Chapter 13 Let's Go Ice Fishing Together (1)

  On a winter day, the sky gets dark early, and by the time the lanterns are lit, it's almost completely dark. The sound of footsteps echoes from outside the gate, and I guess it's Shan Hu who has arrived. Indeed, as soon as the door opens, Shan Hu rushes in excitedly. Judging from his expression, he hasn't even finished chewing his food yet. As he enters, he's still smacking his lips, and finally swallows something with a gulp, probably the last bite of his meal. This guy is really impatient! As soon as he comes in, he exclaims: "Haven't come too late, have I? I was so anxious that my heart felt like it was going to jump out! After eating just one mouthful of rice, I rushed over here. My dad yelled at me, 'Heh-heh'!" He finishes speaking and then chuckles foolishly for a few moments.

  Enough of that, but what's with your gaze? Didn't you see it was just the two of us in the house? If you had come a bit earlier, I could have even gotten a free dinner out of this. I muttered to myself, but didn't dare say it out loud, that would be too hurtful. Besides, it would also discourage people's enthusiasm. Isn't that what the art of commanding an army is all about?

  "Hu zi, you're the earliest, no wonder you're my iron brother!" I originally wanted to say "die-hard party" but it seems that term wasn't popular back then. I quickly changed my words and said "enough, enough!" I hastily stood up, stretched out my fist, and we lightly bumped fists together. Hu zi was very familiar with this gesture, which is a common courtesy among men and former comrades-in-arms. Who knew it existed in this era too? My signature move has been stolen! I thought it was unique to me, but now I'm sweating bullets! From now on, whenever we meet up, let's use this gesture instead. It's very manly, right? I have a bit of a selfish motive - I want to avoid Hu zi's bear hugs every time we meet. If I were the boss, I'd have to warm up beforehand every time I met Hu zi, or else I'd be in trouble! What if he suddenly gets excited and ambushes me with a hug? What if he breaks my ribs or something? I'd be left crying without tears!

  This guy is a diamond-level character, full of strength. It's said that last year he and the villagers went hunting, and there was an injured black bear that didn't die after being shot, but instead became even more ferocious. With a loud growl, it stood up on its hind legs, staring with bloodshot eyes, and happened to pounce right in front of him. There was no time to dodge, and everyone thought, "It's all over for this kid! This injured black bear is several times more ferocious than usual!" Not just a 15 or 16-year-old kid, even a big strong man would be done for with one swipe of its paw - either dead on the spot or left with only half a life. The adults were all far away, and there was no time to reload the shotgun. This guy didn't turn around and run, nor did he get scared stiff or pee his pants. With a single bound, he grabbed hold of the black bear and hugged it tight.

  Don't look at this guy's appearance, he looks like a fierce Zhang Fei, but when it comes to the critical moment, he doesn't panic or get flustered, and still has a good method. The tiger cub tightly presses its head against the black bear's chin, making it impossible for the beast to bite down. Its two arms are tightly wrapped around the black bear's front paws, and the black bear's two huge paws dance wildly in the air, but can't reach the person's body. The tiger cub hugs the black bear and rolls straight from the top of the slope to the bottom of the ditch. Somehow, he even pulled out a small dagger (what we commonly call a "small number" dagger) inserted into his leg strap, and stabbed it into the black bear's left ear hole. The black bear was in pain and rolled on the spot, and soon died.

  When the adults came to their senses and rushed to Shān Hǔ's side, this guy was still grinning from ear to ear. Upon closer inspection, it was a close call! His down jacket had been torn apart, and the cotton padding had flown out. There were several deep scratches on his back, with blood flowing profusely. When Shān Hǔ saw the adults approaching, he rolled his eyes, face-planted into the snow, and finally passed out. His father, Huang Dà Yé (that's me), was so frightened that his soul almost left his body! How could he not be afraid? That was his own son! After a quick examination, they were relieved to find that nothing serious had happened - just superficial wounds, no broken bones or anything like that. He had simply fainted from exhaustion.

  Everyone worked together to make a stretcher and carried him back. It's said that halfway, this guy woke up and was shouting loudly. Those two bear paws must be kept, no one dared to move them, saying they wanted to roast and eat them with me. I heard this and rolled my eyes, how could this guy come up with such an idea, thinking those two bear paws were potatoes? What a waste of heaven's treasures! Those are purely wild mountain delicacies from the Greater Xing'an Mountains, worth a lot of money in the past life. After hearing this, I was deeply moved, what brothers, good friends, even in that state, they still thought of me, this feeling is priceless. Just now, who said that coming up with ways to eat wasn't great? But the sentiment is there!

