"We won?"
The dream-like result made Liu Changhe disbelieve, even with the host's loud cheers and the crowd's roars, he still couldn't accept it.
"Uncle Liu, I didn't let you down."
Li Haochen's voice brought Liu Changhe back to reality. He looked at Li Haochen seriously, then at the excited crowd and the dazzling big screen. "Are we... really champions? This isn't a dream, is it?"
At this moment, the entire venue erupted again, not for the Chinese team, but for Li Haochen. After the championship rankings flashed on the big screen, explosive highlight reels of Li Haochen's fights were broadcast.
The battle with the marlin in the final moments was particularly captivating. Although the very end wasn't perfectly clear, the scene where he suddenly lunged to save his teammate was deeply moving. It was a close call; any less, and it could have been a fatal outcome. Such courage touched everyone.
"Hero... hero..."
The crowd's excitement surged again. The stage lights flickered, finally settling on Li Haochen. He was the undisputed star, a four-time record-holder, destined to be etched in the annals of the fishing world.
As Li Haochen basked in his well-deserved spotlight, back in the Li family mansion in Yanjing, Li Yulin and Li Qianqian wore smiles.
"Qianqian, this kid has done well. It wasn't in vain for us to put in this effort." Li Yulin was gratified by Li Haochen's exceptional performance in the competition.
"Yes, with this halo around him, we can further promote his efforts in donating to road construction and leading the development of villages and counties. It will provide him with some security."
"Alas, we've done the thankless work, and now we have to secretly help him. The things we do..."
"Alright, alright, he's your future son-in-law. It's only right to put in some effort. Look at me, I've worried myself sick; I've even gained a few more worry lines. Enough said, I have to fly back to Binhai tomorrow. What is this kid doing messing with chopsticks? Honestly, I have to go help him drum up business."
As Li Qianqian returned to Binhai, Li Haochen and his team on the other side of the Atlantic were also packing their bags, everyone radiating joy. Even now, they felt it was all somewhat unreal.
If they didn't have the 20 million USD prize check in their hands, they would have believed they were dreaming. Speaking of the prize money, Xu Qing and the others' eyes sparkled. This was 20 million USD, which translated to over a hundred million RMB – a colossal sum.
Even after paying 20% tax upon returning to China, they would still have 16 million USD. After deducting expenses for the team leader, support staff, and behind-the-scenes personnel, the four of them could at least split 3 million USD each, bringing nearly 20 million RMB, which would catapult them into the ranks of the wealthy. Just thinking about it made them smile. What made them even happier was that they were now officially employed, a position that could support three generations.
While the other three were having minor celebrations, Li Haochen was undoubtedly the biggest winner of this competition. As a four-time record-holder, his individual prize money alone was a million USD each, adding another four million USD to his winnings. It was enough to make anyone envious.
"Haochen, are you really going back by yourself?"
"Yes, Uncle Liu. I have some matters to attend to. I'll return later."
"Alright then, we won't wait for you. We'll get together again when we get back home. We'll drink until we drop, hahaha!"
Liu Changhe was genuinely happy about this trip. He never expected to receive such a grand gift just before his retirement. The prize money was secondary; leading a world champion was an experience not everyone could have.
"Sure, you won quite a bit of money this time. I expect a feast then, haha!"
Speaking of this, Liu Changhe was grinning from ear to ear. He had been so bored these past few days that he felt like he was growing grass. The day before yesterday, he went shopping with Xia Yuxin. As they passed a lottery shop, he saw they were even betting on the sea fishing competition.
So, he went in. To his surprise, the odds for the Chinese team to win were as high as 80 to 1. Just because others looked down on them, he wouldn't. He immediately emptied his pockets and bet all his cash on the Chinese team, which was over 2000 USD.
As a result, he accidentally pocketed over a hundred thousand USD. The gain was extraordinary.
"We're leaving now. Be careful here by yourself."
With that, Zhu Wenxuan and Tang Shengtian also came up to hug Li Haochen. "Brother, I rarely admire people, but you're the first. See you back home."
After they left, Xu Qing pouted her lips and walked up, hugging Li Haochen tightly, so tightly that her soft chest pressed against him.
"Thank you for saving me!"
Before Li Haochen could speak, Xu Qing released her embrace and, as she left, kissed him on the cheek, leaving him with a parting remark before walking away gracefully.
"This is my first kiss, my hero!"
Touching his cheek, which still carried a faint fragrance, Li Haochen was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected her to do something so unexpected. It felt quite good, but alas, he couldn't fully savor it.
After seeing them off on their flight, Li Haochen returned to the hotel. The flight to Alaska had already departed; he had to wait until tomorrow and spend another night here.
In the hotel, after lunch, Li Haochen went back to his room to video call Murong Yanran. He had been missing for a few days, and if he didn't show up soon, he'd be in trouble when he returned.
"Oh my, our hero finally deigns to contact home. I thought you had fallen into a harem and forgotten your aging wife at home."
"I am of yellow skin, aren't my cheeks also yellow? Hahaha..."
"Hmph, when you get back, I'll show you just how yellow they are."
"Is everything alright at home?"
"Everything is fine. Aunt Lian also came to stay with me for a few days and just left today. When are you coming back?"
"In five days at the earliest, ten days at the latest. I plan to look around overseas for suitable projects. A wise rabbit has three burrows, so it's good to have some industry abroad. While making money, it also serves as a precaution for sudden events. Perhaps it might be needed someday."
"Worrying about nothing. Why expand into foreign business when everything is fine at home? Is it a case of saving a beauty and offering yourself in return, staying there to enjoy the gentler side of things?"
Li Haochen's face was a picture of exasperation. He could no longer keep up with his wife's thought processes. Due to the time difference, they didn't chat for long. They simply expressed their longing for each other before reluctantly hanging up.
Waking up the next day, Li Haochen boarded his flight to Alaska. Looking at the fertile sea region, he smiled and said, "King crab, here I come."