"Is the young man gone?"
"Yeah."
"Keep this fishing rod. I have plenty of them."
"No need, I'll just buy one for myself later."
"Alright then. I'm retired anyway, so I come here to fish whenever I have time. Here's my WeChat—add me, and let me know if you're coming back."
"Sure."
After exchanging WeChat contacts, Chen Yang picked up his bucket, now filled to the brim with fish, and walked toward the other anglers.
He had caught so many fish that his bucket couldn't hold them all.
He gave two or three fish to each person, keeping only three mandarin fish, a dozen crucian carp, and some yellow catfish for himself. The rest he gave away.
Once he left, the other anglers began packing up as well.
"Such a nice young man."
"Yeah, really decent. He may be young, but he understands how to carry himself."
"If my son could be half as good as that young man, I'd be over the moon."
"Think about it—how many young people today have the patience to fish?"
"Oh no, I forgot to ask if he's coming back tomorrow."
"Old Li, didn't you add him on WeChat?"
"Yes, why?" Old Li asked while tidying up his gear.
"Ask him if he's coming tomorrow. Let us know in the group."
"Yeah, ask him. If he's coming, I'll be here too. Even if I don't catch any fish, just watching him fish is pure enjoyment."
Old Li said, "Alright, I'll ask him. If he's willing, I'll add him to the group."
"Good idea, good idea."
Back home, Chen Yang hummed a little tune as he happily carried his catch.
By 5 PM, he was home and turned off his livestream.
He checked his reputation points: 2.4 million.
What a delight!
He then visited his granduncle and aunt, gifting each a mandarin fish along with several other fish.
"Is this mandarin fish? That's a delicacy!"
"I heard from Zhuzi that you went fishing today? You caught all this?"
"Yup, all caught by me."
"You've got some skills, kid!"
After chatting for a while, Chen Yang returned home.
He took a large carp from his catch and placed it in the well.
As soon as the carp entered the water, it swam around energetically.
The well water was enhanced with plenty of spiritual water, far superior to ordinary water.
Next, he moved a large water jar from the front yard.
In rural areas, such large jars are quite common, standing about half a person's height.
After filling it with water, he kept two crucian carp and two mandarin fish, transferring the rest into the jar to keep them fresh.
After washing his hands, Chen Yang sat in the courtyard to relax. He decided to try his luck with the system's lottery.
"Congratulations, host! You've won [Training Outfit]."
"Congratulations, host! You've won [Spiritual Water]."
"Congratulations, host! You've won [Spiritual Soil]."
"Congratulations, host! You've won [Woven Hat].
"Congratulations, host! You've won [Master-Level Culinary Skills]."
"Hmm~"
Chen Yang, feeling bored from the repetitive prizes, was pleasantly surprised by the last one.
[Master-Level Culinary Skills]: From East to West, from ancient times to modern, you master every cuisine. Even the simplest dish will shine brilliantly under your knife!
[Training Outfit]: Made from celestial silk, it's breathable and cool, fitting perfectly to the skin. Wearing it feels like wearing nothing at all, freeing you to fully express yourself!
"This one's quite useful."
Chen Yang had been planning to buy a training outfit online, but the system had delivered it to him instead. Truly, the system knew him well!
As for the Master-Level Culinary Skills, it was a genuine surprise.
Cooking had never been his strong suit. He could manage to cook something edible, but that was about it. Recently, the vegetables he cooked tasted better, but that was due to the high-quality spiritual soil he used.
But he knew the stark difference between a skilled chef and an amateur. Even with the same ingredients, their dishes would taste worlds apart.
"Let's put these culinary skills to the test tonight."
After washing his hands, he cleaned every utensil, including knives and cutting boards.
Now a master chef, Chen Yang naturally became more demanding about cleanliness and precision.
He started by preparing the mandarin fish and crucian carp.
Then came the scallions, ginger, and garlic, followed by vegetables.
The sound of the knife chopping against the board—"ta-ta-ta-ta"—was rhythmic and sharp.
Nearby, Big Black and Little White stood at his feet, watching intently. They were mesmerized by how skillful and elegant Chen Yang's movements were.
Ten minutes later, the prep work was done.
"Little White, add firewood!"
"Woof!"
Little White immediately placed two sticks into the stove.
Chen Yang hovered his palm five centimeters above the oil pot to feel the temperature.
When it was just right, he poured in oil, followed by the ginger and garlic.
As the aroma wafted up, he added the crucian carp to the pan.
"Sizzle—"
The fish hit the hot oil, sending tiny droplets flying everywhere.
Within moments, both sides of the fish turned golden brown, the flesh firm and tender.
"More firewood!" Chen Yang called out.
Little White, drooling at the enticing smell, obediently added more firewood.
Meanwhile, Big Black stood on his hind legs, sniffing eagerly at the fragrant air.
Chen Yang grabbed a jug of well water and poured it into the pot, tossing in the scallions before covering it with a lid to simmer.
He didn't stop there.
He opened another pot, poured in water, and carefully placed a mandarin fish, prepped with knife cuts and lightly marinated, inside to steam.
Crucian carp for soup, mandarin fish for steaming.
As he glanced at the remaining ingredients, he frowned slightly.
"I think I need more pots."
...
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]