Chapter 4

"Does the young man really know how to fish?" Chen Ming'en seemed genuinely interested.

"Let's try it tomorrow!" In fact, Hong Tao wasn't sure if the South China Sea in this era was the same as in his previous life, but since things had come to this point, he decided to just get through the night. As for tomorrow, he would deal with it when it came. After all, making up lies was always an option, and finding excuses wouldn't be hard. He could stay for three or five days, figure out which dynasty and place he was in, and then think of other ways to handle the situation. Maybe by then, there would be something more suitable for him to do, and he wouldn't even need to fish if he didn't want to.

"Hehehe, then... let's try it. Azhu, go tell your grandfather to come to our boat for dinner tonight, we have wine to drink! Young man, come with me, I'll find you a dry set of clothes to change into." Seeing Hong Tao's confidence, Chen Ming'en was very pleased. He mimicked Hong Tao's tone and said "let's try it," feeling it was quite good. He then called Hong Tao to follow him to his boat.

The life of the Tanka people was very simple. A wooden boat about ten meters long served as their entire living space. The bow of the boat was the living room, bedroom, and shrine, while the stern was the kitchen and bathroom. In the middle of the boat, a small shelter made of straw mats, cloth curtains, wooden poles, and planks served as the dining room and bedroom. Regardless of age or gender, everyone slept in this shelter. The boat also functioned as a family storage, with the front part of the cabin used for raising fish. Fish and shrimp that couldn't be sold immediately were kept there. The rear part of the cabin stored bedding, clothing, and other daily necessities, which were the Tanka family's entire possessions.

Chen Ming'en had lost his wife in middle age and had only one son, Chen Qihong, who returned in a small boat in the evening. He was a young man, looking about 25 or 26, but upon introduction, he was only 19. Years of exposure to the elements and hard work had made him look much older. Returning with him were a middle-aged man and a young boy, who looked very much like the middle-aged man who had been rowing. According to Chen Ming'en, they were the middle-aged man's younger brother and son, named Ban Xiaosan and Ban Jiao, respectively.

As the men returned from the sea, the three boats immediately became lively. Two middle-aged women and two boys around 6 or 7 years old emerged from the cabins. The adults called out and the children played, bringing the dark sea to life.

The presence of Hong Tao, an outsider, on the boat was a surprise and a curiosity to everyone, especially the two children, who often squatted by Hong Tao, blinking and staring at him. However, no matter what they were asked, they just smiled foolishly without answering. Although Hong Tao had changed into a set of black Tanka clothes, his height made the pants only reach his knees, the shirt exposed his navel, and the sleeves only reached his elbows. His skin was also lighter than the others, and he had a short haircut, making him stand out like a duck in a flock of chickens, impossible to hide. It was clear he didn't belong.

Not only did his appearance and clothing differ, but his speech was also out of place. Hong Tao couldn't understand what they were saying unless they deliberately slowed down, in which case he could barely make out a few words. However, they could understand Hong Tao, but often laughed at his accent, finding it particularly amusing. Especially the girl named Ban Zhu, who laughed without restraint, her voice carrying far across the sea.

Fortunately, there was Chen Ming'en, or Hong Tao would have been very bored. After a brief introduction, Hong Tao finally understood that the three boats belonged to two families. The old man who saved him was named Bo Fu, where "Bo" is pronounced "Ban," rhyming with "Ban." The middle-aged man rowing at the stern was his second son, Bo Xiaoe; the one with the clear laugh was not the boat owner or Ban Zhu, but Bo Fu's youngest daughter, Bo Zhu. The middle-aged man who returned in the evening was Bo Fu's third son, Bo Xiaosan, and the young boy with him was Bo Xiaoe's eldest son, Bo Jiao. The two women who emerged from the cabin were Bo Xiaoe and Bo Xiaosan's wives, one named Bu and the other named Weng. The two children were Bo Yu, Bo Xiaoe's second son, and Bo Xia, Bo Xiaosan's son.

The two families lived on the two boats on the east side, while Chen Ming'en and his son Chen Qihong lived on the boat on the west side. Although the Bo family and the Chen family were not closely related, they were not entirely unrelated. Chen Qihong's fiancée was the daughter of Bo Fu's wife's younger brother, but at this time, Bo Fu's wife's younger brother's boat had not yet arrived. The Tanka people did not have fixed villages and usually lived together in boats, relying on kinship. They rarely intermarried with the land-dwelling people, leading to a relatively closed living environment. One family often couldn't manage all the tasks, so it was better to have several families together.

The term "land-dwelling people" was something Hong Tao only understood now. When Bo Zhu called him a "land-dwelling person," she wasn't calling him a barbarian but rather a term the Tanka used for all people living on land. Generally, this term wasn't a compliment. The land-dwelling people looked down on the Tanka, and the Tanka didn't like them, so they used "land-dwelling people" to refer to them collectively.

The Tanka were not only poor but also lacked access to education. Neither private schools nor public schools would accept Tanka students, so the Tanka had no written language, only a spoken dialect passed down orally. Chen Ming'en was an exception. His grandfather had fled to become a Tanka and was educated, so his family had a tradition of reading and writing. Not only Chen Ming'en but also those who spent a lot of time with him had learned some Chinese, though they might not speak it well, they could understand it.

This dinner suited Hong Tao's taste. It was rice and a seafood hot pot. Although there were no seasonings, only coarse salt, the flavors of the sea fish, shellfish, shrimp, crabs, and seaweed were excellent. The freshness of the ingredients made it delicious even when boiled in plain water. Hong Tao had been dragged by the boat for over ten kilometers and had been hungry all afternoon. At first, he was a bit restrained, afraid of eating too much and taking others' food, but when he saw Bo Zhu bring a wooden basin full of prepared seafood, he became less reserved. The basin contained a large amount of sea fish, shellfish, and crabs, and more could be added as needed. He could eat to his heart's content!

Drinking? No! This wasn't even wine; it was more like sour rice soup. He would focus on the large blue crab in his hands. This delicacy was hard to find in the future, all deep-sea crabs over 3 to 5 years old, with full and succulent meat. Eating the crab roe was for fools; the real treat was the sweet and salty crab meat, which didn't need any seasoning. Hong Tao could eat it every day without getting tired.