My 1995 Small Farm.

As the ship sailed to a wide-open area with relatively calm currents, the engine's "putt-putt" sound lessened, and the ship's speed slowed down.

The boat owner, speaking Cantonese-accented Mandarin with a heavy accent, smiled and said to Chen Ling and his family, "Boss, the scenery here is nice, the water is clear, and we can see small fish on the seabed. Shall we stop and play for a while?"

After obtaining Chen Ling's consent, the boat owner turned off the engine.

The only sound on the sea was the gentle lapping of waves against the hull, and the surroundings became unusually quiet.

Sunlight spilled onto the azure sea, creating shimmering waves.

The crystal-clear waters offer exceptional visibility, allowing glimpses of colorful coral reefs and schools of fish swimming among them.

The tranquility seemed to relax the boat owner as well. He leaned against the gunwale, gazing at the distant horizon, and began to hum a melodious Cantonese saltwater song with a touch of melancholy.

"The sunrise on the horizon paints the sea red—hey yo!"

"I'm rowing my boat out to sea, braving the strong winds—heave-ho!"

"Don't ask how many waves lie ahead—"

"With a rudder in your heart, you'll feel so relaxed—heave-ho! heave-ho!"

His voice was a little hoarse, but it had a unique charm.

Drifting in the sea breeze, it is particularly fitting for the occasion.

As Chen Ling listened to the authentic fishermen's songs, looked at the expansive sea view before him and his laughing family, a sense of pride welled up in his heart.

An indescribable feeling of exhilaration welled up inside me.

On a whim, he picked up where the boat owner left off and sang a few lines in his clear Mandarin.

Of course, the content was just a random alteration of local folk songs from Chenwangzhuang.

"Hey—girl on the other side of the mountain—brother on the other side of the water!"

"What a coincidence that we're on the same ship today!"

"Don't you see those mountains of gold and silver, a thousand feet high?"

"Just look at this azure sea and sky—it's like being in paradise!"

Although he didn't understand Cantonese, his pitch was excellent, and his melody flowed naturally and smoothly, creating a strange harmony with the boat owner's singing.

"Wow! Daddy can sing too!" Rui Rui exclaimed in surprise, clapping her little hands.

Wang Zhenzhen exclaimed with admiration, "Brother-in-law, you sing so well! It's just like playing a cassette tape!"

Wang Susu looked at her husband with a gentle smile in her eyes. She knew that Chen Ling sometimes had unexpected talents.

The boat owner turned around in surprise, gave a thumbs up, and praised in broken Mandarin, "Boss! Amazing! You sang well! You had great flavor!"

"Let's continue!"

"it is good……"

For a time, the two sides sang in harmony, Mandarin and Cantonese intertwined, creating an indescribable sense of fun and harmony.

Although the children couldn't understand all the lyrics, the cheerful atmosphere infected them, and they hummed along, clapping their little hands.

The joy of traveling and having fun immediately becomes apparent.

……

As the singing faded, a flock of white seagulls, attracted by the boat, gathered around.

They flapped their wings nimbly, flitting up and down on both sides of the ship's side, emitting clear "ooh-ooh" calls, as if dancing to accompany the song they had just sang, or perhaps begging for food.

They tumbled and leaped up and down at the bow and stern of the ship, their movements graceful.

Wow! Geese! Geese are flying in!

Rui Rui excitedly pointed at the seagull. In his limited understanding, all the large birds that could fly seemed to resemble the geese at home, so he thought this was a goose.

Wang Zhenzhen immediately put her hands on her hips and struck a teacher's pose to correct him, "Silly Rui Rui! That's not a goose, that's a seagull! A bird that lives in the sea and eats fish!"

"Our geese eat both grass and grain, they're different!"

"Look at their pointed wings, how beautifully they fly! How can they be compared to our silly geese!"

"Seagull?"

Rui Rui tilted her head, trying hard to understand the new term, but still stuck to her own opinion.

