Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

Chapter 1086 Let's get down to business upfront and settle accounts clearly.
Li Long drove the jeep and took Li Junfeng and the others to the fourth team leader's place.

Li Junfeng aside, his wife Dong Xiaojuan is not tall, less than 1.6 meters. Because she is pregnant, she is a little chubby and has a fur-lined headscarf.

You can still vaguely see the Li family genes in Li Junxian's face. He is also not tall, less than 1.7 meters, and has a lively personality, often asking questions.

For example, the stones in the yard, and why there's something under that chubby baby-shaped display stand, and how big this yard really is.

Chen Qianjin was a bit quieter. He was about the same height as Li Junxian, and his hair was a bit messy and long. Although he would curiously look around from time to time, he was obviously introverted. He only listened to Li Long and Li Junfeng answering Li Junxian's questions and didn't ask any himself.

According to Li Long, Chen Qianjin's looks are slightly better if he is properly groomed, but right now he is basically covered in dust and looks quite disheveled.

Before going to the fourth team, Li Long called his older brother's family to tell them that Li Junfeng and the others had arrived and what the situation was. Li Jianguo was speechless, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

Li Long's east room was definitely too small, so he would have to squeeze into Old Ma's place.

Fortunately, there are plenty of rooms at Lao Ma's place, so even if a few more people come, they can stay. At most, we'll just have to clear out one of the warehouses where we store dried sugar residue, and there's no need to clear out anything now.

Li Jianguo and Li Long quickly reached an agreement over the phone: Li Junfeng and his wife would live in Li Long's front yard, while Li Junxian and Chen Qianjin would live in Old Ma's house.

Before they arrived, Li Jianguo rode his bicycle to Old Ma's house to tell Uncle Luo and the others to tidy up the empty house.

So when Li Long drove his jeep to the fourth team, Li Jianguo had already returned from the old horse stable and was greeting his relatives from his hometown in the yard.

Before they were assigned specific tasks, Li Junfeng and his colleagues were currently considered relatives.

Not only Li Jianguo was there, but Li Qingxia, Du Chunfang, and Liang Yuemei were also present, and the welcoming ceremony was quite grand.

Li Junfeng and his family were the younger generation, so there was another introduction. Liang Yuemei took Li Junfeng and Dong Xiaojuan to the front yard to settle in. As for Li Junxian and Chen Qianjin, Li Jianguo said he would take them to their lodgings that evening so they could get familiar with the place first.

Li Junxian was a bit of a social butterfly. When he saw that Li Jian's family had two tractors, he was so excited that he ran straight to the small four-wheeled vehicle, wanting to turn the steering wheel and drive it.

At this point, the small four-wheeled tractor didn't have power steering, and it wasn't even started, so it couldn't turn, but he was still excited.

He then ran down to the tracked tractor, but he dared not move. Firstly, it was too big, and secondly, he had never seen one before. He only knew that back in his hometown, there was only one of these big iron tractors in the entire brigade.

It's an older model; this one is clearly much newer.

I dare not touch it, what if I break it?

Looking at this younger generation who was like a child, Li Long and Li Jianguo didn't know what to say.

After Li Junfeng and Dong Xiaojuan put their things away and returned to the backyard, Li Long and Li Jianguo had already assigned them tasks.

Dong Xiaojuan was definitely not capable of doing manual labor, so she did odd jobs in the yard, tending the vegetable garden and feeding the chickens.

Li Junfeng and Chen Qianjin worked in the fields with Li Jianguo and Liang Yuemei, while Li Junxian, who seemed more interested in the tractor, followed Li Jianguo to drive it and help out.

Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to make the arrangements.

However, since they've just arrived, and today is supposed to be a welcome party, it's impossible to assign them tasks right away. So, while we were in the backyard, we mainly talked about the lifestyle in northern Xinjiang, their daily routines, and things to be aware of.

“Originally, I was thinking that Junxian and Qianjin would come here for breakfast every morning, but Lao Luo said that since our family lives over there, there's no need for them to run back and forth for meals. They can eat there in the morning and then eat wherever they want after work in the afternoon,” Li Jianguo said.

“I agreed. That makes sense. If you’re staying over there and want to come over for breakfast, you’ll have to get up a little earlier. The work is heavy right now, so sleeping a little longer will help you recover. But since you two are staying over there, you can help out with any chores you have to do.”

