Setting Sail

Today was Zhou Chenglei's turn to go out to sea first. Yesterday, while eating, the three men of the Zhou family had agreed that Zhou Chenglei would go out first today, Zhou Chengxin tomorrow, and Father Zhou last.

Zhou Chengxin probably felt bad that he lived in the New House while Zhou Chenglei and their parents all lived in the old house, so he let Zhou Chenglei go out to sea first.

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

But just as he moved Jiang Xia's little arm away, before he had even shifted her long leg, her arm came back and wrapped around him even more tightly.

Zhou Chenglei tried several times, but he simply couldn't move it away. Every time he did, she draped it back over him.

He was sweating! Zhou Chenglei could only say in a low voice, "Jiang Xia, let go of me for a moment. I need to get up and go out to sea."

"Jiang Xia, Jiang Xia."

Zhou Chenglei called three times before Jiang Xia finally woke up and answered groggily, "Oh, are we getting up to sell vegetables?"

Jiang Xia sat up without even opening her eyes.

Zhou Chenglei: "..."

What did getting up to sell vegetables mean? Had she dreamed about selling vegetables? "I'm going out to sea. You go back to sleep."

The deep, mellow male voice beside her ear made Jiang Xia jolt and instantly wake up.

Just now, she had dreamed that she was sleeping with her grandmother.

Zhou Chenglei pulled open the mosquito net and got out of bed without turning on the light. "Go back to sleep."

Jiang Xia was completely awake now. Remembering that he had just said he was going out to sea, she hurriedly got out of bed after him and felt around until she switched on the light. "I'm going out to sea with you. I've never been out to sea before and want to see what it's like. Is that okay?"

People living by the mountains made their living from the mountains, and those living by the water made their living from the water. Living beside the sea meant making a living by fishing. Jiang Xia wanted to see how people caught fish. Perhaps one day she might even get a fishing boat of her own and go out to sea to fish.

Zhou Chenglei had originally wanted to refuse. The sun at sea was fierce, and she definitely wouldn't be able to stand it. But when he met her eyes, the refusal stuck in his throat.

Under the lamplight, her beautiful, wide eyes shone like a sea where moonlight had been crushed beneath the dark night—deep, alluring, and full of expectation.

He nodded. "All right."

In any case, today was his turn to go out to sea, and all the money earned would be his alone, so it wouldn't affect Eldest Brother.

If she couldn't take it, she could just come back early. At most, they would lose a little money on fuel.

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

If her eyes had just been like a sea where moonlight had been crushed beneath the dark night, then now they were like a sea where sunlight had been crushed at dusk—dazzling and brilliant, bright as a river of stars.

Zhou Chenglei gave a soft reply, shifted his gaze away, took his clothes, and left the room.

Because Zhou Chenglei was taking Jiang Xia out to sea, Mother Zhou tugged Father Zhou aside and whispered that he should know his place and not get in the way of her son and daughter-in-law cultivating their feelings. He should hide off to the side whenever he had nothing to do.

The two of them had finally shared a room last night, and she was eagerly awaiting a grandson!

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

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

It was August. Before dawn, the seaside was bright with moonlight and sparse stars, while scattered fishing lights flickered in the distance.

The sea breeze, carrying a faint ocean scent, rushed into their faces.

The village families who went out to sea to fish usually left at around this time as well, but they were already a little late today. Several boats had already sailed out to sea.

Father Zhou wore the Electric Torch on his head to light the way, walking somewhat quickly.

Jiang Xia didn't want to hold them back and jogged along behind.

"No hurry. My dad is going to buy some diesel first."

Only then did Jiang Xia slow her pace.

Zhou Chenglei held a flashlight to light her way, matching his steps to hers.

After walking for more than ten minutes, they finally reached the pier.

Fishing boats were moored all along the pier. Their lights were on, casting hazy shadows as figures moved back and forth.

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

Father Zhou had already bought the diesel and brought it aboard.

When everyone saw that the person beside Zhou Chenglei wasn't Zhou Chengxin but a woman, they couldn't help taking a second look, their expressions strange.

