Were You Watching the Fishing, or Watching Me?

Even the crew preparing the anchor stopped working.

The older generation abandoned their conversations and gathered around.

The struggle had entered its most intense stage.

The heavy rod remained bent into a full arc.

Under this kind of strain, even the slightest mistake could injure the angler’s wrist.

Yet Wu Qie’s wrist remained perfectly steady.

As steady as he was beneath a basketball hoop.

As steady as he was standing behind the three-point line, rising into a jump shot.

Again and again, he repeated the same sequence.

Raise the rod.

Reel.

Reset.

Raise the rod.

Reel.

Reset.

He and the monster beneath the water entered a brutal tug-of-war.

Occasionally he adjusted the drag.

When the wake surged in a straight line, he increased resistance.

When the wake suddenly changed direction, he reduced it.

The battle lasted nearly fifteen minutes.

The crowd had gone from screaming wildly to actively brainstorming ways to get the fish aboard.

At this point, not only the younger generation but even people like Pei Qin could tell—

If this fish came aboard and a photo got posted on a fishing forum, the owner would spend the next year walking around the offshore fishing community with his head held high.

The captain himself had already positioned one hand on the mast.

One foot stood on the edge of the yacht.

A landing net in one hand.

A gaff in the other.

Ready to jump into the sea if necessary.

By the twentieth minute, Wu Qie’s wrist had long since gone numb.

Then suddenly—

His hand trembled.

The reel screamed.

Line exploded outward.

The fish shot several meters away beneath the water.

The exact same thing that had happened to Zhao Guipu earlier.

The same overwhelming force that had snapped his line.

Everyone’s heart sank.

For one terrible moment, it seemed another legendary fish was about to escape.

Then—

A hand appeared from behind.

Large.

Steady.

It pressed firmly against the reel.

A faint scent of tobacco drifted around him.

Wu Qie froze.

Instinctively, he turned his head.

All he managed to see was a sharply defined jawline.

Then a low voice sounded above him.

Carrying an unmistakable trace of amusement.

“What are you looking at?”

There was no time to think about the teasing hidden in those words.

Wu Qie immediately shifted his footing.

Retreated half a step.

His core tightened once more.

Both legs drove against the deck.

His shoulder collided with the broad chest behind him.

At the exact same moment—

The giant grouper finally ran out of strength.

It broke through the surface.

Crew members charged forward.

Seven or eight of them swarmed the fish.

Landing nets.

Gaffs.

Every tool available.

Before the grouper could slam itself against the hull or shake free, they hauled it aboard.

Wu Qie dropped the rod.

Then collapsed into a reclining chair.

He didn’t even have the strength to raise his arms anymore.

The fish landed on the deck.

Its size.

Its weight.

Even the captain couldn’t stop exclaiming in amazement.

He immediately turned toward Wu Qie and gave him a huge thumbs-up.

Everyone rushed over.

Human civilization temporarily regressed.

The only remaining vocabulary seemed to be:

“Wow!”

“Holy shit!”

“AHHHHH!”

Phones appeared everywhere.

Photos.

Videos.

More photos.

The giant grouper continued flopping wildly across the deck while everyone documented the moment.

Meanwhile, Wu Qie sat rubbing his stiff wrist and aching forearm.

Through gaps in the crowd, he managed a rough estimate.

At least fifty kilograms.

Possibly more.

Anything heavier and the rod itself might not have survived.

Before the fish was weighed, the crowd finally parted.

The captain waved Wu Qie over.

Rapidly speaking in the local language.

Wu Qie couldn’t understand the words.

But the meaning was obvious.

The person who caught the fish should remove the hook and witness the official weighing.

Suppressing the soreness throughout his body, he stood.

Then walked over beneath everyone’s burning gaze.

Like some conquering hero.

Yet to everyone’s surprise, he didn’t immediately remove the hook.

Instead, he crouched beside the fish.

Then began examining its mouth.

Its gills.

Both sides of its head.

As though searching for something.

After a while, he finally found it.

A fresh hook scar.

Located opposite the hook currently lodged in the fish.

The corner of Wu Qie’s mouth lifted.

Slowly.

Silently.

Then he stood.

Turned around.

And looked directly at Zhao Guipu.

There was no attempt to hide it.

The stare was so blatant that calling it a challenge wouldn’t be excessive.

The fish lying at his feet—

Was the exact same giant grouper that had escaped from Zhao Guipu earlier.

The top prize?

No.

This was today’s true top prize.

Everyone present was sharp.

Or at least in the process of becoming sharp.

If they claimed not to understand Wu Qie’s gaze, that might be believable.

But if they claimed they couldn’t read the meaning behind it—

That would be impossible.

Moments ago the yacht had been noisy.

