I am a local in North America

Chapter 75: The Champion and the Prize Money! (4200 words, please subscribe!)
As evening approached, the sunset was particularly enchanting, turning the surface of the St. John's River into a dazzling wine-red.

The weighing process remains the same.

The fish that Su Jierui brought back today were all of average size, as if the astonishing good luck of the past two days had finally come to an end.

The other competitors are finally feeling comfortable, but unfortunately, Su Jerry's weight advantage accumulated in the previous two days is too great, like an insurmountable chasm, and they can hardly catch up.

These anglers are unaware that he spent the day almost like a tourist. After arriving at the dock early at noon, Su Jerry reported to the tournament director and then made a special trip to the local veterinary clinic.

The little male golden shaded cat that was rescued by accident has been temporarily fostered at the clinic for recuperation and treatment, and I haven't been able to focus on fishing at all.

After Su Jierui was weighed, the referee excitedly shouted again:

"Contestant number 58, Jerry Sue, today's weight is 39.91 pounds, total weight... 148.61 pounds!"

"Thank God! This is an absolutely insane number!"

"With such a huge lead, I think there's no suspense in tomorrow's final, right? After all, second-place Rory Daniels has only accumulated 90.23 pounds so far, so the championship is basically decided..."

"..."

Despite the truth of the matter, hearing the referee's words left the other anglers, who had been busy all day, feeling a mix of emotions, quite uneasy.

I was having a good fishing day and was quite happy, but then the referee yelled, and it suddenly felt like I was in a battle to see who came in second place.

The referee then added with a smile:
"Of course, the competition will continue. There are prizes for second and third place, and what if someone gets lucky and catches a giant bass weighing over 16.77 pounds, winning the grand prize for the largest single fish? The competition isn't completely over yet, and anyone can predict what might happen..."

After the weigh-in was over, Race Director Mike Kelman took advantage of the crowd dispersing and suddenly waved to Su Jerry, signaling him to follow.

The two walked a few steps away from the crowd, one after the other, and came to a relatively quiet corner.

Su Jierui was a little confused, thinking that the prize money for breaking the record for the largest single-tailed fish had already been agreed upon.

Tournament Director Mike Kelman, with a smile on his face, said:
"Everyone's saying you're going to become a 'legend in the fishing world'? I have to say, a young man like you is really energetic. Twenty-something, what a wonderful age, it's like everything is a brand new beginning."

"I feel you have a great talent for fishing, and I hope you can participate in our competitions more often in the future. In fact, sponsors have already started to take notice of you."

"This afternoon I accompanied them... to a social event. A fishing rod manufacturer said they wanted to sponsor you with a set of fishing rods. But you'll have to help them demonstrate for a while at tomorrow's competition. They can give you some extra compensation, not a lot, around $1. You can negotiate the details yourself..."

It's euphemistically called "socializing," but in reality it's nothing more than playing cards, drinking, and smoking cigars.

Upon learning that a sponsor was prepared to donate money, Su Jierui was overjoyed, not minding the small amount at all, and enthusiastically said:
"Thank you, Mr. Kelman, that's wonderful! What should I do? Mention the brand of the fishing rod and then praise how well it works?"

"Pretty much, just be natural, after all, you're using their product."

Tournament director Mike Kelman didn't take it to heart; it was just a favor to his partner. Then, remembering something, he added:

"By the way, I've also secured the prize for breaking the record for the largest single-tailed fish in history for you. The original prize for the largest single-tailed fish was $2000, but I'll give you an extra $6000 for breaking the record. This is the limit of what I can get. The new management is very tight on the budget."

He omitted the details of how he argued his case, only mentioning it lightly.

"...This has far exceeded my expectations. Thank you again."

Su Jerry was indeed quite satisfied. In fact, it didn't take much effort to specifically find the big fish suffering from "nutritional fatty liver," and he was able to get a total reward of $8000, which was quite good.

If I hadn't specifically asked about the record-breaking bonus yesterday, that extra $6000 might have been completely wasted.

After a few more polite words, the conversation ended, and the tournament director went on to attend to other tasks, starting by arranging for a crane to retrieve the extra bass fishing boats.

Su Jierui wasn't idle either.

Rory Daniels, a bespectacled biology professor at the University of Florida with a receding hairline, who is currently ranked second, took the initiative to get close to Su Jerry, trying to learn some tips and tricks for finding big fish.

