Chapter 40

After finally calming down, everyone started walking up the mountain again. However, they couldn't help but occasionally glance at the two little creatures, Xiaolianqian and Diaozhu. The two little guys had completely changed people's impressions of these small animals. They were truly exceptional, so smart!

On the way, Yuan Yuan picked a few jujubes to give to Diaozhu, but unfortunately, this picky eater turned his head away without even a glance. Yuan Yuan had no choice but to pass the jujubes to Wang Han, asking her to feed Xiaolianqian. This left Wang Qiang and Wang Yong, who were very familiar with the animals in the mountains, quite puzzled. After all, mynah birds should love fruits, especially these jujubes, which had been sprayed with genetic modification liquid and watered with spiritual spring water. These sensitive animals should have easily noticed that the fruits in the orchard were extremely beneficial to them. It wasn't until Wang Yong accidentally noticed a detail that he understood the truth and was deeply moved.

It turned out that although Diaozhu refused the jujubes from Yuan Yuan, he would often secretly look at Xiaolianqian, who was enjoying the sweet treat, and smack his lips. Wang Yong suddenly realized that Diaozhu was afraid Xiaolianqian would go hungry, so he gave up the delicious food in his mouth and let Xiaolianqian eat it. It seemed that Diaozhu truly saw himself as Xiaolianqian's mother. Although these humans were very kind to them, they had been afraid of hunger. Now, with the chance to have a full meal, they naturally let Xiaolianqian eat first.

Wang Qiang, as a detective, also noticed this detail and was deeply moved. He picked a dozen jujubes from a nearby tree and handed them to Diaozhu. This time, Diaozhu didn't refuse, and he started eating them on Yuan Yuan's shoulder. This left Yuan Yuan puzzled, wondering why Diaozhu wouldn't eat the jujubes she gave him. She looked at her boyfriend, Wang Yong, for an answer.

Wang Yong gently explained his discovery, and everyone was deeply moved by this respectable mynah bird. In modern society, human relationships are becoming increasingly shallow. This includes love, as some people proclaim, "I'd rather cry in a BMW than laugh on a bicycle." This includes friendship, as many long-time friends drift apart due to fame and wealth, never to speak again. This includes family, as many children and parents become enemies, even turning to violence. Diaozhu, a mynah bird, gave everyone present a vivid lesson. Lambs kneel to thank their mothers, and crows feed their parents in return. Xiaolianqian offered food to Diaozhu, and Diaozhu, in turn, would rather go hungry to ensure Xiaolianqian was full. As society develops and people's lives improve, why do more and more people feel unhappy? Because we have lost some very important things in our pursuit of life, fame, and status.

For a moment, the crowd fell silent, each person reflecting on what they had lost and whether it was worth it. Everyone, except for the fat man who was carefree and kept picking jujubes from the tree to eat, was in deep thought. This time, instead of despising the fat man, everyone genuinely envied him, his carefree and contented life, his disregard for others' opinions, and his carefree and happy existence.

After regaining his composure, Wang Yong, taking advantage of everyone's distraction, released Xiaohēi and Xiaobái from the small world. To avoid arousing suspicion, especially with Wang Qiang, a police officer, around, Wang Yong placed the two little guys about twenty meters away. This was the farthest distance Wang Yong could currently control in the outside world.

"Wang! Wang! Wang!" The two little guys ran over to Wang Yong, barking. They had grown much bigger, about twenty centimeters tall and half a meter long. Due to Wang Yong often placing them in the small world, where they drank spiritual spring water and ate food rich in spiritual energy, their physical condition was far superior to ordinary dogs. They were also as intelligent as Diaozhu.

Xiaohēi and Xiaobái rushed to Wang Yong's side and tried to climb up his legs. Wang Yong squatted down and gently patted their heads. They immediately lay down at his feet, allowing Wang Yong to scratch their bellies.

Suddenly, a "splash" came from a nearby puddle. A catfish about thirty centimeters long leaped out of the water, grabbed a grasshopper on the shore, and swallowed it. It then fell back into the water, creating a splash.

"Big fish! Big fish!" Xiao Ming pointed at the puddle, excitedly shouting.

The fat man, suddenly energized, ran to the edge of the puddle in an unlikely manner. He looked into the puddle excitedly. Soon, everyone gathered around. The catfish was at least three to five kilograms.

Catfish, also known as "blackfish" or "mudfish," are widely distributed around the world. Most species live in freshwater environments like ponds and rivers, but some live in the sea. They generally lack scales, have a flat head and a large mouth, and have several long whiskers around their mouth. They are covered in mucus and have no scales. Their dorsal fin is small and lacks hard spines, with 4-6 fin rays. They have no adipose fin, and their anal fin is long, extending to the tail fin. Catfish are usually dark brown or gray-black with dark cloud-like spots. In traditional Chinese medicine, catfish are considered to have a sweet and warm taste, and are believed to tonify the middle and benefit yang, promote urination, and treat edema. Catfish are rich in nutrients, with 100 grams of fish meat containing 64.1 grams of water and 14.4 grams of protein, as well as various minerals and trace elements. They are particularly suitable for people who are weak and malnourished. Except for the fish roe, which has a peculiar taste and is not recommended, the rest of the catfish is a valuable delicacy. Catfish are highly nutritious and have been recorded in historical texts as being comparable to shark fins and wild softshell turtles. Their therapeutic and medicinal value is unique, with strong benefits for health and longevity.

