After Reincarnating as the Dragon King, I Made a Fortune with Seafood – CH73

Chapter 73

Lin Manzhang and the others went into the sea to spearfish.

Lin Qiyan had only just started getting into diving, so he was right at the height of his interest. Even after soaking in the sea for more than an hour, he still had the energy to go down and follow them around filming.

Everyone was spearfishing in the water, and he had a safety rope tied around his waist. At such a short distance, nothing would happen.

After Lu Ao told him to be careful, he left him alone.

Lu Ao had already spent more than five hours in the sea today and was exhausted. Now that he no longer needed to fish, he lay beneath the rain canopy, half-squinting up at the sky while keeping a sliver of attention on everyone’s safety ropes.

He never made a loss when he fished, and it was the same now that he had come out to sea.

This morning, he had caught more than thirty jin of fish, and in the afternoon, he had gathered so many sea snails. By conservative estimate, his after-tax income for the day would be over two thousand yuan.

That was already a very impressive income.

There were so many resources in the ocean. If he wanted, he could gain even more.

But he was not greedy. As long as he had enough money to use, that was fine. There was no need to earn too much.

Lu Ao looked at the conch in the net bag. They would not be going back for several more days, so the conch had to be hung in the seawater and kept alive.

Snails were different from other seafood. Fish and shrimp could be kept chilled on ice, but if snails died, they would no longer be worth much.

With this many snails, he had to keep an eye on their vitality every day.

Lu Ao faintly had a feeling that since these were snails he had caught, if he did not let them die, they probably would not die.

He did not know whether this had something to do with his identity, just like what Song Zhou had done to that maochang fish back then. It was as if, in the unseen depths, he had infused these snails with vitality.

Thinking of Song Zhou, he took out his phone and glanced at it. The phone still had no signal. He could not make calls, send messages, or connect to the internet.

His chat with Song Zhou was still stuck at several days ago. There were no new messages in the conversation.

It had been a long time since the two of them had gone without talking like this.

Lu Ao missed Song Zhou a little.

This longing was not strong. It only suddenly surfaced during idle moments.

Lu Ao lay on the deck chair, letting the sea breeze blow over him, and slowly fell asleep.

His thoughts drifted somewhere unknown.

In deep sleep, he had a dream.

In the dream, he arrived at a small courtyard. In a room inside the courtyard, Song Zhou was sitting at a desk, working.

There was no one else in the room, yet Song Zhou still held his back straight and sat with perfect posture. Beneath his clothes, one could see a slim outline.

Lu Ao looked at his back and somehow thought of those old-fashioned young masters from movies. Perhaps they all shared a certain old-world, gentle air.

Song Zhou, who was working in the small courtyard, sensed something unusual. Thinking that one of the staff had come to him for something, he looked up, only to see Lu Ao.

Song Zhou looked at him. “Why are you here?”

“Hmm?” Lu Ao walked over and leaned forward to look at the contents of the document on his desk. “Application List for Materials to Repair the Realm Gate—what’s this?”

Song Zhou closed the file and refused to let him see. “This is an internal secret of our Abnormal Personnel Supervision Bureau. Outsiders can’t look at it.”

“All right.” Lu Ao said softly, “It feels pretty real.”

He sat on the desk, facing Song Zhou, and carefully studied him. “You’re no different from outside the dream.”

Song Zhou had now understood what was going on and could not help smiling at him. “You know you’re dreaming?”

“Of course I know.” Lu Ao answered. “If I weren’t dreaming, how would I suddenly see you?”

“Then why would you see me in your dream? Could it be that what the heart thinks of by day, the mind dreams of by night?”

“I don’t know.” In the dream, Lu Ao was unexpectedly honest. “People can’t control what they think about when they dream.”

“You’re not human. You’re a dragon.”

Lu Ao thought about it for a while, then nodded in agreement. “That makes sense.”

Song Zhou laughed again. After a while, he said, “Actually, you’re not dreaming. Your soul has left your body.”

Lu Ao’s reactions in the dream were slower than in reality. He thought for a while before understanding what “soul leaving the body” meant.