The old professor wasn't short of money; he simply loved fishing. Faced with the huge gap in performance between himself and Su Jerry, he had almost given up on catching up and only hoped to maintain his advantage tomorrow and win the second-place prize of $4.5.

“Jerry, I must say, your performance has amazed even an old guy like me who has been studying aquatic life for decades.”

At that moment, Professor Rory adjusted his glasses and spoke sincerely:
"The population structure of the large perch in the St. John's River seems to be... more conservative than what you found. Could you share your observations? For example, preferences regarding water depth, temperature, or structure?"

Su Jierui had a good impression of this refined scholar.

After thinking for a moment, he shared some real experiences that did not involve the core secrets, avoiding the most pressing issues:

“Professor, I feel that the big fish that can truly grow into giants are often not in the place with the most abundant food, but in the place where they feel the safest.”

"For example, in areas where the water depth changes significantly and there are shelters that do not completely block their vision, they can both ambush their prey and retreat to deeper water at any time."

"As for the specifics... many times it really is just intuition, perhaps like the inspiration you have when doing research, it feels like luck plays a large part..."

Su Jierui smiled and shrugged.

These words made Professor Rory thoughtful:
"Security...the balance between ambush and retreat...a very interesting perspective. It seems you also have a good understanding of fish behavior."

Professor Rory was even more impressed when he discovered that Su Jerry not only had excellent skills but also a deep understanding of the habits of largemouth bass.

Su Jierui secretly rejoiced that he had done some research beforehand.

Otherwise, if someone asks you about it and you don't know the answer, you'll definitely lose face.

……

Day four, the final day.

The atmosphere became somewhat delicate on the last day of the competition.

Last night, as expected, a sponsor called Su Jierui's room phone and asked him to come downstairs to chat in a coffee shop for more than half an hour.

The other party not only gave away a set of high-end carbon fiber fishing rods and matching reels worth over $3000 for free, but also provided a sponsorship fee of $1 and issued a bank draft on the spot, which made them seem very professional.

After the competition started, Su Jerry once again took the cameraman from yesterday and set off. They found a suitable fishing spot and quickly used the new fishing tackle to successfully catch a 17-year-old female bass, which barely reached the 11-pound mark.

Afterwards, he specifically raised his fishing rod towards the camera, clearly displaying the brand logo, and simply said, following the script provided by the sponsor: "The feel is great, the control of the fish is very precise, especially when dealing with big ones, it gives me a lot of confidence..."

His expression was natural, and his tone carried a hint of sincerity.

The sponsors have provided real money, so Su Jierui naturally needs to help promote it as much as possible. This is helping others, and it's also helping himself.

If other sponsors find him reliable and believe he can provide a steady stream of funding in the future, perhaps one day he could be like some professional athletes, launching limited-edition top-of-the-line fishing rods with his signature, or even becoming a brand ambassador for them.

For anglers, this means not only income, but also a sense of honor.

Advertising task completed, $1 easily earned.

He even had the leisure to take more photos of the St. John's River in the morning light and water birds with his action camera, thinking of editing them into a video later.

Today, Su Jierui was more carefree while fishing. He didn't use his own abilities to find fish anymore and started to enjoy the fun of fishing like a normal person, enjoying the unknown and anticipation that "a fish might bite the hook in the next second".

Perhaps mindset affects luck.

Instead, he encountered an exceptionally ferocious largemouth bass at the entrance of an inconspicuous tributary. After a fierce struggle, the robust bass, weighing 11.11 pounds, successfully entered the hold.

Fish is great, but for Jerry Su, who is still single, the number is a bit unlucky.

He stared at the numbers on the electronic scale, couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. The Chinese online novels he had read during his undergraduate and graduate studies came to mind. Some cultural elements had inevitably influenced him subtly, such as "Singles' Day," the meaning of which he was all too familiar with.

While crossing a dark body of water shrouded in the shadows of tall cypress trees, they encountered a herd of migrating Florida manatees.

These gentle giants swam slowly past the ship, one of them particularly curious, even tentatively touching the hull with its nose.

Worried that the propellers might damage them, Su Jierui turned off the engine and, together with the cameraman, held their breath and captured this dreamlike scene with their camera.

By evening, when they returned to the dock to weigh themselves, the result was no longer in doubt.