“I understand, I understand,” Li Junxian said with a smile. “Uncle, I’m always looking out for things.”

Alright, this kid is only twenty years old and he's so eloquent. I think he'll be well-liked by the older folks at Old Ma's place.

Chen Qianjin didn't talk much, and Li Long figured he was still adjusting to his new environment, so he didn't ask any further questions. He and Li Junxian looked to be about the same age, both young and energetic.

Li Long suddenly felt a pang of emotion, realizing that compared to these two young men, he seemed to be heading towards middle age.

Although his appearance didn't reveal it, Li Long looked to be only about twenty-three or twenty-four years old at this time, but he was actually already twenty-seven.

Although I am still full of energy and have more experience than a young lad in some aspects, who wouldn't want to stay young at eighteen forever?

After expressing his feelings, Li Long joined the discussion.

Li Junfeng knew about the Fourth Team in Northern Xinjiang from a few years ago. Now he was going to make money from Li Jianguo, but he was still thinking about those quick ways to make money.

“It’s not feasible,” Li Long dismissed his plans with a single sentence. “We don’t harvest reeds anymore, and there aren’t many fish in the small lake. Breaking holes in the ice in winter won’t catch many fish in a short time. You should just stick to doing farm work.”

Li Junfeng looked somewhat uneasy. He had been here before, barely doing any farm work but still making a good amount of money. This time, he had thought it would be a cushy job, but he had miscalculated!
“Junfeng,” Li Qingxia said earnestly in the courtyard, “You were able to earn that much money before because our family had little land. Your uncle and aunt could manage to farm it all, and it was winter, so there wasn’t much to do.”

So Xiaolong was able to take you guys to get those things. Think about it, it's been several years already! How could the fish in that small lake withstand being caught like that? There aren't many left. Besides, there are more fish farmers now, and there are plenty of fish sellers in the county market and the old street market, but they can't sell for the same prices as before.”

"What about in the mountains?" Li Junfeng was clearly still not giving up. In the past, he had earned quite a bit of money by going into the mountains with Li Long to hunt and gather other things.

"How many years have passed?" Li Long didn't speak, but Li Qingxia spoke up, "If you had come a month and a half earlier, your Uncle Long could have sent you to the mountains to dig for fritillaria bulbs. As long as you can endure that hardship, you can earn several hundred yuan in a little over a month, and those who are quick can earn over a thousand."

"The fritillaria bulbs are all in bloom now, what can you do going into the mountains?"

Actually, there is work to be done. For example, in ten days to half a month, black tiger paw mushrooms will appear on a large scale. As long as they can roam in the mountains, they will be hard to find.

But would Li Long really let him do that? There are so many wild animals in those mountains, and what about those unidentified people? If something really happens, who will be responsible?

Li Junfeng was also accompanied by a pregnant woman!

Li Junfeng immediately deflated.

Li Jianguo then spoke up:

"Junfeng, I can see it too. You don't want to make a living off my land, right? I wasn't planning to bring this up today. After all, you've only just arrived, and it would seem like I'm being a bit heartless to bring this up on the first day."

But since you keep asking these other questions, I'll just say this: You're my nephew, and you have a wife who's pregnant. Even if you don't do any work, I'll provide you with a place to live and plenty of food.

But if you're going to work with me, then put away all those other distracting thoughts and just work hard here. After the autumn harvest, I'll give you some money, and you can go home in peace.

If you have other ideas and want to make money in other ways, I won't stop you. But how much you can earn in Qiuli depends on your own abilities. What do you think? What are you planning to do?

Li Junfeng's uninvited visit was already a surprise to the Li family. However, since he was their nephew and a close relative, they couldn't refuse him.

They weren't short of food when they arrived. But Li Junfeng was clearly looking for an easy job that would also make money.

This kind of thing isn't so easy. The Li family hired people here to work diligently, not to hire someone to loaf around.

Li Jianguo's stern face stunned Li Junfeng, while Li Junxian and Chen Qianjin immediately lowered their heads and remained silent.

When they arrived, their parents told them to listen to Li Jianguo, work hard here, earn money to take home, and then decide whether to build a house or get married.

