Chapter 91 - 100

Zhou Chenglei swam upwards from the bottom of the water and saw a familiar figure fall into the water.

Startled, he quickly swam over, grabbed Jiang Xia's waist, and lifted her to the surface.

The water wasn't deep; Zhou Chenglei's feet could touch the sand.Full novel: After transmigrating into the book, she became wealthy in the 1980s. — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠

Jiang Xia hadn't even started swimming yet when she was lifted up!

The two surfaced, and Zhou Chenglei, holding her tightly, asked anxiously, "Are you alright?"

Jiang Xia wiped the water from her face and said, "Why didn't you answer? I called you for ages! It was scary, you know?"

She almost thought something had happened to him.

Zhou Chenglei saw the worry and fear in Jiang Xia's eyes, and seeing her concern for him, a warm feeling washed over him. "I can't hear you underwater. I'll be fine. Don't jump into the sea so easily next time; it's dangerous."

Seeing her fall into the water made him even more afraid.

"I can swim, I'm not afraid."

Zhou Chenglei squeezed her waist. "That's still not okay!"

Jiang Xia then realized their position was a little intimate!

Jiang Xia was currently in his arms, her clothes floating in the water, his hands gripping her waist.

She was almost entirely pressed against him, while he was shirtless.

Her hands were also on his broad, muscular shoulders.

Jiang Xia glanced at the boat in the distance, her face burning with apprehension at being seen by Zhou's father. "Let go, I really can swim. And I want to go underwater; I've never seen the seabed before."

Zhou Chenglei couldn't possibly agree; it was too dangerous. "There's nothing to see."

Jiang Xia wrapped her arms around his neck, looking at him.

Zhou Chenglei: "..."

He turned his head away. "No, let's go ashore first. We'll buy you diving gear later; it's too dangerous to go down like this now."

"Can we even buy that stuff?" Jiang Xia was a little surprised.

Diving gear was only available overseas these days, right? She wasn't sure.

Zhou Chenglei: "Find someone to test it."

Jiang Xia didn't insist anymore: "Okay, let's go ashore."

So the two swam back to shore.

Zhou Chenglei grabbed her waist and easily lifted her up. "Get on, be careful."

Jiang Xia quickly climbed up.

Zhou Chenglei only let go after making sure she was on.

Once she sat down, he climbed up after her.

Jiang Xia sat and wrung out the water from her clothes.

Luckily, she was wearing a sailor shirt and army green pants, so they weren't see-through even when wet.

There was a spare set of clothes on the boat, but Zhou's father hadn't returned yet.

Seeing her wringing out the water, Zhou Chenglei said, "Don't move around here."

Jiang Xia nodded.

After Zhou Chenglei left, Jiang Xia glanced at the contents of the bucket and the snakeskin bag.

The snakeskin bag contained pearl oysters, about half full.

The bucket contained a grouper and a large lobster, probably what he had just caught.

The pearl oysters in the bag all looked quite old; at least their shells looked very weathered to Jiang Xia. Hopefully, they might contain pearls.

Zhou Chenglei walked back to his original spot, picked up his shirt that he had taken off earlier, and returned to Jiang Xia's side, handing it to her: "Change into this first, don't catch a cold. You can change back into your own clothes when Dad gets back on the boat."

Jiang Xia glanced around: "Isn't that inappropriate?"

"No one can see us. The boat is far enough away, and there are reefs blocking the view."

Jiang Xia thought it made sense, "Then go a little further away."

Zhou Chenglei glanced at her, his eyes clearly saying, "It's not like we haven't seen it before.

" Jiang Xia glared at him: "Are you coming or not?"

Zhou Chenglei was worried she'd be uncomfortable in her wet clothes, and besides, she was too weak; she'd caught a fever after being caught in the rain that night. So he left, giving her space.

Jiang Xia looked at the shirt in her hand, then glanced around, still hesitant to take it off. She put on Zhou Chenglei's shirt first, then took off her sailor shirt underneath.

Zhou Chenglei's shirt was several sizes too big for her, while the sailor shirt, being a knitted fabric, was a bit stretchy and easy to take off.

The shirt still carried his scent, a slightly cool one.

Jiang Xia thought: He's a clean person; his white shirts are always impeccably washed, and even when he's a fisherman, he never has an unpleasant fishy smell.

Just then, Zhou Chenglei's voice came from not far away: "Are you done?"

"Yes!" Jiang Xia shouted back.

Zhou Chenglei then came back and glanced at her.

Wearing his shirt, she looked even smaller; the sleeves were way too long. She was awkwardly rolling up her sleeves because the other one was also too long.

Zhou Chenglei went over, squatted down, and helped her roll them up.

Jiang Xia simply stretched out her arm, letting him roll up her sleeves for her.

In the sunlight, her forearms were as smooth and white as jade, practically glowing.

Even whiter than his white shirt!

His Adam's apple bobbed.

No, he had to go for a dip in the sea. He rolled up her sleeves, knowing she was afraid of the sun, but not too high. "I'll go in and check. Don't wander off, I'll be fine."

Jiang Xia nodded. "I'll continue shucking oysters."

Zhou Chenglei wanted to refuse, but worried she'd just sit there and wander off, so he said, "Be careful, don't fall."

"I won't, I'm not that clumsy."

Zhou Chenglei didn't deny it; she always made him uneasy, so he gave her another warning before going into the water.

Zhou Chenglei went in twice more. The first time, he found two more pearl oysters, and the second time, he found a large conch.

Seeing that he was a bit tired, Jiang Xia said, "Don't go back into the water."

Zhou Chenglei nodded, "No more. Let's just shuck some more oysters."

So the couple shucked oysters together. By the time Zhou's father returned from hauling the net, they had already shucked four sacks full of oysters.

Zhou Chenglei shucked three sacks by himself.

Jiang Xia only shucked one sack, which wasn't even as full as his.

After Zhou's father's boat docked, Zhou Chenglei handed the items to him one by one.

At first, Zhou's father thought Zhou Chenglei had collected several large bags of pearl oysters and was so excited that he almost jumped into the sea for a swim. But it turned out that only the smallest half-sack contained pearl oysters; the rest were oysters.

Well, even half a sack was incredibly lucky.

He had just hauled the net and caught a bunch of miscellaneous fish, about the same as usual, which would only fetch seven or eight yuan.

He felt even more strongly that his youngest son and daughter-in-law were a loving couple on the boat, and that he was just a memorial tablet, which brought him good luck!

After loading everything onto the boat, Zhou Chenglei told his father to disembark first. He then easily lifted Jiang Xia into his arms and carried her aboard, where she changed into dry clothes. Her pants were still wet, though about 70-80% dry.

The father and son waited until Jiang Xia was dressed before boarding.

It was already three o'clock; one more net to haul back, perfect timing.

This last net, surprisingly, yielded another school of fish.

A school of small yellow croakers!

This net would weigh at least a hundred pounds, easily fetching fifty or sixty yuan.

Zhou's father, thinking of the small bag of miscellaneous fish he had just caught, deeply questioned his life choices, but was still happy: "Should we go to the city dock?" Selling them in the city would earn an extra ten or eight yuan.

Zhou Chenglei shook his head: "No, it's getting late. Let's go straight back to the village!" Jiang Xia

said she wanted to go to bed early tonight.

Zhou's father nodded: "Okay."

Ten or eight yuan wouldn't make a difference!

Today was another day of a full catch, making their return to the village even more impressive.

Let Zhou Bingqiang be envious!

As

Zhou's father had predicted, the Zhou family's fishing boat caused another sensation when it docked.

The boat was full of red and gold fish; it was impossible not to attract attention.

Even before the boat reached the shore, people were already discussing: "Could those red fish be red snapper again? And those yellow ones be large yellow croakers?"

"No way?" the tone was uncertain.

"Recently, Zhou Yongfu has been encountering schools of fish every day he goes out to sea; he's almost caught all the fish in the ocean!"

"Which sea area are they fishing in? Why do they always encounter schools of fish?"

...

Zhou's mother, Zhou Chengxin, and Tian Caihua stood on the dock, seeing the red and gold fish in the distance, listening to the villagers' sarcastic remarks. Two of them smiled broadly, while the other's face turned a sour lemon yellow.

Tian Caihua also wanted to know why Zhou Chenglei always encountered schools of fish every time he went out to sea. It wasn't like he was going out into the open ocean; the chances of encountering schools of fish every day while fishing in coastal waters were very small!

As soon as the boat docked, everyone saw that it wasn't red snapper or large yellow croaker, but red snapper and small yellow croaker. Although they weren't as valuable as red snapper and large yellow croaker, so many of them would easily fetch over a hundred or even two hundred yuan.

Zhou's father jumped off the boat, full of energy—it was time for him to show off his prowess again!

Sure enough, as soon as the villagers saw him disembark, they immediately chased after him, asking,

"Zhou Yongfu, tell us quickly, which god of wealth have you been praying to lately? How come you're encountering schools of fish every day?"

Zhou's father laughed, "Didn't I tell you, I didn't pray to any god of wealth? I just took my daughter-in-law out to sea. There's no way around it, she's lucky for her husband and family! Every time I take her out to sea, schools of fish just bump into them!"

Everyone: "..."

Well, he completely killed the conversation with that one sentence!

But why does Zhou Chenglei always bring back a full catch every time he takes Jiang Xia out to sea? What happened

to the saying that taking a woman out to sea brings bad luck?

Is it really true that you should take your wife out to sea?

After admiring everyone's expressions, Mr. Zhou said, "You all must have had a good catch today, right?"

"Good? Not much fish at all, only made a few dozen yuan. Your basket of fish has more than ours!"

"Not good today, only thirty-something yuan. Looks like I'll have to go out to sea with you tomorrow! You eat the meat, I'll just have some soup."

...

Mr. Zhou laughed, "Haha, come if you want. Maybe tomorrow the fish will swim to your usual fishing area. I'll go over there and fish!"

