Chapter 170: Good Fortune

When the people nearby heard what Yun Linhe said, they were instantly disappointed.

They weren’t lucky enough to save a killer whale.

They’d hoped to follow suit, but that wasn’t an option.

As for feeding the killer whales, they were sure the fish they caught were less than what the whales could hunt for themselves. Besides, the killer whales usually didn’t approach their boats anyway.

It just went to show, Yun Jiao’s family was just too lucky.

"You guys head back first. In our condition, we need to rest for a bit."

Yun Linhe glanced at his arm, which he could barely lift, and gave a wry smile.

The others were envious. "Catching so many fish that your arms ache... We’d love to experience that."

"Need any help?"

Yun Linhe glanced at the killer whales playing happily in the distance. "No need, I think."

Following his gaze, those who had previously seen the killer whales push the boat understood immediately.

’Sigh. It’s infuriating to compare people.’

"Well, we’ll be on our way then."

After saying their goodbyes, the onlookers who had come to gather news cast several envious glances at their fish-filled hold before leaving, looking back reluctantly with every few steps.

"The Yun Linhai family’s luck is just too good. The killer whales are hunting, and they still let them fish right in the middle of their circle."

Some of the bolder ones among them had actually tried to enter the circle, but the killer whales had pushed them back.

After that scare, no one else dared to even think about going in.

They could only fish on the outside.

This just went to show how special the Yun Linhai family was to the killer whales.

"Just lucky."

Yeah, just lucky.

But who wouldn’t want to be that lucky? So envious, envious, envious...

They weren’t just tired of talking about it; they were tired from the sheer force of their envy.

’Why couldn’t we have such good luck?’

Back with Yun Jiao, once the others had left, she jumped into the sea.

Unaware of what was happening, Shen Kuan and Shen Xiuyuan grew worried. They dragged their limp arms, which hung uselessly at their sides, and peered over the edge of the boat.

Yun Jiao didn’t swim toward the killer whales. Instead, she just lay on her back, floating peacefully on the surface and letting her body drift with the current.

She looked utterly content.

But the two Shen brothers couldn’t understand. ’Isn’t it better to lie down on the boat? Why get in the water?’

Yun Jiao opened her eyes to look at the two of them, slowly raising a hand in greeting.

The beautiful little girl looked a bit dazed.

"WOOF WOOF WOOF..."

The two little dogs paced at the edge of the boat, yelping as if they also wanted to follow her into the sea.

Yun Jiao said, "Cousin, pull them back."

Shen Kuan used his foot to nudge the two puppies back, but they quickly squeezed their way to the edge again.

Cat Boss came over too. He peeked his fluffy head over the side, and seeing that Yun Jiao was fine, he plopped down lazily to rest.

Every so often, he’d bat a paw at the two little pups as they tried to jump into the sea.

RUMBLE RUMBLE...

They were hungry.

They hadn’t eaten much that morning, and the fishing had burned a huge amount of energy. It would have been a miracle if they weren’t hungry.

Yun Linhe and the others struggled to lift their arms, fingers trembling, but they stubbornly pulled out their lunch anyway.

Large white steamed buns.

There were also baozi—the sweet-filled kind.

Even when cold, they were delicious.

But their hands trembled so much as they held the food.

The two Shen brothers’ arms were completely spent; they couldn’t lift them at all.

Yun Linhe smiled and stuffed a steamed bun into each of their mouths.

"I’ve gone out to sea countless times, but this is the first time I’ve ever fished until my arms completely gave out."

"For you two to run into this on your very first trip out to sea... would you call that good luck or bad luck?"

Shen Xiuyuan replied without hesitation, "Of course it’s good luck."

He was physically exhausted, but his spirits were soaring.

"Today was a real eye-opener for me. A swordfish that big, killer whales, and such a spectacular school of fish... I’ve never seen anything like it."

You could say that for Shen Xiuyuan, it was the most exciting day of his entire life.

He was exhausted, but he was also thrilled and buzzing with excitement.

Shen Kuan nodded. He didn’t say anything, but it was clear he agreed.

It wasn’t just Shen Xiuyuan; he had never seen anything like it in his life either.

Once they had eaten and weren’t so hungry anymore, Yun Linhe and Yun Linhai did a quick tidy-up of the boat, then called for Yun Jiao to get ready to head back.

"Jiaojiao, it’s time for us to go home."

Yun Jiao answered, then whistled in the direction of the killer whales.

A few of the killer whales that had been playing with the ball quickly swam over.

"Take us home."

Yun Jiao patted the killer whale.

She was feeling much better now, so she deftly flipped over and mounted the killer whale’s back.

"Dad, get ready to go!"

The boat was a little heavy today, though; it would take two killer whales to pull it.

Yun Linhai’s group took out a hemp rope. They secured one end to the boat and tossed the other into the sea.

One killer whale shot forward to grab the rope in its mouth, while another positioned itself behind the wooden boat, just like before.

"Let’s go home."

The killer whales, one in front and one behind, pushed and pulled in unison, sending the wooden boat, laden with sardines, gliding across the surface of the sea at incredible speed.

Even though they had braced themselves by lying flat on the deck, the sudden lurch pressed them back, creating the surreal feeling of their bodies flying forward while their souls struggled to catch up.

Shen Xiuyuan howled, "This is way too fast!"

The killer whales in the back gave chase, still balancing the balls. Every so often, they would smack the two basketballs high into the air, or bat them far ahead before quickly catching up.

The fishing boats that had left earlier were just coming within sight of the pier when they saw the Yun Linhai family’s boat catching up to them.

With a WHOOSH, it rocketed past them.

They: ...

"Waaah... Dad, when are you going to get on good terms with the killer whales? I want to experience getting a tow from them, too!"

’So jealous. I want a ride on a boat like that just once.’

"You’re dreaming! Instead of relying on your old man, you should rely on yourself! That’s because Jiaojiao is on good terms with the killer whales. If a little kid like her can befriend them, why can’t you? What good are you?"

On the other boats, brothers and father-son pairs grumbled at one another.

’When will we ever get that kind of treatment?’

As Yun Linhai’s boat neared the pier, the killer whales stopped. Yun Linhai then tossed them some of the sardines from the boat as a reward.

"Thanks. I’ll bring you some more treats next time."

"Such good whales, such good whales..."

Thanks to Jiaojiao, their interactions with the killer whales were also exceptionally harmonious.

Watching from the boat as the happy killer whales swam away, Yun Linhai and Yun Linhe sighed. "They’re really good whales."

"Dad, pull me up!"

Yun Jiao called out while hugging the two basketballs. She was still in the water.

She had snatched the two basketballs back; the killer whales had wanted to keep playing.

They most likely wouldn’t be able to go out to sea tomorrow, so Yun Jiao had told the whales to wait for her in the waters near the village.

"Daughter, you’ll have to grab Dad’s hand and pull yourself up," Yun Linhai said with a wry smile.

’My arm just has no strength left in it.’

Yun Jiao draped herself over the two floating basketballs, her short little legs paddling behind her and splashing the water.

"Then I’ll just swim back myself. We’re still a ways off, Dad. How are you guys going to get back?"

Yun Linhe said, "You go back and get your grandpa and the others. These fish are still going to take a while to sort."

Yun Jiao agreed with a "Okay!" and, paddling with her short legs, she slowly made her way toward the shore.

About twenty minutes later, Mr. Yun and Yun Chenbei arrived, having borrowed a wooden boat.

Yun Linhai and the others were still sprawled out on the boat, completely drained.