Chapter 37: Preparation To Go To Sea
Granny Yun shook her head, “If you ask me, that educated youth Lin is only good-looking. He’s completely irresponsible and can’t be kept here.”
“Exactly. There are good educated youths too. That Wang educated youth got accepted into the college entrance examination. He brought Ah Hua and their child to the city to enjoy life.”
However, such a phenomenon is too rare.
Yun Jiao listened attentively while eating peanuts.
She knew the educated youth the two old ladies were talking about.
He was from the neighboring village, just behind their village. That village had more land, so more people farmed there. They were even in the same brigade before. But after policy reforms, the brigade was naturally dissolved, and they were divided into different villages.
That educated youth Lin had two children, not much younger than her. But every time she saw those two children, they were dirty. She even occasionally saw that educated youth Lin bringing the children out, leaving them to the side while he read a book and completely ignored them.
Of course, these were other people’s affairs.
After the two old ladies finished chatting, Granny Yun saw that it was getting late and took ten eggs home with Yun Jiao.
It was already dark, but the moon was big and round, illuminating all the clouds in the sky clearly.
The path on the ground was naturally visible as well.
In the night, accompanied by the chirping of insects, the calls of cicadas, barking dogs, and the croaking of frogs, the entire night was very lively.
Granny Yun held Yun Jiao’s hand and admonished, “See those puddles reflecting in the moonlight? Don’t step into them when walking at night.”
Yun Jiao nodded obediently, “Okay.”
“Grandma, Jiao Jiao…”
From ahead came the voices of Yun Xiaowu and the others, along with a beam of light, the light of a flashlight.
Yun Jiao said, “We’re here.”
Yun Xiaowu and the others ran over, their faces wearing big, cheerful smiles.
“We’re here to pick you up.”
Along the way, everyone chattered and then started roughhousing.
Under the moonlight, the family’s shadows were stretched long.
“Jiao Jiao, let me show you something good.”
After saying this, Yun Xiaowu suddenly ran to the grass by the side of the small road and rummaged around.
A swarm of fireflies, which only lit up at night, flew out from the grass.
The tiny insects emitted a warm yellow light from their rear end at night.
Although not big, when they flew out, scattering or gathering together, they formed a unique and beautiful picture.
“Fireflies!”
Yun Jiao laughed happily. She really liked these magical little creatures that could shine.
There were also fish that emitted light in the deep sea, but the appearance of those fish was too ugly and unsightly, not fitting her aesthetics.
Although this little bug wasn’t particularly beautiful either, it could barely be considered cute.
Yun Xiaowu caught one and placed it in her hand.
“If only Fourth Brother were here, he could make a small cage, catch some fireflies, and hang them by our bed as lamps.”
Yun Jiao’s Fourth Brother, Yun Chenbei, had skillful hands and loved handicrafts, especially woodworking. Anything he touched could be turned into a good-looking and fun toy.
Many of Yun Jiao’s toys were made by Yun Chenbei.
Yun Jiao quickly released the fireflies. In that short time, they had also arrived home.
Old Master Yun was discussing with his family members about going to paste the Fu character on the boat early the next morning.
“I want to go too.”
“Grandpa, Father, I want to go too.”
Old Master Yun nodded with a smile, “Go, go, go. The whole family will go. We’ll also bring three sticks of incense to worship.”
Under the moonlight, the family sat at the doorway, enjoying the breeze and chatting.
This was their only moment of leisure and comfort in the day.
When the moon reached its zenith, it would be time for them to go back to sleep.
Sleeping early naturally meant waking up early.
Around five in the morning the next day, Yun Jiao rubbed her eyes and yawned as she climbed out of bed.
“Hand, Jiao Jiao, lift your hand.”
Yun Xiaowu helped her get dressed.
He asked her to lift her hand, and she was very obedient.
“Done. Go call Mother to comb your hair.”
Shen Yunlian acted quickly and styled her hair into pigtails.
The ends of her hair had a slight natural curl and were very soft, looking quite stylish.
The thin bangs on her forehead were naturally fluffy, making her small face appear even whiter and cuter, like a collectible doll.
“Let’s go~”
Yun Linhai directly carried Yun Jiao on his back, and the family grandly headed towards the dock.
Even their pet sea turtle was brought along.
Although it was a second-hand boat, and not a large one at that, it was a small wooden boat, but the necessary rituals could not be missed.
Yun Jiao held the Fu character she had written herself and, under the encouraging gazes of her family, pasted it onto the bow of the ship.
“Daughter is so amazing.”
“Jiao Jiao is amazing!”
Yun Jiao felt a little embarrassed by the praise; she had only pasted a Fu character and felt as if she had accomplished something huge.
Finally, Old Master Yun, the head of the family, led everyone to offer incense on the boat.
After offering incense, Yun Linhai and the others took brooms and other tools to the boat and thoroughly cleaned the wooden boat inside and out.
Yun Linhai said, “Father, the weather is good today. Why don’t we go out to sea for a trip?”
Old Master Yun glanced at the sky, “Alright. You and Old Second go out to sea and test the waters.”
The Yun boys’ eyes lit up.
Yun Xiaowu and Yun Xiaoqi were the first to exclaim, “Father, take me too! I want to go!”
Old Master Yun smacked them, “What are you joining in for? This boat doesn’t need so many people.”
Yun Jiao quietly tried to sneak into the cabin and hide herself.
But obviously, she didn’t succeed and was picked up by Yun Linhe.
“Little Jiao Jiao, you’re really good at doing big things quietly, aren’t you?”
Yun Jiao hugged Yun Linhe’s arm and said in a soft, coaxing voice,
“Uncle, I want to go.”
“No, you’re too young. You can go out to sea to play when you’re older.”
Yun Jiao didn’t speak, just pouted, and her eyes quickly filled with tears.
Soon, teardrops fell one by one, round and crystal clear, like pearls.
There is a legend of merfolk crying tears into pearls, and in reality, it is true.
But merfolk rarely cry.
Having become human in this life, although her tears wouldn’t turn into pearls, the way they fell was indeed like pearls, one by one.
At this moment, she looked as pitiful as one could possibly be.
Yun Linhe and Yun Linhai immediately panicked.
“Don’t cry, Jiao Jiao, don’t cry…”
The two big men awkwardly comforted the aggrieved little girl.
“Father, Uncle, we won’t go. You take Jiao Jiao.”
The older brothers couldn’t bear to see Yun Jiao cry either.
Old Master Yun and the others crowded around to comfort her with heartache.
“Alright, alright, stop crying. If you want to go, then go with us.”
“Anyway, it’s just nearshore. Our nets aren’t ready yet, so you two can just take Jiao Jiao and look for some shells on a nearby secluded island.”
Their family members all knew how to make nets. The fishing nets were naturally made by themselves, but now they were busy building houses and had limited time, so the nets weren’t finished yet.
Yun Linhai and the others immediately agreed.
“Okay, Jiao Jiao will go with us.”
Yun Jiao immediately stopped crying.
Her tears stopped as if a switch had been flipped, and a smile appeared on her face.
