Chapter 425: Rescued (Extra Chapter for Tianlang Xiaotian Zhan)

The two listened to Ye Fu recount what had just happened to them, and immediately felt it was quite miraculous—this big fish actually stole food, and even begged people for it?

"No wonder you said earlier this fish was implicated by him, so that's what happened…"

"If it hadn't been caught in a fishing net by people from Luzhou Island, and gotten hit by a propeller, it really would be very gentle, and could even beg you for food?"

Although the two felt Ye Yaodong was taking a bit of a risk over just a fish, being willing to rescue a fish showed he was truly righteous and had a conscience. They gained a bit more admiration for him, and even more trust—the kind of trust where you could entrust your back to him.

Ye Fu also found it very miraculous, very dreamlike. If he hadn't experienced it himself, he wouldn't have believed it either. One could only say strange things happen every year.

"Now it can even call for help from a fishing boat because of the net tangled around its body. This fish might really be like what Dongzi said, having some kind of IQ, meaning its brain is like that of a six or seven-year-old child. This kid, after learning to read, knows a lot more…"

Ye Fu muttered to himself, his attention and eyes fixed on Ye Yaodong the whole time.

This whale shark was too large in size; only the tail part wasn't tangled in the fishing net—probably because when it had charged in headfirst, it reacted immediately.

Being so large also meant a big job. Over half an hour passed, and only half of the tightly tangled fishing net on the whale shark's body had been removed. Fortunately, both the man and the fish were very patient.

Being able to ride on a whale shark's back—in this day and age, he should be the first person!

Although it was a bit slippery…

Ye Yaodong's hands were busy working, but his heart couldn't help feeling smug as he thought about it.

But looking at the flesh on its body that had been hit by the propeller, with chunks missing and flesh torn open, he felt the pain just looking at it, let alone the fishing net digging tightly into the wounded flesh.

"Hiss—"

That hurts!

No wonder it got angry and went crazy, smashing the boat to pieces.

He also wanted to say: well smashed!

The people on both boats waited patiently there. As time passed, all three relaxed, no longer on edge. Little and A Zheng couldn't help but climb onto Ye Fu's boat.

All three lay on the gunwale, stretching their necks, curiously watching the well-behaved whale shark, and discussing it with critical commentary along the way.

A Zheng even grew a bit envious. "Tsk tsk tsk—after going back, Dongzi can brag again."

"Is this a whale or a shark?"

"Uncle just said it's a whale shark, right!"

"So it's a hybrid of a whale and a shark?"

"Should be!"

The two uncultured fellows were there explaining the whale shark in their self-satisfied way. Ye Fu didn't know if this hybrid explanation was right or not? Anyway, he had never seen such a big fish.

"Dongzi is too freaking awesome. Other people ride oxen, he rides fish—rides fish in the sea! Laozi wouldn't dare dream of this in my whole life."

"You can go down into the water and try climbing up too!"

"No way…" A Zheng said weakly.

"Coward!"

"If you're so freaking capable, then you go up!"

Little said stubbornly: "Hmph… I won't go up, I'm not even envious."

"Pfft—coward and won't admit it!"

Little absolutely wouldn't admit he was a coward, and quickly changed the subject. "If this fish carried him around the sea surface for a ride, he could brag about it for a lifetime."

Ye Fu couldn't help but interject: "Then this fish must have been enlightened by Goddess Mazu."

"Hahaha—"

"Uncle has been listening to too many storytelling sessions lately, right?"

Ye Fu didn't respond, and the two started chatting among themselves again.

Honestly, birds of a feather flock together, and people group by kind.

Those who can truly play together have similar temperaments. The two had dispositions just as restless as Ye Yaodong's—never idle for a moment, mouths never stopping either.

"This fish's mouth is really big. If it took a breath in the sea, wouldn't it be like a tornado?"

"If it ran into a school of fish, let it take a breath, then spit them onto the boat—would save the trouble!"

"You really know how to dream."

"Life is already bitter enough, what's wrong with dreaming a little? Actually, this fish looks quite good, with spots all over its body."

"Indeed, and after getting hit by the propeller again, the patterns on its body are even more special, more distinctive. It's definitely the most handsome one in the whale shark group."

"Good thing it can't understand human speech, otherwise you'd already be filling the gaps between its teeth."

"That can't be—if it eats, it eats Dongzi first…"

"Ah… it opened its mouth, it opened its mouth…"

"Bah… you jinx…"

Suddenly, this big fish opened its enormous mouth, and all three nervously stood up straight, not understanding what it was going to do?

It turned out to be a false alarm—the fishing net had also been sucked into its mouth.

Ye Yaodong had already removed the net up to its head, with only a little left, so it opened its mouth cooperatively, hoping he would pull out the fishing net inside its mouth too.

