40: Chapter 40: These are my dearest family and friends, my brothers and sisters... (I need to pay extra)

However, regardless of whether the boss felt it was reasonable, the Yellow Tag Fish was still steadily dragged to the shore by Chen Sheng.

With a precise scoop from Old Yu, who had been reduced to an assistant, the tag fish successfully made it ashore.

The crowd cheered again.

"Awesome!"

"With this technique, you should start a class! As long as it lets me catch fish, I'll pay whatever the registration fee is."

"This isn't even a matter of whether he can break even anymore; he's going to strip the boss down to his underwear."

"Haha! That's how it should be."

Amidst the cheers, the boss, wearing a stiff smile, greeted the surrounding Fishing Buddies as he squeezed through the crowd to reach Chen Sheng.

"Boss, you're amazing! Forgive my lack of insight, I don't know what rank of angler you are. Let's get to know each other; my surname is Dong, and I'm currently contracting this reservoir."

As the saying goes, one doesn't strike a smiling face. Seeing Boss Dong proactively reach out, Chen Sheng also politely shook his hand and replied, "Hello, Boss Dong. My surname is Chen. I'm not some professional angler; I just have a bit of good luck today."

"Haha! Boss Chen is too modest. Isn't it said that luck is also a part of strength? Besides, I saw Boss Chen Playing the Fish just now, it was very methodical and disciplined; those aren't skills a novice would have," Boss Dong continued to probe.

"You flatter me. I just learned it all randomly online."

Seeing that Chen Sheng's answers were watertight, Boss Dong temporarily dropped the idea of further probing. He personally took the Hook Remover to take the fish hook off the tag fish in the Landing Net, held it up to show the surrounding Fellow Anglers, and shouted, "Congratulations to No. 23 for catching one yellow tag!"

Ding~

Boss Dong briskly took out his phone and transferred 1,000 yuan to Chen Sheng.

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"Brother, you're awesome!"

"With this technique, I have to be impressed!"

The familiar sounds of praise echoed once again over Fishing Spot No. 23.

Chen Sheng quickly instructed Old Yu to hand out cigarettes to everyone.

However, amidst the laughter and joy, Boss Dong quietly walked to Chen Sheng's Fishing Box and reached out to grab the Keepnet, beginning to lift it up.

The result was the same as with Old Yu; he couldn't move it at all.

Boss Dong's expression changed completely.

His cheeks twitched uncontrollably.

A flash of ruthlessness crossed his gaze as he looked at Chen Sheng's back, but it was quickly masked by solemnity as he looked at the surrounding Fellow Anglers.

Boss Dong took a few deep breaths to adjust his mindset, then walked to Chen Sheng's side and whispered, "Boss Chen, could we step aside for a word?"

Chen Sheng thought about it and nodded, "Sure!"

Boss Dong led Chen Sheng to a house by the reservoir. Once they were seated, Boss Dong pulled out a bottle of Tea Drink and placed it in front of Chen Sheng, saying with a smile, "Boss Chen, conditions are limited, please bear with it."

"Boss Dong, you're too kind. Having this Tea Drink while fishing in the wild is already a high standard." Chen Sheng picked up the Tea Drink, twisted off the cap, and started drinking.

To be honest, after fishing for most of the day, he really was a bit thirsty.

As the saying goes, it's only polite to reciprocate. After putting the Tea Drink back on the table, Chen Sheng pulled a cigarette from his pocket, handed one to Boss Dong, and lit one for himself. He sat there smoking while looking at Boss Dong, quietly waiting for him to speak first.

The two remained in a deadlock for the time it took to smoke half a cigarette. Ultimately, Boss Dong, who had things on his mind, was the first to speak. "I saw that Boss Chen's catch was quite bountiful just now. I wonder what formula Boss Chen is using?"

"It's my own exclusive Secret Formula, this..." Chen Sheng deliberately left the sentence hanging, letting Boss Dong figure out the rest for himself.

