Chapter 382 - 376: Returning Home

From a distance, Yun Jiao looked like she was carrying a small mountain.

Even the Humpback Whales couldn’t help but take a few extra glances.

Yun Jiao chuckled.

The Humpback Whales had come to say goodbye to Yun Jiao.

Their delivery was complete, and they had to go back.

Yun Jiao patted a Humpback Whale’s head.

"Goodbye. I’ll be back that way again, so we’ll see each other then."

"Wooooooo~~~"

The Humpback Whale let out a call, as if to say goodbye.

They gave Yun Jiao one last look. Their massive bodies swam slowly past her. With a swish of their enormous tails, their bodies formed a graceful arc as they gradually headed off into the distance.

Yun Jiao watched until they became black dots on the horizon. She only turned around when the killer whale nudged her back with its snout.

"Alright, let’s go home."

It was time for her to go home, too.

The closer she got to Bailong Village, the more Yun Jiao missed her family.

She didn’t head for the main dock, as there were too many people there. With all the things she was carrying, she would definitely draw a crowd.

"I wonder when Jiaojiao will be back?"

"Is she really coming back this way? What if she goes to the dock instead?"

Before Yun Jiao even got close, she could hear her brothers talking.

This was their secret spot. You couldn’t dock a boat here, but it was safe. Whenever Yun Jiao brought back things she didn’t want others to see, she would come ashore here.

Yun Xiaowu said with absolute certainty, "No way. If she’s really back, Jiaojiao will definitely come this way. She’s been gone for so long and went so far, she’s bound to bring back some good stuff she doesn’t want other people to know about. What do you call that? It’s called ’a thief never leaves empty-handed’!"

"Ouch! Third Brother, what’d you hit me for?!"

Yun Chen Nan’s voice came through, "If you can’t say something right, just shut up. Don’t use idioms anymore."

Yun Jiao nodded vigorously. ’Exactly. Fifth Brother’s attempts at idioms were basically friendly fire.’

"Third Brother!"

She shot out of the water and shouted excitedly.

"Jiaojiao!"

"Our sister’s back!"

In an instant, the brothers, who had been chatting and playing just a moment before, all dropped what they were doing and ran toward the shore.

Seeing Yun Jiao, their faces lit up with joy, and they practically danced in excitement.

"Jiaojiao, hurry and get up here," Yun Chen Nan said.

This area was a patch of reefs, unsuitable for docking boats and a bit dangerous, but very convenient for Yun Jiao.

When Yun Chen Nan reached out a hand to pull Yun Jiao up, he found that even using every ounce of his strength—his face turning red from the effort—he couldn’t budge her.

A closer look revealed that his sister was holding a net bag made from a large fishing net in her other hand.

It was bulging and looked incredibly heavy.

Yun Chen Nan was speechless.

’Of course I can’t pull her up.’

"Quick, come help!"

The brothers formed a chain, and with great effort, they finally managed to pull both Yun Jiao and the net in her hand onto the rocks. They were all panting from exhaustion.

Yun Chen Nan looked at the contents of the net and recalled what Xiao Wu had said.

A thief never leaves empty-handed.

’Maybe there’s some truth to that after all.’

"Holy cow, Jiaojiao. Where’d you get all this? Did you rob someone?"

Just the large, glistening golden croakers alone numbered about a dozen.

There was also a tuna.

And that’s not to mention everything else.

The fact that the net bag was stuffed to bursting showed just how much she’d caught.

Yun Jiao looked innocent. "Well, I was already out there. If I didn’t bring something back, the whole trip would’ve been a waste."

I mean, I had the big net bag with me anyway, right?

Her brothers were speechless.

Yun Xiaowu said with envy, "Ah, Jiaojiao, when will I ever be as capable as you? Your Fifth Brother here is no good at studying. I’m afraid I’ll just have to inherit the family business."

At least he was self-aware.

Yun Jiao offered a half-hearted cheer.

The siblings lay on the reef together with Yun Jiao, watching the crescent moon that had already appeared in the not-quite-dark sky.

Suddenly, someone laughed.

Then the others joined in, giggling and laughing.

The joy of youth is just that simple.

"Jiaojiao, let’s go. We’re heading home. Mom and Dad will be so happy to know you’re back."

But all that stuff would be hard to carry.

"Let’s head back first. Our family bought a tricycle."

It was the pedal-powered kind, meant for hauling cargo.

It would be much more convenient for hauling rice and corn from the fields in the future.

Yun Jiao nodded.

They all worked together to secure the fishing net to a reef, then ran home with Yun Jiao.

"Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma..."

That loud voice could only belong to Yun Xiaowu. Even the family dog started barking at the sound.

"Jiaojiao’s back, isn’t she? Is Jiaojiao really back?"

Yun Xiaowu’s voice had barely faded when people rushed out of the house.

The joy in Yun Xiaowu’s voice was so obvious that their first thought was that Yun Jiao had returned.

And a look outside confirmed it.

The adults of the family were overjoyed.

Yun Linhai and Yun Linhe ran right over, sweeping Yun Jiao into their arms and lifting her high into the air.

Far from being scared, Yun Jiao laughed with delight.

"Jiaojiao, you’re finally back."

"If you hadn’t come back soon, we were planning to go looking for you."

They had estimated it would take about ten days, and she was already two days late.

Shen Yunlian also ran over and pulled her into a hug.

"As long as you’re back, that’s all that matters. Is there anything you want to eat? Mom will make it for you. I’ve kept everything ready."

Looking closely, Yun Jiao saw that her mother’s eyes were a little red.

’She must have been really worried about me.’

A warm feeling spread through Yun Jiao’s heart.

Yun Jiao sniffled. "Mom, I want to eat braised pork belly."

Shen Yunlian quickly replied, "Alright! We have pork at home."

"Little sister, I’ll make it for you! I know how!"

Yun Xiao Liu jumped in eagerly.

He had been studying with his master for over a year. Although he was still mostly doing odd jobs, he knew how to make some basic dishes.

"Then Sixth Brother can help too."

"What about the crayfish we caught yesterday? Mom, let’s cook the crayfish."

"And the eels! Let’s cook those too."

Everyone started talking at once, and the house was filled with lively chatter.

While Yun Xiao Liu and the three women of the house started cooking, Yun Linhai and the others learned about what she’d left by the sea.

Without another word, they got on the pedal-powered tricycle and headed over.

The tricycle had a cargo bed in the back that could easily hold a two- or three-hundred-pound pig.

The tricycle made things much more convenient.

Using flashlights, they all worked together to transfer the contents of the fishing net onto the trike.

They couldn’t fit it all in one trip.

Mr. Yun said, "Keep those few large yellow croakers. Linhai, you take the tuna directly to Ah Wang’s place."

As for the rest, Mr. Yun also picked out some of the best to keep; the remainder was to be sent to Ah Wang’s to be sold.

Of course, they weren’t keeping all this just to eat themselves.

The large yellow croakers would make perfect gifts.

Jiaojiao’s master and her teacher, Wang Jianlin’s family, Fourth Brother, and Little Eight’s master would each get one.

If Xiao Liu’s master didn’t live so far away, the old man would have wanted to send one to him as well.

"Our family really needs to buy a freezer."

Otherwise, all this great seafood wouldn’t last long without being frozen.