Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 457 Spinning Wheel

Tang Zhitong refused to admit that he was addicted to fishing.

The fisherman saw something that looked like he was casting a fishing rod. Chang'e 6 was digging soil and collecting samples on the back side of the moon, but it was said to be casting a fishing rod. It turns out that Chang'e 6 found a small puddle on the back side of the moon, right?
Tang Zhitong felt that he had not reached that level yet, and he just wanted to relax by taking two swings.

There were two people but only one fishing rod. Tang Zhitong did not go to buy one, but borrowed a bamboo pole from Grandpa Gao who conveyed the message.

Whether it is the fishing rods sold in the store or the fishing rods sold in Shichahai, they are all suitable for adults. For children like Wang Jingmin, the user experience is not friendly enough.

"Just make do with this today, I'll make you one later." Tang Zhitong chose a smaller bamboo pole and said to his brother-in-law.

"Yeah, okay. But, brother-in-law, can you also make fishing rods?" Wang Jingmin was of course happy to do so, but he also had "a little bit" of doubt.

"What's wrong? Isn't it good that your brother-in-law can make fishing rods?" Tang Zhitong felt a little proud when he said this because he really could.

"Okay, okay! Then I want something that suits me!" Wang Jingmin clapped his hands happily.

"Okay, hold on tight, we're going to Shichahai." Hanging the stool on the handlebars, Tang Zhitong got on the bicycle, then asked his brother-in-law to climb onto the back seat, hooked his feet on the pedals, pushed hard, and started.

When Tang Zhitong said that he could make a fishing rod, he was not just fooling the children, but he really could make it.

Children who come from rural areas, if their hometown has water and fish, will mostly plan to go fishing. The fun accounts for a small part, but the main purpose is to supplement the family's diet and add some meat dishes.

However, my family was poor at that time, and my parents certainly wouldn't buy me a fishing rod. I could either make do with a small wooden stick or a bamboo pole, or make one myself.

The so-called make it yourself also means using bamboo poles. Don't even think about carbon fiber, as that thing is a product of the heyday of industrialization.

There are many kinds of bamboo poles, but ordinary people are not very picky, as long as the length and thickness are comfortable for them to wield.

Fresh bamboo poles need to be naturally dried to about 70% to 80% before they can be cut.

First, use a file and sandpaper to polish the bamboo joints little by little. Then straighten it and heat the bent parts with a candle or kerosene lamp. This still has to be done little by little, which is a test of your patience.

After straightening, it cannot be used directly. The two ends must be tied with ropes, the tip of the bamboo must be hung on the beam, and a heavy object must be hung under the tail of the bamboo to make the fishing rod more straight and handsome.

After hanging it up for about two months, you can take it out and show it off.

Since the children had no money, black marks from burning during straightening would remain on the bamboo joints, and most of the children just wore them as decorations.

If it is sold by a store, the roasting time and temperature will be controlled to try to leave no traces.

Even if it remains, it must be washed and polished off with sandpaper, and then two coats of varnish should be applied when the suspension is almost completed.

Due to the height of adults, many people would think that the whole fishing rod is too long. In order to adapt to the market, stores often cut the fishing rod into appropriate sizes after the varnish has dried, and then use brass to make a connecting sleeve. This not only solves the length problem, but also looks beautiful and can be sold at a good price.

This is the fishing rod that Tang Zhitong bought.

When they arrived at Shichahai, Tang Zhitong first took Wang Jingmin to buy fishing lines, fish hooks and fish floats.

Nowadays, anglers don’t pay much attention to their equipment. In fact, even if they want to, they can’t because various composite materials have not yet been developed, so they can only make do with what they have.

Currently the lowest-grade fishing line is cotton or hemp. Slightly higher-grade ones include nylon line used by shoemakers. The highest-grade one is natural silk made from traditional craftsmanship.

This fishing line comes from the camphor silkworm, scientifically known as the Tetrameleon moth, and is made from fibers drawn from its silk glands.

