Ruanruan cheered in her soft, childish voice. With a steady tug of her little hand, a plump sea bass was lifted out of the water, thrashing and glittering under the sunlight!
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You caught a black sea bream. Points +10!]
“Whoa! That’s impressive!” The adults watching nearby burst into amazed exclamations.
From that point on, it basically turned into Ruanruan’s personal performance show.
Cast the rod—fish on!
Almost every cast was successful, and every catch was a good one! Large yellow croakers, black sea bream, groupers… the small bucket filled up at a visible speed!
Meanwhile, her system points kept rising rapidly!
Listening to the system notifications in her mind, little Ruanruan giggled happily.
A pot-bellied uncle nearby stared so hard his eyes nearly popped out. Rubbing his hands, he couldn’t help stepping forward.
His tone carried both flattery and urgency. “Little girl, y-you’re incredible! Tell Uncle your secret, will you? I’ve been fishing for half my life, and I still haven’t caught as many fish as you did this morning!”
Ruanruan tilted her tiny head proudly.
“A secret? Ruanruan doesn’t know! It just feels like the fish like Ruanruan! The old immortal said Ruanruan is a little lucky koi who fell from the heavens. My luck is super good! People who get close to me will also have good luck!”
Her imaginative words made everyone laugh. They all thought she was just talking nonsense like children do, and no one took it seriously.
But Old Wang seemed thoughtful.
Someone laughed at him. “Old Wang, you’re not actually believing a kid’s silly talk, are you? Good luck just by sitting near her?”
“Exactly! Your title as the ‘Air Force Commander’—the guy who never catches anything—is famous. Don’t delay the little girl from fishing!”
“Ruanruan, ignore him. Sit next to him and you’ll definitely catch nothing!”
Uncle Wang’s face turned red from the teasing, but he still refused to give up. He looked at Ruanruan expectantly.
Ruanruan, however, smiled and patted a flat rock beside her.
“Uncle Wang, sit here! Ruanruan will share her luck with you!”
Everyone burst out laughing, thinking the little girl was joking.
Uncle Wang was half skeptical, but he still shamelessly sat down, clumsily attaching bait and casting his rod.
Just then, Liu Qianqian finally arrived, dragging along her younger brother who was staring longingly at the fish in Ruanruan’s bucket.
She was furious inside.
When she left home earlier, her mother had told her that if she didn’t catch fish for her brother to eat, she wouldn’t be allowed to come home for dinner.
It was all Lin Ruanruan’s fault!
Seeing Uncle Wang sitting beside Ruanruan, Liu Qianqian curled her lips and mocked him.
“Hmph! Uncle Wang, you actually believe her nonsense? The only reason she catches fish is because she has bait—and that bait was given by everyone here. Don’t let her trick—”
Before she could finish the word trick, Uncle Wang suddenly shouted.
“Ahhh!”
His fishing rod bent into a shocking arc!
“Big fish! It’s definitely a big fish!”
Uncle Wang’s face turned red with excitement. Gripping the rod tightly with both hands, he struggled with all his strength against the huge creature beneath the water.
Everyone was stunned!
Even Ruanruan paused her fishing and looked over curiously.
After an intense tug-of-war, Uncle Wang finally dragged a huge silver tarpon—about as long as a forearm—onto the shore!
“Oh my heavens! That really is a big fish!”
“Old Wang! Not bad!”
“Incredible! Truly incredible! Ruanruan really is amazing!”
Looking at the large fish still flopping on the ground, Uncle Wang was so excited he could barely speak. His hands trembled.
He had never caught such a big fish in his entire life!
Amid everyone’s envious gazes, he packed up the fish and happily said to Ruanruan,
“Little girl! You really do have some skill!”
Ruanruan lifted her tiny chin proudly.
“Of course!”
She was the luckiest little koi in all of the heavenly realm!
Uncle Wang was charmed by her adorable expression. He took out a few high-grade fruit candies from his pocket—candies he normally couldn’t bear to eat himself—and stuffed them into her small hands.
“Thank you, little girl! If you ever want candy again, just tell Uncle!”
In those days, fruit candy was quite a rare treat.
“Okay!” Ruanruan accepted them without hesitation. She peeled off the shiny wrapper and popped one into her mouth.
Sweet and delicious.
So tasty!
The little auntie smiled so happily her big eyes curved like crescent moons.
Because Uncle Wang was sitting beside her and catching fish almost every time, everyone else grew increasingly envious.
“Ruanruan! Ruanruan! Let Auntie sit next to you and share some of that luck!”
“Ruanruan! Uncle has a fun slingshot! I’ll give it to you—let Uncle sit there for a while!”
“Ruanruan! Auntie brought the peach pastries you like! Try some!”
The adults instantly transformed into enthusiastic fans, scrambling for the few “lucky spots” beside Ruanruan.
Ruanruan blinked her big eyes. Her little face showed a hint of “trouble,” though inside she was overjoyed.
She pointed with her small finger, choosing a few uncles and aunties who had always been kind to her and had clear, friendly eyes.
“Uncle Zhang can sit here! Auntie Li here! Uncle Zhao can sit here!”
The selected people were overjoyed, as if they had won the lottery, and quickly sat down.
Those who weren’t chosen were disappointed but stayed nearby anyway.
Then, something magical happened again!
Uncle Zhang, who sat next to Ruanruan, caught a fat grouper!
Auntie Li caught two sizable black sea bream!
Even Uncle Zhao—whose fishing skills were average—miraculously caught several decent fish!
Everyone was delighted.
“Oh my! Ruanruan, you really are a little lucky star!”
“This luck is unbelievable!”
“Ruanruan, Uncle will bring you treats every day from now on!”
The rocky beach was filled with laughter and excitement.
Ruanruan’s small bucket had long since filled up, and beside it was a pile of “thank-you gifts” from enthusiastic uncles and aunties: a few fruit candies, a wooden bird whistle, half a pack of peach pastries, and even a beautiful colorful glass marble…
The children circled around her too, looking at her with eyes full of admiration.
At the edge of the crowd, Su Xiaomei quietly watched Lin Ruanruan, who was surrounded like the center of attention.
The sunlight shone on Ruanruan’s bright smile—and on the colorful “treasures” beside her—so dazzling that Su Xiaomei’s eyes ached.
She clenched the corner of her clothes tightly, her nails nearly digging into her palm, barely suppressing the surge of bitterness and jealousy inside her.
Ruanruan had sharp senses. Even though she was surrounded by people, she still noticed Su Xiaomei’s almost tangible resentful glare.
She didn’t even turn her head. She sneered inwardly, while her face remained innocent and cheerful as if she noticed nothing.
Su Xiaomei took a deep breath, suppressing the jealousy in her heart. She walked over to Liu Qianqian, who had also been ignored and looked equally displeased.
In a timid voice that only the two of them could hear, she said,
“Qianqian… look at Ruanruan… she caught so many fish, but the bait she used… seems to have all been given by other people… Chen Zihao gave her the supply cooperative’s bait, and Uncle Wang and the others also gave her many things today… isn’t that… not very good?”
Her words seemed like concern for Ruanruan, but in reality they precisely poked at Liu Qianqian’s resentment and wounded pride.
—She was jealous of Ruanruan’s spotlight, and even more furious about being humiliated earlier.
The flames of jealousy swept through her, making her forget even the little dissatisfaction she had felt toward Su Xiaomei.