Chapter 83:
“Where are you from?”
A Cai stopped eating, his eyes shining as he looked at the goods.
Yun Linhe said calmly, “I caught them.”
A Cai: …Are there still good catches like this in the sea here?
Alright, he’ll just be responsible for purchasing them.
The three large yellow croakers were at the original price, totaling seven jin and five liang, for 22.5 yuan.
Green wrasse are 15 yuan per jin; this one was three jin and eight liang, costing 57 yuan.
Finally, there was the lobster.
The lobster was not only good-looking but also the rarest five-jin plus lobster A Cai had ever purchased.
This one was six jin and three liang!
I really can’t imagine where they were caught. It couldn’t have been washed ashore by a typhoon, could it?
After some bargaining, this small spiny lobster, weighing over six jin, was purchased by A Cai for 14 yuan.
Even brothers keep clear accounts, so it’s natural for both sides to try to get the best deal for such good goods.
This trip out to sea by Yun Jiao and Yun Xiaowu, at the cost of a beating, ultimately sold for 167.7 yuan.
“Brother, if you have such good catches next time, be sure to come find me. I’ll definitely give you a good price.”
A Cai finally understood; his third uncle’s sea transport business had been doing very well these past few years, bringing in good goods to sell every few days.
For others, tide pooling was just for sustenance, and selling a few yuan or a dozen yuan occasionally was considered good.
Their family? He had lost count of the times they sold over a hundred yuan’s worth.
You really can’t predict luck.
…………
Knowing Yun Jiao could breathe underwater, the family’s worries were put to rest.
She loved the sea so much that they couldn’t stop her, but now with an extra layer of safety, everyone was reassured.
Of course, she was still too young, and Granny Yun and Grandpa Yun still didn’t want her to go into the sea often.
“With so many boats going out to sea every day, if you often go into the sea, won’t it be dangerous if someone notices something is wrong?”
“So if you want to go play in the sea now, you’ll have to wait until your father and the others go out to sea and go with them. It will also serve as cover. When you grow up and everyone knows you are a good swimmer and can hold your breath for a long time, you can manage your time and no one will suspect you can breathe underwater.”
Yun Jiao nodded, indicating she understood.
“We’re not going tide pooling today. We’ll go to the fields with Grandma to pick cucumbers.”
Yun Jiao happily went to get her small basket.
“Granny, are they cucumbers?”
“There are cucumbers, pumpkins, and small gourds…”
Yun Jiao: “I’ll bring the chicks too!”
“Okay, go and let them out.”
So, when Yun Jiao carried her small basket and went out with Granny, a long line followed behind her.
As they walked through the village, Yun Jiao noticed several households were in chaos.
The entire village was filled with the sharp cries of chickens, ducks, and geese.
Yun Jiao asked in confusion, “Granny, why is it so noisy today?”
Granny Yun laughed heartily, “It’s all because of you. Because you took these little fellows tide pooling, they even knew how to help you find clams, so some people wanted to try too. But as soon as they let their chickens and ducks out, they ran off.”
While they were talking, they passed a house, and a chick squeezed out from inside.
Someone chased out from behind.
“I already said it wouldn’t work. Look, now the chicks are running all over the yard, and it takes effort to catch them. Doesn’t that waste time?!”
“Aiyo, Jiao Jiao and her Grandma are here.”
Yun Jiao crouched down and picked up the fluffy chick that had joined her group.
The auntie beside them and Granny Yun had already started chatting.
“These past few days, some people have been imitating your Jiao Jiao and trying to bring their chickens and ducks to the seaside, but none of them succeeded. Granny Ma’s chicken went missing, and she stood in her own yard scolding for a long time, asking everyone if they had seen her chicken. Turns out her grandson stole it to eat.”
“Right, are you two going to the fields?”
“Yes, to pick some gourds for dinner.”
Yun Jiao handed the chick to the auntie.
“Jiao Jiao is so obedient, and amazing too.”
She asked, “How do you make them so obedient? My son tried to learn from you, and now the chickens are running all over the house.”
Yun Jiao: “They’re just obedient like this.”
She squatted down, hooked her little finger, and then made a “swoosh swoosh” sound…
The little ones flapped their unfeathered wings and ran over, chirping around her lively.
Auntie: Isn’t that for calling dogs?
She also squatted down and imitated Yun Jiao, making a “swoosh swoosh” sound.
It was awkward; not a single one paid her any attention.
She wasn’t convinced and turned to call her own chicks.
But it was the same…
Granny Yun couldn’t hide the pride in her smile.
Her Jiao Jiao was truly amazing!
When they reached the fields, Yun Jiao picked cucumbers while eating.
The cucumbers, about the length of an adult’s palm, were slightly round and plump, with some small spines on their surface.
Granny Yun casually picked a leaf and easily removed the small spines, then handed it to Yun Jiao.
Yun Jiao took a big bite. The cucumber was juicy and had a fresh fragrance.
She ate while helping to pick.
Being short, she only picked what she could reach.
She would also occasionally poke the soil with a stick, letting the chicks and ducklings find bugs to eat themselves. If they found earthworms, it was an extra meal.
She caught a grasshopper and threw it to them.
A few green worms were also thrown over.
They gathered around and ate them up in no time.
They could also eat grass seeds.
If they ate their fill outside, they wouldn’t need to eat at home, saving trouble.
Yun Jiao, who had been helping Granny pick gourds, gradually became distracted and focused on feeding the furballs.
Especially the small bugs on the leaves.
She just needed to press the leaf down a bit. The chicks had excellent eyesight and only picked the plumpest bugs to eat, without damaging the leaves at all.
They even ate small snails.
As she was enthusiastically catching various small bugs while squatting among the large pumpkin leaves, she suddenly heard a conversation.
“You said you’d find me a child for fifty yuan, and those who are good-looking will fetch a higher price.”
Yun Jiao paused.
The pumpkin leaves were large and dense.
Yun Jiao, small as she was, squatted inside, and it would be impossible to spot her without looking carefully.
Moreover, the two speakers were a bit distant from her; it was just that her hearing was a bit sharper.
“Shh… No one make a sound.”
Yun Jiao lowered her voice.
The furballs immediately ran over and nestled against her, chirping like chicks under a mother hen’s wing, obediently and quietly.
Yun Jiao pricked up her ears to listen further. It was the voices of a woman and a man.
She hadn’t heard either voice before; they were strangers.
“I found a very good-looking little girl in this village. Her skin is very fair, and she’s plump, but her family keeps a close watch on her. It won’t be easy to trick her out.”
The man lowered his voice, “I don’t care about that. If you want money, you’ll have to find a way yourself. If she’s as good-looking as you say, I’ll give you this amount.”
The woman’s voice became noticeably more excited, “Deal!”
“I’ll find a way.”
The two, perhaps fearing suspicion, separated after their conversation.
Yun Jiao squatted in the pumpkin leaves, her little hands supporting her chin. That child, could they be talking about her?
Little Yun Jiao was very confident; she was the best-looking kid in the entire ten miles and eight villages!