Mr. Zhou glanced around, not seeing Zhou Bingqiang, but his family's two fishing boats had already returned, so it seemed they had returned long ago. A bit of a pity!

After showing off his prowess, Mr. Zhou said, "I can't talk to you anymore, I have to unload the fish and sell them, otherwise I won't finish before dark."

Everyone: "..."

Mr. Zhou then made another impressive remark, successfully leaving everyone speechless, before happily returning to the boat.

Zhou Chengxin and Zhou Chenglei each carried a load of fish off the boat.

Before the fish on the deck were all divided, Mrs. Zhou and Tian Caihua joined in.

Zhou's father also carried a load of fish on a shoulder pole, and then, as if remembering something, said to Jiang Xia, "Xia, keep an eye on the goods in the burlap sacks." He

didn't want any villagers to steal them when they boarded the boat.

Jiang Xia replied, "Okay."

Tian Caihua paused, glancing at the several burlap sacks in the corner.

The sacks were there, untied, and clearly contained oysters. Oysters were so cheap, what was there to watch?

Perhaps there was something better underneath?

Tian Caihua wanted to ask, but with people all around, she didn't voice her question. She figured she'd find out eventually.

Although she didn't ask, Tian Caihua couldn't hide her thoughts, and her eyes kept drifting to the burlap sacks as she sorted the fish.

Jiang Xia noticed but ignored her.

Half an hour later, all the fish were sold, leaving only a few sacks of oysters and a basket of miscellaneous fish.

Zhou Chenglei handed Jiang Xia a wad of cash.

Looking at the stack of

ten-yuan bills, Tian Caihua couldn't help but ask, "Fourth brother, how much did you make?" They made 206.6 yuan today, but Zhou Chenglei only said, "Not as much as before."

Then he picked up two bags of oysters and

got off the boat. Zhou Chengxin also picked up two bags of oysters.

Zhou's father carried the basket of mixed fish and the bag of pearl oysters off the boat.

The family pushed several bags of oysters home on a cart.

Wen Wan had come to the dock to buy seafood; her stepbrother wanted some, so her father had eagerly sent her.

Looking at the oysters Zhou Chenglei was pushing, she realized she had forgotten about the pearls!

Back at the old house, Zhou Chenglei gave Zhou Chengxin a bag of oysters and a bucket of mixed fish.

Zhou Chengxin didn't want that many oysters, only a small half-bag.

He pushed the cart home, and Tian Caihua, reluctant to leave, asked Zhou's father, "Dad, what are you carrying?"

Zhou's father casually replied, "Oysters!"

Tian Caihua: "..."

Who would believe that? He carried it all the way, reluctant to put it on the cart.

Tian Caihua was a little unhappy.

Was this to prevent thieves? Or were they no longer family?

This was blatant favoritism.

She left with a dark face.

She couldn't help but complain to Zhou Chengxin, feeling that her father treated her like a thief! Zhou

Chengxin, annoyed, couldn't help but retort: ​​"Do you want to tell Dad how much savings we have, how much secret money you've hidden?"

Tian Caihua: "..."

Zhou Chengxin didn't say anything more.

Didn't she know her mouth was leaky? Always telling everyone about family matters! How much trouble had she caused A-Lei and his wife?

*

Dinner was already prepared by Zhou's mother. She had picked some fish, crabs, and oysters from the boat and returned early. She also made a mixed fish stew, steamed crab, and steamed oysters.

Today's fish had many bones. Zhou Chenglei knew that although Jiang Xia wasn't a picky eater, he noticed she didn't like dried fish, so he carefully picked out a bowl of fish and placed it in front of her.

Jiang Xia was eating crab. The crab was very roey today, and she ate with great satisfaction. Seeing a bowl of fish, her eyes lit up with laughter, and she smiled at him with a particularly gentle expression. "You eat too, don't worry about me."

Zhou Chenglei liked seeing her smile, and his expression softened unconsciously. He reached out and wiped the crab roe from the corner of her mouth. "Don't eat so much crab."

Crab is considered cooling, and they ate crab every day when they went out to sea. She was on her period and had stomach cramps, so he was worried she wouldn't be able to handle it if she ate too much.

Zhou's father, who had been eating voraciously , was speechless.

He was full!

Zhou's mother laughed, "That's right, don't eat too much, especially when you're pregnant. Eat more oysters, they're good!"

It seemed they shouldn't steam crab every day anymore.

Zhou's mother opened two large oysters and placed them in front of Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei.

Oysters are a man's energy booster and a woman's beauty salon. It wouldn't hurt for their young couple to eat more; it would be good for fertility.

Jiang Xia was

speechless. During the meal, Zhou Chenglei was fed over a dozen oysters by his mother, while Zhou's father received a glare from his mother for every oyster he ate.

After finishing their meal, Jiang Xia eagerly closed the courtyard gate, ready to open the pearl oysters.

Zhou's father had already prepared the tools.

Zhou Chenglei poured water for Jiang Xia to wash her hair and even brought out a reclining chair. He said to Jiang Xia, "You should wash your hair and shower first."

Jiang Xia replied, "What's the rush? Open the pearl oysters first!"

Zhou's father said, "That's right! What's the rush for showering and washing your hair? Of course, open the pearl oysters first."

The father-in-law and daughter-in-law enthusiastically moved a small stool to prepare to open the pearl oysters.

Zhou Chenglei: "..."

Had she forgotten that she said she wanted to go to bed early tonight?

If she waited until after opening the pearl oysters to shower and wash her hair, it would take her at least an hour and a half.

Zhou Chenglei silently glanced at Jiang Xia, then silently moved a small stool to sit beside her, taking the tools and pearl oysters from her hands: "Opening these can easily cut your hands, I'll do it."

Well, they didn't need to go out to sea tomorrow, just to the shipyard, so he could sleep in a little later.

"Okay." Jiang Xia wasn't familiar with it and was afraid of scratching the pearls, so she gave him everything.

The father and son, each holding a pearl oyster, were about to pry it open when someone started banging on the gate.

"Is Zhou Yongfu home? Zhou Yongfu..."

Hearing Zhou Bingqiang's voice, the father's face darkened. He said to Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei, "Don't open it yet, I'll go deal with him!"

This guy's arrival always means trouble!

Mr. Zhou put the pearl shells back into the snakeskin bag and went to open the door. He yawned at Zhou Bingqiang, "What's up? I went out to sea early this morning and caught over a thousand catties of fish, made over two hundred yuan, I'm exhausted, just about to take a shower and go to bed!"

Zhou Bingqiang completely ignored his father's words, laughing and grabbing him, "Why go to bed so early? Come on, let's go to the dock and sit on my son's new boat, get some of the good luck. Lei's making money every day, he'll definitely be able to buy a new boat soon too. My new boat wasn't expensive, only seven thousand. But I ordered it last year and only got it this year. The shipyard said it won't be available for less than eight thousand this year! You guys should buy a boat soon, the shipyard said boat prices are going up again at the end of the year! They said my new boat might be over nine thousand, even ten thousand by the end of the year!"

Mr. Zhou felt envious. Another boat? His family now had three fishing boats!

He shook off Zhou Bingqiang's hand. "Congratulations! But I'm really tired today, I won't go. I'll go tomorrow to soak up some of the good fortune."

With that, Zhou's father slammed the courtyard gate shut.

Zhou Bingqiang didn't necessarily want his father to go; he just wanted to show off and annoy him.

These days, his father often earned more than him, so what? He still couldn't afford a new boat!

Now his family had three boats, and with all three going out to sea, they'd definitely earn more than his father every day!

Zhou Yongfu wanted to compare? Zhou Chenglei wanted to compare with his son?

They'd never be able to!

Zhou Bingqiang shouted from outside, "Fine, then you go to sleep early. Remember to go with A-Lei tomorrow, so A-Lei will have something to refer to when he has money to buy a new boat, right!"

With that, Zhou Bingqiang whistled and left!

Zhou Chenglei still lives in a dilapidated house. He needs to build a new house after he earns money. Once the house is built, he'll need to save up for a boat. Who knows, by then his family might have a fourth boat.

After closing the courtyard gate, Zhou's father returned to the courtyard and sat down. "Open Pearl!"

His tone was noticeably less cheerful than before.

Zhou's mother, having finished washing the dishes, asked, "Did Zhou Bingqiang's family buy another boat?"

Zhou Bingqiang spoke loudly, and the whole family heard him.

Zhou's father feigned indifference, saying, "So what if they bought one? What's it to us?"

He said this, but Zhou's father was envious. Three fishing boats going out to sea together—how much money could they earn every day?

Wouldn't his grandson be showing off to him every day?

But his family didn't have that kind of money. A-Lei didn't have a house, and he didn't have a child.

Living in that house was terrifying during storms; they'd have to rebuild sooner or later, and the money they earned would be gone after building a house.

A boat cost several thousand, even tens of thousands, and the price increased every year. Saving money to buy a boat was too difficult!

He could only sigh longingly.

Zhou Chenglei: "Dad, Jiang Xia and I are planning to go to the shipyard tomorrow to order a boat."

Zhou's father's eyes lit up: "Do you have enough money?"

"We should be able to order one about the same size as ours."

Zhou's father instantly perked up: "I'll go with you tomorrow, let's open the pearl oyster quickly, and go to bed early tonight."

Zhou's mother also smiled: "Then hurry up and open it!"

So Zhou's father happily picked up a pearl oyster from the snakeskin bag to pry it open.

However, the first pearl oyster Zhou's father opened didn't have a pearl.

Zhou's father: "..."

"It's so big, yet it doesn't have a pearl!"

He looked at Zhou Chenglei dejectedly.

As soon as Zhou Chenglei pried open the pearl oyster, he saw a white pearl protruding from the shell.

Jiang Xia smiled: "It looks quite big, I wonder if there are any flaws."

Zhou's father also smiled: "It's not small! Quickly, take it out and see if there are any flaws."

Zhou Chenglei took it out, washed it in salt water in a bowl: "There is a little."

