Chapter 39: Mocked for coming back empty-handed from sea-foraging

Sharp, crisp "Ou—Ou—" sounds rang out in the sky.

Under the sunset glow, several large seagulls flew across the golden sea surface, and waves slapped heavily against the stone walls covered in seaweed and barnacles, making a clattering echo.

Behind the beach were pools left by the receding tide, of varying depths.

Jiang Ye took the young girl and didn't rush to get into the water. Instead, he went to a nearby shack to find a local fisherman and borrowed a bucket, tongs, and two pairs of rubber boots.

One pair of black men's boots, and one pair of red women's boots.

"These two pairs of rubber boots are new. My son and daughter-in-law bought them when they got married. I've kept them and have no use for them. If you don't mind, take them; don't let good things go to waste."

Jiang Ye didn't decline upon hearing this. After changing into the rain boots, he revealed a smile:

"Okay, then I'll respectfully decline your modesty. We'll get our marriage certificate another day, and we'll come to deliver wedding candy."

"Oh, good, that's really great."

The old man rubbed his dry eyes and kept saying good.

Shen Man was curious inside, but sensibly didn't ask anything more.

After the two said goodbye to the old man, they walked hand in hand toward the pools.

After walking far away and confirming the old man couldn't hear their conversation, Shen Man asked:

"Brother Jiang Ye, do you know that old man? Where are his son and daughter-in-law? It feels a bit strange."

"Mm, I know him."

Jiang Ye's expression dimmed a bit, and then he explained with a hint of sadness:

"His son and daughter-in-law had an accident while fishing at sea a few years ago, and both of them lost their lives..."

It was an accident, but also a friction between the naval escort team and a patrol ship of another country. The inside story was not convenient to tell the young girl.

"I see."

Shen Man also felt a bit of sighing; her heart felt like it was being pressed by a heavy stone, making it hard to breathe.

Although Brother Jiang Ye didn't explain in detail, she could guess that this was definitely not a simple accident.

Since Brother Jiang Ye didn't want to say, she wouldn't ask.

The two soon arrived at the pools, where there were already many women wearing headscarves, half-grown children, and some young women who looked fashionable, bending over to feel for something in the pools.

Shen Man poked her head out, curious about everything here.

She saw that the wooden buckets beside some people were already filled with unknown sea snails, as well as clawing sea crabs and other seafood she couldn't name.

"There are too many people here; let's go to a pool with fewer people."

Jiang Ye firmly held the young girl's hand with his right hand. Although the rubber boots were non-slip and could effectively block the slipperiness of the moss on the stone surface at the bottom of the water, there was still a possibility of slipping and falling.

"Okay."

Shen Man's eyes curved, smiling very sweetly. Shallow dimples appeared on her porcelain-white cheeks, and her eyes were full of trust and reliance on the man.

Jiang Ye was completely relaxed at this moment, his gaze toward the young girl filled with lingering love.

The two behaved intimately; just standing together, they were exceptionally well-matched.

"Brother Jiang Ye, I see a crab claw in the stone crevice."

"I'll move the stone, you take the iron tongs and clamp it."

"Mm-hmm."

Shen Man thought it was a sure thing, but she didn't expect that one clamp would miss completely. The sea crab flew away sideways, and in the interference of the murky mud and sand, it was impossible to tell where it had escaped to.

"Didn't catch it."

She was a bit disappointed. This was her first time sea-foraging at close range, catching a sea crab with her own hands, and she had missed.

"It doesn't matter, try again."

Jiang Ye wasn't very good at comforting people, but he was exceptionally patient with the young girl.

Just like that, the two continued to bend over and grope, searching for the traces of prey.

Half an hour later—

The empty bucket was still an empty bucket; an accident that wasn't an accident—they came back empty-handed.

"Pfft."

A little boy not far away couldn't help but laugh. He had originally thought adults were all very powerful, but he didn't expect them to be less capable than him, a child.

"Kid, what are you laughing at?"

Jiang Ye's face was a bit dark. It was fine to mock him, but he couldn't mock his little girl.

The little boy wasn't afraid at all; he even specifically brought his bucket over, raised his chin, and retorted:

"Uncle, is the beach your home?"

Then, looking at the beautiful sister, he immediately softened his voice and greeted her obediently:

"Beautiful sister, are you new to the Sea Island? Is this your first time sea-foraging?"

"Yes, little brother. You're so amazing, catching so much seafood. What kind of snail is this?"

Shen Man felt the resentment emanating from Brother Jiang Ye and held back her laughter, asking the interesting little boy for advice.

"Beautiful sister, this is a cat-eye snail. The snail meat is particularly tender; whether it's stir-fried or braised, it's delicious..."

The little boy was praised by the beautiful sister and specifically glanced at the dark-faced uncle, then showed his harvest to the beautiful sister and answered the questions she was interested in.

The conversation lasted no more than five or six minutes, but for Jiang Ye, it felt like five or six months had passed.

Don't look at his calm surface, but in reality, he still minded being called Uncle by the little boy.

Uncle and Sister—wasn't that a generation gap?

Was he really that old?

Six years older—was it really that obvious?

Shen Man felt the low pressure from the man behind her. After communicating with Little Hai, she had learned some sea-foraging knowledge, so she took two rabbit milk candies out of her pocket:

"Alright, thank you, Little Hai brother. Sister will treat you to rabbit milk candies to thank you for telling Sister the techniques of sea-foraging."

"Thank you, beautiful sister~"

Little Hai's eyes lit up when he saw the rabbit milk candies. Without any shyness, he smiled and took them, then cherished them by putting them into his pocket.

"Beautiful sister, I won't disturb you and this uncle from sea-foraging. I'm going home now. My sister will definitely like the milk candies..."

"Mm, go ahead. See you if there's a chance."

Shen Man nodded, thinking, did she give too few candies?

When Little Hai left, he gave a provocative smile to the man who could actually be called Brother but was deliberately called Uncle—

"Goodbye, Uncle."

"..."

Jiang Ye clenched his fists, silently chanting that this little brat was still young and not a soldier under his command, so he couldn't beat him.

"Brother Jiang Ye, come quickly, I caught a sea crab!"

"Coming."

Learning from others was really useful. Look, now Shen Man could catch sea crabs.

Not just sea crabs, she also touched a few cat-eye snails on the stone wall in the pool.

Unfortunately, the sky was getting dark, and the seawater in the pool was getting colder. The water depth, which was at the ankles of the rubber boots, gradually rose by an inch.

"Let's stop here for today. I'm off tomorrow and the day after; I have plenty of time to accompany you sea-foraging. I'll send you back first.

Don't catch a cold from the sea breeze."

Jiang Ye had originally been a bit sulky because of the little boy's provocation, falling into self-doubt.

But on second thought, as long as the little girl liked him, he could overcome everything else.

For example, paying attention to health preservation in the future, cherishing his body, maintaining his figure, and taking care of his face.

"Mm-hmm."

Shen Man was also tired. She had been bending over for a long time, keeping one posture, and her waist was very sore. It was better to go back and rest early.

Of course, since it was a rare trip to the beach for sea-foraging, she hadn't forgotten what she promised Tangyuan, secretly collecting some fingernail-sized small fish into the space.

She didn't know how long it would take for these fingernail-sized small fish to... ===== CHAPTER 40 =====