Chapter 26 - 27: Relationships Need Maintenance

Chapter 26: Chapter 27: Relationships Need Maintenance

"Mr. Qin, want me to run back and grab a table?"

Side dishes weren’t as easy to eat as boxed meals — Ye Huan’s group all had little folding tables, but Mr. Qin and his companion had nothing to eat on.

"No need to go to all that trouble. Aren’t there some cardboard sheets in your truck bed? Just spread those on the ground."

Mr. Qin set down his fishing rod, pulled out the cardboard, and laid it flat on the ground.

"Chen, don’t stand on ceremony. It’s just a meal — no need to fuss."

"Keep it casual. We might be imposing on you for several more days yet."

Both old men were easygoing types who preferred to keep things simple. If Chen Yuan made too big a deal of it, they’d feel too embarrassed to keep staying and causing trouble.

"You little maniac, why’d you bring so much?"

Qin Fen helped carry the dishes over — two meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, and a chicken soup. There was no way four people could finish all of that.

In the end, Mr. Qin lifted the lids off the lunch boxes and scooped a little of each dish out, telling Chen Yuan to take it home to eat.

Chen Yuan was easy about it too. He didn’t argue with Mr. Qin — they’d share a proper drink together in the evening.

"Enjoy your meal, gentlemen. I’m heading back to eat too — just holler if you need anything."

Chen Yuan loaded the portioned-out food back into the truck bed, gave a quick wave, then twisted the throttle and rode home.

He didn’t bother filming any content either — the anglers had already been recording on their own and posting everything to the group chat. What a wonderful bunch of Gods of Wealth.

When he got home, his parents and uncle and aunt hadn’t eaten yet. They’d just set the leftover food out on the table and were sitting there waiting for him.

"Why’d you bring food back with you?"

"City folks aren’t like us — small appetites, eat less. Besides, there are three girls in Ye Huan’s group. They gotta watch their figures, you know."

Chen Yuan smiled as he set the food on the table, then waved everyone over to eat.

He was genuinely starving.

He’d been going non-stop since five in the morning, and all he’d had were a few poached eggs in sugar syrup. His stomach had been eating itself for hours.

Chen Jun and the others weren’t faring much better. Sure, country folk were used to hard work, but this morning had been both exhausting and relentless. When you’re busy you don’t notice the hunger — but the moment things slow down, it hits you all at once.

Everyone hunched over their bowls and ate in silence.

Once Chen Yuan had finished his first bowl, the edge was finally off his hunger. He stood up to get a refill and glanced around the table — and couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the sight of everyone else still shoveling food down with total focus.

"What’s so funny?"

Tang Ying looked up, curious. Everyone was now staring at him.

"Nothing — just thought of something that made me happy."

Chen Yuan smiled and headed to the kitchen to refill his bowl.

He hadn’t said that watching them all eat with such single-minded intensity was hilarious. When it came down to it, the fishing ground was still just getting off the ground, nothing was running smoothly yet, and they hadn’t even managed to eat a proper breakfast.

Once today’s chaos was over, he really needed to sit down and sort out the details. Being busy was fine, but busy still needed to have some kind of system.

"Boss Chen, the food was absolutely incredible — any chance you could bring over a Coke? Ice cold if you’ve got one."

"I’m out of cigarettes. Could you bring a pack, Boss Chen?"

He’d barely finished eating and hadn’t even had a chance to enjoy a post-meal smoke before messages started flooding in from the anglers. Chen Yuan had no choice but to pull a few bottles of Coke from the cooler, stuff some cigarette packs in his pockets, and head down to the pond.

He’d barely arrived at the water’s edge before he spotted anglers already waiting. The spicy chicken must’ve really gotten to them — a couple of guys had already grabbed Cokes straight from the truck bed and were chugging away.

"How was the food today?"

Chen Yuan grinned at the group.

"Absolutely insane — not just for a fishing ground, even plenty of restaurants in the city don’t taste that good."

"Generous portions, amazing flavor, and dirt cheap on top of that."

"I’m not educated enough to put it into fancy words. All I’ve got is: holy shit, that was good."

"Hahaha!"

The whole group cracked up at that. As for the vibe around here — no other fishing ground could come close.

Chen Yuan laughed too. The anglers’ praise was the best validation the fishing ground could get, and it was clearly genuine — not just polite talk.

"Boss Chen, I’ll send you the money for the Coke on WeChat."

One angler knocked back a few big gulps and felt much better for it, then pulled out his phone to transfer the money.

"No, no — Cokes are on me, everyone gets one."

Chen Yuan waved it off and patted the truck bed. There were still plenty left in there. Enough to go around.

"Come on, that’s not right. I reckon you’re barely breaking even on the food today as it is. You’re too good to us, Boss Chen — we can’t let you take a loss."

