"I saw more fish today than I'd seen in my whole life," Li Anguo said, eating a steamed bun. "First time I've seen this reservoir drained to the bottom. Who knew there'd be so many fish..."
"Brother Long, have we caught two tonnes this time?" Tao Daqiang asked.
With so many people, they had split into two groups to eat. Li Long sat with the younger men, with Tao Daqiang, Yang Yongqiang, and Li Junshan all together.
"We have, but we're still a long way off," Li Long said. "With all the fish on the bottom of this lake, we ought to get seven or eight tonnes at least. Ten would be even better."
Of course, that was only wishful thinking. Getting two tonnes of fish in one morning was already very good. In fact, it was more than that; they had barely counted the fish beside Tao Daqiang and Yang Yongqiang's carts.
The people who had come from the village passed by in a steady stream, most carrying a sack of fish on their backs, planning to take them home and have lunch while they were there.
While running around gathering fish in the icy mud, they had not felt it, but once they stopped, they realized just how much energy it took.
"Xiao Long, I saw you buying fish from people in those other production teams. What are you paying?" someone could not help asking Li Long.
Holding his steamed bun, Li Long said:
"One mao a kilo, for the big fish. We're not taking the little crucian carp."
"Oh." Hearing the price, the man said nothing more and headed home with his fish on his back.
"They think they're losing out," Yang Yongqiang said quietly. "Fish sells for seven or eight mao in the team, but we're