The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 52: Chapter 52: The Stunning Brown Catfish

People who make a living from the sea have witnessed the power of nature and are thus more devout believers in Mazu.

”Today’s been great. Let’s fish a little longer,” Wang Gensheng said with a smile. ”We’ll pull up the lobster pots in another half an hour.”

Han Xiaorui agreed. ”Alright. Those two boats are busy. They probably won’t chase after mine.”

”They wouldn’t dare,” Wang Gensheng laughed. ”Wang Hai and I are quick with the pots. We’ll leave with you then.”

”Okay!” Han Xiaorui smiled and started pulling up the lobster pots with Liang Xiaoyu.

The lobster pots were full of lobsters, and today’s catch was especially large, which meant the price would be much higher.

Every pot was filled to the brim. Some were in the fish hold, and others were on the deck.

Liang Xiaoyu saw one of the holds was empty and was about to start sorting the lobsters, but Han Xiaorui stopped her.

”Just sit and rest. When we get to the dock, we can pay someone to do it. You must be tired from all the fishing today.”

It was true. Liang Xiaoyu was indeed a bit tired. ”Alright then, I’ll be lazy for a bit.”

The other villagers also started pulling up their lobster pots. Just as Han Xiaorui was about to take a break and wait for them so they could all head back together, she suddenly spotted a prize fish.

It was a Brown Catfish, a type of sea bass.

It had brownish-orange scales and a silver-gray belly. A fierce predator, it hunted other fish. It preferred to live in areas with strong currents around rocky reefs, hiding during the day and active at night. From dusk to midnight, it would make a noise that sounded like the beating of a drum.

Besides its delicious meat, the fish’s maw was as precious as gold.

It could be used as an extremely valuable ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. Its maw was said to lower blood pressure, replenish vital energy, and nourish one’s complexion, and it commanded a very high price.

It was also known by a folk name that led to the saying: ”If you have money, you eat the maw; if you don’t, you eat naught.”

Now that she had encountered one, Han Xiaorui had no intention of letting it get away.

Han Xiaorui quickly baited her hook and cast her line.

Seeing this, Liang Xiaoyu grabbed the landing net, ready to help at a moment’s notice.

However, this Brown Catfish was enormous—it looked to be a hundred kilograms. After taking the bait, it began to struggle violently.

Han Xiaorui had no choice but to let out the line to keep it from snapping.

The battle with the Brown Catfish began. Han Xiaorui held on for half an hour, sweat beading on her forehead.

Seeing her struggle, Liang Xiaoyu said, ”Xiao Rui, let me take over.”

Han Xiaorui wanted to catch her breath. ’I can’t use my Water Ability too obviously,’ she thought. ”Alright, Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, take over for a few minutes.”

Liang Xiaoyu took the rod, but her stamina was nowhere near Han Xiaorui’s. After just ten minutes, her forehead was glistening with sweat.

Han Xiaorui took over again. Liang Xiaoyu gasped for breath. ”That’s exhausting! Xiao Rui, you’re much stronger than me.”

”Haha, I’m just toughing it out. I can’t just watch such a great fish get away,” Han Xiaorui said with a laugh, gritting her teeth and holding on.

Just then, Wang Gensheng and his son finished pulling up their lobster pots. Their haul was huge today, three times more than usual.

As they were celebrating, they noticed Han Xiaorui seemed to be fighting a fish and steered their boat over.

When they saw what was happening, both Wang Gensheng and Wang Hai were dumbfounded!

The catch on their own boat was nothing compared to what Han Xiaorui and Liang Xiaoyu had hauled in today.

Seeing Han Xiaorui struggling, Wang Gensheng said to Wang Hai, ”Pull the boat up alongside them. I’m going over to help.”

”Okay!” Wang Hai was excited too. ”My God, that’s a Brown Catfish! Those are so valuable. The meat is twenty yuan a catty, but the key is that on a fish this big, the maw will be huge. That’s what’s really worth a fortune.”

After pulling up next to Han Xiaorui’s boat, Wang Gensheng came aboard to help.

Wang Hai quickly lent Han Xiaorui their two-meter-long metal basin, filled it with seawater, and they put the Brown Catfish inside.

After all, Han Xiaorui’s fish holds were already full!

