Chapter 44: When Enemies Meet, They Don't Recognize Each Other

Lao Mai walked over and asked, "Old Fang, how much do you sell wild three-knife fish for?"

Old Fang gave a wry smile: "I tell you, Mai the reporter, you ask three times a day; if I could get wild three-knife fish, I'd be sure to contact you first."

Lao Mai said: "Just tell me the price."

Old Fang said: "At least 1,300 per catty."

"I haven't seen wild three-knife fish in a long time; there's price but no market."

"Sigh."

He's also quite depressed; if he could get wild three-knife fish, that money would be easy to make—not to mention 1,300, even 1,500 would surely have buyers snatching it up.

A Qing's face lit up with joy— that fish could easily sell for over two thousand!

"He wouldn't have to do anything and could still get over two hundred, which is about a day's wage for an ordinary worker!"

Wu An was also very pleased; he hadn't expected the fish to fetch such a price— one fish is worth more than twenty-odd red friend black bream or similar fish.

Lao Mai laughed heartily, opened the tackle box hidden behind him, and said proudly: "You don't have it, but I do."

"Come take a look."

"Let me open your eyes."

Upon hearing this, Old Fang hurried over, crouched down, his face almost touching the water surface: "It's a three-knife fish— is it really wild?"

Lao Mai said smugly: "Nonsense, what would I gain by fooling you with farmed fish?"

"This..."

Saying this, he looked toward Wu An.

Wu An shook his head, indicating not to mention him.

Only then did Lao Mai say: "To be honest, this was caught by my friend."

Hearing that, Old Fang joked: "Old Fang, making friends out of nothing?"

"I'm not stealing yours; what are you afraid of?"

The bystanders also chimed in: "Old Fang, you come to the market every day looking for three-knife fish, and you actually caught one!"

"This one probably weighs about two catties."

"It was caught, and its appearance is excellent."

"Look at it, lively and jumping— if sent to Gang Cheng Restaurant, those diners would surely be excited and shout."

"Make way, let me have a look too."

Other vendors also gathered to watch, the commotion grew louder and louder, with onlookers forming three layers inside and three outside.

This is the angler's moment of glory!

He felt that not parading the tackle box around the market twice would be a disservice to this wild three-knife fish.

These days the ocean environment is poor, and this fish is truly becoming rarer.

Wu An didn't want to draw attention to himself.

He could actually say he caught it himself, but he felt it wasn't right to claim that glory for himself.

"Lao Mai, are you selling it?"

"Lao Mai, you're so skilled— go catch two more and I'll definitely buy them at a high price."

Lao Mai closed the tackle box lid and said: "Look all you want, but don't touch."

"It's impossible to sell."

"I've said it— this was caught by my friend; I'm definitely keeping it to eat."

With nothing left to see, they muttered and dispersed, everyone needing to get ready for business, all quite busy.

Wu An and A Qing, together with Old Fang, weighed the fish one by one; Old Fang tapped his calculator for a while, then said: "Come, let's settle the bill at the back."

Old Fang wrote out a slip, clearly stating the weight, unit price, and a total of 6,650; nowadays smartphones have become common, and QR-code payment exists, but it hasn't yet become widespread here.

Once mobile payment becomes fully universal, that will probably be sometime after 2013.

Besides.

Even if it were available, Wu An could only accept cash.

He still doesn't have a phone to this day; having paid off his high-interest loans and being debt-free, not having a phone is really inconvenient— once he gets the money, he'll go with A Qing to buy a phone first.

Wu An took the money and Old Fang's business card.

Old Fang said: "Next time, if you catch this much again, just give me a call and I can arrange someone to pick it up."

"If it's live, the price could be even higher."

Wu An thanked him and left.

He didn't leave directly, but followed Lao Mai to Boss Gao's stall; Boss Gao has several stalls in the market, mainly selling shrimp, crabs, and shellfish.

Compared to sea fish, these are easier to ** and transport.

Seeing Boss Gao, noticing Boss Gao was looking at a Taobao page, Wu An could only secretly admire him— no wonder Boss Gao can reach the pinnacle of life.

While others were still haggling over a few bucks in the market, Boss Gao was no longer limited to the town and county; he had already begun consciously moving online.

Could he, relying on his "foresight," hop onto Boss Gao's fast train and make money lying down?

Boss Gao laughed and asked: "You and Lao Mai are friends, so I'll also call you A An— how's that, are you satisfied with the price?"

Wu An thanked him, saying: "Boss Gao, your business is huge."

Boss Gao said: "So-so."

"Mainly, there isn't any good product to make a name for oneself."

"Wanting to break out is too difficult."

Wu An pondered, perhaps he could have a chance to help Boss Gao; the matter of "blue crab crossing the border" would happen not long from now, but he couldn't recall the exact timing just yet.

But he knew it was on the tidal flats, and he could completely stake out and seize the initiative.

At this moment he also didn't say much; boasting without knowing if he can do it would also leave people with a frivolous impression.

Before a relationship is deep, do not speak too much.

After a brief chat, Wu An followed Lao Mai out toward the market.

They passed the poultry area.

They saw a middle-aged woman setting up a stall to sell chickens; while others put their chickens in cages, this woman tied the chickens' legs and placed them directly in her cart for sale.

At a glance it looked unprofessional.

"Free-range chickens raised at home."

"Fed on vegetables and grown up."

"Come, take a look, have a look."

A customer stopped to examine and said, "Auntie, don't cheat us—others might not know, but we're from the same village; how could I not know if you raise chickens?"

The middle-aged woman hurriedly explained, "These chickens I brought from Xixi Village."

"That family owes me; I'm taking the chickens to settle the debt."

"When I caught them on the spot, that family was still chopping vegetables to feed the chickens."

Wu An's steps halted.

He looked over—the middle-aged woman was not a stranger; she was the mother of the person he had beaten into hospitalization, and these chickens… had been raised bit by bit by his sister-in-law!

The customer exclaimed, "I heard that A Long was beaten and sent to the ICU—is that true?"

The middle-aged woman shouted, "Of course… it's true."

"Why are you asking so much? Do you want to buy chickens or not?"

"If you're not buying chickens, go play elsewhere."

That customer was just gossiping; he got up and said, "I just want to go see A Long."

Upon hearing that, the middle-aged woman said, "Then go see him—he's right here in our hospital."

"His uncle is the hospital's chief director, who arranged a single room for him; you'll know if you go ask."

"Don't forget to bring a gift when you go."

The customer responded with a sound and walked off; after walking a bit farther, he muttered under his breath, "Obviously his family is rich, yet he still likes to take petty advantages—what kind of person is that?"

"To be extorted by such a person, that household in Xixi Village is really unlucky."

"Those chickens are really well raised."

Wu An stared at the middle-aged woman; she noticed and cheerfully called out, "Good-looking guy, want to buy chickens?"

Wu An shook his head.

She doesn't know him!

She actually doesn't know him!