The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Capturing Ornamental Fish, a Bumper Haul of Silver Pomfret

Han Xiaorui cast her net with great care.

The breeding season for single-spot butterflyfish was from March to October, and many of the females were already carrying roe.

In Han Xiaorui’s eyes, these weren’t just pretty fish; they were stacks of cash.

”Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, hurry and get a bucket. Fill it with some seawater,” Han Xiaorui instructed as she focused on pulling in the net.

”Alright, right away,” Liang Xiaoyu replied. She quickly brought over a large bucket and filled it with seawater.

When Han Xiaorui hauled the net up, Liang Xiaoyu, who had been full of hope, looked at the yellow fish with disappointment. ”Xiao Rui, these fish are pretty, but there are only a dozen or so. That’s not very many.”

Han Xiaorui smiled. ”These are single-spot butterflyfish. They’re mostly used as ornamental fish.”

”Then I’d better sort them out and put them in the bucket right away! We can sell them in our shop!” Liang Xiaoyu was quick and nimble, rapidly transferring the few lively, beautiful fish into the bucket.

Thanks to her Water Ability, the fish were in excellent condition.

Han Xiaorui started the boat again, while Liang Xiaoyu organized the fishing net.

Upon reaching Lobster Island, where they had been before, Han Xiaorui stopped the boat and dropped 120 lobster pots.

After that, they didn’t do anything else, just scouted around for beautiful marine fish.

It was truly a lucky day. After about ten-odd minutes, she spotted some Indo-Pacific sergeants, which also had a foreign-sounding name: ”Sergeant Major.”

They were a relatively valuable ornamental fish, with vibrant, eye-catching stripes. This species wasn’t suitable for mixed tanks and was best kept alone.

”Whoa, this net is heavy! Use the net hauler,” Liang Xiaoyu advised. ”These fish are pretty too.”

”Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, put the Indo-Pacific sergeants directly into the live well,” Han Xiaorui couldn’t help but remind her when she saw Liang Xiaoyu grab a bucket.

Liang Xiaoyu nodded quickly. ”Okay!”

She quickly moved the Indo-Pacific sergeants, each about half the size of her palm, into the live well. They were exceptionally beautiful.

It was as if the heavens knew Han Xiaorui was opening an ornamental fish shop and were sending all sorts of beautiful fish her way.

And just like that, she came across the Blue Devil Fish, known in Chinese as the round-tailed damselfish or blue-etched damselfish.

They had slender, sapphire-blue bodies, with a short black line running through the eye, faint black spots on the head, and small white spots on their bodies.

The adults weren’t large, reaching only four to ten centimeters at most.

When the Blue Devil Fish was startled, its color would dim as a protective measure. Once the danger passed, it would turn bright blue again.

Moorish idols.

Pink skunk clownfish, scientifically known as Amphiprion perideraion.

Maroon clownfish, scientifically known as Premnas biaculeatus.

Bicolor angelfish, scientifically known as Centropyge bicolor, also called the two-colored angelfish.

Liang Xiaoyu took a look. ”Today’s fish are such a feast for the eyes! Beautiful, just beautiful!”

Han Xiaorui was also delighted. The fish from the sea were truly gorgeous. The live well was now filled with these ornamental species.

She started the boat and was cruising on the open sea when she sensed a school of fish approaching!

Speak of the devil! It was a school of pomfret—and the best-tasting, most expensive kind at that: silver pomfret.

Han Xiaorui stopped the boat and began to cast her net.

She was tall, and after her recent period of recovery, her strength had increased. The net she cast spread out to cover a large area.

Although Liang Xiaoyu couldn’t see what kind of fish they were, she was thoroughly impressed with Han Xiaorui’s net-casting technique. She gave Han Xiaorui a thumbs-up. ”My grandpa was a veteran fisherman, and his casting skill was only about this good.”

”I make my living this way, so of course I have to put in the effort to learn,” Han Xiaorui said with a laugh, starting the net hauler to pull in the catch.

