Chapter 178: When I was a kid I met a Taoist begging for food

Originally Ye Cheng wanted to climb onto the deck himself, but he really had no strength left, so he could only be hauled up—Zhao Zhiming pulling from above and Xiao Hu supporting from below.

After Ye Cheng got up, everyone then worked together to pull the sailfish up.

A sailfish nearly three meters long lay on the deck, making what was originally a spacious deck feel a bit cramped.

"Awesome, bro, you haven't drowned after all that time—your breath-holding skill is seriously badass." Zhao Zhiming gave Ye Cheng a thumbs-up.

"Right, right, Xiao Hu said you've had extraordinary talent since childhood, able to dive for twenty minutes—is that true?" Xiao Rou said, very interested.

Ye Cheng glanced at Xiao Hu, realizing he was covering for him.

"Yeah, when I was a kid I met a Taoist who came begging for food, I gave him a rice ball, he taught me a spell, and that's how I got so good." Ye Cheng said solemnly while lying on the deck.

"Huh? Really? Then you met an immortal?" Xiao Rou obviously didn't realize Ye Cheng was just making it up; she actually believed him.

"Xiao Rou, he's pulling your leg, making it up." Lao Wang didn't want his daughter to be fooled by this kid Ye Cheng, so he hurried to explain.

"Oh, you're lying, what's wrong with you?" Xiao Rou pouted.

Ye Cheng gave an embarrassed laugh, quickly changed the subject, turned to Zhao Zhiming and said, "Brother Zhao, let's get practical—think about how to sell this fish for money."

"Find Wang Ke, then have Xiao Rou call him—he'll definitely give you a good price." Zhao Zhiming looked at Xiao Rou.

"Wang Ke's cousin? Ye Cheng, you know him too?" Xiao Rou said in surprise.

Ye Cheng stared at Xiao Rou, "Wang Ke is your cousin?"

"Yeah, he helps my dad run that private restaurant." Xiao Rou nodded naturally, as if everything was perfectly logical.

Ye Cheng glanced at Zhao Zhiming, then at Lao Wang, and finally said word by word,

"All right, Lao Wang, if I'd known it was your place, I should have asked for a higher price earlier."

Lao Wang chuckled hehe, "Okay, okay, forget the past—this time I guarantee you'll get a good price for that sailfish you risked your life for, alright?

I won't take a loss-making deal—don't expect me to pay above market; at most I'll make a little profit."

"Miser." That line wasn't spoken by Ye Cheng; it was Xiao Rou saying it, giving her father a sideways glance.

Lao Wang wore a look of helplessness, silently muttering to himself, "My own flesh and blood, my own flesh and blood."

Cui Shuran squatted down to examine the sailfish, lifted it to estimate, and said, "Under 200 catties, about the same as your last one."

Ye Cheng nodded; Cui Shuran's earlier judgment was correct—the fish really weighs that much, so it seems the biggest fish my rod can handle is about this size.

Since people and the fish are both aboard, and everyone's happy, Lao Wang directly ordered the boat to head back.

On the way back, Xiao Rou kept pressing Ye Cheng about what's down at the sea bottom.

"There's seawater."

"... Can you give a serious answer?"

"Sure, there's seawater down there—I'm not an immortal; when I go down I have to fight the fish, I don't have time to look around below."

Ye Cheng's dilemma: girls just want something romantic, but I'm down there risking my life—I really have no time to look at anything, yet they think I'm some immortal who learned magic.

Though I didn't see nothing—I saw plenty of big fish, so later we might consider coming here to fish.

Of course, first we need to solve the problem of having a boat.

Back at the shore, Wang Ke had already arrived, driving a freight truck over.

"Uncle, what kind of fish is it that you had to call me personally?" As soon as they met, Wang Ke went up to greet Lao Wang.

"Brother, just seeing Lao Wang means you don't see me?" Xiao Rou popped out from behind, feeling no psychological burden at all about calling her own father Lao Wang.

"Seen, seen, our family's great beauty—you're dazzling wherever you stand, right?" Wang Ke replied with a smiling face.

"Yo, Young Master Cui is here too, coming to keep Xiao Rou company?" Wang Ke greeted Cui Shuran as well; it's obvious that everyone in their circle knows Young Master Cui is pursuing Xiao Rou.

Cui Shuran nodded, lacking enthusiasm; today she could have gotten along well with Xiao Rou, but she didn't expect the spotlight to be stolen by Ye Cheng.

"Alright, take the fish they want to sell and give them a better price, especially that sailfish." Lao Wang pointed to the sailfish lying on the deck, with nowhere to put it, so he just left it there casually.

"That big? Must be about three meters, did you guys catch it?" Wang Ke exclaimed in surprise.

"He caught it, he went down and speared it to death with a fish spear—awesome, right? And I helped too." Xiao Rou jumped out, pointing at Ye Cheng and speaking first.

Wang Ke then turned his head and saw—another acquaintance.

He had some impression of Ye Cheng, who had come to his store a few times to sell fish, but he didn't think much of him—basically it was just because of Zhao Zhiming's connection.

But now, seeing his cousin's attitude and the uncle's earlier instructions, this person's status seems like it ought to be raised a bit.

"Brother, you're awesome!" Wang Ke gave a thumbs-up, a remark with double meaning.

One meaning is that he's good at fishing; the other is that he actually managed to connect with his uncle.

Others might not understand what Ye Cheng meant, but he himself got it.

"President Wang, we're just trying to earn some hard-earned cash—later, could you give us a bit more?" Ye Cheng said with a smile.

"Don't worry, worst case I don't make any money."

After saying that, Wang Ke squatted down to examine the fish's body and fins, then said, "This is a white sailfish; it can sell for at most 80 per catty."

Ye Cheng was about to nod when Xiao Rou cut in, "What 80? Brother, just make it a round number—100 per catty."

Wang Ke:...

Lao Wang:...

Fine, you're not treating your own money as money, huh.

Wang Ke pursed his lips toward Lao Wang, "This is your father's money; he decides, I don't care."

Then it's settled—100 per catty, no need for his consent." Facing her own father, Xiao Rou had him completely under her thumb.

Lao Wang stood in the back, rubbing his face, continuing to mutter, "My own flesh and blood."

Ye Cheng would certainly welcome more profit; besides this sailfish, he also sold all the other fish to Wang Ke in one go.

Stone Nine Elder, 3 catties 2 taels, 320 dollars.

White pomfret, 20 pieces, 34 catties, 340 dollars.

Hairtail, 5 pieces, 45 catties, 2250 dollars.

Peelskin fish, 4 strips, 11 catties, 440 yuan.

White sailfish, 189 catties, yuan.

After calculation, this time Ye Cheng going out to sea altogether yuan.

Ye Cheng gave himself and Xiao Hu 5,000 yuan, the rest counted as his own; calculated this way, currently savings total 105,000 yuan, loans 40,000 yuan.

After selling the goods, everyone went home separately; after a day, they were also quite tired.