Huayu Chef

095 Days of Chosen Fishermen

The Yellow River does not cure fear of water.

Before the small fishing boat even reached the target waters, Reba's fear of water was cured.

She wasn't really afraid of water, but she was afraid of falling in; it was a sense of awe for China's second-largest river. If the current were any faster, or the waves any higher, Zhang Jinxuan would feel extremely uneasy.

The river was so wide that the small fishing boats moved forward like a moving leaf or a piece of duckweed drifting with the current.

Being surrounded by water on all sides, with only a few square meters of space to move around, would indeed put enormous psychological pressure on terrestrial creatures.

Humans are incredibly adaptable.

"Xiao Zhang, do you want to learn how to cast a net to catch fish? Come here, I'll teach you how to retrieve the net." Liu Sanchong beckoned to Zhang Jinxuan.

"Alright." Zhang Jinxuan replied, turning his head to Reba, who was nestled against him, and said, "Guardian Ba, I know you care about my safety, but you've been holding my hand the whole time, so I can't do anything else."

Reba then realized what was happening, quickly released Zhang Jinxuan's hand, pouted and smiled, her smile somewhat unnatural, her eyes darting around, and said in a soft voice, "Brother Xuan, I want to learn too."

"Let's go learn together then."

"Hmm."

The two walked up to Liu San, who pulled out a fishing net, picked up the end of the net rope with his left hand, and said, "To cast a net to catch fish, you have to pick up the net first."

At this moment, a senior from the directing department suddenly shouted, "Uncle Liu, don't turn your back to the camera. Turn your body to the side and try to direct the movements you're making towards me. Yes, yes, that's it."

"Hey, where was I?"

Zhang Jinxuan and Dilraba smiled, and Dilraba reminded them, "When casting a net to catch fish, you have to pick up the net first."

"Picking up the net is very simple. You'll see how it goes after I do it once. Hold the rope end in your left hand, make sure you hold it tightly. Wrap the rope around the net like this, but don't wrap it any further when you reach the net. Fold the net like this, hey, fold it like this, fold it like this, stop when it's about shoulder height."

"Pull up the weight with your right hand and pass it to your left hand to hold it tightly. At knee height, use your right hand's thumb and forefinger to grip the net tightly. Hey, grip it tightly, and use your fingers to pull the net into your thumb and forefinger like this..."

Liu San picked up the net and asked, "Have you two learned how to do it?"

Zhang Jinxuan asked Dilraba, "Dilraba, have you learned it?"

"Sir, you're so clever, you must have learned it by now, right?"

Zhang Jinxuan coughed lightly and said, "Six of the seven orifices are open, that's about it. Uncle Liu, could you please teach me again?"

"Didn't you learn it?"

"There are some details I didn't understand."

Liu San muttered under his breath, "Even scholars aren't very bright."

Zhang Jinxuan and Dilraba: "..."

Liu Yushan made a "kuku" sound, his shoulders twitching.

"I'll teach you one more time... Did you get it?"

Dilraba gave an awkward laugh and looked at Zhang Jinxuan. Zhang Jinxuan frowned and thought for a moment before saying to Liu San, "Uncle Liu, let me try it out."

"Come here."

Zhang Jinxuan took the rope from Liu San and started picking up the net according to his instructions, without making any mistakes in the end.

I've tried it twice, it's alright.

Liu Yushan praised, "Scholars have sharp minds."

Zhang Jinxuan asked curiously, "Brother Yushan, how many times did you learn it back then?"

Liu Yushan scratched his head and said, "I learned it when I was a kid. I'm not very smart, and it took me seven or eight days to learn it. You learned it much faster."

There's no need to compare; it's like beating up Nanshan Kindergarten—there's no point in showing off.

"Guardian Ba, you give it a try."

Dilraba walked over and said sweetly, "Brother Xuan, I didn't remember clearly. Could you please correct me where I went wrong?"

OK.

After a long time, Zhang Jinxuan and Reba both mastered the net-catching technique. Liu San then taught how to cast the net: "To cast the net in a certain direction, stand facing that direction, slightly tilted with your back to it, like this."

"Place the net foot in your left hand, swing it to the left and back, then press down, and finally throw it forcefully into the water. Once you see the sinker spread out, you must release your grip..."

"Have you all learned it?"

Casting a net isn't difficult; there are only a few directions to apply force. Zhang Jinxuan confidently tried it out and mastered it in one go.

Reba learned very quickly.

"Let's cast our nets and catch fish, who wants to go first?"

"Baba, the bodyguard, is on duty."

