Chapter 5: A Fruitful Harvest

Lu Qing arrived at the fishing spot, flattened the surrounding grass, set down the wooden bucket, and took out the bamboo tube containing the earthworms.

He removed the mud seal from the bamboo tube, revealing the red earthworms wriggling inside.

The little brats had sharp eyes, and since they were looking down from above, they immediately let out exclamations of surprise once they saw the wriggling things in the tube.

They certainly knew what earthworms were; they often caught them to play with.

Sometimes, they would even dig them up to feed the chickens and ducks at home.

But they didn't know that these things could also be used to catch fish.

Under the watchful eyes of the little brats, Lu Qing took out an earthworm and threaded it onto the hook.

He then cast the still-wriggling earthworm into the water.

It landed exactly on the spot marked by the gray light ripples from his ability.

Once the hook entered the water, Lu Qing began to wait quietly.

The little brats on the slope behind him were so nervous they held their breath, watching the scene intently.

Soon, they saw the small wooden stick tied to the fishing line, which was floating on the surface, begin to move gently.

The little brats became even more nervous.

Only Lu Qing remained calm and composed, not moving a muscle, letting the stick tremble as it pleased.

It wasn't until one end of the stick tilted up and suddenly plunged downward that he jerked the fishing rod.

A white streak flew out of the water.

When everyone got a clear look, a long, thin white fish, about two fingers wide, was already hooked.

"He really caught a fish!"

Looking at the small white fish hanging on the hook, its tail jumping and thrashing, the little brats were stunned.

Xiao Yan even jumped up: "Big brother caught a fish! Such a big fish!"

Lu Qing also smiled.

It was a good thing his skills hadn't rusted; he’d pulled one up on the first cast. If he had lost the fish in front of a bunch of kids, he would have been embarrassed.

Removing the fish, Lu Qing observed it closely.

This small white fish was quite similar to the minnows he had caught in his past life.

Soon, a faint layer of gray light emerged from the fish's body.

[Small white fish: Edible, might be good for supplementing nutrition.]

Seeing the word "edible," Lu Qing immediately felt relieved.

As long as it could be eaten, at least his rations for the day were secured.

He scooped some water into the bucket and put the fish inside. Hearing the little brats behind him still shouting excitedly, he felt a bit helpless.

"Keep it down, you'll scare the fish away."

Hearing this, the little brats quickly covered their mouths, not daring to make another sound.

However, the excitement in their eyes could not be hidden.

Seeing Lu Qing actually catch a fish was like discovering a new world; they were incredibly thrilled.

Yet, what happened next made the little brats realize what true excitement was.

They watched as Lu Qing re-baited the hook and cast it back into the water. Not long after, the float moved, and another small white fish was pulled up.

From then on, Lu Qing entered a "continuous catch" mode.

One small fish after another was pulled up, with such ease that it was as if he were simply lifting them out of the water.

The fish he caught were no longer limited to just the small white ones; there were other types as well.

He caught quite a few yellow-bone catfish and small river shrimp.

The scene left the little brats behind him truly ecstatic.

If they weren't afraid of scaring the fish away, they would have been screaming at the top of their lungs.

Lu Qing reached into the bamboo tube again, but his hand came up empty.

Looking inside, he realized he had used up most of the earthworms, with only a few left at the bottom.

He looked at the wooden bucket beside him; it was full, a bountiful harvest.

He couldn't help but smile.

It had been a long time since he’d had such a satisfying time fishing.

As expected of another world, the fish grown in this pristine environment were different.

They were full of strength; even the small fish felt substantial when being reeled in.

At the same time, he felt a bit lucky.

It was a good thing he chose this spot. Even the small fish pulled with such force; if he had gone to the other two spots, he feared the fishing line would have been snapped by a large fish in an instant.

Seeing that the earthworms were almost gone and the frequency of bites had dropped significantly, Lu Qing knew it was time to stop.

If he kept fishing, he would sweep the spot clean of all the small fish gathered there.

He had to give them time to gather again.

With that thought, Lu Qing began to pack up his rod, dumped the remaining few earthworms into the water, picked up the bucket, and headed up.

The little brats on the slope now looked at him with pure adoration.

Seeing Lu Qing come up, they immediately swarmed around him.

They stared at the large bucket of small fish, gasping in amazement.

"Brother Lu Qing, you're amazing! You caught so many fish!"

"So many fish! How long will it take to eat all these?"

"So you really can catch fish with a bamboo pole!"

...

"Brother, brother, fishy, so many fishy!"

Xiao Yan also came up to Lu Qing, jumping and bouncing, her little face flushed with excitement.

"It's alright, though the fish are a bit small," Lu Qing said modestly.

Once the little brats had calmed down a bit, Lu Qing added, "You lot, help me carry this bucket back later. Everyone will get a share of the fish."

Lu Qing estimated that the catch weighed about seven or eight pounds; with the bucket and water, it wasn't light.

His body was still weak, and while he could carry it for a moment, he didn't feel up to the task of hauling it all the way back to the village.

Besides, with so many fish, he and his sister couldn't finish them in a meal or two.

Small fish spoiled easily, and they had no way to preserve them at home, so it was better to share some out.

"Okay, Brother Lu Qing!"

Hearing that there were fish to be shared, the little brats were instantly thrilled.

They grabbed the bucket, one on each side, and easily lifted it.

Those who didn't get a spot almost cried from anxiety.

Lu Qing had to step in to mediate, making them take turns, which finally settled the argument.

And so, the group headed toward the village, carrying the large bucket of fish.

When they arrived, the excited chatter of the children drew some villagers out to see what was happening.

Upon seeing the bucket, they were immediately astonished.

"Lu Qing really caught fish, and so many?"

During the time Lu Qing was fishing, the news of his recovery had spread through the village.

Many villagers knew he had gone to the river to fish.

But no one expected him to catch so many at once.

Looking at the bucket, there had to be at least ten pounds of fish in there.

Since when did Lu Qing learn this trick?

Suddenly, many villagers became curious.

Especially those who had tried fishing in the river themselves; they were particularly eager to know what method Lu Qing used to catch so many fish at once.

Driven by curiosity, some villagers couldn't help but follow them back to Lu Qing's house.