A faint light appeared on the horizon, and Mingjing dragged her heavy fishing net ashore.
A light rain was falling from the sky, and the salty sea breeze made Mingjing feel chilly. The tide had just gone out, and a group of people were standing on the shore, bending over to collect seafood.
"Mingjing! My Mingjing is back!"
Ming Dahai threw down his umbrella, so happy he almost jumped for joy.
"They're back! They're back!" Sun Yunmei's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
Their daughter hadn't come back all night, and they couldn't sleep. They stood on the shore watching over her. Everyone said that Chen Jing wouldn't come back, but they didn't believe it.
It seems the Goddess of the Sea truly is protecting us!
"Mom and Dad, what brings you here?" Mingjing asked with difficulty, dragging the fishing net ashore.
"Mingjing, you're really brave. You dared to go into the sea alone in this weather. You scared your parents to death," said Zhang Ping, the village chief, his expression softening slightly.
Mingjing untied the fishing net rope from her waist. These fish didn't seem heavy in the water, but they were incredibly heavy on the shore.
"Oh my! What are these?"
Zhang Ping looked down, shining his flashlight across the fishing net, his expression one of astonishment.
Many people followed his gaze downwards and exclaimed, "Giant yellow croaker! My God, so many, such big yellow croaker, and also a conger eel and a sea bream."
Mingjing, how did you retrieve it?
"Mingjing, did you catch this? How much is it worth?"
These old fishermen dared not go into the water in this weather, let alone hold their breath for so long, and everyone began to question Mingjing.
"It's dark, the fish are sleeping, so they're easy to catch. I just didn't find any abalone, and I didn't dig up any abalone pearls."
Mingjing wiped the seawater off her face, shivering from the cold, and felt a little regretful.
"Mom and Dad, let's go back quickly, it's terribly cold."
"Okay, let's go back, don't get cold," Sun Yunmei said, hugging her daughter as they walked back.
Ming Dahai bent down, hoisted a net full of yellow croakers, and walked back, his face filled with indescribable excitement and pride.
Zhang Ping's eyes lit up. "Da Hai, there are so many big yellow croakers. Share them with the villagers. Don't be so stingy."
Upon hearing this, Mingjing paused, turned to look at him, and her eyes were as cold as knives.
Zhang Ping is Zhang Fan's father and the village chief. He has always used his power to exploit the villagers. Whenever something good comes out, Zhang Ping is always the one who benefits.
Ming Dahai also took a lot of the pearls from him, and he pretended to be a good person in public. He didn't get any of the bad things, but he did all the good things by himself.
Hearing Zhang Ping ask for yellow croaker, Mingjing sneered, "Uncle Zhang, these are for paying off our debts. If we lose even one, we won't be able to pay off the debt. Uncle Zhang, will you cover the difference for our family?"
"What are you saying, kid?" Zhang Ping's expression froze, and he turned and left, muttering something unintelligible.
"Everyone, go back inside, it's quite cold."
Mingjing turned to the crowd and spoke, and the crowd gradually dispersed, all talking about Mingjing catching the big yellow croaker.
Back home, Mingjing took a hot shower, changed into dry clothes, drank a bowl of ginger tea, and sat in the house.
Ming Dahai counted the number of large yellow croakers and grinned from ear to ear. "Good heavens, there are thirty-five yellow croakers, one ten-pound sea eel, and five minnows. We're rich!"
But the thought that all of this would have to be used to pay off debts made him feel uneasy.
"Sister, you're amazing! How did you catch so many yellow croakers? Tell me!" Mingyue asked, her curiosity piqued.
Mingjing, holding a cup of ginger tea, began to talk about how she caught fish and eels in the ocean, which Mingyue found incredibly admiring.
“Our daughter is truly blessed by the Goddess of the Sea. Now we don’t have to worry about our debts anymore. But you’re not allowed to stay out all night anymore. You scared your father and me to death.”
Sun Yunmei was both happy and scared. Fortunately, she was safe and sound. Not only could she pay off her mother-in-law's living expenses, but she could also pay off her son's debts.
"Okay, Mom and Dad, I'll go wherever you buy it!"
Mingjing was afraid that the group of people would deliberately lower the price because they thought Ming Dahai was honest, so she could raise the price herself.
“Sell it to the Zhao family; they're the only ones who buy fish. But, Mingjing, what about you and that son of the Zhao family…”
After saying that, Ming Dahai looked at his daughter, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.
"Dad, I have nothing to do with Zhao Dali, don't worry."
"That's good, that's good."
Mingjing lowered her head and drank her tea. Zhao Dali was the original owner's suitor. He was always slacking off and stealing chickens and dogs. He had a handsome appearance, but the original owner didn't even look at him.
As the weather gradually cleared up outside, Ming Dahai left two medium-sized yellow croakers behind, placed the rest on a carrying pole, straightened his back, and hoisted them onto his shoulder.
Let's go!
"I'm going too!" Mingyue exclaimed, wanting to go and see as well, and followed after them carrying the eel bucket.
"Go, go!" Ming Dahai said cheerfully as he walked forward.
I pushed open the door, and there was a group of people standing outside.
"Da Hai, did your Mingjing really catch a big yellow croaker?"
The neighbors craned their necks to look into the carrying pole.
“Yes, we’re planning to sell them at Old Zhao’s house!” Ming Dahai laughed.
A group of people were passing by the convenience store when they happened to run into Old Wang's convenience store opening.
"Grandpa Wang, I owe you money for two big fishhooks from yesterday. I'll pay you back later."
Old Wang was taken aback. He looked up and saw the yellow croaker in the carrying pole, then gave a thumbs up. "Da Hai, you have a good daughter. She was able to catch fish in that kind of weather yesterday. She has both courage and skill, just like your daughter!"
"Hehe, that's right!" Ming Dahai raised his head, looking extremely smug.
Mingjing didn't pay any attention, smiled and continued walking forward, followed by a group of people who arrived at Old Zhao's seafood purchasing point.
Fishermen by the sea usually get up very early. Old Zhao had just finished making breakfast and hadn't even put the buns in his mouth when he heard a flurry of footsteps outside the door.
"Old Zhao, a big deal has come in!" the villagers outside shouted.
Old Zhao put down his chopsticks, got up, and went to the window to look down.
A group of people stood in front of Old Zhao's house, blocking the door and shouting all at once, "Old Zhao, the big shipment is here!"
Old Zhao saw Ming Dahai carrying a shoulder pole and hurried downstairs. "What, did you dig up some abalone?"
The whole village knows that Ming Dahai went to dig for abalone yesterday, and he must have dug up quite a few by now.
"It's not abalone! It's yellow croaker!" Ming Dahai said with a smile as he walked into the courtyard, put down his carrying pole.
"Yellow croaker?"
Old Zhao looked down, rubbed his eyes in disbelief, and exclaimed in a shrill voice, "So many, so big?"
"Old Zhao, you'd better take a good look at these. They're all top-quality goods. If we can't reach an agreement, I won't mind the distance and will deliver them directly to town."
Old Zhao nodded, bent down, picked up the yellow croaker and examined it carefully. Some of them were still alive and very fresh.
He grinned excitedly, "No rush, no rush, let's go inside, have some water, and talk slowly!"
Mingjing pulled Mingdahai back, "No need, Uncle Zhao, let's talk here. We still have to pay off our debts after we get the money."
Old Zhao glanced at Mingjing with disdain, then laughed and said, "Alright, alright, these are all fresh catches. Dahai, tell me how you caught them?"
"My daughter caught it in the sea in the middle of the night," Ming Dahai said, eager to show off.
Old Zhao was surprised. "What? Mingjing?"
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