Sea Fishing

His chest grew faintly warm, and he felt as though something was about to change.

Lu Ao instinctively felt that he was about to turn into a lizard again. He forcibly diverted his attention and interrupted that warming sensation.

He absolutely did not want to turn into a lizard right now.

After quite a while, that strange sensation faded. The reflection in the mirror was still human, and he felt greatly relieved.

Just from taking a shower and looking in the mirror, he was hungry again.

Lu Ao stared expressionlessly at the mirror. After a long while, he went outside and opened the four large boxes of dumplings he had just brought back, still hot.

Old Zhang and his wife were excellent cooks. The large dumplings were fresh and fragrant, especially dipped in vinegar. The taste was incredible.

Lu Ao wolfed down all four large boxes of dumplings in one go, let out a small burp, and narrowed his eyes in satisfaction. His long lashes cast shadows over his lower eyelids, giving his whole person a strangely bewitching beauty.

After clearing away the kitchen waste, Lu Ao came back and glanced at his completely unbloated stomach. His gaze paused slightly.

If I keep eating like this, will I be able to support myself?

Sea Fishing

Lu Ao woke early the next morning. After breakfast, he went to the police station. Once the officers learned who he was, they were all startled.

Almost everyone had thought he was dead. They had not expected him to return alive.

A group of officers poured him tea and water, asking one after another what had happened over the past few days.

Lu Ao left out the part about turning into a lizard and retold the version he had given Tian Mingzhi and the others.

The officers all marveled at how lucky he had been.

Before the formal questioning began, Officer Liao, who was handling the case, specifically reminded him, "If you were injured, you can seek compensation with the hospital's billing documents."

What Lu Ao feared most right now was going to a hospital for an examination.

He hurriedly shook his head. "It's nothing. I was very lucky and basically wasn't injured."

"That's good." Officer Liao said, "If there's no problem on your end, we'll ask about what happened that day. This interview will be recorded on video and audio. We hope you'll be honest and impartial."

Lu Ao nodded.

Officer Liao began questioning him while his colleague beside him took notes.

Lu Ao said everything he could and claimed not to know clearly about anything he could not say.

After more than half an hour of back-and-forth, Officer Liao finally finished the interview. He then had Lu Ao review the relevant record and sign to confirm it.

Lu Ao looked it over and, finding no problems, signed his name.

Officer Liao's colleague turned off the recorder.

Seeing that their questioning was over, Lu Ao asked one more question. "The people who chased me down and beat me that night, they..."

"They've all been detained, every last one of them," Officer Liao reassured him. "Don't worry. No one will get out to retaliate against you."

"I heard them say that night that some of them were under fourteen."

"There are, but even if they're underage, they'll be sent to juvenile detention for reform." Officer Liao sounded rather rueful. "They're all repeat offenders. Even if they go to juvenile detention, it'll be at least a year."

Lu Ao narrowed his eyes and suppressed the trace of viciousness in his heart.

He was not worried that those people would come seeking revenge. He wanted revenge.

Since the police had already dealt with them and those thugs were still in detention, this matter could only remain as it was for the time being.

Those bastards were lucky. Otherwise, he would have made sure they didn't get away without losing a layer of skin.

After leaving the police station, Lu Ao went straight to a phone store and bought the same model of phone he had used before. Then he replaced his SIM card and downloaded his usual apps.

He specifically went on WeChat to tell his childhood friend Ge Ranzhou about having just gone to the police station.

Ge Ranzhou replied quickly: What did the police say? Those scumbags got arrested, right?

- Yeah, they were arrested.

Ge Ranzhou breathed a huge sigh of relief: Then I can relax. Let's go out for a meal together this weekend. My treat. Get rid of the bad luck.

- Sure. I happen to have something to tell you too.

Ge Ranzhou had a strange premonition: Tell me what?

Lu Ao said: I'll tell you then.

He planned to find another way to make a living. He already had a vague idea.

If he relied solely on running the supermarket, the monthly net profit of seven or eight thousand probably would not be enough to support himself.

Making a living off the sea, on the other hand, held great promise.

After talking with Ge Ranzhou, Lu Ao entered Tian Mingzhi's WeChat number from memory.

Search for contact. Add contact.

Almost as soon as he sent the friend request, it was accepted.

Tian Mingzhi: Lu, the Fishing God!!! Wanna come pump out a tidal pool?

Lu Ao's fingers paused, and he asked: You haven't left yet?

- No. We have to wait until the tide goes down this afternoon before we can pump the water out of the island we're going to today. Half of it is still underwater right now.

- If you come, we can leave earlier and do some sea fishing for two hours first.

- I've got the bait and fishing rods ready. I guarantee they'll be easier to use than yesterday's rods.

- So what do you say, Lu, the Fishing God? Coming?

The fish Lu Ao had caught yesterday had sold for 1,286 yuan. Even after giving Lu Ao his hundred yuan and deducting taxes, each of them could still get more than two hundred yuan.

With the fish they had caught from pumping out the tidal pool, each of their earnings yesterday had directly surpassed five hundred yuan!

Tian Mingzhi found Lu Ao extremely pleasing to the eye now.

In the time it took Lu Ao to say a single sentence, Tian Mingzhi had already rattled off a whole bunch of messages.

Lu Ao looked at his invitation, considered it for a moment, and ultimately agreed.

- Where are you, Lu, the Fishing God? We'll drive over to pick you up. We'll treat you to a meal too. The fish you gave us yesterday sold for over a thousand. Let's have a feast.

Lu Ao did not agree. He checked the time and replied: Let's meet directly at the pier at eleven thirty. Don't waste time.

- Okay, no problem. See you at eleven thirty.

After turning off his phone, Lu Ao directly hailed a taxi to a nearby all-you-can-eat restaurant with a good reputation.

Meat filled him up better than anything else now.

At the buffet, he asked for a grill and ate cooked meat while grilling raw meat.

It was only a little past ten in the morning, and the buffet had plenty of food but few customers.

Lu Ao quietly ate a huge amount of meat without holding back. When he was about eighty percent full, he left and hailed a taxi to the pier.

Tian Mingzhi and the other two were rather awed by Lu Ao, so they had specially prepared everything early and waited for him at the pier.