Chapter 2482: My Wife Is a Pirate 12

On the return ferry, there were far fewer people than when they came.

Seeing that Jin Chen had bought a lot of stuff and paid a generous fare, the boat captain simply ferried them across first.

Midway across, Bu Changji faintly heard a few light knocking sounds from the hull; if not listened closely, one would think it was just fish bumping, but it was their pirates' more concealed underwater communication method.

He felt a stir, and on the pretext of looking at the scenery, he rose and walked to the stern, pretending to be curious as he leaned over the rail and peered into the blue-green water.

The water was clear enough to faintly see a blurry shadow below, silently following like a large fish.

Bu Changji tapped rapidly with his fingertip on the outer side of the rail, asking what was up.

The person underwater responded.

Fang Yunyao has roughly identified several possible sites; he wants to check the western rotten mudflat, but that flat occasionally has villagers gathering sea goods, so please advise: if we encounter them, should we silence them or avoid them?

Bu Changji frowned and quickly replied.

For now, don't startle the snake; keep your movements as hidden as possible, avoid the villagers, and I'll find a chance to go check personally as soon as I can. Make sure the operation is effective—no rashness.

A subordinate reported again:

Should we give Fang Yunyao a simple disguise to prevent being recognized by government troops?

Bu Changji replied: "Yes."

He had just finished the underwater conversation, secretly letting out a breath of relief, when a noise from Jin Chen came from behind.

Jin Chen also leaned over, curious to look down into the water.

What are you looking at down there, chatting with the fish?

Bu Changji jerked in fright, grabbed Jin Chen's arm to stop him from looking at the hull, his heart pounding.

Thinking quickly, he put on a look of sorrow and sadness, lowered his voice, and spoke with a choked tone.

... No, I just… went to town today, feeling a bit homesick, missing my family.

Bu Changji lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly, acting with genuine emotion.

After all, he was still a refugee; this was best kept disguised,

Jin Chen looked at him like that, then recalled the town officials searching for the Heir Apparent, and was once again successfully led astray.

His gaze softened, he sighed, reached out to ruffle Bu Changji's hair, and said, "Don't be sad; I'll make you something delicious when we get back."

The sea breeze blew, lifting their hair.

Bu Changji stared blankly as he lifted his head, seeing comfort and pity in Jin Chen's eyes, a gentleness that seemed utterly sincere.

He inexplicably didn't dodge, lowered his head slightly, and let Jin Chen's palm gently stroke the top of his head.

Jin Chen inhaled the scent on Bu Changji, feeling content as he leaned against him and continued to rub.

My wife smells wonderful.

After a while, Bu Changji took Jin Chen's hand away, saying, "Don't touch anymore, my hair's getting all messed up."

He turned his head, awkwardly gazing at the sea surface and the seabirds perched on the boat, leaving his profile to Jin Chen.

Jin Chen then took the chance to glance at the hull, feeling more and more……

Little Heir Apparent, truly unfathomable.

He stood there with hands in his pockets, thinking calmly.

——

Two days later, that desolate western rotten mudflat.

After a simple disguise, his face darkened, Fang Yunyao in tattered pirate garb, leading Hai Shisan and a few other pirates, marched confidently yet cautiously, avoiding areas where villagers often gathered, and arrived here.

Villagers spotted them from afar coming down from the stone tower, initially terrified, thinking the pirates were coming to loot again, but then saw them heading straight for the desolate rotten mudflat, leaving them full of doubt.

These pirates looked different from the usual brigands—they didn't rob fishing boats or harm villagers.

They just wandered aimlessly around the hollow and nearby, doing nothing, like sea drifters.

Their behavior was truly strange.

Arriving at the rotten mudflat, Fang Yunyao spread out a large stone, laid out a map he'd drawn from memory, and gathered with a group of pirates to study it for half a day.

Pointing and discussing, they grew dizzy and confused.

After toiling for most of the day, they'd nearly turned over every stone in the mudflat, yet found no trace of a treasure entrance.

Fang Yunyao was the first to lose heart, flopping onto a stone with no image, groaning weakly.

