Siheyuan: Start at level 60, beat up all the animals

Chapter 153: Going Fishing, Encountering Yan Bugui

A clear bird song pierced the morning sky, waking Li Yang from his dream.

This ancient city, against the backdrop of the rising sun, presents a series of picturesque scenes.

Li Yang rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked out of the room slowly. He saw the old maple tree in the courtyard swaying slightly in the morning breeze, casting shadows.

A sharp autumn wind blew towards him, making him shiver uncontrollably. He quickly wrapped his thin cotton coat tighter.

He pushed the cart out from beside the gatehouse, picked up the prepared fishing gear, and went out.

After a while, Li Yang drove out of the courtyard and came to the overlapping alleys of the ancient city.

What I saw before me were mottled and broken gray tiles and blue bricks. There were a few rusty street lamps standing on the roadside, and the lampshades on the tops had long since peeled off.

At the corner, a group of children in single clothes were chasing and playing.

In the distance, those mansions that were once glorious and magnificent are now only left with a few doors and windows closed, and a few figures can be vaguely seen moving around.

Everything seems to be shrouded in a faint shadow, giving people an old but warm feeling.

……

Soon, Li Yang arrived at the bustling Shichahai.

There were groups of people gathered by the lake, some squatting or standing, holding fishing rods slanted on the slope of the shore.

Some of them stare at the float eagerly, as if waiting for the right opportunity; some look around and look at other people's catch; some simply close their eyes and take a nap, which looks quite leisurely and elegant.

Li Yang followed the crowd's gaze and saw a few small boats floating on the lake. A few fishermen were crouching under the boat awnings, holding fishing forks and listening attentively.

Occasionally, one or two silver scales flashed in the sunlight, arousing countless greedy and eager eyes on the shore.

Ripples appeared on the water surface, making everything in the lake hazy and dreamy.

Li Yang stepped on the pedal slowly, walked carefully among the crowd, and looked for a corner to rest.

But there were crowds of people, and almost every spot on the ground was occupied.

Some people who are keen on fishing even piled up small stools in the crowd and arranged their fishing gear neatly to show their obsession with this hobby.

It can be seen that the grand scene of fishing in Shichahai was really everywhere in those days.

It’s not hard to understand why.

This era was a time when supplies were scarce and life was difficult.

The salary is meager and it is difficult to find even a bag of daily necessities.

“Eating meat is not up to anyone,” this proverb really hits the nail on the head about the difficulties people faced back then.

In order to make ends meet, people have no choice but to become self-reliant.

Fishing became a good choice - not only could it fill one's stomach, but one could also carry the catch to the pigeon market and sell it to make ends meet.

Li Yang looked at the lively scene of fishermen on the lakeside, and couldn't help feeling a lot of emotion in his heart.

He did not come here with similar thoughts in mind this time - he just wanted to relax his body and mind that had been toiled for many years.

After all, there is plenty of food in his little world, so he has no shortage of it.

We are just pretending here. When we go back, we can take the fish out from the snack street and fill our fishing gear.

Of course there is another reason, which is that I want to take the opportunity to come over here and take a look.

After all, from what I read in novels in my previous life, wasn’t Shichahai the gathering place for all those big leaders? Maybe I could run into one or two interesting characters.

But Li Yang didn't expect that Shichahai would be so lively, with so many people and so packed that no one could get through.

Everywhere the view reached, there were crowds of people; even the slopes along the shore were filled with people.

The crowd formed a group of its own, leaving only a narrow road in the middle that wound its way to the center of the lake.

The road was littered with debris and filth, discarded crab shells and shrimps could be seen everywhere, and a fishy and salty smell was floating in the air.

There were even traces of fishing fork hooks on the ground, which looked like the aftermath of a chaotic battle.

The closer you get to the center of the lake, the denser the crowd becomes.

But even so, Li Yang still insisted on moving forward, because he wanted to find a secluded and deserted place to fish.

Along the way, he would attract the attention of people around him from time to time.

It wasn't entirely because of his unfamiliar appearance, but because of his brand new bicycle and that uniquely shaped fishing gear.

Li Yang's move was indeed eye-catching.

The fishing equipment back then was simple, just a sharpened braided fishing rod, a rough hemp line and a few rusty hooks.

What he had, however, was a telescopic fishing rod, the fishing line was carefully woven into even strands, and each hook was extremely sharp.

Not to mention the huge fishing box with the old brand printed on it, which is obviously no ordinary item.

There are also several fish baskets and fish cages woven by Li Yang himself hanging on the side of the box, with strange and unique shapes.

This is clearly the standard equipment for modern fishing enthusiasts, and it certainly attracted a lot of attention back then.

……

Just when Li Yang was struggling to find an empty seat, a familiar figure appeared in his sight.

I saw an old man with gray hair and dark yellow face sitting in the crowd, with a look of indifference.

Next to him was a second-hand bicycle that had been polished to a high shine. Li Yang looked closely and saw that it was Yan Bugui, the third uncle in the yard!

Yan Bugui was sitting there calmly, his hands resting on his knees, as if he had no intention of fishing at all.

His shifty eyes looked around from time to time, with a cautious look, as if he was paying attention to something.

Li Yang followed his gaze and realized that he seemed to have focused all his attention on the second-hand bicycle.

Compared with Li Yang's brand new car, Yan Bugui's car is new but outdated.

But at this time, owning a bicycle was undoubtedly a luxury, enough to make Yan Bugui feel proud among the crowd.

At this moment, Yan Bugui seemed to feel Li Yang's sharp gaze.

He turned his head and was surprised to see Li Yang.

He first looked up and down at Li Yang's car, with a hint of envy in his eyes; then his gaze moved to the fishing box on Li Yang's shoulder, and immediately a look of jealousy appeared on his face.

Li Yang saw this complex change in expression.

As an old man with extensive knowledge and rich experience, this little trick is not difficult for him at all.

So he ignored Yan Bugui and pushed the cart straight towards the lake.

At this moment, Yan Bugui suddenly stood up and walked over. Although his steps were a little unsteady, there was always a flattering smile on the corner of his mouth. "Hey! Li Yang, you are here to fish too!" He waved vigorously as he walked, looking like a long-lost reunion.

As he spoke, Yan Bugui had already come to Li Yang's side, and was as enthusiastic as if he was an old friend who hadn't seen him for many years.

He looked Li Yang up and down, his eyes lingering on his brand new telescopic fishing rod for a moment, then he patted Li Yang on the shoulder with a wry smile and said earnestly: "Seeing your outfit, I know you are definitely here to fish. But don't go to the center of the lake, there are too many people there. If you are willing, stay here with me, I just happen to have an empty seat."

Li Yang looked around and found that except for the small area at Yan Bugui's feet, every inch of space was filled with people. Seeing this, he could only nod helplessly and thank Yan Bugui.

Seeing that Li Yang didn't respond for a long time, Yan Bugui quickly put on a flattering look and said earnestly: "Do you want me to teach you a few tricks of fishing? I have practiced these skills for many years. Although I am just fishing randomly now, I was a famous fishing expert in the past! I am afraid that even those old fishermen in Shichahai can't beat me if I teach you a few tricks."