273: Fisherman

Knowing that there was a fish worth over 500,000 in the lake outside Nan Yong Forest Park, Ye Su felt like getting up immediately and going for a night fishing session.

However, apart from a landing net, he didn't have any other fishing gear on hand.

Ye Su had to give up. After closing the system, he prepared to sleep, waiting to wake up early tomorrow to see if he could successfully catch the fish.

...

The next morning, having agreed with Chen Xinyi to pick her up at the company at four in the afternoon and go to the Guang Yu Theater for an audition together, Ye Su watched Chen Xinyi leave.

No sooner had Chen Xinyi left than Ye Su followed, finding a fishing tackle shop where he bought a fishing rod, a fishing box, a folding stool, and a whole series of other equipment, costing him a full 2,200 yuan.

For this, the owner enthusiastically helped Ye Su tie the float and lead sinker, and also helped adjust the line rig.

Just as the owner was about to tie on the fish hook, he was stopped by Ye Su: "I can tie the hook myself."

"Alright."

The owner didn't ask further, assuming Ye Su just wanted a bit of a sense of ritual by choosing to tie the hook himself.

Having the owner help move everything to the trunk of his car outside the shop, Ye Su then stepped on the gas and drove to the outside of Nan Yong Forest Park.

Although it was Wednesday and just past nine in the morning.

Yet when Ye Su arrived at the lake, he already saw several cars and electric scooters parked by the lakeside.

And along the edge of the lake, a few anglers were already sitting one after another, gripping their fishing rods and waiting for a bite.

"Damn, they came so early!"

Ye Su knew this lake was a fixed spot for wild fishing, and many anglers liked to come here, but he hadn't expected the competition to be so fierce.

Seeing that some good spots had already been taken, Ye Su immediately opened the system: "Claim [Magical Fish Hook]!"

[[Magical Fish Hook] claimed successfully!]

As the notification sound rang out, a [Magical Fish Hook], identical to an ordinary fish hook, appeared out of thin air on Ye Su's open palm.

He carefully picked up the fish hook with his other hand, preventing it from hooking into his flesh.

Ye Su picked up his phone again, searched for a tutorial on how to tie a fish hook, and then cautiously tied the [Magical Fish Hook] on.

"The system only gave me this one [Magical Fish Hook]. If it falls into the water later, that would really be a huge joke."

Ye Su tugged on the hook again, feeling uneasy, and after ensuring there were no issues with his knot, he drove the car forward slowly, observing the lake's situation while looking for a suitable spot.

"That Over-the-back Golden Dragon Fish should be active in this area, right?"

After driving a bit further, Ye Su saw a patch of light in the lake, moving slowly in the distance, looking as if there were an anglerfish in the lake.

Judging by the trajectory of the light, this Over-the-back Golden Dragon Fish didn't seem to have any intention of approaching those anglers; he wondered if it was already full.

"This spot will do."

There happened to be an empty spot by the lake, directly facing the moving light in the distance.

Ye Su parked the car behind him, opened the trunk, and began unloading the equipment.

"ASu?"

Just as Ye Su took out the stool and set it up on the muddy ground, he heard a slightly familiar voice calling his name from not far away.

Looking in the direction of the voice, Ye Su saw [Fishing Enthusiast] Wan Bowen, who was raising his hand to greet him.

It turned out that he had been so focused on the Over-the-back Golden Dragon Fish in the lake earlier that he hadn't noticed that the spot he found was right next to Wan Bowen.

"Uncle Wen, what a coincidence, are you here fishing too?"

"Yes, today is my turn to cast my line here at Nan Yong Forest Park."

Good grief, do fishing spots rotate? Is it that professional?

Ye Su immediately recalled Wan Yuanliang's assessment of his father's fishing skills, and suddenly felt that Wan Bowen being so professional was completely unnecessary.

"I didn't expect you to have a hobby like fishing, too."

"What kind of hobby? I just had a sudden whim to come play today; all this stuff I just bought."

Ye Su didn't stop moving, taking things out of the trunk while greeting Wan Bowen: "Uncle Wen, how's the catch today?"

Wan Bowen shook his head: "Not great. Feels like the fish haven't woken up yet. You might have come on the wrong day."

Splash—

Just as Wan Bowen was replying, another angler a few meters away spotted his float being pulled into the water with sharp eyes.

With a pull of the rod and a splash, a carp over twenty centimeters long was pulled out of the lake.

This scene undoubtedly slapped Wan Bowen in the face.

"Hehe, looks like the fish are awake too. I won't chat with you anymore, lest I scare the fish away."

"Alright, just in time for a catch; I've come at a good time."

After a few words of small talk, Wan Bowen stopped replying and focused on his own float.

But when it comes to fishing, being impatient is useless.

Wan Bowen could only watch helplessly as someone else in the distance reeled in a big fish of twenty or thirty centimeters, while his own float remained completely motionless, just drifting annoyingly on the lake.

Could it be that he didn't pick the right rod today, choosing one unsuitable for fishing in this lake?

Just as Wan Bowen was doubting if there was a problem with his fishing rod, Ye Su had already set everything up. After baiting the hook, he tossed it casually into the distance, trying to get a bit closer to that Over-the-back Golden Dragon Fish.

Back in his hometown, Ye Su had fished with a few friends before.

But back then, they would just find any rod, buy some fishing line and hooks, tie them up, and go to the river to fish. Even the bait was earthworms dug up from the soil.

So this was his first time using such professional equipment to fish.

After casting the hook into the lake, Ye Su sat comfortably, looking at his phone with one hand and waiting for a fish to bite with the other.

And Wan Bowen, who had been secretly observing the situation, confirmed that Ye Su was truly a fishing novice.

Young people, they are amateur after all.

He didn't even bait the spot, cast his rod so casually, and was even playing on his phone—can he really catch a fish like that?

Wan Bowen decided to wait a little longer, then find an opportunity to teach Ye Su a trick or two, so he wouldn't return empty-handed on his first fishing trip and get discouraged about fishing in the future.

Splash—

Just as Wan Bowen's mouth itched, wanting to get up and teach Ye Su how to fish.

He saw Ye Su suddenly put down his phone and reel in the line.

A splash erupted on the lake surface, and a grass carp as long as a forearm was pulled out of the water by Ye Su.

No way, he caught a fish just like that?

Wan Bowen was a bit dumbfounded.

How long had he even been casting? He hadn't even warmed his seat yet, how did he already make a catch!

Worried that Ye Su would want to keep chatting with him after catching the fish, Wan Bowen immediately withdrew his gaze, not daring to make eye contact with Ye Su.

Looking at him, he was just like a poor student in class who starts dodging eye contact the moment they hear the teacher is about to call on someone to answer a question.