This humble Taoist priest wants to take the college entrance exam.

Chapter 153 Air Force? No, not the Air Force!

"Little Zhi, is your grandpa's house around here too?"

"Yes, see that village? It's right there!"

Wen Zhixia pointed with her small hand, and Chen Shi'an looked over and saw a village nestled in the fields and country roads.

As they approached their destination, Chen Shi'an could see a large reservoir not far from the village. The reservoir was quite large, and the water shimmered in the afternoon autumn sunlight.

"Taoist priest, do you think my dad and grandpa have already caught some fish?"

Chen Shi'an glanced at the phone on the stand.

"Who knows? They might have already caught quite a few. It's a little past 3 PM now, most fish are more active at this time, so we should be there just in time. Is that reservoir for wild fish?"

"I think so, but I'm not really sure. But my dad and the others said there are a lot of big fish in there!"

"Really? What's the biggest fish Uncle Wen has ever caught?"

"Him?"

At this point, the girl couldn't help but chuckle.

To save face for his father, he didn't go into details, but just smiled and said, "Taoist priest, you should be able to catch one easily, and it will be bigger than the one my dad caught!"

"Does Uncle Wen still have any fishing rods?"

"Probably. He has a lot of equipment, a ton of it."

"Hmm, it's okay. If you don't have any, it's fine too. There are so many bamboo groves here. I can cut a bamboo to use as a fishing rod. All I need is a fishing line."

"Aren't you going to use a fishhook?"

"It would be best if you had one, but if you don't, you can make a fishhook out of bamboo clips like people used to do."

"...Taoist priest, when did you get hooked on fishing? Why do you sound so excited and knowledgeable about it?"

“I used to go fishing with my master all the time. Whenever we wanted to eat fish, we would go fishing.”

"It's like you can just go fishing and catch something!"

"Be patient, you'll get there eventually."

"What if there are no fish in the water?"

"Well, if you go fishing even when there are no fish in the water, then you probably don't even know the most basic thing about judging the fish situation."

"Then how do you tell if there are fish..."

When faced with unfamiliar territory, Wen Zhixia acted like a curious child, constantly asking Chen Shi'an questions.

Strangely enough, she usually found her father and grandfather's stories uninteresting, but when Chen Shi'an spoke, she listened with great interest and even felt a strong urge to go fishing herself.

Before long, after passing through a grove of trees, the two rode to the reservoir.

Looking into the distance, there were still quite a few people fishing by the reservoir. Under two conspicuous parasols, Wen Zhixia's father and grandfather were sitting on chairs fishing, with a large bucket of water they had brought beside them.

Chen Shi'an parked the car, and the cat on his shoulder jumped down and ran to the water's edge. Wen Zhixia also got out of the car and ran towards her father and grandfather's fishing spot.

"grandfather!"

"Zhizhi is here?"

Upon seeing his beloved granddaughter, Old Man Wen's face immediately lit up with a smile.

Chen Shi'an followed Wen Zhixia forward and greeted the two elders with a smile and politeness.

"Grandpa Wen, Uncle Wen."

"This young man is..."

Before his daughter could speak, Wen Zhixue laughed and said, "Dad, this is Chen Shi'an, whom I just told you about. He is very young, but his wood carving skills are superb. He is a Taoist priest and also Zhizhi's classmate."

"Oh! Little Chen!"

Old Man Wen has a cheerful personality and the simple and warm-hearted nature unique to villagers. He dresses simply and plainly, no different from any other old man in the countryside, but he has a kind of craftsmanship about him.

"I've also seen that wood carving of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums. This young man has such skill at such a young age, it's incredible!"

"Grandpa Wen praised you."

"Let's all come over for dinner tonight. Let's see if we can get a fish and some other dishes!"

Wen Zhixia, who was standing to the side, had already started shouting:
"Dad, you've been here for so long, and you haven't caught a single fish?"

The girl kicked the bucket. "There are no fish in it, why is it filled with water..."

Old Man Wen: "..."

Wen Zhixue: "We're fishing right now, we just sat down a short while ago, the water in this bucket is for washing our hands!"

"Didn't catch a single one?"

"..."

"Huh? Dad?"

