“Crack!”

As soon as Lan Xiruo finished speaking, another sound, like a wooden plank snapping, echoed through the air. This time, it was even louder than the howling winds of the approaching storm—everyone heard it.

Uncle Jiang He, clutching his head from where he’d been knocked unconscious, scrambled to his feet with an agility that defied his age. Without even taking a moment to orient himself, he immediately started the boat.

This time, A’Dong had learned his lesson. He quickly pulled out a compass and pointed Uncle Jiang He in the right direction.

“Bless us, Mazu! Keep us safe on our journey home!”

“Please, Mazu, watch over us! We have elderly parents and young children waiting for us—we cannot afford to meet disaster at sea!”

Black Fish and the other two local fishermen dropped to their knees, bowing repeatedly in one direction.

Lan Xiruo exchanged a glance with Sun Yuqing before kneeling down as well.

They had done everything they could. Now, all that was left was to put their fate in the hands of the gods. If praying to the deities could ease everyone’s fear, then they had no reason not to join in.

Besides, at this moment, Lan Xiruo firmly believed in the existence of gods and spirits—how else could she explain her own rebirth?

She closed her eyes and prayed sincerely, “Mazu, please protect our boat and ensure our safe return! If we make it back, I will find a way to rebuild the destroyed Mazu temple and restore it to its former glory!”

It was still that special period of ten years [historical reference to China’s Cultural Revolution], when all temples were targeted for destruction. Even the Mazu temples on the islands were not spared, reduced to rubble by the “Red Armbands.”

The storm grew fiercer, the cracking sounds more frequent.

The wooden boat swayed violently in the waves, but Uncle Jianghe stood firm at the helm, steering the 24-horsepower wooden vessel with remarkable steadiness.

“Ugh—”

As the boat pitched up and down, someone finally couldn’t take it anymore and vomited over the side.

Then, like a chain reaction, everyone except Uncle Jianghe collapsed at the stern, retching uncontrollably.

Lan Xiruo was no exception. It had been a long time since she had been on a boat, and earlier, she had been too preoccupied to think about it.

Now that she had nothing to distract her, in this dark and oppressive space, her senses became unbearably heightened—she couldn’t hold it in anymore and threw up as well.

Seasickness was far worse than carsickness. Her body felt as though it were floating in midair, unable to find solid ground.

“Snap!”

The railing on the deck broke!

“Bang!”

The rope securing the flag on the cabin door snapped, and the flagpole crashed onto the deck.

“Creak, creak!”

Every wooden plank on the boat groaned ominously, sending shivers down their spines.

Each passing second felt like an eternity of torment.

Lan Xiruo’s heart clenched tightly. Her mind raced—how could she possibly knock everyone out without them noticing and hide them in her bracelet’s space?

She didn’t know how long had passed when suddenly, A’Dong’s voice rang out in pure joy.

“Comrades! Good news! The boat is about to reach the harbor!”

Five minutes later, under Uncle Jiang He’s steady control, the boat safely docked at the pier.

“Wow, we made it! We’re back!”

“Thank the heavens, we’re all alive!” Everyone cheered, high-fiving each other.

But just then, Uncle Jiang He, who had been standing firm all this time, suddenly collapsed backward.

“Thud!”

“Uncle Jiang He!”

Lan Xiruo reacted quickly, snatching the flashlight from A’Dong’s hand and crouching down to check on him.

When the beam of light shone on Uncle Jiang He, Lan Xiruo gasped in shock.

His entire face and head were covered in blood, his lips pale, and he lay motionless on the ground.

“He’s lost too much blood and passed out! We need to stop the bleeding immediately!”

A’Dong and Black Fish frowned deeply. “But we don’t have any medicine! Should we carry him to the village doctor instead?”

“No, the clinic is too far! We need to stop the bleeding first! I have medicine—press down on his wound while I go get it!”

With that, Lan Xiruo rushed to the sleeping cabin, using the darkness as cover to retrieve a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao from her spatial bracelet. She quickly sprayed the medicine on Uncle Jiang He’s wound.

Then, she tore a clean strip of fabric from her clothing and wrapped it around his injury.

Once she finished, A’Dong and Black Fish immediately grabbed a raincoat, dressed Uncle Jiang He in it, and carried him off the boat.

—-

The wind and rain howled even louder! It was nearly impossible for one person to carry an unconscious man alone!

After making sure all the doors and windows of the boat were secured, Lan Xiruo and Sun Yuqing hurried after them.

Before they even reached the village entrance, they saw a figure approaching with a flashlight.

Lan Xiruo lifted her own flashlight slightly, revealing a person wearing a raincoat.

“You’re finally back! But what happened? Who’s injured?” The person shouted as they got closer.

Recognizing the voice of Captain Jiang Aiguo, Lan Xiruo quickly responded, “Captain! Uncle Jiang He is seriously injured—we need to get him medical help immediately!”

Jiang Aiguo’s expression changed. “Uncle Jianghe is hurt? Hurry! Run as fast as you can!”

They sprinted to the village clinic, where the doctor examined Uncle Jiang He and sighed in relief.

“Fortunately, the wound isn’t too deep, and you managed to stop the bleeding in time. Otherwise, he could’ve lost his life.”

Everyone let out a breath of relief, realizing how close they had come to disaster.

Leaning against the wall, Lan Xiruo finally allowed herself a smile.

Good… Uncle Jiang He’s fate has been completely changed.

“Lan Zhiqing, can you tell me exactly what happened?”

Hearing Captain Jiang Aiguo’s voice, Lan Xiruo straightened up and nodded before recounting the day’s harrowing events.

—-

After listening, Jiang Aiguo sighed, glancing at them sympathetically.

Looking at their disheveled appearances, he hesitated, struggling with his words, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to deliver the bad news just yet.

Lan Xiruo, with years of business experience in her past life, was an expert at reading people. Seeing Jiang Aiguo’s expression, her heart sank.

Yes… they had returned safely, but bigger troubles lay ahead.

But seeing her exhausted and shaken companions, she remained silent.

Finally, Jiang Aiguo said, “You’ve all had a rough day and been through enough. Uncle Jianghe will stay here. A’Dong, go inform his family and have them bring a change of clothes. The rest of you, get some rest—we’ll deal with the rest tomorrow.”

Feeling sticky and uncomfortable, Lan Xiruo immediately took the chance to excuse herself. “Captain, Sun Zhiqing and I will head back first. See you tomorrow!”

Jiang Aiguo waved his hand. “Alright, go. Be careful on the way.”

The typhoon had arrived.

The fierce wind howled, making the stilt houses on either side creak and sway dangerously.

Supporting each other, Lan Xiruo and Sun Yuqing struggled against the raging storm.

When they finally reached their shared quarters, the other educated youths were still awake, anxiously waiting for them.

Seeing them safe, everyone rejoiced.

“Thank goodness! Lan Zhiqing and Sun Zhiqing are back!”

“Thank you for worrying about us. We truly faced death today. Phew, we’re finally home—let me rest for a moment!”

Lan Xiruo plopped down onto the ground.

She was truly shaken. Though she had often gone out to sea in her past life, she had never encountered such a perilous situation before.

She had been terrified that her second chance at life would be wasted just like that.