He hesitated for a moment, seeing that there were no sharp teeth in its mouth, only two small rows of teeth, before gingerly reaching his hand into the whale shark's mouth to help clear the fishing net.

"Awesome, Dongzi is really brave!"

"You definitely wouldn't dare."

A Zheng rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't dare either, don't talk about me."

"He deserves to get rich!"

"This should be almost done, right? Just remove the fishing net and it's good, right?"

"Should be?" Little said uncertainly, looking at Ye Fu. "Uncle? Just removing the fishing net and it's good, right?"

Ye Fu wasn't sure either. "Should be, right?"

They couldn't possibly be expected to dress its wounds, could they?

After clearing all the fishing nets off its body, Ye Yaodong also fished out all the netting from its mouth. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief, climb down from its head, and drop into the water.

Not bothering to turn and look at how the whale shark reacted, he hurriedly handed the scissors up, then scrambled back onto the boat.

"Oh my god, that scared Laozi half to death."

"Yo, you still get scared? I thought you grew a leopard's gall."

"Something that big—who wouldn't be scared? It's not like I'm experienced. I'm exhausted, been at it for so long…"

"Hey hey hey… it's coming over…" Ah Zheng was so startled he grabbed one person with each hand and immediately retreated two steps.

Ye Fu and Ye Yaodong weren't quite so panicked anymore. After half a day of contact, and having faced it head-on for so long just now, they could barely muster a little trust in it.

They saw the big whale shark swim up to the side of the fishing boat and—rub against it?

Rub?

A question mark popped up in Ye Yaodong's mind. That movement just now was a rub, right?

"Is its skin itchy? Want me to scratch it?" Ah Zheng couldn't help asking.

"When your skin itches, do you do that too?"

"When my skin itches, it's always my old lady who scratches it for me!"

After rubbing against the boat a few times, the big whale shark swam off into the distance and started leaping and tumbling again.

This time Ye Yaodong understood—it was expressing its happiness.

Graceful parabolic arcs, one after another, three consecutive tumbles. Huge sheets of spray shot up over a dozen meters high, and before they even fell, another layer of waves was kicked up.

A vast scatter of water droplets hung in mid-air, sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight.

Not just anyone gets to see a show like this. It was Ah Zheng and Xiao Xiao's first time watching, and their eyes shone with wonder.

"It's actually pretty nice to look at."

"This fish is quite intelligent."

"Main thing is, it's really quite gentle."

Ye Yaodong felt his mood lift. He had done something meaningful, something special, and his whole being felt bright and clear.

He really was a good person!

In his elation, he handed himself another Good Person card.

"Alright, been at it for half a day, finally done. I'm beat. We won't go to the reef today. My dad's hand got burned by the diesel engine, and the fishing nets on the boat got bitten through by this whale shark. I'm planning to turn back and head home. You all decide for yourselves."

"Uncle, your hand got burned?"

Ye Fu turned his wrist over to show them, and said with a smile, "I got startled by that big fish earlier and bumped into the diesel engine. I've already applied some old tea oil. I'll prick the blister when I get a chance later, that'll do."

"Wait two days for the flesh underneath to grow back before pricking it. If you do it now it'll hurt a lot."

"Mm." Ye Fu gave a rather indifferent grunt. The calluses on his hand were thick, so it actually didn't hurt that much.

"Then you two head back first. It's still early—we'll go drag another couple of nets."

After exchanging words, the two climbed back onto their own boat.

Ye Yaodong also went and changed out of his wet clothes, put on a clean set, and only then turned the boat around to head back.

Ye Fu asked, puzzled, "Didn't you say you'd use that remora, fish-with-fish?"

"I'm beat, let's head back first. Take these three fish back and stash them at Ah Cai's place to keep, we'll bring them out to sea again tomorrow."

Mainly it was mental exhaustion. His whole mind and spirit had been drained by that big whale shark just now, and now he felt worn out in body and soul, wanting only to get back early.

If this hadn't happened, he really would have wanted to try fishing with the remora, to see what big fellow he might hook. But forget it for now.

"Mm, get back early and rest. Today was way too thrilling. Huh~ that whale shark is still following behind."

Ye Yaodong turned to look, and saw the whale shark trailing behind the fishing boat, every now and then lifting its tail fin and swaying it.

"Is something up again?" Ye Fu had been put on edge by this fish several times already.

"Shouldn't be anything. If there were, it would've just charged up to us on its own."

It must be expressing its gratitude, right?

The fishing boat kept moving without pause, yet this whale shark actually followed behind for nearly half the journey before stopping.

Good thing it stopped—otherwise Ye Yaodong would've started worrying again: what if it followed him all the way to shore and beached itself?

With a body that size, who could push it back?