Chapter 83: Do You Have A Big Pond In Your Yard?
The old turtle fell silent.
As the highest-IQ creature in this body of water, it naturally knew Lu Qiaoge was telling the truth.
Suddenly, another silly voice came from the lakeside: 【Little fairy, you’re so smart, you should be able to think of a method to help us, right?】
This was the big carp’s voice.
Lu Qiaoge rolled her eyes too.
These aquatic products thought too highly of her.
She suggested to the old turtle, “How about I take you all home?”
The old turtle didn’t make a sound.
The big carp wagged its tail and innocently asked: 【Little fairy, does your family courtyard have a big pond?】
Lu Qiaoge: “……”
My home doesn’t have a big pond, my home has a large water basin!
But this was indeed a problem.
Lu Qiaoge thought for a moment, then still said to the old turtle, “Even the rural areas are now developing side businesses. Naturally, some industries in the city also need revenue generation. For example, the fishery company—if it wants revenue generation, besides fishing, that means aquaculture. But in the end, they still have to fish them out. Besides, the fishery company belongs to the country, so no matter what is fished out, it’s all the country’s.”
After a pause, Lu Qiaoge continued, “Most importantly, even if I fish out the iron box, no matter what’s inside, it can’t be mine personally—including the gold nuggets and jewelry you mentioned. So, after these things are fished out, this body of water will similarly not be peaceful.”
Knowing there’s treasure in the lake heart, but what reason do you have to fish it out?
The old turtle didn’t speak. Although its age was greater than Lu Qiaoge’s, it didn’t fully understand all these deceptions.
At this moment, the old turtle listened attentively.
Lu Qiaoge: “If that day really comes, I can only take the ones you know that I’m familiar with to the deep mountains as much as possible, find a body of water farther from humans, and let you continue your worry-free lives.”
These little things, before the fishery company came, the wise ones among them wouldn’t be caught.
So they indeed lived worry-free.
If they encountered particularly formidable ones and got eaten, so be it, but before that, they wouldn’t seek trouble themselves.
The old turtle thought for a long time and felt Lu Qiaoge was very right.
【If that day really comes, we’ll have to trouble you, little fairy.】
Even when asking humans for help, you have to say nice things.
Lu Qiaoge smiled: “You’re too polite. I still need to thank you and the big carp on behalf of my younger brother.”
The old turtle had no objections.
It enjoyed the comfortable energy coming from Lu Qiaoge’s palm, suddenly remembered something, and said to Lu Qiaoge: 【The fishery company has a deputy manager. A few days ago, he came here with several people to investigate. He also went alone to a spot by the lakeside. I heard the frog say that the man took out a piece of paper and looked at Hongxing Lake this way and that. When he heard someone calling him, he hurriedly stuffed the paper into his pocket.】
Lu Qiaoge was stunned for a moment. Her first reaction was that it was a treasure map?
That was too far-fetched.
“Frog, you can communicate with the frog. How come I never saw it?” Lu Qiaoge asked strangely.
The old turtle said: 【It didn’t know when you came and didn’t dare go to your home to find you. Even now, I haven’t seen it for two days.】
That made sense. Without speaking to the frog, she couldn’t build that wonderful connection with it.
But the information the frog mentioned earlier was actually very important.
Hongxing Lake had belonged to 516 for many years. Even if the place wanted revenue generation, it wasn’t necessarily Hongxing Lake for the time being.
There was just one point: starting from last year, management in many places wasn’t so strict.
Especially regarding population mobility.
In the early years, educated youth and non-city population were not allowed to stay in the city except for visiting relatives or major events.
Although it was still not allowed now, it was actually a state of turning a blind eye.
That was absolutely not allowed in the early years.
And now the loosened management was also signaling that many things could be done.
Just like the supplies trading fair organized by Lu Qiaoge, which proved to have absolutely no problems.
What about other activities?
Like sudden fishing?
But one point: no matter whether these treasures were sunk by people or from the sunken ship, judging from the deputy manager’s behavior, doesn’t it also mean he was in the know?
But these were all just guesses.
In Lu Qiaoge’s current situation, she didn’t even know who the fishery company deputy manager was.
Moreover, the negotiations between the place and the military factory weren’t something a little mediator like her could interfere with.
But after getting Lu Qiaoge’s guarantee, the old turtle wasn’t worried anymore.
It was just moving house anyway, nothing bad about that.
Meanwhile, Lu Qiaoge looked at the two small buckets full of fish and shrimp, took her younger brother and the cat home without any psychological burden.
Su Hui was cooking. Lu Qiaoge and Lu Qiaoling, who had just returned, cleaned the fish and shrimp together. The spirited ones were kept in the large water basin, and the wilted ones were eaten directly.
The Lu family dining table was already much more abundant, so although Old Lu and Lu Zhiguo didn’t come home for lunch, Old Mrs. Lu still had Su Hui make cornmeal pancakes. She made braised small fish, and egg drop soup was simmering in the small iron pot on the other side.
Lu Qiaoge cleaned the small fish very quickly and soon had half a basin ready.
The food store sold soybean paste that tasted very good.
So soon, the courtyard was filled with the aroma of the sauce.
The calico cat was different from the pampered cats of later generations; there was nothing it wouldn’t eat.
Corn cakes with braised small fish, it could devour half a basin too.
Lu Qiaoge looked at Hua Hua, who had gained a lap of fat, shooed it out for a walk, then told Su Hui about the news Mu Dan brought.
Su Hui looked at Lu Qiaoge in surprise: “Did Team Leader Mu say that for real?”
“It must be real. Why would she lie to me for no reason?”
Su Hui smiled embarrassedly. It was too unexpected, so she didn’t dare believe it.
“Qiao Ge, but I can’t do it alone.”
“Of course. That’s exactly what I’m discussing with you. Sister-in-law, do you want to wait a few years until individuals are allowed to do business and open a shop alone, or join the collective enterprise now in your personal capacity?”
Su Hui was startled: “Open a shop alone? How is that possible?”
Lu Qiaoge: “No one can say for sure about the future, so I have to put the ugly words upfront with you, lest after you join the collective, individuals can do business in the future and you regret it.”
Su Hui looked at Lu Qiaoge with surprise and doubt.
Her younger sister-in-law’s words were a bit too alarming. She hadn’t dared to think that deeply, so she didn’t consider it. Besides, there had been private businesses in previous years too, which she understood.
Su Hui immediately said: “Qiao Ge, if I really join the collective, I’ll thank you for a lifetime!”
Then she hurriedly added: “Do whatever you think is best, I’ll listen to you.”
Lu Qiaoge could guess Su Hui’s choice. She said: “I’ll go report to Director Hu this afternoon. If it works out, sister-in-law, even if you’re not a formal worker, you’ll be an educated youth worker in the big collective. You can settle your household registration and eat grain for sale.”
Even ten or twenty years later, people still preferred units with establishment.
Holding the iron rice bowl meant no worry about unemployment or no place to get salary for life.
Su Hui was so excited her hands trembled. Eating grain for sale was something she dreamed about!
