Chapter 265: Two Brothers

Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Two Brothers

Facing Ling Qianfan’s accusations, Ling Yunge couldn’t care less. She gave a soft snort of her own, pouting her small lips as she muttered, "I was just telling the truth. Can’t you handle the truth, Qianfan?" With that, she blinked at him provocatively.

Ling Qianfan was infuriated, but he knew perfectly well that continuing to bicker with Ling Yunge would only make him angrier. Suppressing his rage, he snapped his head to the side. He sulked, staring blankly at the distant rolling mountains and the sparkling water.

Seeing that Ling Qianfan was ignoring her, Ling Yunge found it rather boring. She curled her lip and turned to Hua Buwan beside her, exclaiming excitedly, "Sister Buwan, look! The fish down there are swimming so happily! They’re so colorful and absolutely beautiful!" She pointed at the fish playing in the water below.

Hua Buwan watched the bickering siblings with a smile. It was quite an amusing sight. Shaking her head gently, she shifted her gaze to where Ling Yunge was pointing. Sure enough, just as Ling Yunge had said, a small school of fish was swimming happily nearby. These little fish were not large—about the length of a person’s finger—but their colors were incredibly striking. Like clusters of burning flames, they looked exceptionally beautiful against the clear, azure seawater.

Just then, other villagers began poling their bamboo rafts in their direction. When they saw the Ling family there, they immediately broke into enthusiastic smiles and called out loud greetings. The Ling family hurriedly returned the pleasantries. For a moment, joyous laughter and cheerful voices echoed over the sea.

Before long, two older boys, around twelve or thirteen, quickly paddled their bamboo raft closer to the Ling family’s boat. They each wore a fish basket filled with fishing gear on their backs, their faces beaming with friendly, eager smiles.

The slightly older boy grinned, revealing a set of neat, white teeth, and beamed at the Ling family. "Brother Qianjun! Brother Qianfan! So you guys came out to fish today too!" His bright eyes sparkled with excitement, as if he had just run into long-lost friends.

The slightly younger boy tilted his head back, his childish face shining as brightly as the sun hanging high in the sky. Filled with joy, he called out to Ling Yunge and Hua Buwan, "Yunge, Sister Wan, and Aunt Qing! I didn’t expect we’d all end up going out to sea together!" As he spoke, he kept waving his small hands, looking especially lively and adorable.

Hua Buwan recognized the two children at a glance. They were the darlings of the Du family from the edge of the village.

Speaking of the Du couple, they were well-known throughout the village as hardworking fishers. The husband and wife made their living by fishing year-round. Often, before the sky was fully bright, they would steer their small boat out into the boundless depths of the sea. Sometimes they would be gone for days, leaving their young children at home to look after the empty house alone.

When the children were still little, the couple would entrust them to nearby relatives, friends, or warmhearted neighbors whenever they went out to fish. As time passed, the children gradually grew up and became more sensible.