Farming Games are All About Grinding
Chapter 51: Be Humble in Life

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Be Humble in Life

The weather today is great. Sunlight streams down, shimmering across the ocean’s surface. Every now and then, you can spot one or two fish swimming near the surface, their scales reflecting rays of sunlight.

Cast the rod.

It was only after Han Qiwu cast the rod that he realized he wasn’t using the secret fishing technique taught by Brother Jing.

Well, people aren’t that easy to change.

Next time, perhaps.

Gazing at the sea, Han Qiwu felt the sudden urge to dive in and play. He hadn’t even considered this before—until Brother Jing mentioned wanting to take him into the ocean for some summer fun. Ever since, Han Qiwu can’t look at the sea without craving a swim.

Just as he was lost in thought, a fish bit the hook.

Luck really was on his side today. The first fish that took the bait even had a treasure chest with it.

With the help of the bait, Han Qiwu easily reeled both the fish and the treasure chest ashore.

[Congratulations on obtaining a common treasure chest from the sea]

[Please open it]

"Come on, give me a treasure chest!" Han Qiwu mumbled to himself.

[You have obtained a crystal sphere]

Well then.

Stowing the sphere away, Han Qiwu used Brother Jing’s method to cast the rod once more.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

One cast after another, and within just over an hour, he had used up all his energy.

Taking out his sorghum liquor and beef buns, Han Qiwu enjoyed the scenic view as he dined. Normally, he didn’t drink—he only touched liquor during New Year gatherings with family.

"Hope this sorghum liquor isn’t too strong," he muttered, eating a bite of beef bun first to cushion his stomach, then cautiously took a sip.

Whew! Han Qiwu felt like he’d swallowed a mouthful of flames, the heat rushing from the root of his tongue down to his stomach.

Instant ignition.

It took several bites of bun before he managed to quell the fiery sensation.

The sorghum liquor did have one upside, though. The cold sea breeze had made Han Qiwu’s nose run earlier in the day, but one sip in, his whole body warmed up, and his mind cleared right away.

"Back to fishing!" Han Qiwu thought, determined to catch more big fish. Big fish guts could be turned into compost, and their oil could be used to make torches.

It absolutely wasn’t because Han Qiwu wanted to eat more big fish.

How great would it be if those mine rats’ corpses didn’t respawn? They’d be perfect for either fertilizer or extracting oil.

Pondering this, Han Qiwu kept fishing. Whenever he ran out of energy, he’d eat a couple of dried raspberries; when he got cold, he’d take a sip of sorghum liquor. All in all, life wasn’t too bad.

He fished continuously until past 1 PM, finishing all his supplies.

The sorghum liquor still had over half a bottle left, but without any snacks to pair it with, it couldn’t be drunk like this.

He wondered if the liquor could last until peanuts were harvested. Then he could whip up some salted peanut snacks to pair with it like a proper drink.

Gathering his catch, Han Qiwu headed to the trading post to sell it off.

Since he might need money in the evening, Han Qiwu sold every fish in his haul except the halibut.

A total earning of 1603 gold.

Han Qiwu realized something: as his fishing gear improved, his income from fishing kept growing, but more money brought more tasks, leaving him with less time to spend on fishing.

Unless everything else could be automated, his fishing hours would only shrink further.

"Hah, the grief of the wealthy," Han Qiwu remarked, though his face showed an unmistakable smile.

The halibut he caught today was a new species for him—three in total, long and thin with a peculiar appearance.

Han Qiwu planned to store one in his home’s sales bin to unlock a guide listing, keep two for eating, and extract their oil and guts.

Back home, Han Qiwu took out the halibut.

Halibut encompasses a wide variety of species, generally referred to in China as "ta mu fish."

The type brought by the southern lama.

Halibut has one of biology’s rare asymmetrical structures, with both eyes situated on the same side of its body—a somewhat creepy sight. It even earned various regional nicknames in ancient texts, such as "Eastern Halibut," "Southern Partner Bird," "Western Shoulder Beast," "Northern Shoulder Folk," and "Central Broad-Head Snake."

Of course, none of that mattered to Han Qiwu.

What did matter was that halibut meat is tender, resistant to overcooking, and easy to fillet or debone thanks to its unique body structure. Both braising and steaming yield top-tier flavors.

Three halibut: one for the guide, one braised, one steamed—done and dusted.

Half an hour later, Han Qiwu was eating lunch alone.

What’s it like to eat alone?

Is it... lonely?...isolating?

Wrong!

It’s joy!

The bliss of no one stealing your food is unparalleled!

A bite of braised halibut, followed by a bite of steamed halibut.

The flavors dance between soy-rich and cleanly fragrant, differing in taste but united by texture.

Soft, smooth, tender, yet somehow firm with just the right chew—each bite tempts you to keep going.

Near the end of the meal, Han Qiwu wasn’t even interested in the rice anymore.

Being full from fish alone felt amazing!

Finally, he capped it with a sip of sorghum liquor to refresh himself.

Perfection!

After eating his fill and resting briefly, Han Qiwu set off again.

Back at his morning spot, Han Qiwu noticed an old man fishing at the dock. The old man’s gear was no joke.

A sunshade, a wide-brimmed hat, a tackle box, a portable fishing chair, various floats, a little basin of bait, and two gleaming fishing rods.

Professional.

In contrast, Han Qiwu held a fishing rod in one hand and a metal bucket in the other.

Amateur.

"Oh great, someone else is here. Guess the fish will have to go in the bucket now—hope they’ll fit," Han Qiwu muttered to himself and found a spot with lots of bubbles to sit.

Just as he cast his first rod and hadn’t fully settled in, the old man sauntered over.

"Young man, here to fish too, huh?"

Han Qiwu forced a smile.

"That’s right."

Why else would I be here? To admire the ocean scenery?

"Been fishing for how long?" The old man seemed oblivious to Han Qiwu’s reluctance to chat and pulled out a folding stool from his box to sit next to him.

"Just started–a few months," Han Qiwu replied.

"Only a few months? Then you’re not suited to fish here. The fish here are too varied. If you don’t understand their habits, you won’t be able to match the right bait—and these fish don’t lack food, so it’s really hard to catch them." The old man shook his head knowingly.

"It’s alright; I’m just fishing for fun," Han Qiwu thought to himself, hoping the fish wouldn’t bite too quickly—at least not before the old man left.

"Fishing for fun? Fishing isn’t mere entertainment! There’s so much to learn about it. I’ve been fishing for 20 years and still haven’t figured it all out!" The old man stroked his beard arrogantly.

Seeing Han Qiwu unwilling to respond, the old man pinched some of his bait and showed it off.

"Smell this—my bait is an exclusive mix, specially formulated to lure rare little yellowfish. Watch carefully; I guarantee I’ll reel one in within an hour!"

*Splash!*

Han Qiwu casually flicked his rod, effortlessly pulling up a gleaming yellowfish, its shimmering scales dazzling.

Nearly blinded the old man.

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