Jiang Xia: "Let me see."

Zhou Chenglei then gave her the pearl.

Jiang Xia took it and examined it closely. The white pearl had a subtle pinkish luster, a lustrous sheen, a rich color, and a perfectly round shape, about 10mm in diameter. It had a slight blemish, but it was almost negligible.

Most wild, natural pearls have imperfections; only cultured pearls have fewer imperfections and better luster.

This one was considered top-grade, because pearls used for jewelry require drilling, and such a blemish could be easily concealed.

She handed it to Zhou's father, who took it, glanced at it, and grinned from ear to ear: "Haha, not bad, such a big one, few flaws, it should be worth thirty or forty yuan."

Feeling his luck was bad, Zhou's father said, "Xia, you pick a pearl oyster, I'll open it. You're lucky."

Jiang Xia was amused by Zhou's father's words: "Dad, it doesn't matter who takes it. If there were a pearl, it would already be inside."

Zhou's father: "It's different even before it's opened! You touched Lei's pearl oyster, and it turned out to be a good pearl, didn't it?"

Zhou Chenglei: "Yeah, you're lucky, get one for me too."

Jiang Xia's lips twitched; she was impressed by the two of them, so she each took a pearl oyster for them.

Zhou's father happily pried it open, then gasped!

"Haha... I told you Xia's luck was good."

Jiang Xia's hands were practically Midas touch!

Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei both looked over.

A golden pearl was pried out by Zhou's father, even larger than the one Zhou Chenglei had just opened.

It is estimated to be about 12mm in diameter, and it is gold in color, smooth and round, glittering and jewel-like.

"This one is truly flawless!" Mr. Zhou beamed, holding it in his hand like he was admiring a priceless treasure.

He showed it to Mrs. Zhou, who chuckled, "This one's good, the gold is beautiful, like real gold."

The old lady loved gold; she didn't find white pretty.

Zhou Chenglei also unearthed two pearls, both white with a pinkish luster, identical in size, with minor, barely noticeable flaws. They could be easily concealed when made into rings, earrings, or pendants.

Jiang Xia said, "These two look like twins. I'll put them together and tell the buyer they came from the same pearl oyster; maybe I can get a better price."

Mr. Zhou agreed, "That makes sense. I knew you were lucky. Here, another one!"

Jiang Xia handed them another pearl oyster.

Zhou Chenglei took the oyster from Jiang Xia; it was quite large and heavy.

He pried it open, but didn't see a pearl.

Mr. Zhou glanced at it: "Such a big shell, surely there's something inside?"

Zhou Chenglei pinched the white clam meat, found something hard, and pried it out—a grayish-black pearl. It was round, semi-transparent, and large, over 12mm!

"This one's good!" Jiang Xia exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

Mr. Zhou glanced at it: "A black pearl! Very rare! Check for any flaws."

"No." Zhou Chenglei washed it in a bucket, then in a bowl, and handed it to Jiang Xia.

Jiang Xia examined the pearl closely. Under the light, the blackish-green pearl refracted iridescent colors, with a soft luster, delicate texture, crystal clear, and a round, full shape.

Black pearls are a rare color, and Jiang Xia vaguely felt this pearl could definitely fetch a good price.

Jiang Xia then gave the two of them another pearl oyster.

This time, Mr. Zhou had pried open two pearl oysters: one was deformed and very large, and the other was small and round.

Mr. Zhou: "What a pity, this one is so big, but it's oddly shaped."

He washed it and put it back in the oyster shell.

Jiang Xia, however, thought the baroque shape and color were beautiful. She smiled and said, "This is called a baroque pearl. Foreigners especially like it; it can be used to make pendants, brooches, and other accessories."

Mr. Zhou instantly thought the baroque pearl was particularly beautiful!

He also thought, "You have to be cultured, otherwise if I were to sell it, I'd be selling it cheaply. 'Sell it to the foreigners, earn foreign exchange!'"

Jiang Xia smiled.

The pearls Mr. Zhou and Zhou Chenglei cut next weren't very large, but quite a few were 7-8mm. Most had some flaws, not many. A few small pearls were also found, and one large pearl over 12mm was found—pink, with few flaws, and a very beautiful, unique pink, with a lustrous sheen.

Seawater pearls are relatively rare; generally, one oyster produces 1-2 pearls. However, wild seawater pearls are nucleated pearls, larger in size, mostly perfectly round, with a more perfect shape, although they may have some surface flaws; perfect ones are rare.

It seems Zhou Chenglei specifically picked the largest and oldest pearl oysters, resulting in a high pearl content rate. Out of so many, not a single one was missing a pearl, and the quality was excellent – ​​round, beautifully colored, and with few blemishes. Only a few had very obvious flaws and lacked color, looking ugly and worthless, only good for grinding into powder.

Soon, over thirty pearl oysters were opened, leaving only the largest one. Zhou Chenglei picked it up.

His father slapped his hand: "Xia hasn't even touched it, why are you touching it?"

Zhou Chenglei: "..."

He then looked at Jiang Xia: "Want to try?"

His father immediately said: "Yes, Xia, you open it!"

Seeing how long they'd been working, Jiang Xia knew how to open it and nodded: "Okay, I'll open it."

"Be careful, don't hurt your hand." Zhou Chenglei handed her the tools.

Jiang Xia took the pearl oyster and knife, imitating Zhou Chenglei, and inserted the knife into the shell.

Zhou Chenglei watched with trepidation, fearing she might misjudge and pierce his hand. He immediately grabbed her hand and opened it with her.

Here it comes again! The couple's affection was palpable; it was time for him to act as a memorial tablet.

Zhou's father immediately straightened his back and corrected his posture!

Zhou Chenglei held Jiang Xia's hand and pried open the pearl oyster.

A white pearl, hidden within the white oyster meat, revealed

only a glimpse, its luster soft and lustrous. Even from this glimpse, one could tell the pearl was quite

large, especially considering the bulging bulge in the oyster meat.

Jiang Xia assumed it was a baroque pearl,

as only baroque pearls are typically this size.

Zhou Chenglei removed it, revealing an oval-shaped, translucent white pearl.

Its luster was lustrous, surpassing even the pearls he had previously opened.

At first glance, it appeared flawless!

And it was quite large, almost the size of Jiang Xia's thumb!

Jiang Xia couldn't help but lean closer to Zhou Chenglei, grabbing his sleeve excitedly, "Are there any flaws?"

Zhou Chenglei smelled the fragrance of her hair and sensed her excitement. A smile played on his lips. He rinsed the pearl in the salt water in the bowl, glanced at it, and then handed it to her. "No."

Jiang Xia took it, her eyes crinkling with joy. "This is amazing!"

Seawater pearls are naturally formed, and most have imperfections, just like people—very few people have absolutely no moles on their skin.

Zhou Chenglei looked at Jiang Xia; she was flawless, without a single mole or blemish. Her skin was delicate, fair, and perfect, even more lustrous and perfect than this pearl, like the most perfect pearl in the world.

A priceless treasure belonging only to him.

Zhou Chenglei really wanted to kiss her, but with his parents present, he restrained himself.

Jiang Xia was increasingly amazed by the pearl, her eyes crinkling with laughter as she looked at Zhou Chenglei. "You're so lucky! You've found a priceless pearl!" she exclaimed.

Zhou Chenglei, looking at her radiant face, agreed. "Yes, I am lucky."

Otherwise, how could he have married such a treasure?

Upon hearing about the priceless pearl, Zhou's mother became excited and couldn't help but say, "Xia, let me see it!"

Jiang Xia gave it to her.

"This pearl has such a unique shape; any bigger and it would be like a pigeon egg,"

Zhou's father said, his eyes practically disappearing with laughter. "The bigger, the more valuable!"

He always said that with a loving couple, they would eventually have children and become wealthy!

Jiang Xia thought of the "Regent's Pearl" she had seen online in her previous life. This one was very similar to that "Regent's Pearl"—the shape and color were very similar. Perhaps the picture wasn't good enough; Jiang Xia felt that this one had a better color and a higher luster. She just didn't know which one was bigger.

Mother Zhou: "Aren't perfectly round pearls good? This pearl isn't perfectly round, won't it be worthless?"

Jiang Xia replied: "Although it's not perfectly round, this shape is very rare, and don't you think it's even more beautiful than perfectly round ones? Most importantly, its luster is superb, flawless, and the shape is beautiful. This is no longer just a pearl, but a jewel; calling it the King of Pearls wouldn't be an exaggeration."

She remembered that the "Regent Pearl" was estimated at $500,000 to $800,000, but it sold for £1.6 million! That's an astronomical price!

Father Zhou laughed: "Xia's luck is so good, how could it be worthless? Rarity makes it valuable! It's definitely very valuable."

This is a pearl that the two of them opened together, it's definitely valuable!

Did they really think his wisdom derived from the ancestral tablet was fake?

Mother Zhou laughed: "Yes! It's definitely valuable."

Zhou Chenglei: "We'll know when we sell it tomorrow."

Father Zhou: "Yes, after selling the pearl, we'll go to the shipyard to look at ships. Maybe we can buy an even bigger ship!" He should

have let his son and daughter-in-law open all the ships themselves.

What a loss!

It feels like they lost half a ship!

Zhou Chenglei handed the plate of pearls to Jiang Xia: "Put them away first."

"Okay." Jiang Xia took them and put the pearls back in her room.

Zhou's mother happily tidied up, scooping out the pearl oyster meat, which she could cook to feed the pigs or chop up to feed the ducks.

Zhou's father went to take a shower first.

Zhou Chenglei then prepared hot water for Jiang Xia, intending to help her wash her hair.

Jiang Xia refused, "No need, I'll wash myself, you go take a shower!"

Zhou Chenglei said, "No rush, let Mom and Dad shower first, I'll wash your hair first."

He promised to wash her hair whenever he had time.

Jiang Xia let him have his way.

After washing her hair, Zhou's parents had also finished showering. They were quick at it, but Jiang Xia was the slowest in the family.