  Back in the village, his story spread like wildfire, and people from all over knew that there was a young man in Tang's family who had killed a black-hearted bully. It caused quite a stir, and it's said that during that time, he overshadowed me, but I'm not one to be jealous! We're good brothers, after all, and his reputation is mine too - it's like having some of Ah Q's spirit in there, but never mind, it's just my brother's prestige.

  At the moment, I'm looking at him with great admiration, he's absolutely a fierce warrior. If he receives systematic training and improves his mental quality, he can be considered wise and brave, and will be my trusted assistant. Under my ambiguous gaze, he unexpectedly shrunk back, as if intentionally reducing his target. It seems like the image of a small white rabbit under the gaze of a big grey wolf, but how did this association come about? It's completely unrelated to the obedient little white rabbit. He said, "Xiao Qiu, I haven't caused any trouble for you these past few days, and besides, I came in a hurry today, I don't have anything on me!" Ugh! What kind of person do I seem like to him? The imagination is quite rich, isn't it? Does he really think so little of me? It's too damaging to my self-esteem.

  "Huh, where did you go? What are you thinking! This is called appreciation, do you know? I'm pleased with you, ordinary people, I wouldn't look at them like this. You need to learn how to read my gaze and others', the eyes are the windows of the soul, can see a lot of useful things from inside! It's good that I gave you a basic lesson in psychology on the spot, hearing me say this, Huh's expression clearly became more natural, however, he still muttered something under his breath, I didn't quite catch it. Looks like this guy has been at a disadvantage under my hands before and is a bit oversensitive, this is what they call IQ! Haha, I'm laughing with pride..."

  The gate creaked, and footsteps echoed in the courtyard, who was this again?

  The door was pushed open, and in came Yunfei. Oh, it's my little nephew! I didn't expect this kid to be the second one to arrive. Judging from his personality, he shouldn't be an impatient person, right? But looking at him now, he seems to have rushed over here, panting and out of breath, with a hint of redness on his pale face, and his eyes shining with eagerness and expectation for praise. Without even catching his breath, he hastily handed me the thing in his hand, saying: "Autumn Uncle, look! I brought something for you!" After that, he looked at me with expectant eyes, his dark pupils sparkling like two small flames.

  At this moment, the child's innocence and purity are revealed without a doubt. I genuinely like this kid, not just because of our blood relationship, but also because of his sharpness and cleverness that is not quite suitable for his age. And yes, there's also that stubbornness - he's a boy with a distinct personality. Compared to other boys in his age group, he appears slightly thinner, but the quality that shines through from within him makes me extremely appreciative. There's also his unreserved respect and admiration for me, of course, more than that is affection, not just because I'm an elder, but also because of the reliance and spiritual motivation. It's quite complicated, to put it simply, my image in his heart is glorious and great! In the future, on the cruel battlefield, can I guarantee he won't get hurt at all? Can he survive unscathed under the baptism of blood and fire, and see the dawn of victory illuminating the sky? Definitely. This is also a promise I made to him, although I didn't say it out loud, but in my heart, I secretly gave myself an oath.

  This little guy, he still hasn't forgotten, you have a good conscience, I'm carrying a big smile on my face, looking at the cloud flying in his hand holding that one big bunch of wild sparrows. Wow, they're quite fat, there are over thirty, this is going to take several days. Looking at this game, a scene appeared before my eyes: A pile of burning charcoal, roasted to a golden yellow and oily sparrows, pull off a large leg, dip in some fine salt, put it in your mouth, and then chew, the aroma instantly fills the entire oral cavity, stimulating the taste buds, probably even biting off the tongue wouldn't know it hurts. "Gulp" sound, that swallowing saliva, don't look for it, it's me myself, this swallowing sound scared me, quickly glance at them, fortunately, didn't attract attention, almost ruined my image in Cloud Flying's heart, after all, I'm a senior, image is important. However, roasting and eating these little things really makes people drool!

  I coughed, "Hey, Yunfei, take it back, Uncle Hui has already accepted it, how could I possibly want your things? Keep it for yourself to eat, ah!" This sentence sounds a bit insincere and fake. As soon as Yunfei heard it, he became anxious! "Uncle, this is especially caught for you, you love eating roasted house sparrows the most. That winter, didn't you lead me and my second uncle's Cloud Peng to dig out house sparrows from under the eaves? Why don't you want them now? This was caught by me and Cloud Peng together, it's especially for you! If you don't want it, I'll get angry!" "This kid is really considerate, Uncle won't be polite anymore, bring it over, Uncle will take it." Originally, there was no intention to be polite. If being polite a few more times would make this child think that my words are true and actually take it back, I'd have to find a secluded place to slap myself in the face twice!

