Chapter 82: Who Made Them Classified As Aquatic Products?
Lu Qiaoge originally wanted to lie down comfortably for a while, but still decided to push her bicycle to the lakeside.
Because she rode too fast on the road and didn’t avoid the mud pits, the bicycle was covered in mud.
Most importantly, Hua Hua said the old turtle asked her to go to the lakeside when she had time these few days, as it had something for her.
Just right now Director Hu had given her a short break, so she simply went to Hongxing Lake to see if the old turtle was just bored or really had something.
Since she was going to the lakeside, she couldn’t go empty-handed; she had to bring a bucket and net bag. Hua Hua, who had habits like the squirrel, was currently storing dried small fish for the winter.
So far, only six had been stored.
Hua Hua’s goal was to fill up the basket specially set aside for its dried fish.
Lu Qiaoge wasn’t optimistic. Winters in the north, especially in this era, basically had nothing good to eat besides cabbage, radish, and potatoes. When the time came, humans and cats might end up fighting over them.
Xiao Si insisted on pushing the cart. Lu Qiaoge didn’t stop him. She told Grandmother, put on her straw hat, and went out. The calico cat excitedly jumped into Lu Qiaoge’s arms, insisting she hold it.
The weather was so hot, Lu Qiaoge didn’t want to hold it, but she couldn’t let it know, so she asked: “Can you squat on the handlebars?”
Hua Hua wagged its tail. What do you mean “can”? Little master, you’re looking down upon me too much.
Hua Hua agilely jumped up and steadily squatted on the handlebars.
Lu Qiaoge looked at the front of the bicycle, and a flash of inspiration hit her. Oh right, no wonder she always felt something was missing.
She needed to find an opportunity to weld on a bicycle basket; that would be much more convenient.
Current bicycles basically all had bells, and pressing them made a pleasant ding-ding-ding sound.
The calico cat squatted on the handlebars, pawing at the bell. Every time it rang, it happily meowed meow meowed.
Unexpectedly, at the crossroads, she saw Mu Dan riding a bicycle coming this way.
A very enthusiastic and straightforward female comrade.
Lu Qiaoge had a very good impression of her.
She hurriedly stopped to greet her, not expecting Mu Dan to be specifically coming to find her.
Lu Qiaoge told Xiao Si to wait for her under the shade across the street, while she stood there talking with Mu Dan.
Mu Dan said with a beaming smile: “I came precisely for the flaky pastry matter. That day, didn’t I recommend it to Team Leader Song of the food group? She asked me to find you and ask: if it’s always this quality, and if the department store wants goods, what method can you use to guarantee supply?”
Lu Qiaoge’s eyes lit up, practically jumping up: “Sister Mu, as long as the department store guarantees the order, I’ll set up a team specifically for producing flaky pastries. Rest assured, quality guaranteed, hygiene guaranteed, procedures complete!”
Then she sincerely expressed gratitude: “No matter if it works out or not, I have to thank you, Sister Mu.”
Mu Dan: “Thank me for what? Your sister-in-law’s flaky pastries are tastier than the food factory’s; that’s a fact. I just made the connection.”
Then she said to Lu Qiaoge: “I’ve delivered the message, so I’m off.”
This person was also straightforward in her actions; she got on her bicycle and soon vanished like a shadow.
Lu Qiaoge thought for a moment, but still went to Hongxing Lake.
She needed to think about the flaky pastry matter, but had to wait until sister-in-law came back to ask her opinion before deciding.
At the lakeside, she first washed the bicycle clean, then placed it on the steps to dry.
Lu Qiaoge had Lu Xiaosi, whose condition had clearly improved, stand at the lakeside and show himself to the old turtle that had crawled over.
The old turtle naturally said he was much better. Seeing it had something to say, Lu Qiaoge called over the expert grass carp at catching fish and sent Xiao Si off to catch fish and shrimp over there.
Only then did the old turtle slowly say to Lu Qiaoge: 【I haven’t been to the deepest place in Hongxing Lake, but I’ve heard there are a few enormous pikes there. Not many in number, but the biggest one should be over three meters long, having lived for more than seventy years. Their domain has lots of gold nuggets and jewelry, just like the iron box in the reed marsh—all sunk down. But it’s unknown if humans deliberately sank them or if a ship sank causing it. It’s said there’s an undercurrent there that even divers can’t reach.】
Lu Qiaoge stared in shock, eyes wide. Gold nuggets and jewelry at the lake bottom?
“Didn’t you see Representative Qin diving? That was the place with the sunk steel ingots, wasn’t that the center of the lake?”
The old turtle, lazily sunning itself, rolled its eyes—something like that, anyway.
【The center of the lake is a huge area, okay? The place Representative Qin went to was the water area he measured as hiding steel ingots, which is far from the pikes. I haven’t exchanged with the pikes, so I don’t know the specifics, but I’ve heard the local fishery company is negotiating with the military factory to get back the rights to Hongxing Lake, planning to vigorously develop the fishing industry.】
Lu Qiaoge’s thoughtful glance met the old turtle’s small mung bean eyes.
The military factory has no fishery company, and Hongxing Lake should rightfully belong to local management.
But because it’s within the military factory’s area, it was assigned to the military factory.
Now the fishery company wants to take back the rights to Hongxing Lake and vigorously develop capture fishing?
Actually, no problem, but the problem still arises.
Lu Qiaoge asked the old turtle: “Is this the matter you wanted to talk to me about?”
The old turtle looked at Lu Qiaoge very seriously and said: 【All things have their inevitable karma. For example, if the fishery company really succeeds in taking back Hongxing Lake, they’ll immediately start capture fishing. As for breeding, that’ll only come after they’ve fished us water products clean.】
The old turtle’s tone carried some helplessness and sadness.
Humans are their natural enemies, and now with mechanized equipment, catching fish is even easier.
Even those few fierce pikes might not escape the fishery company’s massive capture, let alone it and its little friends.
It meant nothing else, just purely glanced at Lu Xiaosi happily catching rice fish.
This is the essence of nature—no one’s to blame. Who told them to be classified as water products? Especially it—its end is a pot of turtle soup said to prolong life.
Lu Qiaoge pondered for a moment: “So what do you mean?”
The old turtle’s mung bean eyes darted around, but in the end it still sighed: 【If the military factory is truly for unity, it’ll return Hongxing Lake to the local side. You’re just a little neighborhood committee mediator—how could you possibly turn Hongxing Lake into your own? Even if heaven gave you the ability to understand our language.】
Lu Qiaoge narrowed her eyes, her glance turning somewhat sinister.
This old turtle was being passive-aggressive with her, right?
Deliberately getting her to come, then telling her not only the reed marsh has a box, but some area in the center of the lake has a large amount of gold nuggets and jewelry?
Truly sly as an old fox, crafty as an old horse, toothless but wily as an old rabbit.
It had really become a spirit!
No, it could play mind games with her, so it definitely had become a spirit.
Lu Qiaoge suddenly remembered something and asked: “Right, when I wasn’t around, could you understand other water products talking?”
Old turtle: 【……】
Just a while ago it was calling us little cuties, now suddenly water products?
It had no choice but to reply: 【I don’t know why either, but recently when you weren’t around, I could communicate with the big carp and grass carp.】
Lu Qiaoge stroked its turtle shell, then slowly said: “What you said is right. Don’t say I’m just a little mediator—even if I were factory director or secretary, I have no right or qualification to own Hongxing Lake. It’s the country’s, got it?”
It’s almost the end of the month, I’m here begging for the monthly passes in my little cuties’ hands. Thanks to every treasure who reads, thanks for every monthly pass, thanks for the treasures’ support. Love you all~
