Chapter 70: Recovering the Money

Li Tong glanced at the nearby vendor before hesitantly saying, “Those skinless fish at that stall were returned by someone in the city who makes grilled fish fillets. On the way back, all the ice melted, so a lot of the fish aren’t fresh anymore. I heard they got some compensation, but the vendor couldn’t bear to throw them away and wants to find another buyer. I’ll need you to go over and check out those skinless fish and point out some problems. Otherwise, he’ll end up arguing with me.”

Now Chu Xuan understood what was going on.

To avoid any arguments, Chu Xuan deliberately returned to that vendor’s stall and explained, “I just had a private word with Li Tong. After all, he’s been supplying me for a while. He said he doesn’t have that many skinless fish on hand anyway, so he doesn’t mind if I buy from you instead.”

The vendor was delighted. “I knew Boss Li was generous! My name’s Min San, let me weigh them for you right away!”

“Hold on. No need to weigh them yet. I need to check the quality first. My shop makes grilled fish fillets, so I have to use fresh, live skinless fish.” Chu Xuan bent down and looked through the tubs of fish. “Why does it smell so bad? Boss, did these fish just come ashore?”

Min San stubbornly insisted, “Of course they just came ashore. It’s normal for a few to die once they’re out of the sea, isn’t it?”

“This isn’t just a few dead fish. Most of them aren’t fresh at all. I’m not buying!”

Chu Xuan turned and walked away.

Min San stomped his feet in frustration. Chu Xuan was the only one here who could buy skinless fish in bulk. Now that she refused, he’d have to take them home and dry them into fish jerky.

Was he just going to let it go like this?

No way.

He had to find a way to sell them.

His gaze landed on Li Tong’s stall.

Didn’t he only accept skinless fish that had just come ashore? Worst case, he’d just get someone to make this batch “come ashore” again.

If he couldn’t sell them to Chu Xuan, he’d sell them to Li Tong.

Once Li Tong got busy, he wouldn’t have time to check them one by one.

He shouted, “I need a boat to toss this batch of fish back into the sea—who can help me out?”

A friend of his had just docked after selling his catch. “Use my boat! But you’ll have to steer it yourself.”

Li Tong was a bit puzzled. “Why not just take them home, dry them into fish jerky, and keep them to eat? Wouldn’t that save you some groceries?”

Min San put on a look of disgust. “My family never eats skinless fish jerky. If I throw them into the sea, it’ll attract a big school of fish. Then I’ll cast my net and maybe catch a big haul.”

Li Tong didn’t say anything more.

Ten minutes later, 1,500 jin of fish were loaded onto the boat.

Min San personally drove the boat out to sea.

He ended up finding Chu Zhi.

Chu Zhi was leisurely fishing on his boat.

The two hit it off right away. After the deal was done, Min San gave Chu Zhi 10 yuan as a thank-you.

After all, selling all 1,500 jin of fish would bring in 60 yuan.

Chu Zhi had only gone out to sea after lunch, so he could easily wait until after dark to come ashore.

A little after 3 p.m., Chu Xuan arrived in the county town with 40 jin of grilled fish fillets on her back.

She first went to the flour factory’s residential building, as she’d arranged the day before.

She easily sold 20 jin.

She carried the rest to the machinery factory’s residential building and called out, “Come buy grilled fish fillets! They sell for 10 yuan a jin outside the city, but I’m only charging 2.15 per jin. Not much left—come and get it!”

She quickly attracted a crowd.

Everyone tasted before buying.

She sold another 18 jin in bits and pieces, gave out a little for tasting, and was left with just under 2 jin.

At 5:30 p.m., Chu Xuan spotted a familiar figure—Dr. Zhang, the old Chinese medicine doctor who had treated her.

She quickly packed up and caught up to him, intending to give him the remaining fish fillets as a gift.

Dr. Zhang accepted, but insisted on paying for them.

Chu Xuan felt a bit embarrassed, as if she were forcing him to buy.

As they chatted, she learned that Dr. Zhang’s niece, Zhang Feifei, lived nearby. She had retired early due to a work injury and wanted to start a small business. Although she had trouble walking, she could still ride a bicycle.

