Gu Ye wasn't blind; he could sense the awkwardness too. Instantly, the fish in the cooler felt a bit too hot to handle.
It would have been fine if both of them were catching fish, but what was this situation with only him getting bites?
It would have been better if both their rods stayed quiet.
Brother Fish, are you trying to get me in trouble?
Li Daming stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the lively fish flopping in the cooler. His tone was somewhat plaintive when he spoke, "Young man, not bad fishing skills you've got there."
"Uncle Li, you're too kind. I'm just in the beginner's luck phase, got a bit more fortune on my side," Gu Ye replied stiffly. What fishing skills did he have? It all depended on whether Lady Luck was cooperating.
Li Daming hmphed, "That's probably it. I reckon your luck is just good today."
No sooner had he said this than Gu Ye, with his sharp eyes, noticed movement on Li Daming's fishing rod. He exclaimed excitedly, "Uncle Li, you've got a bite!"
"Oh, so I do!" Li Daming turned to look and hurried back, starting to reel in his line.
Gu Ye went to assist, grabbing the landing net and standing ready.
When the fish was close, they both saw it was indeed a catch, but unfortunately, it was a small one, hardly worthy of their solemn ambush.
Gu Ye sheepishly put down the net and praised, "This is a nice fish, a good start nonetheless."
"My fish might be smaller, but it's a better breed, worth a lot more than yours," Li Daming declared. At least he'd caught something. Small as it was, it salvaged a bit of his pride.
"Absolutely, that just goes to show Uncle Li's superior fishing technique," Gu Ye praised with his eyes shut, laying it on thick.
Li Daming was quite pleased. "You probably can't even tell one fish from another. Just you wait, I'll catch some even better breeds for you."
Many fishing enthusiasts have no patience for other things, but when it comes to fishing, they can hold their ground steadfastly, not moving an inch.
It was nearly noon, and they couldn't go hungry. Li Daming waved his hand grandly, "Come on, let's pack up. My treat, we'll go get a meal. We can continue after eating."
During her lunch break, Jiang Mo asked about Gu Ye and her dad's situation.
Gu Ye sent a picture of dumplings paired with cold dishes. "I finally got to enjoy a meal on your dad's dime too. Handmade dumplings."
Jiang Mo: "How did it go this morning? Are you going again this afternoon? When do you plan to come back?"
"Dad wants to continue the battle this afternoon... Gotta go, need to eat these dumplings fast. He's hurrying me."
Jiang Mo: "..."
Li Daming finished his meal quickly and stared at Gu Ye across the table. Gu Ye thought to himself, surely he wasn't being criticized for eating slowly and delaying the fishing? So he promptly sped up.
At least he's perceptive, Li Daming thought to himself. He hadn't observed the other up close and carefully like this before.
Looking at him now, the kid had dyed his hair back to black today and tidied himself up more than usual, looking quite proper and handsome.
With looks like that, any child he had would probably be good-looking too.
"Uncle Li, I'm finished," Gu Ye put down his chopsticks.
Li Daming snapped out of his thoughts, feeling he'd gotten ahead of himself.
He patted his clothes and stood up. "Alright, now that we're full, let's head back and keep fishing."
This time, the heavens were kind, and fortune was on his side. Li Daming caught seven or eight fish in the afternoon, two of them quite sizable.
"Incredible, Uncle Li," Gu Ye continued with the flattery.
"Not bad, not bad. With more practice, you could have skills like mine too," Li Daming said cheerfully.
With a good haul, they weren't as eager to keep at it. By 4:30, they called it a day and headed home.
On the way, they stopped by the market. Li Daming led Gu Ye to buy groceries and later instructed him, "A man should know how to cook a few decent dishes to attract girls. These days, you can't just expect girls to do all the kitchen work."
"Take my family, for example. Xiao Mo really loves the dishes I make."
Gu Ye nodded in agreement. "Then when we get home, I'll learn a few dishes from you."
Li Daming: "Then I'll pass on my special skills to you. I don't teach them to just anyone."
As soon as Jiang Mo got off work, she hurried home by car, worried the two might not be getting along.
To her surprise, she found them in the kitchen, and the atmosphere seemed quite alright.
"Xiao Mo, go rest. I'll just stir-fry these two dishes, and we'll eat in twenty minutes," Li Daming said, seeing her approach the kitchen. "You go on out."
"Oh, okay," Jiang Mo looked at Gu Ye in an apron, sizing him up. "What are you doing?"
"I'm learning to cook from Uncle Li," Gu Ye said. "For our dates, I'll cook for you."
Jiang Mo shook her head as if she'd seen a ghost. She appreciated the sentiment, but it was hard to believe coming from someone who'd never set foot in a kitchen.
Li Daming worked fast. Two dishes were already simmering, and the two quick stir-fries were on the table in about twenty minutes.
"Time to eat. We don't have many rules at our table, Xiao Ye, so make yourself at home," Li Daming announced with a wave.
He thought about offering them some alcohol but remembered the other had to drive, so he gave up on that idea and prepared to pour some for himself.
Seeing this, Gu Ye picked up the bottle, poured a drink for Li Daming, and also poured one for himself. "My alcohol tolerance isn't great either, but I can still keep you company for a drink, Uncle Li."
"You're not driving tonight? And you're drinking?" Jiang Mo said.
Gu Ye: "It's fine, I'll just call a designated driver."
No, that wouldn't do. Couldn't he just stay over? If not in the same room, there was always Li Zheng's room to sleep in.
