PCJ – Chapter 543 Picking Wild Fruits

“Then you’re just lucky. If you catch another one, I’ll admit you’re the real deal,” Zheng Wendong still thought that Zhang Jiaohua was just relying on luck.

“It’s coming, it’s coming. Here’s another one.” Zhang Jiaohua skillfully pulled the fishing rod, and a lively, struggling carp was hauled out of the water. Zhang Jiaohua was very skilled, easily placing the carp into a bucket. The carp, upon reaching the bucket, wasn’t flustered at all; instead, it swam excitedly in the water.

Zheng Wendong was dumbfounded, so much so that he didn’t even notice his own fishing rod was being pulled.

“Fish on, fish on!” Xu Chuan’an, who was beside him, hurriedly tried to reel in his rod, but a small crucian carp, about three fingers wide, flew into the bushes. Xu Chuan’an, flustered, rushed over to catch it, only to end up tangling the fishing line into a messy knot.

“Convinced yet?” Zhang Jiaohua laughed.

“Zhang Jiaohua, how are you catching these fish? This isn’t scientific!” Zheng Wendong scratched his head. Zhang Jiaohua didn’t seem to be using any of the common fishing techniques. Fish that weighed several kilograms were simply pulled up without any need for a struggle.

“This is a family secret, passed down from father to son, inside the family but not to outsiders,” Zhang Jiaohua joked, though in truth, he had no way of passing on his fishing methods to Zheng Wendong.

Chen Haibo found Zhang Jiaohua’s fishing method very strange but didn’t ask any questions. There was too much mystery around Zhang Jiaohua, and he didn’t dare to ask casually. After all, asking the wrong questions could touch on sensitive topics.

Chen Haibo wasn’t like the young people, like Zheng Wendong, who would get impatient when they didn’t catch fish quickly. Fishing was a sport that trained patience. If it were just about catching fish, with Chen Haibo’s fame and fortune, he could easily buy a few fish. Since it wasn’t about the catch, what did it matter whether they caught any or not? Sitting by the shore, quietly waiting for a fish to bite was a form of personal cultivation.

Zhang Jiaohua was still young. Though his temperament was more mature than most of his peers, compared to someone like Chen Haibo, who had spent many years in society and understood the complexities of life, he still had much to learn. For example, sitting by the shore, Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t appreciate the tranquility or the deeper sense of life’s cultivation. Using Daoist techniques to fish was, in a way, quite impatient.

No matter how skilled Zhang Jiaohua’s Daoist techniques were, he couldn’t fully transcend his age. His mind and character needed time to mature, which was one of the key reasons he couldn’t break through the first layer of the cultivation map.

“The scenery here is great. The air is fresh. Choosing this place for an autumn outing was a great decision,” Tang Yan and Chen Cheng stood by the reservoir, looking at the autumn-colored surroundings, the bright blue sky blending with the clear lake water. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, they enjoyed a moment of peace in such a quiet environment.

“Yes, sometimes I don’t understand. Why do people work so hard? Actually, everyone’s daily needs are very few. Two to three meals a day, eating just under a kilogram of rice, some firewood, oil, and salt, just enough to fill the stomach. Why do we have to toil every day?” Chen Cheng said.

“Right, sometimes I really envy the agricultural age, where men plow and women weave, living so carefree,” Tang Yan sat down, gazing at the shimmering water.

“Hey, the fish is ready, and we’re going to roast it now. Tang Yan, Chen Cheng, aren’t you two coming over to roast some fish?” Li Wenjuan shouted to them.

“We’re coming, we’re coming. Let’s go, Chen Cheng,” Tang Yan stood up and smiled at Chen Cheng. Her long hair brushed against her cheek with the wind.

“Okay, let’s go together,” Chen Cheng smiled back.

Zhang Jiaohua, having grown up in the countryside and done all sorts of work, was very skilled at preparing fish. He used a small knife to clean off the fish scales thoroughly, then carefully removed the bones from the fish, and sliced the fish into thin pieces, skewering them onto bamboo sticks.

While roasting the fish, he applied seasonings to the fish as it cooked. Soon, the charcoal was burning fiercely, and the heat increased, mixing the smell of roasting fish and seasoning perfectly. The aroma was so mouthwatering that everyone couldn’t help but feel hungry, wanting to devour it immediately.

“Jiaohua, where did you learn to cook like this?” Tang Yan asked, confused.

“I used to cook a lot when I was young, so I got better at it over time,” Zhang Jiaohua replied, handing a skewer of roasted fish to Tang Yan.

Tang Yan took it, sniffed it briefly, and immediately showed a look of pleasure.

“This taste is so amazing. I’ve never eaten anything this good before.” Tang Yan took a bite of the fish, showing her silver teeth, and immediately praised it.

Such group activities didn’t require high-end food. Even the simplest food could surpass delicacies when shared among everyone. Zhang Jiaohua had caught several fish from the reservoir, enough to fill everyone’s stomach.

