Return to the small mountain village in 1983

Chapter 221: Cultivating fishermen from an early age

On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, Lin's father killed the pigs he had raised for a year. A group of people came to help him early in the morning.

At this time, there were still many people in rural areas, and the Chinese New Year was also very lively.

Lin Heng was naturally among the people who were killing pigs. He spoke little, but the people in the village were very friendly, talking and laughing.

Uncle Lin Heng and his third uncle also came. My uncle was also killing pigs today, so he didn't come.

Because pig killing in rural areas depends on good times, and there are so many people killing pigs today that the three or four pig butchers in the village cannot be idle at all.

"This heats up quickly and is useful. How much did it cost?"

Lu Honghai, also known as Lin Heng's uncle, asked curiously when he saw Lin Heng boiling water in a big wooden bucket because he was almost burning due to the heat.

"It's not expensive, just two yuan." Lin Heng said with a smile.

"It's not expensive. It's expensive, but it's very useful. I'll buy one later."

Everyone was filled with joy when they saw the pig being killed, and they were also very keen to help.

Then came the weighing. The pig that Mother Lin had fed for a year was not small, weighing more than 230 kilograms.

After the blood was drained, the pig was directly carried into a large wooden barrel, boiled water was boiled, and the pig's hair was removed by gently hitting it with a stone hammer made of volcanic stone.

Accompanied by heartbreaking screams, the family's New Year pig was directly lifted to the chopping board, and the pig butcher stabbed into the aorta with a single knife.

"This is ridiculous. Your father is drinking, but you are not drinking?"

After breakfast, everyone rested for a while and then went to Lin Yue's house to kill pigs. Many people took the opportunity to go to Lin Heng's house to see the three-wheeled motorcycle he bought. They were talking and envious while looking at it.

This is still a wealthy family. Some families don't have that much food to feed pigs. A pig has to be fed for two years, so the meat is even more precious.

“It’s time to eat!!”

Cut open the back of the pig, put it into a wine cup, put rice in it, burn paper with pig money, and put a hanging firecracker. This is not only to worship the gods and ancestors, but also to celebrate the harvest. I hope that the pigs will still be willing to eat and grow in the coming year, and there will be no problems.

After drinking two glasses of wine, Lin Heng stopped serving it. The butcher next to him smiled and said, "Boss Lin, please drink two more glasses. This is just enough. Don't ruin everyone's fun."

Lin Heng was not in the house and took Xiaoxia for a walk on the road. Xiulan went out and locked the door quickly while everyone was finished watching.

In this era, killing the New Year pig is also a great look forward to by men, women and children in the village, because this day is one of the few days when they can eat meat to their fill.

After the pigs are killed, except for some that are kept fresh for the New Year, the rest are all salted, marinated overnight, and smoked on the stove to make bacon. Generally speaking, this is the meat for the whole family in the next year. .

"I'll bring one back to you later."

On the other side, the pig butcher saw that the water had boiled and asked people to go to the back mountain to catch the pigs.

Lin Heng said with a smile.

The pig butcher felt a little embarrassed and could only shake his head: "Young people can't talk to us."

This man liked to persuade people to drink. He held up the wine flask and wanted Lin Heng to drink again.

There are many people who feed a pig like this for two years. After all, everyone has to eat cornmeal, and what the pig eats is even less nutritious.

"I've eaten."

So two tables were set up, one for men who liked drinking, and one for women and children. In the middle of the two tables, a large basin of fried lean meat with sour and spicy seeds was served.

"Which couplet do you think is better?"

The pig's blood was poured into a basin, and Lin Heng and others held it tightly. The children were all covered by the adults to prevent them from looking. Only some half-year-old children stood at the door of the yard and looked curiously.

With a shout, everyone walked into the house, waiting to eat meat.

Five or six people can only eat so much meat for the next year, which is really not much.

People of all sizes gathered in a circle in the yard, all looking at the divisions, and from time to time they said some flattering words.

This year I'm not that excited, I just think it tastes good.

After the weighing was over, it was the dissection session that everyone liked to see. The big fat pig was quickly divided into small pieces with the same technique as a butcher butting a cow.

Lu Honghai said with a smile.

Then he poured wine for others, while Father Lin explained to him that Lin Heng couldn't drink and so on.

Not only half an hour later, a big fat pig, white and tender, sat on top of the barrel, lying there upright with all four legs on the ground.

"I've had enough to drink, and my dad is here with you." Lin Heng waved his hand and said.

The Lin family invited a lot of people today, and together with their own family members, the number reached twenty-three.

He drinks as he pleases, even if you are the Great Luo Immortal who comes to persuade you and refuses to drink.

In this era, a rural family usually has at least five people. They only have one piece of pork a year, and they have to eat a large part when entertaining guests during the New Year. The remaining bacon in the end may only be 1,670 kilograms.

