taking a hot bath, the three sisters drank the steaming cold-dispelling soup from a thick porcelain bowl as they watched little Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh gathered around the two basins with their mouths wide open in great interest. You Jin amusedly spoke, "Little Fifth, how about we eat fish tonight?"