Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s

Chapter 30: 029 The fish that scared me...

"Ayoyo, what you’re saying isn’t wrong, but I’m still worried. I, your Auntie, only have this one son. He’s been raised by my side since childhood. After graduating high school, he’s stayed in the village, and he’s only been to the county town a few times. Now he’s going so far away, I’m really afraid he’ll get bullied out there. And another thing, why can’t we just honestly stay home and farm? Why do we have to get involved in this speculative business? So many people were arrested for it a few years ago, and yet nobody’s afraid!" Aunt Zhong was like an ant on a hot pan, completely flustered, saying whatever was on her mind: "Forty bucks a month, Xiao Qin’s younger brother and uncle said so much about that, but I just don’t quite believe it. What if it’s all a trick?"

"Auntie, it’s not far. Dongzhen City is just next door to us. Six or seven hours by train and you’ll be there," Tian Sangsang replied. "Don’t worry about it. Brother Tian is a grown man with a family now; he knows what he’s doing."

Hearing this, Aunt Zhong seemed to feel a bit more at ease. "Sangsang, how do you even know where Dongzhen City is? I just heard from Xiao Qin’s family that it’s in our southern region, not too far."

"Well, I’ve read a few books in my time. I’ve seen it mentioned before in them." After all, she was someone who had studied for years into the 21st century, comparable to the diligent scholars of ancient times. With just a glance at a map, Tian Sangsang had remembered it. She also knew that in later years, Dongzhen City developed into a bustling metropolis.

"Anyway, Brother Tian should still make sure to get all the details. Don’t just believe everything you’re told and jump in blindly."

"That’s true. I’ll have to ask Xiao Qin’s family again and get more information," Aunt Zhong said worriedly.

She had to figure things out clearly. Aunt Zhong’s heart was all over the place, swaying back and forth. No matter how she thought about it, it just didn’t sit right. Her daughter-in-law’s family wasn’t the most reliable bunch. They’d always looked down on her. Xiao Qin had two younger sisters who, even after getting married, spent all their time at their maternal home—what kind of behavior was that? And then there was Xiao Qin’s younger brother. He used to laze around at home and even refused to work in the fields. But now he suddenly wanted to start a business? The father-in-law was addicted to gambling, often playing cards with people from the neighboring village. Years ago, he even gambled away Xiao Qin’s dowry—a gold necklace. Then there was the mother-in-law, who took care of everyone at home. Soft-eared and indecisive, she never accomplished much.

Xiao Qin’s younger brother, Li Guohui, suddenly announced his plans to head to Dongzhen City, claiming he’d strike gold there. Hearing him talk, her own son got all motivated too, wanting to head out to try his luck. It’s true—young people think differently from their elders.

"Auntie, you’d better go now. Don’t worry about me. Brother Tian’s probably getting anxious waiting," Tian Sangsang kindly reminded her, seeing Aunt Zhong deep in troubled thoughts.

With that, Aunt Zhong said her goodbyes and hurriedly rushed home.

All along the path, she carried a bamboo basket on her back, passing by overgrown grass and colorful wildflowers in shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, their names unknown. Tian Sangsang strolled as she paid attention to her surroundings. Suddenly, her eyes fixed on a few mulberry trees. The branches bore clusters of mulberries, some red, some black, their juicy flesh glistening enticingly, enough to make one’s mouth water.

As a child, whenever she went to the mountains for tomb-sweeping, she could always pluck mulberries or wildberries along the way. But nowadays, such sights had become rare. Tian Sangsang picked a few berries, popped them into her mouth, and chewed. Sour and slightly sweet, they teased her taste buds. She saved the seeds after eating and, to be safe, also snapped a few mulberry twigs. If the seeds didn’t take root, she’d rely on grafting methods. Either way, it would work.

The scenery before her eyes was idyllic: lush green mountains, clear waters, and a winding stream whispering its gentle murmurs through the landscape...

Tian Sangsang noticed the crystalline stream. The water was so clear that the fish and shrimps swam freely within view. She counted: grass carp, crucian carp, flatfish, shrimp, river mussels... and then there were those wiggling little legs, dark greenish-black and not too big...

"Crabs!" Tian Sangsang exclaimed in surprise. What an unexpected delight! More precisely, they were river crabs. Though not the prized hairy crabs, they could still make for a delicious meal back home.

As she imagined the many ways she could cook the crabs, Tian Sangsang rolled up her pants, set her basket on the bank, and prepared. With no proper tools at home, she only had a tattered net, which she planned to use to cover the basket later. For now, catching fish, shrimp, and crabs was her priority—grabbing them all with her bare hands.

"My friends, I’m truly sorry. Survival of the fittest—it’s the way of the world. In this harsh game of eat or be eaten, you are destined to be my meal. Forgive me. I hope in your next life, you can be a fish in Buddha’s pond, basking in the glow of the eternal lamp and accumulating good karma." Tian Sangsang clasped her hands together in mock reverence, murmuring an "apology."

"Ah, life is just one big ****. Better to struggle fiercely than to lay back and take it. Wait... no, I said that the wrong way."

"Amitabha, mercy mercy! Give up your struggle and attain enlightenment~"

A school of grass carp swam by. Tian Sangsang cornered them against a pile of rocks with her mud-covered feet and managed to grab one. The fish flailed wildly in her grasp, nearly scaring her into dropping it. Quickly, she tossed it into her basket. In one go, she caught three crucian carp, one flatfish, two grass carp, five river mussels, and a handful of snails. Exhausted, she finally collapsed, weary from her effort.

"Little crab, little crab, come out..." Tian Sangsang muttered under her breath, her eyes scanning the water for movement. The crabs seemed to have vanished. As she recalled, crabs liked to hide in rock crevices or muddy burrows. Just as she reached out with her "thieving hand" to poke a stone, a sudden shiver ran through her. A chill surged from the ground up.

As a child, she’d once gone to the mountains with some girlfriends to play in the water and been bitten by a snake—about 30 centimeters long and light green in color. She’d been terrified, rushed home for first aid, and scrubbed the bite wound obsessively with soap. Luckily, the snake hadn’t been venomous, and nothing bad had happened to her in the end. But for a long time after, she had nightmares. It had taken her over 20 years to gradually overcome the "once bitten, twice shy" fear.

Now, the thing swaying gently in the water about five meters away—was it really not what she thought?

Tian Sangsang held her breath, her heart skipping a beat. Motionless, she waited for the creature to drift away before cautiously crawling back onto the bank. With a splash, she crumpled to the ground like a pile of mud, bent over and gulping down large breaths of air...

As she recollected herself, she noticed someone standing in the woods ahead. Weakly, she raised an arm and called out, "Brother Li..."

Li Zhengxiong was holding a bloodied, still twitching wild rabbit along with three mountain pigeons. His thick brows furrowed as he strode over with urgency. In a rough voice, he asked, "Sangmei, what’s the matter with you?"

He had just seen her energetically catching things moments ago, but now her face was pale as a sheet, and she had collapsed to the ground. Could she have gotten sick?

Tian Sangsang finally steadied herself. Perhaps it was Li Zhengxiong’s tall, broad frame that offered her a sense of security, for the fear in her heart began to dissipate.

"Oh, Brother Li, you’re hunting today?"

"Yeah." Li Zhengxiong nodded. "What happened to you just now?"

"Ah." Tian Sangsang let out a couple of hearty laughs, brimming with exaggerated cheer and confidence. "You mean just now? Oh, I just bumped into one of those... those big scary... fish in the river. Scared me half to death."