Who would have thought that after the typhoon, they would find such a big fish? This typhoon truly brought them fortune!
Ye Yaodong rubbed his hands together in excitement and rolled up his sleeves, ready to work.
This fish wasn't anything rare or precious, but its size was impressive.
It looked like it weighed over a hundred jin.
With this fish, their trip was well worth it.
"Aqing, help me hold open the sack; I’ll push it in!"
"Be careful! I just saw the fish's gills still breathing, and its tail was moving. Don't get bitten!"
"It'll be fine."
Ye Yaohua also rolled up his sleeves to help.
A fish this big would be difficult for just one person to handle.
"What kind of waves did we have out at sea these past couple of days for such a big fish to wash up on our beach?"
"Second sister-in-law, why don't you look around a bit more? Maybe you'll find another one!" Lin Xiuqing said, tilting her head.
"Surely not..."
Though she said this, she promptly started searching around, only to find two smaller fish, which left her a bit disappointed.
As they were moving the fish, more people approached and noticed the enormous catch.
"Wow! What kind of fish is that? It's over one meter long, isn’t it?"
"A fish this big actually washed ashore?"
"Oh my, what kind of fish is this? It’s so huge! Ahua, your luck is amazing..."
"This isn’t mine; this is Dongzi and his group’s find."
Inside, he felt a bit regretful.
If only he had arrived just a little earlier, such a big fish resting by the rocks would have been easy to spot.
Seeing so many people gather, the rest of the Ye family came over.
Ye Father and Ye Mother wore smiles, willing to lend a hand while muttering to themselves, “A fish this big washed ashore—this is something special…”
With so many people chatting and laughing, the air was filled with excitement.
"Dongzi, your luck has been quite good lately. I heard from Ah Cai that you sold him a seabass the other day."
"Yeah, your luck is shining. With such a big fish, Ahua didn’t even see it; only you did!"
"Wow! The Ye family is going to strike it rich again!"
"Seems like your family's fortune is flourishing lately!"
All talk, no action.
Once the fish was securely in the sack, Ye Yaodong addressed everyone, “You all should look around too; maybe there are more big fish caught in the crevices of the rocks?”
“Right, right!”
Everyone dispersed quickly, eager to hunt for more fish, with some even rushing to the tide.
Lin Xiuqing, eyes sparkling as she looked at the moving fish in the sack, said, “Should we stop looking? Let’s drag this fish back first?”
Ye Yaodong smiled at her, “Happy now?”
She nodded vigorously!
Not just happy—she was practically over the moon!
Indeed, that Meile Pearl was their lucky charm!
Ye Mother chimed in, “How did such a big fish end up washed ashore? What type of fish is it?”
Ye Father took over, “If I’m not mistaken, it should be a mature yellowfin tuna.”
Since even his father was sure it was a yellowfin tuna, there was no doubt about it.
"This fish must go for at least two coins a jin? With this size, it should sell for quite a bit?”
Ye Dage looked a tad envious, “Dad, since Dongzi’s luck is so good lately, why not let him go out at sea with you? Who knows, he might also bring back a big catch.”
Ye Yaodong rolled his eyes, annoyed that everyone just seemed to want to use him to get rich.
“Sure, I’m up for it! Let’s go out to sea!”
Ye Father thought for a moment before agreeing, “Let’s give it a try tomorrow; you won’t get seasick, right?”
“Well, I can't say for sure. I’ve never been at sea for a whole day before.”
"Let’s just see how it goes."
Ye Mother, her face glowing with excitement, said, “First, let your father help carry the fish to the dock while it’s still fresh. Ask Ah Cai how much he’ll buy it for.”
Lin Xiuqing quickly added, “I’ll go too; I have two crabs and a big seabass to sell as well.”
“Quickly, then!”
A fish over one meter long and weighing over a hundred jin was about as heavy as an adult woman, and not completely dead yet—it still moved from time to time.
Without the sack, it would have been hard to carry.
The sack also contained a large bucket of clams, adding to the weight, making it cumbersome.
“Lucky I’m smart and carry a sack with me whenever I head out…”
Ye Father shot him a cold glare, “Who do you think you’re calling 'dad'?”
“Uh… your son’s dad!”
“Where’s your son now?”
“Dad, don’t be so picky. It’s just a saying, I just said it out of habit.”
“You call me ‘dad,’ and say it’s just a habit? Looking for a beating?”
He pressed his lips tightly together, deciding to say no more.
Lin Xiuqing silently flashed a joyful smile by the side.
Ah Cai was sitting at the purchasing point, munching on sunflower seeds.
When he saw father and son approaching with a sack, curiosity piqued, “What do you have there?”
“Guess!”
“It’s not a person you’re bringing, is it?”
“Are you a human trafficker?” Ye Yaodong replied, utterly speechless.
Ah Cai stood up, walked around them, and noticed the sack wiggle, “Not a person, is it a fish? It’s so big!”
He tossed the sack into his purchasing spot, then Ye Father said, “It’s a yellowfin tuna; take a look!”
"A yellowfin tuna this big?" Ah Cai lifted the sack flap and saw, “It really is, they are quite rare. Let me measure it.”
He pulled a tape measure from a nearby rickety wooden table and measured, “One meter and twenty centimeters; it’s truly big… Let’s weigh it to see; it should be over a hundred jin.”
"Wow, it’s actually one hundred fifteen jin and eight ounces."
“How much will you pay for it?” Both father and son watched Ah Cai closely.
“Two coins and two... ah, two coins and three... two coins and five... Two coins and five; that’s the most I can offer!” Under the pressure of their gazes, Ah Cai was nervous, hastily changing his offer.
“Cai Ge, that’s not fair to me. My fishing boat sells to you at fixed prices; you can’t keep lowering the price. Let’s have a smoke first and discuss it properly…” Ye Yaodong put his arm around Ah Cai’s shoulder and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it for him.
Inside, he couldn't help but complain about how little pocket money he had.
He could hardly afford to smoke himself and had barely finished a pack over several days.
Ah Cai was short and round, making him appear even smaller under Ye Yaodong's arm, with the two of them looking like a pair of contrasting monks.
“Brother, I’m not trying to lowball you; it’s just that this fish is worth this much. I’ve already offered a high price.”
“Cai Ge, you’re taking advantage of me because I’m from the countryside and don’t know any better. If this yellowfin tuna were only ten or twenty jin, then sure, your price would be fair. But this one is over a meter long and weighs over a hundred jin. It’s definitely worth more than that.”
(End of Chapter)