"Uncle Liu, how many fish have you caught today?" Xiaoyu rowed the boat to the edge of the water stack.
When Uncle Liu saw Xiaoyu paddling the boat nearby, he pulled the long pole in his hand, and the line of the fishhook fell steadily into his hand, but the bait on the hook was long gone.
Uncle Liu's fish basket was hung on the edge of the water stack. Xiao Yu happily went to help Uncle Liu collect the basket. The purpose was very simple, just to see how many fish he had caught.
"Oh, that's right, there are three big crucian carp and one big grass carp!" After Xiaoyu exclaimed, he picked up the basket and got on the boat.
Uncle Liu was taciturn, put away his fishing rod, and followed him into the boat.
After that day's Huatan Temple Demon Elimination Conference, Liu Bo's fishing spot was changed to the water stack on the mountain behind Huatan Temple.
Xiao Yu saw that Uncle Liu was very skilled and chose the spot for fishing in the back hill of Huatan Temple. She vaguely guessed what Uncle Liu wanted to do, but was not sure yet. She made up her mind to guard against this old man fishing. .
Uncle Liu didn't care at all about Xiao Yu's every move, because he felt that this boy was just a waiter in a tavern, a common man with a crew cut, and there was nothing suspicious except for having fun.
"What? Uncle Liu, should I take it to Lao Ma Tea Shop and sell it to the old bald man?" Xiao Yu muttered while rowing the boat. The old bald man naturally meant the bald shopkeeper of Lao Ma Tea Shop.
Uncle Liu was sitting on the wooden board in the middle of the boat, with the fishing rod in his hand placed in the boat, his hands resting on his knees as he sat up straight, with a calm look on his face.
"It's a nice day today, but it's a bit sultry. I won't sell the fish I caught. Take it back and call Lao Liu and Aunt Li to stew it tonight. Let's have some wine tonight." Uncle Liu's face was calm, but his heart was But he was a little bored, "The weather has been sunny these days, and today is the 17th again. Let's enjoy the moon at night."
Xiaoyu heard this and replied with a smile, "Uncle Liu, are you serious?"
Uncle Liu laughed and said, "I can't lie to you, kid. Row quickly, go back early, and ask Lao Liu to cook the fish."
"Great!" After the light rain comes to Jiangnan, it is usually cloudy and rainy, or it is a dark night without a moon. The weather is good today. As soon as the sun goes down, a 'round cake' hangs on the sky. The sky is full of stars today.
Xiaoyu was still looking forward to the thought of enjoying the moon and drinking with everyone in the yard.
On the side of Lao Maqiao, Uncle Liu gave Lao Geng some scraps of silver as the shipping fare for the past few days.
On the country road, Uncle Liu hung the fish basket and fishing pole on the donkey with a tuft of white hair on his forehead, and walked back with Xiaoyu again.
Xiao Yu was impatient and felt that Uncle Liu was also strange. He bought a donkey, but he didn't ride it. It was only used to haul fishing supplies and he had to walk on his own.
But Uncle Liu walked slowly...
"Uncle Liu, we have to go back to cook fish tonight. How about I carry the basket and get the fishing rod for you while you get on the donkey and hurry up." Xiaoyu urged Uncle Liu.
Upon hearing this, Uncle Liu nodded slowly.
"That's fine."
Uncle Liu slowly took off the fishing belongings hanging on the donkey's back and gave them all to Xiaoyu.
But Xiao Yu didn't give the fishing rod in his hand and carried it by himself.
Xiaoyu helped Uncle Liu climb onto the donkey, loaded up Uncle Liu's belongings, and led the donkey all the way back.
"Please let me hold this fishing rod for you. You've been carrying it all day, aren't you tired?" Xiaoyu asked as he led the donkey.
Uncle Liu laughed twice and replied: "Those who eat are not used to being held by others."
Uncle Liu's fishing rod is dark black and looks like a grilled bamboo rod. It is actually a stick made of bamboo joints made of copper and iron. The fishing line is made of fine moistened silk, and the fishhook is also made of fine iron. hook.
For the old fisherman, it is true that the fishing rod is a means of eating. For Uncle Liu, it is also true that the fishing rod is a weapon for killing people and also a means of eating.
It's just that Xiaoyu has never touched his fishing rod, so he doesn't know the weight of the fishing rod, so he doesn't know that the fishing rod has another mystery.
An old man and a young man, one leading a donkey and the other riding a donkey, were walking slowly on the trail.
This reminded Xiao Yu of the old man and his master who were far away in the northwest. The master used to take Xiao Yu to practice swordsmanship, and he went back at dusk, and they walked together with an old man and a young man.
Crossroads, Liushu Tavern.
The tavern has been closed these days, and the door to the courtyard is ajar.
The ajar door showed that Uncle Six was working in the tavern.
There are locust flowers scattered all over the ground on several old locust trees around the house. The fragrance of the flowers is wafting, and the whole pub is filled with a scent that moisturizes the nose.
Push the door open and go in.
Uncle Liu was still feeding the chickens in the backyard of the wine shed. He was holding a bowl of old grain harvested in the autumn of last year and calling the chickens in the cage to come out and eat the grain.
