Chapter 8: Second Trip to the Sea

"Hey? Why are you like this?"

An Wenjing stood up and wanted to argue with the other party, but was pulled back to her seat by Chen Hui.

"This guy can make a hundred dollars a day, so it's normal for him to look down on us."

"But he has a bad mouth and loves to stir up trouble. In a few years he will be in jail for speculation and profiteering, and he won't be able to keep the money he earns."

Although there was no one at the next table, Chen Hui still lowered his voice slightly when he spoke.

"What? One hundred a day? Who can earn that much?"

"That's not right. How do you know he will be in a few years?"

Chen Hui, who is not doing his job properly, spends most of his time hanging out in the town and the county.

An Wenjing didn't think there was anything wrong with knowing this person, but how did he know something that would happen in a few years?
"I was just talking nonsense, trying to cheer you up."

"It's rare for us to go out for dinner, there's no need to affect our mood for this kind of person."

As Chen Hui spoke, he picked up a piece of braised pork with fat and lean meat and put it into An Wenjing's bowl.

"That's true, hehe."

An Wenjing picked up the chopsticks with a smile and bit off a corner of the braised pork.

He took another mouthful of rice and said excitedly, "This rice tastes even better with the braised pork!"

Chen Hui smiled and picked up some more steamed fish for An Wenjing, and took another bowl to serve her some fish soup, "Come, have some soup."

An Wenjing's eating suddenly stopped, the joyful expression on her face visibly froze, her expression became complicated and even revealed some grievance.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Chen Hui was confused.

"Brother Chen Hui, do you dislike me?!"

An Wenjing is a straightforward person. She put down her bowl and chopsticks and asked directly.

"Ah?! I don't think so at all. Why do you think I dislike you?" Chen Hui was confused by An Wenjing's question.

"You don't dislike me, so why do you use another bowl to serve me soup?"

"what?!"

"hahahahahahahaha."

Chen Hui reacted and couldn't help laughing.

In the 1980s, there was no concept of separate dining in the small county town. Everyone ate vegetables in one bowl and drank soup in another. I suddenly served An Wenjing an extra bowl of soup, so it's no wonder that she would have wild thoughts.

Fortunately, An Wenjing is a person who speaks her mind and raises her opinions in a single session.

If I were Lin Daiyu, I wouldn’t know how long I would be sulking.

"Hahaha, I just think this big bowl of soup will be hot, so it will cool down faster if I use a small bowl."

Chen Hui brought the fish soup over and drank several mouthfuls of it before he stopped laughing.

"So that's how it is. Sorry, I thought too much."

An Wenjing took the soup from Chen Hui's hand, blew away the hot air, and drank the remaining half.

The two of them continued to eat, talking and laughing.

After dinner, Chen Hui suggested taking two meals back for Lin Jiao and An Wenyi, but was stopped by An Wenjing.

"My mother is very strong-willed. Even if she brings it back, she will send it back to you overnight."

"Forget it, so you don't have to nag me all night when you want to eat but can't."

An Wenjing must know Lin Jiao better than herself.

Chen Hui didn't say much and let An Wenjing hold the cloth.

He rode his bike to take her back to Chenjia Village.

First, I sent An Wenjing home, and made an appointment with Lin Jiao to go to the village chief's house the next day to find Yuan Chuanfang, who was good at reading the almanac, to choose a date.

Then he rode the bike to the village chief's house and returned it to Chen Xiaoqiao.

"Hey, you know what? Someone came to my dad today and asked him to do some ideological work on An Wenjing."

As soon as I parked the car, Chen Xiaoqiao came over and started gossiping.

"I know, it's Chen Guangming. I met him in the hospital today." Chen Hui didn't care.

When Chen Guangming came to see the village chief, he at most hoped that the village chief could come forward to persuade An Wenjing.

Nowadays, marriage is free, and even Lin Jiao cannot interfere directly. "The most important thing is that my father doesn't seem to object."

"Is there any problem on your side? Will An Wenjing be shaken?" Chen Xiaoqiao nudged Chen Hui with his elbow.

If we were to ask who in Chenjia Village most hopes that Chen Hui's dream of marrying An Wenjing will come true, it would probably be him.

"If she is so easily persuaded, she might as well do it sooner rather than later."

"Besides, if Chen Guangming could succeed, he would have done it long ago. Why would he have to wait until now?" Chen Hui sneered.

"That's true." Chen Xiaoqiao nodded.

"What is it? I think Chen Guangming is more reliable than Chen Hui."

"I don't know what mom is thinking. She actually thinks Chen Hui is okay."

Chen Daqiao came out of the toilet on the side.

He said it without any hesitation, looked at Chen Hui and Chen Xiaoqiao with disdain, and turned to go into the house.

"Look at my brother." Chen Xiaoqiao shook his head speechlessly.

Village chief Chen Kaiming has four children.

The eldest son was born on a bridge in the village, so he was named Chen Daqiao. The subsequent sons were named Chen Xiaoqiao, Chen Qiaodi and Chen Qiaomei.

The three sons have all started their own families, only Chen Qiaomei is still unmarried.

"It's all because of you. No one believes me even though I've turned over a new leaf."

When Chen Xiaoqiao first got married, he was serious and motivated for a while. People in the village said that he had grown up after getting married and had turned over a new leaf.

During that period, the village chief always smiled at everyone he looked at.

After less than half a year of happiness, he returned to his old ways.

Chen Daqiao, who originally disliked his younger brother because he was disappointed in his brother, now also dislikes Chen Hui.

"Hey." Chen Xiaoqiao sighed.

"The tide is about to go out. We have nothing to do anyway, so why don't we go to the beach to catch snails?" asked Chen Hui.

I have to come to Yuan Chuanfang to choose a date tomorrow, so I can't come empty-handed.

"No, no, I have an appointment with my brothers to go to town tomorrow." Chen Xiaoqiao waved his hand.

"What town are we going to? If you can just grab a couple of snails and add a few dishes to the meal, Uncle Daqiao will like me more."

Chen Hui pulled Chen Xiaoqiao out.

"Why do you care about him? Wait wait, I'll change my shoes. I won't use the bucket for you to touch anything."

Chen Xiaoqiao complained.

I changed into rain boots, took two buckets, pliers and a bamboo basket, and went to the beach with Chen Hui.

The people picking snails on the beach were still the usual women and children. Chen Hui walked around and picked up some oyster snails and threw them into Chen Xiaoqiao's bucket.

He took off his clothes and handed them to Chen Xiaoqiao.

"Are you going to the sea again?" Chen Xiaoqiao was confused.

"There's nothing good in this pile of rocks. Apart from big and small snails, there are only a few small fish. They're not even worth giving away."

"I'll dive down and see if there's anything good."

As he spoke, Chen Hui had already slung the bamboo basket he brought across his body.

"If you have something good, remember me. I'll be waiting for you on the shore. Remember to calculate the time to go ashore."

Chen Xiaoqiao gave instructions, looked left and right, and began to study where he would be most comfortable to sit and wait for Chen Hui.

"understood."

Chen Hui took a pair of pliers and found a suitable place to go into the water.

If you go too close to the shore, the good catches you can get are very limited.

If you want something good, you have to go out a little.

With yesterday's experience, Chen Hui was completely relaxed in the sea today and truly experienced what it meant to be like a fish in water.

Keep swimming towards farther places.

(End of this chapter)