Chapter 20

As cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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"Alright, very good. Uncle will make you a fun toy tonight. Go to the bow and help Uncle keep an eye on the direction, Xiaxia, it's your turn!" Hong Tao's face was filled with a mischievous smile. The woman sitting next to him, Bozhu, had already lowered her head, seemingly regretting her weakness. It wasn't that she had forgotten the multiplication table or that she hadn't studied hard; rather, a wicked hand was slowly wandering inside her back clothing. Every time it passed over a patch of skin, Bozhu felt her whole body heat up a degree, burning her until her mouth was dry and her mind blank.

Bozhu couldn't go to the bow; the women of the Tanka people were not allowed to go to that sacred place. If they did, the boat would meet with disaster at sea, a belief shared by all. Due to the addition of a crossbeam sail, the middle and rear parts of the boat were also off-limits. Bozhu could only sit squeezed next to Hong Tao on the stern. Now, Bozhu finally understood just how wicked this squinty-eyed lover was. After boarding the boat, he had said that the opposite side couldn't be sat on, insisting she sit next to him. It turned out to be a lie; the opposite side had been empty the whole time, serving no purpose.

"Alright, Xiaxia also got it wrong. Go to the bow and help Uncle keep an eye on the direction. Tell Uncle if the boat tilts!" In no time, Boxia finished reciting the multiplication table and was sent to the bow by Hong Tao to act as a lookout. The small wooden boat of the Tanka people had a low stern and a raised bow, making the view from the stern very poor unless one stood to operate the sail, in which case the direction could be seen clearly.

Hong Tao didn't actually need anyone to help navigate. He just needed an excuse to send the children away so he could fully enjoy Bozhu's body. Despite her rough hands and feet, her skin was very smooth. Every time his hand reached a new spot, her muscles would tense, and her head would lower even more. Although he couldn't see her expression under the headscarf, Hong Tao could feel the heat radiating from her body, as if she had a fever.

"Ah..." When Bojiao was also sent to the bow by Hong Tao, Bozhu suddenly let out a soft cry, her body jerking violently before collapsing onto Hong Tao's shoulder, breathing heavily. A wicked hand had already circled around her body, moving from under her clothes to the front. Bozhu had never felt anything like this before. She knew it was shameful, but her body had no strength left. If any other Tanka man had dared to do this, Bozhu would have kicked him off the boat and hit him with a bamboo pole. But with Hong Tao, she didn't want him to move his hand away.

"Xiaxia, sing a saltwater song for Uncle." Hong Tao, feeling guilty, was afraid Bozhu's heavy breathing would be heard by the children, so he gave another order. Soon, the two children were singing loudly into the sea breeze.

"Azhu, are you willing to marry me?" Hong Tao didn't do anything more outrageous. He just held Bozhu close, feeling the softness under his hand, and whispered in her ear.

"..." Bozhu's head was almost touching her knees.

"Ah..." But she immediately felt Hong Tao's hand pinch her, sending a jolt through her body. She raised her head, looking at Hong Tao, her eyes misty.

"Answer me, are you willing or not?" Hong Tao enjoyed teasing this innocent girl. Since she was already destined to be his wife, he might as well collect some interest in advance.

"Willing..." This time, Bozhu didn't lower her head. She was afraid of experiencing that jolt again; it was too intense, unbearable.

"What if I leave here in the future and go to a faraway place?" Hong Tao wasn't just driven by lust. Besides enjoying himself, he wanted to have a conversation with Bozhu to avoid any regrets later.

"Tanka men can find their own fishing grounds after marriage. Wherever the man goes, the woman follows..." Azhu didn't see Hong Tao's question as a problem. The Tanka people had no concept of country or homeland. Their boats were their homes, and wherever the boat went, their home went with it. They were a naturally nomadic people, rightly called the Gypsies of the sea.

"Then I'll build you a huge boat, ten times bigger than your grandfather's, and we'll sail to the other side of the sea to see those yellow-haired, blue-eyed foreigners." Hong Tao, holding this warm body, didn't know what to say. Just like in the Zimba camp, their simplicity made him feel that any deceit was shameful.

"Take my grandfather with us... He's a good person. I'll make sure he doesn't say anything bad about you anymore." Azhu thought Hong Tao was going to take her away and was a bit reluctant to leave her family.

"We'll all go together. A big boat can hold many people, and everyone will have their own room. We'll eat rice and chicken every day, but everything will have to be done my way." Hong Tao started to paint a grand picture again. It wasn't to deceive anyone but had become a habit. He always liked to share his ideals with people who clearly didn't understand, as if each repetition brought him closer to his goals.

"Uncle... We're at Drum Island! Let me go first! I've set nets with my grandfather, they haven't!" Hong Tao was enjoying the intimate moment with Bozhu when a loud shout came from the bow. Bojiao, eager to try, made his request. Last time, he had gone out to sea with his grandfather, Bo Xiaoer, and hadn't seen the process of setting the traps, finding it very intriguing.

"Alright! Bojiao goes first, Xiaxia and Xiaxia, line up, lower the sail!" Awakened from the warm feeling by the child's shout, Hong Tao took a deep breath of sea air, pulled his hand out of Azhu's clothes, and felt a sense of responsibility. Making the people who liked him happy was his current task. A person without pressure is light and aimless, as the saying goes. When a person has no goals, life becomes tasteless, but when they have a heavy burden on their shoulders, they are full of energy. As the saying goes, people are all cheap bones.

With the addition of the sail and the traps, going out to sea to fish was no longer an exhausting and dangerous job. Hong Tao operated the sail and rudder, making the small boat move slowly. The children lined up, lowering the traps over the side of the boat, tying the bamboo tubes, and completing half the task. The rest of the time was free, and they could do whatever they wanted, even return to the beach. There was no need for anyone to row the boat. Time was the least valuable thing to people in this era. As long as they came back to collect the nets in the evening, they had completed their day's fishing task.