Watching his mother worry every day about what to bring to school, Hailong wanted to laugh and cheerfully said to his mother, "Mom, our house is only two kilometers from the school. I can walk back in ten minutes. If I forget anything, I can just come home to get it. Besides, your son usually comes home for dinner every day."
Hearing Hailongās words, his worried mother patted her head and laughed, "Look at how anxious your mom was, I even forgot how close our house is to the school." To help Hailong better adapt to school and make friends, his mother decided to have him stay at the school for the first year, which is why the scene described earlier occurred.
Seeing that his mother had stopped packing, Hailong said goodbye and returned to the fishing village. This was the last week Hailong could catch crabs. After a month of interaction, many of the wealthy ladies in the rich neighborhood had become friends with Hailong. When he told them he was going to school, they were somewhat reluctant. In fact, these ladies were not foolish; they could do the math. When they chatted together, they realized that Hailong could earn about 10,000 yuan a day by selling crabs. In the East Sea, this was already the income of a standard corporate executive. Most importantly, Hailongās business was exclusive; the Devil Sea fishing boats couldnāt enter. The ladies didnāt understand how Hailong managed it, and they felt it would be beneath them to investigate, given that they were all billionaires' wives. How could they be interested in such a small business? However, 10,000 yuan a day was a significant amount. Therefore, they didnāt look at Hailong like they would a regular fisherman. Instead, they respected him more because he was a college student with such outstanding skills. Faced with their reluctance, Hailong cheerfully told them that he would come to fish every weekend if he had time. In a few months, crabs would no longer be edible, but fresh shrimp and fish would still be delicious. Hearing this, the ladies felt relieved. Since discovering Hailongās seafood, they had not bought seafood from the market.
Sitting alone by the sea, just as he was about to transfer his soul into the Dragon Kingās body, a gentle breeze brought a sweet and clear song from afar. The song was very fitting, "Stepping on the Waves," a classic love song by Xu Huaiyu. Hailong recognized it was the same girl who sang that day. Her voice was just as fresh and sweet. It had been a month, and the girl came to sing here every day. During this month, Hailong had undergone several transformations. Whenever he transformed, her song would bring him back to his senses. Hailong had wanted to find her, but after several missed opportunities, he became hesitant. He didnāt know what she looked like and was afraid that seeing her face might ruin his beautiful dreams. Hailong preferred to believe that a girl with such a sweet voice was a beautiful fairy, rather than a short, overweight girl with bad teeth and a pockmarked face. If he saw such a girl, no matter how beautiful her voice, he would never be moved by it again. So, Hailong decided not to look for her, preferring to keep her in his dreams. Shaking off the scary thoughts, he had work to do. He had promised a presidentās wife to catch a 4-pound yellow croaker for her. If he went down later, he might not be able to catch it.
Hailong didnāt really want to deal with this. In the morning, he could earn much more by catching crabs. But the ladyās persistent pleading made it hard to refuse. It was said that the yellow croaker was for a distinguished guest. Wild yellow croakers were rare in the East Sea. The ones sold in supermarkets or markets were farmed, with questionable hygiene and poor taste. A wild yellow croaker usually started at 1,000 yuan, and most were only about 8 ounces. The lady knew it was difficult to ask Hailong to find a 4-pound yellow croaker, so she gave him 50,000 yuan without hesitation, with the extra as a labor fee. For the money, Hailong had to control the Dragon King to catch one.
Giving up on listening to the song, Hailong transferred his soul into the Dragon Kingās body and quickly swam to the bottom of the sea. It took him the whole morning to find a 4-pound yellow croaker. When Hailong controlled the Dragon King back to the abandoned shipyard, the sweet and clear song had already disappeared. He sighed regretfully, hoping it was a beautiful girl. With this thought, he tightened the fishing net with the yellow croaker and walked out of the abandoned shipyard toward the rich neighborhood. The lady was still waiting for him. Seeing Hailong with the fish, she thanked him profusely and gave him an additional 1,000 yuan as a tip. Holding the money, Hailong was both amused and touched. After a month of interaction with these people, he understood their ways. Nowadays, one had to have skills. Those who had them were given money with a smile, and one had to accept it. After receiving the money, they would be even more grateful.
Hailong wanted to listen to the song again, but the girl had already left. Bored, Hailong had no more interest in catching crabs. Besides, he had 50,000 yuan more. Hailong decided to visit Liu Yongan and his brother. This was the third time he had visited them. Since Hailong helped pay their medical bills, he visited them every ten days or so. They were his little brothers, who used to follow him around and call him "big brother." Now that he had the means, he wanted to help them. Each visit, he brought a few thousand yuan. The last time he visited, Liuās father insisted on leaving the hospital against the doctorās advice. Hailong found out it was because they couldnāt afford the hospital bills. With no money left, they couldnāt even afford food. Hailong took Liu Yongan and Liu Yongquan aside and gave them 30,000 yuan, telling them it was money they had saved over the years. This helped them through the crisis. After a month of recovery, they were about to be discharged. Hailong decided to visit them again to see if they needed any more help. He bought some ginseng and fruit and went to the hospital. When he entered, he saw Liuās family packing their things. Hailong cheerfully said, "Uncle, are you being discharged? Are you all better?"
