American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

“Alright, let’s get started,” George put down his oar and picked up his fishing rod. “Remember, the most important thing in fishing is patience.”

The three began preparing their fishing gear. Lynn opted for traditional float fishing, using live worms as bait. Gwen chose artificial bait, a plastic lure that looked like a small fish. George, of course, used his "secret weapon."

“Who do you think will be the first to catch a fish?” Gwen asked.

“Of course it’s me,” George said confidently. “Experience and skill will prevail.”

“I think it’s Lynn,” Gwen said. “He’s successful at everything he does, and fishing should be no exception.”

“Don’t put pressure on me,” Lynn laughed, skillfully baiting the hook. “I haven’t fished in years, so I might be a bit rusty.”

The three cast their fishing lines into the water and began the long wait. Fishing is indeed an activity that requires patience—sometimes you catch a fish in minutes, sometimes you might have to wait for hours. But this waiting itself is part of the charm of fishing; while waiting, you can enjoy the tranquility of nature, reflect, or chat with your companions.

“You know,” George began, waiting, “fishing has taught me a lot about life.”

“For example?” Lynn asked, his eyes fixed on the buoy on the water’s surface.

“For example, the importance of patience,” George said. “In life, many things don’t yield immediate results. You have to be willing to wait and stay focused. Just like educating students, you can’t expect them to understand everything immediately; you need to give them time to grow.”

“Anything else?” Gwen asked.

“And accept failure,” George continued. “Sometimes you wait a long time and catch nothing. But that doesn’t mean you did anything wrong; it just means the timing was wrong or you were unlucky. The important thing is not to get discouraged and to try again the next day.”

“Just like my job,” Lynn said thoughtfully, “sometimes cases get stuck, and all the leads seem to have gone cold. But you have to be patient, keep searching, and there will always be a breakthrough.”

“Exactly,” George nodded, “and fishing teaches you to enjoy the process, not just the result. Of course, catching a big fish is exciting, but even if you don’t, being able to sit here with your family and enjoy the beauty of nature is a reward in itself.”

Just then, Gwen's fishing rod suddenly bent.

"A fish!" she shouted excitedly. "I caught a fish!"

“Don’t rush, take your time,” George instructed immediately. “First, determine the size of the fish, then slowly reel in the line. If you pull too hard, the line will break.”

Gwen began to carefully reel in the line, but she could feel the fish struggling underwater with great force.

“This is a big fish,” Lynn assessed, observing the curvature of the fishing line.

“Stay steady,” George continued, “Let it expend its energy, don’t try to fight it head-on.”

Following instructions, Gwen alternated between reeling in and letting out line, engaging in a tug-of-war with the fish underwater. This process lasted for about five minutes, during which Lynn and George both put down their fishing rods and watched Gwen's performance intently.

“It’s starting to lose its strength,” Gwen sensed the fish’s struggles weakening. “I’m going to pull it up!”

Two minutes later, a beautiful bass was pulled from the water. In the morning light, its scales shimmered with a silvery light.

"Wow!" the three exclaimed in unison.

George took out a fishing net and carefully scooped the fish onto the boat. It was a fairly large bass, estimated to weigh four to five pounds.

“Look at this beauty,” Gwen proudly held up the fish, “I told you I’m a fishing expert!”

“It’s really good,” George said, examining the fish. “This is the first one today, and probably the biggest.”

“Let’s take a picture,” Lynn said, pulling out her phone. “This is a memorable one.”

Gwen held up the fish, striking a pose with a proud smile. Lynn snapped a few photos, capturing this beautiful moment.

“Now the question is,” George said, “whether we put it back or leave it for lunch?”

“I think we should release it,” Gwen said, looking at the fish in her hands. “It’s so beautiful, and the fight was spectacular. Let it go home.”

“I agree,” Lynn supported. “We can keep fishing, and if we catch more later, we can keep a few of the smaller ones.”

George nodded. “Good idea. Follow the principles of sustainable fishing—take only what you need and conserve resources.”

