Actually Caught a Mandarin Fish

Li Xingya's words lacked confidence. After all, she did have a place in mind, but wouldn't that place be too low-class for Su Bai?

Her eyes looked a bit lost.

"Boss... you decide. Anywhere is fine, as long as... as long as I'm with you."

"That won't do."

Su Bai smiled and shook his head, lightly scraping his finger against her pert nose. "For a girl, this kind of thing is a once-in-a-lifetime memory. Although I'm a layman, I don't want you to feel wronged or think it was done hastily."

"Whether it's the Bulgari, the Ritz-Carlton, or a mountain resort here in Jiangcheng, as long as you want to go, we can go. We have plenty of time tomorrow..."

"So, don't worry about the money or anything else. Just pick the place you like the most, or the one you feel is the most meaningful."

When it came to enjoying wonderful moments, Su Bai was never in a rush.

The last thing he lacked was money. Romance built purely on money was the cheapest kind of romance.

But to Li Xingya, the weight of this respect was perhaps heavier than money.

"I..."

Li Xingya bit her lip, falling into deep thought.

Bulgari? Ritz-Carlton?

Those names were like stars in the sky to her—distant and unfamiliar.

Going to a place like that... she would probably be so nervous she wouldn't even know where to put her hands and feet.

What if she dirtied their carpets? What if she didn't know how to use those high-end bathroom fixtures?

Just thinking about it was enough to give her anxiety.

In contrast, she actually had a small wish hidden in her heart for a long time. A wish that might seem insignificant to Su Bai, but to her, it represented successfully putting down roots in this city.

"Boss..."

Li Xingya hesitated for a long time before mustering up her courage, her voice as quiet as a mosquito. "Actually... there is a place I want to go. But... but if I say it, you might think I'm really unambitious..."

"How could I?" Su Bai looked at her encouragingly. "Tell me, I'm listening."

"It's... near the south gate of the Normal University, there's a Yunshang International Apartment Hotel..."

"When I used to go over there for part-time jobs, I often passed by it. The building is very tall, the floor-to-ceiling windows are huge, and it has one of those... those revolving doors."

"I used to see a lot of glamorous ladies dressed in professional attire, pulling exquisite suitcases in and out. At that time, I thought, if one day I could be like them and stay there, even just for one night, would it mean I had finally taken root in this city..."

Su Bai was stunned for a moment.

An apartment hotel at the south gate of the Normal University?

If he remembered correctly, that was a commercial-residential LOFT building converted into a so-called "hotel." The price for a night was at most three or four hundred yuan. Its main selling points were cost-effectiveness and a so-called "affordable luxury style," which basically just meant it had a somewhat trendy, internet-famous interior design.

As for those exquisite ladies pulling suitcases, hiss...

Why did that sound a bit sketchy?

He couldn't help but feel that Xingya had misunderstood their professions.

But since it was Li Xingya, it seemed perfectly reasonable. This girl was incredibly innocent and probably couldn't even fathom that aspect of things.

This wish was so simple and unadorned that it made his heart ache for her.

Su Bai smiled, deciding to fulfill her wish.

He sighed and held her a little tighter.

"It's not a strange wish at all, quite normal actually. Apartment hotels are really comfortable. There's a snack street nearby too, right? The food there is actually pretty good. After we finish our business, we can go hang out at the night market."

"Ugh... you're so bad, Boss..." Li Xingya understood his implication and shyly punched him, but the joy in her eyes couldn't be hidden.

"Then it's settled," Su Bai said, taking out his phone. "I'll have someone arrange it."

Such a trivial matter like booking a room naturally didn't require Young Master Su to personally go on Ctrip to compare prices.

He directly opened Zhou Jialu's WeChat.

[Crispy Big White Goose: Tomorrow afternoon, help me book a room at the Yunshang International Apartment Hotel near the south gate of the Normal University. I want a LOFT with a good view and cozy decor.]

[Deer: ???]

[Deer: Junior, what kind of sick joke is this? Why are you staying at an apartment hotel? Are you trying to trick some innocent little girl?]

[Crispy Big White Goose: Don't ask. If you must know, it's for work.]

[Crispy Big White Goose: [Big White Goose_Working]]

[Deer: I totally believe you!]

After all, there were rewards for indulging. Working was to improve oneself, and indulging was also to improve oneself, so wasn't it basically working?

Su Bai put away his phone, looked at Li Xingya who was still giggling foolishly in his arms, and pinched her cheek. "Alright, the hotel is booked. Now... since we're at the reservoir, shouldn't we do what people do when they're camping?"

"Huh? What else is there?" Li Xingya looked bewildered.

"Fishing, of course!"

Su Bai pointed outside the tent. "I brought this set of lure fishing gear and haven't even used it yet. We were too busy doing... that earlier. Let's cast a few lines while the moonlight is perfect."

"Okay, okay!"

Although Li Xingya knew nothing about fishing, as long as she was with Su Bai, she was happy doing anything.

The two crawled out of the tent and walked to the water's edge.

The moonlight tonight was indeed beautiful. The silver glow scattered across the sparkling water, creating layers of shattered silver.

Perhaps it was Su Bai's [Mind] attribute, which was as high as 100 points, that made his judgment of the water currents and fish activity exceptionally accurate, or perhaps his luck tonight was simply off the charts.

After only a few minutes, the fishing rod in his hand suddenly sank, and the curve of the rod tip indicated that a prey had taken the bait.

A considerable pulling force came from beneath the surface. The fish dashed madly in the water, stirring up splashes.

"So big! Is it a big fish!"

"The pull is strong, it should be a good catch."

After a not-so-intense struggle, the fish was finally dragged to the shore.

Under the bright moonlight and the beam of their headlamps, the two finally saw the true face of the fish.

"Wow—"

Li Xingya couldn't help but gasp in amazement. "So pretty!"

It wasn't a common black carp or grass carp, but a small fish about twenty centimeters long.

Its body was slender and laterally compressed. Under the light, its scales shimmered with a metallic luster. The most magical part was its stripes—blue-green horizontal bands interspersed with pink spots, as if someone had crushed a rainbow and sprinkled it over its body.

Its fins were especially broad and spread out, with a faint orange-red edge. When it swam in the water, it looked like blooming peach blossoms.

"This is a peach blossom fish," Su Bai said, using the system's appraisal function.

"Eh?" Li Xingya was a bit dumbfounded. She had never heard of it!

Aww, the boss really was knowledgeable and experienced.

Su Bai unhooked the fish and placed it in a transparent observation box filled with water.

"Its scientific name is Zacco platypus. It is indeed called the peach blossom fish, or the pale chub. But the quality of this one is superb. Its coloration is simply textbook-level nuptial coloring."