The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 50: Chapter 50: A Once-and-for-All Solution

”The fishermen in the village haven’t given me any trouble, but the ones from outside are a bit of a handful.” Han Xiaorui then told them about how, after she sold her fish at the county dock, many other fishermen had started following them.

Yang Jianguo was taken aback. ”So that’s what’s going on! Before you started fishing, my second uncle and I went door-to-door telling all the village fishermen not to give you a hard time.”

”I never thought it would be fishermen from other villages instead of our own. I’d heard you were making good money selling Big Yellow Fish. Just how much are you making on each trip for them to get this jealous?”

Han Xiaorui thought for a moment. ’I’m about to build a factory, and that requires money for everything. Since I’m an investor, Yang Jianguo can probably guess my financial situation. There’s really no need to hide it from him.’

”It used to be a few thousand each time, but the last two trips have brought in over ten thousand,” Han Xiaorui answered conservatively. She didn’t mention that she had made 13,500 yuan just today.

”What? Over ten thousand?” Yang Jianguo was dumbfounded. ”My second uncle has to take his big boat out for several days just to barely make that kind of money.”

Wu Cuicui’s eyes danced with excitement as she looked at Han Xiaorui, feeling as though the woman was glowing with a golden light. ”Xiao Rui, you’re just incredible! To make so much money with just a small boat... you’re a true heroine. If this were ancient times, you’d be a legendary woman like Hua Mulan or Mu Guiying.”

Han Xiaorui blushed slightly at their praise. ”It’s all thanks to Mazu’s blessing. I’m not as amazing as you make me out to be.”

”But now with so many boats following us, and only Sister-in-law Xiao Yu and me on board, I’m worried it could get dangerous.”

Wu Cuicui’s expression changed, and she nodded quickly. ”People who make their living on the sea can be ruthless. Jianguo, you have to think of something!”

Yang Jianguo thought for a moment. ”The sea belongs to no one, so anyone can fish in it. Tailing your boat is a scummy thing to do, but you can’t just chase them away for good.”

”With you and Sister-in-law Xiao Yu on the boat, it wouldn’t be appropriate to assign male fishermen to join you. Xiao Rui, what do you think about this?”

”I can find a few fishing families here in the village and have their boats accompany you. Since we’re all from the same village, they’ll naturally be on your side.”

Hearing this, Wu Cuicui was taken aback. ”But then wouldn’t everyone find out where Xiao Rui fishes? If people from our own village catch the schools of fish, won’t our Xiao Rui still lose out?”

Yang Jianguo shook his head. ”It’s different. People from the same village will unite against outsiders when one of us is being bullied. Of course, when there are profits to be had, you have to share a little with others.”

Han Xiaorui considered it and felt it was a good plan. ’There are plenty of fish in the sea,’ she thought. ’If the villagers can earn some money by following me, at least they’ll remember my goodwill.’

”Brother Jianguo, I think you’re right! When we go fishing, it’s Mazu who provides for us. How much anyone catches is up to them.”

Hearing Han Xiaorui agree, Yang Jianguo breathed a sigh of relief. ”Xiao Rui, it’s good you see the big picture! You do make more money by going it alone and keeping all the profits for yourself.”

”However, it also makes more people jealous. If you can not only catch fish yourself but also lead others to make money, then when you’re in trouble, those people will have your back.”

Han Xiaorui nodded. ”Okay, let’s do it. We’ll all meet at the dock tomorrow at 7:00 AM sharp.”

Yang Jianguo smiled. ”Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything. I’ll find fishermen who are good people but also tough.”

”There are sets of brothers, husband-and-wife teams... they’re all trustworthy people. The sea is vast; it’s important to help each other.”

”Then I’ll have to trouble you, Brother Jianguo!” Han Xiaorui didn’t know the village fishermen well, so she entrusted the entire matter to Yang Jianguo.