This kind of silkworm is a pest. Currently there is no such thing as artificial breeding. It is all caught by hand.

Catch the camphor silkworm and drown it, soak it overnight, carefully cut open the silkworm's abdomen, take out the silk gland, and then put it into vinegar to coagulate. The specific concentration and soaking time are all secrets of the old artists.

After the soaking is finished, the silk glands are slowly and gently picked out by hand and pulled into the desired thickness. After being air-dried, rinsed, cleaned, spliced ​​and polished, it can be used for fishing. The process is very cumbersome.

This kind of fishing line is flexible and not easy to break. It can generally catch fish weighing more than ten kilograms. After entering the water, it is transparent and hidden, and not easy to get tangled. Its elasticity makes the bait vibrate and does not cause alarm when it comes into contact with the fish's mouth. The material is hydrophobic and easy to wash. It is currently recognized by anglers as the best fishing line.

However, due to reasons such as price and production, this type of fishing line will gradually decline until it is replaced by nylon line. However, Xiaobenzi likes this type of fishing line very much and has been producing it.

Even though the temperature has dropped, there are still many people fishing around Shichahai, most of them trying to stay alive.

Tang Zhitong pushed the bicycle, and Wang Jingmin followed behind with a fishing rod. They looked for a suitable place along the river bank and finally chose a place next to an unprepossessing old man because there was more empty space on both sides.

After parking the car on the side of the road and locking it, Tang Zhitong led his brother-in-law and set up camp next to the old man with a stool.

Today's fishing rods are different from those of decades later. Most of them are just hand rods with fixed length fishing lines.

Because Tang Zhitong and Wang Jingmin had different lengths of fishing rods and fishing lines, they sat next to each other without affecting each other.

"Brother-in-law, why are the colors of fishing rods different?" Wang Jingmin asked Tang Zhitong quietly after throwing the rod.

"The same? Aren't they both the color of bamboo?" Tang Zhitong looked at the one in his hand, then at the one in Wang Jingmin's hand, and said.

"No, it's the one used by the grandpa next to him." Wang Jingmin pointed, motioning Tang Zhitong to turn around and look.

Tang Zhitong followed the direction Wang Jingmin pointed and turned his head. Wow, the fishing rod was dazzlingly red.

Not only is the color pleasing, it also comes with a wire compass, which is really exquisite!

"The materials are different. Theirs is made of mahogany. But it's heavy and tiring to use. Ours is more convenient to use." After reading it, Tang Zhitong turned around and explained to Wang Jingmin.

"Oh." Wang Jingmin nodded as if he understood, and looked over there. The color was really pleasing.

Having said that, Tang Zhitong couldn't help but take another glance. The fishing rod used by the old man was very exquisite.

Not only is the rod body made of mahogany, the tip of the rod is also made of cow tendon. The threading ring seems to be fixed by animal skin that has dried and shrunk, and the fishing line looks to be silk. It's really exquisite!

One advantage of this kind of fishing rod is that as long as you are willing to use more force, you can cast a longer fishing line and you don't have to compete with others for fish in shallow water.

The two brothers sat there for a quarter of an hour, but the fish float didn't move at all. On the other hand, the old man next to them had already pulled up his fishing rod twice in a short while. Although the fish were not big, he pulled them up frequently!
It was not until this time that Tang Zhitong figured out why there were such long open spaces on both sides of the old man.

What fisherman wouldn’t collapse if he sees others catching fish while he himself gets nothing?

However, the old man's equipment reminded Tang Zhitong that if he couldn't make a carbon fiber fishing rod, could he try making a spinning reel?
Spinning reels are a product of the 90s, and are definitely epoch-making products at the moment. Due to limited economic levels in China, there may not be many consumers, but there are also many anglers abroad!

As we all know, real anglers are willing to spend money on equipment.

Tang Zhitong had dismantled a spinning wheel before and was confident that he could draw a design, but he didn't know if the current industrial level could turn out parts according to the blueprint. "Brother-in-law, why aren't we catching any fish?" After waiting for a while and casting the rod twice, Wang Jingmin became impatient and interrupted Tang Zhitong's random thoughts.

