SES Chapter 61 Part 1

Chapter 61

On their way back, they ran into the backup boat Yi Wansan and the others had sent out. The boat wasn’t fully repaired—it sputtered along, starting and stopping like it was just learning to walk.

Cao Yanhua helped pull Mu Dai onto the boat. After learning what had happened, his eyes bulged like copper bells.

—“Little Sis Master Mu, while we were fighting Old Clam like our lives depended on it, how’d you end up floating away?”

—“If Brother Luo hadn’t found you, where would you have drifted to? All the way to the Western Paradise?”

Yan Hongsand glared at him. “Shoo, shoo!”

She grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Mu Dai. Girls are always more thoughtful—she could tell Mu Dai’s wet clothes would make her cold.

Old Clam had been hauled up too, lying lifelessly on the deck. A chain had been fastened to the urn, which was placed in a water-filled bucket. Words were scrawled all over the bucket—this time written more directly: phrases like “Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth,” “Laozi,” and “Phoenix Luankou.”

Yi Wansan shrugged. “Whatever keeps it contained for now.”

Luo Ren asked, “What about the other boat?”

“It’s worse off than this one. We left it behind when we rushed to get you.” Then, as if remembering something, he added, “Good thing you didn’t crash head-on—if you had, both boats would be wrecked. You’ve got good foresight.”

He felt that Luo Ren made the right call switching from a head-on collision to a side one.

Luo Ren glanced at him and replied, “You’re too kind. I wasn’t thinking that much—I just figured I paid for both boats, and if I wrecked them, I’d have to pay for repairs.”

Once back at their original position, Yi Wansan returned to fixing the boat according to the schematics—at least enough to get them back to shore. Luo Ren suited up and dove back into the water to retrieve Yan Jiuxiao’s body.

Yan Hongsand was touched. She told him, “Luo Ren, you’re such a good guy.”

After Luo Ren went into the water, she was still full of gratitude. She found Mu Dai and said, “Mu Dai, you should just marry Luo Ren. He’s a good one.”

Mu Dai looked exhausted. “I’m going to sleep. I’m really tired.”

Well, sleep it is. After she fell asleep, Yan Hongsand tucked in the blanket corners for her, tiptoed out, and shut the door gently, feeling like she had repaid Luo Ren in some small way.

Soon after, Luo Ren came back with Yan Jiuxiao’s body.

After so long underwater, the diving helmet had filled with water. His face was pale and swollen. Yan Hongsand didn’t dare approach until Luo Ren covered his upper body with his jacket. Only then, eyes red, did she slowly come closer.

She didn’t have a particularly deep relationship with her always-busy uncle, but he was still family.

She decided she’d cremate her uncle nearby—and for now, wouldn’t tell her grandfather.

While she was in a daze, she heard Cao Yanhua ask, “So… what do we do with Old Clam?”

Luo Ren replied, “He’s dead. Why bother taking him back?”

Cao Yanhua muttered, “But there are still pearls in there.”

“You’re not traumatized? What, you gonna wear a necklace made from them?”

Just throw it back into the sea? Cao Yanhua felt reluctant.

Yan Hongsand suddenly spoke up, “Let me take it.”

Luo Ren nodded. “Sure. Your uncle was after the pearls anyway. You taking them back means the trip wasn’t a total loss.”

Yan Hongsand shook her head and explained, “My family’s in the treasure trade. We’ve got solid buyers who offer fair prices. I’m not great at judging pearls, but the ones from this clam are really good quality—we can sell them for a decent sum. Since the boat’s damaged and repairs are expensive, we can use the money to help with that. If there’s any left over, we’ll split it among everyone.”

Split among everyone! That sounded like music to Cao Yanhua’s ears.

He’d risked his life on this trip—if there was a little compensation, he’d be thrilled. And those pearls weren’t just good—they were amazing.

Red Sand was truly generous.

Luo Ren didn’t mind and replied casually, “Whatever works.”

Then he asked, “Where’s Mu Dai?”

“She said she’s really tired.”

Is that so? Luo Ren felt a slight unease, though he couldn’t pinpoint why.

By the time the boat was barely functional again, it was dusk. Both boats were barely holding together, chugging along like kiddie rides—rocking so much it was laughable.

They finally made it to a village to rest. Luo Ren found a local mechanic to fix the boat, and Cao Yanhua borrowed a knife to start prying out the pearls one by one. He filled an entire plastic bag. To think this trip came with a bonus—it made him beam with joy.

He wasn’t greedy, but let’s face it—how many people aren’t working for money?

Dinner was arranged at a villager’s home, hot and hearty—with fish, shrimp, meat, and white rice piled like treasure. Easily the best meal they’d had in days.

Mu Dai woke up groggily and joined them. They sat in the boat cabin to eat. Once the door was shut, it felt especially cozy.

Cao Yanhua slurped his food happily. Then he looked up and saw Luo Ren watching Mu Dai.

He grinned mischievously. “Brother Luo, eat your food. You can admire her after dinner. She’s not going anywhere.”

Mu Dai blushed, though she was secretly pleased. She glanced at Luo Ren—he smoothly changed the topic. “Tonight, let’s all sleep in one cabin, like last time on the Xiao Shang River.”

He added to Yi Wansan, “Keep an eye out—see if you can draw a water shadow. Based on last time, you were the first to spot it.”

But would Yi Wansan always be first? Cao Yanhua wasn’t convinced. Before bed, he even went ashore, filled a plastic bag with sand, and set it by his pillow, staring at it just in case.

Yan Hongsand was kind of envious. Everyone else seemed able to see these things—it made her feel a little left out.

She lay listlessly on her bed, trying to chat with Mu Dai, but Mu Dai was already softly snoring.

Yan Hongsand thought: Wow, Mu Dai is sleepy today.

Outside, Luo Ren was on the phone.

He called Uncle Zhang first. This was the bar’s busiest hour, and as soon as the call connected, he heard Uncle Zhang barking orders to new staff: “Hurry, hurry, get the orders!”

Then he rushed to a quiet corner and picked up. “How’s our Mu Dai doing?”