Now nobody spoke.

Even Zhao Shu grew nervous.

He quietly tugged on the back of Wu Qie’s shirt.

Trying to stop him.

Wu Qie didn’t move.

As though he hadn’t felt a thing.

In reality, he had.

He simply couldn’t be bothered to respond.

His eyes remained fixed stubbornly on the man across from him.

His heartbeat was racing.

He had already prepared himself.

If Zhao Guipu lost face and flew into a rage, then so be it.

Yet Zhao Guipu remained silent.

Everyone’s gaze bounced back and forth between the two men.

Pei Qin shifted position in his seat.

His eyes settled on the glowing cigar between Zhao Guipu’s fingers.

He wondered whether he should intervene.

After all, heroically rescuing someone usually earned points.

Before he could say anything—

Before Wu Qie’s heart could beat even faster from the excitement of his own provocation—

Zhao Guipu narrowed his eyes slightly.

Then called his name.

“Wu Qie.”

Nothing else.

No hidden message.

No anger.

No warning.

Just his name.

Somewhere in his memory, this was only the second time Zhao Guipu had ever called him by his full name.

Wu Qie’s heart skipped a beat.

Then began pounding harder than before.

Blood rushed through his veins.

Almost jubilant.

Everyone thought Mr. Zhao was displeased.

Everyone thought Teacher Wu was about to get into trouble.

Instead—

A helpless smile curved Zhao Guipu’s lips.

Then he sighed.

“Do you really have to make me embarrass myself?”

Wu Qie blinked.

Zhao Guipu extinguished the cigar that still had a third remaining.

The sea breeze carried the familiar scent of tobacco toward him.

Then the man stood.

And walked over.

The cold anger everyone expected never appeared.

Under countless watchful eyes, Zhao Guipu reached into his pocket.

Pulled something out.

Then placed it directly into Wu Qie’s hand.

A brand-new yacht key.

“It’s yours.”

Silence.

Complete silence.

Then the entire yacht exploded.

Teacher Wu had become rich.

Instantly.

Sixty million U.S. dollars richer.

For several moments, nobody could process what had happened.

Then reality finally caught up.

The younger generation had pulled off an unbelievable comeback.

Or rather—

Their savior had.

Everyone rushed toward Wu Qie.

At that moment, every single person on board looked more eager to kiss him than Zhao Shu did.

Hands reached toward him from every direction.

Patting his already aching shoulders.

Ruffling hair that had already been ruined by the sea wind.

In the hearts of the students, Teacher Wu had officially ascended to godhood.

Through gaps in the crowd, he spotted Zhao Guipu.

The man had already returned to his original position.

But instead of sitting down, he was helping the captain raise the anchor.

His movements were practiced.

Effortless.

Clearly not the awkward assistance of someone pretending to help.

Wu Qie remembered what Zhao Shu had once said.

When Zhao Guipu first took over the Zhao family’s business, he had spent nearly two full years drifting at sea alongside their shipping fleet.

The fish was finally weighed.

55.7 kilograms.

According to the captain, it temporarily set a new record for the year.

Wu Qie was dragged into photographs.

Standing beside the giant grouper.

Making a peace sign toward the camera.

At one point, he looked up.

Not far away, Zhao Guipu happened to be looking at him as well.

Their eyes met briefly.

The man’s expression barely changed.

He simply raised a hand.

Then tapped the phone resting beside him.

A signal.

Check your messages.

While photos of “Teacher Wu and the Giant Grouper” flooded social media from every possible angle, the actual Teacher Wu slowly pulled out his phone.

Two hours earlier.

After he released those two fish back into the sea.

A profile picture named Moon Rising Over the Sea had sent him a message.

[How long are you planning to stay angry?]

[You’re even taking it out on the fish.]

An hour earlier.

After he caught a grouper for the cat.

The same account had messaged again.

[I don’t think you look seasick at all.]

Only now did Wu Qie finally understand.

Zhao Guipu couldn’t possibly have known in advance how good he was at fishing.

That comment about the top prize not being decided yet—

Hadn’t been based on confidence in Wu Qie’s skills.

The man had simply seen him standing at the stern.

Seen him throw those two fish back into the ocean.

Standing aboard the yacht as it cut through the waves on the return journey, Wu Qie lowered his head.

Then quickly typed a message.

Sent.

[Wu Qie: Were you watching the fishing?]

[Or watching me?]

Not far away.

Zhao Guipu took a final draw from his cigar.

Clouds of smoke drifted around him.

He glanced at the incoming message.

Paused.

Then laughed quietly.

He didn’t reply.

Instead, he put the phone away.

His mood seemed excellent.

Not at all like someone who had just given away sixty million dollars.