When Jiang Xia returned to her room, she found another bowl of milk on the table, and mosquito coils were lit.

A slight smile played on her lips as she picked up the bowl of milk and drank it. Afterward, she took the bowl out to wash it and put it back in the cupboard. She brushed her teeth and returned to her desk, translating while waiting for her hair to dry.

She had probably gone to bed too late last night and woken up at four in the morning, so she hadn't slept well and had a slight headache. She perked up and continued translating.

Zhou Chenglei returned after showering and doing laundry; it was already past ten.

He closed the door, came to Jiang Xia's side, and closed her book.

Jiang Xia stopped writing and looked at him.

Zhou Chenglei glanced at his watch on the table and reminded her, "It's almost 10:30, time to sleep!"

Jiang Xia also glanced at her watch. "Not yet. We don't have to go to sea tomorrow, so I won't sleep until 11 tonight."

Counting the two hours she spent translating on the ship this morning, plus an hour tonight, Jiang Xia had already translated half of the book. Since

they didn't have to go to sea tomorrow, they'd have more time. If she worked a little harder tonight, she should be able to finish translating by tomorrow.

Zhou Chenglei picked her up from the chair and placed her on the bed, then began to kiss her.

Zhou Chenglei's nose was very straight, pressing against hers, their breaths mingling, and he felt an unusual heat.

Zhou Chenglei raised his head.

Jiang Xia opened her eyes and looked at him: "What's wrong?"

Zhou Chenglei touched her forehead: "You probably have a fever again."

He quickly got up to get a fever detector.

Jiang Xia touched her forehead. Another fever? No wonder her head felt a little heavy.

Zhou Chenglei inserted the fever detector into her armpit, making her clench it, while he went to get her some water and fever-reducing powder.

Five minutes later, Zhou Chenglei took out the thermometer and saw it read 37.3 degrees Celsius—it had even risen this time!

He handed her the medicine: "Take your medicine first, we'll go to the city to get checked out tomorrow."

He was worried about her getting fevers so easily.

"No need, it's probably because I soaked in the seawater for a while today. I should be fine tomorrow." Jiang Xia frowned at the packet of white powder. She had only ever taken pills, not powder, when she was sick since she was little.

"I'll buy a few bottles of Sarsaparilla to keep at home tomorrow."

This stuff was too bitter; she missed the taste of Sarsaparilla!

Zhou Chenglei: "..."

She wasn't a child, and she had never needed to be coaxed to take medicine before. Jiang Xia took the medicine, poured it directly into her mouth, swallowed it with a big gulp of water, and then finished the water in the cup to dilute the bitterness in her mouth before lying down.

Zhou Chenglei put the cup away and went back to bed. She was already asleep.

He touched her forehead, draped the blanket over her stomach, and closed his eyes to rest, but dared not sleep. He would open his eyes every now and then to touch her forehead, until three hours later, when he felt her temperature had returned to normal, he dared to sleep. He woke up several times in the middle of the night, touching her forehead before falling back asleep; he barely slept at all that night.

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Jiang Xia woke up refreshed.

Zhou Chenglei hadn't slept much all night, and hadn't dared to sleep deeply; he was still asleep.

The room was dimly lit, but his features were deep and captivating. His sleeping face, devoid of its usual coldness, looked incomparably handsome. Jiang Xia couldn't resist leaning closer to kiss him.

A knock suddenly sounded on the door, and Zhou's mother's voice rang out: "Ah Lei, weren't you going to the city? It's six o'clock, get up!"

Before they could even kiss, Jiang Xia was startled by Zhou's mother's voice and quickly lay back down.

Zhou Chenglei opened his eyes, his arm under his forehead, and replied to Zhou's mother, "Okay."

He then turned to touch Jiang Xia's forehead.

Jiang Xia grasped his hand: "It's alright, get up! We still have to go to the shipyard."

"Mm," Zhou Chenglei responded, but pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, not wanting to move. Jiang Xia's

lips curled slightly upward as she let him hold her. The summer

morning was filled with the chirping of cicadas, the songs of birds, and his strong heartbeat.

They were in sync, harmonious and beautiful.

After a while, Zhou Chenglei kissed her forehead before letting her go: "Get up!"

He still had to go to the production team to borrow a tractor.

The couple both got up, and Zhou Chenglei folded the blankets.

After that day, he almost always slept naked, wearing only a pair of shorts.

He bent slightly as he folded the blankets, his six-pack abs clearly defined by his movements, appearing and disappearing subtly. His long, straight legs were beautifully sculpted, their muscles firm and powerful. He

was incredibly sexy!

Jiang Xia had never seen him so clearly before, and couldn't help but blush. She quickly grabbed a shirt and trousers from the closet and handed them to him: "Your clothes."

Zhou Chenglei, having folded the blankets, smiled when he saw she had prepared clothes for him. He took the clothes from Jiang Xia and looked at her, only to find her face as red as an apple. Startled, he tossed the clothes onto the bed, scooped her up in his arms, and reached out to touch her forehead: "Are you feeling unwell?"

Jiang Xia's face, pressed against his chest, burned even hotter. She pushed him away: "No! Hurry up and get dressed."

Seeing her increasingly flushed face, as beautiful as a peach blossom, Zhou Chenglei understood everything. His eyes and brows were full of laughter as he leaned down and gave her a quick peck: "Not enough time, go to bed early tonight."

Jiang Xia glared at him. She had no intention of that!

Damn it! Zhou Chenglei grabbed her waist, lifted her up, and pressed her against the wall…

Jiang Xia felt like her breath was being taken away before Zhou Chenglei released her, got dressed, and left, otherwise his mother would nag her again.

There wasn't enough time; he had to go to the city today and was quite busy!

Whenever Zhou Chenglei left the room, he was always impeccably dressed, with the top button of his shirt fastened.

Jiang Xia waited until he left before changing her clothes and combing her hair. Looking in the mirror, she saw her lips were unusually red, and the old marks on her neck had just faded when new ones appeared—it was obvious what had happened!

She changed into a collared shirt, then took out the cosmetics her mother had prepared, applied light makeup, and covered it with lipstick. Only then did she remember she hadn't brushed her teeth or washed her face!

When Zhou Chenglei came in, Jiang Xia glared at him, telling him to bring in a basin of water so she could wipe off her lipstick.

Looking at her even more radiant face after makeup, Zhou Chenglei said, "No need for all that trouble."

He stepped forward, cupped her face, and lowered his head to kiss her lips.

Today

, they went to the city, again by bicycle, as the production team's tractor was unavailable.

Cars didn't pass the shipyard, making it inconvenient.

Zhou's father rode one bicycle, while Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei shared another.

Along the way, they encountered villagers who asked where they were going. Zhou's father chuckled and replied that he was going to the city to sell dried fish. No one cared much, as they all knew they had dried a lot of shrimp and fish.

This time, they were also taking twenty jin of dried shrimp, eighty jin of dried golden pomfret, and twenty jin of mixed dried fish to the city to deliver to the middleman, Master Hou, from last time.

They had given away some of the dried shrimp from last time, leaving only twenty jin, but still had several dozen jin of dried golden pomfret at home.

Before setting off, Zhou Chenglei called Master Hou while borrowing the tractor from the production team, arranging to meet him at the dock around eleven o'clock.

Zhou Chenglei's bicycle had twenty jin of dried shrimp in a basket on the front and fifteen jin of dried fish hanging on each side of the handlebars.

Zhou's father's bicycle had fifty jin of dried fish tied to the back.

Jiang Xia was truly impressed to see that Zhou's father, who was over sixty years old, seemed to be carrying fifty pounds of goods on his bicycle to the city without much difficulty.

"Dad, you're amazing! Carrying such heavy things and riding such a long distance on your bicycle, you're not even out of breath. Aren't you tired?"

His daughter-in-law's concern made Zhou's father smile and say, "I'm used to it. Besides, the bicycle does most of the work, so I'm not tired."

Back in the production team, Zhou's father used to haul hundreds of pounds of fish on a handcart. He'd return from the boat and start hauling them to the city to sell around 5 or 6 pm, not even arriving until dawn. That was truly exhausting.

Dragging a few dozen pounds on a bicycle wasn't too strenuous for him.

His generation was used to hardship and wasn't afraid of it.

Zhou Chenglei couldn't help but reach out and squeeze her hand wrapped around his waist: Didn't she care about him?

He had fifty pounds on the front of the cart, and she had ninety pounds on the back! That's over a hundred pounds in total!

Jiang Xia didn't understand his meaning, but instinctively intertwined her fingers with his. Zhou Chenglei was satisfied, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Zhou's father glanced at their clasped hands and said, "How about I put my fifty pounds of dried fish on the front of your cart too?"

That way, they could probably sell it for a higher price!

Zhou Chenglei: ???

Upon

arriving in the city, Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia went to sell pearls. They loaded all the dried fish onto Zhou's father's bicycle, which he then used to sell the fish at the dock.

Zhou Chenglei took Jiang Xia to a department store, parked and locked the bicycle, and went inside.

He led her directly to the jewelry store.

Zhou Chenglei, dressed in a white shirt and green military trousers, exuded an imposing aura.

Jiang Xia, in a polyester shirt and green military trousers, with fair skin and a beautiful face, carried a military green crossbody bag, radiating elegance.

As soon as they entered the jewelry store, a saleswoman warmly greeted them: "Welcome! What would you like to buy?"

The saleswoman, a middle-aged woman, glanced at them, her gaze finally settling on Zhou Chenglei's face.

Jiang Xia: "We're not here to buy anything."

Saleswoman: ???

The saleswoman's tone immediately softened: "If you're not here to buy anything, what are you doing here? Looking for the restroom? The public restroom is about 500 meters straight ahead after you leave the mall, turn left, and then turn into a small alley; you'll see it."

Zhou Chenglei replied, "We're here to sell pearls."

The saleswoman looked at Zhou Chenglei, her expression softening slightly, her tone becoming more curious: "Selling pearls? Where do you get your pearls?"

