“This fish should be a Tiger Grouper, a species of grouper. Our mess hall and the supply and marketing cooperatives usually buy them from fishermen, around two to three yuan per jin. Do you plan to eat it yourself or sell it?”
Song Wei replied, “Let’s sell it. We already have so much food.”
Such a big fish was more than they could finish, and eating it themselves felt like a bit of a waste.
“Let’s take it to your mess hall and ask about it first.”
Carrying such a massive grouper certainly made them stand out.
Passersby couldn’t help but stare, many of them showing envious expressions.
Some aunties even came over to ask where they had found such a big fish.
Naturally, Song Jing wasn’t going to tell them about the rocky reef area. That spot was dangerous, and if people followed them there, any injuries or accidents could easily turn into trouble.
Instead, Song Jing said, “It was in the usual spot where you all go for gathering seafood. My sister was lucky and happened to see the fish stranded on the shore. She didn’t even think about the danger and just rushed over, getting completely soaked in the process.”
Song Wei’s damp hair added credibility to his story.
“That’s so dangerous!”
“But if I saw such a big fish, I’d risk it too.”
Though they were envious of the fish, no one claimed it should be shared or handed over as public property. Living on the island, everyone was used to the rule that what you find is yours. Large catches, rare finds, or big fish were often sold to the mess hall to make some extra money.
However, grouper was a deep-sea fish that rarely washed ashore. Most of what people gathered were small fish, crabs, clams, sea snails, or octopus.
Song Wei sold the grouper to the mess hall. Weighing 24 jin, it fetched 3 yuan per jin, totaling 72 yuan.
Fish didn’t require ration tickets for purchase, which made the sale even better.
Making money on their first day on the island felt like a great start.
As night fell, they said goodbye to Song Jing and returned to their rental house. Song Jing, meanwhile, headed back to his dormitory with bags full of goodies.
The moment he opened the door, he was met with the wide-eyed stares of his curious roommates.
Song Jing looked at them expressionlessly. “What’s wrong with your faces? Cramping?”
His roommates grinned mischievously. “Hey, Captain Song, was that your sister?”
Being his roommates, they knew more about Song Wei. Ever since Song Jing had returned from visiting home, he couldn’t go ten sentences without mentioning his sister.
“You just got back from leave a few months ago. Why is your sister visiting again?”
“We heard you went gathering seafood. Did your sister really catch a 20-plus jin grouper on her first day?”
“What did your sister bring you this time?”
Song Jing put his bags down. “She’s engaged. There wasn’t much to do in the Northeast this winter, so she came to visit me.”
“Oh, so that guy with her was her fiancé? He looked pretty intimidating. Your sister’s taste seems questionable.”
“What if he turns out to be abusive?”
“He must’ve been in the army too. He looked like one of us.”
Song Jing ignored their comments. “She brought me some cured meat. Tomorrow, we’ll have it in the mess hall.”
His roommates cheered. “Bring some vegetables too. Hey, there’s dried mushrooms in your bag—we can use those!”
Back at the rental house, Song Wei sorted through the seafood they had collected. She picked out a few fish and boiled them simply, without adding any salt.
The two wolf cubs sat nearby, eagerly clutching their bowls.
As soon as Song Wei turned off the stove, the cubs placed their bowls at her feet.
“Go eat outside,” she instructed.
Obediently, they picked up their bowls and trotted out.
The fish meat was tender and flavorful, even without seasoning. The milky-white fish soup and meat were poured into the bowls. With few bones to worry about, the wolves quickly devoured their meals with loud chomping noises. It was clear they loved the fish.
Lin Zhen and Heidan, meanwhile, placed the clams in fresh water to purge the sand, planning to cook them the next day.
Having made money on their first day, Heidan was brimming with excitement. He shouted that he would go fishing tomorrow and catch a big fish to sell.
Lin Zhen ruffled his hair. “Just be careful. Don’t wander too close to the water.”
“I know, I’m not stupid,” Heidan replied, rubbing his head.
By the end of the day, news of Song Jing’s sister visiting had spread among those who knew him.
With her striking looks, Song Wei made an impression. Whenever she stood next to Song Jing, the unmarried soldiers couldn’t help but steal glances at her.
When they heard she was already engaged, many sighed in regret.
Captain Song hid it really well. They didn’t even know he had such a beautiful sister. It’s a pity that she belongs to someone else.
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