Hailong didnāt expect Liuās father to pull his mother and two sons and quickly kneel before him, saying gratefully, "Hailong, thank you, uncle. The two boys told me that you paid for my hospital bills."
Hailong quickly moved away and pulled Liuās father aside, saying, "Uncle, itās nothing. Please get up, I canāt bear it."
Liuās father refused to get up, kneeling and tears streaming down his face, he said, "Hailong, you donāt know. When we had no money, I wanted to die. I was afraid of burdening the family. We had no money left, and we couldnāt borrow any. Today, Iām alive because of you. You are our familyās savior." Liu Yongan and Liu Yongquan also cried and nodded, about to kowtow. Hailong couldnāt accept this and used all his strength to pull Liuās father up, shouting to the two boys, "Come on, help your father up. What are you waiting for?"
But the two boys didnāt move. Liu Yongan, with tears in his eyes, said, "Big brother, without your help, we really wouldnāt know what to do. You deserve our familyās gratitude." The two boys kowtowed on behalf of their father, leaving Hailong feeling helpless. Liuās father, still kneeling, said, "Hailong, your uncle and aunt are in a bind. There are no fish in the East Sea, and every trip out to sea results in a loss. We are planning to work in other cities. The two boys are still young and will stay at home. I have a request, can you help take care of them?"
Hailong immediately said, "Uncle, please get up. As long as you get up, Iāll do anything."
Liuās father, with red eyes, said, "We will be working and canāt take care of the two boys. I ask you to help look after them."
Hailong immediately nodded and said, "Of course, Iāll take care of it. From now on, they will work with me." Hearing this, Liuās father insisted on kowtowing to Hailong before getting up.
Gathering Liu Yongan and Liu Yongquan around him, Liuās father said sternly, "Hailong has done a great favor for our family. Since I canāt repay him, you two must. From now on, Hailong is your big brother. You must protect him with your lives, do you understand?"
The two boys looked at their father and then at Hailong, nodding firmly. After being discharged, Liuās parents left for relatives in another province, not even returning for the New Year. Although they were 18, the two boys cried as they said goodbye to their parents, following Hailong with sniffles. Hailong asked, "What do you plan to do from now on?"
The two boys shook their heads, and Liu Yongan said, "Big brother, father wants us to follow you. We will do whatever you say."
Hailong laughed and said, "Alright, Iāll take care of you two first." Their clothes were too old-fashioned, and Hailong felt embarrassed having them follow him. He took them to a large mall in the East Sea City and bought them several sets of clothes and shoes, spending over 10,000 yuan. Seeing them dressed up, and knowing they hadnāt eaten, Hailong took them to one of the most famous hotels in the East Sea City, the Hongjinmen Hotel. At the hotel entrance, the two boys looked up at the tall building and said to Hailong, "Big brother, this hotel is too expensive. A meal costs a lot. Letās go somewhere else." Hailong laughed and said, "Donāt be so formal with me. Iām your big brother. Today, Iāll treat you to a good meal." This made the two boysā eyes well up. Carrying their things, they followed Hailong into the Hongjinmen Hotel. As soon as they entered, the two boys were attracted by the luxurious decorations. Guided by the waiter, the three of them went to the restaurant. After sitting down, Hailong handed the menu to the two boys and said, "Order whatever you want. Donāt worry about saving money for me."
Sitting on the soft purple sofa, surrounded by people in expensive clothes, the two boys felt inferior again. They trembled as they held the menu, unsure what to order. Seeing this, Hailong laughed, took the menu, and without looking at the dishes, handed it to the waiter, saying, "Iām treating my two brothers. Bring one of every dish on the menu."
Hearing this, the waiter was surprised. There were over 100 dishes, and at the Hongjinmen Hotel, it would cost at least tens of thousands of yuan. The two boys were also shocked, but they quickly reacted and said to Hailong before the waiter, "Big brother, no, we canāt eat that much. Just a few dishes will do."
Hailong laughed and said, "No problem. Iām happy to have you two as my little brothers. Iāll order some good wine, and weāll have a good time."
Seeing this, the two boys didnāt know what to say. They looked at each other and nodded. The waiter sweetly said, "Please wait a moment, your dishes will be served soon."
The three of them ate until late. All 108 famous dishes of the Hongjinmen Hotel were served. Hailong didnāt eat much, but Liu Yongan and Liu Yongquan tried every dish, feeling full and drunk. It was the first time they had eaten so many dishes, and they kept smiling foolishly. Hailong called a taxi and sent them home, telling them he would come to find them the next morning to prepare the small fishing boat for work. Although they were confused, the East Sea had nothing left, but Hailong had been their big brother since childhood, and with recent favors and their fatherās teachings, they followed Hailongās orders without question.