“You mean the you I’m seeing now is the real you?”

“Yes. The you I’m seeing now is also real, though it’s only a part of you.” Song Zhou’s voice unconsciously turned gentle again. “Will you be bored sitting here? This is the small courtyard where I work. Should I take you out for a walk?”

“Would that be inconvenient? For example, maybe there are confidential places here that aren’t suitable to show outsiders?”

“It’s fine. I have the final say here.”

As Song Zhou spoke, he stopped handling his work. He stood, closed the files, and pressed them down with a paperweight. “Come. I’ll take you around. This courtyard has quite a long history. It has been more than five hundred years since it was first built.”

“More than five hundred years…” Lu Ao counted. “It has gone through two dynasties already?”

“Yes.” Song Zhou led him outside. “When this courtyard was built, I took part in the design.”

They left the study and arrived at the front courtyard.

There was an enormous tree in the courtyard. Its crown was like a giant green umbrella, blocking a large patch of sunlight in front and leaving only shade behind.

Song Zhou said, “This fellow has lived for more than five hundred years. It has already become a spirit.”

Lu Ao looked up at the huge tree. Hearing them talk, the giant tree twisted its body and craned its head to look at them.

It wanted to say something, but Song Zhou had already led Lu Ao toward the rear courtyard. “There’s nothing much to see in the front courtyard. The scenery is all in the back. Most of the staff at our bureau are in the rear courtyards.”

Lu Ao followed him, listening to him speak the entire way.

This courtyard was a typical southern-style residence. Six smaller courtyards were nested within it. Pavilions, terraces, towers, artificial hills, waterside halls—everything a traditional courtyard should have, it had.

Compared to the square and orderly courtyards of the north, this courtyard contained far more ingenious details. Especially between courtyards, whether it was ponds or corridors, many thoughtful designs had been made.

Lu Ao walked around for a while and did not remember many details. He only felt amazed.

Song Zhou brought him to the tea room for tea. “These are tender shoots from the Ruo tree. Spiritual bodies can drink it too.”

Lu Ao was still looking around.

While Song Zhou brewed tea for him, he asked casually, “Why did your soul suddenly leave your body?”

Lu Ao answered honestly, “I don’t know. Maybe I was thinking of you before I fell asleep?”

“What were you thinking about me?”

Lu Ao said, “I gathered some conch in the sea just now. They looked plump and delicious. I was thinking it would be nice if I could eat them with you.”

Song Zhou was somewhat helpless. “When you’re with me, why are you always thinking about food? Hearing that, I’d think we were nothing more than eating buddies.”

Lu Ao said, “Because I like eating.”

Song Zhou’s hands paused. After a long while, he sighed softly, as if in realization. “That’s true. For a little one like you who is still growing, food is indeed the most important thing. I actually failed to think of that before.”

Lu Ao heard what he said and inexplicably felt a little unhappy. “I’m not a rice bucket. How could food be the most important thing?”

“That’s not what I meant.” Song Zhou looked up at him. His eyes were clear and bright, yet extremely gentle. “I’m very happy that even though food is so important to you, you’re still willing to share it with me.”

Lu Ao opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. He only gave a muffled response.

Song Zhou did not continue the topic either. He sat in front of the tea table and brewed tea for him, carefully introducing this kind of tea leaf.

The tea was excellent, and his tea-making skills were also excellent. Lu Ao held the small teacup and drank cup after cup.

This tea seemed as if it could intoxicate. Lu Ao drank until he felt pleasantly hazy.

Seeing that he was getting sleepy, Song Zhou reached out and rubbed his head. “It’s time for you to go back. Shall I send you back?”

“Okay.” Lu Ao said. “I’m so sleepy.”

“That’s normal. Go back and sleep a little longer, and you won’t be tired anymore.”

As he spoke, Song Zhou’s warm hand lightly touched his forehead.

The sensation of that warmth was very clear. Lu Ao could not help raising his own hand and touching his forehead too.

With that touch, he woke up from the deck chair.

When he opened his eyes and could no longer see that person, he felt a faint sense of loss.

