Mid-Levels Farm

In the early morning of the next day, Xuan Xiaodong saw that the temperature had dropped, so he went to catch a morning market first, then visited Granny Xia, bought two pairs of pig brains and went back to the farm, tore the fascia carefully, added After salting, peppering, and rice wine marinating, steamed a stew pot brain flower, fried the foie gras, made a corn, vegetable and onion salad, and then concentrated on working in front of the fish tank.

Sheng Wuyu came out and saw that he was concentrating on the fish tank, so he went over and asked him, "What are you doing?"

Xuan Xiaodong stared at the fish tank and said: "It's cold, this pair of swallow fish has just moved to the breeding tank, and they have to lay eggs in the past few days, so they need to be kept warm and protected. You eat first, and I will prepare the brain stew Come on, drink something to warm your body, the temperature has dropped today, so don’t catch a cold.”

Sheng Wuyu also looked at it for a while, and saw that in the fish tank, on one side were many swallowfishes, densely packed, in various colors, with slender tail wings spread out like swallowtails, and a light and graceful body, swimming in the water like swallows galloping in the air, Elegant and beautiful, it really has ornamental value.

There were only two swallowfish in the other fish tank, and the rocks below were densely packed with crystal clear fish eggs the size of sesame seeds, which made people feel their scalp tingling slightly, and felt that they were suffering from intensive phobia. Sheng Wuyu asked: "What is this fish?" Is it specially moved to the fish tank where the eggs are laid for their husband and wife? The transparent ones on the stones are fish eggs?"

Xuan Xiaodong said: "Yes, the dead eggs should be cleaned up in time. You see, this is a female fish, she is laying eggs, and the male fish is closely following behind."

Sheng Wuyu asked curiously: "The female fish lays eggs, why does the male fish follow it? Is it to protect it?"

Xuan Xiaodong said: "No, the male fish is ejaculating..." He suddenly reacted and stopped, almost biting his tongue, blushing, and changed the subject implicitly and bluntly: "It is to make these eggs fertilized... The instinct to reproduce." His voice was muffled and low, barely audible.

Sheng Wuyu understood, and couldn't help laughing meaningfully at his reddened ears.

The two of them watched as the female fish finished laying eggs, and the male fish closely followed the eggs and finished laying the eggs evenly. At this time, the situation in the fish tank suddenly changed. The fish suddenly started chasing and biting.

Sheng Wuyu was surprised: "What is this for?"

Xuan Xiaodong is commonplace: "After laying eggs, some female fish will feel that the male fish will harm the eggs, and will start to repel and drive away the male fish. The swallow fish itself is relatively fierce, and it is to choose a mate. If the male and female fish cannot see each other Come on, fight too."

He watched the female fish bite the male fish back steadily, took the net bag to fish out the defeated male fish and put it back into the big tank, and then focused on the condition of the female fish: "Okay, let's leave it alone." Just, it'll feel safe, it's great, you see."

"It will never eat fish food, just protect its eggs with all its heart and soul until they are hatched and born. You see it swim across the egg bed, it is using its fins and mouth, non-stop The water is being divided to maintain the temperature and cleanliness of the fish eggs."

"Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, we must pay close attention to these fish eggs. If they become more and more transparent and there are sunspots inside, they are the eyes of small fish, which means they are live eggs. If they turn white or black, they are dead eggs. Clean it out immediately and carefully."

Seeing his shining eyes, Sheng Wuyu asked, "How many days did the whole process take? Did you like this process very much?" It was obvious that he had seen it many times, and he was still so excited for some reason.

Xuan Xiaodong said: "It takes two to three days for all the eggs to come out. In this area, there can be four to five hundred to thousands of them. When all the eggs come out, densely packed small fish will cover the entire fish tank. It is spectacular and full of vitality. At that time, these little fish will all surround their mother, and they will follow wherever their mother swims. It is very wonderful, and I will show you tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.”

There was a smile on the corner of his mouth, as if recalling the extremely beautiful picture, his eyes were almost brightened, Sheng Wuyu couldn't help but said: "Is it so beautiful? Then you must ask me to see it then."

Xuan Xiaodong said: "Okay, let's have breakfast first."

He washed his hands, went to the steamer and took out a stew pot for Sheng Wuyu. Sheng Wuyu took a spoon and ate the pig's brain slowly. He felt that it was soft, glutinous and delicious, without any fishy smell. The soup had a subtle and mellow taste Looking carefully, there was indeed a thin piece of Gastrodia elata quietly put in the soup. I couldn't help laughing, and chatted with Xuan Xiaodong: "This nest of fish has thousands of fish, how much can it sell for?"

Xuan Xiaodong said: "This kind of fish is not worth much. I just choose good quality and keep it for myself to raise slowly. The rest are sold to fishmongers in the flower and bird market. It is very cheap, a few hundred yuan per brood, and you can choose slowly." If you choose good-looking ones and raise them well, you can sell more, and the fishmongers all know me, and almost everyone who takes my goods will accept them, so there is no need to worry about sales.”

