Chapter 572: The Big-Eyed Chicken's Clingy Little Kitten

Untying the rope, the catch fell, the boom jerked upward, and for a moment the deck was a sea of red.

A Qing ran over excitedly and shouted, "They're all kajiki fish."

Fan Dali shook his head and said, "They're big-eyed chicken."

"But big-eyed chicken this large are indeed uncommon."

Big-eyed chicken is a fairly common sea fish.

He said while speaking, picked up a big-eyed chicken, measured it with his palm, and said with a delighted face, "This one is over half a meter long."

"It weighs over one catty."

"A An, this price is definitely not bad."

Wu An picked up a big-eyed chicken still flopping at his feet, measured it with his hand, and found it was actually three of his palms wide.

This fish is also called big-eyed sea bream; true to its name, its eyes are the feature, especially large.

Very beautiful, high looks, especially the pair of eyes, crystal clear and translucent, like jelly.

Moreover, its whole body is bright red; such fish are very popular in their area.

Because when placed on a banquet table, just looking at it feels very celebratory.

That's why A Qing called this fish kajiki fish, which is somewhat like true sea bream; both are sea bream, both reddish and celebratory, so in some places they are indeed both called kajiki fish.

Moreover, what Fan Dali called big-eyed chicken is actually a general term; the fishermen here call any fish with big eyes big-eyed chicken.

Some fish look similar; without careful distinction you can't tell them apart.

So.

In the seafood market, there are many Li Kui and Li Gui, passing off cheap sea fish as expensive, and still many people get taken in, eating them clean without noticing.

It's just a name; actually it doesn't matter.

Why?

Because the price of true sea bream and big-eyed chicken is about the same.

Just a few dozen yuan per catty.

The price isn't as high as those prized fish, but it makes up for it in volume.

Wu An tossed the big-eyed chicken in his hand into the fish basket and asked, "How good can it be? Can it reach fifty?"

Fan Dali thought for a moment and said, "Roughly the same."

Wu An nodded: "That'll do."

This haul is about a thousand catties.

Everyone figured that, conservatively, this haul's income could reach fifty thousand; compared to yesterday's few hauls it's a bit less, but if we compare with other trawlers.

This haul's income is already quite good.

Soon.

The second net went into the sea.

Everyone also began sorting the catch.

Wu An checked the time; with so much catch, sorting would take about an hour, roughly past eleven, so they could finish lunch early and then launch the second net.

For lunch, they'll just make do with the freshly caught big-eyed chicken.

He asked, "How should we eat this fish?"

Fan Dali casually said, "Simple, just steam it."

It can also be made into fish soup.

I've heard sashimi is good too, but I haven't tried it.

Are this fish's scales like sandpaper, impossible to scrape off, but once steamed the skin peels easily?

This fish isn't expensive; when they occasionally catch some, they'll keep a bit to try.

Before, no one in Wu An's family went out to sea, so they hardly ever got to eat it.

Wu An asked, "Is it tasty?"

Fan Dali nodded: "Garlic‑button meat—pick these two, enough for us all to eat."

Just as Wu An was about to take the two big-eyed chicken that Fan Dali had set aside, A Qing held one up in one hand and asked curiously, "Brother, quick look—these two big-eyed chicken have different tails."

"One is flat, the other like a swallow's tail."

Wu An sized them up, let out a soft "yeah"; if A Qing hadn't pointed it out, he really wouldn't have noticed, but among all those big-eyed chicken the tails indeed come in two types.

And the two big-eyed chicken Fan Dali had just given him have flat tails.

He asked, "How come there's still a difference?"

Fan Dali coughed and said, "The flat ones are female, the swallow‑tail ones are male."

"The males are a bit more valuable."

Wu An suddenly understood; he said Fan Dali had been so eager earlier, even helping him pick the fish, actually deliberately giving him the cheaper females to cook.

Wu An chuckled, then picked two male swallow‑tail fish, moreover the largest ones.

Just kidding.

He's eating it himself—how could he shortchange himself?

After all the hardship of going out to sea, exhausted, he still ought to treat himself.

Getting to eat the freshest, best sea fish counts as one of the few perks for fishermen who go out to sea.

Fan Dali still wanted to save face, saying, "Actually the texture is about the same; the male is just a bit firmer and chewier, the female is not bad, more tender and smooth."

Wu An, hearing that, also picked a female and put it in the fish basket.

"…" Fan Dali was stunned for a moment. "Damn, this mouth of mine—just grew extra."

Actually, besides big-eyed chicken, this haul had plenty of shrimp and crab, whereas yesterday's burst of squid and such are hardly to be seen.

The catch is just like that.

Before you haul the net, you have no idea what's inside.

Wu An picked up the net frame, went to tidy up, preparing lunch.

A little over an hour.

The catch from the first net was all sorted; a small part kept alive in the live fish tank, most ended up on the deck already dead, could only go into the freezer.

Trawling is like that.

It causes relatively large damage to the catch.

But you can't deny that one net yields a lot; as long as the quantity is large, even cheap sea fish can sell for money, and a slightly poorer appearance doesn't matter much.

Noon.

One male and one female big-eye chicken steamed, another made into soup.

Also there's braised pork prepared by Aunt Juan, Wu An also stir-fried a large plate of garlic-infused water spinach.

Not many dishes, but portions are plentiful.

The big-eye chicken tastes good; after eating, Wu An gave an objective evaluation, the male and female big-eye chicken each have their own merits.

Fu Yongning also got up, ate lunch.

Upon hearing that the net caught many big-eye chickens, he was also very happy.

After eating.

The second net had been trawling for exactly two hours, he finished the last sip of beer, then Wu An remembered to check the system, discovering that the Luck Value of trawling had been cleared at some unknown time.

"Yo, looks like there's a surprise." Wu An's eyes lit up, he called to haul the net, not forgetting to paint a pie: "Hurry up and finish this second net, we can still squeeze in a nap."

Actually he's already a bit sleepy.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, he really wants to sleep well.

But thinking about the second net whose Luck Value had been cleared, he still mustered his spirit and came to the deck, looking eagerly at the tow rope being slowly pulled up.

When the net bag came out of the water, the deck burst into cheers.

Because the net bag was bulging, so much that it felt like it might burst any moment.

The crane arm swayed slightly, looking like it couldn't bear much weight.

Fan Dali looked up and shouted: "Good fellow, this net probably weighs five or six tonnes!"

"It didn't burst, truly the Goddess Mazu's blessing."

A Qing leaned in to look, his eyesight extremely good, shouted: "It's going to burst, I see many cracks."

"I'll haul the net."

He went up to pull the rope, but despite his face turning red he couldn't pull it open; Fan Dali said: "Maybe the catch is too heavy pressing down, everyone come over, let's do it together."

Like tug-of-war, everyone grabbed the rope, chanting the work song, exerting force together.

"Boom!"—just like a mountain falling directly onto the deck, the whole ship seemed to suddenly sink.