Chapter Summaries

Chapter 56 Summary

• Gui Yaoyao acquires the Hairy Croaker: After securing the enormous Hairy Croaker, Gui Yaoyao considers whether to feed it to her family or resell it. She decides to discuss the best use with her family, pleased that the fish’s value has risen dramatically because Song Zhou’s vitality had kept it alive and enhanced its condition. She pays the shipping fee herself as a gesture of goodwill, hoping to build a relationship with Lu Ao.
• Arrangements for the fish: Lu Ao warns Gui Yaoyao that the fish is a sea fish weakened by transport and may not survive long in captivity. Weng Qian then persuades Gui Yaoyao to sell him most of the fish meat at 20,000 per jin. Her family keeps twenty jin and the valuable swim bladder, while the rest is sold to Weng Qian. His hotel also pays an additional 500,000 yuan to have the fish transported there for slaughter and preparation.
• The fish begins to deteriorate: The Hairy Croaker had survived for six days after being taken to Huang Shoushui’s school for research, but its condition starts declining. Gui Yaoyao and Weng Qian therefore hurry to complete the sale and banquet preparations before it dies.
• Weng Qian organizes a lavish banquet: Weng Qian sets the banquet for July 25, a Saturday, and sends invitations to clients, especially members of Lu Ao’s bidding group. Lu Ao makes him an administrator, allowing Weng Qian to promote the event widely. Old Weng attends personally, demonstrating the importance his hotel chain places on the occasion. More than three hundred guests, including many bidders and their families, attend.
• Lu Ao and Song Zhou stay away: Neither Lu Ao nor Song Zhou is interested in attending. Lu Ao can easily catch fresh fish himself and sees no reason to travel for a Hairy Croaker reputed to be unimpressive in flavor. Weng Qian promises to send them some meat afterward. While the banquet is underway, Lu Ao and Song Zhou simply eat dinner at home.
• Preparation and presentation: The fish is professionally butchered by elite chefs. They drain it, remove the head and spine, and slice the clean, beautifully textured meat into thin pieces. Testing shows that it contains essentially no parasites, allowing the guests to eat it raw. The banquet’s main dishes are raw fish and fish hotpot, and attendees eagerly share videos and comments in the group chat, praising the meat’s appearance and wild-fish-like quality.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Gui Yaoyao proves practical and cooperative, consulting her family before selling the fish and prioritizing both profit and relationships.
• Lu Ao remains unconcerned with wealth and status, treating the banquet as unnecessary despite being invited. He continues to look after clients by warning Gui Yaoyao about the fish’s fragile condition.
• Weng Qian displays strong business instincts, turning the fish into both a profitable purchase and a major publicity event for his hotel. He actively cultivates clients and takes advantage of every promotional opportunity.
• Song Zhou remains quietly supportive and detached from the commercial excitement. His influence is indirectly responsible for the Hairy Croaker’s extraordinary vitality and value.
• The chapter emphasizes the contrast between the wealthy guests’ excitement over the rare fish and Lu Ao and Song Zhou’s ordinary, relaxed dinner at home.

Significant Themes

• Value created through relationships: Song Zhou’s unseen contribution greatly increases the fish’s value, showing how personal connections and cooperation can transform a business opportunity.
• Practicality versus extravagance: Gui Yaoyao and Weng Qian treat the fish as a valuable economic asset, while Lu Ao sees the banquet as excessive and unnecessary.
• Status and social networking: The banquet functions as both a culinary event and a gathering for wealthy clients, demonstrating how luxury consumption can strengthen business relationships.
• Mortality and urgency: The fish’s declining condition creates pressure to complete the sale and banquet before it dies, underscoring the temporary nature of its extraordinary value.

Chapter 57 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Weng Qian serves the auctioned Hairy Croaker at a banquet, assuring guests that it is not sour, as online rumors claimed, but smooth, tender, crisp, and sweet.
• Guests enthusiastically praise both the fish’s presentation and its exceptional flavor, though many complain that each person receives only a small portion.
• The Hairy Croaker is so delicious that diners compare it favorably to top-grade Bluefin Tuna and find the later tuna and lobster less impressive by comparison.
• Guests ask Lu Ao to notify them whenever he catches more Hairy Croaker. Lu Ao explains that the school has been frightened away and cannot currently be caught.
• The next morning, the auction group becomes flooded with messages. Diners report unexpected health benefits after eating the fish: improved sleep, warmer hands and feet, greater energy, and relief from minor chronic ailments.
• More than fifty of the over three hundred attendees later have these improvements confirmed through hospital examinations, with doctors finding no significant side effects.
• Old Weng realizes the fish was far more valuable than he understood and bitterly regrets allowing his son to serve it at a banquet instead of reserving it for the family.
• He desperately orders Weng Qian to recover the remaining fish head, while Weng Qian worries about his father’s health and tries to take him to a doctor.
• The chapter ends humorously with guests praising Weng Qian’s generosity, unaware that Old Weng had intended the fish to be kept privately for their family.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao remains calm and businesslike. He is indifferent to the money earned from the sale and continues his ordinary routine of fishing, selling fish, and buying groceries.
• Weng Qian gains recognition as a gracious host, though he is caught between the guests’ enthusiasm and his father’s regret. He acts responsibly by caring for Old Weng’s apparent blood-pressure crisis.
• Old Weng shifts from confidence to intense remorse. He recognizes the Hairy Croaker’s rarity and medicinal value only after it has been consumed, becoming comically possessive and desperate to save even the fish head.
• The banquet guests develop from skeptical customers into enthusiastic admirers and potential repeat buyers, with many wishing they had bid much higher.

Significant Themes

• The hidden value of extraordinary resources: The Hairy Croaker initially appears to be merely an unusual fish, but its flavor and health benefits reveal that its true worth far exceeds its auction price.
• Regret and missed opportunities: Old Weng’s failure to insist on buying and preserving the fish leads to exaggerated but understandable frustration.
• Generosity versus self-interest: Weng Qian’s decision to share the fish earns public praise, while Old Weng’s private desire to keep it for the family creates the chapter’s central irony.
• Extraordinary food as medicine: The fish’s nourishing properties blur the boundary between cuisine and healing, producing measurable improvements in diners’ health.
• Scarcity and demand: Because Hairy Croaker is difficult to catch and available only in limited quantities, its rarity intensifies both its prestige and the guests’ desire for future access.

Character Interactions

• Weng Qian reassures impatient diners while they wait for the fish to be chilled and served.
• Guests collectively praise the dish, complain about the small portions, and urge Lu Ao to provide more Hairy Croaker in the future.
• Group members compare their physical improvements, debate whether the effects could be psychological, and express regret at not bidding more.
• Old Weng scolds Weng Qian for wasting such a valuable fish on a public banquet, while Weng Qian tries to calm and protect him.
• The diners’ sincere praise of Weng Qian’s generosity unintentionally deepens Old Weng’s frustration, since he had wanted the fish kept for the family.