Sheng Wuyu nodded: "I see that you eat your own vegetable fields and don't grow crops. You only plant fruit trees on the mountain. Do you only rely on fish farming for income?"

Xuan Xiaodong said: "The income from fish farming is average, but the main reason is that I have little expenses. I have some money after I leave the army. In addition, I grow and eat by myself. I can also wear old clothes. It doesn't cost money to eat and live, and it's nothing. Where to spend money - I'm not in the city, and I can incur various expenses every day if I don't do anything, such as rent, water, electricity, transportation, etc., there is no place to spend money in the village. Only when you come here during this time will you Buy more groceries, but you also pay for it yourself.”

Sheng Wuyu smiled. He had already guessed that Xuan Xiaodong should be financially secure. After all, material desires are extremely low, and a person who grows and eats by himself does not need to spend much.

After breakfast, the two of them went to the game room and continued to play the game of Dawn of the Lonely Island. On this day, Xuan Xiaodong patiently led him to continue leveling, and took time to see the famous scenery, such as the coral island under the sea. Colorful corals and fish, as well as Firebird Island, the island is full of birds as red as fire, the bridge of stars, the bridge made of stars and so on.

Sheng Wuyu was very interested and had a good time, but after the crazy obsession of the previous day, Xuan Xiaodong was obviously much more restrained this time. When the time came, he stopped the game, had a meal, took a walk, and teased the dog and fed the cat. Because it was raining outside, Xuan Xiaodong wrapped the sun-dried vegetables layer by layer with salt in the house, and slowly put them into the pickling tank, then peeled garlic and made chili sauce. Watch him idle.

Sheng Wuyu looked at his vats of marinade, and couldn't help but ask him, "You used to do so much by yourself?"

Xuan Xiaodong said: "No, if you have time, you can do something. If you don't have time, don't do it. This is for you to take back for the New Year."

Sheng Wuyu laughed: "Why do you need so much? Didn't you make a lot of sausage and dried meat?"

Xuan Xiaodong said: "I heard that you have a lot of people in your family, and Officer Sheng helped me a lot last time, so I should prepare a copy for him. I heard that the little thief was sentenced to one year, and the villagers applauded. .”

Sheng Wuyu said: "You don't need to be polite to him for things that come easily."

Xuan Xiaodong said: "He said he likes to eat, when the time comes he will come to pick you up and bring him back together."

Sheng Wuyu smiled: "Did he chat with you?"

Xuan Xiaodong said: "I added me as a friend a few days ago, and asked me about your situation from time to time, probably because I care about you." He also often sent him some interesting stories about the police force. It seemed that he wanted to pay attention to Sheng Wuyu by himself, so he would send some prepared dishes to the other party from time to time, in exchange for an exaggerated salivation.

Sheng Wuyu smiled: "If you have something to do, just ask him to do it."

Xuan Xiaodong didn't take it seriously, just smiled, thinking in his heart, according to what Sheng Leilei said, Sheng Wuyu was only here to recuperate, and when he recovered, he should leave soon after the operation.That is to say, after this Chinese New Year, the operation time will be finalized, and he will be hospitalized for treatment. Regardless of whether the operation succeeds or fails, he may not come back here for a long time.

At that time, he and the Sheng family should never see each other again.

In the middle of the night on the third day, Sheng Wuyu was shaken awake, and Xuan Xiaodong lowered his head and talked to him: "The fish eggs have broken their shells."

Sheng Wuyu opened his eyes and was still a little confused, Xuan Xiaodong put his hand under his armpit, hugged him, put him gently on the wheelchair, and then put a loose pullover sweater over his head, Before he could react, the clothes were already properly put on.

It's been many years since he's been treated like this... so offensively, but he just feels amused at this moment—is he in such a hurry?

The wheelchair was pushed in front of the fish tank, and Xuan Xiaodong whispered, "Look."

In the dark kitchen, only the light in the fish tank was on.

Sheng Wuyu's eyes naturally fell on the bright and crystal fish tank.

Then he held his breath.

Hundreds of small fish fry are swaying and struggling with the waves on the egg bed. When the young fish just broke the eggs, only two big eyes and a transparent tail can be seen. They are so weak Slender, but thousands of fine juvenile fish gather together, rushing to the surface of the water with the turbulent waves, but it suddenly gives people a feeling of vigorous and full of power.

Countless translucent juveniles struggled out of their eggs one after another, staggered and flew towards the surface of the water, like a balloon taking off in the sky, this is the explosion of vitality.

Thousands of small and weak fish have just come into the world. At first, they bumped into the waves, and then gradually found the female fish, and gathered around the slowly swimming female fish. , but they all swim with the female fish, like a soft cloud hugging the female fish, warm and sweet.

Spectacular, gorgeous, magnificent, this is a natural scene that is too impactful and full of vitality.

Sheng Wuyu and Xuan Xiaodong watched in silence for a long time before Xuan Xiaodong said softly, "Isn't it pretty?"

Sheng Wuyu finally understood that he desperately wanted him to see such a beautiful scenery, it was indeed too touching.

He said softly: "It's really beautiful." This is the birth of life.