After receiving the money, Li Haochen, who intended to continue fishing, received a call from Murong Yanran. "Still fishing?"
"Uh... no, I just finished packing up and was about to head home when you called."
"Oh, I bought some sweet soup and put it in the fridge. Remember to eat it when you get back. I'm exhausted and going to sleep now."
After hanging up, Li Haochen efficiently packed his fishing gear. Fishing was no match for sweet soup; he was heading home for that.
"Why is the light still on?"
Li Haochen opened the door and walked into the house. Murong Yanran was in her usual position, her little bottom sticking out as she lay on the sofa watching a cooking show.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Murong Yanran flipped over and sat up, pouting, "I can't sleep if you don't massage me."
Li Haochen rubbed his forehead, speechless. "I really don't know what to do with you. Lie down, I'll give you a massage."
"Ouch, massage later. You smell, go take a bath quickly." Murong Yanran pushed Li Haochen towards the bathroom, where she had already laid out his bath clothes and towel.
"Why are you pushing me? I haven't gotten my clothes yet?"
"They're inside, you pig!" Murong Yanran, blushing, ran back to the sofa to await her massage.
"..."
Li Haochen finished his bath in seven or eight minutes. His wife was waiting to be served, so he had to be quick.
As soon as Li Haochen sat down, Murong Yanran stretched her legs onto his lap, picked up the sweet soup, and said with a grin, "You massage, I'll feed you."
"Open your mouth..."
"Ah..."
"Does it taste good?"
"Mmm!"
One massaging, one feeding sweet soup, they looked utterly smitten with each other, so sweet.
"Your toenail polish is chipping."
Murong Yanran lifted her foot to look. "Yeah, it really is. You can paint it for me later."
"Uh, I don't know how."
"I'll teach you."
"..."
The next morning, likely due to exhaustion, neither of the two women had woken up yet. Li Haochen cooked breakfast, kept it warm, and then headed back to the pier with his fishing rod.
He bought bait, found a spot, and started fishing.
Li Haochen wasn't primarily focused on making money today. He was going to visit Xie Baolian's house and wanted to catch a few big fish to bring. However, fate seemed to have other plans. He didn't encounter a single big fish today, only small ones like the flower-body chicken feather fish, mud carp, golden drum fish, and stone dogfish. Of course, when the weight wasn't enough, quantity would have to make up for it, and the quantity was also...
Alas, no need to mention it. Liang Pinliang, who came to the pier to collect fish, was numb the moment he saw it. "I say, Haochen, you're not like those golden fingers in novels, are you? The fish in the sea are all like they belong to your family."
Looking at his fully packed fish creel, Li Haochen himself began to wonder, "Am I truly a golden finger?"
He kept over a kilogram of each type of fish and sold the rest to Liang Pinliang, earning 1735 yuan. After fishing for a while longer without any of the big fish he desired, he prepared to go home. Unexpectedly, his last bait caught a green grouper weighing over two kilograms.
Some things, the more you wish for them, the less they happen. When you don't expect them, they might just appear. Therefore, don't force things; let them happen naturally.
Upon returning home, Murong Yanran and Liu Zijun were already busy preparing lunch in the kitchen. Li Haochen took a large plastic bucket and went to the seaside to fetch some seawater. He then placed the green grouper, golden drum fish, and flower-body chicken feather fish into a tank, reserving the mud carp for lunch.
Li Haochen expertly cleaned the mud carp. He didn't dare let the two women handle it, as getting pricked would be troublesome. The water boiled, he put the fish in, and seven minutes later, a plate of steamed mud carp with soy sauce was ready.
"Lunch is ready!"
Lately, Li Haochen brought home fresh sea fish every day, making the two women quite picky. They constantly urged him to catch more fish, primarily because they were too lazy to go to the market and disliked the mess.
Li Haochen removed the small bones from the mud carp and placed the fish into Murong Yanran's bowl. "How's the shop coming along?"
"Almost done. The equipment will arrive tomorrow, and the renovation should be completed today."
"So soon?" Li Haochen was somewhat surprised by the progress of their shop.
"Of course, it's fast. It's not a luxurious renovation, just a simple style, so it's quick," Liu Zijun chimed in.
"Zijun, Zi Han and I are going to Aunt Lian's house this afternoon. Could you keep an eye on the shop?"
"Don't worry, don't worry. It's just watching the construction crew. You guys go ahead. It's even better if you don't come back tonight, hee hee!"
"Mm..."
At three in the afternoon, Li Haochen went out and returned with a bottle of Maotai and a pack of soft Huazi cigarettes. Murong Yanran had already put on light makeup and was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, modest and dignified.
Li Haochen also changed into the Prada suit he bought last time, looking tall and handsome. Murong Yanran looked youthful and radiant. They were a perfect couple.
Murong Yanran linked her arm with Li Haochen's. "You look so handsome today."
"Mesmerized?"
"A little, hee hee!"
They called for a ride-hailing car, carrying their gifts and seafood. As they passed Bin Hai Square, Murong Yanran asked to stop. She went in and came back to the car with a delicate small gift bag bearing the "la" logo.
"La Mer?"
Murong Yanran was surprised. "You know about it too?"
"I saw it in your room last time. Since it was almost used up, I specifically looked it up online."
Murong Yanran paused for a moment, then smiled faintly, not mentioning anything further.
Arriving at Xie Baolian's doorstep, just as Li Haochen was about to knock, Murong Yanran tugged at him, first tidying his clothes and then, with a satisfied nod, pressed the doorbell.
"Coming..."
Xie Baolian opened the door. Seeing Li Haochen carrying so many things, she chided him. "What did I tell you yesterday? You still brought things over."
Li Haochen put on a nonchalant expression, "I bought them already, and I can't return them, hehe!"
"Aunt Lian, Haochen just means well," Murong Yanran chimed in.
Xie Baolian shot Li Haochen a glance. "Don't let it happen again."
"We'll talk about it next time," Li Haochen muttered under his breath.
"What did you say?"
"Ah... nothing!"
Murong Yanran behind him covered her mouth and chuckled, then walked in and handed the small gift box to Xie Baolian. "Aunt Lian, this is for you."
"La Mer..." Xie Baolian took the gift box, looking pleased, and was extremely satisfied with Murong Yanran.
Her son spending money was a waste, but her daughter-in-law was different; the more she bought, the happier she'd be.
After receiving the gift box, Xie Baolian put on an apron. "You two sit for a while, I'll go prepare something."
"Aunt Lian, let me help you." Murong Yanran naturally followed her in, wanting to make a good impression on her future "mother-in-law."
However, upon seeing the fish, the two women's eyes widened, and they shouted in unison, "Haochen..."
Startled by the shout, Li Haochen, who had been resting his chin on his hand while watching television, slipped and almost bit his tongue. He rushed to the kitchen. "What... what is it?"
Xie Baolian pointed to the bags on the floor, a sly smile on her face. "Here, you're in charge..."
"⊙﹏⊙..."