"Pan Di, you caught over 130 catties?"
Chen Yang had originally intended to help Shen Pan Di, but he hadn't expected that this seemingly frail girl, who was only about 1.65 meters tall, had actually caught over 130 catties of fish with her bare hands and carried them to his house.
Even Zheng Wei Guo and Liu Mao Sheng, who had fishing nets, only caught about the same amount of fish in the previous two nights combined.
How could Chen Yang not be surprised!
"Teacher Chen, my dad set many traps in the water. My dad and I wove bamboo cages and dug earthworms in the fields. The fish just swarmed into our cages."
"It's just that apart from making some soup for my mother to nourish her, these fish have a muddy smell, and no one likes to eat them. Cooking fish also wastes oil."
Shen Pan Di didn't think much of these fish. She saw others bringing fish to Chen Yang's house and assumed he liked fish, so she had asked her father to work hard all night and catch so many.
"You are not only smart in your studies but also smart in everything you do."
"With your abilities, you deserve to go to college."
Chen Yang laughed heartily. If Shen Jia Ba Village had more smart people like Shen Pan Di, wouldn't he be able to expand his trading volume quickly and have thousands of catties of aquatic products harvested daily?
"Teacher will consider these fish big fish for you, at two mao per catty. When Teacher returns from the county town, I will settle the payment for you."
Chen Yang noted it down. Although some of the fish in Shen Pan Di's bamboo basket were less than a catty, Chen Yang didn't pick and choose. After all, the aquatic products station's purchase price for small fish was four mao per catty.
Even if he calculated at two mao per catty, he was still making double the profit. He was happy to help this unfortunate girl.
"Teacher Chen..."
Shen Pan Di wasn't stupid. According to Chen Yang's calculation, she had earned twenty-six yuan overnight!
Little did she know, her tuition for a year was only five yuan and six mao. If her family could afford it, why would she have to drop out of school?
"Hurry back and rest. You've been tired all night. After you wake up, come to Teacher's place in the afternoon to get the money."
"It's only for these few days. The fish in the river are not endless. Hurry up and earn more money. Save your tuition fees, get into a good university, and earn a lot of money in the future. Teacher is waiting for you to support him."
Chen Yang patted Shen Pan Di's shoulder. This aquatic product business couldn't continue indefinitely. After all, there were only so many fish in the river.
However, these fish were enough for Chen Yang to make a substantial profit.
"Teacher Chen, I, I thank you."
Before Chen Yang could react, Shen Pan Di knelt on the ground, ready to kowtow. Chen Yang was so scared that he quickly helped her up.
"Pan Di, if you really want to thank me, then study hard, get into Tsinghua or Peking University, and then I can brag to others that I taught a student who got into Tsinghua or Peking University."
Chen Yang chuckled. As a sent-down youth who hadn't even graduated from high school, he had only taught Shen Pan Di some knowledge. If she could get into Tsinghua or Peking University, he would indeed have something to brag about.
"Teacher Chen, I will definitely study hard."
Shen Pan Di's eyes were firm. Although she didn't know what kind of schools Tsinghua and Peking University were, from now on, this would be her goal.
After sending Shen Pan Di away, more and more people sent fish. Chen Yang filled four large plastic buckets.
Besides Shen Pan Di, there were many villagers who hadn't come before. Shen Jia Ba Village was not that large, and news traveled fast. Before dawn, Chen Yang had already collected over 1,300 catties of fish.
"This donkey cart won't be enough. Why don't I go borrow another donkey cart from the production team later? You can come with me to the county town today?"
Chen Yang had been collecting fish all morning. Shen Xue had already cooked breakfast, a fragrant red date and grape porridge.
"I, I'm going to the city with you too?"
Shen Xue looked at Chen Yang, feeling a little uneasy. Since marrying Chen Yang, she had only been to the city a handful of times.
Not just her, but most rural people in this era rarely went to the city in their lifetime. Everything in the city cost money, and money was precisely what they lacked the most.
"I can't transport so much fish alone, and I don't trust others to deliver it."
