The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 370: Chapter 370: Interesting Characteristic

Han Xiaorui was also quite surprised to see it. She hadn’t expected her sister to be able to catch a manta ray.

”This is called a manta ray. It’s the common name for several types of marine fish in the eagle ray family. There are currently thirteen known species. Manta rays are most closely related to sharks.”

”Sharks?” Han Xiaoqing blinked, finding it hard to believe. ”Other than living in the sea, I don’t see any resemblance. Can you eat it?”

Han Xiaorui smiled and answered, ”Manta ray meat is plentiful and boneless, so it has some food value, but it doesn’t taste very good. They’re also quite rare and reproduce very slowly.”

Han Xiaoqing thought for a moment, then said decisively, ”Sis, if it doesn’t taste good and it’s rare, then we should let it go.”

Han Xiaorui nodded. ”Alright. You caught plenty of other fish for lunch today anyway. There’s no need to eat one that’s so rare.”

”Sis, this fish looks so strange. What else is different about them compared to other fish?” Han Xiaoqing was curious. Feeling a little tired, she didn’t want to fish anymore. She took a sip of water and started asking her sister questions about marine life.

Han Xiaoqing had read a few books on the subject, but she was still far from an expert who could list facts about these fish off the top of her head.

Just then, Chen Yishui came over. Hearing Han Xiaoqing’s question, she answered, ”Speaking of what makes them different, there’s one really interesting thing. The way manta rays reproduce is very special. Their breeding season is from December to April.”

”They start to gather in shallow waters. Usually, several smaller males will follow a slightly larger female, swimming a bit faster than normal. After a chase of twenty to thirty minutes, the female will gradually slow down, and a male will swim underneath her to mate.”

”Then, a second suitor might repeat the process. The female only accepts one or two ’chosen partners’ at most. One to two fertilized eggs then develop inside the female’s body and hatch into pups.”

”About thirteen months later, the female often gives birth while ’flying’ through the air—that is, she leaps out of the water to deliver her young. It’s one pup per birth. The little manta ray is born live and can swim freely on its own very soon after, ready to take on the world.”

Hearing the explanation from the experienced Chen Yishui, Han Xiaoqing was amazed. ”That’s a really unique way to give birth. But why do they jump out of the water to do it?”

Chen Yishui scratched her head. ”Our ancestors said it was to avoid predators when they’re weak from giving birth. There seems to be another theory now, related to pressure. The pressure underwater is high, while the pressure in the air is low. By leaping from the water into the air, the decrease in pressure makes it easier for the pup to be born.”

”We don’t know the exact reason, but either way, they only have one pup at a time, and the mother is very protective from the start. They’re considered one of the more nurturing fish in the sea. They’re very gentle, and their gatherings during mating season are a spectacular sight.”

Han Xiaoqing smiled. ”I learned something new today. It feels like these fish are similar to humans. Maybe because they have so few offspring, they’re especially protective of them. If they weren’t, they’d probably have gone extinct long ago.”

”It’s not like some fish and shrimp that have hundreds of thousands or even millions of young at once. Those don’t need much attention; they just survive on their own and multiply. Nature’s work is truly miraculous and full of wonders.”

After taking a picture, Han Xiaoqing released the manta ray.

For lunch, they ate the fish Han Xiaoqing had caught, and they were delicious.

The adults and children all had a wonderful time.

They didn’t return until sunset.

Captain Wang and his two assistants, along with Wu Mengyue, Chen Yishui, and the others, all helped clean the yacht.

Captain Wang left only after the yacht was spotless.

Whenever Han Xiaorui wanted to take the yacht out, she could just call Captain Wang in advance, and they would come right over.

The yacht wasn’t something she would take out every day.

After returning, Han Xiaorui started thinking about how to get the most use out of her yacht.

Han Xiaorui had other projects to attend to while the yacht was idle during the fishing off-season.

Construction on the Jinshan Bay Primary and Middle School had begun last fall, and the main structures were already complete. The whole project would be finished before the summer vacation.

The head contractor was one of Ye Feng’s old army buddies.

He did quality work and always delivered on schedule.

”Brother Xu, thank you and your workers. The school is very well-built. There are still a few projects to follow, and we’ll be sure to give them to you and Third Construction as well.”

Xu Cheng laughed heartily. ”Of course! We earn an honest living. As the great man said, ’No matter the hardship, don’t let the children suffer; no matter the poverty, don’t skimp on education.’ A school has to be built right.”

Han Xiaorui nodded. ”Exactly. Can the interior decorating be finished during the summer vacation? The landscaping isn’t as urgent.”

Xu Cheng replied, ”We’ve already coordinated some of it. In areas that didn’t get in the way of classroom construction, we already planted flowers and trees back on Arbor Day in the spring. It was all done according to Mr. Yao’s plans.”

”Once all the classroom interiors are finished and the desks and chairs are moved in, we’ll do a final overhaul during the summer. It’ll be ready for use when school starts in September.”

Han Xiaorui nodded in praise. ”I just took a tour, and it looks great. Thank you for all your hard work, Brother Xu.”

Xu Cheng smiled. ”Actually, I’m the one who should be thanking you and Ye Feng. If you hadn’t referred me for this project, how could I have brought a crew of guys from my hometown out here to work?”

”You also pay on time. The guys send money back home, and some of them have already started building houses. Life has gotten a lot better for them.”

Han Xiaorui wouldn’t take the credit. ”What’s wrong with being from the countryside? Brother Xu, don’t sell yourself short. Without farmers, how many people in Hua Country would starve? Now that the economy has opened up, it’s perfectly respectable for people to come out and earn a living with their own two hands.”

Xu Cheng was very happy to hear Han Xiaorui’s encouragement. ”That’s what I tell everyone, too. But things here in Shencheng are so much better than back home. Seeing how good the schools are here, I even want to bring my wife and child over so my kid can go to school here. Usually, I’m just running back and forth, organizing the work crews.”

Han Xiaorui thought for a moment. ”That shouldn’t be too hard. If you register as a proper construction contracting company, you can take on projects formally, which will also make it easier to collect payments. Then you’ll be able to take advantage of policies for bringing your family over. If there’s anything you don’t understand, go consult Lawyer Chen. He can get it all sorted out for you. It’ll just cost a bit of money.”

Xu Cheng wasn’t bothered by that. ”Spending money to get things done is perfectly normal. I’m new to this place and don’t know the ropes, whether it’s registering a company, bidding on projects, or anything else. It’s worth paying a reliable person to help me get started.”

Han Xiaorui complimented him, ”No wonder Ye Feng wanted you to come over. It’s clear you’re a dependable person. Once the school is done, there are a lot of other buildings on that street. There’s plenty of work to be had.”

At this, Xu Cheng grew even more cheerful. ”Shencheng feels like one big construction site right now, booming everywhere. As long as you have an in and get on the right path, there’s always work. It’s all thanks to you and Ye Feng’s help. I’m truly grateful to you both.”

These were his heartfelt words. ’He’d once had an assigned job, but he couldn’t stand it anymore after offending his superior, who made his life difficult in countless petty ways. Then Ye Feng had called him over and shown him a better path.’