Li Junfeng had actually tried quite a bit to persuade them to work for him along the way, but to convince two people, he had to explain the situation clearly. So Li Junfeng exaggerated a bit, saying how easy it was to make money here.

They were initially skeptical. But when they arrived at Li Long's large courtyard and saw the jeep, the tractor, and the yard, they were truly tempted.

Of course, I'm tempted now, but my motivation is to work hard. Since Li Jianguo said so, the money is definitely coming; it all depends on my performance.

“There’s no need to rush into a statement.” At this point, Li Long had to smooth things over. “We’ve just arrived, we need to take a break and rest before making a decision.”

Li Junxian and Chen Qianjin will definitely stay in the team because they need people to work on their own land. As for Li Junfeng, that's up to him.

Li Long's words eased the tension in the courtyard. Li Qingxia went to fetch the net and said:
"Junfeng, you still remember catching fish to sell for money, right? Come on, let's go to Xiaohai Lake and see if we can still catch as many fish." Li Qingxia's intention was to let Li Junfeng experience it for himself, so he wouldn't be dissatisfied and feel resentful. After all, these were all juniors, and he didn't want them to be too embarrassed.

"Come on, come on, if you're not tired, go ahead. I'll drive you there," Li Long said with a smile. "We can also get some fish to make fish soup for dinner."

"You guys go ahead, I'll butcher a chicken," Li Jianguo said. "Let's eat lunch early this afternoon."

Despite the words, since they are from our hometown, we should still treat them with the proper hospitality.

Hearing this, Li Junxian and Chen Qianxing relaxed a bit. Li Junfeng said he would go to the front yard to tell his wife and then he would go.

When the group arrived at Xiaohaizi in their jeep, they found that some people were using the internet there.

"Let's turn around and find a secluded spot to cast a couple of nets." Li Qingxia led the way, carrying a bag, with Li Long and the others following behind.

Finding a relatively calm spot on the water, Li Qingxia took out the net, tidied it up, and handed it to Li Junfeng:
"Will it spill? Is it still okay to spill?"

“Why not?” Li Junfeng laughed. “When I have nothing to do, I often cast nets in the river. It’s just that there are too few fish in the river. After casting ten or so nets, I can catch a pound or two of small fish.”

Li Junfeng knew the number of fish in this small lake. He used to think it was a giant fishpond, how could there be so many fish?

After all, there are several production teams around here. Don't these people catch fish?

Later, Li Long explained it to them, and they finally understood. Not everyone knows how to catch and eat fish. Their hometown village is by the river, so naturally they've known how to catch and eat fish since they were little.

However, the people in this village come from diverse backgrounds. Some are from the Loess Plateau, some come from places where there are no large rivers or lakes, and some locals are descendants of people from Gansu, Shaanxi, Qinghai, and Ningxia who do not eat fish.

That's why there are so many fish in this small lake and the large lake behind it.

If these fish were kept in my hometown, they'd be lucky if they survived a year in this little lake.

Li Junfeng straightened the net again, then twisted his waist, turned around, and waved his hand, casting the net out.

It's not perfectly round, but it's still pretty good.

The net swished into the water with a satisfying splash. Li Junfeng, an experienced netter, didn't immediately haul it in. Instead, he waited for it to sink to the bottom, laughing as he said, "There were so many fish back then, including the five-striped blackfish that we didn't have in the river back home! Those fish were so delicious..."

Only when he felt the net had sunk to the bottom did Li Junfeng begin to slowly reel in the net ropes.

Occasionally, one or two small crucian carp can be seen darting out of the mesh of the net. The net is about one and a half fingers wide, and it cannot catch fish smaller than ten centimeters.

Li Junfeng thought this place was nice; there were reed beds not far away, and it was a backwater bay, so fish should gather here.

So he confidently lifted the net, saying as he did so, "I'm going to catch a big one!"

As soon as he said that, everyone took notice.

As the net was cast and the bottom line emerged from the water, fish were seen jumping around inside, but Li Junfeng's face darkened.

The net was a light brown color, easily recognizable. Inside, besides two crucian carp about the length of a chopstick and a silver carp fry about the width of a palm, were a few small crucian carp. One of them had its head stuck in the mesh, jumping around frantically. When Li Junfeng lifted the net onto the shore, the fish suddenly flicked its tail, broke free, jumped twice, and then fell back into the water and escaped.