Jiang Xia answered, "We're fishermen; we collect pearls ourselves from the sea."

Fishermen?

She really couldn't tell! Dressed up like that, what are they trying to prove?

The saleswoman's tone unconsciously became slightly disdainful: "How many do you have? Are they pretty? Let me see."

Jiang Xia took out a relatively good pearl from her backpack. "How much would you pay for one of this size and quality?"

The pearl Jiang Xia held was about 10mm, golden, with a good luster, and only had a few minor flaws that could be concealed.

The saleswoman glanced at it, her eyes lighting up, and casually said, "Let me see."

Jiang Xia then handed her the pearl.

She examined the pearl, holding it in her hand and scrutinizing it several times.

The pearl was lustrous, with a rich color, perfect shape, and shimmering brilliance. Its flaws were so few that they could be easily concealed; it was extremely rare, a true gem.

Suppressing her excitement, she casually said, "Your pearl is nice, but it has flaws. We usually buy pearls of this size for three to five yuan each. Yours has relatively few flaws, so I'll give it to you for six yuan!"

Jiang Xia: "Six yuan?"

The saleswoman gave her a disdainful look, her tone slightly arrogant: "Yes, six yuan. That's expensive. Are you selling it or not?"

The saleswoman, seeing that the two didn't look like fishermen, guessed they were probably children of impoverished landlords or families facing hardship and desperately needing money, selling their ancestral pearls. She

'd seen too many of these things in recent years.

Since they urgently needed money, she was certain they would sell.

Afraid Jiang Xia would think it was too cheap, she pointed to the pearl jewelry in the display case: "Look at our pearl necklaces here. The expensive ones are tens of yuan each, the most expensive two are over a hundred yuan each, and the most expensive two are over two hundred yuan each. Most of the others are twenty or thirty yuan each. See, I didn't lie to you! Six yuan a pearl, isn't that expensive?"

Jiang Xia immediately took back the pearl from her hand, grabbed Zhou Chenglei, and left: "I won't sell it! Six yuan a pearl, I'll take it home, grind it into powder, eat it, and use it for skincare!"

Could the pearls in the display case compare to the one in her hand?

Those were all cultured pearls.

Did she think she was blind?

Salesperson: "..."

Jiang Xia knew that pearl prices varied greatly, ranging from very cheap to very cheap, depending on factors like luster, shape, flaws, size, and rarity of color.

In short, the more perfect a natural pearl, the more priceless it was; top-grade pearls were extremely rare and sold at a fixed price.

The pearl she had taken out could be considered top-grade, although gold wasn't a rare color.

As the saying goes, "Seven parts pearls are pearls, eight parts are treasures," and this was a natural seawater pearl, perfectly round, with good color and few flaws—nearly perfect, a top-grade pearl.

Six yuan?

She was being ripped off; she was clearly out of touch with the times!

Even if money was worth more in this era, she felt it was worth more than six yuan.

If this pearl was really only worth six yuan, she would keep it for a few years when the economy was better and people had more money.

Seeing that Jiang Xia was really leaving and wouldn't sell it anymore, the salesperson quickly said, "Six yuan and fifty cents, that's the highest I can go."

"Let's go!" Jiang Xia grabbed Zhou Chenglei's hand and left.

The saleswoman said again, "How many pearls do you have? If there's more than one, the price can be a bit higher. Let's talk it over some more. Do

n't leave yet." Jiang Xia ignored her and pulled Zhou Chenglei away without looking back.

The saleswoman also didn't want to miss out on such good pearls; after all, top-quality pearls with so few flaws are truly rare. She quickly ran out to stop them, saying, "Don't go yet! Let me take another look. The price is negotiable. If there really aren't any flaws, seven yuan is fine too."

At this moment, a neatly dressed man came out. Seeing the saleswoman stopping the customers, he frowned and asked, "What's going on?"

Hearing the voice, Jiang Xia turned around.

Zhou Chenglei also turned around and glanced at him, then greeted him, "Second Brother."

The jewelry store manager saw Zhou Chenglei and his face lit up with surprise, "Commander Zhou? What are you doing here?"

Commander?

The saleswoman looked at Zhou Chenglei in surprise. Such a young commander?

They just said they were fishermen!

If he hadn't said they were fishermen, would she have thought they were from a poor family and were offering such low prices?

Zhou Chenglei: "Here to sell pearls."

Zhou Chenglei then said to Jiang Xia, "This is Zhang Rong, the manager of the jewelry store, my comrade's second brother. Call him Second Brother."

Jiang Xia thought to herself, "He must be a very close comrade." She smiled and greeted him, "Second Brother."

A slight smile, just right.

Zhou Chenglei added, "My wife is Jiang Xia."

Jiang Xia couldn't help but glance at him. His voice was pleasant; saying "my wife" sounded quite nice.

Zhang Rong glanced at Jiang Xia, his eyes showing surprise—just simple surprise, of course.

It was the first time he had met Jiang Xia, but that didn't mean he didn't know who she was.

He knew whose daughter Zhou Chenglei had married.

He smiled and said, "Hello, sister-in-law. Please give my regards to Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang."

The saleswoman felt even more uneasy.

Her attitude towards Jiang Xia just now hadn't been very good.

She knew a little about the manager's background; could someone become the manager of a jewelry store without any connections?

I heard the manager's hometown is in Beijing. His grandfather, father, older brother, and younger brother all served in the military, and he also has a younger sister studying at Peking University. Rumor has it that his grandfather and father held very high positions. The fact

that even he had to greet them speaks volumes about their background.

She said she could tell at a glance that this couple was no ordinary pair.

She actually believed they were fishermen!

The saleswoman was uneasy.

Zhang Rong smiled again, "I haven't congratulated you two on your wedding yet, wishing you a happy marriage. Come, come into my office, aren't you here to sell pearls? Let's talk inside, sister-in-law, please!"

Zhang Rong politely gestured for them to enter.

Zhang Rong's younger brother, Zhang Rui, was a soldier under Zhou Chenglei and greatly admired him.

This man had gone to the battlefield in his teens, shooting down two enemy planes on his first firing of a cannon, earning a great merit, and accumulating numerous military achievements over the years.

He was unanimously considered the most promising soldier!

It was just a pity that he injured his ear during a mission and returned to become a fisherman.

What a pity!

Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia, unaware of each other's thoughts, followed him into the office.

Zhang Rong personally brewed tea.

"The pre-Qingming Longjing tea I bought this time is quite good. Commander Zhou and your wife should try some."

Zhou Chenglei: "I've already retired from the army, Second Brother, just call me by my name."

Zhang Rong sincerely said, "Even if you've retired, you'll always be our most awesome commander. Zhang Rui almost cried when he called me."

Zhou Chenglei: "It wouldn't be good if people overheard and misunderstood."

Zhang Rong understood Zhou Chenglei, knew what kind of person he was, and thinking of the reaction of the sales clerk in his shop, nodded: "Okay, I understand."

He looked at Jiang Xia: "Didn't you say you had pearls? Let me see."

Jiang Xia took out a small bag of pearls wrapped in a handkerchief from her crossbody bag.

She had borrowed this crossbody bag from Zhou Zhou.

Zhang Rong raised an eyebrow at the bag of pearls. So many?

Seeing his confusion, Zhou Chenglei explained, "I fished them out of the sea for a long time."

"These things aren't easy to fish out; you're really something."

The pressure underwater is immense, and most people can't hold their breath for long. No wonder you've served on land, sea, and air—the most versatile and promising soldier in history!

Zhou Chenglei knew he'd misunderstood; he'd heard these compliments countless times and didn't say anything.

Zhang Rong poured the bag of pearls onto a velvet-covered tray. As soon as the pearls were poured out, he couldn't help but praise, "They all look very good, with very few flaws."

Jiang Xia then took out a pair of twin pearls: "These came from the same pearl."

Zhang Rong put on gloves, took them, and examined each pearl carefully, picking out the five best ones and the twins. Then, pointing to the remaining pile, he said,

"I'll give you three hundred yuan for this pile."

Jiang Xia was a little surprised; this pile was worth three hundred?

Zhou Chenglei frowned: "Second brother, you don't need to buy at a loss."

Zhang Rong was calculating the price based on the profit he could make from selling the pearls as jewelry; he wouldn't make a single penny.

Of course, it's not just the pearls themselves that are profitable. Making jewelry requires other materials like gold and silver, plus a small labor fee.

"Don't worry, it's definitely not a loss. I can't possibly make money off you; what kind of person would I be? If my dad, older brother, and that kid Zhang Rui found out, I probably wouldn't even be able to step foot in the door. Besides, the pearls you sent are all very good; I can use them to do favors. In the end, I'm still the one who profits."

Zhang Rong pointed to a few pearls he had picked out: "These are top-quality pearls. I'll take them to Hong Kong and find someone to buy them; they'll definitely fetch no less than a hundred dollars each. I'll give you a hundred dollars each first, and I'll pay you the balance later after they're sold. How about that?"

He was clearly helping them sell the pearls, not making a profit himself.

Zhou Chenglei trusted him: "Thank you for your trouble."

No one knew better than Zhang Rong how to sell a good pearl for the highest price.

Zhang Rong waved his hand: "Don't tell me that! Send over any good pearls you have in the future, and I'll help you sell them. I promise you won't lose out."

Flawless, top-quality natural seawater pearls are quite rare, so there's no fixed price. It depends on whether you can find a suitable buyer and try to sell them for a slightly higher price.

Jiang Xia then took out the shells of the orangutan clam and the triton shell from the basket, and placed the other two pearls in front of their respective shells.

He hadn't brought the oval-shaped pearl king today; Jiang Xia thought that in this era, there weren't many wealthy people, and it wouldn't fetch its full value.

"Brother Zhang, take a look at these two."

Zhang Rong's expression turned serious when he saw how big the two pearls were. He put his gloves back on after taking them off.

He first picked up the golden one, his eyes growing brighter with each look: "The flame pattern forms the shape of a deer?"

