Chapter 68

Fang Tianfeng placed the aquarium in a corner of the living room and said to Old Zhou, "This illness will take a few days to cure. Give me your phone number, and you can come by every day to check. It should take no more than five or six days to recover, but it might take longer to fully heal."

Old Zhou looked at the two fish with a pained expression, gritted his teeth, and said, "This aquarium is temporary because the one at home is too large to move. I'll come by tomorrow. If the fish look a bit better, I'll give you my aquarium. If you can save these two fish, giving you the aquarium is no problem."

Fang Tianfeng smiled and said, "Ari just told me that most aquariums for arowanas are custom-made, and a decent one costs two or three hundred thousand. You're really generous."

Old Zhou shook his head and said, "The aquarium at home cost me forty thousand. Without these two arowanas, it just looks out of place. If you can really cure them, it's better to give it to you."

Old Zhou glanced at the villa and frowned, asking, "You don't have an aquarium here? Don't tell me you don't have experience raising arowanas."

Fang Tianfeng had to say, "I can treat illnesses, but I don't know how to raise them."

Old Zhou smiled bitterly and said, "Why do I feel like I'm on a pirate ship? Well, let's treat a dead horse as if it were alive. No one else could cure them anyway. Is there anything special about this villa? I need to prepare and teach you how to raise arowanas."

Fang Tianfeng smiled and said, "I'd be grateful. There's nothing special here; you can do whatever you want."

Then, Old Zhou started working, explaining to Fang Tianfeng how to raise arowanas, including water temperature, water changes, lighting, feeding, and various other precautions.

Fang Tianfeng realized that the fish food Old Zhou prepared was completely different from what he imagined. He thought fish food was just the small red worms sold at the morning market, but he didn't expect Old Zhou's fish food to be centipedes, frogs, shrimp, and small fish, as well as mealworms and superworms, which he had never heard of before. He then understood that arowanas were much more difficult to care for than he thought.

Old Zhou tried to place a small shrimp near the mouth of a golden arowana, gently moving it. Seeing the arowana not moving, he sighed, "These two used to be very lively. If I put a small shrimp in, they would immediately swim over to grab it. I usually put the food in the middle, and if I placed it at the edge, they would bump into the glass."

Old Zhou's eyes grew dimmer.

Just as Old Zhou was about to take back the shrimp, the golden arowana suddenly lunged forward and swallowed it. Old Zhou was stunned for a moment, almost shedding tears of excitement.

"Finally, it's eating." Saying this, Old Zhou slowly fed the two arowanas.

After feeding them, Old Zhou looked at Fang Tianfeng curiously, while Fang Tianfeng had a look that said, "Don't look at me; I don't know what's going on."

"There's hope." Old Zhou's mood improved slightly, but he still didn't believe the two arowanas would survive.

Ari was amazed. He had seen several cases of arowanas in the late stages of ascites, where they couldn't even breathe, let alone eat. The fact that these two golden arowanas were now eating meant their condition was improving.

Ari subconsciously examined the villa, wondering if it was a feng shui treasure that could cure arowanas. His gaze then fell on Fang Tianfeng.

"It seems this guy is capable."

The four people who had moved the aquarium, seeing they had nothing else to do, left.

Taking advantage of Old Zhou's focus on the two arowanas, Ari signaled Fang Tianfeng to go outside and talk.

The two walked to the door, and Fang Tianfeng said, "Speak."

Ari whispered, "Xiao Fang, be careful of Brother Hu. Try not to go to our place in the future. There's a morning market nearby; you can buy fish food there. If you really need something, buy it online or let me help you."

Fang Tianfeng asked in confusion, "I only talked to him a few times. Why would he want to deal with me? Is he that domineering?"

Ari smiled bitterly and said, "What would you do if someone took away seventy or eighty thousand, or even a hundred thousand from you?"

"Chop their hands off!" Fang Tianfeng said bluntly.