Yang Jianguo didn’t hesitate to take on the responsibility. After seeing Han Xiaorui off, he went back inside, grabbed a pack of cigarettes, and walked toward a fisherman’s home in the village.

”Uncle Gensheng, are you home?” Yang Jianguo called out from outside the door.

Wang Gensheng emerged from the house holding a bowl. He was nearly six feet tall, and though he was over forty, he was covered in lean muscle. With his dark skin, he looked incredibly sturdy.

”Jianguo, what brings you here?” Wang Gensheng asked curiously, taking the cigarette Yang Jianguo offered. ”Let’s talk inside.”

Once inside, Yang Jianguo spoke in a low voice, ”Uncle Gensheng, I’m here on behalf of someone else. You know that Pingping and An’an’s mother, Xiao Han, is a very skilled and lucky fisher.”

”She often sells her fish at the county dock, and since her income is good, she’s been targeted. They’re following right behind Xiao Rui’s boat and have even moored at our village dock, refusing to leave.”

Wang Gensheng was taken aback. As a veteran fisherman, he instantly understood. ’They want to tail Han Xiaorui’s boat and poach her finds.’

”So, are we supposed to chase them off? But even if we run them off today, they’ll just moor nearby and start following her again tomorrow.”

Yang Jianguo nodded. ”Yeah, chasing them off only treats the symptom, not the root cause. Xiao Rui’s idea is to find a few reliable families from our village to go out to sea with her.”

Wang Gensheng’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. Who in the village didn’t know how lucky Han Xiaorui was?

People were secretly whispering that Han Xiaorui was Mazu’s goddaughter, the way the goddess practically spoon-fed her a livelihood.

’Going out to sea with someone that blessed by fortune, the catch is bound to be good.’

”Those bastards, trying to make a move on someone from our village. They must be blind. Jianguo, you can rest easy. Tomorrow, I’ll take my eldest son and follow right behind Xiao Han’s boat.”

”If anyone dares to bully Xiao Han—or anyone else from Jinshan Bay—I, Wang Gensheng, won’t stand for it!”

Yang Jianguo was grateful. ”Thanks, Uncle Gensheng. My second uncle won’t be back for another two days, but when he is, I’ll have you over for a drink. I heard from Xiao Han that there were six boats following her, so I still need to find a few more fishermen in the village.”

”We’re neighbors, no need to be such a stranger!” Wang Gensheng laughed. ”Hurry on, now. Don’t hold up Xiao Han’s important business!”

Yang Jianguo went to seven households in a row, and all of them agreed to follow Han Xiaorui’s boat.

Whether or not they could catch fish, it was a gesture of mutual support among the villagers.

The next morning, when Han Xiaorui and Liang Xiaoyu arrived at the dock, they saw that the village fishermen, who should have set out to sea long ago, were all waiting!

”Xiao Rui...” Liang Xiaoyu said, stunned and confused.

Han Xiaorui smiled. ”The two of us are no match for those six boats on our own, but these folks from the village are coming out to sea with us.”

Liang Xiaoyu’s face broke into a smile. ”You’re right! You might not know some of them, so let me introduce you. Xiao Rui, this is Uncle Gensheng, Uncle Dazhuang... they’re all experienced fishermen from our village.”

Han Xiaorui followed Liang Xiaoyu’s lead in addressing the villagers, putting faces to the names. ”Follow me today, and I’ll take you fishing. I’ll be counting on all of you to help keep us safe out on the sea.”

Wang Gensheng let out a hearty laugh, his eyes flicking toward the fishermen from the other villages. ”Don’t you worry, Xiao Han. We brought all our ’tools.’ If anyone gets reckless, well... heh, there are plenty of man-eating fish in the sea!”

”Let’s move out!” Han Xiaorui got on her boat and set sail, with the other fishermen from Jinshan Bay following close behind.

The fishermen from outside, who had been hoping to trail Han Xiaorui’s boat and poach her fish, were left completely dumbfounded.