Although he had established a good relationship with Wang Jian Guo at the aquatic products station, it hadn't reached the point where he would only accept Chen Yang's aquatic products.
Even with Zheng Wei Guo and Liu Mao Sheng, Chen Yang didn't trust them enough to tell them his money-making method.
"Okay, you go borrow the donkey cart. I can also drive a donkey cart; it's not difficult."
Shen Xue immediately understood Chen Yang's intention. Couples working together could make more money. Driving a donkey cart was not a difficult task and was much easier than working in the fields.
After receiving Shen Xue's reply, Chen Yang drank a bowl of red date porridge and immediately went to borrow a donkey cart. He also threw some of the kelp given by Shen Lai Fu into the water buckets.
At Tu Tian Zong's house, he paid one yuan for the previous day's car rental and successfully borrowed the second donkey cart. Chen Yang's cart was loaded with three large buckets, and Shen Xue's donkey cart was loaded with two large buckets.
"Going to the city!"
"Yan Yan can ride in the car again!"
The little girl was overjoyed. Although she had only been to the city with Chen Yang a few times, she already loved the bustling small county town.
There was nothing in Shen Jia Ba Village, and it had long since lost its appeal to the little one. The county town, on the other hand, was full of mystery in her young world.
They arrived at the aquatic products station not long after, filled with laughter and joy with his wife and child.
"Chen Yang, you're amazing. Two large donkey carts in just a few days."
Before Chen Yang could speak, Liu Hua from the fish stall saw him. Liu Hua had witnessed Chen Yang selling more and more fish in the past two days.
However, as an employee of the food factory, he didn't dare to be as bold as Chen Yang; he could only envy him.
"Brother Liu, have a cigarette. Please trouble you."
Looking at Liu Hua, who was opening the iron gate, Chen Yang secretly handed him a pack of cigarettes. All the fish collected by the aquatic products station had to pass through Liu Hua. Building a good relationship with him would be beneficial if someone tried to steal his business.
Although not many people dared to do business at this time, there might be some who were not afraid of death. People die for wealth and birds die for food. There would always be daring individuals.
Building good relationships with everyone at the aquatic products station would never hurt.
"Hurry up. Station Master Wang was very happy yesterday when he saw so many fish collected. He will probably be even happier today."
Liu Hua secretly hid the cigarette in his pocket, and a smile instantly appeared on his face. Cigarettes were a rare commodity in those days.
"Old Zhang, come, give me a hand."
Chen Yang was familiar with the process. Master Zhang, who weighed the fish, heard his voice and immediately came to help Chen Yang lift the fish. He had been praised by Station Master Wang for the first time yesterday after weighing so many fish.
"Wow, this guy, each bucket must be two to three hundred catties. How did you manage to get them up there alone?"
Old Zhang helped to lift the buckets of fish down, his face red. Chen Yang grinned. He had placed the buckets on the donkey cart first and then added water before the fish. Otherwise, he and Shen Xue wouldn't have been able to handle five large plastic buckets alone.
"A wise man has his own ways."
Chen Yang spoke cryptically and helped Master Zhang separate the big and small fish, weighing them one by one.
"Large fish, 970 catties. Small fish, 290 catties."
"My goodness, 1,260 catties."
After weighing, Old Zhang swallowed hard. Chen Yang had only brought a hundred-odd catties the first time, over five hundred the second time, and over a thousand this third time.
How much money would that be!
"Master Zhang, have a cigarette."
Chen Yang opened a pack of Da Qian Men and offered one, also tucking a pack into Old Zhang's hand.
"You young fellow, you know how to handle things. The receipt is ready. Go directly to Station Master Wang. With so many fish, Accountant Hu definitely won't have this much money."
"Hahaha, now our aquatic products station can finally hold its head high. Let's see who dares to say we just dry our nets every day. We're bringing in big catches!"
Old Zhang lit up with a puff, already imagining himself telling his colleagues how many fish he weighed today and happily distributing cigarettes to them.
In those days, distributing cigarettes was a matter of great prestige.