Chapter 118: Returning with a Full Load

Picking up money is a very happy thing.

Especially when the three of us pick together.

The happiness just keeps growing.

After just half an hour, A Qing shouted that the bucket was full.

"Brother, at least thirty-plus catties."

"Just this bucket can sell for several hundred, we've struck it rich."

Wu An nodded, also happy, and could keep working for another two hours; this trip should earn several thousand.

He pointed to the nearby Snake Skin Bag and said, "The Snake Skin Bag is over there; pour it in, be sure to keep the Snake Skin Bag moist with a bit of water, otherwise under this big sun the General's Hat on the surface will definitely get sun‑bald."

A Qing responded and ran over.

Lao Mai wiped his sweat; given his age, his movements were a bit slow, so he only managed about half a bucket, leaving him drenched in sweat.

At first, it was really vigorous.

One shovel scoop would lift the General's Hat, feeling much like pulling up a fish.

But not long after, he began to find it hard to bear.

Hot and tired.

When fishing, there were breaks between bites when you could rest, namely pulling in the fish was the hard part, but now shoveling the General's Hat leaves no room to rest.

He stopped to drink water, rest a bit, then continue.

Gradually, he fell behind.

Lao Mai wasn't in a hurry either.

People, you gotta respect old age.

The three walked forward, and the reefs ahead grew steeper and steeper.

Perhaps because this side gets hit harder by the tide, General's Hats aren't numerous, but whenever one is found, it's quite large.

"Brother, these General's Hats are huge."

"Yeah, don't walk too fast; watch your safety—the tide here still hits pretty hard."

"Got it."

The two chatted, which also helped pass the time.

Actually, gathering seafood compared to fishing is somewhat dull, but the joy of the harvest can offset everything; for them, nothing is more interesting than making money.

He glanced back at Lao Mai, who was already far behind.

A Qing asked, "Should we wait for Lao Mai?"

Wu An thought, then shook his head: "No need."

"We'll just keep busy with our own work."

"Lao Mai actually isn't into gathering seafood."

A Qing scratched his head: "No way? Is there really someone who doesn't like gathering seafood?"

"This one could sell for a dollar or two; each shovelful is money."

Wu An smiled.

Lao Mai certainly hasn't achieved financial freedom, so it's natural he likes money, but some people's pursuits may not be about wealth.

It's something else.

Continuing forward, A Qing suddenly shouted excitedly, "Brother, brother… look what this is."

Wu An looked over: "Barnacle."

"What a big barnacle!"

A Qing tried shoveling once and directly lifted a large chunk of barnacle, shouting excitedly, "Brother, it's easy to shovel; I heard barnacles are valuable, right?"

Wu An nodded, also unable to hide his delight.

Barnacles are widespread, describable as being everywhere—not just on coastal reefs but even on marine life—but not all barnacles are edible.

The barnacles that are favored usually grow in relatively treacherous spots, like these steep reefs; some places also have seaweed and moss, making them very slippery.

Moreover, the waves are rough, and the surf strikes the body with strong force.

Barnacles command a high price not only because they're tasty but mainly because they're hard to obtain.

The two stared at the barnacle shovel, but barnacles aren't plentiful.

Past the reefs lies a beach where barnacles disappear entirely; A Qing glanced back, a bit disappointed: "We've only dug for half an hour and they're gone."

Wu An looked at the half‑bucket of barnacles and was already quite satisfied.

Actually, many small barnacles still cling to the reefs, but there's no need to scrape them all off; let them grow bigger for later.

Although this area is called a beach, much of it is actually pebbles, and there are also many Golden Abalones; the only thing to note is that the beach is flat, so the tide washes in.

If you're not careful, the waves will knock you down.

Unnoticed.

Luck Value ran out.

Walking along the beach, General's Hats grew scarcer; as Luck Value depleted and their strength waned, they occasionally fumbled.

Lao Mai fared worse—his hands trembled.

"Lao Mai, A Qing, we're about done."

"Before the tide comes in, let's hurry back to the boat."

"Just head back now?" A Qing stopped, reluctant to leave, and said, "I still see General's Hats around; why not look a bit longer?"

"It's just after five." Wu An shook his head and said, "We still need to get back to the boat; by the time we reach Zhen Shang Ma Tou, it'll probably be dark."

"If we head back early, we can still make it in time for a meal."

A Qing nodded, pouring the General's Hat from the bucket into the Snake Skin Bag, which exactly filled one Snake Skin Bag. He lifted it to test, grinning and said: "Brother, I can't lift it; I estimate it weighs over a hundred catties."

Wu An and he lifted it together and walked back: "There should be."

The two of them walked back.

There were two more Snake Skin Bags, making three in total, just enough for one each. Fortunately there was foam, so they placed the Snake Skin Bags on the foam, pulled them to the boat side, and then the three of them together hauled the Snake Skin Bags onto the boat.

Lao Mai went to start the boat.

Wu An and A Qing squatted on the deck to rest a bit, then, having regained their strength, they opened a Snake Skin Bag, poured out the General's Hats and Spicy Snails, and began sorting them.

The main task was to separate the General's Hats from the Spicy Snails.

Actually, they could further sort them into different specifications, with varying sizes, leading to a considerable price difference.

A Qing had originally intended to sort them.

Wu An did not agree.

First, they didn't have the time; second, being able to separate the General's Hats and Spicy Snails back at the dock would already be good.

Second, it wasn't necessary; the price difference would be only about a hundred or so yuan.

Just as they finished sorting, the fishing boat happened to return to the dock.

Just as they disembarked, they saw Guang Liangjun walking out of a nearby shed, cursing.

Their eyes met.

They exchanged greetings.

Guang Liangjun saw Wu An and the other two carrying box after box of General's Hats down from the boat, and his eyes widened in surprise: "Goodness, you've only been out half a day and brought back this many General's Hats?"

"Good luck." Wu An chuckled, saying: "I'm in a hurry to deliver these to Boss Gao; I'll come find you tomorrow, and we'll go to the county together to handle the paperwork."

Guang Liangjun nodded, then suddenly called out to them: "Wait, what about the fishing boat—are you not going to take care of it?"

Wu An blinked: "How so?"

Guang Liangjun said: "You need to wash the deck."

Wu An realized: "I'm in a rush to go to the market; I'll do it later when I come back."

Guang Liangjun rubbed his hands and said: "How about I help you wash the deck, and you… give me two hundred yuan?"

Wu An frowned: "That works, but only thirty."

Guang Liangjun's face fell: "Only that much?"

Wu An said nothing.

Thirty yuan is not little; at this time the hourly wage is only a dozen yuan, and washing the deck wouldn't take an hour—it could be done in a moment.

If it weren't for the hassle of running back and forth to the dock, he wouldn't even want to spend this money.

Guang Liangjun hesitated, seeing Wu An about to leave, and said: "Alright, alright."

Wu An gave him the money, telling him to wash the deck carefully.

Guang Liangjun watched them ride away on their bikes, his eyes flickering, then he spat, muttering something unintelligible, and turned and left.