The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Going to Sea Again, Encountering a Sunfish

Han Xiaorui gave a bitter smile. ”I didn’t tell them. If I did, they’d step in, but not for my sake. It would be to extort money, and none of it would ever end up in my hands.”

”Back in my hometown, a daughter’s purpose is to be raised in exchange for a bride price. It’s all for the benefit of their sons.”

Liang Xiaoyu was stunned and couldn’t believe it. ”No way! If they favored sons so much, how could they have paid for you to go to college?”

Han Xiaorui sighed. ”I was always first in my class ever since I started school. My teachers helped support me, the school waived my tuition, and they even gave me food rations. I barely cost my family any money to attend school.”

”I’m thinking that if I can catch more fish and make more money, I’ll definitely go back to see the teachers and the school that helped me. I want to donate books and some stationery to the school.”

Liang Xiaoyu’s heart ached hearing this. She patted Han Xiaorui’s arm. ”That’s all in the past. Look how good things are now. I really admire you. My mother-in-law praises you wherever she goes.”

”You’re still young. If you meet the right person, someone you like who likes you back, you can get remarried. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter. You have money, a boat, land, a shop, and your kids. You can still live a beautiful life.”

Han Xiaorui beamed. ”You’re right, it’s all in the past. I’m so happy now. I’m living for myself and for the people I care about.”

The freshwater goldfish she had bought were in their spawning season, their bellies swollen with eggs.

The feed she had prepared was perfect for supplementing the goldfishs’ nutrition.

Normally, hatching would take seven days, but her Water Ability could speed up the process.

There were already many fish eggs in the tank. The hatching process began, and after just two or three days, they had all hatched and were swimming around in the large, rectangular glass tank.

Han Xiaorui carefully instructed Wu Lingling and Xu Wenwen on how often to feed the fry and how much to give them.

Wu Lingling and Xu Wenwen noted it down in their notebooks, taking their work very seriously.

The fish tanks arrived one after another. Han Xiaorui had specially bought some dried small fish, dried shrimp, and other dried goods to mix with corn flour, wheat flour, and bran to make pelleted feed.

She had it professionally processed into feed at a chicken farm. The processing fee wasn’t expensive, making it more cost-effective than buying her own machine to make the feed.

’If I expand the farm in the future, I’ll have to buy a machine and mix it myself!’

Han Xiaorui just needed to watch from the side while others bustled about for her.

She hired a car to follow the truck and transported the two types of feed—seven sacks in total—to the two-story building.

”Lingling, Wenwen, pack 100 grams into each bag, then seal them.” As she spoke, Han Xiaorui demonstrated by pressing a thin hacksaw blade against a bag and heating it over a candle to seal it.

Wu Lingling and Xu Wenwen practiced a few times and quickly got the hang of it. ”Sister Xiao Rui, how much will we sell the fish food for?”

Han Xiaorui thought for a moment. ”Sell it for one yuan a scoop. Feed Number One is for carnivorous and omnivorous fish; Feed Number Two is for herbivorous fish.”

”Our small fish will be ten cents each. Make sure to remind customers that carnivorous fish can’t be kept with herbivorous ones, or they’ll get eaten.”

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Han Xiaorui explained everything one by one. Both of them cherished their new jobs and wrote it all down in their little notebooks.

Just then, the owner of the glass factory, Zhou Wei, personally delivered the small glass fish tanks she had ordered.

The glass was very clear. After Han Xiaorui inspected them, she paid him promptly.

Wu Lingling looked at the fast-growing fry. ”Sister Xiao Rui, can we open for business tomorrow?”

Han Xiaorui smiled. ”Not yet. The fish are still too small. We’ll start selling them when they grow to two centimeters. I’ll have someone pick an auspicious date for the opening. For now, you two just focus on getting the miscellaneous tasks done.”

”Lock the doors tight at night and try not to go out too much. Be safe. If you really want to go out and have fun, you can take compensatory leave after everything is on track and you’ve gotten paid.”

