Not long after lunch, Tao Daqiang arrived. Li Long hadn't expected him to be so eager, but thinking of what the water rats were worth, he took his Iron Spade and headed to Little Haizi with Tao Daqiang, bringing the nets and tire.
"Daqiang, here's five yuan from yesterday's fish." Li Long handed Tao Daqiang a five-yuan note. "Take it."
Tao Daqiang was about to refuse again when Li Long said:
"We settled this already. The water rats from the time before last cleared your debt. Take this money, or it'll be hard for us to split the money later."
Only then did Tao Daqiang accept it. He folded it in half and tucked it into his inner pocket with a sheepish grin, then patted the pocket to make sure it wouldn't fall out.
"Let's set the nets before checking for water rats," Li Long said, looking over the water. "I wouldn't feel safe leaving the nets here, and carrying them around would be a nuisance."
"Brother Long, whatever you say!" Tao Daqiang naturally had no objection.
Li Long put the tire in the water, sat on it with the sack, and paddled toward the place where he had first set his nets after returning from the mountains. Then he began setting them.
He had brought only six nets today, mainly because he planned to sell the fish tomorrow, then go to the Purchasing Station to sell the pelts and musk from the two batches of water rats.
Once all six nets were set, Li Long paddled the tire back to shore. As Tao Daqiang pulled him up, he said:
"Brother Long, I don't think there are any more water rat burrows on the east bank. Should we try the north side?"
"Not the north." Li Long waved a hand.