After entering the yard, Uncle Liu took the fishing guy back to his house to clean up. Xiaoyu took the fish basket and led the donkey to the backyard to find Uncle Six.
The fish basket was placed next to the stove under the eaves of the backyard, and the donkey was tied to the locust tree next to Uncle Liu feeding the chickens.
Aunt Li didn't let Xiaoyu rub mud on the old locust tree at the entrance of the tavern, but she could mess with the other locust trees in the yard, and tying the donkey was no problem.
Uncle Liu once said that the old locust tree with a thick waist at the door is the ancestor of several locust trees in the yard. It is sentimental and cannot be messed with, so the work of tying horses and cattle is done by another locust tree next to the courtyard gate. manual labor.
After listening to Uncle Liu's words, Xiaoyu thought of the old man and his master who were enjoying happiness in the village, and cursed secretly: Sure enough, the old are only suitable for enjoying happiness. People are like this, and trees cannot escape this common truth.
...
In the courtyard outside the wine shed, five stone tables stood in it.
The stone benches were covered with locust flowers. Only the stone bench in the middle was wiped clean. There was a table of dishes on the table.
In the middle is a large pottery pot of boiled red pepper fish, surrounded by several plates of peanuts, three or two small stir-fried vegetables, and a jar of wine.
Uncle Liu gave him the money for the wine. Uncle Liu gave the money to the ninth floor for the large vat of wine that Uncle Liu kept at his home, so the wine in the gourd that Uncle Liu usually brought with him for fishing was all brought out from home.
The money for tonight's drinks is considered Uncle Liu's. The fish is free of charge, Uncle Liu has worked hard, and the peanuts and side dishes are free.
Aunt Li helped everyone sit down and signaled Xiao Yu not to be restrained.
Having been here for more than two months, Aunt Li and Uncle Six are happy to have Uncle Liu join them.
The starry night in the tavern has not been so lively for a long time.
Uncle Liu and Aunt Li both had smiles on their faces. They shared the bowls and chopsticks and motioned for everyone to start eating and drinking.
One person sat on one side, and Xiao Yu could smell the aroma of the vegetables. She had already picked up her chopsticks to turn over the meat in the fish basin and eat it.
Aunt Li helped Uncle Liu and Uncle Six pour a bowl of wine each, and poured a bowl for herself before sitting down.
"Do you drink?" Aunt Li glanced at Xiao Yu and asked with a smile. Although she was asking, the wine jar in her hand had already poured a bowl for Xiao Yu. "I am happy today, so it doesn't matter if I drink a bowl."
Uncle Liu looked at Xiao Yu and said with a smile: "You are about twenty years old, I don't see you stealing wine on weekdays, so don't tell me that you don't know how to drink?"
Xiaoyu smiled and replied: "Drink! Of course you can drink!"
The four of them smelled the fragrance of locust flowers, drank wine, talked and laughed under the moonlight, and they seemed like a family.
Xiaoyu only drank a bowl of wine and then stopped drinking. It could be said that he didn't like drinking.
Uncle Six and Uncle Liu drank several bowls. Uncle Six got drunk and started talking to Uncle Liu. He talked about the family affairs. He talked about the interesting story of Zhangjia's cattle being stolen in the next village, and then talked about the storyteller at Lao Ma Tea House. Mr.'s embarrassing incident is so exciting.
Uncle Liu didn't like to talk. He just drank from his wine bowl and listened to Uncle Liu's talk with great enthusiasm.
Seeing that everyone was enjoying the meal, Aunt Li drank for a while and then went home. She told Xiaoyu not to drink too much. After they finished eating, she would remember to clean up the mess and help them go back to sleep.
Xiaoyu ate the fish in the basin and responded with a smile.
Uncle Liu and Uncle Liu drank a lot of wine again, and it was already late at night.
Uncle Six fell asleep on the table, muttering, "Drink, Uncle Liu, drink..."
Xiaoyu lay down on the stone bench after eating, looking at the moon in the sky. She didn't know if the master and the old man were also looking at the bright moon in the sky, or if the neighbor girl He Xiaofang was married? Before Xiao Yu went out this time, she heard from Father He that he wanted to find a match for Xiao Fang. She just hoped that Xiao Fang would not be married when she went back.
The old man and his master had said that when he returned this time, they would discuss it with Father He and try to get Xiaofang to promise it to him.
Xiaofang and Xiaoyu were childhood playmates and the daughters of the village chief, He.
Xiaoyu was brought to Hejia Village by the old man and his master when he was about ten years old, and his neighbor was the village chief's house.
Xiaoyu frowned, she liked Xiaofang, but Xiaofang seemed to like Ergouzi at the entrance of the village more. Father He also felt that Ergouzi at the entrance of the village was more reliable, and Ergouzi's family had several acres of land.
And Xiaoyu’s family...
To be precise, Xiaoyu's home was deceived by Master and the old man from Father He. Father He disliked the two old ruffians.
The marriage between himself and Xiaofang is not exactly settled, it is very mysterious.
On one side, Uncle Liu was still drinking, holding the wine and sipping.
