Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Discussing Selling the Pearl
The whole family gazed joyfully at the Flame Pearl in Yun Jiao’s hand. It was an incredibly beautiful pearl.
Granny Yun warned everyone, "We absolutely cannot tell anyone about Jiaojiao’s Flame Pearl. Otherwise, people will start getting ideas about our family, and a thief might show up at our door one day."
"This pearl belongs to Jiaojiao, and no one else should think about it. In the future, if any of you have the skill to find a bailer shell and get a pearl or something from it, that will be your own. I won’t meddle whether you sell it for money or keep it for yourselves."
Mr. Yun nodded beside her, and no one else had any objections.
"Jiaojiao, how about Grandma keeps this pearl safe for you? When you grow up, we can have a beautiful necklace made for you to wear."
To be honest, Granny Yun didn’t dare let Yun Jiao hold the Flame Pearl. She was afraid that with Yun Jiao’s habit of wanting to bite everything she saw, she might pop the pearl into her mouth.
If a pearl that big got stuck in her throat, it would be a disaster.
Yun Jiao also loved the beautiful pearl in her hand.
Merfolk have a natural love for pretty, sparkling things. In her past life, she had loved searching the sea for beautiful pearls, gems, and shells to decorate her den.
But now, she held out the Flame Pearl. "Grandpa, trade for a big house. Jiaojiao wants a pretty room."
That’s right, she planned to exchange the pearl for money to build a house. She wanted a little nest of her own.
Their current house was too small, and the roof even leaked when it rained.
’I can always find more pretty pearls and gems later.’
The family could all see how much Yun Jiao liked the Flame Pearl. Granny Yun stroked her head.
"This Flame Pearl is so beautiful. Finding one is a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck. Our Jiaojiao should keep it for herself. Building a house is for the adults to worry about, a little child shouldn’t concern herself with it. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure to save a room for you."
Yun Jiao insisted in her milky, childlike voice, "Sell for money. Jiaojiao will find more pretty pearls later."
Her soft, childish voice carried a surprisingly domineering tone.
After a moment’s thought, Grandpa Yun decided not to be sentimental.
"Then Grandpa will accept it. As soon as we sell it, we’ll immediately build our Jiaojiao a big house!"
Yun Jiao’s eyes curved into a smile, and then she stared at the snail meat.
"Eat."
"HAHAHA... Jiaojiao, you really are a little foodie."
The whole family laughed happily.
The snail meat was stir-fried, and Yun Jiao ate a lot with great delight. By the end of the meal, her little belly was stuffed and round.
Yun Xiaowu immediately took her out for a walk to help her digest.
They strolled from their home to the village entrance, where many of the older folks were out with their rambunctious kids after dinner.
As soon as they appeared, pairs of eyes from the elders at the village entrance stared intently at them.
Yun Jiao was used to it.
She didn’t know what strange habit these people had. It wasn’t just her; anyone who passed by would be stared at. Outsiders, in particular, would be pulled aside and bombarded with questions, as if the villagers wanted to investigate their entire family history back eighteen generations.
"Xiao Wu, Jiaojiao, come over here to Granny Wang."
Yun Xiaowu walked over carrying two small stools. He first picked a good spot for his sister to sit, then plopped down on his own stool beside her.
His little sister didn’t like running wild with other kids her age. Instead, she preferred sitting under the large locust tree at the village entrance, listening to the old folks and women gossip.
The few words she occasionally blurted out at home were all learned from here.
"Xiao Wu, did you guys find another clam king today?"
Yun Xiaowu nodded.
"Where did you find it?"
Yun Xiaowu told them the location. "It was just a little past where we usually learn to swim. But you won’t be able to dig any up if you go now. That whole area has been pretty much cleared out. When we were coming back, a lot of people were already digging there."
One of the grannies slapped her thigh. "Why didn’t I go out foraging by the sea today!"
"Your family’s luck is just getting better and better."
"I heard your family is going to buy a boat?"
That’s how it was in the village; there were no secrets.
Yun Xiaowu nodded. "Yep. Grandpa said he’s going to buy a wooden boat."
His eyes were fixed on a group of kids playing house not far away, and he was itching to join them.
"Granny Wang, can you all keep an eye on Jiaojiao for me? I’m going to go play."
"Go on, go on. Jiaojiao is a good girl; she doesn’t need us to watch her."
After Yun Xiaowu left, one of the more nosy women asked Yun Jiao how much money her family made from selling their seafood.
"I don’t know," Yun Jiao said.
Whatever they asked, the answer was "I don’t know."
She didn’t really care about these things anyway, so she truly didn’t know.
"Why are you asking a child all that?"
With that, they changed the subject and started chatting about other things.
So-and-so had good luck at sea, and what fish they caught yesterday.
They knew exactly whose chicken went missing and whose corn got stolen.
Yun Jiao sat primly on her little stool, listening to them talk. She had been doing this ever since she learned to walk.
The gossiping grannies and women were largely to thank for her learning the human language of this world so quickly.
When she had heard enough, Yun Jiao picked up her little stool and went to find Yun Xiaowu.
"Fifth Brother, let’s go home."
Yun Xiaowu dropped the rather unconvincing mud pistol he had molded, stood up, and washed his hands.
"Comrades, you carry on the fight! Defeat the enemy spies! I’m taking my sister home now."
With that, he took Yun Jiao’s clean, fair little hand in one of his, grabbed the stools with the other, and headed home.
That evening, when Yun Linhai, Yun Linhe, and Yun Chendong came home, they were told about the pearl. The three of them were stunned.
Hearing that they were going to sell the pearl, Yun Chenxi suggested, "What if we sell it for too little here in town? Why don’t we go sell it in the city?"
Everyone thought about it and agreed. After all, they might run into acquaintances in town. If word got out that they had sold a pearl, their family wouldn’t have a moment’s peace.
Yun Xiaowu and the other boys immediately started clamoring, "Going to the city? Does that mean we get to ride the bus? I want to go! I want to go!"
"Go my ass!"
Uncle Yun said, "We’re going on serious business. If we bring you little monkeys along, how are we supposed to get anything done? If you run off and get lost, where are we supposed to find you?"
These boys were the type to vanish the moment you let go of their hands. It was fine in the village, where everyone knew each other and the kids could find their way home.
But the city was so big, with so many people. If they really got lost, they’d be impossible to find. They might even get targeted by child traffickers.
The brothers were not convinced. In their desperation to go to the city, they threw themselves on the floor, rolling around and throwing a tantrum.
Grandpa Yun’s head was starting to ache from the noise. "Once we have enough money for the house, we’re sending these little brats to school."
Yun Xiaowu wiped his nose. "Fine, we’ll go. School has lots of people, so it’ll be fun. My sister will go with me."
"Why would we bring Jiaojiao? If she’s going to school, it won’t be for another couple of years."
There weren’t any kindergartens back then. Children usually started elementary school at six or seven, an age where they knew their way home, so the elders didn’t have to worry as much.
Going to the city was impossible, and throwing a tantrum didn’t work either.
In the end, the tantrum-throwers were disciplined with shoes and sticks brandished by their parents before they finally quieted down.
Comments