Chapter 83 Terrifying

She slept until she woke up naturally.

Downstairs in the kitchen, the clattering sounds of food preparation had already begun.

When Ling Yue returned last night and said she was going fishing, everyone at home looked at her expectantly.

During the previous few outings, Luo Shanshan and the others had stayed behind to guard the house. They were likely bored out of their minds and wanted to go out for some fresh air.

It also happened that they hadn't had a team-building activity in a long time.

Ling Yue simply turned the fishing trip into a collective spring outing.

Nine o'clock in the morning.

The spring breeze was refreshing, and the sunlight was bright.

Today was a good day for travel!

The car drove out of the urban area, getting more and more remote until it finally turned onto a mountain road.

Fortunately, the car's chassis was high enough, though the body swayed violently when driving over the potholed mud roads.

Ling Yue narrowed her eyes as she dozed, her body and head swaying from side to side like a tumbler toy.

Sitting on her left, Zang Lanyi propped her left hand on her leg and used her right arm to block in front of Ling Yue, preventing her body from lunging forward uncontrollably.

Finally!

Just as everyone was about to get motion sickness, the car slowly pulled into a flat area.

Clatter—the car door opened.

Cheng Jiao was the first to dash out. Clutching her chest and smacking her lips, she felt like the contents of her stomach were about to erupt, but she managed to suppress the urge after breathing in the fresh air.

Wang Junqi yawned as he stepped out from the passenger seat, his eyes still hazy, clearly dazed from sleep.

After Liang Hanlin and his squad got out of the car, they immediately began scouting the surroundings for a suitable campsite.

Luo Shanshan parked her motorcycle, and Qu Shu was the first to jump off. She spread her arms and took a deep breath of nature, saying, "The air here is so wonderful!"

Luo Shanshan took off her helmet and hung it on the handlebar. "An excellent camping spot!"

Bodyguard Xiao Wen ran over. "Boss, the grass on that small mound over there is shallow and the terrain is high. Should we set up the canopy there?"

Looking in the direction he pointed, that small mound was near the water source, but because of its elevation, it was safe and provided a wide field of vision.

"Sure, do as you say," she agreed immediately.

With the boss's approval, Bodyguard Xiao Wen rolled up his sleeves and began opening the van's trunk to move things.

"We'll help too!" Luo Shanshan and Qu Shu jogged over to assist.

Master Qin couldn't wait to take out his fishing gear. "Boss, let's go find a spot for angling."

Cheng Jiao followed behind with the equipment. Zang Lanyi swapped positions with Ling Yue, walking on the edge closer to the water to prevent Ling Yue from accidentally slipping and falling in.

Master Qin silently scanned the surroundings, then suddenly walked forward quickly, stopping at a relatively stable patch of ground. "Boss, fish here. Some fine bubbles are rising to the surface; there should be fish underneath."

Master Qin deftly baited Ling Yue's hook.

"Boss, hold the rod with one hand and the line with the other, then cast them out together. There are no power lines or anything nearby, and the sky is clear of obstructions, so you can throw it however you like."

Ling Yue had never fished before, nor did she have the childhood experience many people had of catching fish with their hands or nets in river ditches.

She found it novel.

Following Master Qin's instructions, she cast the bait out.

The bait hit the water, creating ripples that spread out. The surface swayed for a moment before quickly returning to tranquility.

"Boss, you fish here. I'll go nearby to chum the water. I definitely won't let you go home empty-handed today." Master Qin set a bucket filled with water aside and hurried off excitedly.

It had been sunny lately, so the soil was dry rather than damp. Cheng Jiao set up a small stool a little distance from the shore.

The small stool had a backrest, making it quite comfortable to sit on.

Ling Yue sat down, holding the fishing rod with both hands, her eyes fixed intently on the water's surface.

Cheng Jiao took a parasol out of her bag, opened it, and held it over Ling Yue.

Zang Lanyi stood to one side with her arms crossed, staring boredly at the water.

Up on the mound.

With the help of the bodyguard squad, the canopy was quickly set up.

Wang Junqi moved the barbecue equipment onto the table and then went back to the car for charcoal.

Luo Shanshan pulled over a cart.

She took the tea-brewing tools out of the cart, lit the fire, and poured cold water into the pot. After it boiled for a while, she would brew tea for Ling Yue.

Meanwhile, Qu Shu took out the dried nuts and washed fruits she had prepared before leaving, arranging them into different boxes.

Having prepared the food, Qu Shu took a telescopic bench from the cart and brought everything down to where Ling Yue was fishing.

"Boss~" she called out softly.

Ling Yue turned her head and made a 'shh' gesture to Qu Shu.

Qu Shu pressed her lips together and smiled, speaking no more as she quietly placed the bench beside Ling Yue and set the nuts and fruits on top.

