Chapter 96: Fishing, A Chance Encounter, A Beautiful Voice

Returning home, Lin Heng saw Caiyun leading the ox while holding a book in her hand, preparing to take it to the riverbank to graze.

“Caiyun, have you forgotten what you learned before?” Lin Heng walked over and asked.

“No, I’ve even reviewed it a few times recently. There are just a few questions I don’t understand, but it’s nothing serious.” Caiyun shook her head.

Even before Lin Heng had offered to sponsor her middle school education, she had been reviewing her previous lessons and had never given up on studying.

Lin Heng nodded, not doubting her words. “I just went to buy lime, and Tian Yan, the teacher from the village elementary school, said that if you have any questions, you can go to her for help.”

“Okay, I’ll remember that. I’m going to graze the ox now.” Caiyun nodded, making a mental note to visit Tian Yan when she had time.

When Lin Heng returned home, Xiulan was already cooking, and their daughter was watching a little wild cat.

Even though the wild cat was quite fierce, the child was still very interested, standing at a distance and observing it.

She seemed eager to interact with the little wild cat, but unfortunately, the cat didn’t appreciate her attention and only glared at her warily.

“You got the lime?” Seeing Lin Heng return, Xiulan asked.

“Yeah, I brought it back.” Lin Heng nodded and placed the lime against the wall.

“Then after we eat, you can teach me how to make soap.” Xiulan was quite interested in this.

“It won’t sell for much, just something for personal use.”

Lin Heng shook his head. In a couple of years, as the rural economy improved, large-scale chemical products would become widely available.

Industrial soap production far outstripped traditional handmade soap in terms of quantity, affordability, and quality.

So for him, making soap was just a casual experiment—he had never planned to make money from it.

Unless he spent money to build a soap factory, which he obviously couldn’t afford right now.

But since Xiulan wanted to learn, he was happy to teach her.

After breakfast, Lin Heng began teaching Xiulan how to make soap.

Last time, they had to burn shells to extract calcium oxide, but this time, he had directly bought quicklime.

“This is the plant ash water I prepared last night. It’s best to prepare it in advance and let it soak overnight for better results.

The ratio is one pound of dry plant ash and lime to one pound and five ounces of water. If you add too much water, it will fail in the final step.”

Lin Heng carried a bucket of plant ash water that had been soaking overnight, stirred it well, and then added the quicklime in a rough proportion, letting it react for a while.

“Alright, that should be good. Now we need to strain it through palm fiber. I’ll go get the oil.”

Lin Heng let Xiulan handle the filtering while he went to the stove to fetch the melted lard.

To prevent overheating, he had been using a water bath method. Now, the lard had just fully melted.

“The final step is here. The ratio of lard to plant ash water is about 3:1, but this is just a guideline. You still need to adjust based on the actual situation.”

As Lin Heng explained, he gradually mixed the solution into the lard, teaching Xiulan how to gauge the consistency. Once the lard turned into a paste, it was ready.

“That’s about it. Now, we just pour it into molds and let it slowly saponify. At this stage, you can also add things like osmanthus flowers to give the soap a nice fragrance.”

As he explained, Lin Heng poured the finished soap mixture into molds.

“Let me try.”

Xiulan scooped some of the still-soft soap paste and attempted the process herself.

Lin Heng watched from the side. He barely had to guide her before she successfully made a batch of soap.

“Did I do it right?”

Xiulan pointed at the grayish-white soap paste in the small basin.

“Very impressive! You got it right on the first try.” Lin Heng gave her a thumbs-up in praise.

“I still have some osmanthus flowers I collected last year. I’ll use a handful to make osmanthus soap.”

Xiulan, still limping slightly, ran off to get some osmanthus flowers, sprinkled them in, stirred, and then poured the mixture into molds.

“I’ll make another batch tomorrow, starting from the plant ash water preparation.”

Xiulan felt she hadn’t fully mastered the process yet and decided to practice again the next day.

There was no waste in making extra soap—it could be used at home or even sold.

“Your ankle is still swollen. Stay home at noon and pick some honeysuckle. Apply some safflower oil and rest.

I’ll go fishing by the river and see if I can catch some wild chickens or something.”

After teaching his wife how to make soap, Lin Heng’s passion for fishing flared up.

“Go ahead, just be careful.” Xiulan didn’t stop him, waving him off.

Lin Heng grabbed his slingshot, the small bamboo fishing rod he had made earlier, and the fishing line and hooks he had prepared in advance.

He also took a small bucket filled with crushed corn and dug up a few worms near the fields before setting out.

