Uncle Laifu, you are still as robust as ever! You caught over eighty catties last night, more than both Weiguo and Maosheng with their fishing nets.
The very next morning, just as dawn broke, Chen Yang received his biggest surprise of the day.
Shen Laifu, a man in his fifties with seven or eight children, the youngest of whom had only recently been weaned, usually appeared quiet and unassuming. Yet, he had managed to catch eighty-seven catties of fish overnight.
"Yangzi, I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me. There are seven or eight mouths to feed at home. My eldest, second, and third children have already started their own families and have children of their own. I can't be a burden to them. These little ones need to eat, and I have to support the two elders at home too."
"Our family has been struggling to make ends meet for a long time. We're already out of grain for this year. I can't worry about so much else. If we don't find a way to survive, my children will starve. As long as you can give me money, even if I break the law, I'll take the blame for you."
Shen Laifu clasped Chen Yang's hand, the veins on his forehead bulging. Chen Yang could see that this honest, hardworking man had undergone immense internal struggle to bring the fish here.
Do not underestimate the awe people of this era held for policies. Few would dare to take such a risk if they weren't truly desperate.
In later life, many people would claim how they would have thrived in the 70s and 80s. In reality, it was extremely difficult for one person to change the entire societal environment.
"Uncle Laifu, rest assured. These are all big fish. Eighty-seven catties, seventeen yuan and four jiao. When I get back tonight, if I owe you even a fraction of that, you can slap me in the face."
Chen Yang held Shen Laifu's hands tightly. Hearing Shen Laifu offer to take the blame for him, Chen Yang was deeply touched.
Having lived another life.
He was now capable of providing a better life for his wife and daughter. To the best of his ability, he was also willing to help these simple farmers who were struggling to survive.
"Alas, Yangzi, I believe you. This is pine algae I pulled from the pond. Put it in the bucket; the fish will stay alive longer."
"It would be even better if you had tea oil. My grandfather once told me that if you put a drop of tea oil in the water and add some pine algae, the fish can stay lively for two or three days."
Shen Laifu took a large handful of water weeds from the bucket. Chen Yang recognized this plant; it was the Anacharis, commonly used in fish tanks for goldfish in his past life!
"Uncle Laifu, thank you. I was just wondering how to keep these fish fresh."
Chen Yang took the pine algae from Shen Laifu and placed it into the large plastic bucket containing the fish. Zheng Weiguo and Liu Maosheng had arrived the earliest. With their fishing nets, one had caught over seventy catties, and the other, over sixty catties.
Shen Laifu had caught the most. As for the others, they had brought in scattered amounts, ranging from twenty to fifty catties. In reality, aside from Shen Laifu, everyone else was just testing the waters.
The fish in the river were free anyway. They considered it as staying up to guard the night. Staying up all night wouldn't kill anyone. They'd just bring whatever they caught to Chen Yang to tally.
Chen Yang estimated that once he paid the villagers that afternoon, they would likely work even harder.
It wasn't for nothing that Liu Maosheng and Zheng Weiguo, those two young lads, had been going out to catch fish for two consecutive nights without sleep. Such energy was only possible for young men in their early twenties; an ordinary person couldn't handle it.
Every time someone brought fish, Chen Yang weighed them on the spot and recorded it, preparing to settle the accounts after selling them at the aquatic products station.
By the time Shen Xue woke up, Chen Yang had already filled nearly three large plastic buckets.
In total, it was a staggering five hundred and eighty-six catties!
"Chen Yang, I know you want to give my mother and me a good life, but you have to understand, if something happens to you, our lives will be even more miserable!"
Looking at the three large buckets of fish filling the courtyard, Shen Xue's face was etched with worry.
She could feel that Chen Yang had undergone a transformation. He cared for her and was working hard to earn money to support the family, which touched her deeply.
However, seeing the business Chen Yang was involved in, she couldn't help but feel anxious. She was genuinely afraid of losing him, of him being arrested as a speculator!
"Silly girl, I'm collecting fish for the county's aquatic products station. I'm doing work for the public sector. How could I possibly be caught by our own people?"
"You can rest assured and stay home with Yanyan. Don't go to work today either. There's so little rice left; let others earn some work points. We don't lack that one meal."
"When I get back, I'll bring you a big roast chicken today. It will be absolutely delicious."
Chen Yang gently held Shen Xue in his arms and patted her head.
He knew Shen Xue was worried about him. This was precisely the time to expand his business. He would soon let Shen Xue know that times were changing.
The state-owned economy as the mainstay, with the joint development of various forms of ownership economies.
The future would be a world that looked towards making money.
"Then be careful. Yanyan and I will wait for you at home."
Shen Xue looked at Chen Yang. She had many things she wanted to say, but seeing the determined look in Chen Yang's eyes, all that remained was her promise to wait for him at home with their child.
This was her strength. No matter what decision Chen Yang made, even if they disagreed, in the end, she would support him without reservation!
Chen Yang hitched his donkey cart. He had brought the cart home to spend the night yesterday and had already discussed with Shen Fuguo and Tu Tianzong. During the off-season, he would rent the cart for one yuan a day.
Shen Fuguo had no complaints about the price Chen Yang offered. One yuan a day amounted to over three hundred yuan a year, enough to buy a donkey. What more could he ask for?
Besides, livestock were meant for pulling things. A few hundred catties of goods wouldn't overwork a donkey.
The journey to the aquatic products station was smooth. This time, Chen Yang didn't even have to say anything; Liu Hua quickly came to help open the iron gate, likely having been instructed by Wang Jianguo yesterday.
"Brother Liu, thank you."
Chen Yang expressed his gratitude and drove the donkey cart towards the weighing scale. The aquatic products station had specially built temporary ponds for raising fish.
After all, the county's aquatic products station didn't make a trip to the city for just a hundred or two hundred catties. They naturally had to ensure short-term fish cultivation. If the fish weren't fresh, they couldn't be delivered to the city.
Old Zhang, seeing it was Chen Yang, didn't say much. He quickly sorted the fish by size and put them on the scale.
"Large fish, four hundred and twenty-five catties. Small fish, one hundred and fifty-five catties. Total, five hundred and eighty catties."
Chen Yang didn't quibble over the few catties difference.
Firstly, some of the small fish had become less fresh on the way, and he had picked them out. He had promised not to sell stale fish to the aquatic products station, and he would keep his word.
Secondly, his own small scale and the aquatic products station's large scale wouldn't have the exact same accuracy. A difference of a few catties was normal.
"Xiao Chen, here's the ticket. Take it directly to Accountant Hu to collect your money. Station Chief Wang is at a meeting today, but he'd already made arrangements."
Old Zhang was very enthusiastic. This was the most fish he had weighed for Chen Yang in days. With so many fish, the leaders were happy, and he avoided criticism.
"Alright, thank you, Master Zhang."
Last time, Wang Jianguo had personally accompanied him, so he didn't need a ticket to go to the scale. This time, since he wasn't around, Old Zhang naturally had to write out a ticket for Accountant Hu to record the transaction.
"Large fish, 425 catties at 2.55 yuan per jiao. Small fish, 155 catties at 0.62 yuan per jiao. Total, 317 yuan."
"Take your money. This is no small sum. If you bring this much tomorrow, I'll truly have to go to the finance department to see the leadership."
Accountant Hu meticulously counted out 317 yuan, a thick stack of "Da Tuan Jie" (large unity bills). Chen Yang's eyes sparkled.
This was what real earning money looked like!