Chapter 21 Going to Sea
Today Zhou Chenglei is the first to use the boat. Yesterday when they were having dinner, the three of them agreed that Zhou Chenglei would go out to sea first today, followed by Zhou Chengxin tomorrow, and finally Zhou's father.
Zhou Chengxin probably felt bad that he was living in the new house while Zhou Chenglei and his parents were living in the old house, so he let Zhou Chenglei go out to sea first.
Zhou Chenglei carefully removed the small arms and long legs that were resting on him.
But just as he took Jiang Xia's little arm away and before she had even moved her long legs away, her arms were put on him again and she hugged him even tighter.
Zhou Chenglei tried several times but couldn't get it open. As soon as he tried to get it open, she came on top.
He was sweating! Zhou Chenglei could only whisper: "Jiang Xia, let me go first, I want to get up and go to the sea."
"Jiang Xia, Jiang Xia."
Zhou Chenglei called out three times before Jiang Xia woke up and dazedly responded, "Oh, are you going to get up and sell vegetables?"
Jiang Xia sat up without opening his eyes.
Zhou Chenglei: “…”
What was the situation of getting up to sell vegetables? Was she dreaming of selling vegetables? "I'm going to go out to sea, you continue to sleep."
The deep, mellow male voice in his ears startled Jiang Xia and made him wake up instantly.
Just now she dreamed that she slept with her grandmother.
Zhou Chenglei opened the mosquito net, got out of bed, and didn't turn on the light: "You go back to sleep."
Jiang Xia was completely awake. Thinking of what he had just said about going out to sea, she hurriedly got out of bed and fumbled to turn on the light: "I want to go out to sea with you. I have never been out to sea before and I want to see it for myself. Is that ok?"
Live by the mountain, live by the water, live by the water, and make a living by fishing. Jiang Xia wants to learn how to fish. Maybe in the future she will have the opportunity to own a fishing boat and go out to sea to fish.
Zhou Chenglei wanted to refuse at first, as she would not be able to bear the strong sun at sea. However, he could not say anything when he met her eyes.
Under the light, those beautiful big eyes were as bright as the sea surface crushed with moonlight in the dark night, deep and charming, full of expectation.
He nodded: "Okay."
Anyway, he is the one going out to sea today, and all the money he earns will be his, so it won’t affect his elder brother.
If she can't stand it, she can just come back early, it's just a loss of gas money.
Jiang Xia smiled, his eyes sparkling: "Then I'll go get ready!"
If her eyes just now were like the surface of the sea that crushed the moonlight in the dark night, then at this moment they were like the surface of the sea that crushed the sunlight in the evening, dazzling and brilliant like a galaxy of stars.
Zhou Chenglei responded lightly, looked away, took his clothes and walked out of the room.
Because Zhou Chenglei was going to take Jiang Xia out to sea, Zhou's mother pulled Zhou's father aside and quietly told him to be sensible and not to hinder the relationship between his son and daughter-in-law, and to stay aside when nothing happened.
The two of them finally slept together last night, and she is looking forward to having a grandchild as soon as possible!
Father Zhou was speechless. Did she think the family’s boat was big?
Still hiding? He might as well jump into the sea! The three of them walked towards the dock together.
It was August, and at the seaside before dawn, the moon was bright, the stars were sparse, and there were dots of fishing lights.
The sea breeze blows in with a faint ocean scent.
The people in the village who go out to sea to fish also go out to sea at about this time, but today they are a little late, and there are already several boats out at sea.
Father Zhou wore a flashlight on his head to illuminate the road, and his steps were a little quick.
Jiang Xia didn't want to fall behind, so he jogged after him.
"No hurry, my dad will go buy some diesel first."
Only then did Jiang Xia slow down his pace.
Zhou Chenglei held a flashlight to light the way for her and walked at the same pace as hers.
It took about ten minutes to reach the pier.
There are fishing boats docked at the pier, with lights on, dim shadows and figures of people.
They are all fishermen and boats preparing to go out to sea.
Zhou's father has already bought diesel and brought it on board.
When everyone saw that the person next to Zhou Chenglei was not Zhou Chengxin but a woman, they couldn't help but take a second look with strange looks in their eyes.
An old man who was about the same age as Zhou's father glanced at Jiang Xia and asked Zhou Chenglei: "A Lei, is this your wife? Are you taking her out to sea?"
