Chapter 242: Not Saving People

After the weather changed, the Chen family's two trawlers couldn't bother to keep working and hurriedly headed for the dock.

"How is it?"

"The weather is changing fast, and the wind and waves are getting bigger."

"Can we make it back?"

"There shouldn't be a problem."

"Forget the trawling, let's head back first."

We've gone far out.

Suddenly someone shouted, "Old Fu Tou is missing!"

"He went to tinker with the trawl—hasn't he come back yet?"

"I thought he'd come back after he was done."

"Quick, look for him."

After the commotion, the crew found several Chen family members drinking tea in the cabin.

"Old Fu Tou might have fallen into the sea."

"We need to go back and look for him."

"Old Fu Tou is wearing a life jacket—if we go back we can definitely save him."

"Chen Lao Da..."

The crew were anxious, shouting over each other.

"Enough!"

The old man sitting among the Chen family slapped his teacup on the table and said, "All this racket—who am I supposed to listen to?"

The crew grudgingly fell silent.

The Chen family had the crew step out, and a few people gathered together to whisper and discuss.

A moment later.

Let the crew come in.

As the decision-maker, everyone looked to Chen Lao Da.

Chen Lao Da coughed and asked, "How is the weather now?"

"The wind and waves are getting bigger."

"Any sign the wind and waves are letting up?"

"Looks like not, and it's still raining."

"We've already gone far out; turning back would take at least over half an hour, and if the wind and waves get bigger, our trawler won't be able to take it."

"So Chen Lao Da, what do you mean?"

"Keep heading for the dock!" Chen Lao Da's dark, wrinkled face grim and terrifying, he said word by word: "If he fell into the sea by accident, that's Old Fu Tou's fate."

Upon hearing that.

Everyone's faces changed dramatically; even the Chen family's faces weren't looking good.

After all.

Someone died on this trip.

Fortunately in misfortune, Old Fu Tou is a five-guarantee household—at most it'll cost a bit of money to settle.

A crew member who was on good terms with Old Fu Tou asked incredulously, "Then… you're not going to save Old Fu Tou?"

"He went to handle the trawl for everyone's sake!"

"And the result…"

"Fu Yongning, it's not that we won't save him—it's that we can't." Chen Lao Da sighed, lit a cigarette, took a hard drag, then continued: "With so many people on board, everyone's safety is also important."

"Such a great responsibility rests on my shoulders—I have to be responsible for everyone!"

"As the saying goes, when faced with two harms, choose the lesser…"

Fu Yongning shouted anxiously, "Chen Lao Da, I'm just a rough guy—I don't understand all this fancy talk, but this person—no matter what, we have to save him!"

"Yeah, the rule handed down from our ancestors also says we can't see someone die and not save them."

"We're not far off yet—we should still make it in time."

Other crew members also chimed in.

"Are you teaching us how to do things?" the young man sitting nearby snapped, "After heading out to sea, Old Fu Tou spouted dire warnings, saying such taboo things—I think the sudden change in weather is because of his mouth."

"Chen Baosheng, you can't say that—human life is of utmost importance!"

Chen Baosheng snorted and said, "Old Fu Tou is just a five-guarantee household—a human life is only worth a few coins."

"Don't worry."

"After we get back, we'll handle it however we need to."

Fu Yongning shouted, "What are you saying? Old Fu Tou is the most senior person on the boat; when he first came to work for your family, you only had a small fishing boat—now you have two trawlers, and that's all thanks to…"

Chen Baosheng slammed the table: "Fu Yongning, are you saying our Chen family's present status is thanks to Old Fu Tou, or thanks to you guys?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Are you trying to cause trouble?"

Fu Yongning startled, stammering, "I didn't mean that."

Chen Baosheng still wanted to say something, but his father Chen Lao Da waved his hand and said, "Alright, the most important thing on a boat is **."

"Over these years, has the Chen family been harsh on you?"

Nobody said anything.

"Alright, I suggest we take a show of hands."

Everyone needs to think for themselves; we still have to go out to sea and make money.

A show of hands for those who agree to turn back and rescue the person.

As soon as the words fell, Fu Yongning raised his hand.

The other ship workers looked at each other; nobody was a fool, they understood Chen Lao Da's meaning—if they didn't listen to the Chen Family, they wouldn't be allowed to work on the ship in the future.

These men in their thirties and forties all have families to support.

The town is small; if they don't work on the Chen Family's trawler, finding a job that pays this much won't be easy.

Someone pulled at Fu Yongning.

Fu Yongning turned around and saw his face was extremely grim.

Chen Lao Da nodded satisfactorily: "This isn't decided by any one person; it's decided by all of us. When we return to port, we all know what to say and what to do."

"Fu Yongning, you need to think this over."

Don't be without a clue in your heart.

Everyone looked over.

Fu Yongning slowly lowered his hand; he was alone, and his words carried little weight.

If he insists further, he might end up following Lao Fu Tou's path.

Under everyone's gaze, he felt a chill inside; if he dared to go back and spout nonsense, not only would the Chen Family not let him off easily, but the other ship workers wouldn't either.

He isn't Lao Fu Tou; he has a home and a courtyard, so he doesn't dare act recklessly.

Chen Lao Da smiled satisfactorily: "Alright, then everyone go about their business."

Just as everyone turned around, the walkie-talkie transmitted a frightened shout: "Chen Lao Da, something happened, something happened—the ship seems to have run aground."

"Check it out immediately!" Chen Lao Da's face changed drastically; he picked up the walkie-talkie: "What's going on?"

"This... this isn't because the waves are too big; we just couldn't hold the course."

"Water's coming in, water's coming in, ship captain, what should we do, should we..."

Chen Lao Da shouted: "Tow!"

"We must tow the ship back to the dock!"

"But what if..."

"There's no 'what if.' Chen Lao Da's face turned terrifyingly ferocious as he looked at the ship workers: 'Why are you just standing there? Get moving!'"

Everyone rushed out.

This truly is 'when it rains, it pours'; everyone secretly groaned.

Fu Yongning also followed them out, wishing he could clap and cheer, thinking to himself that this was just deserts.

Everyone got busy, all a bit flustered.

The Chen Family members were anxious and angry, shouting at everyone; someone complained: "We've never handled this before; Lao Fu Tou knows how to do it, we used to ask him."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yongning quickly lowered his head so no one would see his smirk, silently cursing that they deserved it.

Don't think Lao Fu Tou is just a ship worker; he has the most seniority, rich experience, not exaggerating—he's a jack-of-all-trades, capable of any job and doing it well; many matters on the ship have to go through him.

It's just that his mouth easily offends people, and he likes to meddle, which is why he's not well liked on the ship.

Chen Baosheng burst out cursing: "Damn it, all you know is making excuses!"

"Our Chen Family fleet can't still be unable to function without an old man?"

"If you can't do it well, don't come work on the ship anymore."

The ship workers answered yes yes, hurriedly promised they could do it, nobody dared to delay; soon, amidst the wind and waves, the two trawlers, one ahead of the other, were being towed toward the dock.

Fu Yongning stood on the ship and couldn't help but look back; all he could see were the vast, terrifying waves, his heart filled with sorrow, feeling terribly sorry for Lao Fu Tou, his inner anguish reaching its peak.

He silently apologized over and over in his heart, hoping that Lao Fu Tou's spirit in heaven could forgive him.