After his eldest brother Lin Yue's pigs were killed, it was already past two o'clock in the afternoon, and the pig butcher left in a hurry. He had another pig to kill today.

When Lin Heng was holding a bowl to eat, Lin's mother brought steamed pork. This is a unique type of steamed pork made from cornmeal and fatty meat slices. It is deeply loved by the older generation in rural areas, but is too greasy for Lin Heng. No, I have no appetite at all.

This fresh pork tastes much better than bacon, fragrant and chewy. In the past, this was the day he looked forward to the most.

Everyone was drinking happily, and no one seemed to care.

Lin Heng smiled slightly, got up and went to eat.

Lin Heng naturally sat at the adults' table and took a few sips of wine. His target was meat, and so were the others.

In the study, Lin Heng looked at Xiulan and asked.

After killing the pig, they had nothing to do, so the two of them cut the red paper and started writing couplets.

I must have bought a brush, inkstone, and ink sticks last time I went to town.

Xiulan wore a red cotton-padded jacket with plum blossoms printed on it. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and tied down from her left shoulder. She sat on the newly made official hat chair next to her and polished ink for Lin Heng.

Hearing Lin Heng's question, she looked up at the Spring Festival couplet collection Lin Heng opened. There were various Spring Festival couplets on it.

Lin Heng doesn't care about this, it all depends on her choice.

The four gates of his house require four couplets. The characters on the couplets are not uncommon and Xiulan knows them all.

"These are the four pairs." Xiulan chose four pairs of seven-character couplets, which sounded simple.

Lin Heng folded the red couplet paper into seven grids and thought about writing it. The first one was used on the front door.

The upper couplet fills the door with blessings and the warm spring air, the lower couplet means a clear stream of water, and the horizontal line means welcoming the new year.

While Lin Heng was writing, Xiaoxia also came over to watch, very curious. Lin Heng's hands were shaking a little when his wife and daughter looked at him, but after all, he had practiced regular script for a long time and still wrote it down very smoothly.

"Good-looking, very dignified."

When Xiulan saw Lin Heng finished writing, she immediately praised him.

It's not that she is telling lies, but Lin Heng is not bad at all compared to the village party secretary and other people in the village who often write couplets. He is upright and beautiful.

Xiaoxia didn't quite understand, but she still praised the team members: "It looks good, it looks really good."

Lin Heng laughed, his confidence greatly increased, and he wrote the remaining three couplets in one breath. I put the couplets on the ground to dry, and when I was about to write some blessing characters, I heard the shouts of my father and elder brother outside.

"I'll open the door."

Xiulan stopped grinding her ink, turned around and went out to open the door.

After a while, Lin Heng saw his father and elder brother coming in carrying meat.

Xiulan said on the side: "I said we have meat at home, and dad and eldest brother insist on bringing some." "Yours are all made into bacon, which is fresh. Besides, you don't eat it. Your mother Caiyun and I Even three people can’t finish it,” Father Lin said with a smile.

"You said it, there's no need to be polite between us." Lin Yue also said with a smile.

Each of them took two pieces of pork, one piece weighed more than ten kilograms, and two pieces weighed nearly thirty kilograms.

"Don't worry, I won't be polite." Lin Heng said with a smile. There was no need to be polite to his family, he took the meat directly.

His eldest brother and father were extremely happy with Lin Heng's attitude.

Lin Yue saw Lin Heng's couplet and was surprised: "Brother, did you write this?"

Lin Heng was a little happy: "I'm sure, the ink is not dry yet. If you want, I will write a few for you."

"Of course you need it. Brother, you can write this couplet well. The calligraphy is very beautiful."

"It's almost the same as the village party secretary." Lin's father also affirmed.

Lin Heng asked them to select a few pictures from the Spring Festival couplet collection, and then cut the couplet paper with Xiulan. Xiulan began to write ink while Lin Heng began to write. Lin's father and elder brother watched from a distance. After a while, a couplet was completed.

"Not bad."

"So lovely!"

Lin Yue and his father praised them while helping to take away the Spring Festival couplets to dry.

After a while, Lin Heng finished writing the couplet and also wrote some blessing characters.

While gathering around the brazier to warm themselves up, Lin's father suggested that everyone have a reunion dinner at the old house, to which Lin Heng and his eldest brother agreed without any hesitation.

Lin Heng even said directly: "How about this, Dad, you can just merge with us during the Chinese New Year. You can just eat here every day and sleep in the old house."

"Yeah, it's easy to arrange a guest like this." Xiulan also said with a smile.

Lin Yue shook his head and said, "That won't work. Let's have a meal as a family."

Father Lin was indescribably happy when he saw his two sons rushing to let him go to his home. He shook his head solemnly: "Then you might as well come over and eat."

