Chapter 14: Casting Stones to Catch Fish

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Spanish mackerel, also known as horse mackerel, has a spindle-shaped body with a blue-black back adorned with blue spots and a silver-gray belly. Its sharp teeth and swift swimming, combined with a fierce temperament, mark it as an upper-level migratory fish widely distributed in the waters of the Spanish Mackerel Circle.

Beloved for its firm, delicate flesh with few bones and delicious taste, the Spanish mackerel gives its name to the Spanish Mackerel Circle and has inspired the poignant tale of the Spanish Mackerel Princess.

This particular fish measured a full meter in length—such size only found in very deep seawaters, often dozens of nautical miles offshore, where only large fishing vessels with big trawls can hope to catch one. Small fishing boats with their nets simply do not suffice.

In this day and age, fishermen in the Spanish Mackerel Circle rarely have large boats, so capturing such a large Spanish mackerel is virtually unheard of. Even if one were ensnared, its thrashing would likely tear the net—a loss for the fishermen.

“This big Spanish mackerel will definitely fetch a good price. I’m going to make a fortune,” Lin Yu grinned from ear to ear.

Luck, when it comes, is unstoppable.

But the key question was how to bring this fish ashore.

If it were dead, it would be simple—just retrieve it from the water. But this was a live fish, tossed by the waves into a rocky tide pool too shallow to dive into, making capture impossible.

Though carrying a fishing rod, Lin Yu’s was rudimentary; even if he hooked such a large fish, the line would snap or the rod break. Going back to the village for a landing net risked others arriving first and claiming the catch, leaving him unable to prove he had found the fish first.

Just then, a figure approached carrying a net.

It was none other than his second uncle.

“I was wondering what was going on. With such strong winds, it’s impossible that not a single fish would wash ashore. So you beat me to it and scooped them all up,” Lin Qiang said, smoking and furrowing his brows into a deep crease. Seeing Lin Yu’s catch weighed at least forty or fifty jin (roughly 20–25 kilograms), his irritation grew.

He had only delayed a short while outside, yet Lin Yu had gathered all the fish.

On stormy days, villagers stayed home with their families, unaware that fish could be blown ashore. Ordinary strong winds didn’t bring fish, but those gusts of force seven or eight, strong enough to blow a person off balance, certainly could. That was experience.

He never expected Lin Yu, the brat, to know this.

“Splash!”

At that moment, the large Spanish mackerel flipped in the water, sending up a spray and revealing its over-one-meter-long massive body. Lin Qiang’s face lit up with a broad smile.

“What a big one! Finally, this trip wasn’t in vain. Time to make a fortune.”

He reached for his net to scoop it up.

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“You better stand still and don’t move,” Lin Yu’s expression darkened instantly. He stepped directly in front of Lin Qiang, holding up a stone as a warning: “Fish blown ashore by stormy waves belong to whoever spots them first. If you dare steal my fish, I’ll fight you for it!”

“You little brat, you actually dare to fight me?” Lin Qiang was furious to see Lin Yu ready to throw stones. His smoke dropped to the ground as he glared with eyes wide open.

Lin Yu was fearless. “If you try to steal my fish, I’ll fight. I know I can’t beat you, but if you don’t care about your reputation when word gets out, then go ahead and try.”

Lin Qiang’s face turned green with anger.

Because of land disputes, their family had been the village’s subject of gossip. If word spread that he stole his nephew’s fish, he’d lose all face.

According to fishing village customs, fish blown ashore during storms belong to whoever finds them first; he had no grounds to claim it.

But he was unwilling to accept it.

Such a large Spanish mackerel, impossible to catch even by boat, weighed at least sixty jin (about 30 kilograms). With the current price at eighty cents per jin, that would bring in ten yuan—at least. Such rare large fish could fetch double.

The more he thought about it, the more restless he grew.

This was easy money.

For ordinary fishing families, monthly income barely reached a few yuan. In their small village, forty or fifty yuan was a fortune, sometimes not saved in a year.