The net is dry now, so it won't dirty your clothes or make you feel heavy when you shake it. Dilraba knows everyone is taking care of her, so she doesn't say anything and looks eager to try it out.

Zhang Jinxuan asked, "Uncle Liu, where are the most fish?"

Liu San casually pointed, "Say it there."

Reba glanced in the direction, began to pick up the net, stood slightly turned to the side, and with a delicate shout, cast the fishing net out.

The force was a bit weak, and the fishing net sinker didn't completely come apart. The area where it fell into the water was still some distance from where Liu San had mentioned. It was a fairly successful attempt at "blasting fish."

That's good enough; at least the net has been cast.

Does it matter whether Reba catches fish or not when she casts her own net to catch them?

Liu San commented, "The net casting action was not done properly, and the effort was wasted. The net was not spread out and did not cover the fish nest. This net will not catch many fish."

When the fishing net was pulled in, there was indeed only one small crucian carp, about two fingers wide.

Zhang Jinxuan smiled and patted Reba's shoulder to comfort her, saying, "A fisherman never comes home empty-handed. You caught a fish on your very first net. Congratulations! You're a seasoned fisherman now."

"Brother Xuan, why do I feel like you're mocking me?"

"Hey, that feels pretty accurate. I was just mocking you."

Dilraba: "..."

"Guardian Ba, stand aside and watch how your master casts the net to catch fish." Zhang Jinxuan put on a raincoat, shook the wet fishing net, and said to the camera, "I have been an official for decades, relying on sincerity. Today, I am determined to eat Yellow River carp. This sincerity moves heaven and earth, and the sun and moon can bear witness. I have a feeling that this net will be very fruitful."

Dilraba smiled and encouraged him, "Keep it up, Xuan-ge, try not to come back empty-handed."

"Guard Ba, you underestimate me." Zhang Jinxuan raised an eyebrow and asked Liu San, "Uncle Liu, where should we scatter it?"

"Right there."

Zhang Jinxuan shook his head and said, "That place won't work. The guards have already scared the fish away by blasting the water. Let's find another place."

"Xiao Zhang, point there with my finger," Liu Yushan said, pointing.

"Are there many fish there?"

"There's a pit underwater where big fish like to hide. Whether you can catch a big fish depends on luck."

"middle."

Liu San grinned and said, "It's a bit far, you'll have to put in some effort."

"Reba, senior, you guys stay away, or you'll get splattered with blood."

The senior from the directing department and Dilraba smiled and avoided them.

Zhang Jinxuan picked up the net, aimed at the big fish nest, and forcefully swung the net to the left and back, the dripping water droplets drawing arcs.

Then, he pressed forward and downward, twisted his waist, and turned around. The lead weight moved to the side and back with his movements, scattering one after another as it moved, with water droplets swirling and shooting out along the tangent of the arc.

"Go, Pikachu."

Zhang Jinxuan shouted and forcefully cast the fishing net. The net flew through the air and, pulled by the inertia of the sinker, spread out in all directions, like a nearly perfect circle of spider web, before falling towards the river surface.

"Puff puff puff".

The fishing net fell into the water.

"Wow, it's so round!" Dilraba exclaimed.

Liu Yushan shook his head: "The casting motion is right, but the accuracy is off."

Zhang Jinxuan chuckled dryly, "An error of a few meters is negligible."

"Xiao Zhang, shut down the internet cafe," Liu San shouted.

"it is good."

Dilraba ran to Zhang Jinxuan's side and craned her neck to watch, waiting to see what would happen.

The Air Force is just ridiculous.

Things don't always go as planned; reality often contradicts expectations.

Zhang Jinxuan slowly pulled the fishing net toward the fishing boat, when suddenly he felt a strange force, and saw a splash of water rise on the river surface.

Liu San and Liu Yushan's eyes narrowed, and they rushed to Zhang Jinxuan's side at the same time. The former shouted, "We've caught a big fish! Xiao Zhang, you guys move aside, Yushan and I will haul in the net."

Zhang Jinxuan pulled Reba back with his arm and decisively stepped away.

"Splash!"

Liu San and Liu Yushan lifted the fishing net onto the fishing boat. A large Yellow River carp with a long body, red tail, and golden scales struggled in the net, thrashing its tail and making a slapping sound on the boat planks.

Zhang Jinxuan put his hands on his hips, threw his head back, and laughed wildly: "Haha, I'm asking you, who else?"

"Catching a big carp in the Yellow River on my first net, I'm simply a chosen fisherman, born with a divine body for fishing."

"Guardian Ba, isn't your master amazing?"