Zhou You enjoyed being a hands-off boss. Occasional boasting was fine, but actually doing the work? Not necessarily—mostly because it was mentally draining.
It was now the season of spring blossoms, perfect for fishing.
But there was an old saying: don't hunt birds in spring, don't eat fish in April.
Zhou You liked fishing mainly because he enjoyed the quiet solitude. His mind never stopped racing, always churning over things. Only when fishing or reading novels could he occasionally immerse himself without needing to think.
Yet after finishing a satisfying novel, his body felt even emptier and lonelier—it only served as a temporary distraction, like junk food for the mind.
Fishing was different. Especially for Zhou You—he loved just sitting there in stillness, the gentle spring breeze blowing, ripples spreading across the water's surface. In a nice spot, surrounded by lush green trees, far from the city's noise, he could steal a half-day of leisure from his busy life.
He hadn't fished since that one time with Huang Yu.
Mainly because Zhou You found it too exhausting. Getting up too early for fishing, eating poorly at noon—though the process was enjoyable, it was a bit uncomfortable. Especially now that he wasn't short on time, why push himself so hard?
Zhou You wasn't a hardcore fishing enthusiast. Hardcore enthusiasts didn't care about wind, rain, or thunderstorms. As for eating? "The fish haven't eaten yet, why should I?"
Now things were better. He had a good relationship with the Guesthouse, so he could fish there.
The Guesthouse was built on the edge of Jadeite Lake, in a recessed corner, with water on three sides. Only the area near the lake's center was deep enough for good fishing.
Jadeite Lake banned fishing, but there were always poachers and night fishermen—impossible to fully police. More importantly, the Guesthouse was on enclosed private land, inaccessible to outsiders unless by boat across the lake.
So the authorities tacitly let the Guesthouse manage this area themselves—like a "three-front responsibility" policy.
Occasionally, someone with connections would come here to fish, choosing a secluded corner invisible to outsiders and patrols. Much more comfortable than fishing from dawn till dusk.
Back then, fishing from dawn till dusk was unavoidable—limited time, only one day off. If you didn't seize the moment, you'd go home empty-handed. Two hours round trip, all spent on the road.
Zhou You stored some fishing gear at the swimming pool, bringing only a 5.4-meter rod, a fishing chair, a landing net, a fish basket, a box of earthworms, and bait he'd prepared the night before—leftover rice from the Guesthouse mixed with sesame oil.
No need for a sun umbrella this season; a fisherman's hat was enough.
He cut the earthworms in half, hooked one piece on each of the two hooks, adjusted the float to four marks, prioritizing clarity.
Right hand holding the rod, left hand pinching the lead weight, a gentle flick—right on target.
Feeling the breeze brush his face, bringing a hint of coolness. Jadeite Lake was well-maintained, the water clear. Occasionally, a restless big fish would leap out, splashing ripples that spread in circles.
He leaned back in the fishing chair, placed the rod on the stand, tied the safety cord to his right hand, and let his mind relax.
Nowadays, fishing was all about going with the flow.
Zhou You glanced at the sky, then at the trees, watching the willow buds sprout—vivid green, beautiful as jade, brimming with vibrant life. This was spring.
Fishing alone was about leisure.
Fishing with someone was about joy.
The Guesthouse had encountered people like Zhou You before, so they'd specially tidied up the fishing spot—neat and orderly, barely any weeds. No need for anglers to clear the land themselves.
Before long, fish began to gather. The float bobbed up and down, but Zhou You waited patiently. Suddenly, the float plunged underwater, and the rod shot forward—luckily, the safety cord held.
He reached out, grabbed the rod, right hand gripping the base, left hand supporting it, and started pulling back. Hearing the rod creak and groan, Zhou You's adrenaline surged. What was this? This was the battle anthem!
Wang Fangfang saw Zhou You hook a fish and rushed over, landing net in hand, waiting nearby.
After a few minutes of playing the fish, the big one hadn't surfaced yet, but it was probably a grass carp. Each fish had different habits.
Grass carp felt heavy when hooked, but as you played them, the weight lightened, sometimes feeling like an empty hook—often baffling inexperienced anglers. Only near the shore would they resist fiercely, flipping violently underwater and darting away. That move was often swift and powerful, leaving the rod empty.
Catfish bit aggressively, starting a tug-of-war with no preamble, and swallowed the hook deep. You'd need a hook remover, wedging the hook into the front groove, pushing inward to dislodge it, then easing it out of the mouth.
This stuff required practice—you'd get familiar with time.
Nothing to it, just practice.
Slowly, he guided the fish to the shore. Zhou You quickly shouted, "Fangfang, get ready!"
Wang Fangfang was nervous too. First time netting a fish—if she messed up, would Brother You blame her?
"Hurry, net the head, don't be scared! My net's big enough!"
Seeing her hesitate, Zhou You couldn't help urging.
Wang Fangfang stopped hesitating, slid the net in diagonally, scooped the whole fish in, and started dragging it ashore.
Zhou You put down the rod, hurried over, and dragged the fish four or five meters from the water before letting go. Countless fish had escaped with a flick of the tail back into the river.
This was one of Zhou You's favorite "angler fails" series from later years.
Put yourself in their shoes—losing a ten-plus-pound fish would haunt you for life.
The kind of regret you'd take to your grave.
Sure enough, it was a grass carp, at least seven pounds, but its belly was a bit big. Zhou You grabbed the fish, had Wang Fangfang take a photo, then released it. It wasn't like he was short on fish—he enjoyed the process of fishing.
Done for the day. Came with enthusiasm, left satisfied.
That was life.
He packed up the gear, had Wang Fangfang take it to the swimming pool, and lay down under a tree to rest.
Giving his mind a break.
Balance work and rest. Money could never be fully earned. For now, it didn't matter, but as assets grew, he'd need to spread risk—don't put all eggs in one basket.
Some in Europe, some in Australia, a bit in Japan, some in the US, and some in Russia too.
No rush, take it slow.
He hadn't even learned many foreign languages yet.
Master Ji had real capital—he spoke eight languages. No wonder he dared to make bold claims.
Zhou You needed to prioritize language learning. Studying step by step wouldn't cut it. Only immersive learning could bring rapid progress. He needed a language environment, or all his efforts would be in vain.
English was sufficient for now—daily conversations were no problem.
As for Japanese or Russian, which to learn first? That depended on fate. No forcing it. The university's foreign language department had plenty of foreign students and teachers. He didn't need mastery, just enough for daily communication abroad.
"Brother You, time to eat." Wang Fangfang saw it was mealtime and Zhou You was still daydreaming, so she couldn't help calling out.