Colorful years

As the saying goes, "Children from poor families learn to be independent early." This saying is especially true for Congcong.

He came from a poor family and lived in poverty, but this did not break the strong child. Instead, it made him understand the weight of responsibility at an early age.

As Congcong grew older, he gradually realized that simply relying on excellent academic performance to repay his parents for raising him with such hardship was too superficial and that he needed to take more substantial actions.

So, after growing into a teenager, Congcong resolved to contribute to the family in more ways, not only with his wisdom but also with his hard work, to participate in the building and revitalization of the family.

After careful consideration, Congcong realized that with his current limited abilities, making full use of his spare time to fish in the river would not only improve the family's meals but also alleviate some of the financial burden, which was undoubtedly a practical and feasible solution.

However, fishing by hand is far too inefficient. If you want to catch something, you have to use your brain and make and prepare some simple and easy-to-use fishing tools.

Without further ado, Congcong first found an old, unused spatula in the house and, with his skillful hands, transformed it into a sharp harpoon.

He found a hardwood handle that was at least ten feet long and carefully fixed it to the iron spatula. In this way, the originally short spatula instantly became imposing, as if it had been transformed into a weapon capable of long-range attacks.

When Congcong sees fish swimming freely in the water from afar, he only needs to grip the wooden handle tightly and swing it forward with force. The long fork will then strike the target as fast as lightning, greatly increasing the success rate of catching fish.

In addition to the homemade harpoon, the hammer that Father usually used to build river embankments also came in very handy.

This heavy iron hammer, though it looks incredibly clumsy, has become a powerful fishing tool in Congcong's hands.

Whenever he encounters fish hiding in the crevices of rocks or in the silt at the bottom of the river, Congcong will raise his iron hammer high and then smash it down hard.

With a splash of water and a dull thud, the startled fish are often stunned and obediently float to the surface, becoming Congcong's prey.

In the center of the mountains north of Baiheping lies a winding, protruding hill called Wolonggang. The commune middle school is situated at the foot of this hill, in a tranquil environment ideal for education.

Back then, the curriculum in rural schools differed from that in cities, with classes officially starting at 9 a.m. each day. For children living nearby, the walk from their warm homes to school took only ten minutes.

However, summer mornings always come especially early. Before 6 a.m., the sky is already bright, and the morning light filters through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows.

This provides children with at least two precious hours every summer morning to play or do something fun.

On this bright and sunny morning, before the sun had fully risen, Congcong, like a nimble hawk, jumped out of bed with lightning speed.

He was filled with excitement and anticipation, because today was the first day he would go fishing in the river after making his own harpoon!

After a hurried wash, Congcong couldn't wait to grab his beloved harpoon and run briskly towards the river.

Along the way, a gentle breeze caressed Congcong's face, bringing a touch of coolness; the wildflowers and grasses by the roadside swayed gently in the morning breeze, as if cheering him on.

In no time, he arrived at the shimmering river. The water was crystal clear, and he could see fish swimming and playing freely in it.

Standing on the riverbank, Congcong took a deep breath and then carefully waded into the river. He gripped the harpoon tightly, his eyes fixed on the water, intently searching for his target.

At this moment, it seemed as if the whole world consisted only of him and the fish lurking beneath the water.

The river water was still a bit chilly in the early morning, and Congcong couldn't help but shiver as soon as his feet were dipped into the water.

But the chill did not deter him; instead, it fueled his fighting spirit. He took a deep breath to calm himself down and then slowly walked towards the center of the river.

The fish in the river seemed completely absorbed in their own joyful world, oblivious to the approaching danger. They continued to frolic and swim freely in the crystal-clear water.

At this moment, Congcong's sharp eyes, like those of a hawk, were already locked onto one of the plump crucian carp.

This crucian carp looks exceptionally leisurely, slowly blowing strings of crystal-clear bubbles in the water, as if showing off its carefree life to those around it.

Seeing this, Congcong felt a surge of joy. He knew very well that this incredibly plump crucian carp would be his first target for the day! So, he carefully moved his feet and quietly approached the crucian carp.

At the same time, he slowly raised the harpoon he was holding above his head, his eyes fixed on the crucian carp that was still unaware of the danger, carefully adjusting the angle and force of the harpoon.

Finally, with everything ready, Congcong took a deep breath, exerted his strength, and swiftly swung his arm forward. The harpoon, like a bolt of lightning, traced a beautiful arc through the air, hurtling straight towards its target with a whooshing sound…