Courtyard House: A Veteran Returns Home and Becomes a Father

Carrying the pile of "junk" wrapped in newspapers and rags, Su Mo followed behind his advisor Su Hanlin, leisurely walking towards the moat.

The alley was still quiet in the early morning, with only the sound of footsteps from the grandfather and grandson.

Su Hanlin walked ahead with his hands behind his back, but his eyes kept glancing at the things in Su Mo's hands out of the corner of his eye.

What is that thing?

A bunch of broken sticks of varying lengths, tied together with hemp rope and wrapped with several pieces of rags of indeterminate color. Can this really be called a fishing rod?

"Kid, are you sure your pile of garbage can catch any fish?" Su Hanlin finally couldn't help but speak up, his tone full of disdain. "Don't end up not catching a single fish and scaring away all the fish in the river."

"Master, you don't know this," Su Mo smiled mysteriously, "I call this 'great skill appearing clumsy, returning to simplicity.' Don't be fooled by something's broken; as long as it works, that's enough."

Su Hanlin snorted coldly and stopped talking, already mentally sentencing Su Mo's catch for the day to zero.

Upon arriving at the riverbank, Su Hanlin chose his usual fishing spot, sat down on a large rock, and took out a shiny bamboo fishing rod from his treasured fishing rod bag. With practiced ease, he tied the line, hooked the rod, and baited it, all in one smooth motion, displaying the composure and professionalism of an experienced angler.

In contrast, Su Mo threw the pile of "junk" on the ground with a clatter.

He first took out a short, dark stick, twisted it a few times, and a thin, long carbon fiber fishing rod instantly took shape. Then, he took out a strangely shaped metal lump and clicked it onto the fishing rod.

Su Hanlin's eyelids twitched as he read it.

Is this fishing, or assembling some kind of hidden weapon?

Ignoring the advisor's gaze, Su Mo unscrewed an inconspicuous little bottle, poured the spiritual spring water inside into the bait and mixed it, then casually grabbed a handful and threw it into the water in front of him.

After doing all this, he slowly baited the hook, flicked his wrist, and the fishing line, with the hook attached, landed precisely at the spot where he had baited the area.

Su Hanlin pursed his lips, preparing to close his eyes and rest for half an hour before watching Su Mo make a fool of himself.

But before his eyes were fully closed, he saw the fishing rod in Su Mo's hand suddenly sink and bend into an exaggerated arc.

"Hey, they've taken the bait!"

Su Mo gave a low shout, exerted force with his wrist, and the strangely shaped metal lump spun rapidly, quickly retracting the fishing line.

A lively, large carp, weighing three or four pounds, was easily pulled out of the water, traced a beautiful parabola in the air, and landed precisely in the fish basket at Su Mo's feet.

Su Hanlin: "..."

He rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things.

What is this? Is it a newbie protection period?

However, this is just the beginning.

Su Mo cast the line again, and less than ten seconds after the bait hit the water, the fishing rod made another beautiful big bend.

"here we go again!"

This time it was a plump grass carp.

Immediately afterward, crucian carp, bream, snakehead... it was as if Su Mo had stirred up a fish nest. His fishing rod never straightened up after being cast, and the reel in his hand was spinning so hard it was almost smoking.

His fish basket was being filled at a visible speed, while Su Hanlin's float remained steady as a rock, showing no sign of the next bite.

Su Hanlin's expression shifted from initial disdain to surprise, then to blankness, and finally to deep self-doubt.

That doesn't make sense!

It's the same river, and the fishing spots are less than three meters apart, so why is it like a bustling market over there, while there's not a single person asking about prices over here?

He subtly shifted his position, moving his fishing spot closer to Su Mo's.

As a result, the fishing float remained a dead sea.

He secretly replaced the earthworm with the same one as Su Mo, but it still didn't work.

Looking at the splashing water on Su Mo's side, and then at his own motionless float, Su Hanlin felt that his fishing philosophy, built up over decades, was crumbling inch by inch.

This unscientific!

Just as he was questioning his existence, he heard Xia Wanqing and Niannian's voices behind him.

"Dad! Great-Grandpa!"

The mother and daughter, now awake, finally found their way over.

"Wow! Daddy! So many fish!" Niannian jumped and cheered excitedly when she saw the overflowing fish basket at Su Mo's feet. "Daddy's amazing!"

Xia Wanqing also covered her mouth in surprise.

How long has it been and you've already caught so many?

Looking at her father-in-law's empty fish basket, she wisely said nothing, but simply walked over to Su Mo and handed him a water bottle.

"Master, why didn't you catch a single one?" Su Mo asked innocently, picking up a large catfish he had just caught. "Is the bait not right today?"

Su Hanlin's face flushed red, and he stubbornly retorted, "I...I'm just training the rod! I'm not fishing for fish, I'm fishing for a state of mind! What do you know!"

"Oh..." Su Mo drawled, suppressing a laugh.

Just then, Nian Nian also started clamoring to go fishing.

Su Mo simply handed her the fishing rod and taught her how to hold it.

"Daddy, something is pulling me!" As soon as Niannian grasped the fishing rod, she felt a strong force pulling her little body, causing her to stumble.

Su Mo quickly helped her up and simultaneously gripped the fishing rod and pulled it up sharply.

A bluefish thicker than Nian Nian's arm was forcibly pulled out of the water.

"Wow! I caught a big fish!" Niannian exclaimed excitedly, her face turning bright red.

Su Hanlin stared at the large bluefish that weighed at least seven or eight pounds, and his eye twitched violently.

He felt that he hadn't come here to fish, but to undergo a tribulation.

He couldn't hold back any longer, stood up, and snatched the strangely shaped fishing rod from Su Mo's hand.

"I'll see what's so special about this piece of junk!"

Following Su Mo's example, Su Hanlin baited the hook and cast it with all his might.

However, he forgot that this fishing rod was used differently. With a "whoosh," the hook didn't fly into the river; instead, it got caught on a large willow tree behind him, and the fishing line became a tangled mess.

The entire room fell silent for three seconds.

"Pfft..."

Xia Wanqing was the first to burst out laughing.

"Giggle, giggle..." Niannian burst into laughter too, "Great-Grandpa, you've caught a big tree!"

Su Hanlin's old face instantly turned a deep purplish-red. He looked at the fishing line swaying precariously on the tree, then at Su Mo, who was laughing so hard he was doubled over, and his beard stood on end in anger.

He threw the "junk" in his hand into Su Mo's arms, put his hands behind his back, and walked back to his fishing spot angrily.

"Hmph! Heretics and demons! Their skills are nothing!"

Su Mo laughed until his stomach hurt. He finally managed to get the fishhook off the tree, and looking at the sulking advisor, he was overjoyed.

It seems that from now on, this family's fishing tycoon status is completely secured.