Only then did Ling Yue notice that there were three people surrounding her on the small shore.

With so many people, would the fish still take the bait?

"No need for the umbrella; it's nice to get some sun. Go up and relax with them. A-Lan can just stay here with me," Ling Yue said to Cheng Jiao.

Thinking that made sense, Cheng Jiao closed the umbrella. "Then call me if you need anything."

She left with Qu Shu, and a moment later, she brought another stool over for A-Lan.

Occasional sounds of discussion and laughter drifted over, making the quiet, empty wilderness feel lively.

Zang Lanyi sat beside Ling Yue, occasionally picking a grape from the plate to eat.

Ling Yue was staring at the water with total concentration, completely ignoring someone's small movements.

Suddenly, the fishing rod in her hand felt like it was being yanked downward, and the line went taut!

"It's a bite!" Ling Yue stood up abruptly, her right hand moving like a blur as she began to reel in the line.

The fish was quite strong; the line she had just reeled in was pulled back out again.

Zang Lanyi clapped her hands and stood up. "Boss, let me handle it."

"My very first fish, I want to pull it up myself," Ling Yue said, gripping the rod with both hands and pulling back.

The commotion here wasn't small.

It caused the others to crane their necks to look.

Even Master Qin, who had finished chumming the water, was drawn over. "You've caught something already?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a fat carp was dragged out of the water.

Splat—it landed on the shore.

The big, fat fish flopped around indignantly, splashing quite a few fishy-smelling water droplets.

"Hahaha!" Ling Yue dropped the rod and crouched down to grab the fish.

It was so big she couldn't even hold it down.

With Zang Lanyi's help, they successfully removed the hook. It took both of them to toss the fish into the bucket and then close it to prevent it from jumping out.

Master Qin peeked inside.

Good heavens, this carp was at least five catties.

Ling Yue baited the hook again and threw the line back into the water.

After about two or three minutes.

The fishing rod started sinking again.

This time she caught a three-catty grass carp.

Two hours passed.

Ling Yue's bucket was full; there were 10 large fish over three catties.

There were also some palm-sized small crucian carp swimming densely in the bucket.

Master Qin swallowed. Was this the 'newbie luck' buff?

It was terrifyingly formidable!

He had used the strongest chumming method on earth and only caught 10 fish, all around two catties.

It must be because the chumming time wasn't long enough this time!

Ling Yue carried the bucket back to the small mound. "Make the small crucian carp into grilled fish, and keep the big ones alive; I want to take them with me later."

Master Qin wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Then what about mine?"

Ling Yue said heartlessly, "See if everyone wants them. If not, take them home yourself."

Master Qin looked bitter. He had originally wanted to show off, but he didn't expect to be utterly crushed by the boss's talent and luck.

Wang Junqi crouched down and transferred the small crucian carp from the bucket to a basin. "Exactly 12! One for each of us."

The small crucian carp were marinated with salt, scallions, ginger, and lemon, then grilled over pure charcoal, brushed with oil until charred on both sides, and finally sprinkled with cumin, chili powder, and Sichuan peppercorn powder.

There were many bones, so they had to be eaten carefully. Despite that, everyone ate with great relish!

Liang Hanlin was showing off his barbecue skills again.

Wang Junqi was studying seriously by his side, calling him 'Master' with every breath, making the big guy Liang Hanlin grin like a fool.

Liang Hanlin didn't even mention competing with Zang Lanyi anymore; he simply had no time.

Ling Yue reclined on a lounge chair. To her left were grilled skewers, braised snacks, and small egg tarts; to her right were sliced fruits and refreshing white tea.

Sunbathing while scrolling through short videos, a bite of skewer, a bite of braised snack, and a sip of tea when she felt greasy—it was simply wonderful.

"Boss, this is a rice ball I made. Try it."

Luo Shanshan jogged to Ling Yue's side, holding an oily little rice ball about the size of a ping-pong ball.

Ling Yue took a bite of the rice ball as it was fed to her.

"Mm!" Ling Yue's eyes lit up. "It's delicious!"

The rice was chewy and soft, paired with seaweed flakes, corn kernels, luncheon meat, and crisp cucumber. The texture was layered and rich, making her want more.

"Boss, try the sandwich I made." Bodyguard Xiao Liu appeared in a flash.

The sandwich was very small, edible in one bite.

Inside was minced avocado and shrimp, paired with greens, tomato, and a small amount of mayonnaise. The taste was refreshing and not greasy.

Qu Shu walked over with a box. "I made honey-glazed chicken wings, the non-spicy version. You can eat them too, Boss. Come, have a taste."

"Then Boss, you should also try my baked mashed potatoes!"

"And mine..."

This was tough.

Even being a boss had its difficulties; at a time like this, she had to show equal favor to everyone.