With two helpers, Hailongās crab catching became much easier. He no longer had to carry them in groups of thirteen. He just needed to control the Dragon King to lead a group of crabs out of the East Sea. The crabs were foolish and would attack the Dragon King every time he provoked them. He had already led out three groups, and they still didnāt learn. After leading them out, the two brothers could drive the small boat to catch them and sell them in the rich neighborhood. Hailong didnāt have to do anything and could make a lot of money.
For the next week, Hailong was very happy. Every morning, before going to the fishing village, he would control the Dragon King to lead out hundreds of crabs from the Devil Sea. When he arrived at the village, he would take the two brothers to the designated spot to catch them. The two brothers, who were initially full of questions, had become numb. They knew there were no crabs, but every time they cast the net, they caught a full boat. The most amazing thing was that Hailong always knew the exact number of crabs in the designated spot and would stop fishing at a certain point. Sometimes, the two brothers, not believing it, would secretly go to the same spot at night and cast the net again, but they wouldnāt catch a single crab. This made them very respectful of Hailong.
When Hailong brought the two brothers to the rich neighborhood, the wealthy ladies saw him with two helpers and teased him, "Our little Hailong is a boss now, with little brothers." Most of the ladies were older than Hailong, but only by a few years, so they all called him "little brother."
Hailong laughed and said, "Yes, sisters. Iām going to school soon, so I canāt catch enough crabs to sell. I asked these two to help."
The first time entering the rich neighborhood, Liu Yongan and Liu Yongquan were in a daze. The luxurious villas, the elegant ladies, and the fancy cars all impacted their worldview and values. Even after leaving the rich neighborhood, they were still in a daze. Seeing their foolish expressions, Hailong thought of his first time entering the rich neighborhood, probably not much different. He laughed and said, "How do you like the rich neighborhood?"
The two boys nodded dumbly.
"Are the cars beautiful?" They nodded dumbly.
"Are the ladies both beautiful and elegant?" They nodded dumbly again.
"Do you want to live like them?" The two boys nodded, then shook their heads. Liu Yongan, looking depressed, said, "Itās impossible in this life. We are just poor, and we donāt deserve such a life." Liu Yongquan nodded in agreement.
Hailong laughed and said, "Look at you two." He then took out 14,000 yuan and gave it to them as their weekly wages. With two helpers, Hailong earned over 200,000 yuan in a week. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he could afford a villa in the rich neighborhood, probably by the time he graduated. Living like those people was no longer a dream.
However, Hailong also thought about the problem of not being able to sell crabs forever. People get tired of eating the same thing, even the most delicious crabs. In about two months, the rich neighborhood would no longer want crabs. To sell them at a high price again, he would have to wait until December, when winter crabs are in season and prices are high. From early October to the end of December, a three-month gap, Hailong needed to find a new source of income. He could either find other buyers, like the middle class in the East Sea City, who might buy less but in larger numbers, or he could explore deeper into the Devil Sea to find more yellow croakers. Although yellow croakers were still popular, they were rare. The yellow croakers in the Devil Seaās border area were almost all caught by Hailong. Entering deeper into the Devil Sea was risky, as he was afraid the Dragon King might be harmed. Besides crabs and yellow croakers, the Devil Seaās border area only had ribbon fish and clams, which didnāt sell well.
If Hailong wanted to continue making money from the Devil Sea, he needed to find a solution. In the first month of school, he would control the Dragon King to explore the Devil Sea, looking for yellow croakers or other valuable seafood. On weekends, he would take Liu Yongan and Liu Yongquan to catch crabs in the morning and go to the hotels in the East Sea City to sell crabs in the afternoon. If everything went well, he could make money from early October to the end of December. Otherwise, he would have to wait.
Today was Hailongās last day at sea. Tomorrow, he would go to school. Sitting on the fishing boat, watching the two brothers pull the net back onto the boat, he spat out a leaf and said, "Tomorrow, Iāll be going to university. You two, donāt wander around for the next five days. Iāll come back on the weekend, and weāll continue working."
Thanks to Hailongās help, the two brothers earned 1,000 yuan each time they went out to sea, making about 7,000 yuan a week. Hailong often gave them extra money, so they earned about 20,000 yuan in a week. This made them very grateful to Hailong. They only provided labor, while Hailong found the crabs and made the deals. They could work in the morning and do what they wanted in the afternoon. There was no such easy and well-paying job. Following Hailong, they not only didnāt repay him but also always needed his help. They felt very guilty but could only follow his orders to ease their guilt. Hearing Hailongās request, they immediately agreed.
After putting all the crabs in the boat, Hailong urged the two brothers to return quickly. He had a lot to prepare, and his mother was packing at home. If he didnāt return early, he would need a car to carry all the luggage.