Take Dad up the mountain

After months of recuperating, Lin Changyu had finally fully recovered. Although he still had some signs of fatigue, his strength had regained enough to start doing light work that would help ease the burden on his family. Meanwhile, Lin Qing'an had planned on fishing to increase the family's income. With her knowledge from her previous life, she had figured out a way to keep the fish fresh for as long as possible so that they could be sold at the market.

One morning, as the wind blew gently, Lin Qing'an used a small stick to scratch the sand near her courtyard, drawing a large basket and describing its appearance to Lin Changyu.

" Father, the basket I want must not have too many gaps between the bamboos, and should be covered with clay to retain water inside. This is the basket to put a lot of fish in when we go up the mountain."

Lin Changyun sat cross-legged, holding his chin in thought.

" You've thought it through very well, but using clay will add weight. Are you sure you can push it ?"

" The weight may increase a bit, but I think I should ask Father to make new wheels for the cart, bigger than the ones we have. It will help us go up and down the hills more easily," she said in a firm tone.

Lin Changyu laughed slightly before nodding.

" I'll try it. You teach me in detail again."

In the first three days, Lin Changyu carefully wove a large basket with bamboo. Every time he took a break, Lin Qing'an would come over to check the tightness of the bamboo and give him some additional advice.

" Father, this corner may need to be reinforced with bamboo so that when the clay is added, it won't break easily," she said, pointing to a fragile spot.

" I understand, son. I'll fix it for you," Lin Changyu replied earnestly.

After finishing weaving the basket, he started mixing clay with straw and spreading it on the basket. Lin Qing'an watched intently.

" This is very good, Father. The clay and straw will prevent it from cracking easily."

After the basket was finished, Lin Changyu turned to modify the new cart wheels.

" The old wheels are too small. You were right to make them bigger."

He said as he used thick bamboo to make four large wheels by burning the bamboo to bend it according to his bending. Once the wheels were round, he used wooden nails to fasten them tightly at every point before assembling them onto the old cart.

On the morning of the day of the ascent, Lin Qing'an had prepared all the equipment neatly. She carried her trusty basket and held a hoe and knife. Lin Changyu pushed a cart with new wheels that carried six fish baskets.

" Big Sister, can Brother Yang and I go with you ?" Lin Qingcheng asked with sparkling eyes.

" No, Qingcheng. You should stay and take care of Mom and Younger Sister Yang. Mom needs someone to help with the housework. Big Brother and Dad will take care of this," Lin Qing'an replied softly.

" But we want to help …" Lin Qingyang said with a slight pout.

" Big brother understands, but right now, you two should take good care of Mother. It's an equally important duty," she smiled and gently stroked her younger brother's head.

When Lin Changyu and Lin Qing'an arrived at the stream, the sound of water hitting the rocks could be heard softly. The atmosphere was peaceful, like being in another world. Lin Qing'an looked at the stream in thought, before picking up the hoe she had brought with her.

" Father, instead of using a net, I think we should try digging a hole to catch the fish. I heard about this method from … um, a market vendor," she said confidently.

Lin Changyu raised his eyebrows, "Fish trap ? Does it actually work ?"

" I think it will work. Father, please dig a hole as I told you, and we will divert the water so that the fish can swim into the hole," she explained, pointing to a shallow area that is suitable for digging.

" You really are a good thinker. Let's give it a try," Lin Changyu replied, picking up a hoe to help.

The two of them began digging holes of suitable depth at various points along the stream. Each hole was designed to have a narrow entrance and slope down to the bottom.

" Father, is this hole deep enough ?" Lin Qing'an asked, measuring its depth with her hand.

" That should be enough, but we need to dig two more holes to get more fish," Lin Changyu replied.

After digging the holes, Lin Qing'an used branches and small stones to divert the current of water into the holes. The fish that swam along the current were slowly guided into the holes.

" Look, Dad ! The fish are coming in," Lin Qing'an said excitedly.

" You're right, this really works !" Lin Changyu said with a laugh.

When many fish swam and got stuck in the hole, the two of them helped each other catch the fish and put them in the prepared basket. The water in the hole was so clear that the fish could be clearly seen moving around.

