"Brother, what did you just say? You're taking Xiaodong to go beach-combing?"
Shen Ling looked at Shen Lang with a peculiar expression.
"Didn't you used to say Xiaodong is a total goofball, and taking him along beach-combing would only be a burden to you? What's gotten into you today? Why the sudden change of heart?"
Feng Xiaodong was equally surprised. Shen Lang, who had rejected him repeatedly, was actually taking the initiative to invite him beach-combing today.
"Big Brother, are you pulling my leg?"
"Good brother, don't hold it against me. The reason Big Brother turned you down before wasn't because I didn't want to take you, but because I wanted to test your character. You know as well as I do, beach-combing is the closely guarded secret we seafaring folks rely on to make a living. A master has to guard against teaching the apprentice all his tricks lest he starve to death himself."
Shen Lang felt a little ashamed.
Having lived two lives, he finally knew who was good and who was bad.
"Big Brother, I don't blame you at all. Thank you for being willing to take me. I... I..."
Feng Xiaodong was so overwhelmed he was tongue-tied, standing up and wanting to express his gratitude to Shen Lang.
When the words reached his lips, he didn't know how to say them.
Shen Ling chuckled and said, "Xiaodong, my brother agreeing to take you beach-combing is all thanks to me. You can just thank me from now on."
"You little imp."
Huang Qionghua shook her head with a wry smile.
By saying that, her daughter was clearly trying to bail Feng Xiaodong out.
Feng Xiaodong was a good man, but he wasn't good with words.
To actually make him say nice, thankful things would be putting him on the spot.
"This is for the best anyway. You two know each other inside and out, so going out to sea together means you can look out for one another."
Huang Qionghua told Feng Xiaodong to keep eating, and instructed Shen Lang that since he had decided to take the boy beach-combing, he must treat Feng Xiaodong like a real blood brother.
The ocean was merciless, and once danger struck, the only things that could save a life besides the Heavenly Empress were the companions by your side.
"Mom, don't you worry. I guarantee I'll treat Xiaodong like my own brother."
The Grand Fortune Seafood Restaurant was opening with all sorts of promotional gimmicks.
If Shen Lang wasn't mistaken, the owner of this establishment, even if not from Gangcheng, must have spent many years living there.
They knew how to eat, knew how to cook, and talked business like true merchants.
Three days later, a special school of fish would appear out on the sea.
Once hauled up, a few thousand yuan would be in their hands in no time.
Compared to retail peddling, supplying restaurants wholesale was the real way to go.
Time flew by to the morning of the third day.
Feng Xiaodong woke up early and came to the Shen household to rendezvous with Shen Lang.
"Xiaodong, remember this: once you're on the boat, there are no brothers—only the captain."
At the fishing village dock, Shen Lang once again anxiously laid out the rules of beach-combing.
On land, Shen Lang and Feng Xiaodong were good brothers who could talk about anything, and Feng Xiaodong could even kick Shen Lang twice and it wouldn't matter.
But once they were on the boat, there could only be one voice—Shen Lang's.
No matter what orders Shen Lang issued, Feng Xiaodong had to execute them without compromise.
Even if towering waves roared ahead, if Shen Lang gave the order to charge forward, Feng Xiaodong had to bite the bullet and go!
"Big Brother, I understand. No matter how small the boat, you must obey the captain's orders."
Feng Xiaodong promised to follow Shen Lang's instructions. Whatever Shen Lang told him to do, Feng Xiaodong wouldn't even hesitate.
Shen Lang nodded slightly.
Just as Feng Xiaodong said, even if the fishing boat only had two people on it, the captain's orders still trumped everything else.
Beyond that, Shen Lang brought up certain words that must never be spoken during the beach-combing trip.
Especially the word "death."
If it had to be said, words like "gone" or "departed" could be used as substitutes.
If they saw a dead body floating on the sea, they had to refer to it as "wet goods."
"The word 'death' cannot be mentioned, and neither can the words 'capsize' or 'sink.' Xiaodong, on land we're brothers, but once we're out on the sea, I'm going to show no mercy to friend or family."
