Chapter 5: Please Eat the Fish

The three of them had been putting on a brave front in front of Tu Shan, but they didn't bother hiding anything in front of Ling Yang. They were completely exhausted, their limbs weak, and they truly couldn't have made it back to shore on their own.

Ling Yang hauled the nearly two-hundred-pound burly man onto the bank with one hand, a look of astonishment in his eyes.

"Rumor has it that water ghosts are masters of the water—like leopards in the forest, fierce and swift. How did the three of you, who can barely do the doggy paddle, manage to take him down?"

Xu Zhi, the most restless of the group, grinned and spoke up: "We owe it to a female comrade with excellent swimming skills. Otherwise, the three of us might have ended up at the bottom of the river today.

"That bastard was dragging all three of us at once; we had no ability to resist and were basically getting beaten to a pulp. It’s a good thing no one was watching, or we would have lost all face.

"That comrade’s swimming was truly top-tier. The water ghost didn't even last three moves against her before she knocked him out and dislocated his joints. Boss Ling, could you do that?"

Ling Yang was curious. Was there really someone that capable?

He looked around, but didn't see any female comrade. The river surface was turbulent, and there wasn't a soul in sight.

Seeing Ling Yang’s thoughts, Xu Zhi laughed: "She dove straight into the water and left. Tsk, I’m truly envious. Even the fish would have to call her 'big sister' if they saw her." He Jia huan smacked him on the forehead: "Stop joking around and get this guy back.

"Ling Yang, come with us. Now that the water ghost is caught, we just need to get clues out of him before we take action. We’re short-handed and will need your help."

Ling Yang nodded, tucking his curiosity away.

After Tu Shan dove into the water, she quickly moved far away and stopped in a section where the current was relatively calm.

Wrapped in her supernatural ability, she could ignore the underwater pressure and lack of oxygen, sinking all the way to the riverbed.

Watching the large, fat fish swimming happily among the water weeds, tears of joy flowed from the corners of Tu Shan’s mouth.

She approached silently, chose a large black carp, and urged the water weeds around it to quickly trap it. With a rapid tightening, the fish was bound so securely it didn't even have time to struggle before it fell into Tu Shan’s hands.

Tu Shan was so happy her eyes turned into crescents. The black carp weighed over twenty pounds, its length almost matching her own height.

She wrapped it tightly in water weeds before rushing to the surface and climbing ashore.

This fish counted as public property. No one cared about small fish or shrimp, but if someone saw a big fish, they would likely report her, so she had to hide it.

There was wild celery on the nearby shallows, so she plucked a large handful.

In the nearby woods, she found some old, tough wild vegetables, used her ability to revitalize them, and brought them home together.

It was about seven o'clock in the evening, and the sunset was orange, illuminating half the sky.

Quite a few people were coming and going from the dilapidated courtyard; some were returning from work, while others were heading out for their shifts.

Meeting at the entrance, they saw Tu Sanmei returning, half-damp and carrying a bundle of grass. They dodged away in disgust, wondering what kind of trouble she was stirring up now.

Could it be that she had nothing to eat or drink and had started grazing on grass?

"Smell of fish?"

The courtyard wasn't large, and the air circulation was slow. As she walked by, a scent drifted out.

It was no longer a foul stench, but a fishy odor. A man with a sharp nose sniffed a few times and spoke up in confusion.

The crowd was like a cat that had smelled fish; they stopped in unison and, following the man’s gaze, eventually focused on Tu Shan.

"Fish?"

Tu Shan threw the fish into the courtyard. The sound of it hitting the ground let everyone know it wasn't light.

The crowd quickly gathered, watching as Tu Shan reached out to pull away the water weeds.

Tu Shan didn't need to look to know their expressions. She said calmly: "That’s right, fish. A big black carp, over twenty pounds."

The crowd was shocked.

"Good heavens, is that really a black carp?"

"It's so big, has it become a spirit?"

"How long will it take to eat all that?"

"And it's still alive, too."

"Selling it would definitely fetch a lot of money."

Everyone’s eyes glowed with envy. Some were green with jealousy, while others were full of calculations.