”Thank you, Sister Xiao Rui,” Wu Lingling said gratefully, working diligently.

Han Xiaorui was so busy these days that her feet barely touched the ground, but she felt very fulfilled.

Just as she got home, Han Xiaorui received a notice from the shipyard that her boat was repaired.

Han Xiaorui hopped on her bicycle and rode to the shipyard. She couldn’t wait until tomorrow morning; she was going to bring the boat back tonight.

When she arrived, Yang Jianguo was there too.

It turned out that the shipyard’s Director Li was Yang Jianguo’s elementary school classmate. He had heard that Han Xiaorui’s boat was fixed and was waiting for her.

”Brother Li, write up the invoice for the repair costs at double the actual price.”

Director Li paused, stunned, and looked at Han Xiaorui.

Han Xiaorui was also taken aback for a moment, then she instantly understood. Yang Jianguo was trying to get her more compensation.

’So the Luo Duan, Big Yellow Fish, and small yellow croakers weren’t given for nothing!’

”Director Li, please do as Brother Jianguo says,” Han Xiaorui agreed immediately. After all, Yang Jianguo was going to such lengths for her; she couldn’t drop the ball now.

Since they wanted to cause trouble for her, Han Xiaorui was more than happy to make them pay a bigger price.

Yang Jianguo said indignantly, ”My second uncle and I both told everyone in the village not to bully Xiao Han, Pingping and An’an’s mother. But Song the Second and Yu Lanlan just let our words go in one ear and out the other.”

Director Li just smiled. His old classmate was always protective of his own.

The boat repair had originally cost 460 yuan, but now an invoice was written out for 920 yuan.

Han Xiaorui paid the money, and Yang Jianguo took the invoice. ”Xiao Rui, you just take the boat. Don’t you worry about the compensation. Once I get the money, I’ll have Sister Cuicui bring it to you.”

”Thank you so much, Brother Jianguo,” Han Xiaorui said, making a mental note of the favor from Yang Jianguo and Wu Cuicui.

The weather was good for the next day, perfect for going out to sea to fish.

Liang Xiaoyu was also delighted to hear they were going fishing tomorrow.

Granny Cai made some osmanthus cakes and packed them in an aluminum lunchbox. The next morning, she also filled a thermos with ginger tea for Liang Xiaoyu, adding a large handful of brown sugar with a pained expression on her face.

”Don’t think you can be reckless just because you’re young. Bring an extra set of clothes and change as soon as you get wet. Drink plenty of this brown sugar ginger tea. Making a living at sea isn’t so easy.”

Although her mother-in-law’s tone wasn’t pleasant and her expression was gruff, her actions were very warm.

”I know, Mom. Thank you,” Liang Xiaoyu said gratefully, carrying the lunchbox and thermos Granny Cai had prepared.

Granny Cai grumbled, ”No need to thank me. You’re all just here to collect debts.”

Liang Xiaoyu chuckled and walked with light steps toward Han Xiaorui’s house with her son.

She felt that after meeting Han Xiaorui, her luck had turned, her life had gotten better, and even the sky seemed bluer.

It was the weekend, so there was no school.

Han Xiaoqing locked the main gate from the inside and stayed home to study with the three children, applying what she had learned at the hospital and from books to their daily lives.

The children fed the small animals, their cheerful laughter echoing from time to time.

Amidst the sound of the children’s laughter, Han Xiaorui and Liang Xiaoyu once again set out on their small fishing boat to conquer the sea.

Han Xiaorui steered the boat, her spirits high.

Today, she not only wanted to bring in a large catch but also to capture as many beautiful saltwater ornamental fish as possible.

She hummed a little tune as she steered the boat.

Her luck was good today. Han Xiaorui discovered a school of beautiful Teardrop Butterflyfish, also known as Sunburst Butterflyfish.

The fish’s body was yellow, lighter from its eyes to its side, and darker elsewhere. In the center of its body was a small black spot that would grow larger as the fish matured.