"Here it comes! Here it comes!"

Wen Zhixue suddenly lifted the fishing rod, and the fishing line made a slicing sound, but unfortunately, apart from the splashing water, there was nothing on the hook.

"Oh dear, I was so distracted talking to you that I lost my focus and the fish got away!"

"?"

Wen Zhixia didn't believe it!

"Liar! There are no fish at all!"

"Are you going to fish or not? If not, go wait in the shade by a tree; the sun's too strong on the bank..."

I want to go fishing!

Wen Zhixia rummaged through her father's fishing gear bag.

Chen Shi'an looked over and, just as Xiao Zhi had said, the equipment inside was complete, with several fishing rods of different sizes.

"Shi'an, you know how to fish, right?" Wen Zhixue asked with a smile.

"Understood."

"Haha, okay, it's fine to fish for fun anyway, it's better than staying at home playing on your phone. Shi'an, you can decide what rod you want to use. I have all the bait here, and half a basin of corn kernels. I also have a casting spoon that you can use to bait the area."

"Okay, Uncle Wen, let me take a look."

Chen Shi'an squatted down. He used to use bamboo fishing rods, and he had never used this kind of modern fishing rod before. However, it was not troublesome to use. It was a platform fishing rod, and the fishing method was essentially no different from that of a bamboo rod.

Fishing hooks and lines need to be tied on the spot. Just as Wen Zhixue was about to come over to help the two young people tie the lines, Chen Shi'an had already tied the lines, hooks, and floats quite skillfully.

"Wow! Shi'an, you're using this 7.2-meter pole? Is it easy for you?"

"It feels okay."

Chen Shi'an specially picked out the longest rod from this pile of fishing gear. Every inch longer is better, as a longer rod can cover a wider area of ​​water than a shorter rod, but correspondingly, it also requires more skill.

He gripped the handle with one hand and extended the pole horizontally. The 7.2-meter pole was quite heavy, but in his hand it felt as light as a thin bamboo pole. His wrist was as steady as a magnet. As he flicked his wrist, the long pole swayed in waves. Chen Shi'an felt the strength and power of the pole.

"Shi'an, you're really strong!"

"Uncle Wen's rod is really good. This rod could probably catch fish weighing tens of kilograms without any problem."

"That's right! This pole of mine..."

When he couldn't catch any fish, Wen Zhixue started bragging about his equipment, talking about its strength, materials, and properties... He could rattle off the details like a pro, as professional as could be.

When the little girl interrupted her father and asked what was going on, it turned out that this pole hadn't been used yet...

"Oh? Dad, you're so embarrassing."

"...What do you know about resource issues? People come to fish in this reservoir every day, and no fish fry have been released. The fish in it are all incredibly clever; they're not that easy to catch."

"Hmph, let me catch one, then let's see what you have to say!"

Wen Zhixia didn't have the strength of Chen Shi'an and couldn't handle the long pole, so she chose a short pole that was 2.7 meters long.

Upon seeing this, Wen Zhixue couldn't help but chuckle.

This 2.7-meter stream rod is only good for fishing in small streams and ponds. Can it be used for fishing in reservoirs?

Alright, alright, Dad's waiting for you to broaden your horizons today.

Just as he was about to take the stream pole from his daughter to help her tie the line, Wen Zhixia didn't want this novice to tie it, but instead handed it over to Chen Shi'an to tie for her.

"All right."

"Let's go, Taoist priest, let's go fishing somewhere else!"

"Yeah, that's okay."

Chen Shi'an took the remaining half-basin of corn used for groundbaiting, along with some bait, and two poles. Wen Zhixia brought two folding outdoor chairs, and the two of them strolled off to another location.

"Wow, this reservoir is quite beautiful."

Although it was called fishing, the girl's mind was clearly not on fishing; it was more like a picnic, and she was only interested in looking at the scenery.

Chen Shi'an raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight, observed the reservoir environment, and judged the fish situation by observing the different habits of the fish species and the ripples on the water surface.

"Taoist priest, what kind of fish do you want to catch?"

"This reservoir has pretty good resources. I just saw some mandarin fish moving around. Let's fish for mandarin fish today."

"Upturned mouth fish? What kind of fish is that?"