"But...they're white too, and they can fly! They're just a little smaller than geese, like geese or ducks..."

This situation often occurs once the toddlers in the family can think in simple terms.

They will believe what they think.

"Ugh, I can't get through to you!"

Wang Zhenzhen stamped her foot anxiously and turned to Chen Ling, "Brother-in-law, quickly tell Rui Rui that it's a seagull! Right?"

Chen Ling watched the two children arguing and couldn't help but chuckle. He picked Rui Rui up and carried him to the side of the boat, pointing to a seagull that was almost skimming the waves as it flew, and said:

"Rui Rui, look, this bird is called a seagull. They live on the cliffs by the sea and love to eat small fish and shrimp."

"Our geese live by the lake and on the grasslands. In winter, they fly south because they are afraid of the cold."

"They look different and have different living habits."

Then he said to Wang Zhenzhen, "Zhenzhen is right, they are seagulls. But Ruirui thinks they look like geese because they can both fly, right?"

Rui Rui nodded as if she understood, but her attention was quickly drawn to the seagulls' graceful flight, and she imitated them by spreading her arms out:

"Seagull! Fly! Rui Rui wants to fly too!"

The boat owner looked at the two adorable children and laughed heartily, "You kids are so cute! These are seagulls, we call them 'sea gulls,' they're very clever!"

The seagulls didn't seem afraid of people. One of the bolder ones even tried to land on the higher side of the ship, tilting its head and curiously observing the humans on board.

Tie Dan also raised his head, looking warily at these uninvited guests, making a low "groaning" sound in his throat, but he did not bark wildly, showing great restraint.

Seeing this, the boat owner took out a small bag of prepared dried fish scraps from the cabin and handed it to Chen Ling: "Give this to the kid to play with, scatter it out and see what happens!"

Chen Ling understood, grabbed a small handful of dried fish scraps, and gestured for Rui Rui and Wang Zhenzhen to extend their hands.

Then, he gently scattered the debris into the air.

The flock of seagulls, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately let out an excited cry and swooped down like white lightning, precisely pecking at the delicious food in the air.

A few of the bolder ones even flew close to the children's heads, eliciting screams of fear and delight from them.

Tie Dan also stood up nervously and barked twice at the sky before Chen Ling laughed and pressed him down.

At this moment, the boat owner noticed the rather professional-looking fishing tackle that Chen Ling was carrying. It was a gift from Boss Xu Yingguang when he gave it to his friends.

So he asked in surprise, "Boss, you brought your own fishing rod? Do you like fishing?"

Chen Ling nodded with a smile: "Yes, I usually enjoy fishing at home. Coming to the seaside, I'm even more itchy to try my hand at it."

The boat owner gave a thumbs up: "Good eye! The current is quite good right now, and there's a reef area ahead. Want to test your skills?"

He pointed to a slightly darker area of ​​sea to his right.

"I have bait. The water over there is clear and there are lots of fish hiding there. It's a great fishing spot!"

Chen Ling, who was already itching to try his luck, laughed and said, "Great! That's exactly what I was thinking. Let's try our luck and see if we can add a dish to dinner tonight."

Chen Ling got excited and asked Wang Susu to look after the children while he went to a relatively stable spot at the stern of the boat and neatly assembled his fishing gear.

With a graceful flick of the rod, the fishing line traced a beautiful arc before disappearing into the sea.

Wang Zhenzhen and Rui Rui immediately gathered around, watching the sea intently, even more nervous than Chen Ling.

"Brother-in-law, is it possible to catch a big fish?"

Even Wang Susu, holding Kang Kang and leading Lele, moved closer to watch.

She knew Ah Ling's abilities; whether in the mountains or on the water, he always seemed to find a way to have fun and gain something.

Tie Dan also lay quietly at Chen Ling's feet, seemingly waiting as well.

