Time flew as Xiang Ye kept pulling up one whitebait after another.
Usually, after catching twenty or thirty in one spot, Crucian Carp and Common Carp would start moving in. That's when Xiang Ye would yield the swim to Ai Bai and move on to find a new spot to resume fishing. This method had Ai Bai thoroughly enjoying himself.
From around 10 a.m. when they arrived, they fished straight through until about 3 p.m. As the early spring weather began to cool down, the fish stopped biting. Xiang Ye had rotated through four different spots, while Ai Bai ended the day with over a dozen small Crucian Carp and three Common Carp.
Well, it was supposed to be four, but one of them slipped away. Ai Bai had picked it up to snap a photo for his girlfriend and got too cocky. The fish wriggled out of his hands and flopped right back into the river. He could only sigh and get back to fishing.
If it had been Xiang Ye, he might've cried. A full Jin of Common Carp was worth over 1,000 yuan! But Ai Bai? He'd just eat a little less at dinner—no big deal.
Speaking of dinner, Xiang Ye's stomach started growling in protest.
Young people didn't usually eat breakfast, and now, with it being past 3 p.m., Xiang Ye hadn't had a single bite or drop of water all day.
After waiting a little longer and confirming that no more fish were biting, he glanced over at Ai Bai—who had completely zoned out, chatting with his girlfriend on WePay.
"Let's go," Xiang Ye said.
"Finally! If it weren't for watching you pull in fish nonstop, I'd have called it quits hours ago," Ai Bai replied instantly.
But Xiang Ye knew. The reason Ai Bai hadn't brought it up was because he was being considerate. He knew Xiang Ye hadn't been in a great mood today. Watching him catch fish might help lighten his spirits, so he let him be.
Now that Xiang Ye had made the call to leave, Ai Bai naturally agreed.
Xiang Ye smiled, then lifted his keepnet. He was surprised—he hadn't realized he'd caught over 130 fish! His total earnings? More than 14,000 yuan... (some of those small Crucian Carp had weighed over 50 grams each).
"Damn… One day of this and I've basically made what I earn in a whole month of working 9 to 9, six days a week," Xiang Ye muttered to himself, stunned as he tapped "Withdraw Earnings" and watched the balance update on his phone.
Okay, this system might really be legit.
"Hey bro, would you be willing to sell some of those little fish? My kid's been begging for fried whitebait, but I've only caught five or six today—I've got nothing to show for it…"
A young man about the same age as them walked over a bit sheepishly, eyeing Xiang Ye's overflowing keepnet. It was a little embarrassing to go fishing and end up buying fish.
But honestly, it was probably more embarrassing for Xiang Ye and Ai Bai—guys their age getting shown up by a dad whose kid already had a taste for crispy fried fish. Ai Bai at least had a girlfriend. Xiang Ye… sigh.
"Buy? Nah, just take some. We can't finish them all anyway. If anyone else wants some, come grab a few too," Xiang Ye offered generously.
Sure, whitebait could sell for 15 yuan a Jin, but with over 14,000 yuan in the bag today? No need to nickel-and-dime. All these fish probably weighed less than 10 Jin anyway—barely worth 100 yuan or so. He'd rather give them away.
Hearing this, a few others who hadn't caught much lit up and came over. Xiang Ye didn't hold back—he dumped out over half of his haul, keeping only around forty fish for himself. The rest he gave away freely.
As for releasing them back into the river? That wasn't an option. Whitebait had fragile, delicate mouths—once hooked, they were usually too damaged to survive. Letting them go would just mean feeding the other fish.
Better for someone to enjoy them as a meal.
After handing out the fish, Xiang Ye and Ai Bai headed home in Ai Bai's car, then got to work cleaning and prepping the catch.
Don't let Ai Bai's carefree vibe fool you—he was actually quite the cook. His family hadn't always owned a restaurant. His dad had started out as a chef and only later bought the place. So, while Ai Bai wasn't exactly a master, his cooking skills were far better than average—especially when it came to fish, thanks to his fishing hobby.
First, he handled the three Jin-sized Common Carp. Clean, fry, then braise them low and slow—"tofu should be boiled a thousand times, fish should be simmered ten thousand"—the longer the better. As for the small fish? Quick and simple: pan-fried until crispy.
He descaled and gutted the whitebait and small Crucian Carp, seasoned them thoroughly, then heated oil and laid the fish along the edge of the pan in rows. Once one side crisped up, he flipped them for an even fry.
The savory aroma made Xiang Ye's mouth water.
Just as the dishes were nearly ready, Ai Bai's girlfriend arrived.
Her name was Wang Fangfei, a local girl. Short—maybe around 150 cm tall—and her looks were nothing to write home about. But she had a kind heart. Most local families were strongly against marrying outsiders, but she and her parents had always treated Ai Bai well. Maybe the fact that Ai Bai's family wasn't short on money helped.
Even though they'd been together a long time, she almost never stayed over at Ai Bai's place. If they wanted to spend the night together, Ai Bai would usually go to her place—after all, she had her own apartment.
"Whew, perfect timing! Smells amazing, babe!" she called out cheerfully as she walked in.
"Yup! Wash your hands, let's eat, sweetheart," Ai Bai replied sweetly from the kitchen.
That exchange was so sugary it made Xiang Ye's skin crawl. The sheer stink of love in the air was unbearable.
The couple was clearly used to ignoring Xiang Ye as they flirted their way through finishing dinner. Xiang Ye's only option was to retreat as far away as possible.
He was used to their lovey-dovey antics by now… but still. He worried. If he got too close, would the fumes of their romance make him physically ill?
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]