The Game of Life

The honest man Jiang Feng launched a fierce counterattack against his three cousins after dinner.

Rushing to the kitchen, he yelled, “Grandpa, I’m coming to help!”

After getting scolded by Sir Jiang, he still stubbornly stayed put and was assigned by Sir Jiang to marinate the meat.

With this natural barrier set up by Sir Jiang, the two cousins dared not ask Jiang Feng for help with their homework. They began to single out the other three cousins one by one until all three were defeated in rapid succession, surrendering their weapons and resigning themselves to fate, going to help the two cousins with their homework.

Each one experienced what it felt like to be attacked from a distance, but overwhelmed up close.

It wasn’t until late evening that the five Jiang brothers returned one after another, laden with their haul. The “three no-touch” dishes had cooled down and their texture wasn’t as good as before.

Jiang Jiankang, with his sweet tooth, finished his portion and still wanted more. He asked the same fatal question as Jiang Junqing, “Dad, are we making this tomorrow night?”

Sir ignored him and told him to wash the pig’s intestines.

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. The ingredients for the evening’s New Year’s Eve dinner were mostly prepared, except for the extra-large “fatty” fish from the pond that Jiang Jiankang and Jiang Jiandang talked about.

Early the next morning, everyone in the village went to the fishpond to drain the water and catch fish. Each family sent one person, armed with a net to scoop the fish.

The fishpond had been neglected for seven or eight years, likely harboring quite a few large fish.

On New Year’s Eve, having “fish every year” represents a good omen, so each family sent their strongest men.

When it came to the Jiang family, however, it was a bit difficult to choose.

When it came to size, physique, appearance, and robustness, probably no one could compare with Jiang Jianguo. But Jiang Jiandang and Jiang Jiankang, in their desire to catch that “fatty” fish, had stood guard by the pond for more than half a month and still hadn’t caught it. They were very eager to find the fish themselves.

However, the fact that these two had failed to catch a single fish in half a month spoke volumes about their fishing skills.

In the end, the chosen one was still Jiang Jianguo.

Fishing in the pond during the dead of winter was a physical challenge. Although most of the water in the pond had been drained, stepping into it still felt bone-chillingly cold. Jiang Jianguo changed into his clothes and before he went down, Jiang Jiandang repeatedly reminded him.

“Big brother, that “fatty” fish weighs at least over 30 pounds, maybe even close to 4.0 pounds. It’s massive! The third brother and I have encountered it several times, but each time it has evaded us. I think it’s almost become cunning. You must find it!” Jiang Jiandang said.

“If it’s 40 pounds, that’s really big. The flesh might be tough, and the chopped chili fish head might not taste good, right?” Jiang Jianguo’s concern was also very practical.

“That’s for ordinary “fatties”. This one is different,” analyzed Jiang Jiankang.

“I feel like that fish almost recognizes me and the second brother by now. It might have really turned cunning, so the flavor is definitely going to be good!” Jiang Jianguo: ???

Had his two brothers turned silly from trying to catch fish?

With the entrustment and hopes from his two younger brothers, Jiang Jianguo got into the pond.

As the fishpond hadn’t been cleaned for seven or eight years, the varieties of fish were very complex, mainly because everyone was quite casual about it. You would add some fish fry, I would add some; nobody cared much about whether they lived or died.

Carp and grass carp were naturally the most abundant. Yep, the “fatties”, or the silver carp, were also plenty, and there were other miscellaneous small fish. Jiang Feng even saw someone catch shrimp, yellow catfish, loach, and eels, and even turtles hidden in holes and crabs were found.

Jiang Jianguo kept searching for that cunning “fatty” fish mentioned by his two brothers in the pond. Logically, since the water had almost been drained, such a big fish should be conspicuous, but Jiang Jianguo couldn’t find it after a lap around the pond, and neither had anyone else.

There were big fish, but they were all grass carps, not the massive “fatties” his brothers spoke of.

“Big brother, why haven’t you found it yet?” Jiang Jiandang was getting a little anxious on the shore.

“It shouldn’t be, such a big fellow, it should be obvious at first glance!” Jiang Jiankang was puzzled as well, “Did it really turn into a spirit and dig a hole to hide in?”

Suddenly, a cry of astonishment burst from the crowd on the shore.

Butcher Wang, the pro at slaughtering pigs, scooped up a massive blackfish that weighed a good seven or eight jin, but for some reason, it was injured. Otherwise, even if the pond was drained, it would have been a tough battle to catch it.

“My, my, that’s one hefty blackfish,” Jiang Jiankang exclaimed. For a wild blackfish to grow to seven or eight jin, it must have eaten hundreds of jin of other fish in the pond.

“Wait, the bighead carp that Second Brother caught couldn’t have been eaten by this one, could it?” Jiang Jiankang gasped with alarm.

“No way, no way, that big fella could probably beat this blackfish,” Jiang Jiandang reassured himself.

The two brothers stood on the bank analyzing the situation, paying more attention to the blackfish Butcher Wang had scooped up than to Jiang Jianguo in the fish pond.

Suddenly, an intense cheer erupted from the crowd.

“Well done, Jianguo!”

“Good boy, you caught such a big fish!”

“My, my, how many jin does this fish weigh!”

“Only Zhuangshi Jianguo could haul up such a big fish!”

Jiang Jiankang and Jiang Jiandang swiftly turned around to see Jiang Jianguo head to toe, including mud in his hair from the bottom of the pond, with a basket for carrying fish on his left hand and a net for scooping fish on his right. The basket wasn’t full, but clearly visible inside was a turtle trying to climb out, while the net held the very bighead carp that haunted the brothers’ dreams.

The fish didn’t move, seemingly stunned.

The brothers quickly took over the items and helped pull Jiang Jianguo ashore; he had suffered enough treading water for so long. Under the bighead carp, it really seemed to weigh 40 jin.

“Second Brother, Third Brother, you’re not wrong to say that this fish might really be a spirit. It actually hid in a hole at the bottom of the pond. If I hadn’t spotted its tail, I would have really missed it,” Jiang Jianguo reflected. “It’s really strong. If I hadn’t been quick-eyed and quick-handed and found a rock to stun it, it would have gotten away.”

“Let’s just cookit when we get back. I’ll deliver it to Third Uncle first,” Jiang Jiankang said joyfully as he ran off with the fish.

Jiang Feng, who had witnessed the entire process: …

No matter how clever and close to becoming a spirit you are, what can you do?

In the end, you’re still destined to become a dish on the Jiang Family’s New Year’s Eve dinner.

“Jianguo, you’re not fishing anymore?” someone asked.

“Not anymore, not anymore,” said Jiang Jianguo, lifting his foot, “I’m going backto take a bath. Caught a big one, and snagged a turtle, that’s enough!”

” Feng, you go back first and help Uncle draw some water. With this weather, it’s going to take a while before the hot water comes out,” said Jiang Jianguo, obviously intending to go back for a shower.

“Alright,” said Feng, dashing home.

*Are you guys devils?

I specifically chose a prompt without images, yet you all still solve it cheerfully….

I originally planned to write about the Jiang Family’s New Year’s Eve on New Year’s Eve itself, but… alas, it seems my skill at writing duds is lacking, I just can’t water it down TAT