The boat owner, an experienced man, gave instructions: "Reel in the line a little, yes, gently pull it, feel for a bite... Wow! Quick! A fish is biting!"

Before he finished speaking, the fishing rod in Chen Ling's hand suddenly sank!
The fishing line tightened instantly, making a "sizzling" sound!

"We caught a fish!"

Chen Ling remained calm and composed, his movements skillful and practiced as he steadily began to reel in and release the line, engaging in a contest with the creature underwater.

"Daddy's so awesome! There's a big fish! Let's eat the big fish!" Rui Rui's face turned red with excitement. "Brother-in-law, go for it! Don't let it get away!" Wang Zhenzhen also clenched her little fists to cheer him on.

After a seemingly easy but actually skillful contest.

A large fish, weighing about two pounds and with bright orange-red stripes and spots, was pulled out of the water.

It writhed desperately in the sunlight, its scales reflecting a dazzling light.

Wow! Red melon seed spots! What a lucky sign!

The boat owner helped scoop the fish up with a landing net, praising it repeatedly: "This fish is excellent! It's perfect for steaming!"

This is just the beginning.

For the next hour or so, Chen Ling practically switched to "linkage mode".

Grouper, black sea bream, yellowtail abalone... all kinds of colorful and delicious sea fish are being caught one after another.

Even a fairly large orchid crab was caught.

The ship's live water tanks were almost overflowing.

What was most amazing was that as they were about to return, Chen Ling felt a tremendous force on the rod, and the fishing line was pulled so hard it made a "squeaking" sound.

He took a deep breath and engaged in a struggle with the unidentified underwater behemoth for more than ten minutes.

Even the experienced boat owner watched nervously from the sidelines.

Finally, a giant grouper, estimated to weigh over ten pounds, was slowly pulled out of the water.

Its enormous size and imposing presence made everyone gasp in astonishment.

"A grouper! It's a grouper! We're going to make a fortune!"

The boat owner was so excited he almost jumped up, and he started speaking Cantonese rapidly.

The look in his eyes when he looked at Chen Ling completely changed, filled with admiration. "Boss! You're a real expert! I've been fishing in this sea for over ten years, and I don't often catch a giant grouper this big! Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"

The live water tank quickly became crowded, with all kinds of colorful sea fish swimming around, making it almost like a small aquarium.

Looking at her husband's "trophies," Wang Susu felt both proud and amused: "Ah Ling, you... you caught way too many! How can we possibly eat them all?"

Chen Ling wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and smiled contentedly, "It's alright, we can't finish it all. Tonight I'll show off my skills and invite Brother Yuemin and the others to a beach barbecue so everyone can have a taste!"

As the sun sets, its afterglow paints the horizon where the sea meets the sky in a magnificent orange-red hue.

The cruise ship, laden with laughter and a bounty of seafood, returned to Stanley Beach.

After docking, Chen Ling was in a great mood, so he spent extra money to ask the boat owner to help process the fresh seafood.

Through the boat owner's connections, they obtained cooking utensils, an oven, and other supplies.

Then I called Liang Yuemin.

"Brother Yuemin! It's me!"

"Yes, we're in Stanley. We just caught a lot of great seafood. We're having a beach barbecue tonight. Are you and your wife free? Come join us!"

"...Yes, yes, please invite Director Zhong and the others. It'll be more fun with more people! It's on me!"

Upon hearing this, Liang Yuemin on the other end of the phone laughed: "Hahaha! Well done, Fugui! You're something else, coming all the way to Hong Kong Island for sea fishing. You really know how to have fun!"

"Okay! We'll be right there!"

"Director Zhong just happened to be talking about how to film our company, so I'll bring them all over! Just wait!"

Not long after, Liang Yuemin and his family, Director Zhong, and Zheng Shaoqiu, Jiao Huang, and others who had rushed over upon hearing the news arrived in a grand procession.