”It’s silver pomfret! These fetch a great price, and they’re delicious,” Liang Xiaoyu said with a grin as she worked. ”Xiao Rui, hurry, cast the net again!”

”You got it!” Seeing the school was still there, Han Xiaorui cast the net again and again.

The two of them worked together in perfect sync. The first few casts brought in over a hundred pounds each, but after five or six nets, the haul dropped to fifty or sixty pounds.

Finally, when a cast came up empty, they knew the school had dispersed.

The whole process took over an hour, and by the end, both Han Xiaorui and Liang Xiaoyu were so exhausted they had to sit down on the benches to rest.

But when they saw the holds overflowing with pomfret, Han Xiaorui and Liang Xiaoyu looked at each other and both broke into smiles.

It was tiring, but it was worth it.

The overflowing holds of silver pomfret were the best reward for their hard work!

After a short rest, Liang Xiaoyu got up, washed her hands, and took out the osmanthus cakes her mother-in-law had packed for them. She poured some homemade brown sugar ginger tea into her cup and Han Xiaorui’s.

”Here, Xiao Rui, drink something warm.” Liang Xiaoyu handed the steaming cup of brown sugar ginger tea to Han Xiaorui.

Han Xiaorui didn’t stand on ceremony. She took it and downed it in a few gulps, a pleasant warmth spreading through her from the inside out.

After eating two pieces of osmanthus cake, Han Xiaorui commented, ”Granny Cai is a great cook! These osmanthus cakes are delicious!”

Liang Xiaoyu nodded as well. ”My mother-in-law’s cooking is famous in Jinshan Bay! It’s just that nowadays, people prefer to hold banquets at hotels in town.”

”Back when banquets were held in the village, my mother-in-law was the head chef! She’s incredibly skilled!”

Having accepted Liang Xiaoyu’s food, Han Xiaorui was quick to return the favor generously. ”The silver pomfret are good today. Take two back with you later for Granny Cai to cook for your family.”

Liang Xiaoyu quickly refused. ”My things aren’t worth much, but the pomfret we caught today are almost all over two pounds! Fish this big sell for a high price! We can’t be so wasteful!”

”We should keep the big fish to sell. Just give me some of the smaller ones or any that are in poor condition. You’re earning a lot, but you can’t be recklessly generous. You have to learn how to be frugal.”

Han Xiaorui laughed. ”Alright, I’ll listen to Sister-in-law Xiao Yu. It’s about time, let’s go collect the lobster pots.”

Even though the pots had only been in the water for two hours, Liang Xiaoyu knew Han Xiaorui’s bait was excellent and that the area was teeming with lobsters, so the harvest should be good.

They motored the boat over to where they had dropped the pots. When they pulled one up, they saw it was stuffed to the brim, straining the sides of the pot.

After her experience last time, Liang Xiaoyu wasn’t as shocked anymore.

The fish holds were full, so they stacked the lobster pots directly on the deck.

After hauling up all 120 pots, there was no empty space left to stand.

Liang Xiaoyu couldn’t contain her joy. ”Another huge haul today! This is great!”

”Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, hurry over here! Get seated, we’re heading back!”

They had been delayed by catching the ornamental fish, and it was already past one in the afternoon.

By the time they got back to the county wharf, it would probably be 2:30 PM.

”I’m settled, let’s go!” Liang Xiaoyu took her seat. ’Fishing with Han Xiaorui means starting late and heading back early.’

’Ten yuan a day for this is such a bargain.’

Liang Xiaoyu was a content person. Even though Han Xiaorui earned much more, she knew it was due to Han Xiaorui’s own skill.

After all, not just anyone could find schools of fish or a good spot for catching lobsters.

Some people were born blessed by Mazu, the goddess of the sea, but Han Xiaorui was the one Mazu personally spoon-fed.

Han Xiaorui sailed at full speed, not stopping along the way.

However, because the holds were overflowing and all 120 lobster pots were full, the boat was weighed down, sitting deep in the water, so it couldn’t go as fast.

They passed other fishing boats on the way, but she didn’t recognize any of them and sped right past, leaving only a dashing silhouette in her wake.