Chapter 122: The Li Family Smithy, and the Temperament of a Fishing Enthusiast

Lin Heng was walking with Caiyun when they happened to run into Tang Qing, the wife of Village Chief Zhao Xiancheng, just outside the door.

“Lin Heng, where are you two headed?” Tang Qing took the initiative to greet them.

In the past, she’d always wait for others to speak first—this subtle shift in behavior was something she didn’t even notice herself.

“Aunt Tang, I’m taking my little sister to start middle school,” Lin Heng replied with a smile.

“Caiyun’s going to school?” Tang Qing was caught off guard. Just a couple days ago, she had still been thinking about arranging a marriage proposal for her son Zhao Hu.

Caiyun had always been pretty, and plenty of people in the village had their eyes on her, hoping to match her with their own sons. Now that Lin Heng had made a lot of money recently, her value as a prospective bride had risen even higher. Many had been visiting Lin Heng’s parents recently to “chat,” clearly fishing for information.

Tang Qing herself had planned to speak with Lin Heng’s mother in the next couple of days—but it turned out the girl was headed off to school.

“Yeah, getting more education is good for her. Alright, Aunt Tang, we’re in a bit of a hurry,” Lin Heng said with a smile and led his sister away.

Tang Qing stood there watching them leave, unsure of what to say.

“What’s the point of a girl going to school anyway? She’s already dropped out for a year,” she muttered, unable to understand why Lin Heng insisted on sending his sister back to school.

“Why was Aunt Tang acting so weird today?” Caiyun asked, puzzled, as they walked.

“You should be thankful school’s just starting. If it weren’t, we’d have people lining up at our door trying to propose marriage,” Lin Heng said, glancing at her.

In his past life, Caiyun had been promised to someone in August of the following year. She ended up marrying the wrong man, and her life after that was miserably difficult.

Thankfully, this time around, he was finally able to change her fate.

“What? You mean Aunt Tang wanted me to marry her son? That’s terrifying!” Caiyun’s eyes widened in alarm.

“Thank you so much, Second Brother. If it weren’t for you, I really don’t know what I’d do,” she said, tugging on his sleeve with gratitude in her eyes.

Without her second brother, she wouldn’t even have the chance to study—like most girls in the countryside, she probably would’ve just followed her parents’ arrangements and gotten married.

“That’s why you should just focus on your studies. Don’t worry about anything else—you’ve got me,” Lin Heng said with a grin.

“Okay.” Caiyun nodded. It felt good to have someone she could rely on.

Then Lin Heng added, “By the way, you’ll probably only have to commute for a few days—soon you’ll have a place to stay in Huangtan Town.”

The middle school in town didn’t offer dormitories, so most students had to commute every day—get up early, walk to town, go to school, and then walk back after class. Lunch was usually just dry rations from home; very few ate at the school cafeteria.

“What do you mean?” Caiyun turned her head, confused.

“I’m not telling you yet—you’ll find out soon enough,” Lin Heng said with a chuckle, deliberately being mysterious.

“Come on, tell me, Second Brother!” Caiyun pleaded.

But Lin Heng just laughed and kept silent, leaving her to make wild guesses on her own.

They arrived in Huangtan Town a little after seven, and school registration hadn’t started yet.

Lin Heng first brought Caiyun to see his former teacher, Guo Xu.

“Mr. Guo, you mentioned wanting a fishing rod before—well, I brought you one.”

He stopped at the office doorway. Guo Xu was busy writing something.

“Oh, I was just casually mentioning it—you really didn’t have to.” Guo Xu put down his pen, pleasantly surprised.

“Come on, we’re friends now. It’s no big deal—no need to be so polite,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

“Haha, well then, I won’t be polite. Thank you.” Guo Xu accepted the fishing rod and looked it over with satisfaction.

“This must be your sister, Lin Caiyun, right? You two really look alike.” Guo Xu smiled.

Lin Heng had told him about Caiyun before, and he’d been surprised. Lin Heng, who had dropped out on his own initiative, was now sending his sister to school—and paying for it himself.

“That’s right.” Lin Heng nodded. “I hope you can look after her a bit at school.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Guo!” Caiyun said politely.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on her,” Guo Xu said with a smile.

After chatting for a bit, registration time arrived and Lin Heng took Caiyun to sign up.