Ari said helplessly, "That's what Brother Hu thinks. Old Zhou used to buy his arowanas from Brother Hu. Old Zhou said if these two golden arowanas died, he would never raise arowanas again and give all his arowanas to Brother Hu. I think you might cure these two, so you understand."

Fang Tianfeng smiled and said, "That's the situation. If Old Zhou is willing to give them to me, they're mine. As for Brother Hu or Brother Cat, I can handle them."

Ari said, "Brother Hu has a strong background. It's said he used to be involved in some shady business. A merchant in the aquarium shop offended him, and the next day, his shop was blocked. The merchant had to leave and sell fish at the morning market, but his stall was also destroyed. In the end, he had to pay to beg for mercy to stay at the morning market."

"Such a small thug, I don't take him seriously, but thanks for the warning," Fang Tianfeng said with a smile.

Ari said, "My shop is still open, so I won't stay here. If you come to buy something in the future, don't forget to look for me. I can give you a discount."

"Okay."

After Ari left, Old Zhou continued teaching Fang Tianfeng how to raise arowanas. Finally, he tested him. Since Fang Tianfeng's memory had improved significantly after practicing the Heavenly Luck Technique, he almost never forgot anything he read, so he passed with full marks, much to Old Zhou's relief.

As evening approached, Old Zhou reluctantly left.

Alone, Fang Tianfeng used the Qi Attraction Technique, using half of his remaining essence to treat the two golden arowanas.

Fang Tianfeng's current essence was much more abundant than before, and the arowanas were not large. With so much essence flowing into them, their bodies quickly recovered, and the illness gradually subsided as their bodies grew stronger.

Soon, the two arowanas, which had been floating belly-up and nearly dead, flipped over and began to swim slowly in the aquarium.

If Old Zhou and the others had seen this, they would have been shocked.

Although the two golden arowanas had lost some scales, with the nourishment of the essence, they would fully recover in at most three days.

When Shen Xin returned home and saw that Fang Tianfeng had bought two sick fish, she praised his luck, saying he had obtained tens of thousands of yuan for free.

While they were eating, An Tian Tian came home from work, taking off her shoes and shouting, "Is there any food for me?"

Fang Tianfeng immediately sped up his eating.

"Jerk! Let go of that stir-fried pork! Let go of that roasted goose!" An Tian Tian, without changing her shoes, ran to the kitchen in her stockings, untying her scarf and taking off her flight attendant's jacket, leaving only a white shirt and a dark blue skirt.

After leaving a beautiful silhouette in the living room, An Tian Tian quickly grabbed a bowl of rice and chopsticks and ran over to fight with Fang Tianfeng.

Shen Xin smiled and said, "Tian Tian, eat slowly and drink some water. If there's not enough, I'll make more."

An Tian Tian immediately protested, "When there's good food, you have to eat until you're full! It's a matter of foodie dignity, which cannot be violated!"

After eating until her stomach was full, An Tian Tian reluctantly put down her chopsticks, coldly huffed at Fang Tianfeng, and slowly walked around the living room.

Seeing the two golden arowanas, An Tian Tian asked in surprise, "Sis Xin, these fish are almost half a meter long. How do you eat them? Can they fit in a pot? Can you make sweet and sour fish?"

Fang Tianfeng almost spat out his food, hurriedly swallowing it, and said, "Wasteful woman! Do you know how much these fish cost?"

An Tian Tian asked, "How much per pound?"

Fang Tianfeng was speechless, having never heard of arowanas being sold by weight. After thinking for a moment, he said, "This fish is about four or five pounds. Let's say five pounds, at fifteen thousand per pound."

An Tian Tian was stunned, then lightly stomped her foot and pouted, "Master, why don't you speak honestly! Who would eat a fish that costs fifteen thousand per pound?"

Fang Tianfeng was silent for a moment and said, "No one eats them."