"Maybe the fish have gone home for lunch." Tang Zhitong said casually. There are people fishing here every day, and there are almost more people than fish, so it is naturally more difficult to catch fish.

There are limited places for ordinary people in the city to fish. Currently, there are only three places: Shichahai, Houhai and Tongzihe.

There is not much water in the moat, and with the discharge of domestic sewage, there are not many fish in it.

The water quality of Beihai is quite good, but it is a park and you have to buy a ticket to enter, which most people can't afford.

Then there are the lakes, where you can also go fishing. Nie, He and Ye are regular fishermen there, but ordinary people eventually have to come to these free places.

"Brother-in-law, how about we change places?" After pulling the rod twice, Wang Jingmin couldn't hold back his patience and suggested.

"It's similar in other places. Just keep insisting." Tang Zhitong didn't think it was because of the location, nor did he use Mr. Chen as an example to give Wang Jingmin, as that was inappropriate.

Mr. Chen has also fished in the lake. When he couldn’t catch any fish, he would often change places, and he could change four or five places in an hour.

According to his son, his father's fishing skills were "very poor, mainly because he didn't have the patience."

With Fengzhi's expectations in mind, Tang Zhitong didn't want to go home empty-handed, so he used the cheating device to take a look and found that there were indeed fewer fish around than before.

There was no other way, Tang Zhitong could only use a cheat to snatch the fish from the old man.

During this time, several groups of people came to ask the old man whether he wanted to sell the fish, but the old man refused all of them.

Judging from the fishing rod he used, he doesn't seem to be short of money. He has a wealthy family and relies on his sophisticated fishing equipment to compete with ordinary anglers for fish, which makes people feel a little uncomfortable. Tang Zhitong has no psychological burden in competing with such people for fish.

Using a cheating device to move the distant fish towards him, Tang Zhitong quickly cast the rod and the effect came out immediately. The fish was not big, but at least he got a bite.

Tang Zhitong did not miss Wang Jingmin and also caught a fish, which made him very happy.

Next, the two of them caught one fish after another, and in half an hour they caught more than ten fish.

"Young comrade, listen carefully. What bait are you using?" The old man was originally very proud of himself. His speed of catching fish was unique. However, after the two people sat down next to him for a while, his catches became less and less successful. Finally, he lost his patience and walked over to ask.

There is no such thing as fishing bait these days. The riverside is a public area. As long as there is an open space, you can sit down and start fishing.

"Cornnegut flour." Tang Zhitong smiled and showed the bait in his hand to the old man.

"What did you use to mix it? Did you mix anything else in it?" The old man didn't believe it at all. How could you catch fish so quickly using cornmeal?
After that, he added in a friendly manner: "Little comrade, I won't listen in vain. You tell me the number and I'll pay for it."

Do I look like someone who is short of money? Tang Zhitong complained in his heart, but because he didn't want to hit someone who smiled at him, he took out a cigarette, gave one to the old man, lit one for himself, and then said, "Uncle, I really didn't mix anything."

“Okay, okay, keep fishing, keep fishing.” The old man was an expert at identifying goods. When he saw Huazi’s unique mark, he knew that he was being rejected. He didn’t dare to ask any more questions. He just took the cigarette, smiled, said hello, and went back.

Tang Zhitong shook his head, thinking that he was wasting his fishing time. While he was talking, the fish ran away again.

"Brother-in-law, you are taking advantage of me." Wang Jingmin said suddenly.

"Huh? How did I take advantage of you?" Tang Zhitong was stunned and confused.

"When we first came here, I was talking about the grandpa over there, but you just called him uncle. Does that mean you are of the same generation as my father, and therefore become my elder?" Wang Jingmin argued.

