Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 177
By 11 am, the water had completely drained, and they saw what the pond really was, fully revealed under the daylight. There were thick linings of rubber stretching across the entire pond bottom. It was called an HDPE pond liner. The purpose of this was to prevent water seepage, control disease, provide a cleaner pond bottom, and prevent shrimp from burrowing into the ground. These linings ensured higher survival and harvest rates.
"So they use this thing so that the water won't mix with the ground... This is probably expensive." Karlos muttered in realization as he stepped into the pond, observing the strange material beneath his feet. His boots pressed against the rubbery surface. All the workers had waterproof boots to prevent slipping.
There were thousands of shrimps flopping, their silver bodies flashing under the sun, and the workers harvested them. Watching thousands of shrimp jumping made them happy, as it meant a bigger harvest and more profit.
After hours of working with aching arms and drenched in sweat, the complete harvest was tallied. Everyone was exhausted but excited.
Mr. Geronimo calculated the amount using his calculator. He was satisfied as he saw the two trucks filled with boxes of shrimp, stacked high and tightly secured. They had harvested 3,769 kilograms from Pond No. 1.
3.7 tons, it was far better than they had expected. Even Zaldy couldn't stop smiling after hearing the total.
"That should be 1,846,810 pesos," Mr. Geronimo stated as he looked at the calculator.
Zaldy and Karlos also did their calculations, double-checking the figures, and they arrived at the same answer.
1.8 million pesos! The figure echoed loudly in their minds.
And that was just a single pond! What about Pond No. 2, which would be harvested next month? Would they also earn 1.8 million pesos? The thought alone made their hearts beat faster. Everyone involved in the business was thrilled.
Alfred was present but stayed quiet, observing from the side and occasionally glancing at Karlos. His job today was to introduce Karlos to the buyer so that next month, he wouldn't have to show up. His role was already completed.
"Here's the cheque. You can contact me or the management of Mr. Chubby in the Timog-Kanluran branch if problems arise," Mr. Geronimo said, handing over the cheque.
"Thank you, Mr. Geronimo. Also, here's a little souvenir." Zaldy excitedly gave him and his truck drivers a couple of kilograms of shrimp. They reserved some shrimp for the workers too, making sure no one was left out.
Karlos accepted the cheque and confirmed that it was authentic. Mr. Geronimo left the farm after that with the two trucks.
Karlos went to the office and asked about the monthly expenses of the farm. He wanted a clear picture before making decisions regarding the business.
Alfred answered his questions. The expenses were 125,000 pesos per month, which included the salaries of Zaldy and three permanent workers. He knew the finances of the shrimp farm well since he was the one who had managed the business for months.
Roman had promised that he would handle the expenses of the farm for half a year. This meant that the 1.8 million pesos was all for Karlos to take, it was pure profit.
"Zaldy, you're the caretaker and manager of this farm. I think you deserve 5% of the profit," Karlos said sincerely.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you so much!" Zaldy was so happy that he felt emotional, his voice trembling. His monthly salary was 15,000 pesos, and that was already a significant amount.
He was an expert in shrimp farming, and his old salary from the previous farm where he worked as a supervisor was only 8,000 pesos. He was already happy earning 15,000 monthly, and now Karlos was giving him a profit share too! Naturally, he was overjoyed.
Karlos believed that the manager of the shrimp farm, the one responsible for the entire operation, deserved a share of the success. With that, Zaldy would receive about 90,000 pesos, an amount he never imagined holding at once. Karlos promised that he would give him the money tomorrow, as the cheque needed to be deposited and processed at the bank first.
"Yes, sir. Thank you so much!"
Zaldy was still in shock and even cried in front of Karlos. He promised to manage the farm to the best of his ability and bowed with respect. He didn't want to waste the opportunity that had been given to him. He was determined to prove his worth and keep the farm successful.
Then, Karlos and Brandon divided the remainder and discussed things briefly. Brandon would also receive around 90,000 pesos. Honestly, he didn't know how to explain to his parents that he was financially free from now on. They no longer had to worry about money or daily expenses.
As for the other workers, Alfred paid their salaries, distributing envelopes one by one.
The remaining balance was 1.6 million pesos, which was Karlos's share. Maya would probably squeal in surprise when she found out her husband had just earned that amount in a single day.
Each person received a couple of kilograms of shrimp as they left the farm with a smile. Everyone was satisfied with the outcome.
When Karlos returned to the house, Maya was indeed surprised. Her eyes widened instantly as she read the cheque.
"A shrimp farm can really earn this much!?" Her voice rose in disbelief.
"It's probably because the farm is above standard. I don't even know where they bought those rubber linings, those things are probably imported. They're expensive and hard to find," Karlos replied thoughtfully.
Most shrimp farms Karlos knew were not protected by rubber liners. Those linings helped a great deal in cultivating the shrimp.
"Tomorrow, Brandon and I will return to the farm to give Zaldy's share. We will also go to the shipyard and check out some bangka," he laid out the plan calmly.
Maya nodded, still processing the fact that they had earned over 1.6 million today.
"First, it was the Bluefin tuna, then the ginseng, and now the shrimp farm... Babe, I love you. You're so handsome right now," Maya muttered. Her husband was already attractive, but now he seemed even more so, especially with money constantly entering their household.
"Eh? So you only love me because of my capabilities?" Karlos teased.
"Of course, I love you for who you are." She rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips, before lightly poking his chest.
[Author's Note]
Since I already posted for 4 days straight, I guess I don't feel ashamed anymore.
First, I apologize for not being active last month. A missile hit the job site where my father works. He is safe and so are most people there. Thankfully, the situation there became better and my father's job started again. My family and I are worried about him. My mental state lately is not that great and my father's situation also affected how I see my day-to-day life. In all honesty, I couldn't find the motivation to keep writing last month.
But this week, I decided to force myself to be productive and so far I'm steadying my progress. I'm sorry for being absent, I'll try to keep writing until we reach the end of this novel.
And also, thank you for reading this novel. I appreciate it a lot.