A small plot of land in a mountain village

Chapter 39 Picking Water Chestnuts and Eating Raw Shrimp

Looking at the bamboo house that had sprung up before him, Zhang Niu felt a surge of excitement. Although he hadn't participated in its construction, it was undeniable that the bamboo house was built on his contracted land.

After work, Brother Ma shamelessly took the leftover plum wine from Zhang Niu's place from the previous night home. He made it sound nice, but really it was so he could enjoy it at home.

Brother Ma, having taken the plum wine, sped away in his utility vehicle. After everyone had left, Zhang Niu climbed the bamboo ladder himself. Standing before the bamboo fence, he saw the pond directly in front of him. It seemed building here was much better than on that empty space. He certainly had good taste. Once spring arrived and willows were planted, the willow catkins would flutter in the wind—a truly beautiful sight.

It took a whole week of work. Several thousand kilograms of bamboo. Three adjacent bamboo houses stand by the pond. From a distance, they all look a bit like small villas in the city.

The three bamboo houses cost nearly 30,000 yuan, not including the bamboo and other materials. Brother Ma was easy to talk to, saying he'd cut some down, but wanted to prepare a few more bottles of plum wine. Zhang Niu rolled his eyes; this guy seemed to be addicted. His skin was really thick. Brother Ma chuckled.

The bamboo house was built. Zhang Niu went to another village and bought about ten bamboo beds. A bamboo house and bamboo beds make a perfect pair. The newly built bamboo house still had a fresh bamboo scent. He opened all the doors and windows to let in some fresh air. It should be ready for people to move in in a few days.

Zhang Niu was resting in the afternoon when he was awakened by a clear laugh. It turned out that his younger sister was playing with the "little one".

"Brother, why do we have another little black dog?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Niu Niu, do you like it? How about I have Xiao Hei keep you company often from now on?" Zhang Niu said shamelessly.

The little girl shook her head. "No, I still prefer the little one."

Ever since the first time she met "Little Dot," Little Sister and Little Dot have been inseparable. They're always together, either teasing the little turtle or bullying the wild boar cubs. Whenever Little Sister comes over, the wild boar cubs in the house run away, and the little turtle sneaks back to the pond. She's acting like a little devil.

"Brother, are you free today? Niu Niu wants to pick water chestnuts. Can I?" She looked at Zhang Niu pitifully.

She gently tapped her little sister's nose. "You're such a glutton. No wonder you came here today. You wanted to eat water chestnuts, huh?"

"Bad brother, that's not true."

"I'm free today. How about I pick some water chestnuts for you? You should thank me then."

She threw herself into Zhang Niu's arms. She smelled sweet.

He went into the inner room and retrieved a plastic basin. It would be easy to place in the water to collect the water chestnuts; the basin wouldn't sink. He grabbed his younger sister, called "King Kong," and together they charged towards the water chestnut pond.

In early autumn, water chestnuts ripen in abundance. The village children would find a bamboo pole, tie a thick wire to the end, and stand on the bank to pull up whole bunches of water chestnuts. The ponds where water chestnuts are harvested are usually about 1.7 or 1.8 meters deep, and filled with a lot of aquatic plants. So, to prevent the children from drowning, their families always warned them. If they wanted to eat them, they could only use a bamboo pole to scoop some out.

There are many varieties of water chestnuts, generally including red, green, two-horned, and four-horned varieties. In Zhangniu's area, the most common are four-horned water chestnuts, with forked tips at both ends. Eating more water chestnuts can nourish the spleen and stomach, and strengthen the body. Most importantly, eating more won't cause weight gain. Zhangniu prefers to eat them raw, for their crisp texture. Stir-frying them with diced meat is also a good option.

The abandoned ponds outside the village are teeming with water chestnuts. The surface of the small ponds is completely covered by pale green water chestnut leaves, leaving no gaps. Therefore, these ponds are devoid of fish. The only fish found are small wild fish like white-eyed catfish and triangular bream. Larger fish suffer from oxygen deprivation in bad weather; without space to rise to the surface, they suffocate.

