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Lu Ao did not stand on ceremony with him. "Thanks."

As he spoke, he sorted out the mud crabs and was about to carry them home.

Lin Gongshang rubbed his hands together. "Wait. Let's wash the other mud crabs too. Maybe there are more Butter Crabs among them?"

Lin Qiyan could not help saying, "Butter Crabs are so rare. What are the odds of finding a second or third one?"

Lin Gongshang refused to give up. "Who knows? Let's wash them first. It won't hurt."

With Lin Gongshang insisting, Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan had no choice but to brave the scorching sun and follow him to wash the crabs.

All the mud crabs they had caught had already been tied up, so there was basically no chance of them escaping.

The three of them carried all the mud crabs they had caught to the riverbank and washed them.

Just as Lin Qiyan had said, catching one Butter Crab was already lucky enough. They did not see a second one.

Lin Gongshang followed them toward Lin Family Village with the bucket in hand, looking dejected the entire way.

When the three arrived at Lin Manzhang's house, he was drinking tea with Lin Guixiao and Tan Junhao.

Ye Zhiying was cooking. When she saw the three of them entering through the gate from the kitchen window, she hurried over and called out, "You're back?"

"Yeah. Sister-in-law, where's Zhang Ge?"

"They're all inside having tea. Go find him and have some tea first. Lunch will be ready soon."

Lu Ao said, "Thanks, Sister-in-law. I'll eat at home, so you don't need to make any for me."

"What do you mean, no need? I've already made it." Ye Zhiying warmly said, "My younger brother brought me some huge oysters. I steamed two big pots of garlic vermicelli oysters for lunch today. They're already done, so eat before you go."

Hearing their voices, Lin Manzhang came out to look. Seeing that it really was them, he quickly said, "Why go home? Come in and have some tea and a slice of melon to cool off first. Go back this afternoon!"

As he spoke, he stepped forward and took one of the buckets from Lu Ao without waiting for an answer. When he lifted it, surprise filled his face. "This bucket is really heavy. How many mud crabs did you catch?"

Lin Gongshang listlessly replied, "Lin Qiyan got one, I got five, and Lu Ao got nine. One of them is a big Butter Crab."

Lin Manzhang instinctively looked into the bucket. "Really? We haven't seen a Butter Crab around here in five or six years."

"How could that be fake?"

Lin Manzhang quickly spotted the Butter Crab in the bucket on Lu Ao's other side.

He lifted the Butter Crab for a closer look. Its legs and claws were plump, round, and golden yellow. "Whoa, it really is one! You got lucky!"

Lin Guixiao and Tan Junhao also came out to look, marveling over it for quite a while.

The group returned to the living room, drinking tea beneath the fan.

The mud crabs were properly placed in a relatively cool corner of the living room.

Lin Manzhang suggested, "We have more than forty mud crabs altogether. How about we go to Long Township Wharf later and sell them together? The prices are better there."

Lin Gongshang wiped his sweat. "Let's go after three. It's too hot right now."

"Sure. We'll drive there. Don't take the little three-wheeler."

They settled it in a few words.

Once Ye Zhiying finished cooking, everyone got to their feet. Some carried dishes, some carried rice, and they prepared to eat.

They all had a good meal, then went home to rest.

Lu Ao was the last to leave. Before he did, he asked, "Zhang Ge, do you know where I can buy Giant Grouper Fingerlings, Black Seabream Fingerlings, and other fry?"

"There's a fish fry farm over by Long Township Wharf. Why are you asking? Planning to raise fish?"

"I've caught too many fish lately, so I want to buy some and release them into the sea."

Lin Manzhang was confused. "Where in the sea? Has your Fisheries Qualification Certificate come through? If you want to raise fish in cages, you need to file a separate report."

"I'm not raising them. I'm just releasing them into the sea." Lu Ao said, "It isn't easy for fish to grow up either. I want to replenish some of the kinds of fish I've caught."

Lin Manzhang's expression went blank. After a long while, he said, "You mean you want to buy fish fry to release them?"

"Yeah, that's what I mean."

Listening from the side, Ye Zhiying could not help saying, "How many fish could you possibly catch? Why would you need to buy fry just to release them? That's such a waste of money."

"It's quite a lot. I've made money, so I should give something back."

For three generations, Lin Manzhang's family had been fishermen. This was the first time he had heard such an idea, and he could barely process it.

Weren't fishermen supposed to live off the sea? Why did they need to stock their own fish fry?

After a while, Lin Manzhang said, "Giant Grouper Fingerlings aren't cheap. They cost at least seven or eight yuan each."

Lu Ao said, "It's fine. I'll only buy one or two thousand yuan's worth, not too many."

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Lin Manzhang knew a lot of people.

Right there, he contacted a fish fry farm for Lu Ao. They bred Giant Grouper Fingerlings year-round.

However, they did not have any in stock at the moment. Lu Ao would have to place an order for them to breed some on short notice. The minimum order was two hundred fish; orders under five hundred cost seven yuan each, and delivery would take a month.

It was Lu Ao's first time learning that fish fry could be custom ordered. After thinking it over, he ultimately agreed.

Lin Manzhang helped work out the preliminary details, then forwarded Lu Ao their WeChat contact so they could sign the contract later.

Lin Manzhang said, "This fry farm has decent credibility and technical skills. Quite a few friends I know order from them."

Lu Ao added the contact, acknowledged him, and said, "Thanks, Zhang Ge."

"What are you thanking me for? You're doing charity too." Lin Manzhang sounded both helpless and impressed. "Among everyone I know, you're the only one willing to throw money into the sea like this."

"I earn a lot. It's nothing much."

"That's not how you should put it. No matter how much you earn, it's still hard-earned money." Lin Manzhang lightly shoved his shoulder. "Go home and get some rest first. We still have to sell the mud crabs later."

"Then I'll head back first. See you later."

Lu Ao answered, left the mud crabs and the Butter Crab at Lin Manzhang's house, and went home first. He did not feel tired; he simply was not quite full and needed another meal.

It was not that Lin Manzhang's family had not prepared enough food. Lu Ao's appetite was simply too large, and he had been too embarrassed to let himself eat freely.

After getting home, Lu Ao simply made pan-fried fish, stir-fried pork, cold eggplant salad, laver fish soup, and a huge pot of white rice.