Gwen carefully released the fish back into the water. The fish lingered on the surface for a few seconds, seemingly recovering its strength, then flicked its tail and quickly swam into the deeper water and disappeared.

“Goodbye, my friend,” Gwen waved to the water, “thank you for such a wonderful experience.”

The three resumed fishing. With Gwen's successful start, the atmosphere became more relaxed and optimistic.

About twenty minutes later, it was Lynn's turn to sink.

“Here comes mine!” Lynn immediately lifted the rod, but this time the fish didn’t seem as strong as the one Gwen caught, and it was quickly pulled up.

This is a small sunfish, weighing only about a pound, with vibrant colors and orange and blue markings.

“It’s not big, but it’s beautiful,” George commented.

“Besides, sunfish are delicious,” Lynn said. “This size is perfect if we’re going to keep a few for lunch.”

They decided to keep the fish in the bucket on the boat for now and see how the harvest went before making a final decision.

Over the next hour, the three of them caught several more fish—two sunfish, a small bass, and a catfish. There were also a few times when they caught nothing, or when fish bit the bait but got away.

Surprisingly, George's "secret weapon" did not show any particular effect.

“I don’t understand,” George said, puzzled. “This formula used to work.”

“Perhaps fish have changed their tastes,” Gwen joked. “Modern fish prefer healthier diets and don’t like strong flavors.”

“Or maybe they smelled it and thought it was too suspicious,” Lynn added with a laugh.

“You two,” George said, feigning anger but with a smile, “just wait and see, I’m going to catch the biggest fish.”

As if to prove himself, George's fishing rod bent violently the moment he finished speaking.

"Look! The fish are here!" George shouted excitedly.

But this time the situation was a little different. The fish underwater were incredibly strong, and George's fishing rod was almost bent into a bow shape, with the fishing line making a taut humming sound.

“Careful, Dad, don’t let the string break,” Lynn warned. “I know,” George said through gritted teeth, sweat already beading on his forehead. “This guy’s really strong.”

This tug-of-war was even more intense than Gwen's. The fish underwater kept changing direction, trying to break free of the hook. George had to constantly adjust his angle, sometimes even standing up to maintain his balance. The small boat rocked slightly because of George's movements.

"Do you need any help?" Lynn asked.

“No, I can handle it,” George insisted. “This is my battle with this fish.”

Ten minutes passed, and George was still battling the large fish underwater. His arms were starting to ache, but his face was full of excitement and determination.

“It’s starting to get tired,” George finally sensed the fish’s resistance weakening. “Prepare the net!”

Lynn picked up the fishing net, ready to catch the fish when it surfaced.

A few minutes later, a huge fish finally surfaced. It was a barracuda, weighing at least eight to ten pounds, with a long body and sharp teeth that gleamed metallically in the sunlight.

“My God, this is a huge creature,” Gwen exclaimed.

Lynn quickly scooped up the fish with his net and carefully pulled it onto the boat. The pike was still struggling in the net, its strength astonishing.

“Watch out for its teeth,” George warned, carefully removing the hook. “Barracudas have very sharp teeth.”

After successfully removing the hook, they all gathered around the big fish, marveling at its beauty. It was indeed the biggest fish they had caught that day.

“Look at this,” George said smugly. “Who says my secret weapon won’t work?”

“Okay, I admit it,” Gwen laughed, “Dad really is a fishing expert.”

They took pictures of George and the barracuda, then faced a decision: keep it or release it?
“A fish that big is probably a long-time resident of the lake,” Lynn said. “I think we should release it back so it can continue to reign supreme in the lake.”

“I think so too,” George agreed, though somewhat reluctantly, “besides, barracuda isn’t as good as bass; we can keep the sunfish for lunch.”

So George carefully released the large barracuda back into the lake. The fish lingered on the surface for a moment, seemingly thanking them for their kindness, then suddenly swung its tail, splashing water, and disappeared into the deep water.

“That’s the true essence of fishing,” George said. “It’s not about conquering and possessing, but about communicating with nature and experiencing that connection.”