Shen Lang gave Feng Xiaodong one final reminder.
Rules passed down from generation to generation naturally had their reasons.
He was saying the ugly things first.
If Feng Xiaodong couldn't remember them, Shen Lang would use his own methods to beat it into his memory.
"The little punk is really putting on quite an act. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were damn well leading a hundred or so people out to sea. Aren't you afraid of making people laugh their heads off?"
Just then, a brawny man holding a liquor bottle appeared not far from the two of them.
With a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, his triangular eyes rolled around with a sarcastic glint.
"Uncle Liu, watch your language. You're a seafaring man too; if others don't understand these rules, there's no way you don't."
Feng Xiaodong's lack of eloquence only showed when Shen Ling was around. At any other time, his tongue was as sharp as anyone's.
Liu Deshui was Liu Jiaqi's biological father, and also a beach-comber in Ganquan Village.
"Just because I understand these rules is precisely why I damn well look down on the punk behind you."
Liu Deshui spat out his cigarette butt and asked with a fake, mocking smile, "A couple of days ago, Lin Xiaoyu got on your fishing boat, you brat. You were having the time of your life, tossing the poor girl around until she was half dead—why didn't you want to follow the rules then? The ancestors said: women on a boat mean the boat capsizes, and intimacy on a boat spells ruin."
Hearing this, Feng Xiaodong turned his head in astonishment to look at Shen Lang.
Shen Lang's face darkened as he said word by word, "Liu Deshui, Lin Xiaoyu and I are completely innocent. That day, she got on the boat to help me fix it, and I took her out to sea to catch seafood because I didn't want to owe anyone favors."
"If you dare talk trash again, I'll shove this wine bottle right down your throat!"
"Oh, my word, you little bastard, you're quite full of yourself! So disrespectful, talking to your elders like that."
Liu Deshui shouted with curses, "Come look, everyone! Someone's breaking the rules of the sea, and when I say two words of common sense, this brat wants to commit insubordination and beat me up! Don't any of you hold me back, I'm standing right here, I want to see how Shen Lang hits me!"
Before long, the gossiping women and idle loungers around the dock all gathered around.
Scandalous gossip had always been the most entertaining fodder for conversation.
Hearing that Shen Lang had done *that* kind of thing with Lin Xiaoyu out at sea, the young fellows shot envious looks of pure admiration at Shen Lang.
The older generation, however, just sighed repeatedly.
Breaking the rules would inevitably bring retribution.
"Brother Lang, was doing *it* on the boat extra thrilling?"
"When are your two families holding the wedding?"
"What a disaster! You kid are too insensible; the fishing boat is our seafaring family's rice bowl, it can never be defiled."
The old, middle-aged, and young generations in the fishing village buzzed with discussion, while a ferocious, cold sneer crept onto Liu Deshui's mouth.
Shen Lang bullied his daughter and still wanted to go out to sea scot-free?
Bah!
Different kinds of people come from the same soil; some parents raise their children with strict discipline, while others treat their kids like unpaid long-term laborers and free servants.
To Liu Deshui, his daughter Liu Jiaqi was simply his cash cow.
A little flirting and a few affected, whiny complaints would bring a continuous stream of good things flowing right into the Liu household.
Now, his daughter was so upset by Shen Lang that she couldn't even eat her meals.
With his cash cow out of commission, how could Liu Deshui let Shen Lang and Lin Xiaoyu off easy?
Hearing the unbearable chatter of the crowd, Shen Lang's face was as dark as water.
Even though the new century was approaching, the fishing village remained mired in conservative attitudes.
This Liu fellow was intentionally stirring up trouble and ruining Lin Xiaoyu's reputation.
If others took it seriously, gossip could not only crush a person—it could drive them to their graves!
"All of you damn well shut your mouths!"
Suddenly, Shen Lang pulled out his knife and drove it deep into the wooden piling beside the dock.
At the sight of the flashing blade, the discussion instantly came to an abrupt halt.
"Since you folks love listening to this trash so much, I'll add a little more seasoning for you!"