Chapter 10: Making the Bait

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After borrowing some dried small fish from Brother Dachun’s house, Lin Yu did not head straight home. Instead, he followed a narrow path to Luo Erni’s house.

Luo Erni had been the original owner’s childhood playmate; they often went to the seaside together to dig for clams and catch crabs. Their innocent friendship was well-known. However, after the mother remarried, they lost contact. Upon returning, Lin Yu heard that she was about to be married off, which had saddened the original owner for quite some time.

In these small northeastern villages, it was common to marry at sixteen or seventeen. It was tradition for boys and girls to wed young. If one passed twenty without marriage, the elders in the family would grow anxious to the point of falling ill.

For some reason, Luo Erni reacted strongly to the idea of marriage—rumor had it she even threatened to hang herself. In the end, the match was called off helplessly.

The reason Lin Yu came by her house was that a few days ago, her family’s sheep gave birth to a stillborn lamb. Such deceased lambs were usually buried and never served as food.

However, this little lamb was perfect as bait for catching crabs and fish.

Erni’s fence was built remarkably high. Lin Yu had to tiptoe to catch a glimpse inside. Erni was in the yard pulling weeds from the garden. Lin Yu’s eyes lit up, and he called out excitedly, “Erni, over here!”

Erni looked up and her face immediately brightened. She dusted the dirt off her hands, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “Brother Xiaoyu, why are you here?”

Lin Yu chuckled softly. “I need something from you. That dead lamb from a few days ago—can I have it? I want to catch some flower crabs and use it as bait.”

“Catch flower crabs? I want to go with you! When will you take me?” Erni’s face was full of excitement. Children born by the sea naturally loved to catch fish and shrimp; it was an innate joy of childhood.

“Sure, but we have to wait until tomorrow. First, give me that lamb. I’ll make the bait.”

Erni nodded and glanced toward the physics class building before beckoning Lin Yu to follow her. “My dad buried the lamb in the woods two days ago. We have to hurry or wild animals like lynxes and stray dogs might dig it up.”

Though it was a fishing village, there were still many woods nearby, full of wild grass and wildlife. Even buried two feet underground, the scent of the lamb could attract animals with keen noses.

Erni grabbed a shovel from the yard and slung it over her shoulder, leading Lin Yu toward the forest. On the way, she couldn’t help but complain, “Brother Xiaoyu, you’ve been back so long—why did it take you so long to find me?”

Lin Yu felt a bit embarrassed. “I heard you were going to get married, so…”

At this, a rosy flush spread across Erni’s face. “That was my parents’ idea. I never agreed. I’m not getting married.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Girls have to marry, don’t they?” Lin Yu said.

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As soon as the words left his mouth, Erni turned and shot him a sharp glare. “Oh, do you really not understand, or are you pretending? I’m not talking to you.”

She stomped her foot, snorted coldly, and strode ahead.

Lin Yu was confused. Could it be that Erni liked him? Judging by her reaction, it seemed quite possible.

In truth, the original owner had harbored feelings for Erni too, but after his father’s sudden death and the upheaval in his family, he felt unworthy and incapable of giving her happiness, so he never confessed.

Erni was a fine girl—graceful and capable, skilled at managing a household from a young age. Many in the village had their eyes on her.

If one wanted to marry well, it had to be someone like Erni—someone who could shine in the parlor and handle the kitchen. Only with such a wife could life flourish. The original owner had felt burdened before, but Lin Yu did not.

Given time, he was confident life would improve and that he could bring Erni happiness.

“Erni, don’t be angry. If you don’t marry, who am I supposed to marry? I don’t like anyone else.” Lin Yu smiled as he caught up with her.

His words made Erni’s heart bloom with joy, the blush on her cheeks nearly reaching her ears.

“I’m not marrying you! If you don’t like anyone, then just stay a bachelor forever.” Erni said this, but inside she was overjoyed.

The two quarrelled and laughed their way into the woods.

Entering the small forest was like stepping into a forgotten green labyrinth. Underfoot, wild grasses spread wildly, intertwining with no order—some broad and flat, stretching freely; others slender as threads, swaying feebly in the breeze. They tangled in endless competition for territory.

Among the grass, wildflowers dotted the ground but were largely hidden beneath the rampant weeds, struggling to poke their heads through the gaps.

Old tree branches were entwined with many vines, coiling tightly like giant pythons around the trunks, climbing upward. Some vines hung down from branches, swaying in the air.

Here, plants grew in the most primal and unrestrained fashion, weaving a seemingly chaotic yet vibrant natural scene under sunlight and breeze. Though wild, this place was a haven for animals.

Snakes and rodents were the most common; wild chickens, musk deer, roe deer, wildcats, and weasels also appeared. Villagers seldom ventured here because the woods held several lonely graves of unknown origin, earning it the name “Lonely Grave Forest.”

The two soon found the spot where the lamb was buried and quickly dug it up. Fortunately, the lamb was still intact.

“Can this really work as bait?” Erni doubted, looking at the lamb covered in dirt. Usually, villagers used fish entrails for crab bait.

Lin Yu smiled faintly. “This alone won’t do. We need to enhance it. Mix these two together, and it will definitely work. Just watch.”

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As they walked back, they chatted and laughed about how they would catch flower crabs, momentarily transported back to their childhood. Good times were always brief.

Along the way, they ran into Erni’s mother. Lin Yu greeted her with a smile, “Hello, Auntie.”

Erni’s mother scrutinized Lin Yu, frowned, and gave him a cold look before dragging Erni away, scolding, “You brat, come here. Didn’t I tell you to keep your distance from him?”

“Mom…” Erni began.

“Come home with me!” Erni’s mother pulled her roughly, marching off while muttering, “If you want to be with him, it’ll only be after I’m dead. What’s so great about him? His family can’t even put food on the table. If you marry him, you’ll be eating the wind…”

Hearing this, Lin Yu felt a pang of helplessness.

He understood her mother’s concerns. No mother wished her daughter to marry a poor man and endure hardship—this was true at any time.

If he wanted to marry Erni, he had to work hard. At the very least, he needed a stable home.

Back at home, Lin Yu began making the crab bait—a process demanding care and precision.

First, he placed the dried small fish into a specially crafted grinder and slowly turned the handle. The fish gradually crushed into powder. Then, he cut the lamb meat into small pieces and pounded it repeatedly with a meat tenderizer until it became a fine paste, releasing its distinctive aroma.

The final step was to mix the fish powder into the lamb paste, stirring thoroughly so every fiber of the lamb was coated with the fish powder. He pressed and mixed until it formed a unique blend.

The natural fishy scent of the dried fish combined with the rich aroma of the lamb created an irresistible lure for flower crabs. Together, their allure was even greater.

But this was not enough. The bait had to be coated with mud and sand to prevent it from dissolving in seawater, allowing it to emit fragrance longer. The longer the scent spread, the wider its reach and the more crabs it would attract.

Additionally, the mud coating stopped the crabs inside the trap from devouring all the bait at once, ensuring more crabs could be caught. However, the mud layer couldn’t be too thick, or it would inhibit the scent’s diffusion.

Before long, Lin Yu finished making over thirty pieces of bait.

“All set. Tomorrow, we’ll set the crab traps.”