NOVPUB
Chapter 555: Chapter 361: I’m About to Kneel for You
The river scenery was filled with the essence of summer, the water moving at an imperceptible pace between two huge rocks.
Lining the riverbank were lush poplar trees, their branches thick with leaves, while the ground was covered with wild grass and colorful wildflowers of indeterminate name, butterflies fluttering about.
The water was quite clear, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds above, looking like blossoms of white lotus.
Xue Yuantong jumped into the river, splashing bright droplets and wetting the cuffs of his pants.
By this time, it was after 9 a.m., and the May sun had shed its spring subtlety, becoming bold and flaunting its heat with abandon.
The cool river water brushed against the skin, bringing waves of refreshment.
Jiang Ning waited in the center of the river for Xue Yuantong, where due to the resistance of the water, she moved slowly and unsteadily, as if she could fall face-down at any moment.
Jiang Ning didn’t speak, just took a couple of steps forward and looked down at her, "Your pant cuffs are about to fall off."
"Hmm," Xue Yuantong looked down, and in the next second, the previously rolled-up cuffs, due to her movement, slid downward.
Seeing them fall into the water, she hurried to catch them.
Just in time, Jiang Ning bent down, helped her catch the cuffs, and rolled them up to her thighs.
With her hands free, Xue Yuantong stood foolishly in the water, a radiant smile blooming on her face. She suddenly reached out and touched Jiang Ning’s head.
"All set," he said, purposely using a bit of Spiritual Power to keep them in place so that even if later she got into an intense fish-catching, they wouldn’t slip down.
That way, later on, if Xue Yuantong couldn’t catch any fish, she would have one less excuse to use.
After fixing her pants, Xue Yuantong was still smiling, and Jiang Ning casually caught a fish.
In the middle of the river, although blocked by two large rocks, the upstream water could flow down over one of the stones, allowing the fish to swim into this stretch of river.
If it reached the big flood season of the year, the water level would surge, and many fish might swim upstream, leaping over the rocks.
Jiang Junlong was immensely excited he caught a fish, for the last time he had fished was in his childhood. Living in the city, where was there a chance to fish?
Many people had never fished in a wild waterway in their lifetime.
Imitating Jiang Ning’s earlier method, he rolled up his pant legs and sleeves and eagerly waded into the river.
In the bucket holding some river water, Jiang Ning tossed in a fish, it jumped into the bucket, splashing a spray of water.
Seeing Jiang Ning swiftly catch two fish inspired everyone, confirming there were definitely fish in this twenty-meter stretch of river, and not just a few.
Xue Yuantong scanned the surface of the water, faintly spotting the shadow of a fish swimming. She recalled Chuchu’s fishing stance from the past, cupped her hands to hold water, and submerged them in the river.
In contrast, Jiang Junlong was far less professional, aiming at a fish and trying to grab it with one hand. The fish in the water deftly swished its tail and easily slipped from his grasp.
Jiang Junlong’s hand still smelled of fish as he learned his lesson and started using both hands to catch.
After fishing for a while, Jiang Junlong straightened his back and shouted towards the shore, "Qing E, aren’t you coming down?"
Shen Qing’e was playing with her phone on the bank. She was somewhat reserved—fishing, given her current age and character, seemed slightly unseemly.
She took a few pictures and posted them to a small group chat with her sisters, sparking a discussion with Yu Wen and Jiang Yanan.
Seeing the others fishing stirred her interest. Setting aside her reserve, she put her phone down next to the others’ on the bank.
Nowadays, phones weren’t waterproof, a single slip into the water could mean the end of the device.
Jiang Ning searched for a while, then suddenly plunged his arm into the water, pulling out a black and yellow fish.
The fish was about the size of a palm, thick-bodied with three sharp fins on its sides and back, looking nothing like crucian carp or grass carp, its head large and flat with several thick barbels around its mouth.
Jiang Junlong smacked his lips, "Bro, you caught a catfish?"
That was impressive. Catfish were very slippery due to the mucous on their bodies, difficult to hold onto even in a bowl, let alone in the river.
Xue Yuantong took a closer look at the fish and then her eyes widened, "That’s not a catfish, that’s a ’Cut Fish’!"
"Jiang Ning, Jiang Ning, are you hurt?" she asked quickly, reaching for his hand.
’Cut Fish’ was a local name, actually referring to the Yellow Catfish, which had many nicknames like ’Yellow Duck,’ ’Ga fish,’ ’Three-spine fish,’ etc.
’Cut Fish’ was both loved and hated—it was a rare variety among farm-raised freshwater fish, with flesh tastier and more nutritious than that of catfish.
But because it had three knife-sharp fins, an ordinary person could easily get cut if accidentally brushed against them.
Seeing Xue Yuantong’s concern, Jiang Ning casually flipped the fish toward the bucket.
He opened his hand, "It’s nothing, it can’t hurt me."
Xue Yuantong warned, "Don’t overdo it, Cut Fish are really tough."
Jiang Ning replied, "You think I’m like you? My fish-catching skills are beyond your imagination."
Xue Yuantong really regretted reminding him then, served him right if he got cut and came crying to her!
Shen Qing’e had heard of the notoriety of Cut Fish; thinking it over, she hadn’t eaten this type of fish in a long while.
Jiang Ning said, "Be careful fishing, don’t touch them. Cut Fish usually like to swim near the bottom."
"It’s fine, even if I do touch one, it probably can’t cut me," Jiang Junlong, fearless in his ignorance and youthful vigor, wasn’t afraid of a small fish.
After a while, Xue Yuantong spotted a dark shadow, her heart leapt with joy, and she tried to scoop it up immediately. But the fish gave a gentle flick of its tail, dodged her attempt, and darted forward.
Xue Yuantong couldn’t let it escape; she hoped to use this fish as her trophy!
