Chapter 673: Boat

"What rules?" Yang Xiaohai asked, his curiosity piqued by the boatman's words. Land farmers, he thought, didn't have nearly as many regulations.

"What else? Rules of the sea, of course. We boatmen have our own set of rules—for instance, certain surnames are forbidden on board, and some words must never be uttered. But the Tanka people have even more traditions than us, meticulously following Feng Shui principles even for basic needs like defecating and urinating."

"I don't know all of them. When you get home, be sure to ask your elders to avoid inadvertently breaking any taboos."

"I see." With the boatman's descriptions, Yang Xiaohai tried to visualize the Tanka people in his mind.

"But these Tanka people, I must say, have one commendable tradition: they must retrieve and examine anything floating on the water, whether it's alive or dead. They believe that if they fail to do so, their ancestors will be angered."

As he spoke, the boatman gave a mighty tug on his fishing rod. A bluish-green sea fish, glistening with clear seawater, was pulled from the depths.

Satisfied with his catch, the boatman nodded. He drew a dagger from his waist, quickly gutted the fish, and expertly sliced it into translucent pieces of sashimi.

As soy sauce was drizzled over the fish, the slices seemed to tremble slightly, as if still alive.

The boatman picked up a few slices of sashimi with his fingers, popped them into his mouth, and chewed contentedly. "Care for some? When it comes to fish, freshness is key. Anything out of the water for more than fifteen minutes is just sold to those who don't know any better on land."

"No, thank you. I don't eat raw food," Yang Xiaohai politely declined, shaking his head.

"Then you're missing out," the boatman chuckled, picking up another slice of sashimi and popping it into his mouth. "This blue-headed fish is at its fattest right now."

"Aren't you looking for the Tanka people? We've arrived. See those boats clustered together? That's the place you're looking for."

Yang Xiaohai's eyes widened instantly upon hearing this, and he gazed in the direction the boatman was pointing.

Just off the coast, a cluster of houses stood on stilts above the water. Surrounding these wooden dwellings was a ring of boats, varying in age and condition.

"Is that my home? The place I was born?" Yang Xiaohai gazed at the settlement, his emotions swelling. He had endured immense hardship, traveling all the way from Daliang back to Houshu, all for this very moment!

As the flat-bottomed boat neared the floating community, he finally understood why the boatman had initially assumed he wasn't Tanka.

Years of exposure to wind and sun had given the Tanka people deeply tanned skin. They wore loose, blue-black clothing made of hemp, with men typically shirtless and barefoot.

What's more, their dark, smooth skin was adorned with scale-like tattoos. These markings were present on both men and women, with women even having them on their faces.

Despite the hostile glances he received from the Tanka people, Yang Xiaohai felt an undeniable sense of familiarity and closeness to them.

"Excuse me, sir," Yang Xiaohai began cautiously from his boat, addressing an elderly Tanka man on a nearby vessel, "Do you happen to know someone named Chi Baishui?" He asked for his father's name.

The old man, however, maintained a stern expression, then closed the window panel, abruptly cutting off Yang Xiaohai's friendly gaze.

With no response from the old man, Yang Xiaohai moved on, approaching others. Yet, person after person, no one answered his questions; they all seemed to regard him with deep hostility.

Just as Yang Xiaohai began to feel anxious, someone finally acknowledged him. "What do you want with Chi Baishui?"

The speaker was a middle-aged man, his beard still wet, as if he had just emerged from the water.

Yang Xiaohai gestured wildly for a moment, then exclaimed excitedly, "I'm Chi Baishui's son! I am his son!"

"His son?" The man eyed Yang Xiaohai skeptically. "I don't recall Chi Baishui having a son."

"Can you take me to him? He'll recognize me as soon as he sees me! I truly am his son."

After hearing Yang Xiaohai's plea and observing his flat-bottomed boat, the middle-aged Tanka man waved his hand. "Come along, I'll take you!"

Yang Xiaohai nodded. After giving Zhao Xiumei a few instructions, he jumped into the water and swam across.

Guided by the man, Yang Xiaohai nimbly hopped from one boat to another. Most of the vessels were old and heavily patched, yet to Yang Xiaohai, they evoked a strange sense of familiarity and belonging.

About a quarter of an hour later, the middle-aged Tanka man stopped with Yang Xiaohai in front of a decrepit old boat.

An elderly woman with graying hair sat at the boat's bow. Her face was adorned with bluish fish-scale tattoos, which merged with her wrinkles, giving her a peculiar appearance.

She looked at the middle-aged Tanka man with a puzzled expression. "What's happening, Jiang Erlang? Who is this child?"

"Is Uncle Baishui here? This person claims to be your son," Jiang Erlang conveyed to the elderly woman, gesturing with his hands.

Upon grasping his meaning, the deaf old woman's eyes widened. She stared at Yang Xiaohai behind him. "You... you... you... are... Wuwazi?"

Yang Xiaohai, his head spinning, trembled slightly as he took a step forward, staring blankly at the woman. The information he had gathered indicated his mother was deaf, and this woman perfectly fit the description.

"Mother?" Yang Xiaohai asked, taking a hesitant step closer.

The old woman seemed to understand what Yang Xiaohai had uttered. She stumbled forward, pulling him into a tight embrace.

She then rolled up Yang Xiaohai's left sleeve, revealing a faint mark on his elbow.

When she saw the faint mark, tears that had been welling in her eyes immediately streamed down her face. "Wuwazi, it's really you! I never thought I'd live to see you again!"

Upon realizing that this woman was indeed his mother, Yang Xiaohai threw himself into her arms, embracing her tightly.

Feeling the scent and warmth he had only dreamt of, Yang Xiaohai realized in that moment that every hardship he had endured on his journey was worth it. He finally had a mother.

From now on, if anyone dared to curse him as "son of a dog," he could finally retort with justified pride!

"Wuwazi!" the old woman cried out, hugging Yang Xiaohai tightly, "Your mother is so sorry! I am truly sorry!"

The Chi family's son, who had been sold away, was back. As Yang Xiaohai's identity reverted to that of a Tanka person, the stares from the others softened considerably.

When Yang Xiaohai worried about how to get the carriage off his flat-bottomed boat and into their home, many Tanka people spontaneously brought their own boats over to help transport it.

After some bustling activity, Yang Xiaohai, Zhao Xiumei, the three 'monkey children,' and their carriage were finally brought onto the Chi family's boat.

"Mother! This is my wife, Zhao Xiumei!" Yang Xiaohai gestured animatedly, striving to make his deaf mother understand what he was trying to convey.

"Wonderful! Getting married so young, what an accomplishment!"

"Mother, this is lamb from Qingqiu; please try some, it's delicious!"

As Yang Xiaohai excitedly conversed with his mother, other Tanka people gathered around, watching the heartwarming scene with smiles, occasionally whispering among themselves.

Jiang Erlang, standing nearby, now understood that Yang Xiaohai was indeed there to find his family, and his expression softened considerably.

He quietly asked a younger son nearby, "Where has Uncle Baishui gone? He's not back for such an important occasion."

"Uncle Baishui seems to have taken his son to the Dragon King Temple."

"Go notify him immediately and tell him that Wuwazi, the son he sold, has found his way back home."