"It's a fish with its mouth turned up."

"Okay, then I'll fish for mandarin fish too!"

"You can not."

"Why can't I?"

"Your rod is too short; it's better suited for catching crucian carp and small whitebait."

When it comes to crucian carp, Wen Zhixia knows about it.

"Then I want to fish for crucian carp!"

"Ah."

Where to fish?

"Don't worry."

After walking for a while, Chen Shi'an stopped at a riverbank.

In the distance, there is a clump of reeds, and sunlight shines through the leaves onto the water, creating shimmering ripples.

"Want to fish here?"

"Yes, mandarin fish like to stay in the upper layers of the water and they love to chase after schools of small fish. Cast your line towards the reeds, where there are many small fish, and mandarin fish will definitely gather nearby."

After finding a good fishing spot, Chen Shi'an started baiting the area, throwing the leftover corn kernels from Uncle Wen's baiting efforts far into the target waters.

In fact, he rarely used bait when fishing, let alone such a luxury as corn kernels. He didn't care if he didn't have bait, but it was even better if he did, as it would save him a lot of waiting time.

After setting up the baiting area, Chen Shi'an began preparing the bait.

This was the first time he had used such ready-made bait, so he opened each one and smelled it.

Although the mandarin fish is carnivorous, it also likes bait with a grain aroma. He mixed cornmeal, bran and a small amount of shrimp powder together, added some water and kneaded it into a dough. He then pinched a small ball and threw it into the shallow water to see the atomization effect of the bait.

Fishing for mandarin fish in Taiwan-style fishing requires a lot of skill. It involves frequently jerking the rod to create a misty zone to attract fish. Techniques such as jerking the rod and pausing are important. Once a mandarin fish takes the bait, its bite is very rapid.

Chen Shi'an was very experienced in fishing for mandarin fish, after all, the fish had tender flesh, delicious taste, and no fishy smell. As for the disadvantage of having many bones, what disadvantage was that to Chen Shi'an...

The bigger the mandarin fish, the tastier it is. Even among mandarin fish, the price difference between small and large ones can be nearly tenfold. Wild mandarin fish weighing over five pounds can sell for over eighty yuan per pound in the market; the larger the fish, the more expensive it is. After preparing the bait, Chen Shi'an also helped Wen Zhixia prepare some bait for catching crucian carp.

Wen Zhixia didn't understand anything. She picked up the bait that Chen Shi'an had prepared for the mandarin fish and smelled it.

Then, wrinkling her little nose, she let out a soft "yue~".

"It smells so fishy—"

"It needs to be fishy to catch fish. Okay, here's your crucian carp bait, go play with it."

"Taoist priest, can you help me with the hook... wait, where's the hook?"

"Hey, be careful! Don't get it on your hand, or it'll hurt like hell to get it off."

Chen Shi'an took her fishing hook, prepared some bait for her, and then stood up and carefully taught her how to hold the rod and how to cast.

Wen Zhixia seemed to be listening attentively, but her attention was entirely focused on the small hand he was holding...

The girl peeked at her dad and grandpa's fishing spot over there, and seeing that they weren't looking this way, she felt even more excited.

"Just throw it there; I think there should be plenty of crucian carp there."

"...Huh? Where should I throw it?"

"There."

"Ooh!"

It seems all the lessons I just taught were for nothing...

Wen Zhixia clumsily cast her fishing rod, the bait and the end of the rod hitting the water hard, splashing up circles of water.

Forget about scaring the fish off; the bait on the hook will probably all fall off.

Helpless, Chen Shi'an had no choice but to re-bait the rod for her, then gracefully cast the line for her before handing it to her.

"Thank you, Taoist priest!"

Wen Zhixia smiled sheepishly.

She moved a small chair over and sat down, then opened the folding umbrella and, in her usual way of holding an umbrella, carried it on her shoulder.

The umbrella was huge, and she was so small. When she sat on a small chair carrying the umbrella, she was completely hidden under it, looking from a distance like a giant mushroom growing out of the riverbank...

"Taoist priest, do you need an umbrella?"

"It's okay, I don't need it."

"You're going to get a tan soon."

"I can't get a tan."

Chen Shi'an also started casting and reeling in the line.