Chapter 123 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Weng and Gui families regret selling or giving away most of the nourishing fish, especially after seeing its remarkable health benefits.
• The Gui family consumes their remaining twenty pounds of fish over a week. Their elderly parents and in-laws become noticeably healthier, with their aches disappearing and their movements becoming more energetic.
• Realizing the fish’s value, both families decide to cultivate a relationship with Lu Ao. Weng Qian and Gui Yaoyao send him large packages as gifts, hoping he will reserve future valuable catches for them.
• Lu Ao collects the packages from the town courier station. One contains over ninety pounds of meat and the other is filled with local specialties.
• Back home, Lu Ao reunites with Song Zhou, who has prepared fruit, pastries, and milk tea. Lu Ao uses his newly mastered Dragon-claw transformation to open the packages effortlessly.
• Weng Qian’s gift consists of assorted prepared meats—chicken, duck, pork, lamb, and beef—while Gui Yaoyao sends a box of Yuannan specialties.
• Lu Ao thanks both senders, then enjoys Song Zhou’s food. He becomes especially fond of the milk tea and drinks three cups before Song Zhou stops him, promising to make more the following day.

Character Developments

• Gui Yaoyao’s family: Their regret over selling the fish intensifies after experiencing its health effects. They become more proactive and strategic, sending gifts to maintain access to Lu Ao’s future catches.
• Weng Qian: Demonstrates shrewdness by sending exactly the sort of gift Lu Ao appreciates—large quantities of meat—thereby strengthening their connection.
• Lu Ao: Has recently gained better control of his Dragon abilities, including transforming his hand into a claw at will. He remains straightforward and generous, accepting the gifts without dwelling on the senders’ ulterior motives.
• Song Zhou: Continues to care for Lu Ao in a warm, affectionate way. He prepares food for him, monitors his habits, playfully restrains his overindulgence, and comforts him by promising more milk tea.

Significant Themes

• Regret and missed opportunities: The families realize too late that they underestimated the fish’s value and gave away far more than they should have.
• Reciprocity and calculated generosity: The gifts are not purely selfless; both families hope to secure future benefits by creating obligations with Lu Ao.
• Domestic warmth and indulgence: The chapter shifts from the families’ regret to the comfortable, intimate routine shared by Lu Ao and Song Zhou.
• Hidden supernatural power: Lu Ao’s Dragon transformation appears increasingly natural and practical in daily life.

Character Interactions

• The Weng father punishes Weng Qian over mishandling the fish, leaving him traumatized by even hearing the word “fish.”
• Gui Yaoyao’s family discusses how to approach Lu Ao and agrees to send him local products.
• The courier-station owner treats Lu Ao warmly and offers to collect future packages from his home.
• Song Zhou teases Lu Ao about the strategic motives behind the gifts, then shares food with him and gently limits his milk-tea intake.
• Their final exchange highlights their affectionate, familiar relationship: Lu Ao reluctantly obeys Song Zhou, while Song Zhou promises to indulge him the next day.

Chapter 58 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao and Song Zhou return to work in Lu Ao’s exceptionally productive vegetable fields. The crops—especially peppers, winter melons, pumpkins, and other vegetables—have produced a huge harvest.
• Lu Ao preserves the excess by drying vegetables, making pickles, and fermenting greens. He also gives large quantities to neighbors, Lin Qiyan, and friends, while feeding some to his geese.
• Lin Qiyan has become closely involved with Lu Ao’s geese, often taking them out to graze. Sesame Ball, the flock’s leader, has become popular in Lin Qiyan’s videos. In exchange for vegetables, Lu Ao only asks Lin Qiyan to help care for the geese.
• Lu Ao and Song Zhou load a three-wheeler with vegetables, including seven enormous winter melons, then prepare to return to the village. They discuss watering the watermelon plants and anticipate harvesting them in about a month.
• On the village road, Lu Ao shares vegetables with elderly villagers. The villagers warmly welcome Song Zhou and invite him to their homes. Several even offer to introduce Song Zhou to potential romantic partners.
• Although Lu Ao remains outwardly expressionless, he feels uncomfortable and suspects he may be jealous—either of Song Zhou’s growing closeness with the villagers or of the matchmaking attention he receives.
• In the latter part of the chapter, Lu Ao begins preparing to collect five hundred Giant Grouper fingerlings. After selling fish in the morning and attending Certificate of Competency training in the county, he drives to a fish farm with oxygenation equipment.
• The fish-farm owner, Mao Huaqing, explains that the fingerlings are raised in floating cages offshore. He charges Lu Ao a discounted price of 6.50 yuan per fish and leads him to inspect the cages.

Character Development

• Lu Ao: Continues building a prosperous rural life through fishing and farming. His generosity strengthens his relationships with the villagers, while his unease over Song Zhou’s attention suggests growing romantic feelings or possessiveness.
• Song Zhou: Becomes increasingly integrated into village life. His polite, gentle manner wins over the elders, and he comfortably joins Lu Ao in everyday farm work and village routines.
• Lin Qiyan: Grows closer to Lu Ao through helping with the geese and uses the flock—especially Sesame Ball—in his online videos.
• Mao Huaqing: Is introduced as an experienced, trustworthy fish-fry farmer who maintains a practical and cooperative business relationship with Lu Ao.

Significant Themes

• Abundance and self-sufficiency: Lu Ao’s thriving crops, preserved food, livestock, and fishing business reflect the rewards of his labor and his increasingly secure rural life.
• Community and reciprocity: Lu Ao’s habit of sharing produce leads to mutual kindness, with villagers returning favors and welcoming him and Song Zhou into the community.
• Domestic intimacy: Ordinary activities—harvesting vegetables, riding together, caring for animals, and planning meals—highlight the comfortable companionship developing between Lu Ao and Song Zhou.
• Emerging jealousy and affection: Lu Ao’s discomfort when others try to matchmake Song Zhou reveals feelings he has not fully acknowledged.
• Expansion and ambition: By increasing his order to five hundred grouper fingerlings and pursuing his competency certificate, Lu Ao continues expanding his fishing enterprise.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Song Zhou work side by side in the fields and share easy, playful conversation while transporting the harvest.
• Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan maintain a friendly exchange based on vegetables and assistance with the geese.
• Lu Ao interacts warmly with the villagers, giving them produce and receiving invitations and gifts in return.
• The villagers treat Song Zhou affectionately, while Lu Ao silently reacts to their attempts to find Song Zhou a match.
• Lu Ao and Mao Huaqing conduct a friendly business transaction, with Mao offering hospitality and a discounted price for the large order of fingerlings.

Chapter 125 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao visits Mao Huaqing’s offshore fish farm to collect 500 purebred Giant Grouper fingerlings he previously ordered.
• Mao explains his operations: he mainly farms scallops, while Giant Groupers are more difficult to raise and are usually transferred to larger sheds once mature. He also discusses other varieties, including fast-growing, disease-resistant Pearl Giant Groupers.
• Mao provides Lu Ao with 510 fingerlings, gifting him ten extra. Each fish is guaranteed to be more than nine centimeters long.
• Lu Ao also buys roughly 34 pounds of large, high-quality red-fleshed scallops from Mao’s wife at five yuan per pound.
• After returning to the village, Lu Ao places the scallops in seawater to keep them alive. Because of the hot weather, he immediately takes the young groupers to the reefs and releases them into the sea.
• Lu Ao enters the water briefly to check whether the fingerlings adapt well to their new environment. While underwater, he hears unfamiliar young people nearby but avoids disturbing them.
• After surfacing, he hears a man desperately calling for help. The cries gradually weaken, ending the chapter on a dangerous cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao continues expanding his marine-farming efforts, showing practical judgment by buying suitable fingerlings and releasing them promptly.
• He demonstrates trust in Mao’s expertise, accepting the fish without recounting or measuring them.
• Lu Ao remains cautious and considerate around strangers, deliberately keeping his distance from the young couple near the shore.
• Mao Huaqing is presented as a knowledgeable, hospitable fish farmer who values repeat business. He offers Lu Ao advice, extra fingerlings, and information about other profitable species.
• Mao Huaqing’s wife is efficient and business-minded, quickly preparing both the scallops and the fish tanks once she learns there is a sale.

