"Cousin, I'm sorry, but the hotel isn't short on funds at the moment. If we need anything in the future, I'll be sure to let you know."
"Hey, you..."
"What are you two sisters chatting about? Yanran, your grandmother wants to talk to you. Go on in."
Li Qianqian's arrival made Li Xiuyan stop talking. She was quite afraid of her aunt.
"It's nothing, Aunt. Cousin is introducing me to the sights of Yanjing. I'll go in first."
"Nothing?" Li Qianqian frowned as she watched Li Xiuyan walk away. She knew her niece's character very well; she was just like her elder sister-in-law. She always wanted to get involved whenever there was a profit to be made. However, they were family after all. As long as she didn't cross the line, she could only turn a blind eye to it.
In the room, Murong Yanran's maternal grandmother, Yang Yunfang, had red eyes. She already knew about her daughter Li Sisi's death and was very sad. Tears streamed down her face as she sighed, "Grandma, don't be too sad. Perhaps this is just Mom's fate."
"Alas, Yanran, you've had a hard life."
"Grandma, I'm doing well."
"Come, tell Grandma about what's happened over the years!"
While Murong Yanran recounted the past details to Yang Yunfang, Li Xiuyan was complaining to her mother, He Qian, in their room.
"Mom, that brat didn't agree just now. I was about to say something when Auntie appeared, and I lost my chance."
"Don't rush this matter. Be careful that Li Qianqian doesn't find out, or there will be trouble again. Also, how are things between you and that Chen boy?"
"Mom~ It's not that fast!"
"Hurry up, don't let someone else get there first."
Li Xiuyan smiled smugly inwardly. "Get there first? He's already been in my bed, how can he escape my grasp? When I accidentally get pregnant... hehe."
At this moment, Murong Yanran had returned to her room and was video calling Li Haochen.
Perhaps it was because they were thousands of miles apart, but after just one day, she was already missing him greatly.
"I miss you."
"Me too."
"How do you feel?"
"It feels so good to have family!"
As they chatted, it was already past midnight. They could only save their feelings for tomorrow.
The next morning, after breakfast, Li Haochen went to Butterfly Bay. He brought the fish traps he had thrown in yesterday into his space. After a count, it was exactly as he expected, with no surprises.
He threw the fish into the sea in his space and didn't take the traps out, leaving them on the beach as he began to cultivate coconut seedlings.
When he came out at noon, he received calls from the fishing tackle shop and Huang Haibo. The materials he needed to build the floating raft were all ready.
There was no place to put them at Butterfly Bay, so Li Haochen told them to deliver them to the villa. The yard space was enough.
Half an hour later, the materials were delivered. They were so envious, "Haochen, your place is so beautiful. Why didn't I think of this place back then?"
"It's alright. Feel free to come over for tea more often, hehe!"
After Huang Haibo and the others left, Li Haochen eagerly began his massive project.
The floating raft was specially designed, like Lego bricks. The steel pipe frames underneath were connected by double-headed steel pipes, and they could be easily assembled with just screws.
Li Haochen first sent one section of materials into his space, and the frame was assembled in a few minutes. The wooden planks were even simpler; they just needed to be fitted into place and secured with screws, and then the buoys were tied to both sides of the floating raft.
After completing this section of the floating raft, Li Haochen pushed it into the water and jumped onto it with two steel pipes to test its stability and buoyancy. He was very satisfied. This single section could hold at least a few thousand pounds.
He used the floating raft to move further away. When he reached the location of the fish farming net cages, he stopped. He connected the two steel pipes he had brought, inserted them into the holes at the tail and pushed them all the way down. To insert them deeper, Li Haochen hung himself on the steel pipes, using his body weight to drive them deep into the mud, so that the floating raft would not move.
Coming out of his space, Li Haochen first cooked his meal. Otherwise, after he finished installing the floating raft, he would be too tired to cook.
Li Haochen walked over to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of frozen Sprite. He felt a jolt, and his spirits immediately lifted.
"Let's get to work!"
Li Haochen walked out and began sending the construction materials into the floating raft in his space, piece by piece. Currently, there was only one section of the floating raft, so the space was limited. When it was almost full, he started stacking the blocks.
Although the process was simple, assembling one section of the floating raft took more than ten minutes, so the amount of work for this super-large floating raft was considerable.
At noon, Li Haochen came out of his space to eat. After resting for more than half an hour, he went back into his space to continue the installation, working for another day.
The progress was good; more than eighty percent of the floating raft was completed. From a distance, it looked like a highway built on the sea.
After coming out of his space, he deliberately cooked more food at noon so he could just reheat it. While the food was heating up, Li Haochen quickly ran into the bathroom for a fragrant hot bath.
Indeed, bathing was very comfortable. His entire body was submerged in the hot water, his pores opened, and his fatigue gradually dissipated.
"So comfortable!"
Li Haochen moaned comfortably. He got out after about fifteen minutes. He wanted to continue soaking, but the water temperature was not suitable. If he refilled the tub, it would be too wasteful.
After washing and eating, he checked the time. Well, it was time to call his wife.
As soon as the video call connected, Murong Yanran playfully gave him a little treat, causing young Haochen to raise his banner, "Wait until you get back, and I'll deal with you!"
"Who will deal with whom is yet to be determined, hehe!"
Alright, Li Haochen didn't dare to retort to that. If they really started arguing, he would have to admit defeat.
"When are you coming back?"
"In a few days. My grandparents are getting old, and I want to spend more time with them."
"Mmm, I'm going out fishing tomorrow. It's quite boring when you're all away."
"Oh, don't be gone too long."
After the video call ended, he also reported to Xie Baolian about going fishing the next day, otherwise, she would be very worried if she couldn't reach him.
He checked the time; it was only a little past nine o'clock. He couldn't sleep, so he decided to finish the last bit of work on the floating raft.
As time passed, Li Haochen emerged from his space at one in the morning. There was no trace of fatigue on his face, only a smile of satisfaction, because the floating raft project was finally completed.
He took another shower and went to bed.
He woke up at nine in the morning. Just as he was preparing breakfast and lunch, Huang Haibo and the others called. The first batch of steel pipes and net cages were ready. They were fast, which was the magic of money that no one could escape.
Half an hour later, Huang Haibo and the fishing tackle shop arrived one after another. Two thousand steel pipes and dozens of rolls of net cages filled the hundreds of square meters of yard outside the villa.