Lin Manzhang and the others had already returned.

Seeing him wake up, Lin Gongshang asked loudly, “What were you dreaming about? You had a smile on your face the whole time.”

“Nothing.” Lu Ao said lazily. “I’m still sleepy. I’ll go in and sleep for a while.”

“All right, go sleep first. We’ll fish for a bit and call you when it’s time to eat.”

Lu Ao nodded. He walked into the cabin, and before getting his sleeping bag, he went to the bathroom first. It was as if the tea he drank in the dream had affected reality; he kept feeling the urge to pee.

When he went back to sleep this time, he slept very well and did not dream at all.

Wrapped in his sleeping bag, he slept deeply for more than two hours, until Lin Qiyan came to call him for dinner.

By the time they finished dinner, the sky had already gone dark. Looking up, the sky was filled with stars.

Lu Ao looked at the starry sky, shoveling rice into his mouth as he said, “I’m going down for a night dive later. You guys don’t need to mind me.”

“You’re going alone? Don’t need us to go with you?”

“No need. I won’t dive far, just around here.”

For some reason, he was in a truly good mood—so good that he wanted to dive into the sea and swim freely, even if he could not swim in his dragon form.

After dinner, Lu Ao bit down on a breathing tube, took a flashlight, brought nothing else, and plunged into the sea wearing only a pair of loose shorts.

Everyone knew he was good in the water. They only paid a little attention and did not think much of it.

Lu Ao frolicked in the sea, with a trace of regret in his heart.

If he had been the only one on this trip, he could have transformed into his dragon form and swum to his heart’s content.

Unfortunately, Lin Manzhang and the others were still on the deck. To avoid any risk, he could only swim a few more laps in human form.

From that day on, Lu Ao seemed to be injected with chicken blood. Every day, he went out early and returned late to fish, so enthusiastic it was almost unbelievable.

When he fished, he usually picked large, expensive fish. Once he could earn three thousand yuan after tax in a day, he stopped and absolutely refused to catch more.

The others were not particularly greedy either, but their abilities were limited. The fish they caught each day, after being sold and taxed, brought in only around one or two thousand yuan.

Even then, they had to work hard to earn that much.

Lu Ao was different. After he finished fishing each day, he still had the strength to jump into the sea and splash around.

Soon, a week passed. They prepared to return. After drifting on the sea for a week, everyone missed life on land very much. In particular, Lin Manzhang and Tan Junhao, who were already married, both missed their wives and children at home.

Lu Ao also missed life on land. He did not have a wife or children, but he did miss Song Zhou a little.

On the night of August 14, everyone began heading back to Longxiang Pier. By the time they returned to the pier, it was already past five in the morning.

It was summer, and past five in the morning was precisely the busiest time at the pier. Countless fishermen had already returned to port to sell fish, countless fishermen were preparing to head out to sea, and countless fishmongers were mixed among them, buying fish.

People came and went across the pier. Shouts and conversations filled the air. It was extremely lively.

As they approached the shore, they sent a message to Niu Deyu in advance.

Knowing they were coming back, Niu Deyu specially brought a shop assistant and drove a small truck over to wait for them.

“Over here—” When Niu Deyu saw their boat, he hurriedly drove the small truck over and waved to greet them. “Come this way.”

Lin Manzhang steadied the boat. After everyone dropped anchor, they ran onto the deck one after another. “Brother Niu, wait a moment. We’ll bring the fish over right away.”

A large boat like theirs could not dock directly at the shore. They still had to use a small fishing boat to ferry the catch over.

Niu Deyu hurriedly found a fisherman below and asked him to make a trip over to pick them up.

Lin Manzhang and the others moved all the gains from the past week onto the deck.

They had each caught their own fish, and their catches were stored separately, not mixed together.

Among them, Lu Ao had the most fish: fifteen full baskets plus two extra-large net bags.

Lin Qiyan had the least, only one and a half baskets in total. However, his purpose in going out to sea this time had not been fishing, but filming videos. From that perspective, he had also gotten what he wanted.

