Jiaojiao looked up, her eyes curving like crescent moons. She wiped her face with her little arm, but even more sand appeared.

“Fat sister, you have sand on your face too…” Jiaojiao touched the chubby girl’s face with her little hand.

As the two played around, the chubby girl seemed to instantly transform into a child.

Lin Ziyan watched them playfully bickering, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.

A cartoon-like drawing appeared on the paper, and she simply added color; a playful drawing was now complete.

One was big, the other small, both with chubby faces, and they were smiling brightly.

"Wow!" Jiaojiao ran over at some point and stood next to Lin Ziyan, her eyes sparkling as if they were filled with starlight.

The chubby girl washed her hands before rushing over, and when she saw the portrait, she froze.

Is that really her? She's so beautiful…

The three of them caught one fish and a dozen shrimp before heading back.

Walking quietly down the street, Lin Ziyan felt a tightness in her chest.

"Aunt Huang has fainted... Go check on her quickly..." Several women hurried along, whispering among themselves.

"That's terrible. I heard the state of things inside the ship... tsk... tsk..."

Their voices faded into the distance. The chubby girl and Lin Ziyan exchanged a glance, seeing worry in each other's eyes.

The chubby girl picked up Jiaojiao and walked quickly towards home.

When the bad news reached the small fishing village, not a single villager was seen, even though they usually gathered under the banyan tree.

Lin Ziyan felt a tightness in her chest that lingered for a long time.

The closer she got to home, the more panicked she became, feeling that what was happening might be more serious than she thought.

A large crowd, young and old, had gathered in front of Aunt Huang's house.

Many old men sat on stone benches, puffing on their pipes...