"It's good to have fish," Li Long said with a smile. "We'll have fish soup tonight."

"I'll cast the net again!" Li Junfeng was unwilling to give up. After Li Junxian picked the fish into the bucket, he started to stir the net again.

"There are so many fish here!" Li Junxian exclaimed excitedly. "There are so many just from a few scattered fish. How many must there have been before!"

"How many?" Li Qingxia said with a smile, "In the past, the fish here would die not just one or two at a time in the spring, but pond after pond, canal after canal!"

"So many?" Li Junxian's eyes lit up. He turned to Li Long and said, "Uncle Long, when we have nothing to do, can we come here to catch fish?"

“Sure,” Li Long nodded. “It’ll definitely work.”

"Hey!" Li Junxian turned his head and smiled at Chen Qianjin, who nodded in tacit agreement.

The two young men, who are about the same age, have a lot in common. They'll be living together in the future, and they'll be coming to visit together, so there's nothing to discuss.

Li Junfeng cast his net again, and this time there was only a small crucian carp, no bigger than the palm of his hand.

His expression immediately turned sour.

There were indeed far fewer fish.

By this time, the person who had finished setting off the net came over to say hello.

Also surnamed Li, from Hebei, this person is a second-generation Xinjiang resident, slightly older than Li Long. He didn't hang out with them; he's rather solitary and prefers to hang out in his own circle. His name is Li Weigang.

After greeting Li Qingxia, I started chatting with Li Long, mainly to ask about the price of melon seeds this year.

"I'm not sure either. I'll have to wait for the people who buy watermelon seeds to come and ask about the price. It should be about the same as last year." Li Long knew that the price of watermelon seeds would remain stable for at least a few years and wouldn't rise.

After all, the consumer market is only so big, and the current price is already quite high. If it goes up any further, no one will buy it.

"This year, my family planted fifteen mu (approximately 1 hectare) of watermelons, and so far they're growing well," Li Weigang said with a smile. "If the price stays this high, we plan to plant even more next year. By the way, what are you planting next year?"

"I'm not sure, maybe they grow cotton?" Li Long said. "I went to Liuhu's land this time and saw that the cotton there was growing well. I thought that since there's a cotton and linen company buying it, it's safer than planting melon seeds."

"Growing cotton? How do you grow it?" Li Weigang was somewhat surprised.

“On-demand planting using film will increase the cost, but if the yield is good, it can be 100 kilograms per acre. With cotton priced at a little over two yuan, it's acceptable.”

The main advantage is that it can be grown in saline-alkali soil, unlike watermelons which are grown in sandy soil, where the yield per acre is lower in ordinary plots.

At this moment, Li Junfeng cast another net, and two small crucian carp and one larger pike came out.

“There aren’t many fish around here,” Li Weigang said, looking around. “If we set our nets over there, we’re lucky if we catch a kilogram or two per net.”

"Can you catch a big one?" Li Junfeng asked hastily when the other person asked him.

"It depends on luck. If you're lucky, you might catch a carp that weighs one or two kilograms. If you're unlucky, you'll only catch crucian carp," Li Weigang said, shaking his head. "It's not as good as it was two years ago."

It's not that there aren't any fish, but the fish have become smarter due to the frequent use of nets; the big ones all go to the middle. People like Li Weigang, who just set their nets at the edge and don't even use tires, naturally don't catch any big fish.

However, since they weren't selling fish, and just eating them, crucian carp already met their requirements.

Li Junfeng had doubts even about what his own family members said, but now that outsiders were saying the same thing, he completely gave up hope.

Li Junxian took the net and cast it a few more times in a different spot. Although it was almost entirely crucian carp, he was genuinely happy.

At least we gained something!

Even Chen Qianjin tried casting nets a few times, but his net-casting skills were average; he could only cast semicircles or even just a line, so he only tried three nets before giving up.

There was enough fish to eat. Li Long and Li Weigang chatted for a while longer, and then the group carried the fish back home.

The news that the Li family planned to plant cotton next year began to spread throughout the team. When Li Long mentioned it last time, some people didn't quite believe it, but now that he mentioned it again, some people started to inquire.

Following the trend is inevitable.

(End of this chapter)