Chapter 10: Setting Up My Sister? Snatching Seafood

Chu Xuan, naturally, would not give her the chance.

She swiftly moved to catch the fish, placing them into her newly purchased iron bucket.

Only then did she see that the newcomer was Auntie Hua.

Usually, Auntie Hua was a chatterbox, but she had never done anything as brazen as snatching fish.

What was wrong with her today?

Seeing that the fish had already been caught by Chu Xuan, Auntie Hua saw no need to continue her frantic scramble. She pulled a sudden brake and plopped herself down on the sand.

The beach was wet, so getting her pants dirty was inevitable, but Auntie Hua couldn't care less. With a conciliatory smile, she negotiated, "Xiao Xuan, I was reckless just now. My sister-in-law at my maiden home desperately needs a croaker. She’s a forty-year-old new mother, only a week post-C-section, and her wound isn't healing very well..."

Chu Xuan knew that croaker had skin-regenerating and blood-replenishing properties, which helped wounds heal faster.

Occasionally, croaker was sold at the docks, but one had to rely on luck.

Based solely on Auntie Hua's attempt to snatch the fish just now, Chu Xuan had no intention of giving it to her for free.

She said deliberately, "Auntie Hua, I was just wondering whether to make croaker and tofu soup tonight, or perhaps braised or stir-fried. It's a rare treat for Xiao Feng and me to have an improved meal."

Auntie Hua said with a pained expression, "I still have five or six pounds of dried scallops at home. How about trading them for your croaker?"

These words hit the mark for Chu Xuan. She had just eaten mackerel chunks yesterday and truly wanted some dried scallops today.

At the thought of dried scallop cabbage soup and steamed scallops with egg, she couldn't help but swallow her saliva.

It was currently the mid-to-late part of June, making it difficult to find plump scallops while foraging.

The best time for scallops in this area was from November to the following April. Auntie Hua's dried scallops had been drying since late April and were quite fat.

Before the family split, if Chu Xuan and Chu Feng wanted to eat the Chu family's dried scallops, they had to steal them—a memory that brought bitter tears to their eyes.

She hadn't expected Auntie Hua to understand her so well.

"Alright then! After 7:30 tonight, bring five pounds of dried scallops to my house to exchange for the fish!"

As soon as she finished speaking, an annoying voice rang out from behind Chu Xuan, "No! I've set my eyes on this croaker. Chu Xuan, you must show me respect! I am your grandmother!"

It was Feng Chunhua's voice.

Before Chu Xuan could speak, Auntie Hua interjected, "The kinship is severed; how do you have the nerve to call yourself Xiao Xuan's grandmother? Truly shameless! Xiao Xuan, keep foraging. Leave this old woman to deal with her!"

Chu Xuan cast an appreciative glance at Auntie Hua. Not wanting to bother with Feng Chunhua, she picked up her iron bucket, filled it with some seawater, and continued searching for seafood.

Feng Chunhua reached out to stop her but was blocked by Auntie Hua.

Both Auntie Hua and Feng Chunhua were famous "tigresses" in the village; it was hard to say who would come out on top today.

However, Chu Xuan had no time to watch a fight, as she discovered another stranded croaker, weighing about seven or eight pounds.

She somewhat suspected she had encountered a "croaker couple."

Happily, she caught the fish and put it in the bucket.

After that, she only encountered some small fry, which she returned to the sea, and she also picked up over twenty clams; the clams this season were very plump and fresh.

Just as she was preparing to regroup with her younger brother, he approached carrying a wooden bucket of seafood.

He looked proud. "Sis, look! I got a whole bucket of seafood. Clams, conchs, and blue crabs. Even though it's not the peak season for blue crabs, it's still nice to have a taste. We can make some money selling them too..."

Chu Xuan hadn't expected her brother to be so capable. She asked with doubt, "Did you really find these yourself?"

Chu Feng's gaze flickered evasively. "I had a few kids help me. I paid them—promised them two mint candies each."

