Li Yandai and the other man were not aiming for market share of the hotel; that was mere pocket change. What they truly desired was the land.
Its convenient transportation, the soon-to-be-constructed provincial experimental middle school, and the exceptionally long coastline – this was a prime piece of real estate.
"Sigh, I wonder why the Wang family insists on protecting them."
"Indeed. That damned old man Wang. If it weren't for him, we would have gotten rid of her hotel ages ago, and she wouldn't still be an eyesore."
"Don't worry, she won't be hopping around for much longer. Old Man Wang said he wouldn't interfere as long as we don't resort to underhanded tactics. If we play by the book, he'll have nothing to say."
"Brother Li, do you think Young Master Chen from the provincial level can handle the Wang family..."
"Mind your words!"
On the other side, Li Haochen had just finished hanging over three hundred bamboo poles with mussel seedlings. He was now hauling in a few fish traps.
As they surfaced, the traps were swarming with activity. Li Haochen's initial surprise turned to joy; all the traps had yielded a bountiful harvest.
After some effort in sorting them, his excitement grew. He hadn't expected to catch three large yellow croakers this time. They weren't huge, just over a jin each, but they were a lucrative catch. These three alone were worth at least ten thousand.
To prevent the yellow croakers from dying, Li Haochen set aside all other fish. He immediately placed them in a plastic bucket and took them into his spatial realm. After replacing the water inside, they were as lively as ever.
These three could be used as his trump cards. He decided to raise them first. Once they reached seven or eight jin, they would be ready for market, fetching over a hundred thousand each. If he could breed dozens of little ones each year, the profits would be immense.
Li Haochen spent some time transferring them to an outdoor net cage. Upon emerging, he continued sorting the remaining sea fish. It was a pity; many fish had already died from oxygen deprivation, with only a few still alive.
After processing them all, Li Haochen used plastic buckets to pack the newly caught ones. Although dead, they were still very fresh, perfect for eating later or sun-drying into salted fish if there were leftovers.
Upon returning home, he selected a barramundi and a rockfish, bagged them, and put them in the freezer. The rest were scaled, gutted, and internal organs removed. They were then thoroughly rubbed with coarse salt and left to marinate for an hour or two before being hung to dry. This northern wind weather was ideal, and after two days of drying, they would be ready to eat.
After dealing with the fish, Li Haochen took a shower and rode his bike to the dormitory behind the warehouse. Dai Changrun's younger brothers had already arrived, and as the boss, he felt obliged to visit.
Naturally, Li Haochen wouldn't go empty-handed. He was currently at the supermarket buying cigarettes, alcohol, and fruit. Of course, he also prepared red envelopes, wishing them prosperity and good fortune.
Arriving at Dai Changrun's dormitory, it was already filled with people, buzzing with liveliness.
Upon seeing Li Haochen's arrival, they were quite excited.
"Benefactor, quick, come in, come in! Look at you, always doing this."
"Uncle Dai, Happy New Year everyone!"
Everyone present knew each other. He had met them during his previous visit to Dai Village. Although they hadn't conversed much, he remembered their names. To his left was Dai Changrun's second brother, Dai Changlong, who was sturdier, and beside him was his third brother, Dai Changyun, both honest fellows.
The family feast was very lavish, clearly showing their respect for Li Haochen.
Towards the end of the banquet, Li Haochen raised his wine glass for a toast. "Uncle Long, Uncle Yun, I've already made arrangements with the shipyard. Uncle Dai will bring you there tomorrow. I won't be going. This is just a small token of my regard, wishing everyone smooth sailing, prosperity, and a bountiful catch."
With that, Li Haochen handed a thick red envelope to Dai Changlong and Dai Changyun respectively.
Back home, Murong Yanran and the others had already eaten and were watching television with a large plush toy in their arms.
She alternated between bursts of laughter and moments of deep sadness, not even noticing Li Haochen's return.
Alas, his status had plummeted. He had no choice but to grab a roll of packing string and scissors and head outside to hang the salted fish.
They had been marinating for nearly three hours and were well-seasoned. Any longer would make them too salty.
Li Haochen first cut the packing string into segments of about 50 centimeters, tied knots at both ends, and set them aside. He picked up a butterflied yellow drum, patted off excess salt, and tied a slipknot around the fish's tail.
The smaller fish were hung using a stainless steel mesh sieve.
After preparing the salted fish, he was covered in a fishy smell. When he came inside, Murong Yanran and the others were overwhelmed. A slipper flew towards him, and he was ordered to wash up, with the implicit threat that if he didn't get completely clean, he wouldn't be allowed back in the room that night.
This time, Li Haochen splurged on his bath, opting for an aromatherapy bubble bath. This cost several yuan in water fees, which was quite a sum.
Li Haochen washed himself three times. Afterward, he even used Murong Yanran's perfume, sniffed himself in the mirror, and only when he was satisfied that the fishy smell was gone did he walk out.
On the bed, Murong Yanran seemed distracted. Li Haochen called out a few times before she finally responded.
"What's wrong? You seem out of sorts."
Murong Yanran took Li Haochen's hand, a hint of mingled joy and nervousness in her voice, "Haochen, there's something I want to tell you. I… I might be pregnant!"
"Oh, pregnant… ah, what?" Li Haochen's excitement surged. He hugged Murong Yanran and kissed her passionately, exclaiming, "Really?"
"Yes, my period is five days late."
Li Haochen was so excited he started to dance. He then approached her gently, placed his ear against Murong Yanran's belly, and caressed her abdomen with his right hand, his expression one of bliss and contentment.
Seeing Li Haochen's foolishness, Murong Yanran smiled happily. "There won't be any sounds there yet. How many months do you think it is?"
"Yes there is, believe me, listen. It's gurgling!"
"I'm just hungry."
"Already hungry? Wait a moment, I'll make you something to eat."
Before she could even protest, Li Haochen bolted out the door like an arrow.
About fifteen minutes later, a bowl of noodles, rich with the flavor of eggs and lean pork, appeared before Murong Yanran.
"Quick, eat it while it's hot. It's not good when it cools down."
"I…"
Murong Yanran stared at the bowl, no, it should be called a basin, a large basin of noodles, and was almost speechless from shock.
"Are you trying to feed me like a pig!"
"Well, there's a portion for the baby too, hehe!"
Murong Yanran gave him a playful glare. What kind of nonsense was that? How could something microscopic eat? But she didn't want to dampen his affectionate gesture. She then instructed, "Feed me!"
"Aye aye, sir…"
The next day, Li Haochen woke up early. He needed to cook breakfast for the baby.
After Murong Yanran and the others left for work, Li Haochen felt completely idle. He sat there grinning foolishly all morning, thinking about what kind of baby crib to buy, what names to give a boy, and what names to give a girl…
Around three in the afternoon, while Li Haochen was browsing Tmall's maternal and infant section, something suddenly occurred to him. He dashed out and returned shortly with an old hen. He had bought it from the village chief's house, intending to make chicken soup to nourish Murong Yanran.
In the evening, Murong Yanran returned, looking utterly dejected. She looked at Li Haochen, who was busy in the kitchen, and hesitated to speak.