Chapter 363 - 192: Master, You’ve Changed

Chapter 363: Chapter 192: Master, You’ve Changed

"When he probes an eel hole with the middle finger of his right hand, that eel is done for. It only takes a moment before he catches it. Once he grips it with two fingers, there’s no escape."

"He’s that good?" Zhou Yan was amazed. This man was truly one of a kind.

No wonder other people were called Zhang the Third or Wang the Fifth, while his nickname was the unique Shanyu Zhang.

’Catching eels in all-white clothes... what a badass!’

"We’re short two pounds. How long will it take him to catch them?" Zhou Yan glanced at his watch. It was already two o’clock, and he still had to open for business that evening.

"Don’t worry. He’ll be back by the time I’m done feeding them this grain," Xiao Lei said calmly, continuously scattering grain from his hand, causing the pool of koi to vie for the food.

Zhou Yan craned his neck to look. The enamel basin still had less than half a basin of grain left. At his master’s pace, it would be gone in less than ten minutes.

He was getting antsy, so he ran outside the courtyard to watch. In the distance, he saw Shanyu Zhang in the fields behind the courtyard, dressed in white, walking unhurriedly along the ridges between the paddies. Every so often, he would squat down, grope around for a moment on the ridge or in the field, and then come up with a small eel in his hand. He’d rinse it in the water a couple of times and stuff it directly into his fish basket.

His movements were as smooth as flowing water, as if he were just bending down to pick something up.

And these were slippery eels!

What’s more, at this time of year and during the day, they should be completely buried in the mud.

He walked to the end of one paddy ridge, catching one or two eels every time he squatted. After finishing two ridges, he turned right around and came back.

Shanyu Zhang walked up the small path, carrying the still-dripping fish basket.

Zhou Yan carefully inspected Shanyu Zhang’s clothes from top to bottom. Sure enough, there wasn’t a single speck of mud on them. Even the tops of his cloth shoes were spotless.

It had been dry and hadn’t rained for days, so the paddy ridges were dry, too. That was why not even the soles of his shoes were muddy.

"You must be Master Zhou, right? Xiao has told me about you, his apprentice." Shanyu Zhang handed him the fish basket, smiling. "Take a look. Are these eels up to snuff?"

"Just call me Zhou." Zhou Yan took the basket and looked inside. It held thirty or forty small, uniformly sized eels with a yellowish-orange sheen. They darted about, full of life. The wild eels from this era were the real deal; there was nothing fake about them.

[A Basket of Superb Quality Eels]

The Identification result that popped up in the corner of his eye confirmed it.

Even the slipperiest of eels became docile once they fell into Shanyu Zhang’s hands.

At that moment, Zhou Yan was truly impressed.

"Shanyu Zhang, your reputation is well-deserved. You caught two pounds of eels in just a moment. How many can you catch in a whole day?" Zhou Yan exclaimed in admiration.

"This is my eel-farming field. I toss any eels I can’t sell or keep alive into these few paddies to raise them. When a customer comes to buy some, I just go and catch them. That way, they’re fresh and still have that wildness." Shanyu Zhang laughed. "Normally, catching two pounds of eels would mean covering a couple more paddies. Once winter sets in, it gets much harder. On a good day, I can catch twenty-some pounds at most."

Zhou Yan knew the man was being modest. In a field that large, even regular fish would be hard to catch, let alone eels that could burrow into the mud.

’Some people get soaked just trying to catch a fish in a tank, while others can pluck eels from a field as easily as taking something from their pocket, without even soiling the hem of their clothes. Now *that* is real skill.’

A man’s reputation precedes him.

There was no denying the truth in that saying.

While Zhou Yan was lost in thought, two drops of mud splattered onto his shoes.

Back in the courtyard, Xiao Lei had just scattered the last handful of grain into the fish pond. He set down the enamel basin, unsurprised to see the two of them walk in. "How much are eels going for per pound today?"

"Since it’s you buying, Xiao, I’ll charge one yuan a pound. You know I sell them for one-twenty a pound retail," Shanyu Zhang said.

Xiao Lei nodded. "Alright. Go get the other two pounds."

Shanyu Zhang took the fish basket to a corner, lifted a lid, and bent down. He reached into a submerged stone crock and snatched up the eels one by one, tossing them all into the basket.

He swished the basket back and forth in the nearby fish pond to wash off the mud, then handed it back to Zhou Yan. "Four pounds on the dot. If it’s short at all, come back for a full refund. I won’t take a single cent."

"I believe you." Zhou Yan took out four yuan and handed it over without the slightest hesitation.

It was perfectly reasonable to him. Comrade Zhou could cut the exact amount of meat he said he would, never off by the slightest bit.

So, if Shanyu Zhang said he’d caught four pounds of eels, it was exactly four pounds.

"Let’s go." Xiao Lei clapped the husks from his hands and called out as he headed for the gate.

Shanyu Zhang put on a bashful smile. "Xiao, are you making Linjiang Shanshi today? How about I contribute two pounds of eels and you let me join you for the meal? I’ve been catching eels my whole life, but I just can’t replicate the flavor you create. I’ve been dreaming about it for over half a year."

"Next time, you provide the eels, and I’ll provide the ingredients and labor. We can go dutch on a meal of Linjiang Shanshi," Xiao Lei said with a smile. "I have a guest today, so it’s not convenient."

Shanyu Zhang nodded. "Sounds good! Any day you’re free works. I’ve got eels in my field, so they’re available anytime. I also have a couple bottles of good liquor we can open next time."

"Alright," Xiao Lei replied, then left with Zhou Yan.

Catching eels was a skill that everyone praised.

But to cook eels so perfectly that even an expert catcher like him craved the taste—that was a skill in its own right.

Master Xiao wasn’t just a customer; in Suji Town, he was the god who had mastered the flavor of eel.

No matter how proud or flamboyant Shanyu Zhang was in his white clothes, he always showed a measure of respect in front of Xiao Lei.

The reason was simple: in all of Suji Town, he couldn’t find a second chef who could cook eel to his satisfaction.

Xiao Lei’s Linjiang Shanshi was second to none. You wouldn’t necessarily find anyone better even if you went to Linjiang Town itself. This was true artistry.