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

As he spoke, he sorted out the Mud Crabs and prepared to carry them back.

Lin Gongshang rubbed his hands together. "Wait a minute. 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 incredibly rare. What are the chances 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 follow him and wash the crabs beneath the blazing sun.

The Mud Crabs they had caught were all tied up already, 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 already counted as good luck. They did not find a second one.

Lin Gongshang carried the bucket after them toward Lin Family Village, dejected and listless the entire way.

When Lu Ao and the other two arrived at Lin Manzhang's house, he was having tea with Lin Guixiao and Tan Junhao.

Ye Zhiying was cooking. Seeing the three of them enter through the gate from the kitchen window, she hurried to the window and called out, "You're back?"

"Yeah. Sis-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, Sis-in-law. I'll eat at home, so you don't need to make food 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 oysters for lunch today. They're ready already, so eat before you go back."

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

As he spoke, he stepped forward and took one of the buckets from Lu Ao without giving him a chance to refuse. When he lifted it, his face filled with surprise. "This bucket is really heavy. How many Mud Crabs did you catch?"

Lin Gongshang said listlessly, "Lin Qiyan caught one, I caught five, and Lu Ao caught nine. One of them is even 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 it be fake?"

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

He picked up 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've got more than forty Mud Crabs altogether. How about we go to Long Township Wharf later and sell them together? The prices are higher over there."

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

"Sure. We'll drive there, not take the little three-wheeler."

They quickly settled the matter.

Once Ye Zhiying finished cooking, everyone got to their feet. Some carried dishes, while others brought out the rice, preparing to eat.

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

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

"There's a fish fry farm over by Long Township Wharf. Why are you asking? Thinking of raising fish?"

"I've caught too many fish these past few days. I want to buy some and release them into the sea."

Lin Manzhang did not understand. "Release them into the sea where? Has your fishing license come through? If you want to raise fish in fish rafts, you'll need to file separately."

"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 species I've caught."

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

"Yeah, that's what I mean."

Listening from the side, Ye Zhiying could not help saying, "How many fish can you possibly catch? Why spend money specifically buying fish fry to release? That's such a waste of money."

"I've caught quite a few. Now that I've made money, I should give something back."

Lin Manzhang's family had been fishermen for three generations, yet this was the first time he had heard such an idea. He could barely process it.

Didn't fishermen make their living off the sea? Why did they need to provide 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."

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 had no stock on hand at the moment. Lu Ao would have to place an order, and they would breed them specially. The minimum order was two hundred fish. For orders under five hundred, they cost seven yuan each, and delivery would take a month.

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

Lin Manzhang helped settle the preliminary arrangements and sent Lu Ao their WeChat contact, making it easier for them to sign a contract later.

Lin Manzhang said, "This fish fry farm has a decent reputation and solid technology. Quite a few people 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 admiring. "Among everyone I know, you're the only one willing to throw money into the sea like this."

"I make a lot. This isn't much."

"That's not how you should look at it. No matter how much you make, it's still hard-earned money." Lin Manzhang lightly nudged his shoulder. "Go back and rest first. We still have Mud Crabs to sell later."

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

Lu Ao acknowledged him, left the Mud Crabs and Butter Crab at Lin Manzhang's house, and went home first. He did not feel tired; he simply was not full yet and needed another meal.

It was not that Lin Manzhang's family had not prepared enough food. Lu Ao simply ate far too much and felt embarrassed to eat without restraint.

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