Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 82
Karlos put the restaurant food they ordered into the cart, and he also placed the brand-new phone inside. Since it was an expensive purchase, he handled it with extra care. The phone remained in its box, still sealed after he tried and inspected it.
The couple wasn't done shopping yet. They found a toy store, one that obviously sold toys, duh. They quickly realized that the toys in the mall were much more expensive than the ones in their wet market, though the quality here was noticeably better, with sturdier plastic and brighter colors. They only had a few children in mind to give toys to for the Children's Blessed Day, such as Andres, Jerry, and Joseph's kids.
Of course, Karlos and Maya didn't forget to buy toys for their own children. The twins were only eleven months old, and toys with small components were too dangerous for them, especially if swallowed. Arabella, in particular, had the habit of putting anything and everything into her mouth. They bought building blocks and music toys for the twins, choosing the safest options.
Karlos carefully checked the materials and confirmed the toys were non-toxic. He knew his kids, both loved biting stuff. The toys were big enough that Arabella and Iñigo couldn't eat them. Arabella especially was the type of person who ate things. Maya always had to keep a close eye on her, especially during moments when Arabella became too curious.
After buying toys, the couple went to the department section of the mall and bought clothes for their growing children. The twins were growing quite fast, and they needed new clothes every month or two, which constantly made Maya worry about expenses.
Maya was often amazed at how much babies could change within just a few months. Back when the twins were only two months old, she could carry both of them with ease at the same time. But now that Arabella and Iñigo were close to a year old, they were heavier, more active, and much harder to carry.
After buying clothes, they went to the grocery section to get milk formula and diapers. They also bought Cerelak and other baby products.
While at the grocery, Karlos noticed they were also selling fish. Curious about the prices, he decided to check.
The first thing he saw was salmon packed neatly in boxes, each weighed and tagged with a price. Ice surrounded the packs, making them look premium.
"Sashimi grade salmon..."
He picked one up and his eyes trembled when he saw the price.
"2500 pesos!"
Shock was an understatement. He was full-blown surprised, almost dropping the pack in disbelief.
Just yesterday, he sold salmon he caught for 460 pesos per kilogram. Yet this single one-kilogram slice cost more than five times that amount.
"This is not even a whole salmon, this is just a slice of 1 kilogram. Albeit precut and with no bones.."
Now that he thought about it, the salmon was processed and deboned, making it easier to consume and faster to cook. Still, 2500 pesos felt excessive. Karlos wondered how much profit the factory earned.
Then he noticed the sticker on the box and realized the factory that processed the salmon was the same one in their own town.
Una Factory.
Their town was named Una Town, though people usually just called it "town."
"Does that mean that the salmon I caught might be in this aisle of salmon?"
Perhaps.
'Damn, I sold the fish for 460 pesos yet the factory sold it for 2500 pesos. They are making a lot of money. No wonder they are expanding the factory. Even though their factory is only active for two months, the profit they earned is probably millions at least.'
He also realized that Evitac City was the nearest city to their town, and yet the price had already increased more than five times. If this sashimi-grade salmon reached farther inland cities, the price would likely increase even more, and people would still buy it because of how premium it looked.
In the end, even though Karlos knew the truth, there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't have any contact that could buy fish from him at such premium rates.
Considering he was earning about 150,000 pesos daily, he wasn't really losing out. He simply needed to continue working hard and remain grateful that his livelihood was stable and improving.
No reason to be bitter about it… unless he intended to build a salmon factory himself. But he knew that was impossible, his savings weren't enough to build one, and the logistics alone would be a nightmare.
"Babe, what are you doing here? I've been looking for you. I'm done buying what we need, we can leave now." Maya clicked her tongue when she found her husband staring intensely at the fish. He worked at sea and saw fish every day, yet even in the city he was still drawn to them, which amused and slightly annoyed her.
"My bad, I'll push the cart."
He apologized and kissed Maya's forehead, hoping to appease her before she could scold him further.
After finishing everything in the mall, the couple went to the parking lot and found Foster waiting for them. He was driving a pickup truck with an open rear, so there was no trunk. They had to load everything onto the back of the vehicle.
Foster started the car and drove them back to Una Town. The trip was long, and the couple fell asleep along the way, exhausted from the day's activities.
When they reached the villa, it was already 6 p.m., and the sky had turned dark.
The maids opened the gate and the truck entered. The couple handed the restaurant food to the maids.
Inside, Maya's heart broke when she saw the twins looking sad. Their eyes were swollen, clearly, they had cried.
"They cry whenever they try looking for you guys," Mrs. Wanda explained. The twins would play for a while, but then they would call for their parents, and when no one answered, they would cry again.
"Aww, my cute babies. Mama's here. I brought food and toys for you."
"Mama!"
The twins hugged Maya tightly, their small arms wrapped around her legs as if afraid she would disappear again. Arabella even burst into tears. Maya soothed them, rubbing their backs, promising she wouldn't leave again and their hiccups faded.
After that emotional moment, the twins quickly forgot their sadness now that their parents were back. Their attention shifted to the bags their parents brought home, excited to find the toys waiting for them.
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