Chapter 349: Chapter 215: A Kind of Passion_2
When I practiced on my own, I used that 7.2 meter rod you left in the room, didn’t touch your line set or bait!"
Hearing Liu Zi emphasize that he didn’t touch Meng Fan’s fishing set or bait, Zhang Yang felt a pang in his heart, instantly touched by this seemingly insignificant detail.
This feeling is akin to hearing sports news about the war-torn Iraqi football team players who can’t even afford a pair of shoes yet still insist on training barefoot, evoking an inexplicable feeling.
There’s a kind of love that comes from the heart. Those who seize every opportunity to learn, regardless of age, deserve Zhang Yang’s admiration.
"Damn! I never said you couldn’t touch it, why so timid? Starting today, you can use the equipment I left at the base as you please!"
Meng Fan waved his hand, having no qualms about Liu Zi using his equipment.
At this moment, Zhang Yang paused for a few seconds and said, "Later this afternoon, come back to the shop with me, I’ll sponsor you a legit set of fishing gear.
From tomorrow onwards, start training with Meng Fan! Damn, almost missed out on a good fishing talent!"
"Brother Yang, really?" Hearing these words, Liu Zi’s eyes lit up, and his whole expression immediately brightened.
"Really! If there’s no lunch break, I’ll take you back right now to pick your equipment, competition-standard equipment!" Zhang Yang nodded solemnly.
"Thank you, boss’s boss! Thank you!"
Immediately Liu Zi stood up from the fishing box, bowing repeatedly to Zhang Yang in gratitude.
"I’ll sponsor Liu Zi’s equipment!"
Meng Fan also expressed his stance, after all, Liu Zi was someone he brought back. Spending Zhang Yang’s money felt a bit inappropriate, as setting up a competitive-standard new set isn’t cheap.
"Damn! Acting like a big shot, nurturing Liu Zi is a company affair, later Old Zhao will reimburse, what’s it got to do with you?" Zhang Yang glanced at Meng Fan, grinning.
"Uhh, if I’m going to be a trainee from now on, can my equipment be reimbursed by the company??" Meng Fan asked with a thick-skinned face.
"Damn, you were kicked back here, yet still have the nerve to ask me about company reimbursement! It’s only because of our brotherly bond, don’t want to discourage you, at any other company, first thing when you return is you’d lose company employee benefits!"
"Hahahahaha" Everyone burst into laughter.
...
After the trial run, Zhang Yang quickly took Liu Zi onto the van, heading straight for his fishing gear shop.
Once at the shop, Zhang Yang didn’t hold back on expenses, furnishing Liu Zi with a whole set of equipment based on competitive angler standards.
Fishing box, rod bag, fishing rod, bobber, imported fishing lines of different diameters, various small accessories, all put together, even at cost price, it’s several thousand bucks, but Zhang Yang didn’t even bat an eyelid.
Once the equipment was configured, Zhang Yang took a bag of commercial bait from the shelf, packing it on the side, while reminding, "Finished consumables, tell me, I’ll bring them from the shop!
If you’re going to learn fishing, be serious, no half-hearted attempts; if I find you have an attitude problem, I’ll stop helping you!"
"Got it! Brother Yang, I’ll remember! Definitely won’t embarrass you!"
Liu Zi looked at the new equipment all over the counter in front of him, his eyes watering, constantly wiping the corners with his arms to stop the tears.
"What crying! Big guys squeezing their eyes to cry, not embarrassed! Open the door, pack the stuff in the car, back to the base!
Prepare the usual hooks and lines first, starting tomorrow, practice hard!"
"Okay!" Liu Zi wiped his tears and began lugging his new fishing box onto the van.
In the afternoon with nothing to do, Zhang Yang called Liu Zi under the tree shade at the prefab door, teaching him hands-on how to tie hooks, attach the main line, knotting methods, and how to operate so as not to damage the line.
The little guy was very serious in learning, remembered the process after hearing it once, and began practicing awkwardly.
Meanwhile, Meng Fan, after a simple hour of lunch rest, continued practicing basic skills head-down under the scorching afternoon sun.
