Chapter 82:
As the saying goes, the deeper the love, the stricter the discipline.
Today, the children who were brave enough to go to sea and come back without telling their family were all punished.
It was the first time Yun Jiao was spanked. Her pretty little face was flushed red as she covered her buttocks where she had been hit several times.
Before, she always watched her older brothers get spanked and laughed heartily from the side.
Now, her retribution had finally come.
Of course, Yun Xiaowu was even more miserable; he cried out in pain from being whipped with a small stick.
Although Shen Yunlian and the others felt pained, they had to teach this little fellow a good lesson!
“Do you know you were wrong?”
Yun Jiao covered her little buttocks and stubbornly refused to speak.
“I won’t get into trouble.”
Yun Linhai was so anxious, “Who can say for sure? The sea is so dangerous, with sharks, waves, and what if your leg cramps while swimming?”
Yun Jiao sniffled, “I won’t.”
Granny Yun chased them away and held Yun Jiao herself.
“Jiaojiao, we are worried about you.”
“Grandma, your father, and mother know that you are different from ordinary people, but everyone is afraid. You don’t know, we have personally seen the waves sweep people away before. In the blink of an eye, we couldn’t catch up. The sea truly devours people; their bodies are never found if they die. We are truly afraid.”
Yun Jiao lowered her head and looked up at her upon hearing this.
Granny Yun stroked her hair and told her many stories.
They were all things that had happened in the village.
Some people went to sea and never returned.
Some drowned by the seaside, and others were swept away by the waves and never came back.
“We fishermen live by the sea; it is the sea’s gift, but the sea is also dangerous. Sometimes the weather changes too quickly. One second it’s clear skies, and the next, the wind and waves can capsize a boat. People are lost just like that.
Therefore, we fishermen risk our lives. Precisely because we understand the dangers so well, we are afraid. If something were to happen to you and Xiaowu, what would your father and mother, and we, do?”
Yun Jiao leaned forward slightly, cautiously glancing at the other family members.
They were all surrounding her, their eyes full of worry. Her mother and aunt’s eyes were even red.
Little Yun Jiao felt a pang of guilt for the first time.
She herself knew she wouldn’t get into trouble.
Because she was a merfolk in her previous life, she had some merfolk abilities in this life.
However, the marine life in this life was much gentler and easier to deal with than in her previous life, which is why she dared to venture out at such a young age.
But… her father and mother didn’t know that.
Yun Jiao hesitated, “Father, Mother, can you ask the older brothers to go out first?”
Old Master Yun glanced at his grandsons, “You all go out first.”
Yun Chendong and the others said nothing and obediently left.
Only then did Yun Jiao say to the elders, “I won’t get into trouble because I can breathe in water.”
“Wh… what?!”
It took a long while for everyone to react, and they all stared at her with wide eyes.
They suspected they had misheard.
“How… how is that possible…”
How could someone breathe in the sea?
To prove she could truly breathe in water, Yun Jiao asked her mother to fetch a basin of water and unhesitatingly submerged her face in it.
After a long time, while her family worried, she lifted her face.
With her small face damp, she asked, “How much time has passed?”
Yun Linhe replied in a daze.
“It should be, it should be about ten minutes.”
Yun Jiao said triumphantly, “See, everything I said is true.”
Old Master Yun puffed on his pipe, “Jiaojiao, when did you discover you could breathe in water?”
“When swimming.”
She poked her finger, feeling guilty and not daring to look at everyone’s expressions.
“Because, because I was different from others, I didn’t dare to say.”
Old Master Yun patted her head, “You did the right thing.”
He suddenly became stern, his ancient yet sharp eyes fixed on the others in the room.
“You all remember, no one outside this room is to speak of Jiaojiao’s matter, and those boys shouldn’t mention it either.”
“The fewer people who know, the better.”
Right now, those boys were good to Jiaojiao because she was their only sister.
But they would get married and have their own wives and children in the future.
There were too many variables; it was right for Jiaojiao to have them leave.
Old Master Yun said to his son and daughter-in-law, “You all go out too.”
The few looked at each other and obediently left.
After all, the old master was good to Jiaojiao, and he probably had something to say that they shouldn’t hear.
Old Master Yun held Yun Jiao’s hand and instructed her with a serious tone.
“Jiaojiao, remember this: if one day your ability is discovered by others, and you are threatened with your life because of it, then find a way to seek help from the country. Our country is more reliable than those people. It’s best to find soldiers.”
Yun Jiao nodded, “Yes, I understand, Grandpa.”
Grandpa Yun patted her head, “It’s best not to be discovered. We don’t need you to achieve great things. You still have several older brothers ahead of you. For our family, being able to eat our fill and stay warm is enough. Everyone can earn their own future; we are not so old and infirm that we can’t move.”
They didn’t have great ambitions; enough money was fine. A harmonious family with good relationships was Old Master Yun’s and Granny Yun’s greatest wish.
Coming out of the room, they found the whole family gathered around the seafood they had brought back, pointing and talking.
Yun Xiaowu, being resilient, only cried out when he was being spanked. Now he was excitedly telling everyone how he rode an orca and slaughtered enemies.
His exaggerated language and expressions made Yun Jiao deeply understand the art of language.
“Jiaojiao also encountered a strange fish in the sea, and it took her to catch sea urchins. It’s a shame I couldn’t go down to see…”
Old Master Yun: “That should be a damselfish.”
The old master had lived by the sea for most of his life and had some knowledge.
“Grandpa, what kind of fish is this? Its color is so beautiful!”
“This… is a green wrasse!”
“The purchase price for green wrasse is 15 yuan per jin. Quickly take all these fish to sell.”
Yun Jiao: “Are we selling the sea urchins too?”
“We’re not selling the sea urchins; they’re being saved for you.”
Having spent so much time together, everyone naturally knew that Yun Jiao loved eating sea urchins.
Granny Yun rolled up her sleeves, “With so many sea urchins, today we’ll make steamed sea urchin and sea urchin fried rice!”
“Hooray!”
The atmosphere in the Yun family immediately became cheerful.
Yun Jiao remembered Big White and the three puppies and took out a few sea urchins.
Anyway, there were plenty of sea urchins in the sea; she could pick more next time.
Granny Yun didn’t stop her. Yun Linhai and Yun Linhe went to sell fish, while everyone else sat together, trimming the spines of the sea urchins and scooping out the roe, busy and happy.
At the purchase point…
Ah Cai didn’t expect anyone to come at this hour, and it was even raining outside.
“Brother Linhai, Brother Linhe, why are you here?”
Yun Linhe’s mouth was practically split from ear to ear with a smile.
“We’ve brought you some good stuff.”
“What good… Holy crap!”
They were indeed good stuff!!!