Chen Yuan looked at that angler and felt a surge of genuine fondness. Now that’s what I call a God of Wealth. If only more like him showed up every day.

"The drinks were always going to be free today — I said so from the start. No need to be shy about it, gentlemen. Of course, if you don’t believe in Chen Yuan Fishing Ground, if you’d rather not be friends with me, if you want to keep your distance — then pretend I never said anything."

With Chen Yuan putting it that way, what could the anglers possibly do?

Paying meant you didn’t believe in the fishing ground. Meant you didn’t want to be friends with Boss Chen.

But did they not believe in it?

They believed in it completely.

"Alright then, since you put it that way, I won’t hold back — thanks, Boss Chen!"

The angler raised his Coke in a toast, thanked him, and headed back to his spot.

"Boss Chen is seriously the man."

"Boss Chen’s friendship is locked in for life — nothing could stop me now."

"Next time I’m definitely bringing my friends. Why would anyone go to another fishing ground when we’ve got Chen Yuan Fishing Ground?"

Ha.

Now that’s what I like to hear.

I’m keeping tabs on you, pal. If you show up alone next time, I’m charging you for two.

Once the Cokes were handed out and the cigarettes distributed, Chen Yuan hopped on his bike and headed back.

"Go get some rest. I’ll have your dad keep an eye on the fishing ground."

Tang Ying was alone in the kitchen, tidying up.

"Where’s Dad?"

Chen Yuan walked in and rolled up his sleeves, ready to help.

"He went to find your uncle — they’re talking about sorting out the meals. Hey, go rest. I’ll have this done in two minutes flat. I don’t need your help."

Tang Ying gave him a firm shove right back out of the kitchen.

If his own mother didn’t look out for him, who would?

Left with no choice, Chen Yuan wandered into the main room.

He checked the time — nearly two o’clock. Too late to actually nap properly. And besides, most of the anglers had come specifically for the Fish King, which still hadn’t made an appearance today.

The main event was coming. Just had to hold on a little longer.

He couldn’t let these guys down.

"Oh, right."

Something suddenly occurred to him. He picked up two cartons of Hua and was about to head out — then reconsidered and put one back, taking only two packs instead.

"Mom, I’m heading out for a bit."

He called out to Tang Ying in the kitchen, hopped on the three-wheeler, and rode straight to the village committee office.

A couple of days ago he’d mentioned to Uncle Bin that he’d bring him two cartons of Hua next time he went into the city. It was just an offhand remark, but relationships needed tending — you couldn’t only remember people when you needed something.

Ignore someone when things are fine, then show up at their door the moment you need a favor — who the hell is going to feel any warmth toward you? Even if they handle things by the book, it all comes down to whether they feel like it.

"Uncle Bin."

Chen Yuan arrived at the village committee and went straight to the Party secretary’s office, calling out from the doorway.

"Hey, it’s Yuan! Come on in, have a seat."

Chen Wenbin had been reclining in his rocking chair for his afternoon nap. He smiled and sat up when he saw Chen Yuan at the door.

Chen Yuan walked in and casually offered him a cigarette. Chen Wenbin took it without any fuss and lit it up.

"What brings you by today?"

"Busy or not, I still have to come check on you, Uncle Bin."

Once he saw Chen Wenbin’s cigarette was lit, Chen Yuan lit his own, then fished two packs of Hua from his pocket and slid them across the desk.

"Last time I mentioned I’d bring you two cartons of Hua if I made it to town — I couldn’t get the full cartons, so I just brought two packs. Don’t be too hard on me, Uncle Bin."

Chen Wenbin blinked for a moment, then let out a hearty laugh.

"You little rascal — coming to the village committee to bribe an official again."

All the same, Chen Wenbin quite naturally pulled open his desk drawer and slipped the two packs inside.

"The way I see it, Uncle Bin is family first, and an official second," Chen Yuan said with a smile.

Chen Wenbin’s words sounded like a joke, but the word "bribe" — used twice now — wasn’t without meaning.

Had Chen Yuan brought two full cartons, Chen Wenbin might not have accepted them. Two packs were another matter entirely — and that was precisely why Chen Yuan had swapped the cartons for packs.

"The fishing ground looks pretty lively over there."

"It’s going alright. The anglers seem to like it."

"Good to hear. If the fishing ground ever needs anything, remember to come to the village committee. You’re the only entrepreneurship support case in this whole village right now."

The speed at which Chen Yuan Fishing Ground had blown up had caught Chen Wenbin completely off guard, and it had him thinking differently about things. On top of that, this kid had a real sharpness about him — Chen Wenbin genuinely wanted to help him.

Of course, it all depended on just how far Chen Yuan could take it on his own.