Back to 1980: Farming the Sea and Expanding the Island

Currently, we are in a period of reform in the aquatic product circulation system. Spotted sea bass is not included in the categories of large yellow croaker, ribbonfish, etc., and is not considered a key high-value fish species.

This is an open procurement method in a free market, allowing for the free selection of customer groups and without invoice restrictions.

If it had been a year or two earlier, even if Lin Chuan had caught them, he would have had to go through official channels, and Wang Hao of the aquatic product supply and marketing station wouldn't have dared to accept those unplanned clams.

Currently, a dual-track pricing system is in place, with state-owned channels allowing for purchases and sales based on ration coupons, and government subsidies used to keep prices low.

In a free market, there are no longer restrictions on paperwork, no planned quotas, and prices fluctuate according to supply and demand. Prices are generally 50% to 100% higher than those at supply and marketing stations and aquatic product stations.

The bill system was not officially phased out until 1985, when the entire country became a free market.

Currently, pilot policies are being implemented in various regions, and newspapers are reporting on various news about the household contract responsibility system. Related policies are quietly being rolled out.

"Knock knock knock," Lin Chuan banged on the stall, pretending not to see the fat man inside who was engrossed in reading a book.

He shouted loudly, "Buy meat! Buy meat! What kind of stall is this? There's not a soul in sight!"

"Buy, buy, buy whatever you want, cut it yourself. Can't you see I'm studying? Don't you have any sense?" The fat man inside waved his hand impatiently without even looking up.

Lin Chuan couldn't help but laugh and chuckle upon hearing this. This kid was still the same as before. He had opened a shop in the free market, yet he was still using the supply and marketing cooperative model.

In a few quick steps, Lin Chuan darted inside and snatched the book from the fat man's hand.

"Holy crap..."

The fat man jumped to his feet, ready to unleash a torrent of curses, but when he turned around and saw Lin Chuan, his anger instantly turned to a smile. He said awkwardly, "It's you, Chuanzi. I thought it was someone else."

Lin Chuan glanced at the other person and said, "Let me see what kind of book you're reading. It's so captivating."

Flipping through the crumpled and tattered book in my hands, the cover vaguely reads "Grassroots Fashion," but the middle character is missing and the font is no longer visible.

"What kind of novel is this? I never saw you bring it to school to read when we were in school."

"Ahem," Fatty Li said with a sly grin, "You can't bring this along, or you'll be in big trouble."

Lin Chuan glanced at it twice, then looked up at Fatty Sun with disdain, "Li Xinru, what a waste of the name your father gave you."

You actually read this kind of book? How can you face the education you received from the organization, and the vast majority of the people? Confiscated! Absolutely confiscated!

After saying that, Lin Chuan grinned and stuffed the book into his pocket.

Li Xinru saw Lin Chuan stuff her book into his arms and immediately became anxious. She stepped forward to snatch it away, saying, "Lin Zichuan, that's a unique illustrated book from the Qing Dynasty, it's art! Don't you understand? Give it back to me right now!"

"Wait, wait, do you think Jialing will know you're keeping this book? If she finds out you're keeping this book..." Lin Chuan nimbly dodged Li Xinru's fat hand and couldn't help but laugh.

Sure enough, upon hearing Lin Chuan's words, Li Xinru's expression immediately changed. She pulled Lin Chuan down to sit and said with a forced smile:

"Brother Chuan, Brother Zichuan, it was my fault, it was all my fault. I shouldn't have called you by your full name. If you like it, you can keep it for now."

"That's more like it! Don't worry, I don't want your book either. If you do me a favor, I won't tell Jialin."

Lin Chuan comfortably enjoyed the massage from Li Xinru's plump hands. "This...this, yes, yes, this is it."

Lin Chuan came to find Li Xinru entirely because Lin Chuan's grandfather and Li Xinru's grandfather were sworn brothers.

Moreover, Lin Chuan and Li Xinru are of similar age and went to school together until high school, so they know each other very well.

But ever since Old Master Li passed away, and since Li's children all have formal jobs in the commune, unlike Lin Chuan's family who are still toiling in the fields, the two families gradually had less and less contact over the previous generation.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Lin Chuan stood up abruptly, keeping a safe distance from Li Xinru, and scanned the surroundings suspiciously, saying, "Fatty Li, you didn't do anything shady just now, did you?"

