They began looking at Chen Yang differently.
One of the fishing enthusiasts laughed and said, "Young man, you must have a lot of experience fishing. Even though you're young, your fishing skills might not be any less advanced than ours."
The others nodded, believing that this must be the case.
After all, practice makes perfect.
Chen Yang's level of skill must come from experience.
"Young man, how about selling me that mandarin fish? What do you think?" someone asked, his tone shy and hesitant.
Chen Yang was taken aback but quickly shook his head. "No, I can't. I promised to give it to the old man so he could take it home. He still needs to bring something back to report."
The man replied, "Give it away? Young man, do you even know the price of mandarin fish?"
"This one is a spotted mandarin fish. At the market, it's at least 38 yuan per catty. This one, close to nine catties, is worth almost 400 yuan! And you're just giving it away?"
He was worried that Chen Yang might not realize its value and would regret it later. Although 400 yuan wasn't an enormous amount, it was necessary to clarify things to avoid any misunderstandings.
The old man also said, "No need, no need. That fish is expensive. You should keep it for yourself. Just give me two small crucian carp. My daughter just gave birth, and crucian carp soup is excellent for milk production."
Chen Yang removed the fishhook and, without saying a word, walked over to the old man. He opened his net and tossed the mandarin fish right in.
Then, he added the few crucian carp as well.
After he was done, Chen Yang clapped his hands and said, "Old man, don't be so polite. You lent me your fishing rod when I got here. A few fish are no big deal. We're destined to meet. If you don't accept them, I'll return your fishing rod and stop fishing."
"You're quite the young man."
The old man smiled helplessly but didn't say much.
The fish weren't too expensive, but Chen Yang's way of doing things was admirable.
The others chimed in, "This young man is impressive."
"Old Li, stop being modest. It's just some fish. I caught two crucian carp earlier, and I'll bring them over to you."
"What about you? You don't have any fish. How will you explain it when you get home tonight?"
"Why are you worrying about me? I'm the boss at home. So what if I don't have fish? Going fishing doesn't mean you must catch something."
"…You're the boss? I don't believe it for a second."
Chen Yang chuckled and said, "Don't worry, everyone. If I catch more later, I'll share them with you. That way, everyone will have something to bring home."
"Alright, young man. Let's make a deal. If you catch more, you must sell me one. Oh, no, I mean sell me one—I insist on paying. I won't take advantage of you."
"I'm preordering one too."
"Count me in for one as well."
A group of people chimed in, speaking all at once.
Chen Yang said, "That won't work. I already said I'm giving them away. If you insist on buying them, then forget it."
After chatting for a while, everyone returned to their fishing spots.
They weren't trying to be pushy—mandarin fish are notoriously difficult to catch.
It wasn't that they doubted Chen Yang, but under normal circumstances, catching so many fish consecutively was impossible.
Finally, Chen Yang had some time to himself.
One of the older anglers even brought over a folding chair for him.
Chen Yang cast his line, sat down, and remarked, "You know, I bet the next fish I catch will also be a mandarin fish. It might even be as big, if not bigger, than the last one."
"Chen Master, let's not exaggerate. That's not how fishing works."
"The underwater world is unpredictable, and you can't see what's going on beneath the surface. Making such definitive claims isn't good."
"Unless you send Big Black down to check, I don't believe it. Predicting the next catch is a mandarin fish? No way. Fishing just doesn't work like that."
Chen Yang laughed and said, "I'm not just making this up."
"To fish well, you must thoroughly understand the habits of the fish."
"Take mandarin fish, for instance. Generally speaking, if you catch one in a particular spot, there's always a second one nearby."
"Mandarin fish always come in pairs. Now, do you understand what I mean?"
"Look at my fishing rod."
Chen Yang gently shook his rod as he spoke.
"I've already mentioned that mandarin fish are predatory. This is why lure fishing works well for catching them."
"The lure mimics the swimming motion of small fish in the water, attracting predatory fish like the mandarin fish."
"Right now, I'm teasing the mandarin fish with my bait—a worm. I'm confident I'll get it."
Just as he finished his explanation, the float on the water suddenly disappeared.
"Ah, here it comes!"
Chen Yang smiled, lifting the rod.
With a "whoosh," a black shadow emerged from the water.
"No way, it's really another mandarin fish!"
"Unbelievable! Master Chen, you're amazing!"
"I'm so jealous I could cry. This one's at least eight or nine catties. The thrill must be incredible!"
"Watching Chen Master fish makes my hands itch. I can't take it anymore—I'm packing up and heading out to fish right now!"
"Same here! I can't hold back any longer. Let's go!"
"You're just getting ready? I'm already on the way. I'm not going home until I catch my fill today!"
"I have a feeling that for some of you, today's fishing trip might be the start of family disputes back home."
In the water, the mandarin fish struggled fiercely, swimming back and forth, trying to escape the hook.
When a fish surfaces and sees the light, its struggle becomes even more intense.
This is also when it's easiest for the fish to escape.
Chen Yang held the rod effortlessly, skillfully maneuvering to tire out the fish.
The onlookers watched his professional, confident handling with admiration.
Before long, Chen Yang brought the mandarin fish ashore.
He grabbed it by the mouth, weighed it in his hand, and said, "This one's slightly bigger—nine catties and three taels."
He placed it on a scale, and sure enough, his guess was spot on.
Carrying the fish, he walked over to another middle-aged man and dropped it into his net. "With this, you'll have no problem explaining yourself today."
"Thanks," the man said simply, not one for unnecessary pleasantries.
He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Chen Yang.
Chen Yang laughed and said, "This is awkward—I don't smoke."
The man was momentarily surprised but then laughed too. "Not smoking is good, very good. I don't smoke either."
Chen Yang returned to his spot and continued fishing.
In less than an hour, he had caught seven mandarin fish, over twenty crucian carp, and a dozen yellow catfish.
By 4 PM, Chen Yang decided it was time to wrap up.
He stood up, packed his gear, and said, "Old man, here's your rod and line back. I'm done fishing for today. It's time for me to head home."
...
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]