Catfish have a strong adaptability to their environment and can live up to 70 years. The largest known catfish can grow up to three meters in length.

"So many big fish!" The fat man stood by the puddle, drooling.

Indeed, the small pit, which was less than an acre and used for watering trees, was densely packed with fish of various sizes. There were catfish, carp over twenty centimeters long, grass carp, and even mud loaches about ten centimeters long. The pit was teeming with fish.

"How do we catch them? We don't have any tools!" Wang Gang looked at the pit full of fish, worried.

Wang Qian took out her phone and called her grandmother: "Grandma, we're on the mountain. We found a puddle full of fish. There are so many. Yes, too many to count. Please ask Uncle to bring some tools to catch the fish. Okay, I'll wait for you."

"Hehe, what's the problem? Brother Wang will show you how it's done," the fat man said.

Wang Qiang gave the fat man a glare but said nothing. He looked around, then broke off a few long branches from a willow tree, stripping off the leaves. He calmly walked to the edge of the pit, squatted down, and carefully observed. Slowly, he extended his hand into the water, reaching for a fish near the shore. Suddenly, Wang Qiang's hand moved quickly, and he pulled back. A catfish about twenty centimeters long struggled in his hand as he lifted it out of the water.

"Great!"

"Nice job!"

Everyone was amazed by Wang Qiang's skill in catching the fish by hand. In fact, catfish are not easy to catch due to their slippery, mucus-covered bodies. They are also very strong, especially in water. The abundance of catfish in the pit and the fish's position near the shore made it easier for Wang Qiang to catch it.

Amidst the applause, Wang Qiang skillfully threaded the catfish through its gills with a willow branch, then bent the branch and twisted the ends to secure the fish. He threw the fish to the fat man: "Take it home to your wife." He then squatted down, washed his hands, and stood aside, exuding a masterful air.

"Wang Yong, show us your skills!" The fat man, holding the small fish, encouraged Wang Yong.

Wang Yong gave the fat man an exasperated look and prepared to show off. Just as he reached the edge of the pit, he swung his arm to warm up. Suddenly, Xiaohēi and Xiaobái, who were following him, leaped into the pit. It seemed that Wang Yong's gesture had triggered their action. While everyone was still staring at Wang Yong, the lively Xiaohēi made the first catch, grabbing a carp about ten centimeters long with his mouth and struggling to bring it to shore. As soon as Xiaohēi reached the shore, Xiaobái caught a large grass carp about twenty centimeters long and swam to the shore. The fish, startled, started swimming frantically, stirring up the water.

"Great job!" Wang Yong happily patted the heads of the two little guys who had brought him glory. They hadn't bitten the fish hard enough to kill them, but just enough to prevent them from escaping without damaging the skin. Wang Yong grabbed the fish by their gills and threw the still wriggling fish to the fat man, who was overjoyed. This was definitely enough for a meal.

Seeing Wang Yong's unique method of catching fish, everyone was speechless for a moment before they all started trying to catch fish themselves. Even the uncle, who was usually reserved, rolled up his sleeves and squatted by the shore, eagerly searching for fish. The scene was lively, with laughter and excitement. The pit was so full of fish that almost anyone could catch one by reaching into the water, but it wasn't easy to actually grab them. The fish were slippery and could easily slip away.

Even Xiaolianqian and Diaozhu joined in. Xiaolianqian squatted by the shore, reaching into the water with his little front paws, though he didn't catch any fish, he seemed to be having fun. Diaozhu flew around, occasionally diving down and extending his claws just above the water. After several failed attempts, he finally caught a small carp, which he proudly brought to Yuan Yuan, dropping it at her feet and flapping his wings excitedly.

Everyone was having a great time when Grandpa and Uncle arrived with a fishing net and some bags to carry the fish. They were stunned by the sight of so many fish. How were they going to catch and transport them all? Uncle was particularly puzzled by the size of the fish. The pit wasn't deep, and it would freeze solid in winter, so the fish shouldn't have grown so large.

"Uncle, why don't we find a fish vendor to sell these? We don't have enough space to keep them all!" Wang Yong said, worried.

"Sure, I'll make a call and see if anyone is interested," Uncle said uncertainly.

Uncle made a call, and the person on the other end, upon hearing about the wild fish from the mountain, eagerly asked Uncle to save them for him and said he would come over with his team.

With the fish problem solved, everyone was ready to move on. Wang Yong suggested visiting the chicken farm, promising a surprise. This piqued everyone's curiosity.

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