"You idiot, what are you thinking about? Why don't you focus on studying if you have this much thought? You can get beaten less often." Tang Zhitong was happy when he heard it. He rubbed Wang Jingmin's head. If he really "acted" as an elder, he should be the elder of Wang Jingmin. But could he let his brother-in-law know about this?
"Hehe." Wang Jingmin was not annoyed. Studying was one thing, but he couldn't stop testing the bottom line in front of his two sisters. This had become a part of his life.

After catching more than ten fish, Tang Zhitong put away his fishing rod and planned to take Wang Jingmin back.

"Brother-in-law, can we fish for a while longer?" Wang Jingmin was still not satisfied. The feeling of fishing so crazily was so great!

"It will be dark soon. We have to go home to eat. Let's wait for next time." Tang Zhitong disagreed. He still had to go back to clean the fish and cook. How could a half-baked cook be as good as the young master?
"Okay, with the fish, I think I can eat three steamed buns today!" Wang Jingmin said confidently, pointing to the fruits of his labor.

"Of course you can. Can't you just live like that? You have to eat according to the fixed amount." Tang Zhitong packed up his things and led his brother-in-law to the river bank. Although he said the fixed amount, he was thinking about frying some more pine nuts and asking Xiao Wang to bring them over.

Just be a little thinner to show off to others, but don't starve yourself too much.

When the two returned to Chunshu Hutong, Tang Zhitong returned the bamboo pole he had borrowed from Grandpa Gao, and also gave Grandpa Gao three palm-sized fish. After all, it was a piece of meat, and Grandpa Gao was so happy that he kept praising Tang Zhitong for being a good boy.

While Tang Zhitong was locking the car, Wang Jingmin had already gone upstairs with the fish to show off his achievement.

When Tang Zhitong entered the house, Wang Jingmin was enthusiastically telling Ye Zhijuan about his fishing experiences today.

Tang Zhitong didn't disturb them. He just called out "Mom" and took the fish into the kitchen to clean it up. This time, the two families shared the fish equally.

The fish is not big, so it cannot be steamed and frying it would waste too much oil. The best way to cook it is to make fish soup.

Heat the pan with cold oil, fry for a while, pour in water, sprinkle half a spoonful of salt, and simmer for a while, and you will have a pot of white soup.

Because Tang Zhitong proposed and participated in it, when he came out of the kitchen, Ye Zhijuan told her son-in-law about the progress of promoting the barefoot doctor manual.

That’s right, the name of the manual has been changed, returning to its historical track.

"That's great. Sijiu City is Sijiu City. The scope of responsibility is so wide. How can you get foreign exchange? Don't you have to go to the health department? The leaders are taking care of you." When Tang Zhitong heard that the Women's Federation was involved in the promotion of Sijiu City, his first reaction was that it was good. It would be enough to have the first credit. It would be more appropriate to leave the rest to professional departments for promotion.

"Well, the Women's Federation has limited manpower, and it will have supervisory power in the future, which is also a good result. It's just that I didn't get anything for you." After the matter came to an end, Ye Zhijuan was relieved. This time, a lot of benefits were deducted from the health department. The certificate issue was resolved, and even the training land and food issues during the training were solved by the health department.

"Hey, Mom, it's pretty good. My name is on the manual, and the boss has written an inscription. I have to buy a few more copies for my collection. Oh, by the way, your name is also on the editors list, right?" This was the closest Tang Zhitong had ever been to the boss, but he couldn't underestimate this inscription. In a few years, anyone who touches him would have to think twice.

"I just have a false reputation." Ye Zhijuan nodded and admitted.

"Hehe, that's good, that's good." Tang Zhitong felt relieved when he heard it. The big tree he was leaning against was stable, and he would be even more stable.

"I heard from Sister Li that she specifically praised me. If I had known that Sister Li would go, I would have asked her to recommend you." Ye Zhijuan said with some regret.

"Oh my mom, this is great news. I don't care. I'm still young and have a long way to go." Tang Zhitong was overjoyed and waved his hands repeatedly without any jealousy.

Although I said this, I still felt regretful. It would be even better if I could write to my mother-in-law, "Ye Zhijuan is a good comrade"...

(End of this chapter)