  Yunfei saw that I had put it away and was overjoyed, turning to Shantiger and saying: "Shantiger brother, you can't even catch a house sparrow, the moment they see you, they fly away from afar." It seems that Shantiger really can't do such meticulous work. Shantiger chuckled, "I'm not going to catch house sparrows, this little thing is meaningless, I'd rather go up the mountain and hunt for rabbits or yellow sheep." The three of us all burst out laughing.

  As we were talking, Autumn Brother and his friends arrived one after another, including several girls. I met my other nephew, Tang Yunpeng, whom Cloud Flying had mentioned earlier. He was even younger, only 13 years old, and didn't say much. He mainly listened to others, with big eyes shining brightly as he focused on what they were saying. Occasionally, his eyes would reveal a thoughtful expression. This is a boy who thinks deeply and loves to consider problems - a good seedling that needs to be nurtured in the future. There were over 20 people in total, filling up my house completely. My parents had already asked me to take them out for a visit earlier, saying that they couldn't relax at home with so many young friends around.

  Everyone was chatting and laughing freely, the topic was not fixed, often one topic would trigger a debate among everyone, each expressing their opinions. From what I could hear, they were not out of touch with the news, mostly discussing current events and their thoughts on them. The most discussed topics were the fall of Northeast China, the invasion of Japanese pirates, and the oppression of ethnic minorities. Some views were very sharp and novel. From their conversation, I sensed complex emotions such as indignation, regret, hatred, and worry. However, there was no bad tendency, just a group of passionate and motivated young people with good political awareness and a solid foundation, not only physically but also mentally. This is a team with great potential, just needing a spark to ignite and unleash a powerful force that would make the enemy tremble. I didn't say much, just listened attentively to each person's thoughts, gaining a deeper understanding of their characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses, which is essential for leading the troops in the future. The atmosphere in the room was relaxed and lively, filled with the spirit of youth and vitality. It felt like this was the first time my team had gathered together, although the scene was a bit informal and not grand, after all, we hadn't officially raised our flag yet!

  I've found that my companions are very concerned about my opinions, and whenever there's a topic of debate, they'll always ask me to make the final decision. For someone who has crossed over from another world, this kind of discussion is child's play. My past life's university studies and hobbies weren't just for show. Every time I finish speaking, everyone will involuntarily nod their heads in agreement, looking at me with eyes full of admiration. This admiring gaze makes me feel quite awesome, and I have to admit that I'm enjoying it. It can't be helped - it's human nature, after all! Don't blindly worship me, though; I'm just someone who crossed over from another world! This also shows my core position in this team, which is exactly what I need. In a team, there should be a spiritual leader, and that role belongs to me!

  I keenly sensed that these ideas and views did not originally come from these companions themselves, but were definitely guided by someone. I casually asked them and confirmed my speculation. It turned out that last year, several students who had fled from Northeastern University came to Tunzi's school, where they were taken in and became teachers. These ideas were instilled by the teachers, who also opened new courses such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, history, and biology, which broadened their horizons and elevated their thinking to a new height! Thank you to these teachers for cultivating so many good soldiers for me! Sincere thanks!

  As I was talking, I felt like something was missing. Oh, it turned out that Little Ling hadn't arrived yet! This girl lives in the dormitory closest to my home, how come she hasn't arrived yet? Could it be that she saw through my true intentions and feels a bit embarrassed?

  Just thinking about it, the person arrived, and Xiaoling walked into the house lightly. This girl is the kind of person who will not be ignored by others no matter where she goes. Moreover, she is really good-looking, a beautiful woman is always the center of attention! As soon as everyone saw Xiaoling arrive, they chattered: "Sister Xiaoling, you live closest to Xiao Qiu's house, how come you're the last to arrive? We've been talking for a while now, it wasn't fun without you. You don't know, just now everyone was laughing and joking, even Shan Hu was laughing so hard he was crying." I deeply agree!

  Xiao Ling's sister smiled slightly, and the corner of her eye glanced at me, without explanation. She leaned in a bit closer to me, and that smile almost made me faint. At that moment, my heart was racing, and my blood pressure soared. What is it about this smile? It's like a lotus flower blooming instantly, with an inexplicable charm that's hard to put into words. Compared to daytime, it has a different flavor. No wonder they say that the night gives people impulsiveness and courage - mine just arrived! My villainous heart started racing, looking at the pale, slender small hand so close to me. Unconsciously, I stretched out my big hand, wanting to tightly grasp this small hand and carefully protect it. Just as I was about to grab it, one of our companions said something, and everyone burst into loud laughter. My heart skipped a beat - good thing, or I would have made a huge mistake!