" There are a lot of big fish in this hole. I will catch them myself," Lin Changyu said as he reached out his hand.

" Father, be careful not to slip," Lin Qing'an warned as she helped the basket up the bank.

After repeating with all the holes, the six fish baskets were completely filled. Lin Changyu turned to look at his daughter with a smile.

" How did you come up with this method ? You're so clever."

" I just thought this would work, and luckily it did," she replied with a small smile.

The sky began to change colors. Lin Qing'an looked at the baskets of fish arranged on the new cart.

" We have enough fish. Let's hurry home before it gets dark, Father."

" I think so too. This cart is quite heavy, but the new wheels really help a lot," Lin Changyu said as he started pushing the cart.

The two of them took turns pushing the cart along a small path that cut through the forest, some of which was steep, with Lin Qing'an helping support the back of the cart.

" Just a little bit more, Father. We're almost home."

" You really have so much energy. Even I feel tired," Lin Changyu said with a chuckle.

When they finally arrived home, Lin Qingcheng and Lin Qingyang rushed out to greet them.

" Big brother ! Father ! How many fish did you guys catch ?"

" That's enough to cook several meals and sell them at the market," Lin Qing'an replied with a smile.

Lin Ai walked out of the kitchen with a proud smile.

" You guys did a great job. Our family will start to earn more money from now on."

" Father, we should hurry up and deal with the fish. I'm afraid that if we leave it too long, they'll start to die," Lin Qing'an said as she looked at the fish struggling in the basket.

Lin Changyu nodded.

" You pick out a few fish and have mom cook them. Dad will take care of the rest and put them away."

Lin Qing'an grabbed the fish from the basket with her hands, selecting a few of the freshest ones.

" This should be enough for dinner," she said, carrying a small basket of fish to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Lin Ai was preparing soup made from the herbs Lin Qing'an had picked last week. When she saw her daughter handing over the fish basket, she smiled faintly.

" Are you tired, my child ?" Lin Ai asked as she stopped her work in the kitchen.

" It's not too tiring, Mother. We got a lot of fish. I think I'll go sell them at the market with Father tomorrow," Lin Qing'an replied.

Lin Ai took a fish from the basket and examined it.

" The fish is really fresh. This time, I will make the most delicious boiled fish with herbs so that everyone can eat their fill," she said with a smile.

" I'm going to help my father take care of the fish on the cart first. I'll be back to help," Lin Qing'an said before walking back to her father.

Lin Changyu was handling the six fish baskets off the cart, so that they would be arranged neatly beside the house.

" Have you prepared the car for tomorrow ?" he asked his daughter who was walking back.

" Not yet, Father. But I think we should check the wheels again in the morning. I'm afraid that if something goes wrong on the way, the cart might break," Lin Qing'an replied.

" Good thing you're so thoughtful. I'm so proud of you." Lin Changyu said as he took out a cloth to cover the basket he had filled with water to keep the fish fresh and to keep it from wind and dust.

When everything was settled, Lin Changyu turned to look at his daughter.

" We will have a satisfying meal of fish this time. You should rest a bit. I know you have been working hard."

" I'm not tired at all, Father. Seeing you back in good health like this makes me very happy," Lin Qing'an smiled.

When dinner arrived, Lin Ai served a fragrant dish of herbal stewed fish on the table. Lin Qingcheng and Lin Qingyang sat waiting excitedly.

" Big Brother, Dad ! You guys are really good at catching fish !" Lin Qingcheng said excitedly.

" The fish is so big. I want to help catch it one time," Lin Qingyang added.

" Tomorrow, you have to stay and help your mother look after the house because your eldest brother and I are going to sell the remaining fish at the market," Lin Changyu said as he scooped some fish into a bowl for his two sons.

" Father is right, helping mother is also important," Lin Qing'an supported.

Lin Ai looked at the family who were chatting warmly, she smiled faintly before saying,

" You guys make me proud. Tomorrow we will start another day with determination. I believe our family will go far."

Everyone nodded, ready to start the meal filled with warmth and hope for the new day to come.