The Li Family's Nighttime Harvest

Li Chengyuan also stumbled upon the unexpected bounty of rice eels and loach, his astonishment mirroring that of the others. With eager anticipation, he handed the old lady Li a snakeskin bag, hoping to capture some of the aquatic treasures.

Mrs. Li expertly utilized the bag, deftly coaxing the eels and loach into its confines. The creatures thrashed and wriggled within the bag, a testament to their abundance.

The sudden appearance of so many rice field eels and loach took even Mrs. Li by surprise. Despite her skill, she could only manage to fill half the bag before its weight became too much to bear.

"Such a bountiful harvest!" exclaimed Li Xiaojun and Li Xiaoli, marveling at Mrs. Li's prowess.

"Mom! Mom..." Li Chengyuan's excitement was palpable as he beheld the bulging snakeskin bag. "How much do you think we can fetch for all these?"

"If we manage to sell everything, it will fetch quite a sum," Mrs. Li replied with a smile.

"Fantastic! Mom, your intuition never fails us. What began as a quest for snails has yielded such unexpected treasures. I'll head to town tomorrow to sell them," Li Chengyuan declared with enthusiasm.

As the Li family departed, two villagers hurried over in hopes of securing a similar bounty. However, despite their efforts, they found the eels and loach mysteriously elusive, always slipping through their grasp.

"Why do you think all these creatures gather at the old Li's house?" one villager pondered.

"Who knows? Perhaps luck favors the Li family," speculated the other.

...

At dawn, Li Chengyuan and Mrs. Li set out once more.

Upon awakening, Lin Yanfen was puzzled by the absence of her in-laws. Finding only her sons, Li Xiaojun and Li Xiaoli, she sought answers from her father-in-law. "Dad, where are Chengyuan and Mom? Why haven't they returned?"

Old man Li cleared his throat before replying, "They had quite a catch last night and left early to sell it in town. No need to worry."

Relieved, Lin Yanfen turned her attention to caring for Fu Bao, attending to her needs with loving care.

By noon, Li Chengyuan and Mrs. Li returned, their faces beaming with satisfaction. The fresh catch of snails, rice eels, and loach had quickly sold out, fetching more than 50 yuan—a welcome windfall.

Eager to share the joy, Mrs. Li wasted no time in lavishing attention on Fu Bao. Promising to have new clothes made for her, she showered the baby with affection, eliciting a delighted "Ah" in response.

Observing the radiant smile on Mrs. Li's face, Fu Bao knew that her grandmother's efforts had borne fruit.