The fishing net sank into the water.
The temperature on the ice was extremely low. Song Wei wore a military-green Lei Feng hat.
The hat belonged to Lin Zhen, and it was oversized.
It covered Song Wei’s entire head and half of her face.
She had to reach out occasionally to adjust it.
Her beautiful face appeared especially petite under the hat.
“It should be about time,” Song Wei said, glancing at her wristwatch.
“Alright, let’s pull up the net.”
The three of them grabbed the net and began hauling it out.
It was heavy.
The fish trapped in the net struggled fiercely, and the ice was slippery. If not for Song Wei’s almost superhuman strength, the three of them would never have managed to drag the net out of the water.
It took nearly half an hour to finally pull the net up. They even had to widen the hole in the ice to get it out.
In winter, few people came to this lake to fish. The ice was too thick, and without a net, who would go through the trouble of drilling a hole in the ice to fish in the dead of winter?
It was more trouble than it was worth—risking illness for a few small fish that wouldn’t even cover the cost of medicine.
But with a net, it was a different story. This was their first time net-fishing on the frozen lake, and the results were better than expected.
“There are three big ones, about the same size as the one I caught!”
The large fish weighed around ten pounds each, a size rarely seen even when fishing under normal circumstances. Yet today, they had netted three of them.
Aside from those three, the rest were at least three pounds each.
The net’s mesh was quite large, allowing smaller fish to slip through.
Lin Zhen smiled. “There are plenty of fish in this lake.”
“Wow, there’s something special here too.”
Once the net was opened, its contents were revealed, including a sizable turtle.
“This is great for nourishing the body. We’ll stew it when we get back.”
They estimated the catch to be at least eighty pounds.
“This should be enough, right?”
Lin Zhen nodded. “It’s enough.”
Even without the three big fish, it would have been sufficient.
It was a bountiful harvest. Since they had enough, there was no need to cast the net again.
Besides, the outdoor pond had frozen over in the cold weather, making it difficult to keep so many fish alive.
Fortunately, the wedding was tomorrow.
On the way back, Lin Zhen discussed with Song Jing.
“Let the brigade use this net. Our catch might attract unwanted attention. There are plenty of fish in the lake, and if everyone gets a share, no one will pay us any mind.”
Song Jing waved his hand. “I didn’t bring this net planning to take it back. It’s yours now. Do whatever you want with it.”
Lin Zhen didn’t stand on ceremony. “Alright, I won’t hesitate then.”
Carrying so many fish back, even in winter, drew everyone’s attention.
Especially since many people were already busy at Lin Zhen’s house preparing ingredients for the next day’s feast.
When they saw the massive haul of fish, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
“Good heavens! How did you get so many fish? Where did they come from?”
Lin Zhen held up the fishing net in his hand. “Brother Song brought this net from the fishermen in his area. We went to Reed Lake today to catch these fish.”
“Brother, why didn’t you call me? I could’ve helped too!”
When Jiang Wenyong heard they had gone to the lake to net fish, he was filled with regret. Why hadn’t they invited him? He really wanted to experience net fishing too!
Those three largest fish in the catch were especially eye-catching.
Lin Zhen said, “We have enough fish for the banquet tomorrow. After that, the net will be lent to the brigade. Brigade Leader, you can take everyone to go fishing.”
At these words, everyone present grew excited, their eyes lighting up.
Especially the young men.
Net fishing—it was something they had never done before. Just thinking about it thrilled them.
The brigade leader beamed, laughter lines creasing his face.
“Great, great! Thank you, Comrade Song!”
Song Jing was surrounded by grateful thanks, but he quickly clarified that it was Lin Zhen’s idea.
Net fishing would have to wait until at least the day after tomorrow. For now, everyone needed to focus on preparing for the banquet.
The fish had to be cleaned and processed. Lin Zhen and the others directly prepared a large ice bucket to store the cleaned fish, ready to be taken out for cooking the next day.
Even the fish entrails wouldn’t go to waste. Those who owned cats or dogs went home to fetch their chipped bowls, filling them with fish offal to feed their pets.
There was also half a side of pork, which Lin Zhen had managed to secure by using plenty of meat ration coupons and calling in favors.
Having just two meat dishes at a banquet was already considered lavish, and this pork could be used to prepare several dishes.
This level of abundance surpassed what many families enjoyed even during the New Year.
The children were the happiest to see so much meat and were already eagerly looking forward to the next day.
That night, Song Wei returned to the educated youth dormitory to sleep.
She woke up around four or five in the morning. By that time, the entire dormitory was already bustling with activity.
Song Jing had also arrived.
The girls began showcasing their skills, styling Song Wei’s hair and applying her makeup.
Song Wei naturally had good features, so she didn’t need heavy powder. She preferred a more natural look—the white powder was a bit too much for her taste.
“Zhao Zhiqing’s hairstyle was quite pretty before. Even though I don’t like her, she does know how to dress herself. I was inspired by her hairstyle when doing yours.”
Her hair was braided into a slightly languid updo at the back, which looked very elegant.
The updo was adorned with red flowers, crafted by the female educated youths under Bai Yunjiao’s guidance using leftover red fabric.
They looked quite realistic.
Though Song Wei’s face was petite, it was a classic oval shape with delicate, well-defined features that complemented the flowers beautifully.
She looked even more stunning.
Under her wedding attire, she wore warm layers, topped with a bright red trench coat.
It had been bought by Lin Zhen.
Even with the thick clothing, her naturally good figure shone through, and the trench coat enhanced her elegance.
Once she was fully dressed, the female educated youths were amazed.
“I want a trench coat like this for my wedding too. It’s so pretty—much nicer than wearing a red cotton-padded jacket.”
Song Wei replied, “But it’s a bit cold. Even someone with my physique feels chilly, let alone you all.”
Still, she would only wear it for a short while. After toasting at Lin Zhen’s place, she would change into her red padded jacket.
It was her wedding day, the one day to prioritize beauty over practicality. Given her good health, she chose elegance over warmth!
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