Instead of heading to the riverbank, he went straight to a small creek near Hongfeng Mountain. He had seen large and fat creek fish there before.

First, he went up the mountain to check on the Dendrobium orchids. Since they were growing under trees near the creek, they hadn’t been dried out by the sun, though they looked a bit withered.

After watering them again, Lin Heng went down the mountain to fish. Although there were fish in the mountain streams, the cold water and steep terrain made fishing difficult.

“Once I sell the Sanghuang mushrooms and make some money, I can start developing this place—maybe build a small wooden cabin first.”

Lin Heng muttered to himself as he looked at Hongfeng Mountain. He wanted to build a wooden cabin here with his own hands.

As the name suggested, Hongfeng Mountain was full of red maple trees. In autumn, the whole place turned a stunning orange and red, like a fairyland.

He planned to build his cabin before autumn, so he could enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the red maple leaves.

“It’s a pity that there are no egg incubators available domestically yet. I’d have to import one from abroad. Otherwise, with my knowledge of raising chickens and ducks, I could make a fortune quickly.”

Lin Heng sighed. But it wouldn’t be long now—July was almost over in the solar calendar.

Soon, the price of Sanghuang mushrooms would drop right before the big price hike. That would be his chance to buy in at the lowest price, stock up, and make a solid profit—enough to build his startup capital and earn thousands, maybe even tens of thousands.

Unlike stocks, this thing cannot go wrong because the medicinal value of Sanghuang will not change.

Thinking about this, Lin Heng quickly arrived at a pool at the foot of Hongfeng Mountain. From a distance, he could see many brook trout swimming and foraging in the water.

This place was rarely visited, and the fish were large and plump, each brook trout about the size of a palm.

Finding a rock that was shaded from the sun, Lin Heng sat down and adjusted his straw hat. He first threw in some crushed corn to attract fish.

In less than half a minute, some fearless brook trout gathered to eat.

The water where Lin Heng chose to fish was about 30 to 40 centimeters deep, just enough to see the shadows of the fish. If everything were too clear, it would take away the fun.

But it also couldn’t be completely unclear because his rod had no float.

Pinching off a half-centimeter piece of an earthworm, he hooked it onto the fishing hook and cast his first line of fate.

Since he was using cotton thread, which sank slowly, the bait hadn’t even reached the bottom before he saw a brook trout swallow it in one gulp and then twist its body, swimming away into the distance.

The cotton thread was quickly pulled into the water. Lin Heng hurriedly lifted the rod, and to his surprise, the small brook trout bent the little bamboo rod into a large arc.

“A small fishing rod is great! Even little fish can put up a fight!”

Lin Heng felt the long-lost thrill of battling a fish. After playing with it for a while, he finally reeled it in.

A pale yellow, palm-sized brook trout struggled as it surfaced, still thrashing its tail even when Lin Heng held it in his hand.

“Don’t worry, you won’t survive.” Lin Heng chuckled and removed the fishhook along with the earthworm.

The poor brook trout hadn’t even eaten the worm and had already lost its life.

In this era, fish across the country were unfamiliar with the sensation of being hooked. They bit bait with their mouths wide open, without hesitation.

A mere 0.5-centimeter piece of earthworm was enough for Lin Heng to catch eight brook trout before it was completely eaten.

“There are so many fish, and they’re so easy to catch. This is amazing!” Lin Heng held the fishing rod excitedly.

Even if they were small fish, as long as the rod was light and the fish kept biting, the joy never stopped.

“This era is incredible. It seems like I’ll never come home empty-handed from fishing. The only downside is the lack of carbon fiber fishing rods.

Once I make money, I must invest in building China’s first modern fishing rod factory and give it a strong, memorable name.”

Lin Heng murmured to himself. Before he knew it, he had already caught twenty or thirty fish.

It was already noon, but the fish were still biting. There was no such thing as “even the gods find it hard to catch fish at midday” here.

As long as there were enough fish, they would even bite a cigarette butt if you threw it in.

“Jingle, jingle!!”

Just as Lin Heng was enjoying his fishing, the sound of a cowbell came from behind.

Turning his head, he saw a mother cow walking slowly toward him, followed by two calves—one big and one small—and three sheep.

Behind them was a fourteen-year-old boy in tattered clothes. He had a buzz cut, a square face, and bright, shining eyes.

“Liù Cíwén, why aren’t you in school?” Lin Heng asked with a smile.

Liu Ciwen was currently in sixth grade. His mother was mute, and his father was somewhat intellectually disabled. His second uncle was also a bit slow, and he had an older sister at home.

