Setting Sail

Today was A'Lei's turn to use the boat. The father and sons had agreed during dinner yesterday that Zhou Chenglei would go out to sea first today, followed by Zhou Chengxin tomorrow, and finally Father Zhou.

Zhou Chengxin probably felt bad that he was living in a new house while Zhou Chenglei and their parents were living in the old house, so he let Zhou Chenglei go out to sea first.

Zhou Chenglei carefully removed the small arm and long leg draped over him.

But just as he removed Jiang Xia's small arm, before he could move her long leg, her arm draped over him again, even tighter this time.

Zhou Chenglei tried several times, but couldn't remove it. Every time he removed it, she would drape it back on him.

He was sweating! Zhou Chenglei could only whisper, "Jiang Xia, let go of me first, I need to get up and go out to sea."

"Jiang Xia, Jiang Xia."

Zhou Chenglei called out three times before Jiang Xia woke up, groggily responding, "Oh, is it time to get up and sell vegetables?"

Jiang Xia sat up without even opening her eyes.

Zhou Chenglei: "..."

What's with getting up to sell vegetables? Was she dreaming about selling vegetables? "I'm going out to sea, you can continue sleeping."

The low, mellow male voice in her ear sent a shiver down Jiang Xia's spine, instantly waking her up.

She had just dreamt that she was sleeping with her grandma.

Zhou Chenglei pulled open the mosquito net and got out of bed, not bothering to turn on the light. "You can continue sleeping."

Jiang Xia was now fully awake. Remembering that he had said he was going out to sea, she quickly got out of bed and fumbled for the light switch, turning it on. "I want to go out to sea with you. I've never been out to sea before and want to see what it's like. Can I?"

Living by the mountain meant living off the mountain, and living by the sea meant living off the sea. Jiang Xia wanted to see how fishing was done, thinking that maybe she would have a chance to get a fishing boat and go out to sea to fish in the future.

Zhou Chenglei originally wanted to refuse. The sun at sea was strong, and she definitely wouldn't be able to handle it, but he couldn't bring himself to say it when he met her eyes.

In the light, those beautiful big eyes shone like the moonlight shattered on the sea in the dark night, deep and enchanting, filled with anticipation.

He nodded. "Okay."

Anyway, it was his turn to go out to sea today, and the money he earned would be his alone, so it wouldn't affect his older brother.

If she couldn't handle it, she could just come back early. It would just be a waste of some fuel money.

Jiang Xia smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Then I'll go get ready!"

If her eyes were like the moonlight shattered on the sea in the dark night just now, then they were now like the sunlight shattered on the sea at dusk, dazzling and radiant like a galaxy.

Zhou Chenglei responded softly and looked away, grabbing his clothes and walking out of the room.

Because Zhou Chenglei was taking Jiang Xia out to sea, Mother Zhou pulled Father Zhou aside and quietly told him to be tactful and not to interfere with his son and daughter-in-law's relationship. He should just hide to the side.

They had finally consummated their marriage last night, and she was hoping to have a grandchild soon!

Father Zhou was speechless. Did she think the boat was very big?

Hide to the side? He might as well jump into the sea! The three of them walked towards the pier together.

It was August, and the seaside before dawn was filled with bright moonlight and sparse stars, with fishing lights dotting the horizon.

The sea breeze carried a faint scent of the ocean.

Most of the villagers who went out to sea to fish left around this time, but they were already a little late today. Several boats had already set out to sea.

Father Zhou was wearing a headlamp, illuminating the road, and his pace was a little fast.

Jiang Xia didn't want to hold him back, so she jogged to keep up.

"No rush, my dad is going to buy some diesel first."

Jiang Xia then slowed down.

Zhou Chenglei held a flashlight to light the way for her, matching his pace to hers.

They walked for more than ten minutes before arriving at the pier.

Fishing boats were docked at the pier, their lights on, creating a hazy and shadowy scene.

They were all fishermen and boats preparing to go out to sea.

Father Zhou had already bought the diesel and brought it onto the boat.

Everyone saw that the person next to Zhou Chenglei was not Zhou Chengxin, but a woman, and couldn't help but take a second look with strange expressions.

An old man about the same age as Father Zhou glanced at Jiang Xia and asked Zhou Chenglei, "A'Lei, is this your wife? You brought her out to sea?"

