NOVEL WEB Volume 1: Deep Blue – Chapter 001 – Jinshi Island
Volume 1: Deep Blue
Chapter 001: Jinshi Island
Since June began, high-temperature warnings had been issued across the country, with cities vying for the title of China’s top three hottest places.
However, Jinshi Island, located by the East China Sea, seemed to have been forgotten by the scorching summer. The island had been overcast for half a month without a glimpse of sunshine. The temperature had remained steady at 20 degrees Celsius, accompanied by occasional sea breezes, and it even got a bit chilly in the mornings and evenings.
Xiong Zhao Zhao returned after two years, and to her surprise, this small, isolated island hadn’t changed much.
Unlike the rapidly developing outside world, this place seemed forgotten by time.
The only change for her was... the old man who used to cheerfully row a shabby boat to Changshan Island to pick her up was no longer there.
The wooden house on the island, covered in dust after two years of neglect, was unimaginably dirty.
Xiong Zhao Zhao had changed the water several times, wiping the signboard made by her grandfather over and over again. After letting it dry in the sea breeze, she applied three coats of protective varnish before feeling satisfied.
After finishing the cleaning, she collapsed spread-eagle on the first-floor floor. As her sweat cooled off, she started feeling a bit chilly, so she got up to close the window, blocking out the sea breeze.
She touched the bracelet on her wrist, lost in thought...
The shabby boat, the small inn, the large forest, and the sea that her grandfather loved... she was back.
After a long moment of daze, Xiong Zhao Zhao finally got up and sat properly.
"The Small Inn of Zhao Zhao's Family" shone softly in the sunset, and Xiong Zhao Zhao’s heart gradually calmed.
She stepped out and walked alone towards the small pier on the island. The sun was about to set, and several boats of various sizes were sailing back from the distance against the setting sun. These were the island’s fishermen returning home while it was still light.
Looking out, most of the boats were iron-hulled, mixed with a few small wooden boats. The entire island still didn’t have a decent fishing boat. This was a familiar sight—fishermen returning home.
Most of the uncles coming down from the small pier looked worried, evidently having had poor catches, but when they saw her, they still greeted her warmly, inviting her to come over for a meal sometime.
A tall, dark-skinned man slammed a box onto the pier with a thud and cursed, "Damn it, we didn’t even cover the fuel costs!"
The middle-aged fisherman next to him unhesitatingly slapped him on the back, making a solid, painful-sounding smack. He scolded, "You good-for-nothing, if you break that box, you’ll have to pay more!"
This familiar scene almost made Xiong Zhao Zhao laugh. She stepped forward to greet them, "Second Uncle, Da Linzi!"
The father and son, equally dark-skinned, turned around with identical looks of surprise and joy. The middle-aged man exclaimed, "Zhao Zhao! Why are you back?"
Da Linzi jumped over, "Zhao Zhao! Have you graduated?"
His father mercilessly slapped him on the back again, "Call her sister. How dare you call her by her name?"
Seeing the big guy’s aggrieved look, Xiong Zhao Zhao finally laughed.
After graduating and wasting half a year in the capital, besides cultivating, she didn’t know what else to do. She always felt that without her grandfather, it didn’t matter where she was. She didn’t want to return to the island without him.
It was as if, by not coming back, her grandfather would always be there waiting for her.
Thinking back now, it was a waste of time. She should have returned earlier; after all, the island still had her and her grandfather’s Da Linzi.
When Xiong Zhao Zhao was two, her father had encountered a storm at sea and never returned. Her mother, Qin Qing, had quickly remarried, leaving her behind.
From the age of two, she had been raised by her grandfather, relying on his small wooden boat for survival.
Her grandfather had three sons and one daughter. Her father was the youngest. Her eldest uncle, Xiong Haichao, and his family lived in Changshan Town and rarely returned to the island. The second was Da Linzi’s father, Xiong Haitao, and her aunt, Xiong Shulan, had married out of the province.
Da Linzi had been an overly honest child when he was young. This big guy had been protected by Xiong Zhao Zhao since childhood. Compared to his brother, Xiong Jin, Zhao Zhao and her grandfather had always favored Da Linzi.
Meeting them at the right time, they arranged to have dinner at the second uncle’s house in the evening. Xiong Zhao Zhao asked Da Linzi to take her to see her grandfather’s boat.
Since seeing Zhao Zhao, Da Linzi hadn’t stopped grinning. He happily said, "I did as you said, taking good care of grandpa’s boat! I maintained it every six months and applied a coat of varnish each time. However, the original outboard motor is broken, so it can only be rowed by hand now. I’ve wanted to replace it for a long time, but my mom wouldn’t agree... She said you wouldn’t come back."
His voice grew quieter as he spoke, sneaking a glance at her, thinking he was being subtle.
