Chapter 56

"Outside the city, there is a Jufu Mountain Resort, which used to be a gathering place for fishing enthusiasts in the county. The fish dishes there are excellent. It's still early, so let's go there first to fish for a while. We'll try to catch the fish for tonight's dinner before Director Yang arrives." Chen Yinglong got into his car and drove onto National Highway 137, heading towards Changyang City.

The expressway had not been built yet, and most vehicles traveling north and south used the national highway. Therefore, the traffic volume on National Highway 137 was very high. When passing through the toll gate, Chen Yinglong showed his police ID to the staff, and without paying the toll, the barrier was lifted to let the Jetta pass.

Seeing Yang Jie's puzzled look, Chen Yinglong smiled and said, "This toll gate was built with a loan from the county. Generally, vehicles from the four major county departments, public security, procuratorate, court, and judicial bureau, as well as road and power departments, do not need to pay the toll. The license plates of these official vehicles are registered here, so they can pass freely just by showing the plates."

Yang Jie immediately understood why the staff lifted the barrier after seeing his police ID. There was an unwritten rule.

The Jufu Mountain Resort was about 2.5 kilometers from the county. A gravel road led directly to the resort. Yang Jie looked at the secluded resort, surrounded by a fence, with a large, flat parking area inside. There were already three cars parked there.

The resort, with its rustic style, was not ostentatious. There was no sign outside, and only by entering the two-story building could one see the signboard that read "Jufu Mountain Resort." If not for a guide, someone might mistake it for an ordinary residence.

Behind the building were six ponds, each filled with fish. Yang Jie and Chen Yinglong went to the resort owner to get two fishing rods and some specially made bait. They then walked to an empty pond, sat down, and set up a large sun umbrella behind them, preparing to fish.

"The owner of this resort is a chef who returned from the provincial capital. His fish dishes are exquisite. In the past, only members of the fishing association came here, but as the resort's reputation grew, it has become a secret venue for banquets. Sometimes, even city leaders can be found here," Chen Yinglong said in a low voice, glancing at a few guests fishing in another pond.

Yang Jie was surprised that this unassuming rural resort could attract city leaders. He skillfully attached the bait to the hook with Chen Yinglong and cast the line, waiting quietly for the fish to bite.

In his childhood in Fuxin Tungsten Mine, Yang Jie often went fishing with Liu Daxing. He was very familiar with fishing techniques. After Liu Daxing went on leave to start his own mine, he had less free time, and the frequency of fishing decreased. Therefore, Yang Jie had not fished for many years.

Although he had not fished for years, Yang Jie, who was used to fishing for wild fish in rivers and lakes, found it easy to fish for farmed fish in the pond. In no time, he caught two grass carp weighing over two pounds each, while Chen Yinglong had not caught any yet.

"Young man, your fishing skills are impressive!" A man in his forties, with a prosperous appearance, passed by Yang Jie and was immediately impressed by the two fish he had caught.

"It's been years since I last fished. My skills are a bit rusty. I used to fish for wild fish in rivers and lakes, and this is the first time I've fished for farmed fish," Yang Jie said modestly, placing the fishing rod on the ground and standing up to greet the man.

"Farmed fish are indeed a bit slow, but with the owner's bait, anyone can catch them. However, without a solid fishing foundation, it's not easy to catch fish quickly. Young man, you're too modest!" Xie Anyuan looked at the sunny and handsome Yang Jie, who was polite and respectful, and felt a growing liking for him.

"Brother Yang, if you keep being so modest, I'll be embarrassed. Look at me, we came together, and you've already caught two fish, but I haven't caught any," Chen Yinglong said with a smile, joining in the conversation.

"Hehe... I won't disturb your fishing. If there's a chance, let's go fishing for wild fish together," Xie Anyuan said, patting Yang Jie's shoulder, and then walked over to the other guests.

"This guy has no sincerity. He says he'll go fishing for wild fish with us but doesn't even introduce himself or leave contact information," Chen Yinglong muttered to Yang Jie as Xie Anyuan walked away.

Yang Jie couldn't help but smile. They were just strangers, and it was just a polite remark. There was no need to take it seriously.

When Yang Hua arrived at the Jufu Mountain Resort, it was almost dark. Fortunately, he had booked a private room in advance, so there was no worry about not having a place to sit.

"Brother Yang, I'm really sorry. There was a temporary party committee meeting in the afternoon, so I'm late!" Yang Hua, dressed casually, walked into the private room and saw Yang Jie and Chen Yinglong watching TV and eating sunflower seeds. He smiled and explained.

"Director Yang, you're too polite. The timing is perfect now. It's just dinner time. Brother Chen has already arranged for the kitchen to cook the fish. It will be ready soon. Please sit down and rest," Yang Jie and Chen Yinglong quickly stood up when they saw Yang Hua.

"Sit, sit, everyone sit down! The secretary gave a strict order yesterday to quickly rectify all aspects of the county bureau. This is no easy task!" Although Yang Hua said this, a smile could not be