Chapter 6: Tasting Delicacies

Delicate, fragrant, and delicious

Certainly, the flower and bird market primarily caters to the general public, thus offering a wide range of ornamental fish for sale, from 10 yuan to over 10,000 yuan, encompassing various quality levels

A few days ago, he purchased two live fish at the farmers' market, packed them in a plastic bag, and then tossed them into a bucket filled with spring water. The already struggling goldfish, upon entering the water, seemed as if it had been given a stimulant, thrashing vigorously in the bucket.

In fact, if it were not for Ye Quan's excessive pride over the past two years, refusing to work at a renovation company, he would certainly not have found himself in the unfortunate situation of changing jobs three or four times in a year

The vegetable seeds that were planted first have been growing for more than ten days, which is equivalent to over a month in the outside world. The cabbage and radish have already grown to the height of a calf, showing promising growth. It is also time to stake the cucumber and tomato seedlings.

Ye Quan had previously visited this area several times with classmates and colleagues, and was aware of the distribution of various shops. He immediately headed to a few larger aquariums, hoping to learn more about the market for ornamental fish. After all, the information gathered from the internet is not as vivid and intuitive as seeing and hearing it in person. He is truly a novice in this regard; apart from the different types of ornamental fish, he cannot even distinguish the quality of their appearance.

Koi originated in China, but it was Japan that elevated it to prominence, where it is revered as the "national fish" and referred to by elegant titles such as "living art piece". Ye Quan, lacking both breeding experience and professional equipment, finds that among ornamental fish, koi is a relatively easy species to raise

Just past noon, the flower and bird market became lively, with many people arriving in groups, either by car or on foot. Among them were local residents out for a leisurely stroll as well as tourists visiting the area. Anyone can find something of interest here; even if one does not intend to make a purchase, simply browsing can serve as a means of relaxation and leisure.

The chives and scallions in the garden have grown to nearly half a foot tall, and just the scent alone is rich and fragrant. In contrast, the spices sold in supermarkets and farmers' markets are grown with chemical fertilizers, lacking any discernible aroma, making them incomparable.

Chen Hao's parents run a sizable decoration company, having accumulated assets worth several tens of millions over the course of twenty years. For him, 50,000 yuan is merely a drop in the bucket

If raised from a young age in a pond in the open air, how delicious would the fish be when cooked

This is the result after only five or six days of care

The East Gate Flower and Bird Market integrates a variety of related categories including pets, freshwater and saltwater aquariums and equipment, flowers, bonsai, unique stones and root art, birds, and handicrafts. Every customer who enters the market will deeply experience the leisure time filled with the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers, the lush peaks, the endless joy of fish, and the vibrant world of flowers

After careful consideration, Ye Quan decided to visit a fish breeding base to purchase some fry. He planned to utilize the magical effects of the psychic space to raise them, believing that he would certainly be able to cultivate a number of exquisite specimens.

The entire market is roughly divided into the new area and the old area. The old area mainly consists of small stalls set up outside and over 200 shops along the street, while the new area features a four-story building constructed in 2005, with a total area exceeding 40,000 square meters, housing more than 300 shops, as well as an underground parking lot.

Just over ten minutes after the phone call ended, a text message notified that an additional 50,000 yuan had been deposited into Ye Quan's bank account. With money, matters can be handled more easily

Among ornamental fish, the more expensive varieties include traditional goldfish and koi, as well as newer species such as flowerhorns, Thai tiger fish, guppies, angelfish, and arowanas. Many exquisite ornamental fish can often sell for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan.

Thinking of his empty wallet, Ye Quan picked up his phone and called his close friend Chen Hao, asking to borrow fifty thousand yuan from him

Certainly, a bunch of chives and a few green onions also played a significant role

These days, Ye Quan has been working in the space every day. He is not sure if it is his illusion, but he always feels that after drinking the spring water from the space, his body can relieve fatigue and restore physical strength more quickly

The earthy taste of the fish has disappeared, the fish meat has become more delicate, and even the fish soup has become a bit more delicious

After five or six days, Ye Quan had not fed any feed, yet those two goldfish were still alive and very lively

The lotus seeds that have already been shipped have not yet been delivered, so Ye Quan thought of visiting the nearby East Gate Flower and Bird Market to browse and buy some fish fry to put into the pond

The East Gate Flower and Bird Market began in the late 1980s and has undergone four major renovations. Its area has continuously expanded, and to this day, the operating area has reached over 90,000 square meters. Its scale is not only among the top in Jiangning City but also ranks among the best in the entire Nanling Province

To cultivate in a two-mu pond, it is natural to raise ornamental fish. Firstly, it is sufficient to raise a small number of edible fish just for personal consumption. Secondly, no matter how expensive vegetables are, they cannot compare to the value of ornamental fish. If one wishes to make money quickly, and significantly, utilizing the spatial advantages to raise precious ornamental fish is undoubtedly a good approach

Ye Quan placed the fish into the pot, sprinkled it with chives and scallions produced in the space, and indeed a rich aroma wafted through the air. After just one bite, Ye Quan noticed a difference compared to the Fushou fish he had purchased before

The reason for choosing fry instead of parent fish is that a pair of purebred, high-quality koi parent fish can cost anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of yuan, which is certainly beyond the purchasing power of Yequan at present. Moreover, a single spawn of koi can produce between 200,000 to 300,000 fry, and raising them all would require over a hundred acres of water surface, which is also something Yequan does not possess

Unexpectedly, the ordinary bok choy has been transformed into a delicacy of mountain treasure level. Ye Quan certainly does not believe that his culinary skills have made a remarkable leap; this is undoubtedly the effect of the spiritual energy space

This meal greatly boosted Ye Quan's confidence; possessing this mysterious space, even being a farmer would be a top-tier profession in the world, one that he would not exchange for a billionaire's wealth.

During dinner, Ye Quan picked two handfuls of bok choy. After washing them clean, he heated a pan and added oil. Once the oil started to smoke, he first added two cloves of garlic and some shredded ginger, then stir-fried them over high heat for more than ten seconds before taking them off the stove. He picked up a few pieces with chopsticks to taste, and they were truly delicious

Ye Quan did not purchase ornamental fish in the market. He has worked for more than two years, but due to changing jobs several times, even though he has been frugal, he has only saved a few tens of thousands of yuan. Spending all his savings on seeds and fruit tree saplings, the fifty thousand yuan borrowed from Chen Hao is not enough to buy many high-quality ornamental fish.

The fastest-growing bok choy is ready for market, while the later varieties of cabbage and radishes will take another ten days to fully mature. However, overly large vegetables cannot be consumed in one meal, making them harder to sell. According to Ye Quan's estimation, in no more than four to five days, some can be harvested and sold.

After spending an entire afternoon, patiently conversing with several shop owners on various topics, Ye Quan finally gained confidence and decided to primarily raise traditional koi and goldfish, while also trying out other varieties