Significant Themes

• Marine cultivation and economic opportunity: The chapter highlights the practical business of aquaculture, including breeding, disease resistance, market value, and species selection.
• Trust and community commerce: Lu Ao’s relationship with Mao is built on mutual trust and reliable trade.
• Human responsibility toward nature: Lu Ao carefully chooses an appropriate habitat and ensures the fingerlings are released promptly and safely.
• Suspense and danger: The peaceful farming and release of the fish abruptly shift into an emergency when Lu Ao hears a fading cry for help.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Mao discuss scallop farming, grouper varieties, pricing, and possible future orders.
• Mao’s wife coordinates with her husband while preparing the scallops and helping with the purchase.
• Mao jokes suggestively about Lu Ao eating the scallops with alcohol, but Lu Ao deliberately ignores the implication.
• Lu Ao avoids interacting with the unfamiliar young couple near the reefs, yet their presence foreshadows the accident he discovers.
• The chapter ends with Lu Ao positioned to respond to the unseen man in distress.

Chapter 59 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao hears cries for help near a reef and rushes toward them, initially swimming in human form.
• Realizing that the victims may drown before he arrives, he transforms into his dragon form, dramatically increasing his speed.
• He finds an unconscious young man and woman floating in the sea. The man appears to have drowned while trying to save the woman, who had clung to him in panic.
• Lu Ao brings both victims ashore, transforms back into human form, and performs CPR on them simultaneously, despite having no prior experience and fearing he might injure them.
• After several tense minutes, the man begins breathing again, followed by the woman.
• Lu Ao retrieves his phone, calls the police and emergency services, then carries both victims to his tricycle and drives them to the town clinic.
• The townspeople recognize the male victim as Chenchen, Lin Dawu’s son, and identify the woman as his girlfriend.
• The local doctor determines that the clinic cannot properly treat them and advises immediate transport to the county hospital.
• Lin Dawu arrives in a panic, terrified for his son, and finds him unconscious in the clinic.

Character Development

• Lu Ao demonstrates courage, quick thinking, and compassion. He risks his own safety to save two strangers and remains focused despite the difficulty of rescuing drowning victims.
• His dragon form becomes an essential practical ability, allowing him to reach the victims quickly and transport them efficiently.
• Lu Ao also shows emotional growth: although frightened and inexperienced, he takes responsibility and attempts CPR rather than hesitating.
• Lin Dawu is portrayed as a deeply concerned father. His frantic arrival, disheveled appearance, and desperate reaction reveal his fear of losing his son.
• The townspeople display strong communal ties, quickly recognizing the victims, assisting Lu Ao, and organizing medical help.

Significant Themes

• Self-sacrifice and heroism: Lu Ao risks his life and uses every ability available to save the victims.
• The dangers of inexperienced rescues: The chapter explains how drowning victims can unintentionally pull rescuers underwater, emphasizing the importance of proper rescue techniques.
• Urgency and responsibility: Every moment matters in a drowning emergency, and Lu Ao’s rapid decisions may determine whether the victims survive without permanent brain damage.
• Community solidarity: Once Lu Ao reaches town, the local residents immediately cooperate to help the victims and contact their family.
• The limits of ability: Even with his extraordinary dragon form, Lu Ao cannot solve everything alone and must rely on doctors, emergency services, and the community.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao interacts directly with the unconscious victims through the rescue and CPR attempt.
• The townspeople question Lu Ao, help move the victims, identify them, and coordinate further assistance.
• The local doctor evaluates the victims and instructs everyone to transport them to the county hospital.
• Lin Dawu arrives and desperately asks about his son, while the townspeople reassure him that Lu Ao rescued both victims.

Chapter 127 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Dawu’s son and a young woman are rescued from the sea after Lu Ao finds them unconscious and performs CPR.
• A doctor advises taking them to the county hospital, but Lin Dawu fears the long journey and inadequate medical care. He asks Lu Ao to arrange helicopter transport to New Luzhou.
• Lu Ao contacts a helicopter rescue company. While they wait at the grain-drying ground, the doctor accompanies them, and police arrive to investigate the accident.
• Lu Ao worries that he may have injured the victims while performing CPR, especially after learning that Lin Dawu’s son has a head injury.
• Song Zhou arrives before the helicopter and notices that Lu Ao is exhausted, cold, and still shirtless. He brings him a T-shirt and checks on him.
• The helicopter transports the victims to First Affiliated Hospital in New Luzhou. Lin Dawu’s son is diagnosed with intracranial bleeding, while the girl suffers from prolonged oxygen deprivation.
• Lu Ao handles paperwork and medical expenses and contacts the girl’s family. Her relatives initially misunderstand the situation and angrily blame him before rushing to the hospital.
• By night, both patients stabilize. Lu Ao and Lin Dawu finally eat together, with Lin Dawu expressing deep gratitude and insisting on ordering a substantial meal.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao demonstrates courage, quick thinking, and responsibility by rescuing the victims, arranging emergency transport, paying fees, and contacting the girl’s family. Despite being exhausted and worried that his CPR may have caused harm, he remains focused on helping.
• Lin Dawu shifts from panic and despair to gratitude. His desperation to save his son reveals his strong paternal concern, while his insistence on treating Lu Ao shows how deeply he appreciates Lu Ao’s help.
• Song Zhou shows attentiveness and concern for Lu Ao. He notices details others overlook—Lu Ao’s cold and exposed body—and quietly takes care of him.
• Gui Yandan is overwhelmed by fear when she learns her son is near death, emphasizing the emotional impact of the crisis.
• The girl’s family initially reacts with anger and suspicion but becomes urgently involved once they learn what happened.

Significant Themes

• Selflessness and responsibility: Lu Ao places the victims’ survival above his own comfort, time, and financial concerns.
• Family love and panic: Lin Dawu and Gui Yandan’s frantic reactions show the terror of facing a child’s possible death.
• Limits of local services: The county hospital’s slow response contrasts sharply with the efficiency of helicopter rescue and advanced urban medical care.
• Care expressed through action: Song Zhou’s small gesture of bringing Lu Ao clothing and Lin Dawu’s insistence on feeding him both convey concern more effectively than words.
• Community uncertainty and rumor: While police investigate, bystanders speculate, yet no one suspects Lu Ao because his actions clearly appear heroic and compassionate.

Character Interactions

• Lin Dawu urgently appeals to Lu Ao, trusting him to secure better treatment for his son.
• Lu Ao coordinates with doctors, police, the rescue company, hospital staff, and the girl’s family.
• Song Zhou provides quiet emotional and practical support, helping Lu Ao recognize his own exhaustion.
• Lin Dawu and Lu Ao share a meal after the crisis, strengthening their bond through gratitude and mutual concern.

