The Film Queen Is Cold and Ruthless, Only Sends Money - Chapter 18

[Wait, wait, wait! What is Su Yun holding? Am I seeing this right?]

[Hahahahaha, were you zoning out just now? I noticed it when she was talking to Lin Yan earlier!]

[Su Yun, I knew I wasn’t wrong to trust you. The director is probably regretting not specifying that fishing isn’t allowed!]

[Bargaining? What’s that? If real guests want to eat fish, they should catch it themselves!]

Rewind ten minutes earlier.

After Su Yun and Jiang Zhi turned down the fish stall owner, the owner still seemed reluctant and tried to persuade them further: “One fish isn’t a big deal. Just take it.”

Su Yun chuckled. “We really can’t accept it, but there’s something else we’d like to ask you.”

Jiang Zhi wasn’t much of a talker, but she didn’t need Su Yun to prompt her to understand what she meant. “We wanted to ask how to steam the fish and prepare the sauce.”

After all, they were outsiders. Even though they’d just had steamed fish for lunch, the only conclusion they could draw was: delicious.

As for the seasonings and ingredients used, their stomachs probably knew better than they did.

Asking the locals was far better than fumbling around in the dark with their own experiments.

Of course, Su Yun was also worried about one thing, if certain seasonings triggered some bizarre chemical reaction, they couldn’t risk harming the judges!

The fish stall owner was an expert at cooking fish, and steaming fish was a local specialty she excelled in.

“When you steam the fish, make sure the water is at a full boil before putting the fish in. You can add a bit of white vinegar to the pot to remove the fishy smell. But here, we use a local wild herb for that, just lay it on the plate.”

“Be careful with the timing, don’t overcook it. That way, the fish will look good and taste fresh.”

When the wild herb was mentioned, Su Yun even asked the owner to show them a photo.

White vinegar would cost money, but they could forage for the wild herb themselves!

[Foraging for wild herbs, hahahaha! Production team, just how desperate have you made the guests?]

Not only did the owner share tips for steaming fish, but she also taught Su Yun several methods for preparing the dipping sauces commonly used in her household. “But sauces are a matter of personal taste you can adjust them to your liking.”

After getting all the information, Su Yun and Jiang Zhi were about to say goodbye to the owner.

But then Su Yun noticed the fishing gear placed outside the fish tank.

She nudged Jiang Zhi, who subtly blocked Lin Yan’s group from seeing, and successfully borrowed the owner’s fishing rod.

It wasn’t until after her exchange with Lin Yan that she revealed the fishing rod.

As they walked, searching for a spot to fish, Jiang Zhi looked toward the riverbank. “There seem to be a lot of people over there.”

The sun had shifted, and the scorching heat had eased somewhat. From a distance, they could see many people sitting on small stools by the river, adjusting their fishing gear.

Su Yun and Jiang Zhi joined them, fishing rods in hand, blending in seamlessly.

Watching Su Yun handle the rod with practiced ease, Jiang Zhi was surprised. “You know how to fish?”

Before the show, Wen Yun had specifically told her not to cater to Su Yun’s every whim and to prioritize herself.

But from what she’d seen since morning, it felt more like Su Yun was carrying her to an easy victory.

When Su Yun cast her fishing rod, the elderly man sitting nearby even gave her an extra glance. “I can’t vouch for much else, but when it comes to fishing, I’m definitely an expert.”

[Su Yun knows so many things! But I’m still curious, do people nowadays specifically learn how to fish?]

[Honestly, in my family, only the elderly fish. Whenever I try, I can never settle my mind.]

[Same here. Fishing really tests your patience.]

[Did that old man next to her just catch a fish?]

After hearing Su Yun’s words, Jiang Zhi also relaxed and waited nearby, occasionally glancing around to see if they could spot any wild vegetables they wanted.

The elderly man sitting nearby naturally overheard Su Yun’s remark. With a disdainful snort, he tossed the fish he had just caught into his bucket, the dull yet resonant thud suggesting it was no small catch.

Su Yun, still fishing, let out an impressed “Wow!” at the sound. “Uncle, that’s a fine fish you’ve got there! How much does it weigh?”

It was hard to say whether the old man’s earlier action had been deliberate, but Su Yun’s flattery clearly lifted his spirits. Feigning modesty, he replied, “This one’s just average, about five or six pounds. Though I’ve caught ones as big as eight no, over ten pounds before. Now, those were real whoppers.”

“Over ten pounds?” Su Yun’s fishing rod remained empty, but she perked up at his words. “That’d be enough for a whole steamed fish, wouldn’t it?”

[Su Yun’s still fixated on her steamed fish, I’m crying.]

[Look at the old man’s grin, LOL. Su Yun’s simple words have him reminiscing about the good old days.]

[I don’t know if the old man’s ten-pound fish is real, but I know Su Yun’s words are 100% insincere, LOL!]

[You nailed it. While complimenting him, Su Yun’s eyes never left her fishing rod, hahaha.]