Everyone happily moved the fish onto the small boat.

Niu Deyu took a brief look at the fish and could not help saying, “Good grief, your harvest this time is really something! Green grouper, money grouper, red grouper, mandarin fish… they’re all valuable fish, huh?”

“The ones you’re looking at are Lu Ao’s. Ours are here.”

“Let me see. Black sea bream, spotted scat, giant grouper, green grouper… isn’t it the same? They’re all valuable fish too.”

“Still a little worse than Lu Ao’s side.”

“Not worse, not worse at all. Come, come, come. Let’s go to my shop first.” Niu Deyu happily called for them to move the fish onto the small truck. “After we finish the transaction, let’s drink a good cup of tea.”

“Speaking of tea, we drifted out at sea for so long and barely had a proper cup of tea.”

“Of course. Freshwater is so precious at sea. You have to save even drinking water. How could drinking tea be that convenient?”

“This trip was different, though. Speaking of which, it was really strange. We were out at sea for so many days, and it basically rained every night. Forget drinking water, we even bathed every day. Not a single day was missed.”

Lu Ao followed behind them and listened to those words, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. He said nothing.

As they spoke, the boxes of fish were moved onto the small truck one after another. Suddenly, a car stopped nearby.

The car window rolled down. Inside was Shen Mingquan, the purchasing manager of Jiacheng Grand Hotel.

Niu Deyu and Shen Mingquan knew each other well. The latter was one of his regular customers.

Seeing him, Niu Deyu smiled and greeted him. “Manager Shen, you came out personally to buy goods today?”

“Occasionally, I come out to see if there’s anything good.” Shen Mingquan looked at them. “And you all are—”

Lin Manzhang said, “We just came back from fishing out at sea.”

“Oh, how long were you out? Did you catch anything good?”

“We really did. If you’re interested, come take a look with us.”

“Hahahaha, if you’re saying that, then there must be good stuff. I won’t stand on ceremony then.”

“No need to be polite!”

Shen Mingquan drove along with Niu Deyu and the others back to Deyu Fish Shop.

The shop assistants helped unload the boxes of fish. Shen Mingquan swept his gaze over the baskets one by one. “Let me see what good things you have.”

Lin Gongshang laughed. “What good things are you looking for?”

“Just some special seafood.” Shen Mingquan looked at the fish baskets and asked, “Do you have giant grouper?”

“Of course. Giant grouper is one of our regular catches. Wherever we fish, we can usually catch one or two giant groupers.”

“That’s true. You should have giant grouper. What about humpback grouper?”

Humpback grouper was among the most precious kinds of groupers. It tasted excellent and sold for a very high price, but buying one depended entirely on luck. It was not commonly seen.

Lin Gongshang pointed at Lu Ao. “We don’t have any. He caught one.”

“You even have humpback grouper?” Shen Mingquan seemed unwilling to believe it. “Then I’ll name another one. Do you have abalone?”

“Not many,” Lu Ao raised his eyes. “I dug up fifteen or sixteen. How many do you want?”

“Show me how big they are first.”

“The ones this time are about three-head abalone. All wild abalone. They’re in the net bag.”

Abalone head count was calculated based on one jin. Dried abalones of the same size were weighed together, and however many made up one jin determined the head count.

The three-head abalone Lu Ao mentioned meant that after drying, three of the abalones he had harvested would make one jin.

That was already very large, especially for wild abalone.

Shen Mingquan had not expected them to really have abalone, and that the quality would even be quite good. He paused for a moment, the smile in his eyes becoming more obvious. “Since you have abalone, do you have lobster?”

“Yes. Ornate spiny lobster. Not large, just over one jin each. There are two. Do you want them?”

“Yes, yes, yes. Since I’ve asked the price, of course I want them. Why don’t you just tell me what else you have? If there’s anything good, I’ll take it all.”

Lin Gongshang rushed to say, “There’s also conch. Big wild conch, each around one or two jin. The quality is excellent. You’ll know once you see them.”

As he spoke, Lin Gongshang showed Shen Mingquan the conch.