Chapter 60 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After rescuing Lin Guanchen and his girlfriend from the sea, Lu Ao and Lin Dawu learn that both young people are safe but remain in the ICU. Lin Guanchen has undergone cranial surgery, while his girlfriend inhaled seawater.
• Lin Dawu’s relatives and the girl’s family travel to the hospital. Although the girl’s family initially reacts anxiously, the situation is resolved peacefully after communication.
• Lin Dawu pays all medical and rescue expenses, spending more than 300,000 yuan—nearly all the money in his account. The financial burden visibly ages and exhausts him.
• Lu Ao stays with Lin Dawu through the night before Song Zhou takes him home. Exhausted, Lu Ao worries about the belongings he left at the beach, but Song Zhou reassures him, takes the day off work, and promises to retrieve them.
• The next morning, Lu Ao checks on the patients. He learns that both remain under observation but may leave the ICU the following day if their conditions continue improving.
• Song Zhou leaves a carefully prepared meal for Lu Ao, including soup, meatballs, pork belly, lamb ribs, and vegetables. Lu Ao saves a portion for Song Zhou, quietly showing that their relationship has become increasingly considerate and intimate.
• Lu Ao checks on the geese and messages Song Zhou, who assures him that he will return soon.
• In the fishing group, members discuss the accident and report that the police currently believe the girl slipped while collecting snails and Lin Guanchen tried to rescue her. The exact circumstances will be confirmed after both regain consciousness.
• The group then turns to planning an afternoon fishing trip, though the hot weather and need for deeper water make the choice difficult.

Character Development

• Lu Ao remains deeply responsible and compassionate. Even after an exhausting rescue, he worries about Lin Guanchen and his girlfriend, Lin Dawu’s situation, and his own neglected chores and belongings.
• Lu Ao also demonstrates growing emotional attachment to Song Zhou. He carefully preserves Song Zhou’s handwritten note, saves him food, and visibly relaxes when Song Zhou confirms he will return.
• Song Zhou becomes more openly attentive and supportive. He takes care of Lu Ao after the ordeal, handles household tasks, prepares food suited to Lu Ao’s tastes, and takes time off work to look after him.
• Lin Dawu is portrayed as a devoted father willing to spend everything to save the two young people. His willingness to shoulder the medical costs also reflects his sense of responsibility and gratitude.
• The girl’s family shifts from anxiety and possible hostility to understanding and apology after learning that Lu Ao helped save her.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility and sacrifice: Lin Dawu’s enormous financial sacrifice and Lu Ao’s rescue efforts show the costs of protecting others.
• Compassion overcoming conflict: Initial tension between the families is eased through communication and mutual understanding.
• Care expressed through ordinary actions: Song Zhou’s meal, note, household chores, and reassurance convey affection more powerfully than direct declarations.
• Recovery and reassurance: The chapter moves from crisis toward cautious hope as both patients stabilize.
• Community and trust: The fishing group shares information and concern, creating a supportive social network around the characters.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Lin Dawu share a quiet, emotionally heavy meal and remain together at the hospital.
• Song Zhou gently insists that Lu Ao rest, taking responsibility for the tasks Lu Ao is worried about.
• Lu Ao and Lin Dawu speak by phone about the patients’ condition and the girl’s family’s apology.
• Lu Ao and Song Zhou exchange affectionate, practical messages about food and returning home.
• The fishing-group members discuss the accident, reassure Lu Ao about the victims, and debate their next fishing destination.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Gongshang and Lin Qiyan propose taking a boat to a remote offshore tidal pool and pumping it dry to search for trapped seafood, especially valuable octopuses.
• Lu Ao is invited, partly because Lin Gongshang considers him lucky. Lu Ao hesitates because he is actually thinking about whether Song Zhou might want to join them.
• Lu Ao phones Song Zhou, who says he is busy and cannot come. Song reassures him that the geese have been fed and the vegetables watered, so Lu Ao can go without worrying about things at home.
• Lu Ao promises to bring back fish and mentions holding a scallop feast that evening. After the call, he privately wonders why Song Zhou has been so busy but decides not to press him.
• Only Lu Ao, Lin Gongshang, and Lin Qiyan ultimately go. They gather equipment, borrow a fishing boat, and head out under the intense afternoon sun.
• During the journey, Lin Gongshang teaches Lu Ao how to operate the boat. Lu Ao learns quickly and carefully practices starting, stopping, accelerating, and slowing down, delaying their arrival until after 2:30 p.m.
• They reach a small, barren island containing a large tidal pool. Fish become trapped there when the tide goes out, making it an ideal place to search for seafood.
• The group sets up two diesel-powered water pumps to drain the pool. While waiting, Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang search the surrounding reefs for snails, mussels, and other shellfish.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao shows consideration for Song Zhou and a growing emotional attachment to him. He wants to invite Song Zhou out, worries about his workload, and hesitates to question him too directly.
• Lu Ao also demonstrates caution and responsibility. He learns to drive the boat methodically, testing every function before becoming fully comfortable.
• Song Zhou appears dependable and domestic, having cared for the geese and vegetables before working. His unexplained busyness creates a slight sense of distance or concern for Lu Ao.
• Lin Gongshang is energetic, practical, and trusting. He organizes the trip, arranges the boat and fuel, teaches Lu Ao patiently, and treats the outing as both recreation and a chance to earn money.
• Lin Qiyan is observant and helps document the trip by filming. He also understands Lu Ao’s feelings better than Lin Gongshang does, though he chooses not to comment.
• Lu Ao’s competence and reliability strengthen Lin Gongshang’s trust in him.

Significant Themes

• Growing intimacy and unspoken feelings: Lu Ao’s desire to invite Song Zhou, his concern about Song Zhou’s schedule, and his reluctance to ask difficult questions suggest deepening but still indirect affection.
• Friendship and trust: The fishing trip depends on cooperation, and Lin Gongshang’s willingness to let Lu Ao drive reflects his confidence in Lu Ao’s judgment.
• Self-reliance and practical labor: The characters combine leisure with work, using local knowledge and simple equipment to make a living from the sea.
• The sea as both opportunity and isolation: The vast, empty ocean provides freedom and potential profit but also emphasizes the characters’ separation from others.
• Careful learning and responsibility: Lu Ao’s cautious approach to operating the boat highlights his disciplined and dependable nature.

Character Interactions

• Lin Gongshang enthusiastically recruits Lu Ao and jokes about his supposed luck.
• Lu Ao’s awkward attempt to involve Song Zhou reveals his private concern for him, while Lin Qiyan silently recognizes the implication.
• Song Zhou and Lu Ao share a gentle, domestic phone conversation, discussing chores, dinner, and the promise of bringing home seafood.
• Lin Gongshang mentors Lu Ao in boat operation, while Lu Ao listens attentively and earns his confidence.
• The three men work together efficiently, dividing tasks between driving, filming, pumping the tidal pool, and gathering shellfish.