Chu Xuan was all too familiar with this expression on Chu Feng's face. In her past life, every time his eyes darted away like that, it meant he was setting his sister up for trouble.

"Xiao Feng, tell me the truth! Otherwise, I'll go ask the other foragers over by the reef. They'll definitely know what happened."

Only then did Chu Feng tell the truth. "I snatched the seafood from Liu Zhaodi and the Er-leng and San-leng siblings..."

At this point, he hung his head, not daring to continue.

Seeing the fury in his sister's eyes, his first instinct was to run, but his logic told him that staying to take a beating was better than running home to take a beating.

Chu Xuan kicked him hard in the backside. "Why did you snatch the Liu siblings' seafood? Don't you know how hard it is for your sister to raise her brothers? Not to mention Liu Zhaodi is raising two brothers all by herself! Her mother is bedridden all year round and needs medicine. You little brat, I'll kick you to death so you stop causing trouble for others!"

She gave him several more kicks.

Thinking of how Chu Feng spent the latter half of his life in prison in her previous life, Chu Xuan knew she had to discipline him properly and guide him toward the right path.

After being kicked, Chu Feng set down the wooden bucket and began to wail, "I just wanted to earn money. Grandma used to tell me that if you're going to snatch something, snatch it from someone weaker than you so you don't get beaten up..."

Chu Xuan's foot, which was raised to kick again, suddenly faltered. It was her oversight; she hadn't instilled a proper sense of morality in her brother.

"Xiao Feng, remember this: stealing from others is wrong, but stealing from those weaker than you is not only wrong but cowardly! It's not what a man does! You don't want to be a coward, do you?"

Thinking of the times he had been scolded and beaten by the Chu family because of his cowardice, Chu Feng wiped his tears. "I don't want to be a coward. I want to be a hero!"

At that moment, he felt that his sister was right to hit him.

"Very good! A hero must dare to admit his mistakes and bear the consequences. Pick up the bucket. I'll go with you to apologize."

Chu Xuan walked ahead carrying the iron bucket, while Chu Feng followed behind with the wooden bucket.

They didn't see Feng Chunhua or Auntie Hua along the way, so they had likely finished their fight and gone home.

Before they even reached Liu Zhaodi's doorstep, they saw her rushing toward them with her two brothers, Er-leng and San-leng.

The three siblings were all holding wooden sticks.

Chu Xuan understood the situation immediately; they were coming to settle the score with Xiao Feng.

She quickly explained, "Zhaodi, I've brought Xiao Feng here to apologize and return your seafood."

She gave Xiao Feng a gentle nudge, signaling him to hand over the wooden bucket.

Chu Feng obeyed immediately and apologized sincerely, "Zhaodi, Er-leng, San-leng, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have snatched your seafood. And Zhaodi, I shouldn't have hurt you. I saw you bleeding..."

Hearing the words "hurt you," Chu Xuan's anger flared again. This brother of hers was a walking disaster for her!

She glared fiercely at Chu Feng and said through gritted teeth, "Why didn't you say so earlier! To actually hurt a girl—I won't let you off easy when we get back!"

Chu Xuan put on a conciliatory smile and offered a seven or eight-pound croaker. "Zhaodi, I'm so sorry! I didn't discipline Xiao Feng well. Take this fish to nourish your body so you heal faster. Also, let your brothers take the seafood home. I'll take you to the village clinic to get bandaged, and I'll cover all the medical expenses..."

This time, it was Liu Zhaodi who felt embarrassed. She waved her hands repeatedly. "The bleeding isn't the kind of injury you think it is; it'll be fine in a few days. Just returning the seafood is enough; I don't want the croaker."

Only then did Chu Xuan realize that Liu Zhaodi was on her period.

However, she couldn't take the croaker back.

In ten years, Liu Zhaodi would be incredibly successful, and her two brothers would become wealthy magnates. This family was absolutely not to be offended.

Because anyone who offended them would later face ten-fold retaliation.

And their end would be nothing short of tragic.