The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

After driving for a while, the taxi came to a steady stop next to Dingxiang Lake Park.

After paying the fare, Xu Nian got off the bus with the cat carrier in her hand.

"Take care, bro."

Before leaving, the driver gave Xu Nian a few cat treats.

In the mild winter, Dingxiang Lake is neither frozen nor snowy, only a gentle tranquility remains.

The wind was cool and refreshing, and felt pleasantly cool on my face.

The lake water is a pale blue-gray, lying there peacefully, with only a few ripples when the wind blows, quiet and undisturbed.

The sun wasn't too strong; the light was soft and warm on my skin.

Occasionally, a few waterbirds would skim across the lake, flapping their wings as if looking for an opportunity to snatch up a careless little fish from the lake.

Xu Nian stood on the cobblestone path on the shore, gazing at the distant lake, and stretched her arms.

The air here is exceptionally fresh, carrying a faint earthy scent. Taking a breath feels like all the lethargy in your body is expelled.

"Little flame, would you like to come out for a walk?"

Xu Nian noticed that there weren't many tourists on the sidewalk.

At this time, it would be very appropriate to let Xu Xi go out for some fresh air.

No sooner had he finished speaking than two sounds came from the glass porthole.

Does it mean "don't want"?

"Aren't you coming out?"

The glass window made a soft creaking sound.

Xu Nian shrugged.

If you don't want to come out, then forget it.

He slung the cat carrier around his neck and walked along the sidewalk toward the depths of the park.

Along the way, he deliberately slowed down so that Xu Xi could see the scenery outside through the glass porthole.

A quiet grove of trees, an old man practicing Tai Chi, and children playing.

Several squirrels leaped back and forth among the treetops, moving freely as if on a swing.

Amidst the interlacing shadows of the trees, the shimmering lake surface resembles a mirror.

This really is a great place for a stroll.

Xu Nian sighed.

Holding hands with your loved one and taking a walk here would be a truly delightful experience.

Before long, he strolled to a gap in a fence.

A few small stools are haphazardly placed here, and a fisherman sits by the lake, skillfully casting his line and baiting his hook.

Beside him was a rusted iron plaque, the crooked characters on it blurred by years of wind and rain.

Only upon closer inspection can one vaguely discern the words "Yuncheng City Air Force Base".

"Hey buddy, how long have you been fishing here?"

Xu Nian sat down on a small stool, gently took the cat carrier off her shoulder, and placed it on her lap.

His shoulders were a little sore from being weighed down by the cat bag after walking for so long.

"I just arrived."

The fisherman was a man in his forties or fifties, with a look of frustration on his face.

There was a plastic bucket at his feet, which was empty except for half a bucket of water.

Xu Nian, holding the cat carrier, sat next to the fisherman, quietly watching the fishing float on the water.

Blue sky, white clouds, and clear lake water.

Sitting under the shade of a tree and leisurely fishing is an extremely enjoyable experience.

"Hey buddy, do you come here fishing often?"

"Occasionally, not often. I come fishing when I have free time to relax."

"How many fish do you catch every day?"

"That's much older."

The fisherman coughed lightly.

"Normally, I come fishing in the afternoon and pack up to go home in the evening, and I can catch seven or eight pounds of fish."

"Just the day before yesterday, I caught a five-pound carp. My wife praised me for being amazing, hehe."

"Oh, that's great!"

Xu Nian raised an eyebrow and clicked her tongue in amazement.

A three-pound fish is enough to feed several people; it's definitely a big dish.

"Of course."

The fisherman chuckled, straightening his back considerably.

However, more than twenty minutes passed, and his float remained motionless, making him feel somewhat embarrassed.

"My luck isn't great today. Looks like I used up all my good luck in the past few days."

The fisherman rubbed his nose, looking embarrassed.

Just then, a middle-aged woman grabbed his ear and lifted him off the small stool.

"You damn old man! You promised me yesterday you'd never come fishing again, and you still dare to come today?"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Honey, I'm sorry..."

"I see you're someone who never learns from mistakes!"

The middle-aged woman roared in his ear.

"We just confiscated your fishing rod yesterday, and you bought another one to fish, huh? You never make any money, just spend it all!"

"No, no... this rod only costs a few dozen yuan, it's very cheap..."

"You don't pick the kids up from school, you don't clean the house, and all you do all day is fish, fish, fish!"

"Fine, I don't care about fishing, but when have you ever caught a fish? You come home empty-handed all the time; at least you can save me some money on groceries!"

"The day before yesterday, you brought home a five-pound fish. I thought you were finally doing something useful, but when I asked at the market, it turned out you bought it from Old Gao, the fishmonger!"

Xu Nian moved the small stool to the side, her smile as if it were on springs, impossible to suppress.

If it weren't for the fisherman next to him constantly wailing, he probably would have burst out laughing.

It's not embarrassing to brag; what's embarrassing is being exposed for bragging on the spot.

Even from the usually quiet cat carrier, a soft laugh could be heard.

"Give me that damn fishing rod! I'm going to break it! Let's see if you, you old codger, dare to come fishing again!"

"Oh, my dear wife... I was wrong..."

"Give it to me!"

The fisherman practically knelt before his wife, tearfully promising never to fish again.

"Sister-in-law, how about this?"

Xu Nian coughed lightly, stood up, and walked to the middle-aged woman.

"This fishing rod was brand new, my brother bought it. It's such a waste that it broke like this."

"How about this, didn't you buy this fishing rod for a few dozen yuan? I'll pay you two hundred, and you can sell it to me along with these bait buckets and stuff, okay?"

The middle-aged woman looked Xu Nian up and down.

"What's your relationship with my husband?"

"I don't know him."

Xu Nian shook her head.

"I came here for a walk and watched the older brother fish for a while. I also felt a bit itchy to try it myself."

The middle-aged woman glared fiercely at the fisherman.

"Fine, take the two hundred then, so that this old man won't keep thinking about his worthless fish every day."

Xu Nian readily scanned the QR code and transferred two hundred yuan to the middle-aged woman.

When it was time to hand over the fishing rods, the fisherman's face was filled with reluctance and heartache, his expression so gloomy it seemed like water was about to drip from his eyes.

He gripped the fishing rod tightly, refusing to let go.

"You damn old man, what do you think you're doing?!"

The middle-aged woman pinched the fisherman's waist hard, and he cried out in pain before reluctantly letting go of the fishing rod.

After the fisherman was dragged away by the middle-aged woman by the ear, Xu Nian picked up the fishing rod and weighed it in her hand.

The rod body is smooth and crisp, without a trace of cheapness. The handle is warm and comfortable to hold, and you can feel the center of gravity is stable and the waist strength is excellent when you lift it lightly.

Even without looking at the price tag, the workmanship and materials alone speak volumes about its high price tag; it's a level of refinement and sturdiness that ordinary fishing rods simply can't match.

Xu Nian burst out laughing.

This is hardly a fishing rod that costs only a few dozen yuan.

Judging from the fisherman's reluctant gesture when handing over the fishing rod, the rod is probably very valuable.

This is a huge profit.