On the deck stood a man wearing a “Dacron” shirt, shouting arrogantly and waving his hand to shoo away seagulls that were landing nearby.
Not far away on the shore, two or three people stood watching. Seeing Ma Yuejin shouting for so long without anyone coming out, they joked and laughed.
“Ma Yuejin, can you even do this?”
“Didn’t you say Jiang’s stubborn bone is most afraid of you?”
“Could it be that Ma Yuejin is just bragging?”
“He used to be the son of a capitalist family—he still has that capitalist stink in his bones. How could he possibly be afraid of you?”
Ma Yuejin gave himself a thumbs-up and said proudly, “Isn’t Jiang Jiayun exactly the one who’s most afraid of me? My brother-in-law is a deputy squad leader. If he makes me unhappy, I’ll just tell my brother-in-law, and I guarantee he won’t get any good outcome when he goes out to sea!”
The two men on shore hooked their arms around each other’s shoulders and passed each other cigarettes.
“If you ask me, Jiang Jiayun really is unlucky—of all people, he had to offend you.”
“I’m not one to hold grudges,” Ma Yuejin said, taking off his Liberation cap and glaring at the tightly shut cabin door. “But try getting your younger brother’s front tooth knocked out and see if you can let it go. You’d probably want to kill that stubborn bone!”
He adjusted his shirt, still looking displeased. “Is Jiang Jiayun deaf today? No matter how much I call, he won’t come out? Fine—if he won’t come out, I’ll kick the door down!”
He wiped his nose, then lifted his foot toward the closed door, squinting with one eye as he aimed his dirty Liberation shoe at it.
Suddenly—
The small door creaked open.
Ma Yuejin’s kick landed in empty air, and he stumbled forward, falling flat on his face.
Jiang Li stepped back a few paces, closed the door behind her, blocking out the outside noise. She glanced at the man lying on the ground and raised an eyebrow.
“Something the matter?”
Ma Yuejin looked at the woman glowing white in the morning light and couldn’t help rubbing his eyes.
Good heavens—was this a goddess descending from the heavens?
Since when did Baisha Island have such a striking woman?
He was just twenty this year, and his family had long been worried about his marriage, but he was extremely picky and hadn’t taken a liking to any woman.
Now, meeting one like this, his heart couldn’t help but race.
He quickly got up, dusted off his pants, carefully placed his Liberation cap back on, and smoothed his shirt, trying to make a good impression.
Smiling, he said, “Comrade, are you a guest of the Jiang family? That’s new—I’ve never seen anyone visit them before.”
Jiang Li turned back and pulled the curtain beside the door closed, worried the noise would wake someone inside.
Thinking about what Ma Yuejin had just said, anger rose in her heart.
“Who are you threatening first thing in the morning?”
Ma Yuejin, who had just been arrogant, immediately became obedient and lowered his voice.
“Don’t misunderstand, I’m here for Jiang Jiayun. Those words were all directed at him.”
“We just returned from sea yesterday. According to the rules, after resting one night we’re supposed to go to the dock to load seafood for the fishery station.”
“Look, the sun’s already been up for a while, but Jiang Jiayun still hasn’t shown up. Isn’t he just trying to slack off? The deputy squad leader sent me to call him.”
After speaking, Ma Yuejin added, trying to be gentlemanly, “This doesn’t trouble you, comrade. I’ll go in and get him.”
He lifted his foot again to enter the boat, but Jiang Li’s calm voice interrupted him.
“No need to call him.”
Ma Yuejin said awkwardly, “That won’t do… There’s cargo waiting at the dock. If no one goes, it’s a problem.”
Jiang Li replied, “Who said no one’s going? I’ll go.”
With that, she stepped onto the shore.
The wooden boat swayed, ripples spreading across the water.
Ma Yuejin quickly followed, smiling ingratiatingly. “Don’t joke, comrade. What’s a woman doing at the dock? Jiang Jiayun can go instead.”
Jiang Li said calmly, “Chairman Mao said women can hold up half the sky.”
Ma Yuejin was speechless with anger.
Jiang Li glanced at him. “Or are you discriminating against women comrades?”
That sentence immediately shut him up. Discrimination against women was no small accusation, especially in public.
After thinking hard, Ma Yuejin said, “This… this is the Jiang family’s matter. Jiang Jiayun needs to earn work points. If you take his job, the points won’t go to the Jiang family.”
“That works out then,” Jiang Li said, stopping in her tracks. “Jiang Jiayun is my younger brother. If someone in the Jiang family must earn work points to support the household, that person can only be me.”
Her words landed heavily.
Everyone fell silent.
They had heard wrong, right?
The Jiang family’s long-lost elder sister… came all the way from the capital to Baisha Island?
Good heavens.
This was the first time they had seen someone so “reckless.”
Especially Ma Yuejin—he was completely stunned.
After finally meeting someone he found attractive… she turned out to be Jiang Jiayun’s sister?
On the way to the dock, Ma Yuejin remained dazed.
The dock was crowded with people moving goods. The production brigade was in full swing, and the squad leader shouted anxiously, urging everyone to hurry because the transport boat was about to leave.
If they missed it, all the seafood would rot on the island, and the entire trip would be wasted labor.
Soon, trouble arose—someone reported that sea bass had died.
The squad leader was furious. These fish were rare, caught during a valuable spawning migration.
A technician checked and found clear signs: pressure marks and broken fins. It was obvious the fish had been killed by rough handling when hauling the nets.
The deputy squad leader, embarrassed, tried to shift blame onto the Jiang family again, claiming “sea gods’ punishment” and old superstitions.
Jiang Li, standing nearby, couldn’t help laughing coldly.
“So capable—why don’t you blame the air while you’re at it?”
Her words silenced the entire deck.
The truth quickly came out: it was the deputy squad leader’s mistake in violent net hauling.
After that, Jiang Li insisted on replacing her younger brother to do the work.
Despite doubts about her strength, she stepped forward.
But when she tried to lift the heavy seafood sacks, she realized she couldn’t even budge them.
Seeing this, a middle-aged man named Ge Yichang offered to help her and share the workload. However, while carrying loads, he suddenly collapsed—appearing to have a stroke.
Chaos broke out.
Jiang Li immediately stepped in, calmly took out her silver needles, and began emergency treatment. Within moments, Ge Yichang showed signs of improvement.
Everyone was shocked.
Soon, he was sent to the hospital, where doctors confirmed that the acupuncture had likely prevented the condition from worsening.
The entire medical staff was astonished and eager to meet the mysterious practitioner.
Later, Jiang Li and her younger siblings returned home.
On the way, they picked coconuts and carried seafood. Life on the island was harsh but strangely warm.
At home, Jiang Li prepared food while speaking seriously with her younger brother, Jiang Jiayun.
She told him she had traveled all the way from the capital not for sightseeing, but because they were family.
She would not abandon them.
Jiang Jiayun, who had always been insecure and fearful of abandonment, slowly began to soften.
In the end, he sat down silently by the stove and began tending the fire.
Perhaps…
This person really wouldn’t leave.