Back in this era, schools were short on students. Even though she had dropped out for a year, re-enrolling wasn’t an issue—no connections needed. Lin Heng had brought the fishing rod purely out of gratitude.

“Lin Heng-ge!”

At the registration area for new middle school students, Liu Ciweng was already there. He waved and greeted them with a bright smile.

“You’re enrolling too? Great—now you and Caiyun can go home together,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

“Yup.” Liu Ciweng nodded. He’d heard yesterday that Caiyun would be starting school.

After a few words with Liu Ciweng, it was soon Caiyun’s turn to register.

The total number of incoming students in Huangtan Town Middle School was under thirty. Most people figured that if you could read and write a little from elementary school, that was enough. Hardly anyone thought middle school was worth it—after all, finishing middle school didn’t land you a job. At the very least, you had to get into a vocational school.

Many families figured their kids might as well go back to farming.

Caiyun’s homeroom teacher was a young woman in her twenties whom Lin Heng didn’t know. She gave him a quick glance, seemingly surprised that someone would actually send a girl to school.

“Just fill out the form,” she said to Caiyun.

“Okay, teacher.” Caiyun took the pen and started carefully filling in the information.

When she was done, the teacher said, “Tuition is six yuan, textbook fees are eight. If you want to eat at school, lunch costs nine yuan a month for white rice and wheat buns, or six for coarse grain meals.”

“Let’s go with the white rice and wheat for a month. That’s twenty-three total, right?”

Before Lin Heng could finish speaking, Caiyun quickly shook her head. “Second Brother, I can bring food from home. You don’t have to pay for lunch.”

“I don’t mind spending a bit more,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

“I do! Please, take it back,” Caiyun insisted. She was already so grateful just to be attending school—she didn’t want him spending more on her.

“Alright then, just tuition and books,” Lin Heng said helplessly and handed over fourteen yuan.

The teacher took the money, issued a receipt, and said, “Classes start at ten. No students are allowed to leave today.”

“Got it.” Lin Heng nodded.

After they registered, Lin Heng pulled out two more yuan and handed them to Caiyun. “This is for stationery and snacks.”

“No arguing. Say another word and I’ll flick your forehead,” he warned.

“Okay, thank you, Second Brother,” Caiyun said, accepting it.

“Don’t feel guilty about it. I’m going to start a big company someday—I’ll need your knowledge to help me,” Lin Heng said with a laugh.

“I’ll definitely be of help to you!” Caiyun said firmly, inspired with a new goal.

“Alright, go explore and meet your new classmates. Don’t let yourself get bullied at school—tell me if anything happens. Don’t bottle things up.”

He patted her on the shoulder again and turned to leave.

He didn’t worry much. Caiyun had long since learned how to protect herself.

“Bye, Second Brother!” Caiyun waved him off all the way to the school gate before turning back.

Lin Heng left the school and headed straight to the town’s blacksmith shop.

The smithy was a bit off the beaten path, not on the town’s main street.

After walking for over ten minutes, he could already hear the rhythmic clanging of metal being hammered.

As he got closer, he saw a yard full of scrap metal and a sign by the gate that read: Li Family Smithy.

The shop had been around for five or six years now. Rumor had it that the family had been blacksmiths for generations and had picked up the craft again after the economic reforms.

Lin Heng walked into the courtyard and saw two young men forging iron—one wielding a sledgehammer, while the other held a piece of red-hot iron, moving it skillfully. The two worked in perfect sync.

Beside them, a middle-aged man in his forties was sharpening a blade while giving them pointers.

From their appearances, it was clear they were a father and his two sons.

“What do you want to forge?”

The middle-aged man paused his work when he saw Lin Heng enter. He smiled warmly, a simple and honest expression on his face.

“I’d like a kitchen knife and a short hunting dagger. Both need to be forged from refined steel,” Lin Heng said as he looked around.

“Refined steel knives and daggers aren’t cheap, you know. Actually, the regular steel ones are already more than enough for daily use,” the man said, still with that honest smile.

“I want refined steel. How much for each?” Lin Heng waved it off casually.

“A refined steel kitchen knife is five yuan, and the dagger is four. I guarantee they’re forged by hand, beaten hundreds of times with the best refined steel.