Chapter 61 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qiyan films Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang while they collect snails, though he focuses mainly on Lu Ao to create appealing video footage and maintain his popularity.
• Lu Ao secretly transforms his right hand into a Dragon Claw, using its sharp nails to harvest snails with remarkable speed. He selectively keeps the large snails and returns the smaller ones to the rocks so they can grow.
• After filling an entire bucket in less than twenty minutes, Lu Ao stops collecting and goes to check on the tide pool.
• Lin Gongshang makes a suggestive joke, prompting Lu Ao to pin him down effortlessly. Lin Gongshang is shocked by Lu Ao’s immense strength and quickly apologizes.
• The group turns their attention to the nearly drained tide pool, where Lu Ao identifies Stonefish, Three-Blade fish, Black Hair fish, and a large Black Seabream.
• Lu Ao catches fish rapidly while warning Lin Gongshang to wear gloves because of the fish’s sharp spines.
• Lu Ao spots two large Eight-Claw creatures moving toward a rock crevice. Lin Gongshang immediately abandons the bucket and rushes after them.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: His hidden supernatural nature is briefly revealed through his Dragon Claw. His extraordinary physical strength, speed, fishing ability, and practical concern for preserving young snails are emphasized. He remains quiet, intimidating, and highly capable.
• Lin Gongshang: He is energetic, competitive, and talkative, but clearly inferior to Lu Ao physically. His joking behavior leads to playful punishment, and his enthusiasm quickly returns when valuable seafood appears.
• Lin Qiyan: He continues acting as the group’s cameraman and content creator. His selective filming of Lu Ao suggests both professional calculation and personal interest in keeping Lu Ao mysterious.
• Group dynamic: The men work cooperatively while constantly teasing one another. Lu Ao’s overwhelming strength makes him the group’s dependable leader during the harvest.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and secrecy: Lu Ao conceals his Dragon Claw and avoids being filmed directly, preserving an air of mystery.
• Strength and capability: Lu Ao’s physical superiority is repeatedly contrasted with Lin Gongshang’s ordinary strength and admiration.
• Resourcefulness and efficiency: Lu Ao harvests quickly and skillfully, while also returning small snails to protect future supplies.
• Friendship through teasing: The characters’ jokes, mock quarrels, and easy cooperation reveal growing familiarity and camaraderie.
• Abundance of nature: The rich tide pool provides plentiful seafood, turning the collection into both work and an exciting adventure.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qiyan films Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang but keeps Lu Ao mostly off-camera.
• Lin Gongshang admires and envies Lu Ao’s strength, joking that he might become stronger by eating more.
• Lu Ao physically restrains Lin Gongshang after his inappropriate joke, then releases him when the tide pool is ready.
• Lin Qiyan mocks Lin Gongshang’s plan to imitate Lu Ao’s eating habits.
• Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang cooperate closely while catching fish, with Lu Ao identifying the creatures and warning him about danger.
• Lin Gongshang’s excitement over the Eight-Claw creatures ends the chapter as he rushes to catch them.

Chapter Summary

• Key events: Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang drain a tide pool and gather a plentiful catch, including octopuses, Black Hair fish, Stonefish, Black Seabream, Three-Blade fish, and a large Catshark. Lin Gongshang enthusiastically shows the haul on camera for Lin Qiyan’s video, while Lu Ao responsibly releases seawater back into the pool to protect the remaining fry and snails. They then load the catch onto the boat and head home.
• Character developments: Lin Gongshang proves energetic and eager to earn money, though he is also playful and inexperienced with octopuses. He reveals that he has been dating someone since the beginning of the year, has already exchanged betrothal gifts, and will marry in September. His motivation for working hard is to afford a better life for his future wife. Lu Ao shows practical judgment and environmental awareness by leaving egg-bearing crabs untouched and restoring the tide pool. Lin Qiyan remains supportive, filming and helping transport the catch.
• Character interactions: Lu Ao repeatedly assists Lin Gongshang, especially when the octopuses attach to his arms. The three men work cooperatively, joke about the catch, and discuss how to divide the profits. Lin Gongshang teases Lu Ao about Song Zhou’s frequent presence at his home, but Lu Ao gives only a vague explanation and changes the subject. Their conversation also establishes that Lu Ao plans to keep the Catshark for a dinner with Song Zhou.
• Themes: The chapter emphasizes cooperation, honest work, and the satisfaction of harvesting from the sea. It also highlights environmental responsibility: the men release small or egg-bearing animals and remove trash from the water. Finally, Lin Gongshang’s marriage announcement introduces themes of adulthood, commitment, financial pressure, and building a future with someone he loves.

Chapter 62 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Gongshang reveals that he has bought land beside Tanwu Village and plans to build a house after his wedding. His new home will be near the mountain Lu Ao hopes to lease.
• Lu Ao asks about the mountain lease. Tanwu Village is becoming increasingly anxious because he has not made a decision. Villagers are arguing about lowering the rental price, fearing Lu Ao will choose another mountain.
• Lin Gongshang explains that Lu Ao’s reputation—especially for saving Chenchen—has earned him support from members of the Lin family living in Tanwu Village. He advises Lu Ao to wait a month or two, as Tanwu Village may reduce its price.
• Lin Qiyan and Lin Gongshang suggest that Lu Ao consider leasing a mountain in Lin Family Village or Lu Family Village, where the fees would be much cheaper for locals.
• Lu Ao says he will continue thinking about it, especially since Old Chen has not yet returned and there is no immediate need to transplant the fruit trees.
• The conversation turns to Old Chen’s wife. Lu Ao explains that her brain tumor was successfully removed and that she has found a matching kidney for a transplant. It is revealed that Lu Ao secretly arranged an anonymous donation of fifty thousand yuan to help with her treatment; only Song Zhou knows.
• After returning from the sea, Lu Ao keeps only a catshark and some snails, instructing Lin Gongshang to sell the remaining catch and divide the profits after deducting fuel costs.
• At home, Lu Ao finds Song Zhou resting and reading. He insists that Song Zhou take it easy and prepares dinner himself, planning a seafood meal of catshark and scallops.
• Lu Ao cleans and prepares the catshark, carefully removing its rough skin, innards, gills, teeth, and eyes. The chapter ends with the cleaned fish ready to be cooked.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Demonstrates patience and strategic thinking regarding the mountain lease rather than rushing into an expensive agreement. His generosity becomes more apparent through his secret financial assistance to Old Chen’s wife. He also continues to show care for Song Zhou by taking responsibility for dinner and encouraging him to rest.
• Lin Gongshang and Lin Qiyan: Act as well-informed friends and advisers, offering Lu Ao information about the villages and suggesting cheaper alternatives for his plans.
• Song Zhou: Appears to be recovering or in need of rest. His comfortable, trusting relationship with Lu Ao is emphasized as he accepts Lu Ao’s care.
• Old Chen: Though absent, his devotion to his ill wife is highlighted. His family’s poverty and hardship elicit sympathy from the villagers.
• Tanwu Village residents: Their concern about losing Lu Ao’s business opportunity reveals their economic desperation and growing interest in accommodating him.

Significant Themes

• Community economics and opportunity: The abandoned mountains have little current value, but Lu Ao’s interest creates competition and hope among neighboring villages.
• Generosity and quiet compassion: Lu Ao helps Old Chen’s family anonymously, emphasizing that his kindness is sincere and not motivated by recognition.
• Mutual aid and gratitude: Lu Ao’s previous rescue of Chenchen earns him support from others, showing how goodwill strengthens community relationships.
• Domestic care and companionship: The closing scenes focus on Lu Ao and Song Zhou’s increasingly intimate household dynamic, expressed through food, rest, and everyday consideration.
• Rural hardship: The chapter portrays villagers dealing with poverty, migration, limited employment, and inadequate economic opportunities.