Clearing his throat and trying to appear friendly, Lin Qiang said, “Xiaoyu, you can’t catch such a big fish alone. How about we work together? We split the earnings fifty-fifty.”

He gestured with his net, making his intentions clear.

If Lin Yu was smart, he’d cooperate—after all, without tools, catching such a big fish was impossible. If Lin Yu left to get equipment, Lin Qiang might seize the net, and no one could accuse him. Lin Yu wouldn’t give him that chance.

But Lin Yu’s reply dashed his hopes: “Don’t even think about it. Not a single scale will I give you.”

“You little brat, I’m giving you face. Without a net, let’s see how you’ll catch the fish. Fine, if you go for the net, I’ll take it myself,” Lin Qiang’s face darkened as he cursed and sat on a nearby rock, waiting to see Lin Yu’s failure.

Lin Yu didn’t bother with him, eyes fixed on the fish in the water.

He was burning energy, as was the Spanish mackerel, which, according to his calculation, had already moved toward deeper water.

Lin Yu’s face remained calm, but inside he was anxious. He understood his uncle’s mind well—if he took a single step away, the fish would be gone.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

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Standing on the rocks, chin resting on his hand, Lin Yu pondered the situation. The tide pool was ringed entirely by rocks; there was nothing else. After much thought, he resolved to use the stones.

He could try to stun the fish by throwing stones, but the water was deep and wide, making accuracy difficult. Repeatedly striking the water would startle the fish, driving it into deeper water or crevices to hide.

Since the fish was too large to slip into the rocky crevices, it would hide in the deep pool. Then, at the right moment, he could hurl a huge stone with full force. The loud impact and turbulent water might stun the fish.

With that plan, Lin Yu heaved a large stone and flung it down hard.

“Plop!”

The huge stone plunged into the water, sending a high splash and echoing through the sea. But the fish was cunning; at the stone’s entrance, it flicked its tail and darted sideways, effortlessly evading the attack.

Lin Yu’s heart tightened at the fish’s agility, but he did not lose hope. He tracked the fish’s direction unblinkingly and quickly sought a larger, more suitable stone. The slippery rocks, worn smooth by the sea, nearly caused him to fall several times, but his gaze never left the fish’s movement.

Watching Lin Yu persistently throwing stones, Lin Qiang laughed aloud. “Little brat, aren’t you wasting your time? You really think you’ll hit it this way? Then what’s the use of nets? Stop acting tough—if you beg me now, it’s not too late.”

Lin Yu ignored him, eyes locked on the fish’s shadow. Both were exhausting themselves; the fish had already reached the deep water zone as he predicted.

At last, Lin Yu found a stone as tall as half his height and heavy in weight. He took a deep breath, grasped it tightly, adjusted his stance and force, knowing this throw had to be precise and powerful.

He waited patiently for the fish to relax its guard.

Time seemed to freeze; only the rhythmic crashing of waves broke the silence. When the fish slowed slightly, Lin Yu seized the moment, shouted fiercely, raised the stone high, and with all his strength hurled it toward the fish.

The stone arced through the air, carrying Lin Yu’s hopes, crashing into the water with a thunderous splash that churned the sea into a massive whirlpool.

As the surface calmed, the large Spanish mackerel floated up. Sensing the opportunity, Lin Yu grabbed a stone, leapt into the water, and seized the fish, hammering its head repeatedly.

The fish was stunned by the sound and impact. If it recovered, trouble would follow.

After twenty or thirty blows, the water around them tinged red with blood, and the fish no longer reacted. Only then did Lin Yu stop, dragging the one-meter-long mackerel ashore, gasping for breath upon the rocks.

Lin Qiang looked on, stunned beyond belief.

The fish—he had actually smashed it ashore?

The thought that the fish was now out of his reach made him tremble with rage. Clenching his fists, he wanted to snatch it but feared village gossip. Furious and unwilling to accept defeat, he left with a face full of resentment.