Jiang Xia nodded with a smile.

"Good heavens! This isn't just a pearl, it's a treasure!"

Jiang Xia: "Brother Zhang, take a look at this white one."

Zhang Rong put down the golden pearl and went to pick up the white pearl from the orangutan sea clam.

"A camellia?" He looked at Jiang Xia in disbelief.

"Brother Zhang, you have a good eye."

Damn! What kind of luck did this couple have? Most of the pearls in that bag were already very good, extremely rare!

And there were even two such top-quality pearls!

"Where did you find these two big ones? I'll go try my luck sometime!"

Zhou Chenglei glanced at Jiang Xia: "Jiang Xia picked them up on the beach after the typhoon."

"Sister-in-law, you're really lucky!"

Jiang Xia smiled: "It was just a coincidence."

"No way, after the next typhoon, I'll come to your place and try my luck too."

Jiang Xia: "You're welcome anytime. Who knows, Brother Zhang might find even better pearls then."

"Haha...Thank you for your kind words! These two pearls are definitely up for auction. I'll have someone send them to Hong Kong or overseas. They'll definitely fetch no less than a thousand yuan each, and that's a conservative estimate. Luckily, you didn't damage the shells. If you auctioned them together with the conch shells, they'd be worth even more. Some collectors overseas like to collect these."

Jiang Xia: "I kept these two conch shells because they're so big and quite beautiful, and they look quite old. I know some collectors like to collect these, so I was thinking about whether I could sell them."

“Sister-in-law, you’re very knowledgeable; there are indeed people who like to collect conch shells. I’ll give you two thousand yuan for these two pearls first, and you can get whatever price they sell for later. Please wait a moment.”

Zhang Rong went to the room behind the office, took out three stacks of ten-yuan bills from the safe, pulled out two bills, and then came out.

Just then, the office phone rang.

Zhang Rong said to the two of them, “Excuse me, I need to take this call.”

Zhou Chenglei: “It’s okay, you can answer it.”

Zhang Rong picked up the phone: “Hello.”

A cheerful male voice came from the other end of the line: “Second brother, I booked a train ticket today. I’ll come to see you in a couple of days. I’ll arrive at the station at five o’clock the day after tomorrow. Remember to pick me up at the train station.”

Zhang Rong frowned: “Why are you coming over for no reason? How many days?”

“Five days. I’m here on orders to deliver something to my regimental commander.”

“What is it? Commander Zhou is here, do you want to say a few words to him?”

Zhang Rui on the other end was surprised: “How come the commander is with you! Yes, yes, yes! Let him answer the phone!”

His excited voice was so loud that Jiang Xia could hear it. She looked at Zhou Chenglei.

Zhou Chenglei didn't hear it.

Zhang Rong handed the phone to Zhou Chenglei: "Zhang Rui said he wants to see you."

Zhou Chenglei took the phone with his left hand and listened to it with his left ear: "Hello." "

Commander, what are you doing at my second brother's place?"

"Selling pearls."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, seemingly surprised, before he spoke: "Tell him to give you a higher price. If he tries to take it cheap, I'll tell my grandpa to beat him up!"

Zhou Chenglei didn't reply to him: "What is it?"

"It's your grain household registration and file. I'll send them to you. The train leaves tomorrow night, and you'll arrive the day after tomorrow. I'll come to the village to find you then."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chenglei subconsciously covered the receiver and glanced at Jiang Xia.

Jiang Xia didn't hear him and glanced at him, confused.

Zhou Chenglei subconsciously shifted slightly, subtly moving the receiver away from Jiang Xia, and replied to the person on the other end of the line, "Okay, no need to come to the village to find me. I'll come to your second brother's place to find you."

Jiang Xia: "..."

Wait, isn't the person on the other end a man?

It's not like he's an old flame, why is he feeling guilty?

The person on the other end didn't say anything, and Jiang Xia heard Zhou Chenglei add, "See if you can help me buy two diving suits, one for men and one for women... see you then."

Zhou Chenglei didn't want to say too much and hung up after a few words.

The person on the other end was still bewildered!

He hadn't finished speaking!

Zhou Chenglei, still uneasy after hanging up the phone, said to Zhang Rong, "Zhang Rui is coming the day after tomorrow. Tell him to wait for me here, and I'll come see him."

Zhang Rong replied, "Okay."

Zhang Rong placed the money in front of Jiang Xia, saying, "Sister-in-law, this is two thousand eight hundred yuan. I'll give you the rest after I sell those pearls. It might take a little while, though. We're not in a rush; we'll sell them slowly and get a good price."

"Okay, thank you, Brother Zhang. You can decide." Jiang Xia stuffed the money into her bag.

Zhang Rong glanced at his watch; it was almost midnight. He said to the couple, "Come on, it's rare for you to come all this way, let's go eat."

Zhou Chenglei didn't refuse. Zhang Rong had helped them a lot, and it was only right that they treat him to a meal, especially since Jiang Xia must be hungry.

Zhou Chenglei suggested going to a state-run restaurant. Jiang Xia seemed to have a particular fondness for state-run restaurants, and they had also arranged to meet Zhou's father there.

Zhang Rong, tired of the food at the state-run restaurants, suggested going to a newly opened one.

Jiang Xia, having already tried the state-run restaurants, said, "Let's pick up Dad and try this new restaurant?

It'll be good to see how the catering industry is these days. "

Zhou Chenglei naturally agreed, "Okay."

So the three of them picked up Zhou's father outside the state-run restaurant and went to another newly opened restaurant.

After the reform and opening up, two new restaurants opened in the city, and they went to the newly opened Xinfeng Restaurant.

It was lunchtime, and the restaurant was quite crowded. After all, it was the city center, and there weren't many privately owned restaurants these days. The main hall was almost full. Jiang Xia knew that the catering industry started to develop in this era, and it developed rapidly in the 1990s.

Jiang Xia thought that she could open a restaurant when she had money, since there was less competition now, and there were plenty of people in the city with money to burn.

Zhang Rong asked for a private room.

Zhang Rong asked Zhou's father to order, but Zhou's father refused, saying, "I'm fine with whatever I eat, you guys order."

He then asked Jiang Xia to order, saying, "Sister-in-law, see what you'd like to eat. The chef at this restaurant was just brought in from Beijing; his roast duck is quite good."

Jiang Xia ordered a Peking duck and a dish of pickled cabbage, vermicelli, and meatballs, and then let the two of them order.

Zhou Chenglei ordered a ginseng and black chicken soup for Jiang Xia, and then let Zhang Rong order.

Zhang Rong also ordered braised sea cucumber, chicken pieces with mushrooms, stir-fried shredded pork with bamboo shoots, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, braised pork belly, and garlic-flavored bok choy, making a total of eight dishes and a soup.

During the meal, Zhou Chenglei and Zhang Rong talked about their views on reform and opening up, and their predictions about the future. Zhang Rong didn't ignore Jiang Xia and Zhou's father, occasionally saying a few words to them.

Watching Zhou Chenglei frequently serve food to Jiang Xia throughout the meal, and noticing that Jiang Xia probably didn't like chicken skin, he took the pieces she bit off and ate them. When Jiang Xia took a bite of food she didn't like and frowned slightly, he handed her his bowl, letting her give him the food.

Zhang Rong felt full after barely eating any!

Zhou's father chuckled to himself, thinking that the pearl had definitely fetched a good price.

The meal was enjoyed by both host and guests.

After the meal, Zhou Chenglei paid, saying it was a wedding banquet for them, making Zhang Rong feel embarrassed to argue.

The meal cost only about 10 yuan, which seemed like a good deal, but Jiang Xia then thought about how her current salary was only about 30 or 40 yuan a month, and it didn't seem so good anymore.

After saying goodbye to Zhang Rong, the three of them headed straight to the shipyard.

The shipyard gatekeeper recognized Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia; the couple were simply too good-looking. He laughed, "Oh, you've come at the right time! We've got a great deal today!"

Jiang Xia asked curiously, "What big deal?"

The gatekeeper said happily, "You'll find out in a bit. I'll call the factory manager, please wait a moment!"

After making the call, the gatekeeper led them to the factory manager's office.

The shipyard was very large, covering a vast and long area, but the four of them arrived at the factory manager's office in just a few minutes.

The factory manager was a thin old man, not tall, about the same height as Jiang Xia, with very dark skin, like the kind of black that comes from years of contact with engine oil and gasoline. He was wearing a white vest, which had turned yellow from washing and was covered with many stains resembling engine oil.

He was drinking water from an enamel mug, his hands holding the mug were very rough, the lines under his nails and on the backs of his fingers were black, the kind of black that had accumulated over the years and could not be washed clean.

These were the hands of a laborer, Jiang Xia thought.

"Factory Manager Zhou, these three comrades want to buy a ship." Factory Manager Zhou

turned around and glanced at them, his attention immediately drawn to Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei, before noticing Zhou's father.

He noticed the couple were neatly dressed, with fair skin, especially the woman, whose skin practically glowed; they were clearly from a wealthy family.

The man was tall and imposing, exuding an air of nobility and a powerful, righteous aura, his sharp eyes reminding him of a high-ranking commander on a warship.

Mr. Zhou had specially worn the new suit Jiang Xia had bought him last time—a Zhongshan suit. He was tall and handsome, and although his skin was dark, he looked very energetic.

Director Zhou: "Are you here to order a yacht?"

Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia: "..."

Was the director overestimating them?

With only ten thousand yuan in their entire fortune, where would they get the money to order a yacht?

Mr. Zhou smiled, seeing everything as a reflection of his son and daughter-in-law; it seemed his son and daughter-in-law would have money to buy a yacht in the future!

Jiang Xia smiled: "Thank you for your high regard, Director Zhou, thinking we can afford a yacht. But we really can't. We're fishermen, here to order a fishing boat."

This was the first time Director Zhou had misjudged people; this young couple simply didn't resemble the fishermen he was used to.