Character Interactions

• Lin Gongshang and Lin Qiyan advise Lu Ao about the mountain lease and discuss the villagers’ reactions.
• Lu Ao shares news about Old Chen’s wife, revealing his hidden contribution only indirectly through the conversation.
• Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang cooperate in handling the day’s catch and profits.
• At home, Lu Ao and Song Zhou exchange warm, familiar dialogue, with Lu Ao taking care of him by preparing dinner and preventing him from overexerting himself.

Chapter 63 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao prepares a lavish meal using the catshark he caught: braised catshark meat, catshark cartilage and fins stewed with chicken, and steamed scallops with vermicelli and garlic-chili sauce.
• Song Zhou helps serve the food, and the two enjoy the meal together. Lu Ao is pleasantly surprised by the catshark’s tender, gelatinous skin and smooth, flavorful meat, which lacks the unpleasant odor common in some shark meat.
• Song Zhou, who normally eats very little human food, consumes two bowls of rice, showing how much he enjoys the meal. Their conversation turns humorous when they discuss Lu Ao’s large appetite and the possibility of catching whales if it grows even larger.
• After dinner, Lu Ao jokingly—or perhaps seriously—questions whether Song Zhou might actually eat a whole whale. Unable to read Song Zhou’s expression, Lu Ao gives up and orders him to wash the dishes.
• Lin Gongshang calls Lu Ao, eager to go pumping tidal pools again after enjoying their previous outing. Lu Ao declines for the day because he needs to check two floating nets he set in an upstream wild pond, but agrees to go the following day.
• Dark clouds and impending rain keep Lu Ao at home after his afternoon nap. He reflects on the slower, more self-sufficient rhythm of rural life and notes that he can influence rainfall for only about ten minutes before becoming exhausted.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao demonstrates growing confidence and skill in cooking unfamiliar seafood. His careful preparation and genuine enjoyment of the meal reveal his domestic, practical side.
• He continues to have a large appetite and remains curious about Song Zhou’s unusual eating habits and possible true nature.
• Lu Ao’s abilities are developing, but his control over weather remains limited by stamina.
• Song Zhou shows unusual enthusiasm for Lu Ao’s cooking and eats far more than normal. His playful, ambiguous comments about whales reinforce his mysterious nature while strengthening the easy intimacy between him and Lu Ao.
• Lin Gongshang becomes increasingly enthusiastic about fishing and tidal-pool exploration, eagerly arranging another outing with Lu Ao.

Significant Themes

• Domestic intimacy and companionship: Cooking, eating, and teasing create a warm, familiar bond between Lu Ao and Song Zhou.
• The pleasures of rural life: The chapter emphasizes self-sufficiency, fresh food, flexible work, and closeness to nature rather than constant economic striving.
• Human and nonhuman differences: Song Zhou’s unusual appetite and cryptic whale-related remarks hint at his otherworldly identity.
• Developing supernatural ability: Lu Ao’s capacity to manipulate rainfall illustrates his growing powers, while the short time limit highlights his current weaknesses and need for restraint.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Song Zhou cooperate in preparing and serving dinner, then tease each other throughout the meal.
• Their conversation about appetite and eating whales mixes affection with uncertainty about Song Zhou’s true capabilities.
• Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang discuss their next tidal-pool expedition, with Lin Gongshang’s excitement contrasting with Lu Ao’s more practical need to check his nets first.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao checks the time and predicts that the afternoon rain will soon begin and end before he needs to collect his fishing nets.
• Lin Qiyan messages Lu Ao asking to accompany him and film the net collection. Lin Gongshang joins them and proposes turning the outing into a picnic.
• Despite the recent rain making a fire difficult, Lin Gongshang insists, promising to bring firewood, food, and seasonings. The group agrees to meet after the rain stops.
• Once the rain ends, Lu Ao herds his increasingly large geese toward the river, using his special will to direct them upstream.
• Lin Gongshang and Lin Qiyan begin filming themselves digging for Mud Crabs. Lin Gongshang finds only one crab and soon abandons the effort to help collect Lu Ao’s nets.
• The group walks to a wild pond connected to the river, where Lu Ao had placed a floating net the previous day.
• Lin Gongshang wades into the pond and pulls the heavy net toward shore with Lu Ao’s help, believing it contains an impressive catch.
• Their excitement fades when the net mostly yields Janitor Fish and Tilapia, with no valuable or unusual catches found through nearly half the net.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao remains practical and reserved. He organizes the net collection, cares for his geese, and contributes little to the picnic preparations because he expects the others to take whatever they want from the catch.
• Lin Qiyan continues developing his outdoor-video content and readily joins the outing, showing flexibility about what they film.
• Lin Gongshang is energetic, impulsive, and enthusiastic. He pushes the others into making the trip a picnic, willingly gets muddy and wades into the pond, and maintains high hopes despite the disappointing catch.
• Lu Ao’s geese are growing rapidly, becoming heavier and less fluffy while retaining their amusing waddling behavior. Their responsiveness to Lu Ao’s commands also highlights their unusual bond with him.

Significant Themes

• Companionship and communal leisure: A routine fishing task becomes a shared outdoor activity involving filming, foraging, and cooking.
• Optimism versus reality: Lin Gongshang’s excitement about finding valuable fish contrasts with the mundane catch of Tilapia and Janitor Fish.
• Human interaction with nature: The characters adapt their plans to the weather and make use of the river, pond, woods, geese, and available food resources.
• Everyday rural life: The chapter emphasizes practical activities such as herding animals, digging for crabs, fishing, and preparing an improvised picnic.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qiyan respectfully asks Lu Ao to join the net collection, while Lin Gongshang expands the plan into a group picnic.
• Lin Gongshang playfully pressures both men through repeated messages and stickers until they agree.
• At the pond, Lin Gongshang volunteers to enter the water so Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan can stay dry, demonstrating his willingness to take on the messier work.
• Lu Ao assists Lin Gongshang in dragging the net ashore, while Lin Qiyan documents the outing.
• Lin Gongshang narrates and evaluates each fish as they remove it, creating a humorous contrast between his expectations and the disappointing reality of the catch.

Chapter 64 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang fish in a pond using floating nets, but the catch is disappointing because the pond is overrun with invasive tilapia and janitor fish.
• They keep the tilapia, river shrimp, and a sea bass for grilling, while planning to grind the janitor fish into feed for Lu Ao’s geese.
• Lin Gongshang suggests replacing the floating nets with fish traps and proposes trying sea-bass fishing at sea once Lu Ao’s boat arrives. Lu Ao agrees to buy equipment from Brother Da Wu.
• After eating their poorly prepared grilled catch, the group returns home near dark. Lu Ao’s geese eagerly gather around him and fight over the small tilapia he feeds them.
• Lin Qiyan jokes that Lin Gongshang wants geese so he can serve roast goose at his wedding, prompting an irritated response. Lu Ao quietly enjoys their banter.
• Back at the house, Song Zhou helps Lu Ao pack and freeze the fish. Lu Ao buries an algae-covered fishing net so it can decompose and become usable again after about a week.
• Song Zhou learns that Lu Ao’s outdoor meal was poorly cooked and suggests they go out for barbecue. Lu Ao proposes traveling to Yuannan Province, and they agree to leave after he showers and changes.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao demonstrates practical fishing knowledge and resourcefulness, finding a use for the unwanted janitor fish as goose feed and repairing the damaged net through an old fishermen’s method.
• His good luck appears limited in this outing, as the nets produce little valuable fish despite catching large quantities overall.
• Lin Gongshang shows growing familiarity with fishing and expresses interest in expanding their activities to sea-bass fishing. He also develops an affectionate enthusiasm for Lu Ao’s geese.
• Lin Qiyan remains playful and observant, teasing Lin Gongshang and tactfully leaving when Lu Ao and Song Zhou reunite.
• Song Zhou acts supportively in the household, helping Lu Ao with the fish and responding warmly to his disappointment over dinner. His invitation to go out together highlights their comfortable intimacy.
• Lu Ao and Song Zhou’s relationship appears increasingly domestic and close, with casual concern, shared chores, and spontaneous plans.

