Chapter 148: The Whole Family Goes to Sea

Granny Yun and the others packed everything they needed for the next day that evening. They would get up early the next morning, grab their things, and head out.

To be honest, Granny Yun and Grandpa Yun were actually a little excited.

Living by the sea, Grandpa Yun’s family had owned a boat when he was young, and he had loved rowing it out to fish.

But later, Granny Yun fell ill, his sons married, and grandchildren started popping up one after another. Grandpa Yun, in desperate need of money, sold the fishing boat and even borrowed some extra.

With so many grandchildren, he had to work as a helper on other people’s boats to pay back the debt. The large family had many mouths to feed, and with their expenses exceeding their income, they only grew poorer, unable to even think of buying another boat.

He felt quite regretful that he couldn’t go out to sea anymore.

Grandpa Yun was nearly sixty this year, but he was still strong and healthy.

In fact, he had been thrilled ever since he heard his two sons say they were taking the old couple with them to an island.

Now, at bedtime, his heart was still racing with excitement, and he couldn’t fall asleep.

Suddenly, his wife’s hand reached over to embrace him, patting him on the back.

"Go to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow. Don’t be the one who can’t get up, or the boys might not take you."

Grandpa Yun snorted. "They wouldn’t dare!"

"I’m just worried. I haven’t been out to sea in so many years. I don’t know if this old body can still handle it."

Granny Yun knew he had sold that boat all those years ago to pay for her medical treatment.

Ever since she married him, she had known how much he loved that boat, and how much he loved the sea.

But for her sake, he had given up the sea, and he had given up his boat.

Granny Yun squeezed his hand. "Sleep."

Grandpa Yun nodded. "Okay."

...

The next morning, Grandpa Yun woke up bright and early, full of energy, and went to knock on each of his sons’ doors.

"What time do you call this? Hurry up and get out of bed."

Yun Linhai & Yun Linhe: ...

It was still dark outside. It was probably only a little after five.

Yun Jiao was completely unable to wake up at this hour. She was still in a daze as her older brothers helped her comb her hair, brush her teeth, and wash her face.

Her other brothers were eager to help, but they couldn’t get a turn.

Even boys couldn’t resist the chance to comb the hair of and dress up such a beautiful little doll.

There was nothing left for Shen Yunlian to do at all.

"Which hair clip should we use today?"

Yun Chenbei took out a pile of various small hair clips and hair ties.

Now that he had a bit of money and had learned more from his master, Yun Chenbei’s main hobby, besides woodworking, was making all sorts of beautiful hair accessories for Yun Jiao.

Yun Xiaowu held up a small bunny clip. "This one! This one’s cute."

Little Nine picked up a kitty cat clip. "This one is pretty too."

Yun Chendong had already picked up a red hair tie and was styling Yun Jiao’s hair into a cute and pretty hairdo.

There were little bells on the hair tie. The sound they made wasn’t loud, but it added a very lively touch.

Yun Chen Nan pushed up the glasses on his nose. "Move aside. I’m going to put a red dot on her forehead."

"Jiaojiao should wear these little bunny overalls today, and the bunny hair clip too."

Shen Yunlian and Wang Mei exchanged a look, completely baffled by their sons’ hobby.

Shen Yunlian said, "Get my jar of snowflake cream and put some on Jiaojiao’s face."

*Heh heh...* She decided to join in.

’Dressing up my daughter is actually really fun, and seeing the final result is so rewarding.’

Yun Jiao wore light blue overalls with a little pocket shaped like a rabbit’s head on the front.

She had a chubby, short, toddler-like body, snow-white skin, and delicate features, with a single red dot between her brows. Her hair was woven into small braids, coiled at the back of her head, and secured with hair ties and clips. The ends of the ties dangled down, adorned with pretty little bells.

She truly looked like a little fairy child.

Adorable!

The brothers were satisfied, but with a slight pang of regret.

Yun Xiaowu said, "If only we had a camera. A picture of Jiaojiao looking like this would definitely be beautiful."

The whole family couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

Unfortunately, the family didn’t have a camera right now.

Yun Chenbei grew thoughtful. ’I can earn a little money now from the things I make. I should save up and buy a camera.’

’When Jiaojiao grows up, photos will be the only way to remember what she looked like as a child.’

’We definitely have to take lots of pictures.’

"Let’s go~"

The family, all together, set off for the sea.

Yun Jiao was picked up and carried by her eldest brother.

The other brothers hadn’t been quick enough to grab her.

The boats had been borrowed the previous evening. There were three wooden boats. With five people to a boat, there was still one person left over.

Naturally, Yun Jiao was carried onto their boat by Yun Chendong.

So their boat had one extra person.

Once aboard, the younger kids were especially excited, touching and looking at everything without caring if the boat was dirty.

It was their first time going out to sea, so they were bound to be thrilled.

"Let me row."

Grandpa Yun spat into his palms and rubbed them together, clearly very excited.

"Back in my day, I was one of the best fishermen in Bailong Village..."

Once he took the oars, the old man quickly got the hang of it again, rowing even better than Yun Linhai and the others.

"It’s been so many years since I’ve rowed a boat out to sea."

His voice was filled with nostalgia.

Yun Linhai and Yun Linhe exchanged a glance. ’Looks like Dad really loves going out to sea.’

There were actually other men Grandpa Yun’s age who still went out to sea.

People who lived in the countryside were generally quite sturdy from a lifetime of labor. As long as they didn’t get sick, physical work was no problem at all.

Moreover, the elderly were experienced. For families with fewer hands, it was safer to bring an experienced elder out to sea.

Their family was large, with plenty of able-bodied young men, but they only had one boat. That’s why Grandpa Yun never competed with the younger generation or asked to go out to sea with his sons.

Yun Linhe said to Yun Linhai, "Big Brother, if we pool our money, how long until we can buy a metal boat?"

"We’re still a bit short. I asked about the price of metal boats. An 18-meter one from the shipyard costs around six thousand."

Yun Linhe said, "Let’s save up a little more. Once we buy a metal boat, we can have Dad come out to sea with us too."

An 18-meter metal boat would be more than enough for four or five people.

With the two of them there, their father could just help out a little on board.

"Okay."

Grandpa Yun was clearly in high spirits. He rowed with considerable strength the whole way, telling the children stories from his youth.

They didn’t waste any time on the water and soon arrived at the island.

When they got there, the tide on the island hadn’t fully receded yet.

They weren’t in a hurry, so they decided to wait in the boats for a while.

Yun Jiao had woken up by now and was sitting in the boat, fishing with a rod.

It wasn’t long before a fish took the bait.

Seeing the fishing rod bend into the shape of a bow, Yun Xiaowu and the others rushed forward to help.

"Slow down, slow down! If you’re too hasty, the line will snap."

With so many people, each shouting advice, it became exceptionally lively.

"A mackerel! It’s a mackerel!"

Grandpa Yun moved in with a hand net and scooped the fish into the boat in one motion.

"HAHAHA... It’s a good size, too!"

"This is a nice fishing rod. I wonder where Xiao Fu bought it."

Yun Xiaowu and the others poked the mackerel flopping on the deck. It was longer than their arms.

"Jiaojiao, let me fish for a bit."

Without much hesitation, Yun Jiao thrust the fishing rod into his hands.