Chapter 57: Mele Pearl (National Day Bonus Chapter)

Lin Xiuqing squatted down to watch as well, staring for a while before speaking, “So, will the snail meat just come out like this? How long do we have to hang it? If I had known, I would’ve borrowed a weight to measure how much this snail weighs.”

“It’s fine. Whether we measure it or not doesn’t matter. What’s important is whether there’s anything inside. This coconut snail weighs about 3 to 4 pounds, so let it hang for a while.”

She could only wait patiently, wondering what treasure might be inside this snail. Why was her husband being so mysterious?

Ye Yaodong lowered the hook, and after quite a while, the snail’s shell finally detached and fell onto the beach, the snail meat, firm and bouncy, hanging from the hook.

But at that moment, no one cared whether the meat was big or small, bouncy or not. The instant the coconut snail shell fell onto the sand, Lin Xiuqing’s eyes lit up, and she quickly picked it up, peeking at the spiral part with one eye open.

Ye Yaodong, nervous, asked, “Is there anything inside?”

“Orange! There’s really something inside!”

Lin Xiuqing widened her eyes, also surprised. At first, when she saw the waves push the snail ashore, she thought it was just an empty shell without any meat.

“Wow!”

He immediately became excited, took the shell from her hand, gave it a little shake, and a round, orange-red, ceramic-glowing pearl fell directly into his hand!

“Hahahaha! We’ve struck it rich!”

Seeing his joy, Lin Xiuqing also realized how valuable it must be. She eagerly asked, “What kind of pearl is this? I’ve never seen one like this before.”

Ye Yaodong held up the pearl, smiling so wide his mouth nearly reached his ears. “Mele pearl! Have you heard of it? There’s a one in a thousand chance that a coconut snail will produce a Mele pearl.”

“What’s a Mele pearl? Is it a type of pearl?”

“It’s more valuable than a regular pearl. If a coconut snail produces a pearl, it’s called a Mele pearl, also known as a ‘dragon pearl’ or ‘flame pearl.’ The colors range from orange-red, orange-yellow, yellow, and even near-white. Some Mele pearls have flame-like patterns on them. The shapes can be irregular, oval, or round, with round ones being the most valuable.”

“Our pearl has flame patterns on it!”

“Yes,” Ye Yaodong squinted with a smile, “This one is a top-tier Mele pearl, and it looks bigger than a two-cent coin!”

A two-cent coin in this era has a diameter of around 21 millimeters, and he estimated that this pearl was slightly larger than a two-cent coin but smaller than a five-cent coin, which has a diameter of 24 millimeters.

They really had struck it rich!

Lin Xiuqing was overjoyed. “When we get home, we’ll compare it with a coin. I’m so glad we came out today!”

This was the second time she said that, showing just how happy she was.

He grinned proudly, “Now you know it was a good idea to listen to me!”

“Yes, yes, you’re the only one who would go to the beach in a typhoon. Who else in the village would dare? Aren’t you afraid of being swept away by the waves?”

“They’re just scaredy-cats. Typhoon days are when you find surprises. As long as there are big waves, the beach is more fruitful than during a big tide.”

“So, how much can we sell this pearl for? Where should we go to sell it?”

Uh… That question stumped him a bit. He didn’t really know how much the pearl was worth at this time…

Due to China’s traditional dragon culture, collectors have always regarded the Mele pearl as a “dragon pearl,” which carries sacred symbolic meaning and is considered a rare royal treasure.

In the hearsay from later generations, he had heard that these pearls could fetch tens of thousands of dollars, but in the present, he wasn’t sure. After all, production capabilities were still lacking, and people had only just gotten their basic needs met.

He frowned. “I only know that this pearl is very expensive, but I can’t say exactly how much it’s worth. The jewelry shops in our town or the county won’t be able to estimate it. Even if they could, they definitely wouldn’t offer a high price. The city? That might not work either. We might have to go to the provincial capital!”

“Ah? The provincial capital? That far?” Lin Xiuqing was stunned when she heard this. Was this pearl really that extraordinary?

Ye Yaodong also felt it was a bit troublesome. After thinking for a while, he said with a tone of negotiation, “We’re not in desperate need of money right now, and life is still manageable. Why don’t we just keep this pearl and keep the good luck with us? It’s still a ‘dragon pearl,’ and keeping it might bring good fortune to our family—smooth sailing and good luck!”

Lin Xiuqing thought about it for a moment and agreed. Their lives were still fine for now, and if the pearl was really that valuable, selling it would only lead to relatives and neighbors coming to borrow money, disturbing their peace.

In the countryside, half the village were relatives. If they said their child couldn’t afford school or they needed money for medical bills, would they lend them money?

If they didn’t lend, people would say they were heartless, that they didn’t help their relatives when they were in need. If they did lend, they’d likely get no gratitude, and those who didn’t get the money would feel resentment.

It would leave them in a difficult position!

It was better to keep it for now. After all, it was still a ‘dragon pearl.’ Keeping it could bring good luck to the family. If things ever became difficult, they could sell it later.

Besides… She secretly glanced at her husband. What if he changed for the worse once they had money? What if he became lazier and more indulgent?

She’d heard so many gossip stories about men changing when they came into money. It had only been a short while, but her husband seemed to be getting better. She didn’t want to sell it just yet.

In just a moment, Lin Xiuqing’s thoughts turned around in her head, and she had considered a lot.

“Mm-hmm!” She nodded. “What you said makes sense. Life is still manageable for us. Finding this ‘dragon pearl’ is our good luck, so let’s keep the luck with us and hope it brings smooth sailing for our family, with plenty of good harvests.”

“We should keep this pearl between us. Don’t tell anyone else.”

“I know!”

Ye Yaodong handed the Mele pearl to her. “You keep it. Lock it up once we get home.”

Lin Xiuqing took the pearl, her face full of warmth. With how precious it was, he had handed it over to her without hesitation, which made her feel a deep sense of trust. She couldn’t help but look at him a little longer.

“What? Suddenly think your husband is handsome?”

She laughed and pushed him playfully. “Stop with the teasing. Go look around again and see if there’s anything else we can find.”

Ye Yaodong was pushed down onto the beach but wasn’t angry. He stood up with a smile and followed her. “We found a rare treasure. Are you not going to reward me?”

Lin Xiuqing gave him a sidelong glance. “We’re a couple. What’s the problem with me keeping it? Also, you seem to have forgotten that it was me who found this snail… Oh, right! Don’t forget to take the coconut snail shell. We should keep it as a souvenir.”

“I’ve already grabbed the shell. It’s in the sack, and the meat is still hanging on the hook. You take the hook, and later we’ll fry the meat for dinner, extra food and good luck.”

“Mm.”

He shamelessly moved closer to her. “Since the snail was yours, then can I reward you?”

“No, I refuse. I’m a practical person. Just gather more seafood and reward me with that.”

“Even if you didn’t say it, I’d still gather more seafood. But this doesn’t count as a reward… Here, I’ll give you my reward…”

“Go away… Are you ever not annoying?”