With just a few days left until the New Year, Song Jinzhao had her eye on the fresh fish in the river.
The river surface was frozen solid. She drilled two holes about a dozen yards apart in the ice using an iron awl, tied her homemade fishing net to a bamboo pole, and lowered it into the water, letting the pole drift with the current under the ice.
Song Qiming had never seen such a fishing method before. Staring at the bamboo pole drifting beneath the ice, his face was full of curiosity. "Sis, can you really catch fish like this?"
The warm breath from their mouths instantly turned into white mist in the biting cold wind that stung their skin.
Song Jinzhao kept watch by the other hole. "You'll see in a moment."
After a while, she pulled the net up. It was heavy—there were fish.
As the net was gradually hauled out of the water, countless fresh fish were tangled in its mesh.
The moment they were pulled from the ice hole, their scales instantly frosted over, and their gill covers flapped a few times before freezing shut, unable to open and close for breath.
Looking at the pile of fresh fish on the ground, a single wooden bucket couldn't possibly hold them all.
"Sis, so many fish!" Song Qiming grinned, his smile like winter plum blossoms in the snowy world, a sight that brought joy.
After filling the wooden bucket, Song Jinzhao looked at the remaining fish, which accounted for less than a third of the haul, and an idea formed in her mind.
If she wanted to eat them, surely others would too.
Since they were already here, they might as well catch more to sell in the city.
"Qiming, go to Uncle's house and ask them to bring the cart over."
The wooden bucket couldn't hold much. The snow on the ground was thick, and a trip to the city wasn't easy. They'd need at least a cartload of fish to make it worthwhile.
Song Qiming quickly ran towards the village.
After cleaning the fishing net, Song Jinzhao chose a new spot and started drilling holes again.
"Grandpa!" Oldest Song, who was warming himself by the fire inside, heard the voice and opened the door, only to be barreled into by Song Qiming, who couldn't stop his momentum.
"Why are you running so fast? Be careful not to slip." Old Man Song walked over and brushed the ice crystals off Song Qiming's hat.
Song Qiming looked at Old Man Song and said, "Grandpa, Sis is catching fish in the river. She wants you to bring the cart over."
The moment Oldest Song heard about going outside, he started rubbing his hands against the cold. "What's the point of fishing in the dead of winter? It's freezing cold."
In the harsh winter, villagers avoided going out unless absolutely necessary.
If they really had to go out, they'd be dying to wear every piece of clothing they owned, yet still feel the chill.
Unlike Song Jinzhao, who had used saved-up gray rabbit pelts to make a set of rabbit-fur garments for herself, Song Qiming, and the others. Wearing them was even warmer than a down jacket.
Old Man Song nudged Oldest Song aside and asked, "Did your sister catch any fish?"
Song Qiming gestured with his hands, forming a large circle. "She caught so many that one wooden bucket couldn't hold them all."
Immediately, Old Man Song said to Oldest Song, "You go to Second Song's house and get him to come help pull the cart."
Oldest Song's eyebrows knitted together. Even before stepping outside, his teeth were already chattering from the imagined cold.
Arriving at the second son's house, Second Song complained as he put on his clothes, "The snow's so deep, how are we supposed to pull the cart?"
Second Aunt Song handed him his shoes while urging, "Stop complaining. If Jinzhao says go, then go."
It's only a few steps from the old house to the river. Pulling a cart gets you fresh fish to eat. Who wouldn't jump at such a good deal?
Second Song understood this perfectly well, but it was just too cold outside. He really didn't want to go out.
The cart wheels made a crunching sound as they pressed into the snow. Passing by the neighbor's gate, they saw Song Ada standing on a ladder with a long bamboo pole, sweeping snow off the roof.
Noticing the three Song men from next door pulling a cart past his door, he felt puzzled.
The snow was so thick. What were they doing with a cart at this time?
Song Jinzhao had just hauled up her second net of fish when Old Man Song arrived with Oldest Song and Second Song.