"How big of a boat do you want to order? The factory has received export orders, and the earliest delivery time for boats ordered now is the end of next year. But we have a 24-meter boat here, and someone just cancelled it. It can be delivered in two months."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Zhou asked, "Why did they cancel it?"

"Don't worry, the boat is absolutely fine, and it's brand new. It's almost finished. The person who originally ordered the boat lost everything gambling and even took out high-interest loans. They had no money left and came this morning to ask if they could cancel the boat. If you're interested, you can take it. It's a very good boat, fully equipped. Most importantly, they ordered it three years ago before the price increase, so it was a good deal. It was also a lucky coincidence that they arrived so soon after he left and I just released the news. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't have been able to buy it."

Mr. Zhou asked again, "How much?"

"Eighteen thousand eight hundred."

Mr. Zhou: "..."

Mr. Zhou shut up. Even if his son had some savings, he probably wouldn't have eighteen thousand!

Zhou Chenglei: "What configuration? Is it a trawler or a fishing boat?"

"A fishing boat, the engine is German..."

Then Zhou Chenglei inquired in detail about the boat's configuration from Factory Director Zhou, including the engine brand, horsepower, and so on. An

expert's skill is immediately apparent; Factory Director Zhou could tell Zhou Chenglei knew a lot about boats. The two talked more and more meticulously, becoming increasingly professional.

Jiang Xia didn't understand much, but she listened attentively. After all, this was the boat that would be a major source of income for her family in the future, and she needed to understand it; she couldn't be completely ignorant.

However, Zhou Chenglei looked really handsome when discussing serious matters! His logic was clear, his strategy masterful, and he effortlessly controlled the entire situation. He had uncovered every detail about the boat without Factory Director Zhou even realizing it, recounting everything as if it were his own treasure.

Although Zhou Chenglei was talking to Factory Director Zhou, he would occasionally explain to her that he wanted some tea. He even noticed immediately when she wanted some and handed her the tea first.

Jiang Xia smiled slightly, took the teacup, took a few sips, and was about to put it back when Zhou Chenglei took it back and placed it on the table.

There was a Diamond brand electric fan in the factory director's office, with a strong airflow. He sat near the fan, subtly shielding her from the direct wind when it oscillated, ensuring she wasn't completely exposed.

Factory Director Zhou felt like he was being force-fed a bellyful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection).

He couldn't say anything more!

Zhou's father was already used to it; he had a gut feeling that the price of the boat would be much cheaper this time.

A loving couple, their bond was unbreakable, and with his ancestral tablet protecting them, it was perfect!

Factory Director Zhou felt an instant connection with Zhou Chenglei. It was rare to find someone so young who understood ships. He said directly, "I designed this boat myself. Although it's not a high-end configuration, it's perfectly adequate for both near-shore operations and deep-sea fishing. A 24-meter boat is ideal for deep-sea fishing; this configuration is the most cost-effective for a deep-sea fishing vessel."

This was the most economical deep-sea vessel Director Zhou had ever designed—it had everything, and the price was reasonable.

"Originally, I sold it to them for over 18,800 yuan. Look at the receipt, isn't it? Now, if you take it, I'll give you a discount of over 300 yuan, making it 18,500. This boat is truly excellent. You can't get this price now; the engine price has gone up, everything has gone up. If you want to order a boat this big now, you can't get one for less than 25,000. I expect someone will come to see the boat soon."

Zhou's father said, "It's good, but it's too expensive!"

The discount was indeed substantial, but it was too much to swallow!

18,500! They couldn't even imagine it!

Even if the young couple had some money, they couldn't possibly have tens of thousands.

“Old comrade, this is a 24-meter boat, not expensive at all! It was ordered three years ago, at the price three years ago! It was really a good deal, because the other party placed the order three years ago. They ordered several boats at once, and we also received foreign exchange orders at that time, which is why this one was made so late. The price back then was much cheaper than it is now.”

Zhou Chenglei didn’t speak.

Jiang Xia asked Factory Director Zhou, “How much was the deposit?”

Factory Director Zhou: “The original ship owner paid 10,000, but he urgently needs the money and wants to get the deposit back.”

At this moment, the phone rang, and Factory Director Zhou said, “You guys discuss it, I’ll take this call.”

Zhou’s father: “Okay, then let’s go out and discuss it.”

Zhou Chenglei, Jiang Xia, and Zhou’s father went out, leaving the space for the factory director to answer the phone.

Zhou’s father: “I have 1,000, how much do you have?”

Zhou Chenglei: “Seven thousand.”

Jiang Xia: “Thirteen thousand.”

Zhou’s father: “…”

So is it seven thousand or thirteen thousand?

Zhou Chenglei looked at Jiang Xia: "I can't touch your money."

Jiang Xia looked at him: "Are you lying to me?"

Zhou Chenglei was stunned, and subconsciously straightened up: "Absolutely not!"

How did it suddenly turn into him lying to her? How could she think he was lying to her?

Jiang Xia, who held the reins of the finances, glanced at him: "If you're not lying to me, then where did you get seven thousand yuan? Buying the boat doesn't require my money, is the one yuan in your pocket enough?"

Zhou Chenglei: "..."

Mr. Zhou understood; his son's earnings were all managed by his daughter-in-law.

Good, a man's money should belong to his wife; that's how he prospered.

However, he was truly surprised that the two of them had over ten thousand in savings. His son only had seven thousand, the rest being money brought by his daughter-in-law.

Mr. Zhou, who also only had one yuan in his pocket, patted his son's shoulder in a similar predicament: "Listen to your wife, and you'll prosper!"

However, he looked at Jiang Xia, "Thirteen thousand plus my one thousand, that's still over four thousand short. The risk is a bit high."

Jiang Xia: "We don't need your money, Dad. We can earn it ourselves. The risk is indeed a bit high."

Mr. Zhou: "Two months is too short. Earning four or five thousand in two months, and having the same good luck at sea as before, isn't difficult, but luck is unpredictable."

Zhou Chenglei looked at Jiang Xia and explained: "That's why I plan to order a smaller boat first, pay a seven thousand deposit, and keep some money on hand."

In the past, he would have bought the boat without hesitation, but with Jiang Xia, he didn't want her to live a frugal life with him.

He imagined her with thousands of dollars at her fingertips, able to buy whatever she wanted and live a carefree life without worrying about money.

But he was too embarrassed to tell Jiang Xia these things directly to his father.

Just as Jiang Xia was about to say something, Factory Manager Zhou came out: "Have you decided yet? The security guard called to say a regular customer has received the news and is coming."

Jiang Xia also saw the security guard leading a few people closer.

Before one of the men even got close, he saw the factory manager and shouted loudly, "Factory Manager Zhou, we want that boat! We can pay the deposit immediately, even the entire boat's price!"

Jiang Xia noticed he wore a large gold chain around his neck and a large gold ring on his hand, exuding an air of wealth and power.

Factory Director Zhou replied with a smile, "Boss Guo, we're a bit late. I had to see if these comrades were willing to buy."

The wealthy Boss Guo sized up Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia, then glanced at Zhou's father, unable to immediately determine their financial situation, and asked, "Are you buying?" Before

Zhou Chenglei could answer, Jiang Xia grabbed his hand and blurted out, "Yes!"

Jiang Xia had thought it through. They had a little over ten thousand yuan, and while there was some risk, they still had two months, so the risk wasn't too great.

It was worth the gamble!

After all, it would be foolish not to take advantage of a good deal!

Jiang Xia looked at Zhou Chenglei, her fingertips hooking around his palm: "Buy?"

Zhou Chenglei was helpless against her, squeezing her mischievous little hand tightly!

She had already said she was buying; would he really say no in front of so many people and embarrass her?

As husband and wife, he would always be of one mind with her.

He didn't want her to live a frugal life, but what he gave her had to be what she wanted for her to be happy. Zhou Chenglei couldn't be so oblivious to this.

Zhou Chenglei said to Factory Director Zhou, "Factory Director Zhou, we've decided to buy it. But we didn't bring that much money with us today; we only have three thousand yuan. Can we come back in a few days to pay the deposit?"

Looking at the two holding hands, Zhou's father's worries lessened. There were still three months left. With the couple's love and their finances booming, they might even earn several thousand yuan. "

Buy it!

If we don't make a profit, we can always find someone to partner with."

Why not buy such a good deal on a large boat?

Boss Guo had brought several boatmen with him, and upon hearing Zhou Chenglei's words, they couldn't help but say, "Bringing three thousand yuan to buy a boat? Are you planning to order a small fishing boat? As far as we know, that boat costs over eighteen thousand yuan? Are you sure you can afford the balance after paying the deposit?"

One of them opened a canvas bag, revealing more than a dozen stacks of ten-yuan bills inside, gave Zhou Chenglei a provocative look, and then said to Factory Director Zhou, "Factory Director Zhou, our boss came as soon as he received the news, and he brought the full amount! They only brought three thousand, which clearly means they can't afford it. They even have to go back and scrape together the deposit. Stop wasting time and just sell the boat to us!"

"That's right, Factory Director Zhou, sell the boat to our boss! Our boss can buy it in full right away! Saying he'll come to pay the deposit in a few days is obviously just an excuse to go back and raise the money! He only has three thousand yuan for the deposit now, and there's still more than ten thousand yuan to pay in the balance. It's not that easy to raise all that money."

“If you don’t have the money, order a small boat. If you’re not that big, don’t wear such a big hat!”

Boss Guo waited until his boatmen had finished speaking before saying, “Alright, all of you shut up! Even Factory Director Zhou can’t say anything! Factory Director Zhou, sell the boat to me!” Factory

Director Zhou was a technical man, quite principled, and having just chatted with Zhou Chenglei for so long, he quite admired him. So he said, “Everything is about first come, first served. Since these comrades intend to buy, the boat will naturally be sold to them.”

The boatmen wanted to say something, but Boss Guo stopped them with a glance.

Boss Guo glanced at Zhou Chenglei and the other two, then smiled at Factory Director Zhou, “The Factory Director is right!”