However, at this moment, he had roughly guessed Boss Dong's intention for calling him here privately.

"Haha! I was being presumptuous." Boss Dong apologized, but then pressed on step by step, "Then I wonder if anyone else knows about Boss Chen's exclusive Secret Formula?"

"No one else knows for the time being." Seeing Boss Dong's expression relax slightly upon hearing this, Chen Sheng changed his tone and said leisurely, "However, it's hard to say about the future. After all, all Fishing Buddies are one family!"

"Haha~" Boss Dong, caught off guard, laughed awkwardly. "Boss Chen is right. I am also a Fishing Buddy, and indeed, all Fishing Buddies are one family. It's only because of this that good fishing spots have such high popularity."

"..." Chen Sheng's lips twitched uncontrollably. He really didn't know where Boss Dong got the nerve to say that he was also a Fishing Buddy.

Truly f*cking specialized in scamming your own people, aren't you!

Chen Sheng was speechless for a long time. Unable to find any words in his mind, he finally just gave a thumbs up and praised, "Boss Dong, you're impressive!"

"Boss Chen is also impressive!"

"Not at all, not at all. It's you, Boss Dong, who is both impressive and tough!"

"No, no, no, it's Boss Chen..."

Chen Sheng: "..."

He didn't know how the situation had suddenly turned into a bandit and a tyrant praising each other.

Once he realized what was happening, he was nearly sickened to the point of vomiting.

Sigh! He could only blame himself for not having skin as thick as the other guy's!

Chen Sheng, whose skills were inferior in this regard, finally brought up the main topic first. "I wonder why Boss Dong invited me out?"

Seeing Chen Sheng yield first in their confrontation, Boss Dong, now holding the upper hand, immediately followed up, "Boss Chen, I have an impolite request."

"Feel free to speak," Chen Sheng made a gesture of invitation.

"I'd like to ask Boss Chen not to reveal the Secret Formula to anyone else."

"This..." Chen Sheng feigned hesitation.

As expected, he was here to talk about the bait.

Seeing Chen Sheng hesitate, Boss Dong let out a long sigh. "Sigh! It's a small business, and it's not easy to support a family. I hope Boss Chen can understand."

"I certainly understand." Chen Sheng paused for a moment and also let out a long sigh. "Sigh! I have my difficulties too. I hope Boss Dong understands as well."

"I understand," Boss Dong nodded and said. "Of course, I won't let Boss Chen help for nothing. How about this: today's fishing fees for you and your friend are waived, and the catch will still be returned at the previously agreed 5 yuan/jin. What do you think?"

"Boss Dong! All Fishing Buddies are one family; this makes things very difficult for me!"

Chen Sheng curled his lip. Did he think he could buy his silence just by waiving the fishing fees? Was he really that cheap?

Boss Dong was silent for a moment, his tone turning slightly firm. "Boss Chen, this is Jintang, you know."

Chen Sheng laughed, laughing freely. "Boss Dong, this is indeed Jintang, but Jintang is right next to Shu City."

This time, Boss Dong fell completely silent.

Indeed! Although Jintang was his own turf, it was, after all, too close to Shu City, so many methods couldn't be used.

After a long silence, Boss Dong held up two fingers. "Boss Chen, on top of waiving the fishing fees, I'll give you another two thousand. All other conditions remain the same. What do you think?"

"Boss Dong, the one who came with me today is my university roommate. After all these years together, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say we're brothers..."

Before Chen Sheng could finish, Boss Dong directly held up three fingers. "Three thousand!"

"Boss Dong! If my brother asks me, it's really hard for me to keep it from him."

"Five thousand!" Boss Dong raised five fingers and, without blinking, stared at Chen Sheng. "Boss Chen, as someone who has been around, sometimes you have to learn to stop at the right time. Leave some leeway for each other so we can meet again later, don't you think?"