Xiao Nan managed to land his fish. The rod had actually snapped, but he reacted quickly, grabbing the broken half that was about to fall into the sea. With sheer strength, he hauled the fish up anyway.
Everyone around him gasped in disbelief.
When the fish was finally brought on board, they were all stunned.
“It’s a Spanish mackerel—and such a huge one! Wow, this kid actually pulled it up with half a broken rod?!”
“Dude, you’re amazing! You actually managed to hang on. This mackerel has to weigh at least seventy pounds, right?”
The crowd gave Xiao Nan a thumbs-up.
His hands were cut by the fishing line, but he wore a goofy grin, seemingly oblivious to the pain.
Lin Zhen said, “Go treat your wounds yourself.”
Then he turned to the boat owner: “Could you please store this fish in the freezer?”
The boat owner rubbed his hands together excitedly: “No problem! This is the first time I’ve ever seen someone land such a big fish with a fishing rod.”
It wasn’t that bigger fish didn’t exist in the ocean, but fishing rods at the time weren’t of the highest quality.
Most fish over fifty or sixty pounds would either break the rod or snap the line.
A broken line meant the fish had bitten through it.
But landing such a huge fish even after the rod broke—that was something nobody had ever seen before.
Those with cameras rushed over to take pictures of the enormous catch.
Song Wei also snapped a photo of her silly son and the first fish he’d ever caught.
Xiao Nan hugged the Spanish mackerel, laughing triumphantly.
The three children gathered around the fish, exclaiming in awe.
Just as she finished taking photos, her own fishing rod twitched.
The pull wasn’t strong—likely a small fish.
Song Wei reeled it in effortlessly.
“It’s a yellow croaker—a large yellow croaker!”
Though small, it was valuable.
Large yellow croakers were known for their rich nutritional value and tender meat, making them quite expensive.
The one Song Wei caught weighed at least five pounds.
Wild large yellow croakers rarely grew larger than seven or eight pounds.
Song Wei’s catch seemed to signal something—soon, others began hauling in large yellow croakers as well.
“Hahaha… Looks like we’re lucky enough to have stumbled upon a school of large yellow croakers!”
Yellow croakers typically moved in groups.
Everyone immediately doubled their efforts, fishing with renewed vigor.
Xiao Nan, forgetting the pain in his hands, quickly joined the action.
Soon, their family’s bucket was filled with yellow croakers.
Of course, this was the combined result of the whole family’s efforts.
Just these yellow croakers alone would be enough to cover the cost of everyone’s boat tickets.
Everyone on the boat was in high spirits.
“Mom, look—are those orcas over there?”
Xiao Bei, with his sharp eyes, spotted orcas chasing through the ocean.
However, it was highly unlikely they were the same pod Song Wei and Lin Zhen had encountered years before.
The ocean was vast, and there was more than one pod of orcas.
Besides, so many years had passed—even if they were the same ones, they might not recognize her.
As expected, luck wasn’t on their side—the pod of orcas showed no sign of recognizing them.
But the children were still thrilled, eagerly snapping photos of the orcas with their camera.
Black-and-white animals always seemed to have a bit of a wild side.
Orcas were the troublemakers of the ocean, undisputed rulers of the seas.
They mostly moved in groups, were highly intelligent, and loved to play.
They often treated other marine creatures as toys.
For example, everyone watched as an orca slapped a seal into the air, sending it spinning before it splashed back into the water.
They also pushed a sea turtle around in circles on the surface.
As they watched, Xiao Bei couldn’t help but mutter, “Why are they so mischievous?”
They really were—playful and a little cheeky.
However, orcas didn’t eat humans and would even play with people when they encountered them.
But due to their massive size, few dared to interact with them.
The day passed quickly, and the boat returned before dark.
Everyone was satisfied with the day’s experience. They didn’t sell the large yellow croakers but took them back to cook and enjoy.
Since there were quite a few croakers, Song Jing invited some close comrades over for a meal.
Neither Song Wei nor Wang Xiaowan stepped into the kitchen—Song Jing, Lin Zhen, and their two sons handled the fish and prepared the feast.
Wang Xiaowan sat in the courtyard holding her child, while Song Wei watched the twin sisters play.
“The luckiest thing in my life was marrying your brother,” Wang Xiaowan said, her face glowing with happiness. “He’s not like other men who are full of machismo—he understands me, takes care of me. When I was pregnant, he cooked almost every meal after coming home. Every time he returned from a mission, he’d bring me flowers…”
She hugged her sleeping child tenderly. “Everyone in the military compound envies me. Sometimes I even envy myself—how did I end up with someone as wonderful as your brother?”
Song Wei couldn’t help but laugh.
“You too—I’ve heard from Song Jing that he learned a lot from your husband.”
Song Wei nodded openly in acknowledgment.
“We really are lucky. If life continues like this, it’ll be nothing short of happiness and fulfillment.”
She thought to herself that perhaps the hardships of her previous life had been exchanged for the joy of this one.
But she wasn’t the only one who had suffered in her past life—she was just truly fortunate this time.
Dinner saw quite a few guests. Lin Zhen, having also been a soldier, quickly bonded with everyone.
The men drank, the women chatted, and once the feast ended, the wives helped their drunken husbands back home.
The military wives also pitched in to wash the dishes, everyone working together in harmony.
Over the next few days, they continued venturing out to sea. They spotted dolphins, sharks, even massive sperm whales and whale sharks. They witnessed the spectacular ocean feast triggered by a massive school of sardines.
The ocean was vast and boundless, and they were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of its wonders—a memory they would cherish for a lifetime.
The family photo album grew much richer with new pictures.
In the end, a group photo was taken of Song Wei and Lin Zhen’s family with Song Jing’s family in the military compound.
Their journey to the south had come to an end, leaving everyone fulfilled and content.
No matter how beautiful the world outside was, home was where they ultimately longed to return.
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