Zhou Chenglei got on the boat first and reached out to help Jiang Xia get on board. Fearing that she would not be able to stand steadily, he only said, "Yes."
Jiang Xia took a look at his big palm before extending his hand.
Zhou Chenglei helped her onto the boat and then let go.
The man looked at Zhou's father again, "Zhou Yongfu, are you taking women out to sea hoping to get into trouble?"
Father Zhou was untying the ropes. Hearing this, he said angrily, "Bullshit! I'm not as superstitious as you. There are no taboos!"
"Bah, don't disbelieve me, women have no bottom line and will be exposed. You dare to take them out to sea? Wait for bad luck!"
Other villagers couldn't help but speak out: "Chenglei, going out to sea is not a joke. Listen to my uncle's advice. Don't take your wife out to sea! It will be unlucky for a woman to go on a boat. Do you want to save your life?"
Jiang Xia really had never heard of this, although she didn't believe it.
But I don’t know if Zhou Chenglei minds.
She asked, "There's a saying in the village that women can't go out to sea?"
Zhou Chenglei didn't like to hear this, and said calmly: "My family is fine, don't worry about others."
Reform and opening up have taken place, women can hold up half the sky, there are female comrades on warships, how can they be unlucky? He never thought that women could not do anything, and some female soldiers were also very brave.
Zhou's father sailed the boat out to sea.
He didn't believe these things. He had secretly taken his wife out to sea before, and they lived a peaceful life together.
He only believed that when a husband and wife are of one mind, their strength can break metal! Everyone shook their heads when they saw that they didn't listen, "If you don't listen to the old man, you will suffer the consequences."
6◇9◇Book◇Bar
“You’re really not afraid of death!”
"Just wait for bad luck! Even if the boat doesn't capsize, you won't catch any fish."
"Why are you so kind to remind him? Why do you care about them..."
*The engine made a "da da da" sound, and the boat slowly sailed towards the endless dark sea, with twinkling stars above the sea.
There is nothing to see on the sea at night, except for the lights from the scattered fishing boats.
She looked up at the midsummer night sky, where the stars were twinkling.
"Are you cold?" Zhou Chenglei handed her a military green coat.
“Somewhat.”
The sea breeze was a little cool, so Jiang Xia took it and put it on.
There was a slight scent of soapberries on the clothes, which was his scent.
Zhou Chenglei gave the clothes to Jiang Xia and went over to drive the boat, allowing Zhou's father to have a rest.
As time passed, the stars gradually closed their eyes, the sky was getting brighter, and there was a line of white light on the eastern horizon, gradually spreading.
Jiang Xia was preparing to watch the sunrise over the sea when suddenly she saw a flash of golden light on the sea in the distance.
She asked curiously, "Zhou Chenglei, I saw a golden light flashing on the sea over there. Is it some kind of glowing fish?"
Zhou Chenglei was driving the boat and the engine was making a rumbling sound, but he didn't hear it because of his poor hearing. Zhou's father looked in the direction Jiang Xia pointed, but unfortunately he didn't see anything.
"Some fish can glow." He said nonchalantly.
Seeing that they had sailed almost far, Zhou's father went to start the boat and said to Zhou Chenglei, "You go and put out the net, I'll drive it."
Zhou Chenglei walked over and prepared to set the net.
Jiang Xia vaguely heard a "cluck" sound.
She asked, "Do you hear any gurgling noises? Is that the sound of seabirds?"
"Clucking sound?" Zhou Chenglei paused and looked towards the sea without lowering the net. "Which direction?"
Father Zhou also looked at Jiang Xia, "Where is the gurgling sound?"
This is not the sound made by ordinary fish.
The sound disappeared, but Jiang Xia still pointed in a direction: "It seems to be coming from over there."
Father Zhou immediately drove the boat in the direction Jiangxia pointed, with a hint of anticipation.
The "cuckoo" sound, could it be...
At this time, the "cluck" sound sounded again.
Jiang Xia: "Listen, it's ringing again!"
As soon as Jiang Xia finished speaking, the clucking sound started again, and it was "cluck...", "cluck, cluck..." one after another, just like the old frogs in the fields in early summer and the cuckoos in the trees.
Immediately afterwards, everyone responded and shouted together, one after another!
“Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle…”
The sound was so loud, like the water boiling in a kettle, or even more like the sound of pine waves in the wind.
(End of this chapter)