No way, no way—I'm about to die of heat, Your Heir Apparent!

Where's your boss? Didn't he say he'd come when he got the chance? If we don't find him soon, I'll be dried into fish jerky!

Hai Shisan grimaced beside him, "Fang Heir Apparent, keep it down—you don't know, the family our boss is hiding with, that fisherman is no ordinary person!"

"That fisherman is a hidden martial arts expert, fierce as hell! Our boss is under his nose—he probably can't get away easily!"

He said it exaggeratedly.

The pirate next to him, who had once been subdued by Jin Chen underwater, also chimed in with lingering fear, "Yeah, yeah!"

"That guy in the water isn't human—his strength is terrifying, he can hold his breath far longer than we seasoned sailors, basically a water monster!"

Fang Yunyao, raised since childhood in the capital princely mansion, had seen nothing more wicked than Bu Changji's pirate crew—he couldn't imagine anything more perverse than pirates.

He was immediately intimidated, patting his chest nervously and muttering, "Maybe we should wait a bit longer… your boss isn't having an easy time either, hiding in such a terrifying household……"

Just as he spoke, Bu Changji's silhouette appeared at the edge of the mudflat, walking toward them.

Fang Yunyao saw him at a glance and immediately gave him a sympathetic look.

But as he looked, he suddenly felt something was off.

Fang Yunyao instinctively touched the black‑yellow rough skin from his disguise… Of course, during this time in Whitewave Hollow, it had indeed become quite rough.

He then took a closer look at the approaching Bu Changji, tilted his head suspiciously, and said, "Strange, Bu Changji, I feel… you seem fairer and more tender than before."

"Your complexion's improved a lot too?" The more he examined, the more certain he became: "No illusion! What spirit pills have you been taking?"

Bu Changji: "……"

Bu Changji was stunned by Fang Yunyao's question, and instinctively raised his hand to touch his own face.

He was momentarily speechless.

It can't be said that he's been carefully raised by that fisherman at home, fed good fish and shrimp every day, even smeared with ointment, making him better and better.

He, Bu Changji, is a pirate chief who strikes fear at the mere mention of his name; how could he fuss over whether his face is pale and tender?

It simply damages his reputation!

Bu Changji immediately put on a stern face, reckless and fierce, glared at Fang Yunyao, and rudely made up an excuse.

"The seaside weather is unpredictable; sometimes it's white for two days, black for three—what's so strange about that? Cut the chatter, hurry up and find something; if you dawdle, you won't make it back before dark!"

He successfully diverted the topic, maintaining the boss's dignity.

Bu Changji is someone who has spent years fighting at sea, able to accurately discern direction even in the harshest weather and most complex waters.

He picked up Fang Yunyao's crookedly drawn map, glanced at it a few times, combined it with on-site observation, quickly sorted out the clues, and headed toward the direction everyone had overlooked.

The further he went, the more desolate it became, almost leaving the mudflat's range; around him only jagged rocks and the splashing sound of waves remained.

Suddenly, faint voices and footsteps came from ahead.

Hai Shisan and the others instantly became alert, their hands instinctively moving toward the short knives hidden at their waists.

Bu Changji's ears twitched; he raised his hand and made an extremely quick gesture, silently signaling his men to stop.

He narrowed his eyes, looked through the crack in the rocks, and recognized the half-grown boy leading the group—it was Zhang Yupan, whom Jin Chen had rescued from the sea.

Looking at the few boys following him, each holding a fishing net and a small bucket, they seemed to have come together to this rarely visited mudflat to try their luck gathering seafood.

"Crouch down, hide well." Bu Changji ordered in a low voice.

Fortunately, the area they were in was filled with reefs, providing ample cover.

The pirates, well-trained, silently crouched and slipped into the shadows of the stones.

Only Fang Yunyao beside him reacted a beat slower, not having time to fully conceal himself.

But he had disguised himself at the moment, his face darkened and yellowed, wearing ragged clothes, blending in with the rock pile and not standing out too much.

Zhang Yupan's group also noticed Bu Changji standing alone by the reef.