With everyone’s hunger satisfied, their enthusiasm grew. Someone suggested going to the nearby mountains to pick wild fruits, wild vegetables, and mushrooms. So, they divided into groups: one for wild fruits, one for wild vegetables, and one for mushrooms.

Autumn was the harvest season, and there were plenty of wild fruits on the mountains around the reservoir. You could often find wild mushrooms under the trees, but not all mushrooms were edible. Many were poisonous, and eating unknown mushrooms was very dangerous. However, with Zhang Jiaohua around, the danger was almost zero. Even though there were many mushrooms in the northern forests that Zhang Jiaohua didn’t recognize, he could distinguish which ones were poisonous and which were safe. This was basic knowledge for the Meishan Water Corps.

Zhang Jiaohua was in the wild fruit group, as he was the only one from the countryside, with more outdoor experience than all the city kids combined.

Chen Cheng, Tang Yan, and Chen Haibo all grew up in the city and didn’t have much experience in this area.

The wild fruit group seemed to be the most popular, with many eager to join, possibly because both Tang Yan and Chen Cheng were in that group. Chen Haibo didn’t join the wild fruit group and became the leader of the wild vegetable group, leading a group of people to search for wild vegetables near the mountain foothills. He had read books on wild vegetables and knew a few common types. This was considered a rare skill.

Zhang Jiaohua, noticing that no one was paying attention, secretly let out the Fat Monkey, which was the best at finding wild fruits.

Just because there were many people didn’t mean they were strong. The city kids became curious when they entered the forest.

“Look, the maple leaves are all red now. It’s so beautiful. Quick, take a photo for me.” Li Wenjuan excitedly picked several red maple leaves from a tree, planning to press them in a book. People loved the beauty of nature, but often, they cared more about framing themselves in the beauty.

Photos were taken in various poses, with goofy faces and strange angles. The camera clicked constantly, and the group’s progress slowed down.

“Hey, everyone, stop just taking pictures. We haven’t picked any wild fruits yet. Let’s speed up!” Zheng Wendong urged.

Zhang Jiaohua wasn’t in a hurry. With Fat Monkey around, he was confident they’d find wild fruits quickly.

“Zhang Jiaohua, what wild fruits are there in the southern forests?” Xu Xiaoting, who had been following Zhang Jiaohua, asked.

“There are many varieties. This season, persimmons, chestnuts, and others are plentiful. I’m not sure about the wild fruits in the north,” Zhang Jiaohua replied, looking around. His goal wasn’t wild fruits, but the Fat Monkey’s movements.

From afar, Zhang Jiaohua spotted the Fat Monkey. It waved to him from a distance, staying far enough not to be noticed by others.

“Let’s go, I think we’ll find something over there.” Zhang Jiaohua immediately headed toward the location the Fat Monkey had indicated.

“How did you see that?” Zheng Wendong looked around but didn’t see anything.

“Just follow me, and you’ll see,” Zhang Jiaohua led the group over. Indeed, in the pines, there was a wild apple tree mixed in. The tree was full of red fruit, looking like countless small lanterns, though they were much smaller than typical apples.

“I’ll do it! I climb trees all the time,” Zheng Wendong eagerly climbed the tree.

Though Zheng Wendong could climb trees, he was very slow. Even the kids from Meizi’ao, who weren’t particularly good at climbing trees, were faster than him.

It took Zheng Wendong a long time to reach the top of the tree. Once there, he clung to the trunk tightly, terrified of falling.

“Hey! Stop being scared. Hurry up and pick some fruit. Come on, pick one for me to try,” Tang Yan said.

“Okay, okay.” Encouraged by Tang Yan, Zheng Wendong finally dared to move. He picked a few apples and threw them down. Luckily, the ground was covered with thick leaves, so none of the apples were damaged.

Tang Yan picked one up, wiped it with a handkerchief, and took a bite. “Mmm, it’s delicious. Juicy. Zheng Wendong, pick more. Don’t be scared. How tall is this tree? You won’t die if you fall.”

“I’m not scared. How could I be scared at this height? You guys wait here, I’ll pick more for you.” Zheng Wendong’s legs were trembling, but his words didn’t match his fear.

It took Zheng Wendong a long time to pick a dozen wild apples. When he came down, he was barely able to stand, recovering only after a long while.

“Zheng Wendong, you’re useless. Just picking a few wild apples and you look like this.” Li Wenjuan teased him.

“You try it if you’re so capable,” Zheng Wendong replied, feeling embarrassed by his fear.

“Well, I guess it’s okay. Maybe you’re just not used to climbing trees and have a fear of heights,” Zhang Jiaohua defended Zheng Wendong.

Even though he had never been to the mountains around Xiyun Reservoir, Zhang Jiaohua always managed to find wild fruits in the right places, leaving everyone in the wild fruit group amazed.