However, before they could act on it, Tu Shan spoke first: "I can't finish a fish this big by myself. I’ve caused everyone a lot of trouble in the past and eaten a lot of your things, and I’ve never been able to repay you. I got lucky today and caught a fish, so I’d like to treat everyone to a meal as a gesture of my sincerity."

"What was that?"

Those heading to work stopped, those who were calculating put their thoughts aside, and those who were hard of hearing leaned in closer, terrified they had misheard.

"You're really treating us to fish?"

"Eating this fish?"

"All of it for us?"

"You aren't just going to give us the soup, are you?" (Though soup wouldn't be bad either.)

"Are you inviting everyone?"

Tu Shan looked up, the corner of her mouth—the only part visible beneath her bangs—curved upward. She nodded: "Really inviting you. Everyone in the courtyard, we’ll eat the whole fish together. We’re eating meat."

Auntie Wang looked suspicious: "If you eat someone's food, you'll be soft-mouthed. After we eat, you won't come asking me for money, will you?"

Don't even mention it; with Tu Sanmei’s character, she was capable of such things.

The gathered crowd instantly dispersed, their faces full of vigilance, terrified of being scammed.

Tu Shan’s mouth twitched: "No. I’m treating everyone. No money, no grain, and no goods. It’s to make up for the debts I owe you all over the years. I won't ask you for anything ever again."

No one believed her. Tu Sanmei’s words were as useless and foul as a fart.

Tu Shan guaranteed it again: "The fish is right here. Eat as much as you want. If I go back on my word, you can directly drive me out. I can't beat all of you by myself anyway. Even if Ling Yang comes, it’ll be my fault for breaking my word; he won't be able to blame you."

The crowd scrutinized her with suspicion, looking her over carefully to gauge the truth of her words, and they were surprised to find a difference.

Tu Sanmei had changed. She was no longer timid or gloomy; she could smile and speak. Her few sentences just now had been poised and logical, unlike before, when you couldn't get a word out of her even with a stick.

Even that curtain-like hairstyle that made people’s eyes ache didn't seem as annoying anymore.

She only smelled of fish, not the foul stench. Hmm? And was there a faint scent of fresh grass?

And she was actually treating them to fish.

Could it be that she was so stimulated by the divorce that she wanted them to help mediate?

Although eating someone's food made one soft-mouthed, they could eat, but mediation was impossible.

Tu Shan smiled on the surface while feeling helpless inside. No, she just purely wanted to pay back some debts.

Although the people in the courtyard weren't exactly kind-hearted living Buddhas, they had all felt some compassion for Tu Sanmei at one point or another—that was their kindness.

Even if Ling Yang had helped pay her back, she still owed this debt.

In both her past and present life, she wasn't used to taking advantage of others. Otherwise, she wouldn't have stubbornly married Tu Liang to repay a favor. So, she had to pay it back herself.

More importantly, she had no pots or bowls and was starving to death; she wanted a ready-made meal.

Seeing their suspicious expressions, Tu Shan said: "With a fish this big, if I ate it alone or sold it, I’d be afraid of being reported. So we’ll all eat it together, and everyone will be responsible."

Ah, right. That reason was actually plausible.

The crowd’s skepticism faded a little.

Tu Shan pressed her advantage: "Although Auntie Wang agreed to let me stay for the last three days, I’m afraid of being thrown out in the middle of the night, so I’m trying to get on your good side."

That reason worked too.

Tu Shan: "Everyone knows my house has nothing. To stew the fish, I have to rely on you all."

This reason was very strong.

Tu Shan: "I also gathered some wild vegetables; we'll stew them all together. I only want one bowl; the rest is for everyone to share."

Fine. What were they waiting for? Hesitating for even a second would be a sign of disrespect to this fish.

Several women with good cooking skills volunteered to take on the role of head chef, while others helped out or ran errands.

Everyone even took the initiative to bring out their own things: stoves, large pots, firewood, seasonings, and side dishes.

The little kids jumped and shouted in the courtyard.

It was a rare sight of unity and cooperation—a scene of peace and harmony.

Tu Shan secretly let out a breath of relief. This meal shouldn't be eaten in vain.