Zhang Niu chose a pond near the village. When he arrived, many children were already harvesting water chestnuts, and in the center of the pond, someone was using an inflatable tire to paddle into the water, constantly grabbing water chestnut leaves by hand. The iron basin on top of the tire looked quite full.

Zhang Niu was preparing to go into the water to pick the berries. That would be more efficient. He took off his pants, handed them to the younger woman, and said, "Keep a close eye on these pants. Don't lose them," before walking into the pond.

Carry a thick bamboo pole into the water. This pond is steep. The banks are slippery, so it's good to have a bamboo pole for support. Usually, you won't need it. Just be careful and you'll be fine.

The children had mostly harvested all the water chestnuts from the outer edge of the pond. They ate them raw and didn't take them home. They come here to harvest water chestnuts whenever they have free time. Today happens to be Saturday and Sunday.

Even at midday, it still felt chilly in the water. It was probably because the water chestnut leaves were covering them. If you lifted the leaves, you could see several water chestnuts hanging underneath, a tender green color. You can tell if a water chestnut is ripe by tapping it with your finger; a tender water chestnut will bulge when pressed.

The forked ends of the raw water caltrop are not hard. They only become hard after cooking. Zhang Niu broke off the two pointed ends with his hands. Then, with a forceful snap, he broke the water caltrop apart, revealing the tender white flesh. He put it in his mouth, and it tasted crisp and slightly astringent.

Zhang Niu has now walked into waist-deep water. He occasionally gets tangled in the water plants below, and if he's not careful, he'll fall to the surface. The further in he goes, the larger the water chestnuts become, with thick, firm fruits. When cooked, they won't be a soft, mushy mess.

Zhang Niu, who had been feeling chilly in the water, gradually warmed up after searching for water chestnuts for a while. The warmth made him feel comfortable all over.

The sun is high in the sky. The temperature is rising, and more villagers are coming to pick water chestnuts. Just a moment ago there were only a few people, but now there are enough to form a mahjong table.

"Zhang Niu, how's the picking going?"

Looking up, he saw that Fusheng, who was picking water chestnuts in the middle of the water, was not far in front of him.

"Not bad, not as much as you. I reckon I could easily pick a basketful." He replied with a laugh.

"You pick more. I'm going up first. My back is getting numb from sitting up there picking for so long." He paddled the water chestnuts towards the shore. Judging by the basin, there must be at least twenty pounds of water chestnuts! Looks like he really had a good harvest.

With one less person, Zhang Niu picked the water chestnuts smoothly even at the very back, and the basin was already almost half full. Picking a little more would probably be enough for them. These water chestnuts are only good for the first few times they're cooked. After that, the taste isn't as good.

As he turned over another water chestnut leaf, a translucent pond shrimp leaped out of the water. Its two small pincers reached for Zhang Niu's fingers, seemingly disturbing his rest.

The pond shrimp's attack was nothing to Zhang Niu. He easily caught one in his hand. Goodness! It was quite big, about the thickness of a thumb. It looked very appetizing. Eating pond shrimp raw was a piece of cake for Zhang Niu, who grew up in this village. What child hadn't eaten them when they were little? Let alone the daring ones who swallowed small loaches whole.

Grabbing the shrimp by the head, he peeled away its shell from the tail, segment by segment, until he reached the seam near the head. The translucent shrimp meat was revealed before Zhang Niu. He took a bite. A faint, slightly fishy smell filled his mouth. After the fishy smell subsided, a hint of sweetness followed.

He finished the rest in a few bites. He left a shrimp head, which Zhang Niu tossed far away. He licked his lips. If there was some soy sauce, it would taste even better.

First update. Sorry for the mistake in yesterday's chapter title; it's been corrected. This chapter is being heavily promoted on the urban fiction platform. I hope everyone will give it more recommendations and add it to their favorites.