Back to the Past to Become a Fishing King

Chapter 845 - 568: Farewell Turns Into Invitation (Part 2)

Now suddenly a few hundred anglers have arrived, and the constant sound of bait bombs going off has scared the schools of fish in the river insane.

Waiting until past two o’clock, still no bites.

Since they came two days ago, counting on their fingers, Zhang Yang and the crew have stayed here for almost three days. With the arrival of this massive army of anglers, the originally super relaxing wild fishing interest has vanished without a trace.

If it were just about too many people, that’s fine – catching fewer fish and going a little hungry is no big deal. Over the past two days, the fish caught in the fish keeper total dozens of kilograms, more than enough to eat.

What’s more troubling for Zhang Yang and the others is that many fans recognized Zhang Yang and Xiaowei as the ’internet celebrity’ anglers appearing on camera.

Great, every now and then someone comes over to greet them, and then another requests a photo. What was supposed to be a good outdoor wild survival fishing for big crucian carp turned into an outdoor fan meet-up.

The relaxed and free mindset of wild fishing was gone, and it was meaningless to keep fishing while forcing themselves.

Zhang Yang quietly discussed with old Zhao, and the two were in basic agreement; this outdoor wild fishing trip on the canal river’s tributaries would end this afternoon, rather than competing with the noisy army of anglers for the limited resources.

Having reached unanimous agreement, Zhang Yang strolled over to Brother Ma’s fishing spot.

"Brother Ma, I discussed with Brother Zhao, and we’re going to wrap up this fishing trip here. We’re cleaning up now to leave! Just coming over to inform you!" Zhang Yang said very politely to Brother Ma.

"Leaving already? Time flies, feels like I haven’t spent enough time with you yet!"

Brother Ma looked up from his fishing box, hearing Zhang Yang’s news, speaking with a hint of reluctance.

"How about you pack up and come with us? We have a private fishing base, a large Yaokeng pit spanning dozens of acres, maintained in a semi-wild way without feeding. Come over to our place and keep fishing for a day or two?" Zhang Yang invited.

"Your own place? Is it convenient?"

Hearing Zhang Yang’s invitation, Brother Ma hesitated slightly, but his micro-expressions showed he was clearly tempted.

"Sure, what’s inconvenient about it! I’ve leased the reservoir, so we make the rules. Normally, no one goes there aside from the gatekeeper and our team members.

Basic facilities are good too; the venue used for the fishing festival on KuaiShou was there!

There’s electricity, accommodation, fish, everything you need! From the village entrance, drive straight to the town; transportation is convenient!

You’ve said the outdoor stove fire isn’t hot enough; there are cabins with cooking tools, everything is available!"

"Then I won’t stand on ceremony! Let’s pack up and go today!" Upon hearing Zhang Yang’s explanation, Brother Ma agreed without hesitation.

A farewell suddenly turned into an invitation, with both Zhang Yang and Brother Ma being straightforward people, avoiding polite pretenses.

Since there’s a private reservoir to play at, Brother Ma didn’t want to crowd with the angling army anymore.

Having decided on the next steps, Brother Ma along with Zhang Yang and the crew got busy.

Packing up rods, gear, and loading the car – preparing fishing equipment was only a small portion of the work – the bulk was handling the camp.

Tents needed packing, various tools organized, all then loaded onto the van, and by the time all supplies and luggage were ready, it was past five-thirty in the evening.

As Zhang Yang and his team were packing up, there was a minor incident over disputed fishing spots, causing a verbal clash between two groups of anglers.

If Zhang Yang hadn’t been quick to intervene, seeing trouble brewing, there might have been a fight over the fishing spot.

At five fifty-four in the evening, Zhang Yang’s convoy, along with Brother Ma’s Grand Cherokee, finally hit the paved road, heading straight to their private reservoir.

Brother Ma, having been hospitable with cooking and roasting lamb for Zhang Yang and his crew, now joined them going back to their own turf and would naturally play the part of host.

The reservoir base is only staffed by two old local grandpas for gatekeeping, but it’s still more comfortable than camping in the wilderness.

After over an hour’s drive, the convoy arrived at Zhang Yang’s own Yaokeng reservoir. As the cars drove past the fenced gate, Brother Ma was thoroughly impressed by the solid infrastructure.

"Wow, this reservoir’s setup is impressive; must have cost quite a bit, huh?" Brother Ma said with an eye for quality.

Zhang Yang smiled broadly: "Haha, I invested bit by bit, and the last fishing carnival on KuaiShou also paid some venue fees, all spent here!

You’re now at our place! There’s a cabin with a bathroom and AC, and a separate kitchen. I’ll give you a key; stay and fish for as long as you like!"

"That’s great! This fishing trip turned out to be a big win, and you guys sure know how to set up a beautiful reservoir; why go driving far for wild fishing adventures..."

Zhang Yang: "Haha, fishing in our own reservoir feels different than playing in the wild; we’ve streamed here for a long time, and it got a bit boring!"

"How’s the fish density here? What species are there?"

"All common freshwater fish are here, density is decent, and several batches of commercial fish have been stocked; aside from the occasional local friends who crave fish and give us a call, we’ve rarely fished outside of it!"

"Alright, this place is great! Fantastic!" Brother Ma, usually composed, was excited at Zhang Yang’s place, which felt like paradise.

That night, after setting up Brother Ma’s accommodation, Zhang Yang and the gang drove him to a well-known restaurant in town.

Arriving at their place with time constrained, buying groceries and cooking wasn’t practical. Everyone opted for a ready venue to eat and drink.

The dinner was filled with eating, drinking, and chatting, fostering friendly bonds with Brother Ma until past nine. Afterwards, Zhang Yang personally drove Brother Ma back to the reservoir.

In the following days, the Zhang Yang team resumed their usual roles, normalizing their work routine.

As for Zhang Yang, he’d drop by the reservoir base every few days, bringing supplies and fishing alongside Brother Ma, steadily deepening their friendship.

One might wonder how a fishing acquaintance turned friendship so quickly, with Brother Ma spending days eating, playing, and lodging at Zhang Yang’s fishing base.

Isn’t Zhang Yang worried about being taken advantage of by Brother Ma?

Truth is, Zhang Yang doesn’t mind social perceptions, and Brother Ma hardly turns it into an issue.

Since moving in, Brother Ma casually accepted Zhang Yang’s living supplies and key, without much formality.

It felt like the two were close old friends, familiar with one another.

Thus, Brother Ma spent over ten days fishing day and night before retiring to the cabin, showing no signs of leaving.

Until, he received a phone call from home, breaking the routine lifestyle.

That day, Zhang Yang was in the lab working on additives with Yu Dong, when Brother Ma called.

"Yang, my little brother, something came up at home, I’ve got to head back. Once I’ve sorted things out, I’ll come and visit when I’m free!"

"Leaving? Let me come see you off, I’ll drive over right away!" Zhang Yang immediately stood to take action.

"No need, I’ve left the key with Grandpa Sun at the gate! I’m already driving along the north outer ring, just calling to let you know! You’re my buddy; let’s skip the formalities. Thanks for the warm hospitality!"

"Once you’re finished, feel free to return any time. Drive safely!"

"Got it!"

...

Currently, Zhang Yang doesn’t know what sort of powerful friend he’s gained in exchange for his half month of warm hospitality...