Though his parents and uncle were all intellectually impaired, both Liu Ciwen and his sister, Liu Cihua, were perfectly fine, as if the heavens had taken pity on this unfortunate family.

They lived further west in a remote valley near Hongfeng Mountain, with no neighbors nearby.

“There’s been a lot of farm work lately, so I have to help out. I came out at noon to let the cows graze.”

Liu Ciwen smiled shyly.

Because his parents were incapable, he had taken on the responsibility of running the household at a young age.

“I’m fishing. Want to come and try?” Lin Heng asked with a smile.

He knew Liu Ciwen, but they were not particularly close.

Liu Ciwen’s family was poor, and most kids in the village didn’t play with him.

But no one could have predicted that this child from a family struggling with disabilities would become the first college student in their village.

And not just any college student—he got into the prestigious 211 University, later becoming a well-known professor and, in his later years, even the president of another university.

Before he was admitted to college, no one believed that a mute woman and a slow-witted man could have such an outstanding son.

Liu Ciwen had dropped out of school several times, but each time, he saved enough money and returned to his studies. He never gave up, as if he was born with an unshakable passion and talent for learning.

“Fishing? Is it fun?”

Liu Ciwen walked over curiously. His skin was tanned, and his back basket contained honeysuckle flowers he had picked.

“Yes, give it a try.” Lin Heng handed him the fishing rod with a smile.

“I just throw it in the water like this?” Liu Ciwen asked as he took the rod.

“Yes. When you see a fish bite the hook, just lift it up quickly, and you’ll catch it.”

Lin Heng was still explaining when Liu Ciwen suddenly reeled in a palm-sized brook trout.

“This is fun!” Liu Ciwen exclaimed happily as he tossed the fish into the bucket and cast another line.

“What do you usually do?” Lin Heng asked casually as they fished.

“I do my homework, help with weeding and farming, sometimes practice calligraphy with a brush made from sheep wool, or borrow extracurricular books from Teacher Tian.”

Liu Ciwen answered casually.

“You like reading too? What books have you read?”

“Yeah. I’ve read Red Crag, Records of the Grand Historian, How the Steel Was Tempered…”

“I’ve read those too,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

Soon, the two started chatting. At first, Liu Ciwen thought Lin Heng was just making conversation, but as they talked, he realized that Lin Heng truly understood these books, down to the details. It was clear he had studied them carefully.

Liu Ciwen never expected that Lin Heng not only loved reading but had read far more books than he had.

“You said there are a lot of books in the city library?” Liu Ciwen asked longingly. For rural kids, books were their only window to the outside world.

“Yes, the city library is filled with books. I also have a few books at home. If you’re interested, you can come by and borrow them.

I’m heading to the city soon to buy some second-hand books. It’s too boring in the village without anything to read.”

During the most difficult period of his past life, it was by chance that he read Ordinary World and To Live, which ultimately helped him endure those tough years. Ever since then, he had developed the habit of reading, allowing him to speak confidently with others now.

Hearing this, Liu Ciwen’s eyes were filled with longing. The farthest place he had ever been was Huangtan Town, and he had only ever heard people talk about the city.

Coming back to his senses, he asked, “Then can I borrow some books from you tomorrow morning?”

“Of course, anytime. We can consider ourselves book friends now,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

“I’ll stop playing for now. The cattle have run ahead. If they ruin someone’s crops, it’ll be bad.”

After catching another fish, Liu Ciwen handed the fishing rod to Lin Heng, stood up, and went to chase after the cattle.

“Take it slow,” Lin Heng said with a smile, waving his hand. Through this brief conversation, he could confirm that his success in his past life was not just a coincidence.

Anyone who succeeds has a certain extraordinary quality—be it perseverance, wisdom, or something else.

Liu Ciwen, in his words, already displayed a level of maturity not inferior to an adult. At the same time, his love for knowledge was evident in how he spoke.

“Splash!”

Another beautiful stream trout leaped out of the water, and Lin Heng once again became immersed in the joy of fishing.

He planned to give Liu Ciwen some help, but there was no rush. There was still plenty of time.

Before he knew it, it was already past one in the afternoon. Even with his hat on, Lin Heng was struggling to endure the scorching sun.

Looking into his bucket, he saw it was packed with stream trout, some even looking oxygen-deprived.

“That’s enough, this is more than plenty.” With a satisfied smile, Lin Heng took off his shirt and enjoyed a refreshing dip in the cool water.

Only then did he carry the fish back home.

Passing by the old house, Lin Heng went inside for a look and saw his father and older brother sawing wooden planks. Curious, he asked, “What are you making?”