”Thank you so much, Uncle Gensheng,” Han Xiaorui said, grateful that Wang Gensheng had offered to help without being asked.

Wang Gensheng looked at the nearly two-meter-long Brown Catfish with envy. ”Xiao Han, don’t sell this fish for less than ten thousand yuan! Or you could ask your father-in—no, ask your Uncle Yang to help you sell it. He might get you an even higher price.”

Han Xiaorui smiled and refused. ”I’d rather not ask Uncle Yang for help. Last time, Zhang Xiufang showed up at my door cursing me out, and it caused a huge stir. Uncle Yang is an upright man, and I don’t want to put him in a difficult position.”

Wang Gensheng thought of Yang Zhigang’s unreasonable wife and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ”Alright then. As long as you have a way to sell it. Let’s get going. We’ll head to the county dock to sell our fish.”

Wang Gensheng hopped back onto his own boat and told his son to get underway.

Liang Xiaoyu asked with a smile, ”Uncle Gensheng, how was your haul today?”

”Can’t compare to you two, but it’s still much better than usual.” Wang Gensheng was merely envious, not jealous.

The other few boats also called out to each other. With such a great haul today, everyone was heading home early.

The small boats skimmed across the sea like leaves, making a beeline for their destination.

On their boats, Uncle Hei and Xu Wang had also had a decent haul, but after seeing Han Xiaorui land that Brown Catfish, Uncle Hei’s eyes were red as a rabbit’s with envy.

After Han Xiaorui left, he deliberately drove his boat over to the same spot and started fishing, going through a lot of bait.

He managed to catch a few small groupers, but not a single Brown Catfish.

”Uncle Hei, it’s getting dark. We should head back,” Xu Wang said, losing patience and urging him to go.

Uncle Hei stretched his sore neck and reluctantly reeled in his line. He gritted his teeth and spat. ”Dammit, why can she catch one and we can’t?”

Xu Wang looked bewildered. ”Uncle Hei, do you think there are really people Mazu personally favors? If so, why isn’t it me?”

Uncle Hei was furious. ”Who knows? The heavens are blind!”

Just as he finished speaking, a sudden gust of wind blew past, and the waves on the sea grew a little bigger.

Not daring to be careless, Uncle Hei quickly started the boat and headed back.

Back at the county dock, Boss Zhang had been waiting so long he felt like a wilting flower.

Although he had bought catches from other fishermen, he was selective, and their quality was nowhere near that of Han Xiaorui’s.

Seeing a few small boats approaching in the distance, Boss Zhang immediately stood up, craning his neck in anticipation.

As they drew closer and he could make out Han Xiaorui’s boat, he immediately called out, ”Xiao Liu, Xiao Zhao, go find six people to come over and sort the shrimp and crabs.”

”Yes, boss,” Xiao Liu and Xiao Zhao replied and got busy.

The moment Han Xiaorui’s boat docked, Boss Zhang had his people come aboard to start sorting.

”Boss Zhang, these are people from my village. We all fished in the same area, so give them a good price, too,” Han Xiaorui said with a smile, speaking up for the villagers.

’Whether Boss Zhang actually gives them a high price is his business. At least I said the nice thing,’ she thought.

Wang Gensheng also knew Boss Zhang from the Fortune Seafood Restaurant. ”Boss Zhang, it’s all good fish.”

Han Xiaorui’s catch was still being sorted, and it would take a while.

Boss Zhang nodded. ”Alright, I’ll buy from them first.”

A short while later, Boss Zhang, Xiao Liu, and Xiao Zhao had bought the catches from the other few boats.

Wang Gensheng and Liu Haisheng were skilled fishermen, so they earned more money.

Wang Gensheng made 1,520 yuan, and Liu Haisheng made 1,350 yuan, three times more than they usually did.

The others also made more than double what they normally did. Everyone was overjoyed.

Han Xiaorui’s lobsters were large and numerous. Her shrimp and crabs totaled 3,700 yuan.

The groupers and red sea bream were all live, so they fetched a good price, selling for a total of 2,100 yuan.

Finally, Boss Zhang noticed the large basin on Han Xiaorui’s deck. He reached out, lifted the cover, and his jaw dropped. ”Is... is this a Brown Catfish?”

’I’m going to make a killing today!’

’Xiao Han is my lucky star!’