Zhang Lihua, who raises Tibetan mastiffs, was also summoned.

Zhang Lihua also brought several bottles of fine wine.

"Ah Ling! You're something else! You didn't make a move until you caught a giant grouper!"

"There are so many beautiful fish, these are very valuable!"

Zhang Lihua stared at the enormous grouper, speechless with amazement.

"You're really willing to take it out and eat it?..."

Zheng Shaoqiu laughed upon hearing this, "Ahua, you don't understand. Boss Chen treated us to sturgeon before, which was much more expensive than this."

Jiao Huang also laughed: "Little Chen is very particular about food, Ahua, you'll find out soon enough."

They had all eaten Chen Ling's cooking in Chenwangzhuang, and they still reminisce about it.

Seeing Chen Ling cooking again today made my mouth water.

Chen Ling laughed and rolled up his sleeves: "Alright, stop just watching, come on, everyone lend a hand, let's have an authentic seafood barbecue party today!"

He had become the de facto commander-in-chief.

The boat owner was in charge of cleaning the fish, while Chen Ling personally handled the sorting and processing of various seafood.

Some of the tender red snapper and yellowfin seabream are steamed to retain their original flavor to the greatest extent.

Slice and marinate the barracuda, then prepare it for grilling skewers.

The blue crabs are steamed directly in the pot.

The largest grouper, its head and bones were used to make a delicious fish soup.

The thick fish is cut into thick slices and marinated with simple salt, pepper and lemon juice, ready to be made into grilled fish fillets.

As soon as the charcoal fire was lit, an enticing aroma began to fill the air.

The grilled squid tentacles became curled and caramelized.

The grilled fish skewers, coated with sauce, exuded a rich, smoky aroma.

When steamed fish is taken out of the pot, hot oil is poured over it, which brings out the aroma of scallions and the freshness of the fish, making it very appetizing.

The milky white grouper soup was incredibly fragrant, making one's mouth water.

Chen Ling also took out some homemade dried mountain pepper powder that he carried with him and sprinkled it on some of the grilled fish. A unique, slightly pungent fragrance immediately blended into the smoky atmosphere, which was refreshing.

This complex and layered aroma is far more potent than the monotonous meaty smell of ordinary barbecue stalls.

It drifted far away on the evening sea breeze.

It quickly attracted the attention of nearby tourists.

First, a few blond-haired, blue-eyed foreign tourists followed the scent and came over, looking around curiously and muttering something under their breath.

Then, some local young people and their families were also attracted by this unprecedented aroma, and they all turned their heads to look, some even unable to resist going closer to take a look.

"Excuse me, do you sell barbecue here?" a young man couldn't help but ask in Cantonese.

Leung Yuet-man replied with a smile in Cantonese: “I’m sorry, my friend, we’re just having a get-together, not doing business.”

Although he was rejected, the young man swallowed hard as he looked at the sizzling grouper fillets on the grill, and walked away with a look of regret on his face.

Several similar incidents have occurred.

Chen Ling and his group's barbecue feast has become the most eye-catching "scenery" on the beach at dusk.

"It smells so good, it smells amazing..."

"Why does it taste so good?"

"Ah Ling, look what you've done! You've attracted half the beach's population with your fragrance!"

Zhang Lihua said to Chen Ling while eating heartily.

Director Zhong was also tasting Chen Ling's cooking for the first time: "It's so delicious! I can't help but drool while I'm eating it. Ah Ling, you really could open a restaurant! The seafood resources here are so good! If you come here, you'll be the culinary god of Hong Kong right away..."

Sea fish are rich in oil and naturally salty.

You can bake it to a great aroma without brushing it with oil.

Whether fried, baked, or grilled, they all taste delicious.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling's heart stirred: "Brother Yuemin, next time someone comes asking, just give them one of our business cards..."

"Oh? Fugui, what do you mean..."

Liang Yuemin looked over in surprise. (End of Chapter)