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Chapter 431: Rotten Wood?
Chapter 431: Rotten Wood?
On the beach, Zhou Chenglei supported Jiang Xia's arm as they waded through the shallow waters. Jiang Xia held a rake, searching for conch shells.
The shallower areas were occupied by the elderly and children collecting shells, while the adults raked for conch in the deeper waters.
The seawater was murky, making it difficult to spot the conches, but the rake allowed them to feel for the shells. Once a conch was raked up, they would bend down and pick it up.
Jiang Xia focused on raking, and whenever she found one, she handed it over to Zhou Chenglei to collect.
The couple worked in harmony; Jiang Xia's raking and Zhou Chenglei's support created a joyful atmosphere.
Surprisingly, after a few days of beachcombing, they had collected a substantial amount of conch shells, some white clams, and a few other varieties.
Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia's collection of conch shells surpassed that of Zhou's father.
Zhou's father, in his dedicated search for treasures, muttered to himself with each find: "Treasure! Gold! Silver! Money!"
At that moment, a wave carried a lump of milky-white substance towards Zhou Chenglei.
Mistaking it for a sponge or plastic, Zhou Chenglei prepared to kick it away from Jiang Xia. But upon closer inspection, he realized its true nature and picked it up with his hands.
Jiang Xia, also unsure of its identity, smelled a faint, pleasant fragrance with a hint of woodiness.
"Could this be rotten wood that's been used to grow mushrooms?" Jiang Xia wondered.
Zhou's father, sensing a valuable find, rushed over, exclaiming, "I knew today would be lucky!"
Jiang Xia, still unsure of its identity, examined it closely.
"What is this? Is it valuable?" She asked, unfamiliar with many sea creatures.
The object resembled a stone, yet also had similarities to the dried and sun-bleached animal droppings found on roadsides.
The animal droppings were smaller, but this one was an XXL-sized version.
Zhou's father, with a smile, explained, "This is the legendary sperm whale droppings, the floating gold of the sea!"
Jiang Xia was speechless.
This was the same substance used by emperors in ancient times?
Zhou Chenglei confirmed, "Have you heard of ambergris?"
How could she not have heard of it?
Jiang Xia had encountered this term countless times in historical novels.
Her curiosity had even led her to search online, where she learned that it was the excrement of sperm whales, often used in perfumes after processing.
She had once wondered what ancient emperors would think if they knew they were burning and inhaling processed whale excrement daily.
As Zhou Chenglei was about to place it in a bucket, his father eagerly took it from him, cradling it in his hands and inhaling its scent. "It's so fragrant, truly aromatic!"
The aroma reminded him of money.
If the quality was good, it could be worth more than gold!
As Zhou's father was about to let Jiang Xia smell it, they heard Wen Wan calling for help from the shore.
"Wen Wan is calling for help," Jiang Xia informed Zhou Chenglei, who had not heard her due to his hearing impairment.
Zhou's father, having found his treasure, was happy to help.
Good deeds bring good fortune and prosperity.
"Let's go see what's happening with Guohua and his wife. I'll check first, and you two follow slowly," he instructed, handing the bucket to Zhou Chenglei before hurrying off.
Other villagers also rushed to assist.
Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei quickened their pace to help.
By the time they reached Wen Wan, she had been helped ashore by other villagers.
In the midst of the commotion, Zhou Chenglei noticed Zhou Guohua's condition and, fearing further injury to his back, intervened. "Don't move him! I'll get a bed board and bring the tractor to take him to the hospital."
The two men refrained from touching Zhou Guohua any further.
Zhou Chenglei, accompanied by Jiang Xia, headed home to fetch the tractor.
Curious onlookers inquired about the cause of Zhou Guohua's injury.
Even the woman supporting Wen Wan asked about the circumstances of Zhou Guohua's fall.
"He slipped and fell," Wen Wan replied absentmindedly, her attention focused on the two buckets Zhou Chenglei was carrying.
But they had been discovered!
In a 6-1-9-1-book-1-bar-1-look-1-see-no-mistake-version!
No amount of shouting could stop them! Wen Wan suspected that Zhou Guohua was a stumbling block on her path to wealth, an obstacle to her success.
So, from the start, when she asked him to take her out to sea, it was a mistake.
Zhou Chenglei, with Jiang Xia in tow, made their way home.
Their pace was slightly quicker than usual, but not by much.
Injuring a bone was painful, but it didn't pose a life-threatening situation.
However, Jiang Xia couldn't walk too fast.
Upon returning home, Zhou Chenglei instructed Jiang Xia to rest while he went next door to inform Zhou Bingqiang and his wife, asking them to prepare a bed board, a pillow, and gather some clean clothes for Zhou Guohua. He would bring the tractor.
Zhou Bingqiang's wife, upon hearing that her son had fallen and couldn't move, turned pale with fear. Zhou Bingqiang's heart raced, but he managed to stay relatively calm. "Quickly, dismantle the bed! Get the pillow!"
No one had an extra bed board lying around, so they had to dismantle one.
The couple carried the bed board, held the pillow, and grabbed a luggage bag. As they exited, Zhou Chenglei had already driven the tractor out of the courtyard and was waiting in the alley for them.
Zhou Bingqiang's wife asked, "Don't you have a jeep? Wouldn't the jeep be faster? Are you too stingy to use it?"
Jiang Xia, who was wrapping a scarf around Zhou Chenglei's neck, replied irritably, "We only have the tractor. Do you need it? If not, call an ambulance yourself! Alai, get down!"
Zhou Bingqiang's wife fell silent.
Zhou Bingqiang had already placed the bed board on the tractor and said, "Sorry, auntie, you're just too worried! Thank you for your help!"
Then, turning to his wife, he urged, "Hurry up! The jeep has seats, but you can't lie flat on it."
Zhou Bingqiang's wife hastily climbed onto the tractor.
Jiang Xia gave her a sidelong glance. "So picky! What do you owe them? Always causing trouble for others! Last time, you got Zhou Chenglei injured, and we didn't even make a fuss about it."
"Let's go inside," Jiang Xia said to her with a smile. "I'll be back soon. Be careful with the tractor, and remember, safety first!"
Zhou Chenglei nodded. "I know."
After giving instructions, Jiang Xia stepped aside to let the tractor pass.
Zhou Chenglei drove the tractor away.
Zhou Bingqiang's wife watched Jiang Xia, her mind whispering complaints. That woman had a temper, and only Zhou's family could tolerate such a princess-like attitude!
In recent days, she had witnessed how the family treated her like a princess.
Tsk, marrying such a spoiled woman into the family!
Then, her thoughts turned to Wen Wan.
Wen Wan wasn't much better. Jiang Xia would occasionally do some housework, like washing vegetables, cooking, and cleaning, but Wen Wan was lazy.
She would just sit there, reading and translating, refusing to do any housework. When asked to cook, she claimed that the smell of food would make her nauseous.
In comparison, Jiang Xia was better, and Jiang Xia's family had influence and power.
Wen Wan's family sent over two pounds of lamb, and she was too stingy to share it. Instead, they sent a lamb head and lamb heart!
Unbelievable!
(End of Chapter)
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