Zhou Chenglei got on the boat first, reached out to help Jiang Xia onto the boat, afraid she would be unsteady, and only replied, "Yes."

Jiang Xia glanced at his large palm before reaching out her hand.

Zhou Chenglei let go of her hand as soon as he helped her onto the boat.

The man then looked at Father Zhou, "Zhou Yongfu, are you trying to bring bad luck by bringing a woman out to sea?"

Father Zhou was untying the ropes and said unhappily when he heard this, "That's nonsense! I'm not as superstitious as you, I don't believe in such taboos!"

"Bah, don't say I didn't warn you, women have leaky bottoms, and you dare to bring one out to sea, just wait for the bad luck!"

Other villagers couldn't help but speak up, "Chenglei, going out to sea is not a joke, listen to your uncle's advice, don't bring your wife out to sea! Women on board bring bad luck, do you not want your life?"

Jiang Xia had never heard of such a thing, although she didn't believe it.

But she didn't know if Zhou Chenglei minded.

She asked, "Is there a saying in the village that women can't go out to sea?"

Zhou Chenglei didn't like hearing these things and said indifferently, "It's fine in my family, no need to mind others."

It's already the era of reform and opening up, women hold up half the sky, there are even female comrades on warships, how could it bring bad luck? He never felt that women couldn't do anything, some female soldiers are also very brave.

Father Zhou drove the boat out to sea.

He didn't believe these things either, he had secretly taken his wife out to sea before, and didn't they live a peaceful life?

He only believed that when husband and wife are of one mind, they can move mountains! Seeing that they didn't listen, everyone shook their heads, "Those who don't listen to the elders will suffer."

"They're really not afraid of death!"

"Just wait for the bad luck! Even if the boat doesn't capsize, they won't catch any fish."

"Why are you so kind to remind him? Let them be..."

The engine made a "dada dada" sound, and the boat slowly sailed towards the boundless, dark sea, above which was a cluster of twinkling stars.

The sea at night wasn't much to look at, only the lights of scattered fishing boats.

She looked up at the midsummer night sky, the stars twinkling.

"Are you cold?" Zhou Chenglei handed her a military green jacket.

"A little."

The sea breeze was a bit cool, and Jiang Xia took it and put it on.

The clothes had a hint of the scent of soap, his aura.

Zhou Chenglei gave the clothes to Jiang Xia and walked over to steer the boat, letting Father Zhou rest for a while.

As time passed, the stars gradually closed their eyes, the sky was already a bit bright, and a line of white light appeared on the eastern horizon, gradually spreading out.

Jiang Xia was preparing to watch the sunrise at sea when she suddenly saw a flash of golden light on the distant sea surface.

She asked curiously, "Zhou Chenglei, I saw a flash of golden light on the sea over there, is it some kind of glowing fish?"

Zhou Chenglei was steering the boat, the engine was making a dada dada sound, his hearing wasn't good, he didn't hear it, Father Zhou looked in the direction Jiang Xia pointed, but unfortunately didn't see anything.

"Some fish do glow." He said nonchalantly.

Seeing that they had sailed far enough, Father Zhou went to steer the boat and said to Zhou Chenglei, "Go cast the net, I'll steer."

Zhou Chenglei went to prepare to cast the net.

Jiang Xia vaguely heard a "cluck" sound.

She asked, "Did you hear a clucking sound? Is it the sound of a seabird?"

"Clucking sound?" Zhou Chenglei paused, stopped casting the net, and looked at the sea, "Which direction?"

Father Zhou also looked at Jiang Xia, "Where's the clucking sound?"

This wasn't the sound made by ordinary fish.

The sound faded, but Jiang Xia still pointed in one direction, "It seems to be coming from over there."

Father Zhou immediately steered the boat towards the direction Jiang Xia indicated, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

That "cluck cluck" sound, could it be...?

Just then, the "cluck cluck" sound rang out again.

Jiang Xia: "Listen, it's sounding again!"

As soon as Jiang Xia finished speaking, the clucking sound rang out again, and it was "cluck... cluck...", "cluck cluck cluck..." one sound after another, like old frogs in the fields in early summer, or cicadas in the trees.

Immediately afterwards, a hundred voices responded, all chirping together, rising and falling!

"Cluck cluck cluck cluck..."

The sound was so loud, like water boiling in a kettle, even more like the sound of wind blowing through pine forests.