“Our cart broke, so we’re making a new one. You went fishing, huh?”

Father Lin explained, then looked at him with some doubt.

“Of course. Look, this is my catch,” Lin Heng said proudly.

“You used medicine on the fish, didn’t you?” Father Lin looked skeptical.

“How could I? Next time, I’ll let you watch me fish in person,” Lin Heng said, speechless. This was an insult to a true angler! How could he resort to poisoning the fish?

In fact, he had already decided—he would turn both his father and brother into fishing enthusiasts so they could experience the struggles of fishing firsthand.

After chatting for a while, Lin Heng learned that in a few days, his father would be delivering the public grain quota, so he decided to go along.

“Are you really sure it’s not poisoned?”

Xiulan also found it hard to believe. Last time, Lin Heng didn’t catch a single fish, yet now he had caught so many. It was hard not to be suspicious.

“Next time, I must take you fishing with me. You don’t get a say in this.”

Lin Heng snorted coldly. This was too much of an insult!

He picked out thirty large fish for lunch and put the rest into a big wooden bucket, saving a few to feed the softshell turtles and grass turtles.

As soon as he dropped the fish in, he heard a thump.

Turning around, he saw that the grass turtle had already pounced on a fish, as if it were starving.

He also glanced at the poor little stray kitten and, unable to resist, threw a fish to it as well.

As he walked away, he soon heard the sound of frantic chewing. The little wildcat couldn’t wait to eat its fish.

Since Xiulan had trouble with her leg, Lin Heng didn’t go out that afternoon. Instead, he massaged her foot and gathered some pigweed to feed the badger pigs.

The next morning, after feeding the chickens and ducks with Xiaoxia, he left her at home and went to gather pigweed himself.

On his way back, he brought Xiaoxia a handful of goat milk fruit.

“Xiaoxia, time for some fruit,” Lin Heng said, washing the goat milk fruit and placing them in a bowl.

“Daddy, I want fruit!” Xiaoxia ran over, her voice sweet and adorable.

“I’ll feed you,” Lin Heng said, enjoying the fun of feeding his daughter one bite at a time.

“I do it myself,” Xiaoxia protested, feeling that her father was feeding her too slowly. She reached out to grab the fruit herself.

“Why is your sleeve wet? Were you secretly playing with water?” Lin Heng noticed her damp sleeve and gave her a look, questioning her.

Xiaoxia froze for a moment, then quickly hugged her father’s arm and rubbed her cheek against him, trying to act cute without saying a word. Her big eyes blinked, attempting to get away with it.

“If you get wet again, I’ll tell Mom,” Lin Heng warned, though he couldn’t bring himself to actually punish her. She was just too adorable.

“Mhm, I won’t do it again,” Xiaoxia nodded vigorously, promising never to do it again.

Mom actually spanked when she punished. It hurt a lot.

“Honey, look, I did it again!”

Xiulan came out holding a bowl of freshly made soap paste, her face beaming with excitement as she shared her success with Lin Heng.

Lin Heng gave her a thumbs-up and said, “My wife isn’t just beautiful and sweet-voiced, she’s also skillful and smart!”

He had failed twice before, but Xiulan had succeeded on her first try. She truly had a knack for it.

“Of course,” Xiulan said proudly, lifting her chin. Then she added, “Go saw some bamboo from the yard for me. I need to make two molds—the ones I have aren’t enough.”

“Got it!”

Lin Heng took a handsaw and cut five sections of bamboo for his wife to use as molds.

After finishing, Xiulan washed her hands and sat beside Lin Heng. “I did some calculations. One jin of lard makes about one jin of soap.

Lard costs eighty cents per jin, and one jin of soap can be divided into five bars. Do you think selling them at thirty cents per bar is too expensive?”

“Not at all! Plenty of people will buy it even if it’s forty or fifty cents per bar.

Right now, store-bought soap costs seventy to eighty cents,” Lin Heng said, shaking his head.

With industrialization still in its early stages and transportation inconvenient, a bar of soap that reached rural areas cost seventy to eighty cents. Sulfur soap could even cost a whole yuan.

Most farmers couldn’t afford it. It would take a few years, once industrial production improved, for prices to drop.

“Then I’ll make more. After letting them sit for half a month, I’ll take them to sell. If they sell well, I’ll raise the price to forty or fifty cents.”

Xiulan nodded and said.

“Just say that 30 cents is a promotional price for advertising, and in a few days, it will go back up to 40 cents,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

Xiulan’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea. I’ll do it that way when the time comes.”

With a new business venture, Xiulan was full of motivation.

(End of Chapter)