"Sis, Grandpa and the others are here." Song Qiming's eyes shone like gemstones as he looked at the fish covering the ground.
So many fish. They couldn't eat them all even if they had them every meal.
Second Song, catching sight of the glistening black scales covering the ground, let go of the cart he was pushing and rushed over.
"My goodness! Did you catch every single fish in the whole river?"
Song Jinzhao looked at the three of them and said, "The New Year is almost here. Every household wants to eat fish. I want to take these to the city to sell."
Second Song's mind went blank for a moment. So they weren't for them to eat after all.
A wide smile spread across Old Man Song's face, filled with genuine admiration for his capable and clever eldest granddaughter.
"Fresh fish are rare in winter. They'll surely fetch a good price. It's getting late. Let's quickly load these fish onto the cart and head to the city right away."
Oldest Song was already bending down to pick them up, so Second Song had no choice but to take his hands out of his sleeves.
Song Jinzhao roughly estimated the number of fish on the ground, picked up the ice awl, and walked forward. "The cart definitely won't be full. I'll cast the net one more time."
In the end, the cart was loaded to the brim. Fortunately, the fish were all frozen, or they would have surely jumped out long ago.
Song Jinzhao filled a bucket with fish and handed it to Song Qiming. "You go home first. When you pass by Uncle's and Second Uncle's houses, share the fish out. Just keep three for ourselves to eat."
Too much of anything gets tiresome.
One for boiling, one for steaming, and one for grilled fish would be enough.
Song Qiming strained to lift the heavy bucket. "Got it, Sis."
Hearing this, Oldest Song and Second Song grinned so widely their teeth chattered. They'd have fish to eat when they got home.
The cart, now full of fish, was several times heavier than before. If it weren't for Old Man Song, Song Jinzhao, and Second Song pushing from behind, Oldest Song wouldn't have been able to pull it.
"Where did all these fish come from?" Just as they dragged the cart onto the road, Song Ada came running over, wearing a pair of thick winter rush sandals.
Old Man Song's heart tightened, and the words tumbled out, "Jinzhao caught them from the river. We're taking them to the city to sell."
Hearing they were for sale, Song Ada's thought of getting one for free died down.
"How much are you selling them for, Uncle? My family hasn't seen meat for days. Can you sell me one?"
Who doesn't want to eat fish for good luck during the New Year? Now there were some readily available to buy, and from a fellow villager too, surely cheaper than in the city.
Old Man Song turned to look at Song Jinzhao.
She caught the fish. Whether to sell and how to price it was up to her.
Meeting Old Man Song's gaze, Song Jinzhao turned her head to look at Song Ada.
"Uncle Ada, you know the price of fish. I'm selling it in the city for fifteen coppers per jin. Since we're fellow villagers, I'll give it to you for ten coppers per jin."
Song Ada was very satisfied with this price. "I'll pick a big one." They could make it last several days if they were frugal.
"How do we weigh it?" Oldest Song, thinking of weighing, suddenly remembered they didn't have a scale, and there wasn't one at home either.
Song Jinzhao said, "We'll just heft them and estimate on the lighter side. When we sell in the city, I'll borrow a scale from Manager Li."
The restaurant, Shi You Ji, could surely take a portion of these fish. Borrowing a scale then would be a simple matter.
Song Ada picked a large fish. Old Man Song gave it a quick heft and then let the other man heft it himself. "Close to eight jin. How about we count it as seven jin?"
Villagers, having grown up handling crops, mostly had a pretty good feel for weight.
Song Ada had picked the fish himself and had a rough idea of its weight. Suppressing a smile, he agreed, "Let's go with seven jin. I don't have money on me. I'll bring it to your house later."
Seeing the other man walk off with his fish, Second Song immediately urged, "Let's go, quick. Hopefully no one else comes."
Losing five coins for every catty of fish was painful, even if it wasn't his own.
After all, Song Jinzhao was his niece; he couldn't just let outsiders get the better deal.
Old Man Song and Oldest Song felt the same way, straining with every ounce of their strength as if they could fly to the city that very instant.