Take them home and use them—if they break or chip, you can bring them back for a free replacement.” The man spoke with confidence, his business rooted in honesty.

Lin Heng nodded, not doubting him in the slightest. A blacksmith’s trade lived on trust. “How soon can I get them?”

“We’ve got pre-forged refined steel ready. Just choose the shapes, and you can pick them up by noon tomorrow,” the man said with a smile.

Lin Heng followed him inside. The family was clearly professional—there was even a knife pattern catalog made from kraft paper, with all kinds of blade designs. No wonder their shop was famous in the region.

“These look like antiques. Were they passed down in your family, uncle?” Lin Heng asked with a smile as he flipped through the catalog.

The man surnamed Li grinned. “They sure were. Been in the family for generations.”

“Then I’ll go with this shape for the dagger, and just a standard shape for the kitchen knife,” Lin Heng said after flipping through and making his choice.

He wanted a rugged field knife like Bear Grylls’s—something cool and practical for hunting in the mountains. The small knife he had before just wasn’t cutting it.

After deciding, Lin Heng handed over a one-yuan deposit to Uncle Li. “Here’s a down payment. I’ll come pick them up in a couple days. Please make them good.”

The man looked surprised and a little flattered—most people just placed the order and left without putting any money down.

Lin Heng’s gesture made him feel deeply trusted, and he quickly said with a smile, “Alright! Take care, then. I promise you’ll be satisfied.”

All in all, it was a nine-yuan job—probably his biggest order this month. Most of the time, forging something like a hoe only earned a little over a yuan.

After all, steel production had ramped up by now, and mass-produced industrial knives and tools were dirt cheap.

Leaving the blacksmith’s shop, Lin Heng didn’t head straight home. Instead, he walked up to a 500-square-meter brick house. It was located not far from Liu Qicheng’s collection depot.

The location was excellent—anyone heading to sell goods at Liu Qicheng’s depot would pass right by this house.

The brown wooden gate was tightly shut. It seemed no one was home.

But Lin Heng had a good idea where the owner might be. After looking around, he turned and walked toward the Huangtan River.

After searching along the river, he spotted an old man in his sixties wearing a brown outfit and a straw hat.

The old man held a bamboo fishing rod and was casting into a small cove.

“Fishing anything up, grandpa?” Lin Heng asked with a smile, offering a cigarette.

“Caught a little crucian carp. I don’t smoke, but thanks.” The old man pointed to a plastic bucket beside him.

“That’s not little at all—a big crucian carp, actually.” Lin Heng glanced at it and praised. The fish was about half a jin—pretty decent for this era.

“Not bad, not bad,” the old man grinned happily at the compliment.

“I fish too, but didn’t bring my rod today,” Lin Heng chuckled.

“Oh? Young folks like you are into fishing too?” The old man looked surprised—young anglers were rare.

“Yup.” Lin Heng smiled, and the two started chatting.

Though Lin Heng might not have fished much recently, his theoretical knowledge was top-notch. He could analyze water temperature, wind direction, air pressure, fishing spots, and technique with ease.

He also understood an angler’s mindset, speaking the right words at the right time with strong empathy.

At first, the old man thought Lin Heng was a novice seeking advice. But the more they talked, the more impressed he became by Lin Heng’s deep understanding of fishing. He felt an instant connection.

“What’s your name, young man?” the old man asked out of curiosity.

“Surname Lin, full name Lin Heng,” he replied with a smile.

“Here, give it a try,” the old man handed him the bamboo rod.

Lin Heng took it and gave it a once-over—pretty rough craftsmanship. The old man clearly hadn’t made it himself.

He was using the most traditional long-rod, short-line, dead-stick method—not ideal for sensitive bites like those from crucian or carp.

“Alright, I’ll give it a shot.” Lin Heng grinned and re-baited the hook with a worm.

This time, he used a teasing method, gently twitching the hook once it hit bottom. He figured the old man had baited the spot well and there were probably lots of fish—the issue was the dead-stick method lacked sensitivity.

After just a few twitches, he suddenly felt a strong pull. Lin Heng jerked the rod and hooked the fish cleanly.

The old man’s eyes lit up. “Not bad, young man! You’ve got some skill!”

“I just got lucky thanks to the great spot you baited, Grandpa.” Lin Heng laughed.