Xiong Zhao Zhao also mimicked her second uncle, giving Da Linzi a slap on the back, "You’re still here, and so is my home. If I don’t come back, where else would I go?"
Grandpa was here too.
"Big sister will keep looking out for you!"
Da Linzi felt reassured, happily jumping up and leading the way with a spring in his step.
Seeing the small wooden boat, Zhao Zhao was very satisfied. Over the past three years, Da Linzi had taken great care of it. As they walked, Zhao Zhao praised him highly, "Good job! The organization is very satisfied with your completion of this task. The organization has decided to reward you. Tell me, what gift do you want? Feel free to ask, and the organization will try to fulfill it."
"Really?" The tall, dark-skinned boy’s eyes lit up.
"I want one of those marine fish tanks you put on a table! I want to keep the beautiful little fish, starfish, and shells I catch at sea! Every time I catch something pretty, I have nowhere to keep them. I’ve wanted to buy one for a long time, but my mom wouldn’t let me. My brother also said I wouldn’t be able to take care of it. Zhao Zhao, I want to give it a try!"
Ah, Qin Yunmei was still as stingy as ever.
Zhao Zhao felt that without her protection, Da Linzi had had a tough time, "Is it the kind I know, the electric glass tank that costs a few hundred yuan?"
Da Linzi nodded excitedly, "Yes! Last time I saw it at Liu Hong’s shop in town, it was 199 yuan. Zhao Zhao, are you really going to buy it for me?"
Didn’t he even have 199 yuan?
"May I ask, young man, how much is your entire fortune?"
Da Linzi took out his phone with a cracked screen and opened his WeChat wallet, showing a balance of 54.2 yuan.
He scratched his head embarrassedly, "My mom said as long as I have money to buy water when I go out, it’s enough. I don’t need to spend money at home for food and drinks. I’ve been saving for a long time, but it’s still not enough."
Hearing this, Zhao Zhao carefully looked at his clothes.
The T-shirt was the kind sold for 15 yuan at street stalls in town. The sneakers and sweatpants were ones she had brought back for him in her sophomore year. The sneakers had discolored with age, and the sweatpants’ legs were rolled up, indicating they were too short.
"Da Linzi, it looks like you’ve grown taller?" Zhao Zhao quickly changed the subject.
"I’m now a head taller than my brother!" The simple guy immediately forgot his momentary embarrassment and started boasting happily.
As the sun disappeared over the horizon, the sky quickly darkened. Her joyful, silly brother’s big white teeth were particularly noticeable in the twilight.
Bringing Da Linzi back to the small inn first, Zhao Zhao knew she couldn’t go to dinner empty-handed after being away for so long.
She dragged out the prepared gifts from the storage room and handed them to her strong little brother, "This wine is for your dad. This box is your gift. Open it and see."
"It’s so big and has foreign words on it? ... I can’t read them. Is it really for me?"
He mumbled as he happily unpacked the box. When he saw it was a complete set of diving equipment, he jumped up in excitement! He ran around the box twice, repeatedly confirming that it was really for him.
"I bought two sets of this equipment. I’ll take you diving in a few days. For now, let’s leave it here. It’s quite heavy to carry back."
Da Linzi immediately covered the box, saying, "It’s not heavy! Not at all! I have diving gear now. I can sleep hugging it every night!" Saying this, he picked up the box and ran out, afraid it would be taken away.
Zhao Zhao had to pick up the white wine and follow him. Before she could close the door, she saw her strong little brother coming back with the box, taking the white wine from her and standing proudly in front of her.
The dinner was hearty.
Under the cozy light of the small inn, Xiong Zhao Zhao talked with her uncle, aunt, and Da Linzi’s family. It was like she had never left, yet it felt like time had passed slowly.
The meal was abundant, and Zhao Zhao treated it as a gathering. Da Linzi’s mother wasn’t too interested, so she went back early.
Da Linzi was still happy about his gift and drank his fill of white wine. In the end, he was drunk and fell asleep next to the box. Xiong Zhao Zhao smiled and shook her head.
Her grandfather’s child had passed away in an accident. The island’s income was mostly from fishing, and the only money Zhao Zhao had saved came from the old man’s painstaking efforts. The small wooden boat, old inn, and wooden house all belonged to the Zhao family.
Since her grandfather’s passing, the small inn was left unattended. Xiong Zhao Zhao’s time away was a way of letting go. She didn’t want to be so sentimental that she couldn’t let go of her grandfather’s memory.
When she looked at the boy who had been in her care, she could see a future and hope.
As she sat alone in the old wooden house, Zhao Zhao thought about the past and her new life. She walked to the small inn’s window, feeling the cool sea breeze, which brought back memories of her grandfather.
The sea breeze blew through the window, brushing past her cheeks. The familiar smell of the sea mixed with the sweet fragrance of the grass. Everything was still the same, and this tranquility made her feel at peace.