When it was Su Jerry's turn to weigh in, the referee's voice was so loud it almost cracked:
"Contestant Jerry Sue, Day 4 results... 38.45 pounds! Total weight gained over four days: 187.06 pounds!"

"This is absolutely insane! Nobody has ever caught so many giant bass in four consecutive days of competition!"

"Congratulations!! The champion of this year's Florida round is... Jerry Sue!!!"

On the giant electronic screen, Su Jerry's name was at the top of the list, his weight of 187.06 pounds standing like a monument.

The runner-up, Professor Rory, weighed 121.88 pounds, while the third-place finisher weighed 115.45 pounds—a difference so large that everyone was convinced of its superiority.

Amidst enthusiastic applause and a shower of confetti, Su Jerry strode onto the podium and accepted the enormous checkboard symbolizing the champion – $200000!

In addition, there is another cheque for the "Biggest Single-Digit Prize" and a record-breaking prize of $8000.

He stood on the podium, holding the heavy trophy high in one hand and a check in the other, a bright smile on his face.

At this moment, his feelings are probably worth $208000.

In the audience, rancher José Quentin was whistling and cheering for him, while runner-up Professor Rory was also clapping enthusiastically.

Even contestant number 57, Raoul Jefferson, who had previously shown some hostility towards him, stood at the back of the crowd, clapped his hands a few times with a blank expression, his expression somewhat complicated.

The awards banquet that night turned into a carnival.

Su Jierui was undoubtedly the star of the show, holding a wine glass and dealing with a constant stream of congratulations.

A representative from that fishing rod brand also approached him. They were very satisfied with the results of his advertising and expressed preliminary intentions for long-term cooperation.

After the banquet, Su Jierui did not participate in the subsequent bar party. Instead, he walked alone along the dimly lit street, letting the breeze cool his excited mind.

I walked to the pet clinic to visit the little golden shaded dog I had rescued.

The little guy seems to be recovering well; in the afternoon, a blonde white nurse even gave the kitten a bath.

At this moment, the little golden shaded dog has a round head and fluffy fur, a particularly large face, and very thick legs. It shows no signs of its disheveled appearance yesterday.

I learned from the nurse that I could pick up the kitten tomorrow, which also marked the end of this bass fishing competition trip.

He recalled a message from real estate agent Ariel Connor yesterday evening, saying that the loan application had been approved and the funds would soon be released to the seller to complete the transfer of ownership and officially finalize the transaction.

To be honest, Su Jierui hadn't planned to get a cat beforehand, but when he thought about the look in his mother cat's eyes before she died yesterday, that look full of entrustment, he felt it was necessary to take good care of the little guy.

The situation at the pet hospital was special; the nurse on the night shift hadn't gone home yet. Standing beside Su Jierui, watching the kitten toddling on the cushion, she smiled and said:
"Isn't it adorable? I've never seen such a chubby British Shorthair. It's very well taken care of."

Su Jierui reached out and patted the kitten's head.

It wasn't afraid of people much. After being stroked a couple of times, it lay down and showed its plump, round belly, seemingly enjoying being petted.

The fair-skinned, blonde nurse then asked:

"Have you named it yet? Mr. Su, your name is Jerry, so why not call it 'Tom'? It's hilarious, just like that famous animated duo."

"...I haven't decided yet, I need to think about it. But I'll come to pick it up tomorrow, and maybe I'll need to buy a carrier to take it on the plane."

"Going back tomorrow? Then you need to contact the airline in advance to confirm the pet transport arrangements. I remember the cost of a pet seat in Delta's cabin is around $200. You'll also need to buy some calming spray to relieve your cat's anxiety. Our clinic sells it, and I can help you get a health certificate."

After the nurse finished her introduction, she enthusiastically promoted the store's products.

Having just received a large bonus, Su Jierui bought a pet carrier, cat soothing spray, and other items, and paid off the boarding fees ahead of schedule.

Then he went to the street to pick out gifts for his family, buying several crocodile skin bags, crocodile skin belts, and wallets for his father and grandfather, etc.

Florida has a large alligator population, and a certain number are hunted every year. Alligator skin products are considered one of the local specialty handicrafts.

Carrying large and small bags, Su Jierui found a restaurant that looked decent and enjoyed a grilled beef rib seasoned with bourbon whiskey and citrus sauce for dinner by himself. He didn't return to the hotel until he was full and started carefully packing his suitcase...

(End of this chapter)