Soon, he reeled in a golden crucian carp—bigger than the one the old man had caught earlier, weighing nearly a full jin.

“Must be my lucky day.” Lin Heng grinned. In this era, there really were lots of fish—big crucian like this were common.

“Xiao Lin, you’ve got talent. Let’s go fishing together another day,” the old man smiled.

Lin Heng returned the rod with a nod. “Sure. Next time I’ll bring my own.”

He continued chatting with the old man, occasionally helping land fish. With Lin Heng’s guidance and good fishing conditions, the old man managed to catch over ten big crucian in just two hours.

“Alright, that’s enough for today. I had a great time fishing—thanks to you, Xiao Lin.”

Around ten o’clock, the sun got hotter and the old man packed up, smiling warmly.

“No, no—it’s all your own skill,” Lin Heng said, shaking his head.

“Don’t be so modest.” The old man chuckled.

After tidying up, he looked at Lin Heng and said, “Xiao Lin, you didn’t come just to fish with me, did you?”

“Just happened to bump into you. Felt happy seeing someone who shares my love for fishing,” Lin Heng laughed.

“If you’re not gonna say it, I’m heading off,” the old man said with a glance.

“Haha, okay, you caught me. I do have a small favor—but I really did feel an instant connection, Grandpa Gao. I love fishing too,” Lin Heng admitted with a laugh.

“Then go on. I’m just an ordinary old man, but I’ll listen.” Grandpa Gao looked at him.

“It’s like this—I’d like to rent your house to run a small business,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

But Grandpa Gao was far from ordinary. He was a veteran of the Korean War, had a son serving in the military, and a nephew working as a government official in Nanping County.

He could’ve easily retired comfortably in the city, but chose to live simply in town, refusing to drain the country’s resources—a man of integrity and principle.

He also never boasted about his contributions—just quietly lived his own modest life.

In his previous life, Lin Heng only learned about all this after the old man passed away.

One reason he wanted to rent his house was out of respect for this man who had served the country—so he could have a bit of income and live more comfortably.

Another reason was safety. If Lin Heng were to open a Acquisition Station here and someone tried something shady like setting a fire, he’d be doomed. But this old man had connections.

Not to mention, he was a man of integrity. He wouldn’t cause disputes over money. If it were someone else, who knows if they’d try to raise the rent every year.

“What kind of business?” Grandpa Gao glanced at Lin Heng and asked.

“I plan to open a Acquisition Station,” Lin Heng replied honestly.

Grandpa Gao thought for a moment and said, “That’s fine, but I have one condition.”

“Go ahead,” Lin Heng said quickly.

“Every month, you have to go fishing with this old man at least twice,” Grandpa Gao said with a grin.

“That’s no problem. Even if you didn’t ask, I’d still come looking for you to go fishing,” Lin Heng said with a laugh.

“Alright then, let’s go. Head back first,” Grandpa Gao said, looking at him.

During their chat, he had already gotten a sense of Lin Heng—just an ordinary farm boy.

He assumed Lin Heng renting his house was simply to run a small business, not to use his background for personal gain.

What he didn’t expect was that Lin Heng actually did know about his background.

But even knowing that, Lin Heng had no ulterior motives. He just wanted to build up his business step by step, not take shortcuts. Shortcuts often lead straight into the abyss.

The main reason for renting this house was the excellent location, and the peace of mind that came from knowing the landlord was trustworthy.

“Alright,” Lin Heng nodded, helping carry the fishing rod. As for the fish they caught, of course he let Grandpa Gao take them.

On the way back, Grandpa Gao couldn’t help but proudly show off his catch, beaming with joy.

Back at the house, Lin Heng realized it wasn’t just big—there was an even larger courtyard out back, full of flowers, plants, and trees.

Grandpa Gao invited him to stay for lunch, and afterwards, the two of them discussed the rent. In the end, Lin Heng secured the house for 100 yuan a year.

It wasn’t that Lin Heng was stingy—he hadn’t even made an offer yet when Grandpa Gao named the price. It wouldn’t make sense to bargain it up, right?

After drafting and signing the contract, Lin Heng finally felt at ease.

The next step was to sell the sanghuang and open the Acquisition Station.

(End of this chapter)