Chapter 82: Thanks to Grandmother’s Blessings

"Wow, come quickly, there’s a whole nest here—must be a fish den..."
The fishers were constantly tripped up by the fish they caught, struggling to break free. Many ended up covered in mud, and soon laughter echoed everywhere—when I laughed at you, you laughed right back, sometimes so much that the fish slipped from your hands and escaped.
Bai Xi watched, smiling happily from the riverbank. Those fishing below were equally delighted.
They fished all day, and when it finally came time to weigh their catch, everyone was stunned.
“So many?”
Last year’s harvest had been just over six hundred pounds, with each household receiving a little more than seventy pounds.
This year’s catch was far greater, not just a little more—a rough tally showed Bai Xi would receive two hundred pounds, and every household could divide over a hundred pounds among themselves.
A hundred pounds was nearly double the previous year.
Everyone was both amazed and thrilled. None had expected, after all the drought, for the village to have such a bountiful harvest. It was truly beyond all expectations.
Bai Xi didn’t stay to see the final division; once she’d seen enough, she quietly left.
The villagers, however, eagerly wanted to select the biggest and best fish for Bai Xi. Anyone whose catch was chosen for her wore a proud grin; if their fish were overlooked, they would pester Chen Daliu on the side.
“Village Chief, I think the fish I caught are pretty good. Even if none go entirely into Bai Xi’s bucket, at least pick a couple, won’t you?”
“Don’t pick his—Village Chief, look in my bucket. I think mine are excellent, not big, but quite fat...”
“Mine, look at mine! I think Bai Xi will like the fish I caught—she spotted them first and pointed them out to me!”
“You say that, but most of my bucket was caught under Bai Xi’s direction.” The speaker was both happy and excited.
He had the best spot, right under Bai Xi’s gaze, so she kept pointing out fish for him to catch. Others tried to crowd in, but he splashed mud on purpose, driving them away.
In the end, they decided to pick the largest fish, those with fewer bones and better flavor.
If two were similar in size, they would weigh them.
Unbeknownst to Bai Xi, the villagers, eager to honor her, didn’t even bother going home to wash and change. Instead, they squatted by the pond, weighing the fish again and again.
There was no choice—if one person’s fish was taken, another would protest, and only the scales could settle it.

Though it was chilly after coming ashore, nobody cared; excitement bubbled over, and everyone wanted to honor Bai Xi with their bounty.
While they all boasted about their catches, suddenly someone exclaimed in surprise and confusion.
“We really caught a lot of fish this year.”
Someone laughed, “You’re stating the obvious. We saw the numbers just now.”
“No, what I mean is, the reason we caught so many is thanks to Bai Xi’s luck.”
When he finished, everyone grew thoughtful. The speaker, Old Li, pointed at a young man from his family who’d married earlier this year.
“You said your fish were all caught under Bai Xi’s eyes, with her directing you. Is that true?”
“Of course! Cross my heart—I’m not lying. Bai Xi directed me, and many fish I hadn’t even noticed until she pointed them out.”
“You were the first to fill your bucket, right?”
Li Chengcai nodded, proud. “Naturally! I filled two buckets, while the rest of you barely managed one.”
Old Li nodded and asked another, Chen Youfu, a hunter who’d followed Xiao Hei into the mountains twice. He was always skilled at fishing.
“How many did you catch?”
Chen Youfu replied, “Six buckets. More than last year, but less than the others.”
“What? Only six?” Bai Anan’s father was surprised. “I thought you’d have at least ten.”
Old Li turned to Bai Anan’s father. “Brother Bai, how many did you catch?”
“Eight buckets.”
Old Li nodded again. “Do you all see the problem?”
“What problem?”
“What is it?”
As village chief, Chen Daliu had noticed the pattern. He thought for a moment and understood.
“I see now. We really are benefiting from Bai Xi’s luck.”

Chen Daliu mapped out the villagers’ positions and had each report their catch.
It became clear: those who fished closest to Bai Xi caught more—and bigger—fish.
Those farther away, even in spots that usually yielded plenty, or even if they were skilled fishers, caught less this year.
Unless they were farther away but Bai Xi had pointed out fish to them a few times, in which case their haul was also decent.
Li Chengcai wasn’t foolish; he quickly realized, exclaiming in surprise, “No wonder my luck was so good this year!” In previous years, he’d always caught less, nearly at the bottom of the tally.
“All thanks to Bai Xi’s guidance!” someone said, envious of Li Chengcai.
He’d gotten lucky, arriving late and ending up right under Bai Xi’s gaze. Though he stumbled at first, making people laugh, he benefited from her guidance—something others could only wish for.
Li Chengcai laughed joyfully, nearly hopping with delight.
In truth, this was indeed connected to Bai Xi. She’d been cultivating lately, carrying an aura of spiritual energy she couldn’t conceal. Naturally, the fish were drawn to her presence.
Moreover, her heightened senses allowed her to spot the bubbles and currents made by swimming fish. With her guidance, anyone with a modicum of skill could catch fish easily.
Even the big ones that used to hide deep and evade capture were mostly caught this time, thanks to Bai Xi—resulting in a remarkable harvest.
Once the fish were divided, the villagers cheerfully carried their share home. Chen Daliu, along with three others including Li Chengcai, carried Bai Xi’s portion.
Since Li Chengcai had caught the most, he cleverly asked to thank Bai Xi for her guidance. Chen Daliu thought it over and agreed, so Li Chengcai, to the envy of the others, got to carry the fish.
Bai Xi seemed a bit puzzled by their gratitude, but she was used to it and didn’t refuse. She nodded and casually asked, “How do the families plan to deal with the fish?”
Chen Daliu quickly answered, “Every household has plenty—according to tradition, a few will be given to relatives, but most will be made into dried fish for storage.”
“Do you have any suggestions, Bai Xi?”