After a pause, he smiled and added: "Let's talk about it then. Everyone can eat, but I have to go over to eat tonight. Your mother has already prepared the meal."

"That's good." Lin Heng agreed immediately without any hesitation.

After putting away the dried couplets and feeding the livestock and pets at home, Lin Heng took Xiaoxia Xiulan over for dinner.

The next day, on the 26th of the twelfth lunar month, Lin Heng drove a three-wheeled motorcycle and took Xiulan and Xiaoxia to the town.

The penultimate market day at the end of the year is extremely lively. It can be said that it is crowded with people, and at a glance, it is full of densely packed heads.

Lin Heng parked the car in front of the store, Xiaoxia also let Wang Zhou watch, and then went shopping with Xiulan.

When I went to the street today, the main things I bought were pig heads, large intestines, small intestines, and pig stomachs. There were also mutton and beef sellers on the street, and they bought some. Finally, they bought some fruits and candies. There was no shortage of anything else, and they had already bought enough.

Firecrackers and fireworks are all available in your store, so you don’t need to buy them.

After finishing shopping, it was only ten o'clock. Lin Heng had known that this would happen and took the fishing rod specially.

I took Xiulan Xiaoxia to go fishing by the river. It was rare to see the sun today and it was quite warm by the river. In winter, the grass on the river bed was withered and yellow.

“Is this really catchable?”

Xiulan touched the water, feeling a little confused.

Lin Heng nodded confidently: "Of course it's possible. I'll do it for you. You just need to swing the pole and lift it up."

He first took out the homemade wine rice and made a small nest. This wine rice cost a lot and used honey, white wine, sugar and many other things. Xiulan said that it was better for fish than for people.

Fortunately, it was Xiulan. If his mother saw him trashing things like this, she would have to beat him.

Xiulan nodded. If Lin Heng wanted to fish, she would accompany him. However, she was not ready to take action. She pointed at Xiaoxia and said, "Then you can fish. I'm looking at Xiaoxia. The water is deep in the river."

Lin Heng didn't force it, so he beat some wine and rice, hung earthworms on two purple bamboo fishing poles, threw them into the water and waited.

While waiting for half an hour to make their nest, the three of them sat on a big black stone by the river to bask in the sun. When it was almost done, Lin Heng went to start fishing. Xiulan took Xiaoxia and sat beside them to watch.

It's a pity that there are very few fishermen on this river. Otherwise, I would be extremely envious when I see this scene. It would be impossible for my wife to accompany him fishing.

However, the fish today did not show any respect. Lin Hengtou fished for half an hour, but there was no movement at all.

"I'll try somewhere else."

Lin Heng had already guessed that this might happen and made three nests.

After teasing the second nest for a while, he saw the mouth, and a small crucian carp flew up directly from him.

"I said you can catch it, right?" Lin Heng turned around and smiled.

"Not bad, but not as big as the one you caught last time." Xiulan took the bucket of fish over, put the fish in and put it aside for Xiaoxia to see.

"Little fish!"

Xiaoxia held a reed and teased the small fish in the water.

"There will be a big one soon."

Lin Heng was full of confidence. Isn't fishing in this era just a matter of skill?

However, in the next half hour, he only caught six small crucian carp, two ounces in size, which made him doubt his life.

But he didn't care. He looked at Xiulan's boredom and said with a smile: "Honey, come and play."

"Just play, I'm picking up stones." Xiulan shook a small, round stone in her hand.

Lin Heng pulled her over and said with a smile: "Come on, you play, I'm tired."

Being held up by Lin Heng, Xiulan had no choice but to take over the fishing rod and experience this game that she had never played before.

"Dad, I also want to fish."

When Xiaoxia saw her mother going to play, she also shouted to play and acted coquettishly with Lin Heng.

"Okay, okay, you come and play too, but you can't go to the river."

Lin Heng gave her another purple bamboo fishing rod.

"it is good."

Xiaoxia nodded seriously and looked at the water.

Lin Heng replaced Xiulan and Xiaoxia's fishhook with new earthworms, then watched and taught them how to fish.

After about three minutes, there was still no movement on Xiulan's side, and the fishing line on Xiaoxia's side was pulled into the water a lot.

"The fish is on, Xiaoxia!"

Lin Heng said something, held Xiaoxia's hand and completed the action of stabbing the fish.

"Fish, big fish fish!!"

Xiaoxia ran back excitedly while lifting the pole. After a while, a small crucian carp was pulled out of the water by her and rolled on the water.

Lin Heng pulled the fishing line and took out the crucian carp. Xiaoxia looked at it several times, then urged Lin Heng: "Dad, we still want to fish!"

The little fisherman has fallen in love with the sport of fishing and was shocked by this tiny fish.

(End of this chapter)