When Li Long got home, Tao Daqiang was already in the yard.
He had started clearing the nets after breakfast. By the time he finished, it was almost noon, so he had gone home to cook. After eating with his father, he had hurried over to the Li family's home.
"Brother Long, are we setting the nets this afternoon?"
"Yes," Li Long told Tao Daqiang. "Six nets again today. You did a good job clearing them this morning."
"Heh, heh." Tao Daqiang gave an honest, simple grin.
"There's something I should tell you in advance." As Li Long sorted out the nets, he told Tao Daqiang, "In a few days, our team will send ten people into the mountains to weave Taibazi—the work the Sideline Team does. I spoke to the director and had you added. Get some things ready over the next couple of days. Bedding, dry rations, tools—you'll need to prepare all of those. Your dad should know something about it. Ask him what you need to bring."
"Okay-but Brother Long, what about catching fish..." Tao Daqiang was torn. Li Long had arranged for him to join the Sideline Team, so naturally he was willing, but once he left, no one would be here to clear the nets.
"I'm going into the mountains too, to hunt and such," Li Long said, checking the tire. "I'm the one who found this job, so I need to check the quality of the Taibazi being woven."
"That's good, then. That's good." Tao Daqiang smiled again.
The two of them took the tire and nets to Little Haizi.
As before, Li Long sat in the tire and used the paddling board to go out and set the nets. Tao Daqiang watched from shore without blinking, hoping to learn this skill of Brother