"If you have the time on your end, let's meet tomorrow afternoon! I'll send the detailed address to your WeChat!"
"Ok! It's a deal then!" Zhang Yang agreed decisively in one breath.
Fishing, although the technique directly affects the catch, there is another equally important factor, which is resources.
The private reservoir that Cheng Ge mentioned on the phone is the best kind of resource.
Zhang Yang was worried about not having a good place to shoot footage, so this call was a real godsend.
After hanging up the phone, Zhang Yang stood up from his seat and started to busy himself.
There wasn't much information on the call, but it was enough for Zhang Yang to make an initial judgment that specific preparations were necessary before going.
Mountain reservoirs are relatively rare in the North; these types of reservoirs are usually more common in the South.
From what Cheng Ge said, the fish density in the reservoir should not be low, but for some reason, it's not easy to catch them.
Zhang Yang's initial judgment is that the terrain of mountain reservoirs is relatively steep, with deep water levels, making it hard to find suitable fishing spots.
So he did not hesitate to pack the nine-meter and ten-meter long rods and bobbers into the rod bag together,
and then loaded several crates of bait along with the company's preliminary product, old altar corn, which had yet to be officially launched for production and sales.
After a busy session, Zhang Yang's van was soon packed full. He then checked the itinerary with Xiao Yi, ready to set off early the next morning.
Early the next morning, at dawn, Zhang Yang met up with Xiao Yi and drove directly onto National Highway 509, mixing national roads with some highways, heading straight to Lai City.
For the less than three hundred kilometers distance, Zhang Yang and Xiao Yi took turns driving, spending five and a half hours, successfully exiting at the national highway entrance in Lai City by 1:15 in the afternoon.
Having contacted Cheng Ge earlier on the phone, they saw Xiao Hui already waiting from afar in a GL8 on the roadside, with hazard lights flashing.
"Yang Ge, over here!" Xiao Hui got out of the car and waved to greet them.
Zhang Yang parked the car on the roadside and got out directly, "Hello Hui Shao, where's Cheng Ge?"
"Cheng Ge asked me to pick you up. He's already at the hotel, prepared some lunch. Let's go over!"
"Aren't we going straight to the mountain?"
Hearing this, Zhang Yang was slightly puzzled; there wasn't any mention of eating in the previous call.
With such a great fishing spot like a private reservoir, who would want to think about eating? According to Zhang Yang's thinking, they'd just grab a quick bite!
"After coming all this way, we definitely have to have a meal before heading up! Don't worry, Cheng Ge has arranged everything; we'll eat well and head up the mountain smoothly!" Xiao Hui said.
"Alright then! Lead the way!"
After a brief conversation, Xiao Hui got back in the car and led Zhang Yang and the others to a private restaurant near the city center.
Not until he entered the private room did Zhang Yang see Ye Wencheng, who was smiling warmly, waiting for them.
"Cheng Ge!" Zhang Yang greeted politely as he entered.
"Did you get hungry after driving so far?"
"Not bad, ate a bit at the service area along the way! Didn't we agree on going straight up the mountain?"
"No rush at this moment! Sit down, we're all like family, no outsiders here!" Ye Wencheng invited warmly.
It was the third time they met, so Zhang Yang wasn't overly polite, joining naturally, chatting and eating at the same time.
All were fishing enthusiasts, maybe usually in different strata, but when together, topics unfolded easily among the four at the table as they ate and chatted. Without drinking, they soon finished the meal.
Once they were fed and refreshed, Cheng Ge led Zhang Yang and the others continuing towards Erxia Mountain southeast of Lai City.
Although called Erxia Mountain, it barely resembles towering mountains, roughly a large mound with an altitude of just over two hundred meters.
Three cars, four people, drove along a cement-paved mountain road, taking about forty minutes from the base to reach the summit at the black pig breeding base Cheng Ge mentioned on the phone.
Driving through, besides the cement road, there's no signage or indications, but everything changed upon reaching the summit.
On what seemed an undeveloped little hilltop lay a sprawling area of structures resembling vacation resorts, with a parking square about two to three acres, all paved with flower bricks.
Moving further, a big sign saying "Lai City Black Pig" appeared in front of Zhang Yang.
"Don't get out of the car, keep driving forward!" Cheng Ge stuck his neck out from the driver's seat to call Zhang Yang and casually honked the horn.
There was a guard at the gate, and shortly, an old man came out to open the gate. The three cars did not stop at the small square but continued driving forward.
Entering the gate, signs of human landscaping were apparent inside, with plenty of greenery planted on both sides. Cheng Ge's vehicle drove directly to a parking spot in front of a flat house before disembarking.
Upon hearing the commotion from the visitors, a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties quickly emerged from the house. He wore a camouflage suit, with a resolute face and a straight posture.
"Haha, old squad leader, I brought friends to visit! Is everything at home good? This is my friend, Zhang Yang! Xiao Zhang, this is my old squad leader, Yan Jun!"
Cheng Ge warmly hugged the middle-aged man while introducing him to Zhang Yang, who was meeting him for the first time.
"Hello Yan Ge!" Zhang Yang greeted respectfully.
"Come, come inside! Did you have lunch? Should I call the kitchen and whip up a meal?"