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're taking her out to sea?"

Zhou Chenglei boarded first, then reached out to help Jiang Xia onto the boat in case she lost her footing. He only answered, "Mm."

Jiang Xia glanced at his broad palm before extending her hand.

Zhou Chenglei helped her aboard, then released her.

The man turned to Father Zhou again. "Zhou Yongfu, are you trying to bring terrible luck on yourselves by taking a woman out to sea?"

Father Zhou was untying the ropes. Hearing this, he snapped irritably, "Stop spouting dogshit! I'm not as superstitious as you. I'm not afraid of any taboos!"

"Bah, don't disbelieve it. Women have no bottom, so things leak out. You dare take one out to sea? Just wait for bad luck!"

The other villagers couldn't help chiming in as well. "Chenglei, going out to sea isn't child's play. Listen to your uncle and don't take your wife out! Women boarding a boat bring bad luck. Do you not want your life anymore?"

Jiang Xia had truly never heard any of this, though she didn't believe it.

But she didn't know whether Zhou Chenglei minded.

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

Zhou Chenglei disliked hearing such things and said indifferently, "My family can do it. We don't need to concern ourselves with others."

The Reform and Opening Up had already begun. Women Hold Up Half the Sky, and there were even female soldiers aboard warships. How could that bring bad luck? He had never thought women were incapable of doing anything. Some female soldiers were even ferocious fighters.

Father Zhou steered the boat out to sea.

He didn't believe it either. In the past, he had secretly taken his wife out to sea as well, and hadn't they lived in peace and safety for their entire lives?

He only believed that when husband and wife worked with one heart, their strength could cut through metal! Seeing that they wouldn't listen, everyone shook their heads. "Those who don't heed the old man's advice suffer before their eyes."

"They really aren't afraid of death!"

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

"Why are you being so kind as to warn him? Let them be..."

The engine made a "putt-putt" sound as the boat slowly headed toward the boundless, pitch-black sea. Above the sea, a cluster of stars glittered.

There was nothing much to see on the sea at night, only the scattered lights of fishing boats.

She raised her head to look at the midsummer night sky, where the stars glittered.

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

"A little."

The sea breeze was slightly chilly, so Jiang Xia took it and put it on.

The clothes carried a faint scent of Soap Pod, the same scent that clung to him.

After giving Jiang Xia the jacket, Zhou Chenglei walked over to steer the boat and let Father Zhou rest for a while.

As time passed bit by bit, the stars gradually closed their eyes. The sky had begun to brighten, and a streak of white light appeared along the eastern horizon, slowly spreading across it.

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

Curious, she asked, "Zhou Chenglei, I saw a golden light flash over there on the sea. Was it some kind of glowing fish?"

Zhou Chenglei was steering the boat, and the engine was puttering away. His hearing wasn't very good, so he didn't hear her. Father Zhou followed the direction Jiang Xia pointed, but unfortunately, he didn't see anything.

"Some fish do glow," he said, unconcerned.

Seeing that they had gone far enough, Father Zhou went over 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."

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

"A clucking sound?" Zhou Chenglei paused, no longer lowering the net, and looked toward the sea. "Which direction?"

Father Zhou also looked at Jiang Xia. "What clucking sound?"

This was no ordinary fish's call.

The sound disappeared, but Jiang Xia still pointed in one direction. "It seemed to come from over there."

Father Zhou immediately steered the boat toward the direction Jiang Xia pointed, secretly filled with anticipation.

That clucking sound... could it be...?

At that moment, the clucking sound rang out again.

Jiang Xia said, "Listen, it's back!"

As soon as Jiang Xia finished speaking, the clucking sounded again—"cluck...," "cluck-cluck-cluck..." One sound followed another, like old frogs in the fields in early summer and cicadas in the trees.

Then one call answered another, and they all began calling together, rising and falling in waves!

"Cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck..."

The sound was as loud as water boiling in a kettle, and even more like the roar of wind through a pine forest.