Chapter 298: Pets

After a quick look around, Han Songlin returned home and saw that the three little ones, Han Ting and the others, were crouching together, looking at a washbasin. There was water in the washbasin, which Han Songlin saw.

Playing with water?

You shouldn't play with water in the living room!

Han Songlin couldn't help but be curious as he changed his shoes.

He changed into his slippers and walked over.

Then he noticed that there were actually a few fish in the basin.

Basically, there were some small crucian carp fry that were less than a pinky width apart, and one slightly larger one that was about three fingers wide.

Han Songlin curiously squatted down and asked, 'Where did they come from?'

They weren't bought, that was for sure.

Fish fry are usually sold through specialised farms and not in markets.

Unless it's goldfish!

But if they were goldfish, they would be sold in the market, and they would be two fingers wide.

If they are too small, they are not easy to feed.

Han Ting said proudly, 'My classmate gave it to me!'

She was obviously very happy that a child had given her a gift.

There was mud in the basin that the fish had spit out, which meant that these fish had been in muddy water.

'Han Ting, you didn't go into the fields to catch the fish, did you?'

Han Songlin remembered that there were paddy fields next to Hongxing Middle School.

It wasn't time to organise the paddy fields yet.

Of course, the seedling beds had already been prepared long ago.

The seedlings would be transplanted basically at the end of April or the beginning of May.

Well, the May Day holiday would coincide with the time to go home and plant the seedlings.

Han Ting shook her head quickly, thinking how dirty the muddy ground was, and she would never go down there!

Liu Yuyan, who was folding laundry in the bedroom, heard Han Songlin's voice and came out of the bedroom, smiling, 'This fish was given to her by a little classmate of Han Ting's!'

Han Songlin: 'A boy?'

'Only boys would go into the water to catch fish, right?'

Han Songlin raised his eyebrows, which was true!

There were lots of fun things for kids in the countryside to do. On the way home from school, they would catch fish in the small ditches, catch crabs and crayfish, and dig for eels and loaches in the flooded fields.

Not only did the boys play, the girls happily followed along.

Anyway, the little boys valued the fruits of their labour and would not give them away lightly.

Looking at Han Ting's little face, Han Songlin suddenly smiled. He seemed to understand a little.

Don't think that children don't understand anything. They know how to please pretty girls from a young age.

Han Songlin opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

Han Songlin opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

'So what do you want to do with the fish? Fry it or make soup?'

Coat it in flour, deep fry it in rapeseed oil, and it'll taste really good, Han Songlin remembered.

It'll be crunchy and delicious.

'No!' Han Ting cried out in alarm, "How can you fry this little fish?'

Han Songlin: "Then you keep it?'

'Yes, I want to keep it!' Han Ting's little face was very determined, and her big eyes looked at Liu Yuyan.

Liu Yuyan laughed lightly and said, 'Then keep it!'

Han Songlin rubbed Han Ting's head and said, "Don't wait until the fish dies, it'll make you sad!"

Keeping fish at home is not easy.

Han Yumeng and Han Yufei crouched on the ground, looking curious. For them, it was the first time they had seen a fish.

Han Songlin picked them up, as they had been crouching for a long time.

'Tomorrow, we'll buy a fish tank!'

One thing that Han Songlin was very happy about with his three children was that they were well-behaved.

They were curious, but also obedient.

If they were told not to touch something, they wouldn't.

This made Han Songlin and Liu Yuyan feel much more relaxed.

'Daddy, I want a fish too!' Han Yumeng grabbed Han Songlin's hand, her little face full of anticipation.

Han Yufei didn't say anything, but obviously, she wanted one too.

Han Songlin didn't know what to say at this point. He could never bring himself to say, 'Let's go to the market and buy a crucian carp to feed them.'

Feeding a crucian carp as a pet seemed wrong in some way.

Maybe, after it grows up, I can just cook it?

If I really did that, I wonder if it would cause a huge blow to the child's mind.

'Aren't you have one, big sister?'

Han Yumeng's logic was very clear: 'That's your sister's!'

Han Songlin reached out and teased Han Yumeng's little face: 'Okay, I'll go check it out tomorrow.'

I don't know if there is a flower and bird market or something like that on this side of the river.

There should be one, because Han Songlin had seen an old man carrying a birdcage in the park.

There is a kind of leisure called 'carrying a birdcage and amusing a bird'. Many retired old men, after losing their jobs, want to find something to do, feed one or two birds, and enjoy their later years.

People are most afraid of having no spiritual support.

The next day, when he was sending Han Ting to school, he also asked around.

There really isn't a dedicated bird and flower market on this side of the river.

But on the street, Han Songlin saw someone riding a bicycle with a basket on the back.

Inside the basket were a few small kittens.

Han Songlin couldn't help but pull over and walk over.

The kittens didn't look big, and could be held in the palm of one's hand.

Well, that's not important.

In the city, it seems better to keep a cat than a dog.

After all, cats are much easier to look after than dogs.

Cats are also cleaner, and they dig their own latrines and bury their droppings.

Han Songlin also likes cats.

'Boss, let's get a cat!'

Han Songlin reached into the basket and teased the kittens. There were three of them, and they seemed to be having fun.

When they saw Han Songlin's hand coming towards them, they rubbed up against it.

What does that mean?

It means that the cat is friendly.

This orange cat belongs to a local breed in China, and is usually kept at home to catch mice and the like.

'The female of these cats is fierce when it comes to catching mice!'

Han Songlin smiled lightly as he listened quietly to the man brag about the prowess of his female cat at catching mice.

He wasn't buying the cat to catch mice, but as a pet.

'How much is each?'

The middle-aged man's face was wry, and his eyes subconsciously glanced at Han Songlin's car.

'Fifteen yuan!'

Han Songlin didn't think it was expensive either: 'Okay, I'll take all three!'

He handed over the money directly. These three were the cats that had reached into the basket and rubbed against Han Songlin's hand.

The man selling the cats took the money and watched Han Songlin get into his car with the cats before slapping his thigh.

Did he undersell the price?

If I had known, I would have asked for 20 yuan.

Han Songlin had no idea what the seller was thinking, so he put the cat on the seat and got ready to drive home.

Oh yes, he also bought a fish tank.

He wondered how long Han Ting could keep the fish alive.

He really had a headache. What would happen if the fish died?

Cry her eyes out?

Or tell Han Ting that this is the natural order of life, birth, aging, sickness, and death!

Han Songlin's return with three kittens took Liu Yuyan by surprise, and she was puzzled: 'I thought you were buying fish, where did you get these three kittens?'

While saying this, she took the cat out of the fish tank.

Really, how could you put a cat in a fish tank?

Han Songlin: 'I met them by the roadside and just wanted to buy them back!'

'It would be better to buy just one, it's not easy to look after three cats at home!'

In the countryside, there is a custom not to keep more than two cats at home.