Unlike Wen Zhixia, who waits patiently for fish, Chen Shi'an frequently casts, reels, baits, and casts again, occasionally using a specific technique to jerk the rod.

Wen Zhixia couldn't understand it; she just felt he was very busy, which was completely different from what she had imagined about fishing...

Fishing is a very patience-testing activity, and Wen Zhixia clearly didn't have that kind of patience. She kept glancing at Chen Shi'an, then at the cat catching fish by the water, and then at her father and grandfather who were air force pilots.

If she were fishing with other people, she probably would have already put down her rod and gone to sit in the shade, or at the very least, she would have been playing on her phone while holding the rod.

However, Wen Zhixia didn't even use her phone right now; she just kept chattering away with Chen Shi'an.

If it were her father, he would definitely blame her for talking and disturbing the fish if he couldn't catch any. But Chen Shi'an wouldn't do that. While fishing, Chen Shi'an responded to her words.

"Taoist priest, I feel like my fishing float isn't moving at all. Do you think the fish have eaten all the bait?"

"Okay, then why don't you pick it up and take a look?"

"Okay. ...Oh, there's more!"

"Hey, don't put it in there anymore. Bring it over here, and I'll get you a new one."

"it is good."

Chen Shi'an changed her bait, cast the rod again, and handed it back to her.

Chen Shi'an did 90% of the work, while Wen Zhixia focused on accompanying her and participating.

No matter what, for a fisherman, having such a lovely girl accompany him fishing under the scorching sun is a blessing he may never experience in his lifetime.

Wen Zhixia continued her rambling. In fact, it didn't matter whether Chen Shi'an listened to her or not, as long as he was listening, that was all she needed.

Just as the girl was about to launch into her next topic, Chen Shi'an suddenly whispered a reminder to her:
"Look at the float, it's biting the hook, it should be a carp."

"……what?"

Wen Zhixia snapped out of her reverie, no longer able to ponder how Chen Shi'an had determined that a carp had taken the bait by the movement of the float. She finally remembered that she was fishing and her gaze fell on the float on the water.

The float bobbed and then began to sink.

Just then, Chen Shi'an reminded him again:
"It's hooked, lift the rod."

"Ooh!"

Wen Zhixia threw down the umbrella she was carrying on her shoulder, quickly grabbed the fishing rod with both hands and lifted it up. The fishing line immediately tightened, and at the same time, the force of escape from the water was transmitted through the rod to her palm.

The girl felt her mind go blank, and her heart began to pound wildly.

"It's okay, just lift it gently and slowly slide it to the shore."

"Ooh!"

"This carp must be quite big."

"What should I do now! Taoist priest, here's your pole!"

"It's okay, I'll help you scoop the fish up and bring it to the shore."

The fishing rod was already thin and flexible, and this carp, which I estimate weighs about two pounds, made the rod bend into a large arc, looking quite intimidating.

"I don't know how to control it!"

"Hold the pole firmly."

"Ooh!"

Chen Shi'an reached out but didn't take the girl's rod. Instead, he helped her adjust the angle and slowly brought the hooked fish to the shore.

When they reached the water's edge, the fish that had taken the bait finally revealed itself. It was indeed a carp, and its size was about the same as Chen Shi'an had estimated, probably around two pounds. Its silvery-gray scales shimmered in the setting sun. Its mouth was open, trying to get rid of the hook. The two barbels on its lips were thin and long, and the tip of its tail fin was still covered with mud, probably from struggling at the bottom of the water, which added to its wild and rugged appearance.

"Wow! It's huge!!"

"I've got it under control, I'm going to scoop up the fish."

"Uh-huh!!"

Chen Shi'an used a net to scoop up the carp that had wandered to the shore. Even after it was pulled ashore, the fish was still jumping around energetically.

The cat that was catching small fish by the water ran over when it heard the noise, and the two elders from the Air Force also came over when they heard the noise.

Wen Zhixia was still holding the fishing rod, looking both shaken and extremely excited. Her adrenaline was surging, and all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart.

"Not bad, Little Zhi is amazing! You were the first one to catch a fish out of the group," Chen Shi'an praised.

"whee--!!"

