Although it was already late March, hints of green had appeared in the fields, and the ice had melted, the water in Little Haizi still felt icy to the touch. This time of year was different from winter. In winter, it was cold outside, and although the water temperature was low, it felt warmer than the air.
Now the air had warmed up. Li Long had taken off his padded coat and changed into a fleece top. With the sun shining on him, he did not feel cold at all, but getting into the water was another matter. The water was still only four or five degrees above freezing, and the cold cut right to the bone.
"Long, where do we set the nets?" Tao Daqiang had never set nets before and had no idea what techniques were involved.
"I'll check how deep it is first. We didn't bring an inner tube or wear waders, so we'll have to take off our trousers to set the nets in the water," Li Long said. "For now, we can only set them fairly close to shore. I remember there being a channel over there, dug out by a bulldozer during a low-water period. There's a shallow stretch beside it, probably a little over a meter deep."
Li Long only had a vague recollection now. He pointed and said:
"We'll head over that way and feel our way farther in. If there's a shallow stretch, we'll follow it and set the nets in the channel beside it. The water's different depths there, so there are bound to be fish below."
The two found a suitable spot, took off their trousers, and entered the water in their shoes and underpants.
The instant Li Long stepped into the water, he shuddered. This was no ordinary