The next day, Liu Zi already organized his equipment in a tidy manner, sitting side by side with Meng Fan diligently practicing.
Such days, imperceptibly another week passed.
Purely practicing basic casting is truly tedious, but Liu Zi and Meng Fan never uttered a word of fatigue,
from the regular 5.4-meter pinpoint casting, to later half-lead casting, full-lead casting, frog picking casting.
Zhang Yang kept increasing the difficulty according to their proficiency, training all kinds of casting basics that are useful in competitive games.
However Zhang Yang arranged, the two brothers trained as told, their fundamental foundations rapidly improving under such intense training.
During high-intensity training, Zhang Yang consciously observed Liu Zi’s performance, initially a bit awkward during the first few days, gradually became familiar, revealing surprising training talent even Zhang Yang was taken aback by.
Liu Zi learns very fast, practicing with focus, making Meng Fan, who was always praised by Zhang Yang for his high fishing talent, appear less striking by comparison.
A week later, Liu Zi and Meng Fan’s casting basics reached an initial level of Zhang Yang’s approval, rated at 80 points.
The current basic skill level already doesn’t differ much from ordinary anglers in the competitive circle.
Making further immediate improvements is challenging, moving forward requires long-term continuous training and practical insights.
"Basics are good enough, today we won’t train at the reservoir base, let’s move to Li Yuan Fishing Ground!" Zhang Yang waved his hand, signaling the two buddies to switch places.
"Ah? Li Yuan? Practice pool huh?" Meng Fan was slightly stunned upon hearing the name, a bit surprised.
Li Yuan Fishing Ground is well-known locally in fishing circles, usually running a practice pool model, also hosts various big and small fishing competitions annually.
The reason Zhang Yang was taking them here is because Li Yuan Fishing Ground had competitively-standard ponds, be it small crucian carp or mixed breed ponds, they’re available here.
Without competitions, even local competitive circle anglers enjoy gathering here for dig-fish activities.
Zhang Yang nodded, "Yes? Reservoir doesn’t have competition-grade small crucian carp, basics are passed, needs practical combat!
Going to Li Yuan is just right, find that practical feeling! What’s wrong, anything amiss?"
"No issues! Casting practice every day, already itching for a battle, should practice fishing a few fish for fun!" Meng Fan grinned.
"Don’t get cocky, training is training, attitude shouldn’t slack, don’t lose attention when running into a few acquaintances!" Zhang Yang first gave Meng Fan a warning.
"It won’t happen, shall we leave now?"
"Let’s go!"
Soon, the trio drove two cars directly away from the reservoir live broadcast base, straight to Li Yuan Fishing Ground.
Today happens to be a Monday, fewer people coming to practice here at Li Yuan, only two or three anglers on the vast site each found a corner to practice casting leisurely.
Zhang Yang just took a few casual glances, making preliminary judgments; judging by equipment and technique, all were casual players passing time, not a single serious competitor.
"Yo! Isn’t it brother Zhang Yang? What wind brings you here! Been a while!" Just after parking, the fishing ground boss Old Ge walked over laughing.
Previously during the Marukyu Cup hosted at Li Yuan Fishing Ground, Zhang Yang led the team to championship, Old Ge remembered him.
"Haha, brother Ge, hello! Came to practice casting with friends! Give us two tickets! We’ll fish for a while!"
Zhang Yang chuckled, pulling out a cigarette box to offer Old Ge while the latter symbolically blocked the lighter, the two standing there puffing away together.
"Your friends huh? Two for sixty! If I didn’t mistake, one’s Meng Fan right? Haven’t seen him around for ages, he used to come here often when learning fish!"
"It’s Meng Fan! Previously was live-streaming with me, lately been hanging out together! Here, ticket money!"
Zhang Yang swiftly retrieved money to buy tickets, two people for sixty bucks, thirty per casting practice ticket allows all-day access.
"By the way! We’re doing thirty a day, how much for a monthly pass?" Zhang Yang tossed out a new question out of the blue.