Chapter 224

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 224

"You should step up your game, man. You're the only single guy left in our entire friend group."

"Alright, alright, enough about me. Hey Andres, speed up the boat! I want to get back to shore early today."

"Why? You got a date lined up with Minda?"

"What if I told you that you're spot on?"

"Then let's speed up!"

That noon, they returned to the beachside after hauling in a catch that netted them a whopping 527,000 pesos. Brandon moved with lightning speed, eager to take a thorough shower before meeting Minda. He knew he smelled like fish and sweat, and he was terrified of making a bad impression.

Back inside the Alejandro household, Maya rushed over to hug Karlos the moment he walked through the door, eagerly inhaling his scent. He smelled heavily of sweat and salt, but Maya was so utterly addicted to his natural scent that none of it mattered.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Just like Maya, the twins scrambled over to latch onto Karlos's legs, thrilled to have their father back home, which meant playtime could finally resume. They stayed like that for a few precious moments until a loud voice echoed down the street, announcing the arrival of the local garbage truck.

"The garbage truck is here! The garbage truck is here!"

"I'll take the trash out," Karlos said, prompting an audible groan of reluctance from his wife and children as they let him go.

Stepping outside with a pair of heavy trash bags, Karlos realized the neighborhood announcer was none other than Juan.

Juan was the son of a local fisherman named Tenorio. He had stubbornly refused to continue his education, choosing instead to work down at Gustavo's ice shop. Juan had been close friends with Bastos, and he had foolishly let Bastos's anti-school mindset influence his own life choices.

The irony was painful, seeing as Bastos had eventually smartened up and enrolled in a vocational college course, whereas Juan had thrown away his high school education entirely because of that bad peer influence. Now, Juan was stuck as a low-wage laborer, pushing an ice cart through the neighborhood in the early morning hours just to scrape by.

Tenorio had naturally wanted the absolute best for his son, but Juan opted for instant gratification over hitting the books. Years later, he would inevitably regret not finishing even basic high school.

A high school diploma was an essential baseline document for securing decent employment. Naturally, most formal companies heavily preferred college graduates, but a high school diploma still carried significant weight in the job market.

As for self-made millionaires who dropped out of school? Those rare outliers were few and far between. Consequently, Juan's chances of breaking out of poverty were practically zero. He was destined to remain an ordinary laborer for the rest of his days.

Anyway, Karlos stepped out through the front gate carrying the trash bags... Some of them reeked terribly because they were packed with dirty diapers. Even though Karlos had changed countless diapers for his kids, the foul odor still made his stomach churn. Such was the reality of parenthood.

Potty training was an ongoing battle, and the twins were still in the clumsy phase of learning how to use the proper toilet.

The municipal garbage truck operated on a strict weekly schedule, making the rounds twice a week every Monday and Thursday. Every household in the neighborhood dutifully dragged their trash out on those specific days.

Years prior, the local coastline had suffered from rampant pollution as thoughtless residents dumped their household trash straight into the ocean, only for the tides to wash it all back onto the sandy beaches.

Eventually, the local municipality stepped up, allocating funds to fix the chronic issue by purchasing proper garbage trucks. Since then, the beachfront had steadily transformed into a clean, well-maintained area. The town council had also enacted strict anti-littering laws, warning residents that anyone caught tossing garbage into the sea would be slapped with mandatory community service.

"Thanks again, boys," Karlos called out to the garbage workers.

"Nah, don't mention it, it's just our job. Though if you want to fund us a cigarette or two, we won't complain," they joked. They easily recognized Karlos because he stood out from the crowd, possessing the striking, handsome features of a movie star.

"Sure thing, here's fifty pesos to grab a pack."

"Awesome, appreciate it a lot, Boss!" The garbage men grinned widely, hoisting Karlos's heavy bags into the back of the truck. They didn't mind the stench, they had grown entirely immune to it over the years.

"The garbage truck is here! The garbage truck is here!" Juan continued shouting down the road to ensure every resident heard the alert.

When Karlos stepped back inside the house, Maya wrinkled her nose slightly and immediately ordered him to head for the bathroom.

"You stink. Go take a shower right now."

"..." Karlos was left completely speechless. Just moments ago, Maya had happily buried her face in his sweaty neck without a single complaint, but now she looked genuinely repulsed.

Still, he wisely followed his wife's instructions and scrubbed himself clean.

Afterward, the family gathered at the table for lunch, and Karlos brought up Brandon's romantic pursuits.

"Seriously? Minda and Brandon?!" Maya gasped in shock. She never in a million years would have guessed those two had been growing closer ever since Karlos's birthday.

"In fact, they're probably out on a date right this second," Karlos added, instantly peaking Maya's natural affinity for juicy neighborhood gossip.

She immediately resolved to drop by and visit Auntie Carmine later to grill her about Brandon. Carmine had never been one to hold back when talking about her son anyway.

"Brandon built his own house, and it's fully renovated now. I suppose it's time he settled down and started a family of his own. I genuinely wish him the best," Karlos remarked sincerely.

He knew Brandon had long struggled with personal insecurities, particularly his noticeable cross-eyes, but Karlos had always known that whoever took the time to look past that would find an incredible partner. Brandon was hardworking, highly capable, and fiercely responsible.

"I hope things work out for him too. Minda is a wonderful friend, and she always takes relationships very seriously. If they're genuinely dating, you can bet Minda is looking at this with marriage in mind. She hates wasting time on meaningless flings," Maya mused, recalling her friend's grounded personality.

"That's great, then."

"So, do you know how their relationship is actually progressing?"

"No idea. I only found out about it today myself."

"Yeah, figured as much. You're completely hopeless when it comes to keeping up with gossip," Maya sighed playfully. It looked like she would have to look for a much more reliable intelligence source.

"What about Domingo? You mentioned his girlfriend dumped him recently, is he holding up alright?"

"I guess so. He's still running his siomai rice stall every day, and the business is pulling in steady profits."

"...I was asking about his emotional state and love life, not his business balance sheet."

"Well... I don't know."

"..."

[Thank you for reading this novel.]