Significant Themes

• Resourcefulness and rural practicality: Nothing is wasted; unwanted fish become animal feed, and damaged equipment is repaired rather than discarded.
• Human coexistence with nature: The abundance of invasive species reveals ecological imbalance, while the characters adapt their fishing and farming practices around it.
• Domestic intimacy: Everyday tasks—feeding geese, freezing fish, burying nets, and deciding where to eat—strengthen the sense of shared life between Lu Ao and Song Zhou.
• Humor and companionship: Teasing among the characters keeps the chapter light and emphasizes their easy familiarity.
• Food and livelihood: Fishing, cooking, animal husbandry, and future plans for sea fishing remain central to the characters’ daily lives and ambitions.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang cooperate while sorting the nets and discuss better fishing equipment.
• Lin Gongshang admires Lu Ao’s geese, while Lin Qiyan teases him about raising them for wedding food.
• Song Zhou and Lu Ao work together to store the catch and care for the fishing equipment.
• Song Zhou gently comforts Lu Ao after hearing about the poor grilled meal, then invites him on an impromptu barbecue trip, which Lu Ao eagerly accepts.

Chapter 136 Summary

Plot and events

Song Zhou takes Lu Ao out for an evening in the capital of Yuannan Province. They choose a crowded barbecue restaurant but face a nearly two-hour wait, so they see a comedy movie while waiting. Afterward, they return to the restaurant, where Lu Ao, exhausted, rests against Song Zhou’s shoulder. A handsome nonhuman acquaintance unexpectedly recognizes Song Zhou and mistakes Lu Ao for his boyfriend. Song Zhou denies this, calling Lu Ao “a kid,” which immediately wakes and unsettles Lu Ao. The acquaintance leaves quickly with a frightened-looking girl, and Song Zhou explains that they are nonhumans who came to greet him.

Character developments

Lu Ao enjoys the ordinary outing but becomes increasingly troubled by Song Zhou’s description of him as a “kid” and by the realization that Song Zhou may not view their closeness romantically. His growing attraction and emotional dependence become clearer, especially when he casually suggests that Song Zhou move in with him, seemingly hoping to deepen their relationship. Song Zhou responds practically, explaining that Lu Ao no longer needs constant protection. He also reveals that Lu Ao is the last dragon in this plane and could be hunted because some nonhumans believe eating dragon flesh grants great power.

Character interactions

Song Zhou is affectionate and attentive, letting Lu Ao sleep on his shoulder, giving him sour plum juice, and worrying when he eats little. However, his warmth appears protective and familiar rather than romantic. Lu Ao interprets their interactions differently and feels disappointed when Song Zhou denies they are boyfriends. Their conversation highlights a mismatch between Lu Ao’s developing feelings and Song Zhou’s apparently innocent understanding of their relationship.

Themes

The chapter explores unrequited or misunderstood affection, emotional ambiguity, and the contrast between romantic intimacy and platonic protectiveness. It also emphasizes Lu Ao’s vulnerability as the last dragon, introducing the danger posed by nonhumans who covet his power. The mundane date-like outing—food, a movie, and physical closeness—deepens Lu Ao’s emotional confusion while exposing how differently the two men perceive their bond.

Chapter 65 Summary

Key plot points and events

Lu Ao struggles with indigestion and a poor mood after becoming confused about Song Zhou’s behavior and what it might mean. He consults a gay graduate-student friend, carefully disguising the details, and asks whether Song Zhou’s apparent intimacy suggests romantic feelings. His friend believes Song Zhou is probably simply caring for Lu Ao like a younger brother. He also explains that genuine romantic attraction usually involves physical desire. Lu Ao realizes he has never felt sexual desire toward Song Zhou and fails when he tries to imagine Song Zhou’s body romantically.
The next morning, despite dark circles from lack of sleep, Lu Ao joins Lin Gongshang and Lin Qiyan for a sea bass fishing trip. Lin Gongshang finishes making about sixty Sea Bass Rigs, while Lu Ao buys a large quantity of shrimp for bait. Lin Qiyan borrows a boat, and Lu Ao eagerly takes control of it. They head toward the oyster beds, where they plan to secure the baited rigs overnight and retrieve them later.

Character developments

Lu Ao becomes increasingly self-aware about his feelings for Song Zhou. His inability to imagine Song Zhou sexually suggests that his attachment may be emotional, dependent, or fraternal rather than romantic—or that he does not yet understand his own feelings. He remains serious, reserved, and practical, but his concern over Song Zhou reveals a degree of emotional vulnerability. His wealth and confidence are also emphasized through his willingness to buy abundant bait and maintain a large fishing boat.

Significant themes

The chapter explores the difference between affection, emotional dependence, romantic love, and sexual attraction. It also highlights Lu Ao’s uncertainty about intimacy and his difficulty interpreting close relationships. Alongside this emotional thread, the fishing preparations reinforce themes of routine, self-sufficiency, prosperity, and the importance of practical cooperation.

Character interactions

Lu Ao’s gay friend offers blunt, humorous advice and challenges him to distinguish friendship from desire, though Lu Ao’s serious responses contrast with his friend’s teasing personality. Lin Gongshang notices Lu Ao’s exhaustion, gives him a sports drink, helps prepare the fishing rigs, and lightly criticizes his excessive spending and preference for a large boat. Lu Ao, Lin Gongshang, and Lin Qiyan work together smoothly to organize the sea bass expedition, while Lin Gongshang’s loyalty to Lin Dawu’s closed fish shop shows his concern for family and personal bonds.

Chapter 66 Summary

Key plot points and events

Lin Qiyan, Lu Ao, and Lin Gongshang travel by boat to another village’s oyster-farming area to set sixty Sea Bass Rigs. Lin Qiyan has already obtained permission from the oyster-bed owner, provided they avoid damaging the oyster seedlings. The rigs consist of strong lines and hooks tied to the ropes supporting the oyster-farming structures, allowing them to fish overnight without constant supervision.
Lin Qiyan films the process for a video, while Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang handle most of the work. When Lin Qiyan struggles to film and set the rigs simultaneously, Lu Ao takes over the camera, allowing him to work more efficiently. The three men arrange the rigs in two long rows before returning home, excited about the possible catch.
The next morning, they return with oxygenation equipment and foam boxes to collect the fish. They quickly spot a taut line, indicating a catch. Lin Gongshang retrieves their first sea bass, which weighs roughly five jin, and Lu Ao places it in the oxygenated fish hold.