They continued fishing for the rest of the time, enjoying each other's company. The sun gradually rose higher, the mist on the lake completely dissipated, and the sky turned a clear blue. Occasionally, a waterbird flew by, emitting a long, drawn-out call. Other anglers' small boats were in the distance, but far enough away not to disturb each other.

Between fishing trips, they talked a lot—about memories of the past, plans for the future, and philosophies of life. Such deep conversations are hard to come by in the hustle and bustle of daily life, but on this tranquil lake, time seemed to slow down, and everything became calm and natural.

“Lynn,” Gwen suddenly said in a quiet moment, “have you thought about your future? I mean, will you continue working for the FBI?”

Lynn thought for a moment. "To be honest, I haven't thought too far ahead. My current job is meaningful, and I feel like I'm doing something important. But I also know this isn't a job I can do for a lifetime—there are physical and mental limits."

"So what does your ideal retirement life look like?" Gwen continued to ask.

“Maybe it’s like this,” Lynn said, looking around at the scenery, “a quiet place where you can fish, hike, and spend time with your family. No emergency calls, no dangerous missions, just a simple, peaceful life.”

“Sounds good,” George nodded, “but I think you might get bored. You’re used to a life full of challenges and excitement.”

“Perhaps,” Lynn chuckled, “but perhaps I’ll find new challenges and interests then. People change, and so do their needs.”

“I think you should write a book,” Gwen suggested, “about your experiences, the cases you can make public. It would be fascinating.”

“I’m not a writer,” Lynn said, waving her hand.

“But you can tell stories,” George said, “and you’ve been through so many unusual things that it’s worth documenting.”

“Maybe,” Lynn said. “I’ll think about it after I retire.”

By around 10 a.m., the sun was quite high and the temperature began to rise. The fish became less active, and the number of bites decreased significantly.

“I think we can call it a day,” George suggested. “We’ve caught enough fish for lunch, and we’ve all had a great time fishing.”

Lynn and Gwen both agreed. They began packing up their gear and taking stock of their catch—ultimately deciding to keep three sunfish for lunch and release the rest.

Lunch was simple but delicious—fresh pan-fried fish, served with a vegetable salad and baked potatoes. After a morning outdoors, everything tasted especially good.

“This is the best fish I’ve ever eaten,” Gwen said contentedly. “It just doesn’t taste the same when you catch it yourself.”

“Because it’s seasoned with effort and anticipation,” George laughed.

In the afternoon, they strolled along the lake, packed their bags, and prepared to return to New York the next day. Although their vacation was interrupted by the case and was shorter than planned, they both felt it had been very rewarding.

“I really enjoyed these past few days,” Lynn said at dinner. “Thank you for arranging this trip for me.”

“We really enjoyed it,” Gwen said. “Although there were a few unexpected hiccups, everything ended up being perfect.”

“That’s life,” George concluded. “Things don’t always go according to plan, but as long as we’re together, we can overcome any difficulty.”

That night, the three of them sat on the lakeside pier for the last time, gazing at the starry sky. It was rare to see such a clear starry sky in the city; the stars here were as numerous as diamonds scattered on velvet.

“Look, that’s Polaris,” George pointed to the sky. “Wherever you are, it will guide you.”

“It’s like home,” Lynn said thoughtfully. “No matter how far I go, home is always there, guiding me.”

“Well said,” Gwen leaned on Lynn’s shoulder, “we will always be your North Star.”

The next morning, they reluctantly left the cabin. As the car drove away from Mirror Lake, Lynn looked back one last time at the tranquil water, his heart filled with gratitude and longing.

On the way back, the atmosphere was even more relaxed and pleasant than on the way there. They shared the fun moments from the past few days and planned their next family trip.

“Where shall we go next?” Gwen asked.

“Perhaps we could go to the beach,” Lynn suggested. “Fishing in the sea would be a completely different experience.”

“Or go hiking in the mountains,” George suggested. “The Appalachian Mountains have many beautiful trails.” (End of Chapter)