83: Lake Central "Big Purchase"

"So that's how it is. Wen-ge is really something, not even telling me. How could I let him pay for this?"

"It's fine, he has plenty of money. Besides, this isn't a large sum. There's no need for you two brothers to be too clear about finances."

Chen Xiangbei thought about it and still felt bad, but he didn't insist further, so he said to her.

"Alright, I'll treat you, Wen-ge, and Hu Ge to a meal sometime later."

"Okay, I'll head back now. I'm still at work, it's not good to be out too long."

"Goodbye, Sister Xia Qi!"

After Xia Qi left, Chen Xiangbei went to the boat alone and sat in the cockpit for a long time without starting the vessel.

He was thinking about how to make up for this matter.

He was the one who suggested going out fishing, Chen Wen helped him find a way to get the boat, and in the end, it was indeed Chen Wen who paid.

This made him seem very thoughtless. Although Chen Wen treated him like a brother, some things still needed to be handled properly.

The bond between brothers is not meant to be consumed but needs to be maintained, even if the other person doesn't say anything.

But one should still be sensible when necessary and take action when things need to be done.

So, he planned to compensate from other aspects. How exactly to compensate, he would have to think about it properly after going back.

Chen Xiangbei started the vessel and headed towards the center of the lake.

Since the Baiyun Lake Nature Reserve might be established at any time, this was the last chance to fish here.

He had to make good use of these two days.

It wasn't necessary to only take in high-value Ornamental Fish; other fish could also be collected.

Because once the reserve is established and built, these special wild Ornamental Fish will never appear on the market again.

Rarity makes things valuable, so by then, even an ordinary Ornamental Fish from Baiyun Lake could sell for a high price!

Therefore, his goal for these two days was to collect any fish that were Ornamental Fish.

For this fishing trip, he specifically prepared ten large folding fish boxes.

He would fill them all up and then take them to Ouyang's fish store to raise them first.

Sell a batch, raise a batch, and strive to create the maximum profit.

On the shimmering lake surface, the small boat sailed leisurely.

It was like a light water bird, shuttling between the white clouds, as if it had merged with this beautiful lake.

The lake water before his eyes was crystal clear, and fish swam and played in the water, what a vibrant scene!

Looking at the bow cutting through the waves and moving forward, an indescribable emotion couldn't help but surge in his heart.

This emotion included both fondness for Baiyun Lake and confusion and reluctance about his future life.

After all, after this time, he might never have the opportunity to drive this scientific research vessel and come to the tranquil shores of Baiyun Lake to fish again.

Those past fishing scenes would all become precious memories sealed in his heart.

The vessel had reached the center of the lake. He put away his internal emotions and prepared to enter work mode.

He moored the boat and took his fishing gear to the stern.

This spot was exactly in the shade, so it wasn't too hot to fish here.

While adjusting his fishing rod, he observed the fish situation in the lake water.

He had been to the center of the lake a few times before, but because there were more miscellaneous fish here, he didn't fish for long before leaving.

This time, he planned to tough it out here for a while. He always believed that the center of the lake couldn't only have schools of miscellaneous fish.

His plan was to catch all the miscellaneous fish on the surface here.

Then, he would chum the deep layers to lure out the fish hiding underneath.

After preparing his fishing rod, he didn't chum but directly used a dip net to lure and catch fish.

This was the method he used before: putting the Secret Bait into the dip net and then lowering the dip net into the lake to wait for the fish to fall into the trap themselves.

This tried-and-true fishing method had brought him generous returns.

Since there were many fish surfacing in the lake water now, as soon as the dip net was lowered, it attracted a scramble from all the fish.

It was fortunate that the quality of the dip net was guaranteed, otherwise, it would have been bitten through by these fish.

The first net was lifted, and there were quite a lot of fish, filling more than half of the dip net.

Because the steel plate fish tank that Zhao Hu and the others brought the day before yesterday hadn't been dismantled yet, he put them all there to raise for now.

He would release these miscellaneous fish after catching the precious species.

He turned back and continued to use the same trick.

These fish were like they hadn't eaten for hundreds of years, desperately scrambling for that bit of Secret Bait.

He continued to lower the dip net again and again, and then, when enough fish were in the net, he would pull it back, catching all those small fish and shrimp ashore.

Each time he pulled up the net, there would be more or less a catch, ranging from a few pounds to over ten pounds, but most were just ordinary miscellaneous fish.

However, sometimes surprises would appear, with an occasional one or two unique fish mixed in.

They usually had bright colors, unique shapes, and fierce personalities. It was clear at a glance that they were not ordinary miscellaneous fish but valuable varieties with Ornamental Fish value.

These rare Ornamental Fish made the entire fishing process more interesting and full of anticipation.

He repeatedly performed the same task.

It wasn't until noon that the number of miscellaneous fish in the water decreased, and they didn't appear as dense as in the beginning.

Chen Xiangbei was a bit hungry at this point, so he returned to the cabin and ate the McDangdang family bucket meal he bought this morning.

He took out a Big Mac burger; it was already cold.

However, due to the weather, the sauce on top hadn't solidified and still looked the same.

He held the Big Mac burger with both hands and, without hesitation, opened his mouth wide and took a big bite.

As his teeth chewed, the soft texture and unique wheat aroma of the bread slices instantly filled his mouth.

At the same time, the tender and juicy meat patty and the fresh and crispy vegetables also perfectly blended together, creating an intoxicating taste.

Each bite brought endless satisfaction, making one can't help but indulge in it.

This perfect combination was just right.

The cooled ingredients were neither too greasy nor did they lose the original taste of the food, it was truly wonderful.

Discovering a new way to eat food is what foodies enjoy the most.

He ate two burgers, a chicken wrap, and a bucket of chicken pieces in a row, feeling half full.

After drinking a cup of cola, he returned to the stern to continue working.

...

After more than an hour.

The catch of Ornamental Fish slowly began to increase.

From having only one or two in several nets at first, it was now one or two in a single net.

This indicated that the aggressive miscellaneous fish were becoming fewer and fewer, and the more gentle Ornamental Fish were starting to join the competition for bait.

He looked back at the huge custom-made fish tank; it was already more than half full.

The Ornamental Fish had also filled half of a fish box.

As time passed, the miscellaneous fish were no longer visible, and Ornamental Fish were also scarce and becoming increasingly difficult to catch.

Chen Xiangbei began to change his strategy, switching to fishing with a rod.