As the old man continued recounting his glorious past, a stormy morning when he was the only one on the shore Su Yun covered a yawn and whispered to Jiang Zhi, “Do you know why he was the only one there that day?”

Jiang Zhi rarely heard these kinds of fishing tales and glanced at Su Yun curiously. “You know?”

Though the old man couldn’t hear Su Yun’s hushed words, the live-stream audience caught every syllable through the microphone.

[So why was he the only one there?]

[Su Yun, we want to hear it too spill the beans!]

Su Yun smirked. “If there had been others around, the fish he caught probably wouldn’t have been that big. It’d have been just eight pounds.”

After all, without witnesses, who’s to stop you from exaggerating?

Jiang Zhi blinked, then let out a soft chuckle. “Keep it down. Don’t let him hear you.”

[Such a savage burn, LOL. What happens in the stream stays in the stream, don’t let the old man find out!]

[No wonder I thought I heard him say ‘eight’ before correcting himself to ‘over ten pounds.’]

[Can you really call it bragging? It’s just creative embellishment of real events!]

Su Yun grinned. “But since the old man just caught a fish here, it means the spot’s got good feng shui. We picked a lucky place.”

The old man didn’t realize he was still rambling on about his story. “After waiting for so long without seeing any fish come ashore, suddenly! At this very moment.”

Su Yun: “Uncle, hold on a second, my fishing rod moved!”

The old man, right in the middle of his thrilling tale, frowned at the interruption. But hearing that the fishing rod had moved, he immediately stopped and fixed his gaze on Su Yun’s rod.

Jiang Zhi also looked over, her eyes sharpening with focus.

[Already got a bite so soon? That’s lucky!]

[But based on what Su Yun said earlier, maybe we don’t need to worry too much?]

For anglers, the crucial moments are few, when the fish bites, every breath could mean the difference between success and failure.

Su Yun’s hands followed the steps ingrained in her mind tightening and loosening in rhythm with the fish’s movements.

After a few minutes of applying all her theoretical knowledge, the fish finally got away.

Su Yun: “That wasn’t how it was supposed to go.”

Jiang Zhi, unfazed, said, “Fishing takes a bit of luck. The first one’s never easy to catch.”

The old man beside them nodded sympathetically. He knew all too well the sting of losing a catch. “Young lady, I’ve been fishing for over a decade. More often than not, the fish get away.”

Su Yun was puzzled. “But my fishing skill is maxed out. In theory, I shouldn’t have missed.”

Her gaming account might be gone, but her skills should still be there, right?

After her words, both the old man and Jiang Zhi fell silent.

Jiang Zhi, sensing something was off, cautiously asked, “What do you mean by ‘fishing skill maxed out’?”

Su Yun: “In games. Turns out it’s not quite the same as real-life fishing.”

The old man: “…”

Jiang Zhi: “…”

[Hahahaha, the moment she mentioned “fishing skill,” I knew something was up!]

[No wonder Su Yun’s tightening-and-loosening technique felt so familiar that’s exactly how I fish in games too!]

[Honestly, I don’t care if Su Yun can fish in real life, but if she’s maxed out in-game? Now that’s interesting!]

Before Su Yun could explain that while games and reality differ, there’s still something to learn from them, the old man spoke up.

He picked up his fishing rod. “Would you like me to teach you? I guarantee you’ll catch a fish within half an hour.”

Su Yun and Jiang Zhi turned to him in unison.

Su Yun grabbed her rod, immediately flashing a perfectly practiced smile. “Master, let’s start right away!”

[Su Yun: Any skepticism is water under the bridge, when benefits are on the line, nothing else matters!]

[With how fast she called him “Master,” there’s no way he won’t teach her!]

Jiang Zhi shot Su Yun a look: Weren’t you just saying this guy was full of it?

Su Yun blinked in confusion: Who would dare slander my master? Unforgivable!

The old man, thoroughly charmed, even helped Jiang Zhi borrow a fishing rod. He taught both of them with rare enthusiasm, practically pouring out all his lifelong knowledge.

Su Yun and Jiang Zhi learned quickly. After successfully reeling in their catches, the old man sighed wistfully. “You two pick things up fast you’ve got real talent for fishing!”

Su Yun humbly replied, “It’s not talent just a great teacher!”

The old man nodded with satisfaction. “If you ever can’t make it in the future, come here to fish. After all, you’re my last disciple with these skills, you’ll never go hungry.”

As the so-called “last disciple” herself, Su Yun seriously doubted whether the old man had ever even opened his door to begin with. But she would never burn bridges after crossing them. After showering the old man with another round of praise, she left with the fish.

They walked to the shaded side of the riverbank and successfully found some wild vegetables. After returning the fishing rod to the fish stall owner, they spent thirty yuan to buy basic seasonings like salt.

Carrying their haul back to the production team, it came as no surprise when the people in the kitchen all turned their gazes in unison toward the two of them.

Or more accurately, toward the two plump fish they were holding in their hands.

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