Li Xinru was taken aback at first, but when she saw Lin Chuan's gaze, a surge of shame and indignation welled up in her heart. "Lin, Zi, Chuan, have you lost your mind? I'm a married man."

Lin Chuan was taken aback by Li Xinyue's outburst, then suddenly slapped his forehead, "Oh! Right, right, I almost forgot, you two just got married this year." Now it was his turn to be embarrassed.

Seeing Lin Chuan's expression, Li Xinru rolled her eyes in exasperation and said, "Alright, what is it? Hurry up."

Lin Chuanqian chuckled twice and said, "I caught five or six hundred catties of perch in the river today."

"We're still on the ship. I was thinking about your uncle at the guesthouse, hoping he could take it. The supply and marketing cooperative's price is too cheap."

"Really? That's impressive. I've never heard of you having this skill." Li Xinru said with some curiosity.

"This is just for today. There will be more in the future, and there will only be more," Lin Chuan said with a smile.

"That's great. My second uncle just started a 'River Estuary Fish Restaurant' with some people, and he can eat your fish."

Lin Chuan's eyes lit up: "Well, it seems I've come to the right place. I'll treat you to a good meal later."

"You just wait and see, I'm going to make sure you get a good beating this time," Li Xinru said with a laugh. "You go to the dock first, I'll go get my second uncle."

Lin Chuan nodded, picked up the scale and bamboo basket from Li Xinru's meat stall, and turned back to the dock to wait.

Soon after, Li Xinru arrived with two people on a bicycle, followed by a pedicab.

"Xinru, these are my two younger brothers from the team, Wang Daopu and Li Jiaye. You've met them before," Lin Chuan introduced to Li Xinru, then smiled and said to Shui Houzi and Li Jiaye, "This is Li Xinru. You can call her Brother Xinru, or you can call her Brother Pang."

The two of them called out in unison, "Brother Xinru." Their eyes revealed curiosity, as it was rather strange that this chubby man, who looked to weigh 170 or 180 pounds, had a girl's name.

Li Xinru glared at Lin Chuan, then at the two who had come along and were now suppressing their laughter.

Who told his father to give him such a name? His father's name is Li Xinhai, and his mother's name is Wang Rumeng. He has an older brother who is big and burly, comparable to Li Xuanfeng, and is now a master butcher.

Before he was born, his father hoped for a daughter, so he took one character from the middle of their names and gave it to her, hoping she would be a beautiful and intelligent college student.

Although Li Xinru was a boy, he was handsome from a young age, so his name was never changed. Unfortunately, he grew up to look just like his brother, only even more fair-skinned, and his parents' wishes were dashed.

Old Master Li, on the other hand, doted on him and liked him very much.

"It's all assembled, let's put it on the scale!"

"Alright, Brother Xinru!" Water Monkey and Li Jiaye called out with delight. This "brother" was absolutely heartfelt.

Lin Chuan couldn't help but burst out laughing. He always felt a strange sense of amusement when he looked at Li Xinru. Luckily, this wasn't Chengdu.

Li Xinru always felt that Lin Chuan's smile was malicious, but she didn't know what to say.

Gritting his teeth, he said to the two boys, "From now on, you can just call me Fatty. I like hearing that."

The two scratched their heads, looking somewhat puzzled, but still greeted him with smiles, "Fatty."

Lin Chuan laughed uncontrollably, and the workers also grinned from ear to ear. Although their sense of humor was different, they were having the same fun.

Instantly, the entire beach was filled with joy, except for Li Xinru.

The fish caught on the boat were weighed separately. The most valuable fish, the shad, weighed 6.8 jin (approximately 3.4 kg) and was purchased at 3.4 yuan per jin.

The sea bass weighed 514 jin (275 catties) in total, at 1.5 yuan per jin; the remaining miscellaneous fish weighed 52 jin (21 catties) at 0.32 yuan per jin; and the hairy crabs weighed 17 pieces, weighing 5.7 jin (2.8 catties) at 1.3 yuan per jin.

The total value of the catch on this boat was 818.17 yuan. The catch was counted on the spot and loaded onto the boat.