An Tian Tian immediately asked, "Then why did you buy them?"

Fang Tianfeng held his forehead and said helplessly, "They are ornamental fish! High-end ornamental fish! Understand?"

"Stop being so mean!" An Tian Tian made a face at Fang Tianfeng and then carefully examined the arowanas.

"Master, why are the scales falling off these fish?"

"Hmm." Fang Tianfeng continued eating.

"Master, do people really spend tens of thousands on these fish?"

"Hmm."

"Why are these fish so sickly?"

"Hmm."

"How do they taste?"

"How would I know!"

"If they die, can you eat them?"

Fang Tianfeng said, "Be careful not to drool into the aquarium!"

An Tian Tian laughed and ran behind Shen Xin, gently massaging her shoulders and said with a smile, "Sis Xin, you must be tired. I'll do the dishes today."

Shen Xin quietly enjoyed An Tian Tian's massage without saying a word.

Seeing that Shen Xin wasn't speaking, An Tian Tian knew her trick had been seen through and had to ask, "Sis Xin, can these fish be eaten?"

Fang Tianfeng silently continued eating.

Shen Xin smiled and said, "In some places, arowanas were originally meant to be eaten. And I heard that when some arowanas die, the fish sellers also eat them."

"Then, which is better, sweet and sour or braised?" An Tian Tian looked at the two arowanas, her eyes narrowing into crescents.

Fang Tianfeng put down his chopsticks and bowl and said, "An Tian Tian, go do the dishes!"

"Fine! I'll do them! By the way, don't forget to make the water divine!"

An Tian Tian's words reminded Fang Tianfeng that the arowanas needed a water change and that the water needed to be conditioned.

A moment later, An Tian Tian asked from the kitchen, "Sis Xin, why is there a big basin of water in the kitchen? Can I use it?"

Shen Xin quickly said, "Don't touch it. That's the water Xiao Feng is using for the fish. He's already added sea salt, and it needs to sit for a few days to remove harmful substances before it can be used."

"Oh, I won't touch it."

Fang Tianfeng walked to the kitchen and moved the water basin to his bedroom.

Before going to bed, Fang Tianfeng instructed An Tian Tian not to touch anything around the aquarium and not to turn off the lights, as arowanas fear the dark.

An Tian Tian nodded repeatedly. Although she always thought about eating, she knew not to touch such valuable fish. She even volunteered to send a WeChat message to Lu Yingna, telling her that two fish had come home that were more delicate than humans and couldn't be eaten.

When the morning alarm rang, Fang Tianfeng got up on time. On his bedside table were two large cups, each about a foot tall, which An Tian Tian had specially bought.

Fang Tianfeng drank a cup of water and then carried the water basin to the aquarium.

The two golden arowanas immediately swam over, staring at Fang Tianfeng with big eyes, curious and unafraid.

Fang Tianfeng first drained some of the water from the aquarium and then slowly poured the new water along the edge of the aquarium.

Old Zhou had said the water should be conditioned for two days, but Fang Tianfeng believed that water infused with essence was better than anything else.

The two arowanas initially stayed still, then quickly swam over, their mouths opening and closing rapidly, drinking the water like travelers in the desert who hadn't had water for three days.

---

The morning alarm rang, and Fang Tianfeng got up on time. On his bedside table were two large cups, each about a foot tall, which An Tian Tian had specially bought.

Fang Tianfeng drank a cup of water and then carried the water basin to the aquarium.

The two golden arowanas immediately swam over, staring at Fang Tianfeng with big eyes, curious and unafraid.

Fang Tianfeng first drained some of the water from the aquarium and then slowly poured the new water along the edge of the aquarium.

Old Zhou had said the water should be conditioned for two days, but Fang Tianfeng believed that water infused with essence was better than anything else.

The two arowanas initially stayed still, then quickly swam over, their mouths opening and closing rapidly, drinking the water like travelers in the desert who hadn't had water for three days.