  Can this be done in front of everyone? It should be when the two are alone, and it's okay if the girl agrees. We have a vague intention, but neither of us has made it clear. Besides, although girls from the Northeast are open-minded, in this era, it's not like that now. You've just met for less than ten minutes, and you dare to go to a hotel and open a room!

  If I had grasped her hand just now, even if Xiaoling didn't say anything (wishful thinking, assuming she wouldn't say anything), but in front of everyone, what if someone with sharp eyes saw it and shouted, who knows, under those circumstances, Xiaoling might have been embarrassed and slapped me right away. Where would I put my face then? My leadership image, the charm of a leader, would be completely ruined, the impact would be terrible! In the future, they would use this as a handle to attack me whenever they wanted, saying that on a certain day in a certain month and year, our leader was slapped by a beautiful girl after grabbing her hand, with five fingerprints still visible after seven days. The consequences are unbearable, even if I had thick skin!

  Luckily, I had a firm will, a mind as steady as a rock, a clear head and made decisive decisions. I overcame the idea of being reckless, stopped uncivilized behavior, withstood the temptation of beauty, and at the critical moment, turned back from the brink, reformed my ways, and thus did not have an extremely bad influence, did not tarnish the team's image, and did not affect my own glorious image. The above is my ideological report to the organization! I hope it will be approved by the organization! What's going on? Anyway, it's extreme contempt!

  Nobody noticed my awkward move, but that doesn't mean Xiaoling didn't notice it. Look at my hand, neither advancing nor retreating, she almost burst out laughing, luckily we were in a dimly lit place and nobody paid attention, otherwise my plan would have been exposed. I pretended to be stupid and casually picked up the cup of water beside her, took two sips, implying that I was just getting water, a normal move!

  This girl saw me pretending to be serious and actually laughed out loud, her clear and crisp laughter was particularly noticeable, everyone immediately followed the sound of Xiaoling's laughter and asked, what are you laughing at, Xiaoling? What's so funny? This girl won't reveal my previous image, will she? No way, not that stupid! As expected, Xiaoling diverted the conversation to another topic, saying that she suddenly thought of something from a few days ago and couldn't help but laugh. Everyone else didn't ask further and continued discussing the previous topic. I let out a sigh of relief, and my forehead even had a bit of sweat, this matter was quite a mess, not only did I not gain anything, but I also got nervous and frightened, what a loss! However, Autumn Brother looked at me with a meaningful smile, after all, being older means seeing things differently, this also shows that Autumn Brother is a meticulous person, with strong observational and analytical skills. He's really talented, I like him!

  Everyone mentioned that the school would be closed tomorrow, and at that time, there was no mention of winter vacation. It's still more than a month before Chinese New Year. What can we do to pass this period of time? As soon as I heard it, my eyes lit up. What a great opportunity! The chance has come, just in time to use this period to train everyone, find something to do, gather everyone's hearts, and slowly infiltrate my intentions. According to my plan, slowly carry out targeted training, which can also temper and build the team's coordination ability. In the actual training process, understand each member's characteristics, so as to form teams and cooperate in the future. What a great opportunity! Just thinking about it, the uncle from the maternal family came, just like the slang of bandits? Of course, such a good opportunity cannot be missed.

  "I coughed twice, drawing everyone's attention. 'How about this? Tomorrow morning, we'll head to Jiangjiazai and go fishing with hooks. We can spend a few days there, then head into the mountains. With Chinese New Year approaching, let's get some goods for the family. In previous years, it was always the adults who took care of everything, but this time, we'll take charge ourselves. Whatever is left over at home, we can sell at the market and buy some firecrackers. Ling and her sisters can buy some fabric or ribbons... isn't that a great idea?' As soon as I finished speaking, everyone erupted in cheers, almost blowing the roof off. The discussion became heated, with Autumn Brother nodding his head in approval, clearly impressed and satisfied with me."

  At this time, everyone came up with several ideas, each of which seemed to make sense. Some said we should split into groups, others said we should go further away, and some even suggested bringing big bags, etc. It was a bit chaotic. There were also questions about collective concepts, leadership cores, and organizational discipline. It seems that quality education should start from now on!

  "I said: 'Everyone's words make sense (should we still protect the masses' enthusiasm, ah!), but none are comprehensive. I think this way,' seeing everyone quiet down, with expectant eyes, casting their gaze at me, 'everyone come closer, so I can divide up the work, determine tomorrow's assembly time, location and who's going, as well as what needs to be prepared and brought along, no objections, right?' 'No objections, just that we're all in this together, last time it was you who took charge, you say it, everyone is listening.' Hmm, effective, now they know what leadership means, so I said..."

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