Wen Zhixia is so happy!

On her first time fishing, she actually caught such a big fish!

"It's a pity it's a carp. Carp have a lot of bones and don't taste good..." the girl said regretfully.

"It's delicious. This kind of wild carp is very plump. If you're worried that it won't taste good, I'll cook it for you tonight."

"Okay!! I want to eat what you made!"

As Chen Shi'an removed the fishhook and prepared to take the fish to the bucket over there, Uncle Wen had already jogged over with the bucket in his hand.

"Shi'an, you caught a fish?!"

"I didn't catch it, Xiaochi caught it."

"I caught it!!"

Wen Zhixia raised her voice, her hands were still trembling with excitement, and her pretty face was full of pride.

"...Huh? Zhizhi, you caught that?"

"What are you talking about! I was the one who caught it! Dad, you're so bad at fishing!"

"??"

Wen Zhixue suddenly felt unwell...

I spent ages squatting there, but my daughter did the same. She used a stream rod and only sat there for a short while before catching a two-pound carp.
"Hmm... Zhizhi, you're quite lucky."

"What luck! This is the combined strength of me and the Taoist priest!!"

As the father and daughter talked, Chen Shi'an listened with amusement while continuing to cast his line.

Perhaps it was the girl's good start, because after a short while, Chen Shi'an's float suddenly sank!
In the blink of an eye, Chen Shi'an raised his hand and lifted the rod, which instantly bent into a full bow, and the fishing line was pulled so hard it hummed!
It has upturned lips!
Upon feeling the force transmitted through the rod and the rapid bite, Chen Shi'an immediately determined that it was a mandarin fish, and estimated that it weighed at least eight pounds!

As a fierce predatory fish, the mandarin fish makes quite a commotion when it bites the hook, with surprisingly strong force. This is why many anglers like to fish for mandarin fish; besides the delicious meat, the experience of playing the fish is top-notch.

The sudden sound of fishing line cutting through the air immediately caught the attention of the father and daughter.

"Shi'an! Your fish must be quite big!"

"Hmm, it should be a pouty-lipped one, probably weighing over eight pounds."

"Pouty lips?!"

Wen Zhixue wondered if he was still half asleep. His daughter had just caught a fish, and now, after only a few breaths, Chen Shi'an had caught another one.

And it's an eight-pound upturned beak?!
no……

Didn't everyone agree that we'd all happily carry a bucket of water home together, and then enjoy a meal together...?

You two caught a big fish right away, this is going to be a big problem for Dad and Grandpa!

The eight-pound mandarin fish was quite strong. When Chen Shi'an was playing the fish, the commotion on the water was considerable, attracting the attention of many anglers not far away.

If it were Wen Zhixue who caught this fish, he would have carried it around the village twice, but Chen Shi'an remained calm and indifferent.

He held the fishing rod firmly in his hand, letting the fish in the water fight back violently. He patiently played the fish, waiting for it to run out of energy.

Wen Zhixia was even more excited than him. She immediately took out her phone and started recording a video of Chen Shi'an, who had caught a fish and was playing with it.

Chen Shi'an played the fish in the water for nearly ten minutes until it slowly ran out of energy, then he calmly pulled it toward the shore.

When they got closer to the water's surface, everyone could clearly see what kind of fish it was.

Its streamlined body resembled a sharp silver dagger, its back gleaming with a bluish-gray sheen, its enormous mouth gaping open in struggle, the splashing water carrying a fierce, savage energy...

It really is a pouty-lipped creature, weighing at least eight pounds!

Wild mandarin fish of this size would fetch at least a hundred yuan per kilogram on the market!

The fishermen watching were green with envy.

Before the fish even reached the shore, Wen Zhixue quickly grabbed a landing net and ran over.

Although it was Chen Shi'an who caught the fish, Wen Zhixue was even more excited than Chen Shi'an. Although he was over forty years old, he was holding a landing net and hurriedly moving towards the water's edge, stepping on the pebbles on the bank. His shoes made a crunching sound as they scraped against the pebbles, just like a young couple going to pick up their bride.

"Shi'an, let me help you fry the fish!"

"..."

Alright, let's give Uncle Wen some sense of involvement...

(End of this chapter)