Lu Ao had caught a full seventeen conch. They were all of excellent quality, neither too large nor too small. Placed inside the net bag, they were extremely eye-catching.

When Shen Mingquan saw these conch, he truly became excited. Conch was good stuff. Even in their hotel, it was a dish that could only be encountered by luck.

So far, conch could not be farmed. If people wanted to eat it, they could only eat wild conch.

But the yield of wild things was extremely unstable. Whether there would be any on a given day depended entirely on luck.

Their head chef had wanted to make charcoal-grilled conch for a long time, but after wanting to for so long, he had only managed to make it successfully a few times in total.

Shen Mingquan took a brief look at the conch Lu Ao had brought back and said happily, “These days, conch is around three hundred yuan per jin. Yours are of good quality and uniform size. I’ll raise the price a bit. How about three hundred and twenty per jin?”

Lu Ao took the net bag back and shook his head. “You can look at the others. I’m not selling these conch.”

As soon as Lu Ao said that, everyone froze. Conch was good stuff, yes, but no matter how good it was, it was still just seafood. They had gone to all the trouble of renting a boat and going out to sea for what? Wasn’t it to catch more fish and earn more money?

Three hundred and twenty yuan per jin for conch was already a very good price.

The conch Lu Ao had here could sell for at least six thousand yuan.

Even after deducting tax, he could still get over three thousand yuan.

Lin Manzhang lightly bumped Lu Ao’s elbow, signaling for him to think it over. Conch tasted good, but other snails tasted good too. If he really wanted to eat some, he could just substitute it with something else.

Shen Mingquan quickly came back to himself and smiled. “With such good seafood, of course you should bring some home to taste. How about this? You take two back and sell me the remaining fifteen?”

“Two isn’t enough to eat.” Lu Ao said concisely, “I’m not selling the conch. Everything else can be sold. Take another look.”

“Ah, you’re really not selling? The price is already so good.” Shen Mingquan tried to persuade him. “Then why don’t you take a few more and sell me ten, at least?”

Lu Ao shook his head.

Shen Mingquan genuinely wanted those conch. Unfortunately, after pestering him for a long time, Lu Ao still did not relent.

Even after all the seafood had been sold, Shen Mingquan still refused to give up and came over to try to persuade Lu Ao again, but Lu Ao still did not agree.

Lu Ao had gone out to sea once, and after deducting costs and taxes, he received more than thirty thousand yuan.

That was already a lot of money. However, when everyone thought of the conch business he had just rejected, they still felt a little unsatisfied.

Lin Gongshang chattered beside him, “That price really was very good. Why didn’t you sell? If you want to eat them, just keep a couple to taste. If you eat them all, isn’t that basically the same as eating money?”

Just thinking about it made him feel pained on Lu Ao’s behalf.

Lu Ao said, “After going out to sea with so much effort, I can’t sell every bit of the harvest to other people. I’ll keep these conch. Later, each of you can take one home too, so your families can try them.”

“Huh?” Lin Gongshang quickly refused. “We don’t need any. These things are so expensive, I feel like I wouldn’t be able to digest them after eating. You keep them for yourself.”

Lin Guixiao also said, “Right, right, right. How could we eat this? You eat them yourself.”

“I brought them back to share with friends in the first place. Each of you take one home to try. It’s not that many anyway.”

When it was time to go back, Lu Ao insisted that each of them take one conch home. Everyone refused verbally, but when they actually received the conch, they were quite happy.

They all had families. For such a rare good thing, even if there was not much of it, being able to bring it home and share it with family was a happy thing.

Lin Manzhang said, “Then we won’t stand on ceremony.”

“Don’t be polite.” Lu Ao said, “I’m going back first. I finally came back, so I’ll rest properly at home for a few days. I won’t fish tomorrow.”

“All right. We probably won’t fish tomorrow either. Let’s rest first before talking about it. No rush.” Lin Manzhang smiled. “The income these past few days has been pretty good. It’s fine to rest a bit.”

Lu Ao nodded. Sitting on the passenger tricycle, he said, “See you later.”

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