Reborn in the 1980s: Nine Stunning Beauties Get Pregnant Before Marriage

The struggle beneath the ice was fierce; the nylon rope was stretched taut like a bowstring about to break, emitting a faint but chilling "clucking" sound.

Liang Meie knelt beside her, holding a small net, scooping away the newly risen ice shards: "What kind of fish could eat such large bait?"

"We'll only know once we pull it up." Chen Yongqiang used his arm to move his wrist and slowly retracted the nylon rope.

The tempered muscles and bones now showed their advantage; an ordinary person would probably have been exhausted long ago.

Liang Meie was even more excited than Chen Yongqiang: "If we catch one, how much can we sell it for?"

"That depends on which rich person is more fortunate!" Chen Yongqiang felt that the struggle coming from the other end was no longer the kind of chaotic and violent collision, but the rhythm began to become heavy.

He knew this was a sign that the giant's strength was beginning to decline, but it was also the time when he was most likely to fail, and the final counterattack before death was often the most intense.

Liang Meie knelt beside the ice cave, staring at the water's surface: "Yongqiang, you mustn't let this fish get away. Whether we can have a prosperous New Year depends on it!"

"Don't worry, it won't get away." Chen Yongqiang was initially worried that the homemade rough hook and the cobbled-together nylon rope wouldn't be able to withstand the terrifying force.

After nearly half an hour of stalemate, the equipment held up, and he felt much more at ease.

What remains is a pure test of endurance, which is precisely his forte.

Time ticked by in the tense tug-of-war. Deep within the dark ice cave, a huge, swaying shadow appeared, drawing ever closer.

When it was still a few meters from the water's surface, the shadow seemed to sense a final unease and suddenly rolled to one side!

"I see it! I see it! It's huge!" Liang Meie exclaimed excitedly in a low voice.

"I can't see what kind of fish it is, but it's definitely a big one!" She stared intently at the increasingly clear shadow, afraid that it would break free at the last moment.

As Chen Yongqiang tightened the nylon rope in his hand, the outline of the shadow beneath the ice cave became increasingly clear.

Liang Meie finally saw the huge fish head that broke through the splashing water.

It was a head she had never seen before, a head that sent chills down her spine.

It is dark brown in color and covered with fine, dark spots resembling copper coins.

The most terrifying thing was its large, slightly upturned mouth, which was now holding a thick fishhook in its mouth, with the corners of its mouth stretched back to reveal a row of fine, sharp teeth.

"What...what kind of fish is this?" Liang Meie subconsciously shrank back.

The fish's head was almost the size of a washbasin, and the sheer pressure from its head sent chills down her spine.

Chen Yongqiang recognized the fish: "It's a taimen! And a real bronze taimen at that."

He had only heard the elders mention this legendary deep-sea behemoth, saying it could grow as big as a small boat and was incredibly ferocious. He never expected to actually run into it today!

The taimen seemed to have exhausted its last bit of sprinting strength, and was now only struggling hopelessly with its massive body and remaining instincts.

"This ice hole seems too small; we can't pull it up," Liang Meie said, looking at the ice hole, which was only the size of a noodle bowl.

"Take the ice chisel and widen the opening a bit more." Chen Yongqiang was holding the fishing rod and couldn't free his hands at all.

Liang Meie immediately understood, and scrambled over to grab the ice chisel.

"Where should I smash it? Will it hurt the fish?" She picked up the ice chisel, but didn't know where to start.

This fish is too precious; even a slight scratch could drastically reduce its price.

"Wide outwards along the edge of the hole! Watch your hands, and be careful not to hit the wire!" Chen Yongqiang directed.

Liang Meie swung the ice chisel and forcefully chiseled at the edge of the ice cave. Under the chisel's blows, the ice cave gradually changed from the size of a bowl to the size of a washbasin.

Chen Yongqiang assessed the enlarged opening: "That's about enough! Step back a bit!"

Liang Meie took two steps back and saw Chen Yongqiang pull the fish up.

The enormous creature was finally dragged completely out of the water, and the nearly two-meter-long giant fish futilely slapped its tail on the ice.

Liang Meie stared at the enormous creature that almost filled the tent: "My God... how many pounds does this fish weigh?"

Chen Yongqiang examined his spoils on the ice. The burly, mottled, bluish-brown body looked even heavier than the wild boar he had carried down the mountain earlier.

"I'd estimate it's around 150 or 160 pounds, probably more than that."

"One hundred and fifty jin!" Liang Meie quickly calculated in her mind.

"If a pound can sell for one yuan, then that's... one hundred and fifty yuan?!" She used the most intuitive calculation method of that era, which was already an unimaginable fortune.

Chen Yongqiang shook his head upon hearing this: "That's not how you calculate things."

"This is a taimen, a rare species, not the grass carp sold by weight at the market. And this one is so big... I reckon the whole town might not have seen one like this in decades."

"This kind of fish isn't sold for its meat, but for its 'travel'—it's about the prestige that wealthy people crave. Once a genuine customer comes along, the price becomes unpredictable."

Liang Meie was taken aback by what he said, but then she understood and her heart started beating even faster.

It's not sold by weight, which means it might be worth more: "So what do we do now?"

"Let's take it back first and then we'll talk about it." Chen Yongqiang already had a plan.

To sell this fish for a good price, we need to create hype first.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Liang Meie always relied on Chen Yongqiang as her backbone.

The two packed up the tent and tied the taimen to the sled.

Chen Yongqiang tested the dragging force. The giant fish moved across the smooth ice surface more easily than expected.

They walked back, one in front of the other, dragging this amazing trophy.

"Yongqiang, what did you mean by 'creating momentum' just now?" Liang Meie couldn't help but ask from behind.

She felt a mix of excitement and anticipation, like a rabbit with its tail between its legs, overjoyed by the huge gain and hoping for a good price in the future.

"We want everyone who needs to know to know that we've brought up something incredible." Chen Yongqiang said with steady steps.

"It has to make people feel that this fish is extraordinary, that not everyone can come across it, and that buying it is a matter of luck and prestige."

Liang Meie seemed to understand, but felt the man's words made sense: "Then who should we talk to?"

"No need to look for it specifically. Dragging such a big guy back is a commotion in itself. It's naturally the messenger. What we need to do is add some spice to this story." Chen Yongqiang used some gimmicks that were common in his previous life.

"Don't make a fuss about it when you get back, but don't hide it either. Just leave it in the yard. If someone comes and asks, just tell them the truth, but don't mention the price. Just say you haven't decided what to do with it yet, that it's a rare item and you need to think about it."

Liang Meie carefully noted it down: "I understand."

As I got closer to home, a neighbor carrying firewood, returning late, stood by the roadside watching me with surprise.

A child ran over, pointed at the menacing fish head on the sled, and exclaimed in surprise.

Chen Yongqiang kept his head down and pulled the cart, offering only brief responses to the questions and exclamations of those around him:

"Yeah, we met while ice fishing."

"luck."

"It is quite big."

This deliberate understatement only fueled people's curiosity.

Finally arriving at his own courtyard, Chen Yongqiang unloaded the taimen onto the snowdrift in the yard to freeze it and prevent it from spoiling.