In 1959, what's wrong with me pedaling a tricycle?

The next day, Wang Xingguo went to the hospital entrance and started exchanging fish with the people on the record. He also asked everyone to help spread the word that he would be away for about five days and would bring fish back to exchange with everyone after that.

The people who came to exchange the fish didn't find anything strange; they just assumed he was going to get more fish and said they would tell the others on his behalf.

Don't be fooled by the small amount of fish Wang Xingguo gets each day; it may seem like nothing special, but for these patients' families, it's actually a very important source of fish.

So everyone is very grateful to him. Even though many people give a lot in exchange for fish, it's not based on the value of the fish, but rather on a sense of gratitude.

The dignity of people in Beijing is not reflected in their words, but in their actions.

For example, they remember the kindness shown to them. They don't say thank you all the time, but instead visit people with gifts during holidays.

This is especially evident at the dinner table, not in a sense of praise or criticism, but simply because some things are just like that.

People from Northeast China are like family at the dinner table, but become "strangers" after drinking!

They readily agree to things when they're in a hurry, but forget about them quickly once they're sober. They have a strong sense of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry), and whether they're reliable depends on their character.

In Beijing, people are "masters" at the dinner table, but "guests" when it comes to business!

They can talk a lot at the dinner table, but they are slow to agree to do things. They are good at saving face and showing courtesy in public, and they are also very clear about their responsibilities.

It's not that I'm praising people from Guangdong, but they are generally mild-mannered and restrained at the dinner table, rarely making boastful claims or reckless promises.

They are straightforward and will give a clear answer whether things will work out or not. They never promise something at night and then shirk responsibility or deny it the next day. They prioritize practicality above all else.

Therefore, the ways of asking for favors are very different in these three regions.

When people from Northeast China ask for favors, they need to find someone with impeccable character. It's very likely that a few drinks will do the trick. If not, they'll just find someone else. There's no need to waste time arguing with that person.

When people in the capital need to ask someone for a favor, they have to be sure of the person's abilities. Otherwise, they might end up drinking with one person, who then introduces them to another, and so on. It's quite possible that they'll have to drink with someone several times before finally finding someone who can actually get things done.

For people from Guangdong, asking for favors is much simpler; they can usually find out whether the person they're looking for can do it that very night.

A capable person never speaks definitively, but if they tell you to go back and ask around, then the matter is basically settled.

Because if he doesn't have the ability or connections to do it, he will refuse directly and tell you clearly that he can't do it, as he doesn't like wasting each other's time.

You say Northeasterners are forgetful, but that's just their straightforward,江湖-like nature. You say Beijingers are slow to get things done, but they can actually manage to get things done through various channels; they just know a lot of people, which is also a sign of having a wide network of connections, isn't it?

But no matter where you're from, when it comes to asking for favors, people from Guangdong are known for being straightforward and efficient.

There is no praise or criticism involved; it's just the truth. Different places have different characteristics, and generalizations cannot be made. It's just that this is the case in most cases.

When Jiang Yue'e was informed in the afternoon that she wouldn't be coming for five days, she said dejectedly, "But I just asked around for you, and many people want to buy eels, these long worms. Why are you suddenly leaving for so long?"

Although Wang Xingguo was somewhat pleased that someone wanted to buy eels, he knew he needed to be mindful of the timing. Otherwise, once his father-in-law and elder brother told the factory about the eels, it might be too late to buy more of them.

He could only explain, "There's no other way. This matter is quite urgent. If someone wants black carp and eel in five days, bring people out at the same time. I will bring some black carp, crucian carp, and eel over here."

Since Wang Xingguo had already said that, what could Jiang Yue'e do but nod in agreement?

Wang Xingguo left and rode his tricycle towards the Li family's house, delivering the eels ahead of time, since he didn't have much else to do.

After having dinner here, we'll take the wine and cigarettes to Uncle Niu's place to sell them for money, and then set off tomorrow to Wanshoushan Commune to buy eels.

When he arrived at the Li family home, he was surprised to find that Li Laishun and Li Wenbin were both there.

He asked in surprise, "Uncle Li, did you take leave and come back?"

Li Laishun explained with a smile, "No, we told the leaders about the eels in advance. The leaders took this matter very seriously and told us to come back directly this afternoon to figure out how to deal with the eels."

Li Wenbin added in a low voice, "Xingguo, I've already talked to the leaders. If this really works out, the factory will secretly contact the commune to discuss buying eels. The factory will then give our family two job opportunities."

Wang Xingguo said happily, "Hey! That's great! Uncle Li, brother, look at this eel. I'll teach you how to prepare it."

Li Laishun nodded repeatedly, and even Aunt Li and Li Wenlong wanted to learn how to handle the situation.

Wang Xingguo asked Aunt Li to get a pair of scissors and began to say to them, "There are many ways to kill this eel, but the best way to ensure better meat quality is to kill it live. If you are short on time, you can also scald it with boiling water and then remove the internal organs."

"First, grab the eel by the tail and slam it onto the cutting board a few times, or hit its head with the back of a knife to knock it unconscious and stop it from struggling."

"Then hold its head with your hand and cut its spine with scissors one centimeter below its head, trying not to cut its belly, and blood will flow out."

"The scissors should be used to cut down from the neck to the anus, remove the internal organs and gallbladder, and then rinse it clean."

"Put a handful of salt and a little vinegar in a basin, rub the eel for a minute or two, and the mucus will come off. Then rinse it clean."

After a brief instruction, everyone took turns killing one or two. These things are easy to control, as long as they aren't afraid.

The five or six jin and three or four liang of eels we brought were used to practice killing half of them, and the other half will be kept to take to the factory tomorrow to demonstrate to the leaders.

Next, they went into the kitchen. This time, Wang Xingguo didn't cook himself. Instead, he had them divide the eel segments into several portions and then guided them to take turns cooking.

The first person to take action was Aunt Li. She thought that if eels were really edible and could be cooked well, she could take her children back to her parents' home to dig up eels for a special meal.

As soon as the braised eel was ready, everyone took a bite with their chopsticks. Although it had a slightly earthy taste, it was surprisingly delicious.

Li Laishun exclaimed happily, "The taste is really good! This eel is just as Xingguo described. Although it has a slightly earthy taste, the meat is very substantial. And braising it with yellow soybean paste doesn't use much oil. It's savory and flavorful, a great dish whether you're eating it with rice or drinking it with alcohol!"

Li Wenlong exclaimed excitedly, "Who would have thought that these long worms are not only edible, but can be cooked so deliciously! I often see these things when I go out of town to forage for wild vegetables. I'll go catch some tomorrow; they're really satisfying to eat!"

Everyone agreed. The eel, which had always been regarded as a long worm by the people of the capital, was now officially on the Li family's menu!