'So, my Talent only increased by a little, but it's this effective!'
Fang Yue strung the grass carp from the small pool onto a woven grass rope, then wrapped them tightly in lotus leaves.
Ever since his Talent had increased a little, Fang Yue noticed that his fishing technique hadn't improved instantaneously. But as he fished, his body naturally began to adapt, and his mind filled with all sorts of new insights.
These insights corrected his posture and eliminated unnecessary movements.
As a result, his fishing skill was improving at a visible rate.
And all of this was the direct result of that small increase in his Talent!
'The effect was immediate and significant!'
'Looks like I made the right choice focusing on fishing. The family shouldn't be short on meat from now on.'
Fang Yue thought for a moment and couldn't help but smile.
In these times, there was nothing that brought a greater sense of happiness and peace than a full stomach.
~~~~~~
It was just past noon, and the sun was beginning to beat down.
Leading the old water buffalo with one hand and carrying five grass carp with the other, he hurried home.
'Two fish for lunch today, and two for dinner.'
'One braised, one for soup, one roasted, and one steamed.'
'I caught so many this time, I have to try a few different ways to cook them.'
'Eating fish every day from now on should give us the nutrients we need.'
With these thoughts in mind, Fang Yue soon entered the village, his family's courtyard already visible in the distance.
Because he had caught several fish, Fang Yue hadn't taken his usual route.
Instead, he took a slight detour around the edge of the village.
Otherwise, if he ran into any clansmen, they would inevitably see the fish he was carrying.
Then, the question of whether or not to give them one would become a problem.
Catching a lot of fish... well, it had its own set of problems.
'Of course, it was a happy problem to have.'
After a few more steps, the sound of a young girl's cries came from up ahead.
"Mama, I'm hungry. Nu is so hungry."
"Nu, drink some water. Just lie down and don't move. You'll feel better when you wake up."
Fang Yue listened, his gaze falling upon a nearby courtyard even more dilapidated than his own.
A sparse fence encircled two small, thatched-roof huts.
'This is Widow Yu's home?'
Fang Yue's gaze passed through the gaps in the fence. There, under the eaves, he saw Widow Yu in a plain gray skirt, holding a girl of about five or six.
The Yu Family were outsiders who had settled in Da Liushu Village ten years ago.
Rumor had it their ancestors had included scholars and even high-ranking officials. But for some unknown reason, the family's fortunes declined, and they were eventually sentenced by the imperial court to exile in Da Liushu Village.
Their family had fallen from grace, and on top of that, they were outsiders.
They had originally been a family of three. Perhaps because they had never farmed before, life was incredibly difficult. A few years ago, the man of the Yu Family had even passed away from illness.
Only the widow and her orphan daughter were left.
Widow Yu was clearly different from the other village women. Her skin was much fairer, her rear was full and perfectly round, and her breasts, like a pair of large carp, jounced with her every move.
Fang Yue was a young man, full of virility—not like the clueless boy who'd previously inhabited this body.
Just those few glances were enough to get his blood pumping.
'Damn, what a body. No wonder some of the villagers say she drained her husband to death!'
'No wonder the man of the Yu Family was nothing but skin and bones when he died.'
'Even though Fang Yue prided himself on being 'worldly and experienced,' this was the first time he'd ever seen such an impossibly voluptuous figure in real life.'
'And what's more, this was the ancient world. This Widow Yu wasn't some product of cosmetic surgery; she was completely, one-hundred-percent natural.'
'To be built so extravagantly was truly astonishing.'
'Having a woman like that at home... she'd suck you dry, right down to the marrow. With the current living conditions, where you can barely eat meat, there's no way to replenish the energy she'd drain from you.'
'Forget someone weak and sickly—even a healthy man would be drained completely.'
Ever since her husband's death, rumors had circulated that Widow Yu was the kind of woman who "drained her husbands." Some even called her a jinx, saying that anyone who got mixed up with her was bound to suffer great misfortune.
Fang Yue had always been disdainful of such storybook-like rumors, but seeing her in person today, he couldn't help but feel a little... 'So it really is like that.'
'What a seductress!'
"Mama, I'm still hungry... Nu feels awful!"
The little girl's voice was trembling and weak, laced with sobs.
"Good girl, just bear with it. It'll be better when you wake up," Widow Yu said, her own voice on the verge of tears.
Her voice was delicate and soft, yet filled with a sorrow that would make any listener's heart ache.
Fang Yue, however, was already turning to leave. It wasn't his business, and it was better not to get involved.
If anyone saw him, the village gossips would have a field day.
Who knew what kind of stories they would spin.
If his reputation was ruined over this, he'd never be able to find a wife.
But while Fang Yue wanted to avoid trouble... trouble seemed determined to find him.
"Is that you, Yue?" Widow Yu had spotted Fang Yue. More importantly, she had spotted the grass carp beneath the lotus leaves in his hand.
The stunningly beautiful widow immediately stood up, crossed to the fence in a few quick steps, and looked at the fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy before her with a faint, longing smile.
"I haven't seen you around lately. I heard you were sick not long ago. You seem all better now. Have... have you been fishing?"
Widow Yu raised a hand to brush a few stray hairs from her forehead, revealing an arm so fair and tender it was almost dazzling.
He had no idea how Widow Yu took care of herself. She clearly farmed two mu of poor land, but her skin was still incredibly supple.
"Yeah, I got lucky today and caught a few fish," Fang Yue said.
Widow Yu's breath caught in her throat. As she inhaled, the distance between them seemed to shrink by inches.
"Five fish, and all so big! You're quite capable, Yue!" Widow Yu praised with heartfelt admiration.
But the fervent hope in her eyes was impossible to conceal.
She stopped beating around the bush and pleaded in a low voice:
"Yue... could you... could you lend me a fish? I'll return it to you in two days, how about that?"
After speaking, Widow Yu didn't dare to look at Fang Yue. She just kept her head down, wringing her hands and shuffling her feet anxiously.
"We've had no food in the house for three days, my daughter is starving... Yue, please, be kind... I'll kneel for you..."
"Mrs. Yu, you..."
Fang Yue watched as her body trembled, and those millstone-like mounds on her chest trembled along with it. He couldn't help but marvel.
'Still, in times like these, no one's family was well-off.'
'His own family could only afford two meals a day, and he and his sister's portions were so small they barely felt like half a meal. It was never enough to feel full.'
'Besides, Widow Yu was clearly a troublesome person to get involved with.'
'It was best not to get mixed up with her.'
He could only harden his heart and refuse. "Mrs. Yu, are you... looking to buy a fish?"
When Widow Yu heard this, the hope in her eyes was instantly extinguished. She swayed, nearly collapsing where she stood.
"Mama, I'm hungry..."