Chapter 132 [I am different]

   "Well, thank you for your hard work." Hearing what the boatman said, Fang Chang nodded.

  Zhou Changduo quickly said: "No hard work, no hard work, it should be done, and the road here is smooth and smooth, the boat is very light, and it doesn't take much effort."

  Fang Chang picked up the bowl and continued to eat breakfast.

  The rice used to cook porridge is new this year. The rice in Lianzhou is very good. Before the boatman put the rice into the pot, Fang Chang saw that the rice was pounded very carefully, and the grains were crystal clear, long and plump.

  Wash the rice, put it in the pot and boil it until it blooms. It tastes soft and smooth, and there is a fragrance of rice, which makes people very comfortable.

  The pickles were pickled by Zhou Changduo himself, and they were placed in a large pottery jar in the corner of the cabin, and they were eaten by slicing.

  The deep orange pickle strips are cut into uniform thickness and placed in a small plate with a few drops of sesame oil sprinkled on top. Under the sun shining in from the window, it shines attractively. It goes well with white rice porridge and goes well with rice.

  Zhou Changduo told Fang Chang that this small dried salted fish is also made by himself. Every time he fishes, there will be some small ones left over. Some of the more delicious varieties are taken, steamed with salt, and dried in the air.

  Although it is slightly hard and has thorns, it tastes delicious, and the hard thorns are not a problem for Fang Chang—he can even chew on steel ingots.

  As a passenger, Fang Chang also had an extra boiled egg.

  The eggs are laid by domestic chickens, with red skins, and the heat is just right. After peeling, the egg whites are springy and tender, and the yolks are soft and orange-red.

  Across the dining table, the young Zhou Fan was sitting next to his father, drinking his own bowl of porridge. He said he was a boy, but in fact he was only eleven or twelve years old, he was still a child.

   It's just that in this era, everything in life is early, sensible early, work early, start a family early, and it is estimated that in three or four years at most, Zhou Fan will also have a family.

  Looking at the young man's thin and thin body, Fang Chang put half of the egg he broke in his hand into his bowl, and said, "I can't finish it, this is for you."

  The boatman Zhou Changduo next to him looked at it, said nothing, and continued to drink porridge.

  The young man was a little embarrassed, but he still thanked him. Fang Chang waved his hand, and the three of them worked together to clean up the porridge in the pot.

  ...

  After dinner, Zhou Changrudder went to pick up the boat, returned to the center of the river, and sailed down the river.

  Chang Fang sat on the bow of the boat, looking at the sparkling river surface in the morning sun, and the occasional boats passing by.

Towering boats are towering and show off their power, which are used by wealthy people; boats with two or three masts are covered with tarpaulins and have a deep draft, which is the main force for carrying goods; Two nearby fishermen are working.

   Zhou Changrudder is an experienced sailor, he keeps the sail very stable, no matter what direction the river wind changes, he can let the fishbone-like sail borrow the wind.

  The boat was sailing fast as if it were gliding on the river.

  At the ship's side, Zhou Fan, a young man, stared intently at several fishhooks, and when there was any obvious movement, he stepped forward to retract and throw the catch into the bilge.

  Occasionally, he still looked at the fish in front, estimated the distance, cast the small net on the boat and threw it down, and picked up a bag of various aquatic creatures.

  Fang Chang looked at Jiang Mian for a while, then turned his gaze back to Zhou Fan.

  When the boy caught the fourth big fish, he asked aloud, "Do you usually do this every day?"

Zhou Fan quickly picked the fish off and threw it into the bilge, then turned his head and said to the other party, "Well, it's not like this every day, only when I'm carrying passengers, I fish like this and cast a net like this, when I usually fish, I want to fish with my father. Cast the big nets together, that one catches the fish faster. But with the big nets, I don’t have time to use the hooks.”

"tired?"

"I'm not tired. I've seen this since I was a child, and I've been doing it together since I grew up. I've been used to it for a long time." The boy said, "My father said that most of the fish I participated in catching will be saved for me to marry after I sell it." Daughter-in-law, but he will take out 10% and let me save it for myself and do something I want to do."

   "Ha, yes, what are you going to use it for?"

  The boy said with some high spirits: "Many people around me are like this. Many people who are about my age also have ample pocket money. But those boys mostly use it to buy meat or snacks. I am different."

  Looking at the other party's expression, Fang Chang laughed dumbly: "Why is it different?"

  Zhou Fan straightened his chest and said, "I am a person with ideals."

   "Oh?" Fang Chang asked with great interest, "This word is rare... What is your ideal?"

"I want to read." The young man said solemnly, "there are several schools in the city, and I have already inquired about the cost. In two months, I will be able to save enough money to study and buy books and ink, so that I can go to Study in the school for a year and a half to learn some characters."

   "It's really a good ideal." Fang Chang praised, "And then, what are you going to do after school?"

   "Of course I came back to go fishing." The boy Zhou Fan said as a matter of course.

  Fang Chang: "..."

  Seeing that Fang Chang sitting on the bow did not speak, Zhou Fan explained to him:

   "My father is getting older and older, the family boat must always be inherited by someone, and the family must have food, so fishing is a must."

   "Besides, I went to school just to learn how to read, not to go to the imperial examination to become an official."

   This reason is very simple, Fang Chang nodded, but he also understood.

  Beside him, Zhou Changrudder, who was adjusting the sail direction, interjected after hearing the conversation between the two: "The guest is laughing, this child is actually bewitched."

   "Oh? Why did you say that?" Fang Chang was surprised.

"It's not a bad thing," Zhou Changduo said, "About this time last year, there was a person who lived around us for a while, and talked to children about the benefits and uses of literacy. Many children in the neighborhood I listened to them all, but Fan’er is the one who sails at home.”

   "Suddenly one day, that person suddenly disappeared, and his luggage was not packed. This incident somehow alarmed many people. Someone who was full of Taoism told us that that person might be a demon, and he was a great demon."

  The boy next to him was a little anxious:

   "Father, but what he said is indeed reasonable, the world is still the most reasonable."

  The boatman shrugged:

   "I can't say that well. In short, if you feel that there is no problem, just do it. Going to school is not a bad thing. And people with knowledge say so, and it makes sense to think about him."

   "It's just that I still have to save money to marry you a wife. I have no ability to support your studies, so I can only rely on you to save money." Speaking of this, Zhou Changduo's expression was a little sad.

  Zhou Fan quickly comforted: "It's actually pretty good, Dad, you gave me all the money you sold, and I can save enough in two months."

  Fang Chang adjusted his sitting posture on the bow, and smiled at the two:

   "I have some knowledge. From my point of view, what that person said is really good. Even if you don't take the imperial examination, literacy is a good thing. It will benefit you in this life. Not to mention that you can learn a lot without overwhelming yourself. This is also a skill."

  He then said to Zhou Fan:

   "Since you are eager to learn and I am happy to see you, then I will help you too."

   Thank you SSWG for your reward.

  

  

  (end of this chapter)