Character developments

• Lin Qiyan continues developing his fishing-content project, demonstrating initiative by arranging permission, filming, and planning how to sell the catch. Although he is less skilled at physical fishing work, he adapts and explains the equipment for the video.
• Lu Ao remains calm, capable, and dependable. He operates the boat carefully, assists with the rigging, and takes over filming so Lin Qiyan can work safely. His reputation for exceptional fishing luck also raises everyone’s expectations.
• Lin Gongshang acts as the energetic and optimistic member of the group. He handles the boat near the oyster beds, works enthusiastically, and confidently predicts a large catch. His excitement becomes even stronger when the first large sea bass is brought aboard.

Significant themes

• Cooperation and trust: Each person contributes according to their strengths, with Lu Ao’s practical skills, Lin Qiyan’s filming and planning, and Lin Gongshang’s labor and enthusiasm combining effectively.
• Hard work and entrepreneurship: The men are not merely fishing for food; they are creating content and seeking a profitable harvest, carefully considering prices, expenses, taxes, and possible sales through livestreaming.
• Hope and anticipation: Their speculation about catching ten, twenty, or even thirty fish creates an atmosphere of optimism. The first five-jin sea bass confirms that their plan may be highly successful.
• Respect for others’ livelihoods: They take care not to damage the oyster farmer’s equipment or seedlings and understand the consequences of careless work.

Character interactions

Lin Qiyan and Lin Gongshang joke about Lu Ao’s supposed fishing luck, insisting that he will catch far more fish than expected. Lin Qiyan and Lu Ao work smoothly together, especially when Lu Ao helps film him. The group discusses transporting, preserving, and selling the catch, showing both camaraderie and practical cooperation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group checks sixty Sea Bass Rigs and catches twenty-two sea bass, an exceptionally high haul.
• Lu Ao proves remarkably successful, catching fish consistently—about one sea bass for every three rigs—while Lin Gongshang frequently retrieves empty rigs.
• The men replace eaten bait and reset the rigs so they can continue fishing the following day.
• They discuss using drift nets to catch blue swimming crabs, mantis shrimp, prawns, and other seafood in the same area.
• Lu Ao becomes interested in buying a small fishing boat, both for practice and to access areas unsuitable for his larger vessel. He plans to ask Da Wu’s brother-in-law about prices.
• Lu Ao’s confidence grows after passing his mock Certificate of Competency exam; he expects to receive his qualification after the official exam the following week.
• The catch is sold for over 3,000 yuan. After expenses, each person earns roughly 400 yuan.
• Returning to the village, Lin Gongshang happily wishes they could earn that much every day.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Demonstrates exceptional fishing ability and steady luck. His recent financial success and progress toward certification make him more willing to invest in a small fishing boat and expand his fishing activities.
• Lin Gongshang: Recognizes that Lu Ao is far more reliable at hauling the rigs and willingly steps aside to support him. He is enthusiastic about the possibility of regular fishing income but lacks the money to buy a boat himself.
• Lin Qiyan: Films the catch for much of the trip, then contributes practical ideas about nets and suitable fishing areas. He is more cautious than Lin Gongshang about the inconvenience and expense of owning a boat.

Significant Themes

• Luck versus ability: Lin Gongshang’s inconsistent results contrast with Lu Ao’s almost guaranteed success, emphasizing Lu Ao’s unusual talent or fortune.
• Growing prosperity: The strong catch and substantial earnings show the group beginning to benefit financially from their fishing operation.
• Investment and expansion: Lu Ao’s consideration of a small boat reflects his desire to build a more independent and efficient livelihood.
• Cooperation: The men divide tasks naturally, share ideas, and support one another’s plans.
• Practical entrepreneurship: Their discussion of nets, bait, boat rentals, certification, and operating costs shows them carefully exploring ways to increase income.

Character Interactions

• Lin Gongshang openly admires Lu Ao’s fishing success and gives him the rigs to pull while assisting with the landing net and livewell.
• Lu Ao calmly accepts the responsibility, replacing bait and planning ahead for future catches.
• Lin Gongshang and Lin Qiyan debate whether owning a boat is worthwhile, with Qiyan favoring the convenience of renting.
• Lu Ao listens to their discussion and decides that purchasing a small boat could complement his larger one and help him gain practical experience.
• The group celebrates their profitable day together, with Lin Gongshang especially excited about the possibility of making similar earnings regularly.

Chapter 67 Summary

Plot and key events

• Lu Ao, Lin Gongshang, and Lin Qiyan discover that their Sea Bass Rigs are producing large catches. Lin Qiyan worries that the fish will eventually become wary, but they decide to continue profiting while the method remains effective.
• After returning to the village at dusk, Lu Ao takes one of the sea bass home while the Lin brothers handle docking and selling the rest.
• Song Zhou visits with a lacquered food box containing cafeteria dishes, including stir-fried yellow beef with pickled chilies. Lu Ao prepares their freshly caught sea bass by steaming it with ginger, scallions, garlic, chili, and Sichuan peppercorns.
• The two men share an elaborate meal. Song Zhou praises the fish and specifically asks Lu Ao to bring back another of the same size the next day. He also offers to bring wine.
• Over the following days, the group continues catching large quantities of sea bass. Lin Gongshang plans to build more rigs and place them farther out to expand their catch.
• Repeated exposure to the sun leaves Lin Gongshang heavily tanned and Lin Qiyan sunburned, while Lu Ao’s skin remains unnaturally pale. The brothers are puzzled and envious, but Lu Ao dismisses it by saying he was “born this way.”

Character development

• Lu Ao becomes increasingly aware of his attraction to Song Zhou. After remembering advice from a gay friend, he finds himself examining Song Zhou’s appearance and becoming flustered by his physique and voice. He tries to suppress these thoughts but realizes, “I’m done for.”
• Cooking helps Lu Ao regain his composure, and he expresses affection indirectly by promising to catch Song Zhou another perfectly sized sea bass.
• Song Zhou shows domestic warmth and attentiveness by bringing dinner, enjoying Lu Ao’s cooking, and making plans to share wine with him.
• Lin Gongshang proves practical and ambitious by proposing more Sea Bass Rigs, while Lin Qiyan remains observant and teasing.
• Lu Ao’s nonhuman nature is subtly emphasized through his inability to tan, contrasting with the ordinary physical effects suffered by the others.

Significant themes

• Growing romantic attraction: Lu Ao’s involuntary thoughts and embarrassment reveal that his feelings for Song Zhou are becoming difficult to deny.
• Domestic intimacy: Preparing and sharing food becomes a quiet expression of care and companionship between Lu Ao and Song Zhou.
• Work and prosperity: The sea bass operation represents an opportunity for the group to improve their earnings through cooperation and experimentation.
• Human versus nonhuman identity: Lu Ao’s unchanged skin and unusual abilities hint at the gap between his appearance and his true nature.
• Humor and camaraderie: The teasing about tanning, girlfriends, and Lin Gongshang’s relationship keeps the group dynamic lighthearted.

Character interactions

• Lu Ao and Song Zhou share a warm, increasingly intimate dinner, bonding over freshly prepared sea bass and future meals.
• Song Zhou’s admiration for the fish encourages Lu Ao to think about pleasing him and bringing home fish of the exact size he prefers.
• Lin Gongshang and Lin Qiyan discuss expanding their fishing operation, then tease each other about sunburn and romantic relationships.
• The group jokingly contrasts Lu Ao’s pale skin with the brothers’ darkened, sun-damaged complexions.