Chu Xuan suggested that Zhang Feifei could buy fish fillets from her and set up a stall to sell them.

Dr. Zhang said he’d discuss it with his niece and let Chu Xuan know next time she came for medicine.

After 7 p.m., Chu Xuan and Widow Niu arrived at Li Tong’s stall with their cart.

Li Tong was sighing heavily.

Chu Xuan approached. “Boss Li, what’s wrong?”

“I just went home for dinner, and my son ended up buying 1,500 jin of stinky skinless fish.”

Li Tong had a conscience and would never sell that pile of rotten fish to Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan felt something was off. “Who sold them to your family?”

“My son said it was Chu Zhi.”

“Tell your family not to buy from Chu Zhi again. He’s no good. But 1,500 jin—that number sounds familiar. Where’s that vendor, Min San? Chu Zhi isn’t usually that hardworking.”

“He’s already gone. Could they have been working together?”

“We need to look into this. Here’s what we’ll do: you keep buying fresh skinless fish until you have 1,500 jin. I’ll help you recover the loss from that batch of rotten fish.”

After giving her instructions, Chu Xuan hurried off.

She went straight to Chu Zhi’s house.

“Chu Zhi, get out here!”

Hearing Chu Xuan’s voice, Chu Zhi was instantly reminded of the terror of being thrown into a tree last time. He hid in his bedroom and refused to come out.

“I’m not coming out. Say what you want from there!”

His parents weren’t home, and he was no match for Chu Xuan alone.

Chu Xuan guessed that Feng Chunhua wasn’t home—otherwise, she’d have come out already.

“Chu Zhi, I’ll say this once: you go to Li Tong’s stall right now and take back your 1,500 jin of skinless fish!”

“Chu Xuan, why are you meddling? I didn’t sell them to you!”

“Li Tong was buying them for me! Or do you want the whole village to know your secret?”

“No! I’ll get someone to take them away right now. Don’t stand outside—go home and wait for news.”

“I’ll wait at the dock. If I don’t see you within an hour, you know what’ll happen!”

Chu Xuan turned and left.

Only after she was far away did Chu Zhi come out of his bedroom and lock the courtyard gate.

Just then, Min San from the neighboring village walked over.

“Chu Zhi, where’s the money for the fish?”

He was the one who’d hired Chu Zhi to sell the skinless fish.

Chu Zhi was sly. “I haven’t got the money yet. Li Tong wasn’t there just now, only his son. I’m just about to go get it. Want to come with me?”

“I’ll wait for you at your door. Go quickly.”

“Okay.”

Chu Zhi hurried off to the dock.

When he saw Li Tong, he promptly returned the 60 yuan, borrowed a cart, hired a strong laborer, and hauled away the 1,500 jin of rotten fish.

Li Tong looked at the money in his hand, then at Chu Xuan. He hadn’t expected to get the money back so quickly.

He knew just how difficult Chu Zhi and his mother could be.

From that moment on, Li Tong was thoroughly impressed by Chu Xuan.

He was even more determined to help Chu Xuan collect fresh, live skinless fish.

When Min San saw Chu Zhi show up with a laborer and the 1,500 jin of rotten fish, he cursed, “Chu Zhi, what the hell? How did you screw this up? Why didn’t you sell the fish?”

Chu Zhi knew he was in the wrong and didn’t talk back. He just shrugged. “Did you pay me for the job? No! Don’t forget to pay this laborer—two cents. Min San, hurry up and take your rotten fish away. The smell is killing me! And don’t ask me for this kind of thing again!”

Min San wanted to argue, but when he saw Feng Chunhua coming back, he immediately shut up.

If he didn’t leave quickly, Feng Chunhua would spread rumors everywhere and make things even worse.

He called the laborer and left with the fish.

Feng Chunhua watched Min San leave and asked Chu Zhi, “Xiao Zhi, what did he come here for?”

Chu Zhi didn’t want to mention anything embarrassing. “He came to sell fish, but I sent him away. Where’s Dad? Why are you back alone?”

“He’s staying tonight at the house he just bought in town.”

“Mom, did we really buy a house?”

“Of course!”

“Have you prepared the bride price for Xiao Li?”

“It’s ready.”

“Mom, where did you get so much money?”"