Willy Xiao turned to look at the sea. Stared for a while. Wiped a wet hand on his butt.
"What's the matter, Uncle Willy Xiao?" asked the boy carrying the basket for him.
"There was a strange wave. There was someone just now. Well... probably not a person." Willy Xiao muttered casually, not paying much attention to it. He looked away and out of the corner of his eye saw a jelly crab climbing on the boy's clothes. He pulled it off and threw it into the basket.
The boy pressed his face against the edge of the fish basket and stretched out his hand to play with the soft and elastic crab. "It's not a human. It's just a fish! The fish in the sea must be super big! Bigger than a house! It's a pity that Elder Zhizhi won't let us go fishing in the sea..."
He pouted. "He said the singing conch would eat us. Is that true, Uncle Willy Shaw?"
"He knows nothing! He's old and confused!" Willy Xiao patted the boy's head. Let him dangle like a roly-poly. "Okay. It's almost done. That's it for today's work. Let's go back!" He shouted to the surroundings.
When fish pickers near and far heard the shouting, they all stood up.
"Master Weili Xiao. How could you just go back like this!" A girl with a strong figure and a red face showed him her fish basket - there were several dying shrimps crawling at the bottom of the basket. Her voice was almost as thick as his. "I only picked up so much! Today's harvest is far from enough!"
"It has nothing to do with harvest! Godorn!"
Willy Xiao crossed his arms. "This is called getting off work! We have been picking for a long enough time today. Off duty! If Old Man Zhi wants more fish, he can pick them up himself!"
"If the harvest is not enough, he will ask us to go again at night." A thin young man worried.
"No. No one is allowed to go. No one is allowed to work overtime! Otherwise, I will write out the shameful things in his mind and post them on the bulletin board!"
"There is nothing shameful in my mind! Master!" The young man glanced at the girl named Gedorn and explained eagerly - a little too eagerly. "I'll do it after I write it! Lassang! Do you want to try it first?" Willy Xiao said with a matter-of-fact expression. The boy named Lasan immediately shut his mouth. The other fish pickers seemed to have doubts. But he made all doubts pale in comparison because he was too reasonable.
The fish pickers murmured, but could not form any obvious objection at all. They each put away their fish baskets, slowly gathered together along the path on the shoal, and slowly returned along the coastline. The boy held a fish basket taller than himself in both hands and staggered beside him. Dragging with him at the end of the line - it was mainly Willie Shaw who was dragging. He swaggered and didn't appear to be in any hurry.
The boy raised his face and looked at Willy Xiao. This tall, thin guy wearing tattered thin clothes that smelled of water proudly put his hands behind his hairy, yellow head, and his lips made a sound as if he was mumbling something, but there was no sound. He remembered that he had said that it was some kind of strange song like a silent chant by some undead band.
He had never heard of such a thing from anyone else. Uncle Willie Shaw knew a lot of things that no one else knew. Uncle Willy Xiao's temper is also completely different from other fish pickers.
amazing.
He looked at the dejected brother Lasan and the strong-shouldered sister Gedorn in front of them. They all disagreed with Uncle Willy Xiao's decision. Although he has lived here for almost three years after returning to his hometown from a long trip. They didn't seem to be used to his presence yet.
But he felt quite happy.
Willy Xiao caught the boy's gaze. The fish picker's unique red eyes looked at him with bright red eyes. This nephew's eyes are particularly red. Although his own eyes were burnt yellow. It's different from other fish collectors, but there's nothing surprising about it. "What's wrong?" He chuckled. "If you have any words of admiration, say them freely! Don't hold them in your heart!"
The little boy immediately listened to his advice. "Uncle Willy Xiao. Were you - as you said - a little shameless just now?"
"I thought you were going to praise me! Why are you so shameless! Asimov!" Willy Xiao sniffed, pretending to be angry. His nephew has a different last name from him. But nothing surprising. "Listen carefully. Facing violent guys, we must be more violent!"
The little boy named Asimov nodded blankly. Obviously he didn't understand how Grandpa Zhi's request for harvest turned into violence. But it doesn't seem to matter. He thought about it. He laughed and said, "Then you will take me to the sea to catch big fish?"
"of course!"
"Great! Let's go tomorrow!"
"Not tomorrow. Asimov." Willy Shaw shook his right index finger mysteriously. "The great Master Willy Shaw has big things to do tomorrow."
Asimov's eyes suddenly widened. "What's the big deal?"
"I have to go to an inland village tomorrow! So I can't work overtime today. I have to ask for leave tomorrow. Ahem. I have to get up early. Dear Asimov. You can ask for leave for me at Old Man Zhi's place tomorrow. Whatever. Find some excuse—just say I was captured by a singing conch.”
"That won't work!" Asimov shook his head. "None of the people captured by the conch have come back! If Grandpa Zhi knew that you were also captured, he would definitely be anxious."
"Same." Willy Xiao touched his chin. "After all, I'm still too important. Everyone will worry about me - I'll think of another reason...forget it. Just think of it, Asimov! Find any reason! Just like I usually teach you That!"
The boy immediately became embarrassed. The little brows were twisted together.
"I can't think of it. Uncle Willy Xiao." He thought for a while and pursed his lips. "Besides, Grandpa Zhi said you can't go inland either! The villages there are filled with big birds that can peck their eyes! Your eyes will be pecked out!"
"I don't care. I'm not allowed to go here or there. I'm suffocated. And my eyes don't taste good at all... Hey? It's you. Little guy. Why are you so happy to go to the sea? I'm so excited. When it comes to going to the inland, why don't you tell me all the nonsense that Old Man Zhi said? Don't you want to go with me? "
"Can I go?! Uncle Willy Xiao!"
Asimov's eyes immediately lit up.
"No!" Willy Xiao laughed. "It's too much trouble to take care of you. And I have important things to do—"
He glanced at the boy, expecting to see a look of disappointment on his face. Tease him again. But the boy didn't show any disappointment. Instead, he smiled sweetly at him.
"What are you laughing at, Asimov?"
"Grandpa Zhi won't let you go. Uncle Willy Xiao." Asimov winked - Willy Xiao felt that look was a bit familiar inexplicably. "If you don't take me to the interior tomorrow, I will tell him everything we just said!"
Willy Shaw screamed. "You are so shameless! Kid!"
"In the face of violent guys, we have to be more violent." The boy laughed. "You taught me that!"
(End of chapter)