Factory Director Zhou smiled, “Next time there’s such a good deal, I’ll be the first to inform Boss Guo.”

Boss Guo smiled, “Okay, thank you, Factory Director. We’re leaving now.”

Then he winked at his men, and the boatmen glared at Zhou Chenglei and the other two before leaving.

Zhou Chenglei returned their gaze with a faint look.

Jiang Xia said to Factory Director Zhou, "Thank you, Factory Director Zhou. Shall we pay a deposit of three thousand first? We'll pay the remaining seven thousand within three days."

Factory Director Zhou was too lazy to accept the three thousand, as it would require issuing a receipt, and if they couldn't raise the money, he would have to refund them, which would be troublesome for accounting. So he said, "No need. I said I'd give you three days, so I'll give you three days. Bring the money to pay the deposit within three days. After three days, I won't hold it anymore. You don't need to pay the three thousand first; you can pay it all at once."

Jiang Xia was still worried and joked, "Let's still pay the three thousand deposit! What if someone else comes and wants to buy it at a higher price? We haven't paid a penny yet, and you're asking us to hold it for three days? Wouldn't that put you in a difficult position? This factory is so big; it's hard to guarantee that no worker's relative will want to buy it. If we pay the deposit today, you can just show the receipt to the other party, and they won't have anything to say. You can refuse them without offending anyone."

Factory Director Zhou laughed in exasperation. This was because they didn't trust him! He said he'd hold it for three days, and he meant it.

However, Jiang Xia's words were pleasant to hear, so he wasn't truly angry, as it was indeed a possibility.

After all, he had already spread the word; the ship was indeed a good deal, and many people would surely come to his door in the next few days.

He had encountered similar situations before, and Jiang Xia's suggestion gave him a reminder; he could use this method in the future.

He said, "Okay, let's pay a deposit of three thousand yuan first."

Then, Factory Director Zhou said to Zhou Chenglei, "Your wife is quite shrewd!"

Zhou Chenglei smiled and squeezed Jiang Xia's hand.

The three of them went back into the office, paid the three thousand yuan deposit, and Factory Director Zhou gave them a receipt.

At this moment, the office phone rang again. Factory Director Zhou was about to answer the phone, and after saying goodbye, the three of them happily left with the receipt.

Mr. Zhou was the happiest!

As soon as the three of them reached the factory gate, they saw a black sedan parked outside, and two foreigners got out of the car.

Jiang Xia discovered that one of the foreigners was Amy's father.

Jill also recognized Jiang Xia and exclaimed in surprise, "Miss Jiang, what are you doing here?"

Jiang Xia smiled and replied in French, "I'm here to buy a boat."

At this moment, the foreigner next to Jill asked in English, "Jill, do you know this beautiful lady?"

Jill replied, "She helped me find my daughter at the train station a few days ago."

John thanked Jiang Xia immediately.

Jiang Xia smiled and replied, "You're welcome," then said she had to go home and said goodbye.

Mr. Zhou watched Jiang Xia speak fluently with the foreigners in a foreign language, his eyes shining: My goodness, my daughter-in-law is amazing!

He gave Zhou Chenglei a disdainful look: No wonder my son is always worried his wife will run away!

Director Zhou rushed out at this moment and also looked at Jiang Xia in surprise. Do fishermen nowadays speak French and English?

Or are highly educated people starting to fish for a living?

Director Zhou wasn't the head of the factory; he was the deputy director, in charge of technology. His English was limited to basic greetings and the names of some ship parts, but he couldn't understand French at all.

These foreign guests had come unexpectedly, recommended by a previous client, and there had been no preparation. The director was frantically searching for a French-speaking translator, who wouldn't arrive for another hour!

After saying goodbye to the two foreigners, Jiang Xia called Zhou Chenglei home.

"Wait! Comrade Jiang, please wait!"

Director Zhou immediately said to Jiang Xia, "Comrade Jiang, these two foreign guests have come unexpectedly, and my translator hasn't arrived yet. Could you please translate for me? This order is very important to our shipyard; if it's successful, it will generate a lot of foreign exchange for the country." Jiang

Xia looked at Zhou Chenglei and his father, "Dad, can I help the shipyard with translation for a while? Shall we go back a little later?"

Zhou Chenglei naturally had no objection.

The country was currently vigorously developing its economy, and export earnings were indeed very important; Zhou's father knew a little about this.

Mr. Zhou felt this was an honor, and helping Factory Director Zhou might even get them a discount when buying ships in the future. He immediately said, "This is important, of course we have to help! Factory Director Zhou just did us a big favor!"

Jiang Xia then said to Factory Director Zhou, "I can help with the translation, but I'm afraid I don't understand some of the technical terms."

Factory Director Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "It's alright, our translator will be here soon. You can help me out for now; I really don't understand French."

"Okay, I'll try."

Jiang Xia smiled and said to Gil and John, "The shipyard's translator hasn't arrived yet, so I'll temporarily act as your translator. Is that alright?"

Gil happily said, "Miss Jiang speaks excellent French; I feel more at ease with you translating."

So Jiang Xia introduced herself to the three of them, and then they all went into the shipyard for a tour.

Factory Director Zhou introduced the shipyard's current shipbuilding technology, and Jiang Xia translated it into French and English.

Moreover, when faced with questions from Gille, who spoke French, and John, who spoke English, she relayed the answers to Director Zhou, then translated them for the two foreign businessmen, doing so in both English and French. She

switched between French and English fluently and effortlessly.

Furthermore, when Jiang Xia translated, she not only accurately relayed Director Zhou's words but also subtly embellished the shipyard's details, highlighting the shipbuilders' meticulousness and craftsmanship.

Her voice was clear and ethereal, her words earnest yet humorous, eliciting smiles from the listeners. French is also a beautiful language, melodious and pleasing to the ear, like a gentle breeze rustling through pine trees…

Zhou Chenglei's gaze never left her for a second.

Zhou's father was beaming with pride; his family's lineage was truly flourishing!

After the introduction, Gille and John were very satisfied with the shipyard's technology.

However, when Director Zhou introduced the Kent rings, Jill said, "The Kent rings produced in China are not refined enough, and their load-bearing capacity does not meet our requirements. I want to use those from Germany."

Jill firmly reiterated, "The Kent rings must be from Germany. Otherwise, I won't have my ship manufactured by your shipyard."

Actually, before coming to China, John didn't believe in China's shipbuilding technology, but the attractive prices and the fact that friends had told them that Chinese-made ships were good and cheaper than those from Germany, saving them a lot of money, led them to come and take a look.

Having visited the shipyard, they felt it was indeed quite impressive; the technology was not outdated, and with Jiang Xia's explanation, they even felt that the shipyard paid great attention to detail and strived for excellence.

However, they were not satisfied with the Kent rings they had compared to those from Germany.

Jiang Xia translated John and Jill's words to Factory Director Zhou.

Factory Director Zhou frowned upon hearing this. A cargo ship requires many Kent rings.

If they used Kent rings imported from Germany, each ship would cost hundreds of thousands more in foreign exchange—that was unacceptable.

"Mr. John and Mr. Jill, what is it about our shipyard's Kent rings that you are dissatisfied with?"

Jiang Xia then translated for John and Jill.

Because Jiang Xia helped him find his child, Jill had a good impression of her and honestly said, "The Kent rings from Country D are more precise and have a higher load capacity than those produced by your Chinese shipyards. We need to order 26,000-ton bulk carriers, and we're worried that your Kent rings won't be enough."

John replied, "If your China can produce even more precise Kent rings with a higher load capacity than Country D's, then we'll consider using your country's Kent rings."

Jill then reiterated the advantages of Country D's Kent rings.

Jiang Xia translated this to Factory Director Zhou.

Factory Director Zhou thought for a moment and said, "I guarantee we can produce Kent rings that meet the requirements of Mr. John and Mr. Jill! As long as we produce better Kent rings, we hope Mr. Jill and Mr. John will choose our Chinese Kent rings."

Every export order involves countless technical problems to overcome, and over the years, Factory Director Zhou and his shipyard's technicians have overcome countless technical challenges.

He believed that even a Kent ring couldn't stop their technicians.

Their shipyard only wanted to strive for excellence and for technology to continuously improve.

Jiang Xia translated for John and Jill.

John: "No problem. As long as you can make a better Kent ring than those from D country, we'll definitely choose the better one. But if you can't make it, then we have to use those from D country."

Next, they continued to visit other places, even the boat that Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei had just bought.

The boat was basically finished, with some equipment still to be installed.

Jiang Xia liked it at first sight, mainly because it was much larger than the boat at home, looking very imposing.

It truly deserved to be a large ship capable of venturing into the open sea.

Fishing boats also come in different sizes, including large, medium, and small. Ocean fishing operations are divided into three areas: coastal, near-shore, and open-sea. A 24-meter boat is considered a large fishing boat, and the configuration of the fishing boat they had just seen was just right for open-sea operations.

Open-sea fishing boats have requirements for endurance, stability, speed, fuel tanks, fish hold capacity, refrigeration, and electromechanical equipment, among other things.

After all, the boat was too small, and the fish hold wasn't big enough for voyages to the open sea; the fuel costs alone would be a loss. 24 meters was the minimum standard; anything smaller wouldn't be feasible for design.

Zhou's father also liked it, excitedly touching it everywhere.

If this boat sailed back to the village, it would definitely be the coolest thing in the whole village!

Their village didn't have a large boat capable of venturing to the open sea; this would be the village's first.

One boat was worth three of Zhou Bingqiang's boats—how would he show off in front of him?

Seeing that Jiang Xia and Zhou's father liked it, Zhou Chenglei stopped hesitating.

Although the boat's configuration wasn't high-end, it was undeniably economical and practical.

The price was also very reasonable, considering it was ordered three years ago.

They had indeed gotten a great deal.

They saved at least several thousand yuan, and the boat could be delivered in two months, allowing them to earn money much faster.