Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 392 - 389: Joyful Summer Beachcombing

The matters of the workshop are being hastily constructed by the craftsmen of the Great Tang, while Lin Wanwan is living a vibrant and joyful life at her seaside manor, practicing music, singing, dancing, arranging flowers, throwing pot, and playing polo every day.

At the end of the month, Lin Wanwan indeed went sea gathering with Xiao Xianghua, and naturally, Lin Qingyu, the bearer of good fortune, wouldn’t miss such an event either.

For most people at the Lin Family Manor, sea gathering is neither novel nor enticing.

Because the returns from sea gathering are actually not that great, mostly comprising various shellfish that don’t fetch much money. If one wants to catch crabs, it is more efficient to set some crab cages in the sea.

As for good-looking fish, one is unlikely to encounter them through sea gathering—unless one is exceptionally lucky and happens upon a stranded fish.

Miraculous events like Lin Qingyu discovering a Mei Le Pearl are rare gifts from heaven, so ordinary folks shouldn’t just daydream about it.

Yet, for city ladies, sea gathering is indeed quite novel. Let alone catching such hard merchandise as a big mud crab, even capturing a Ponget crab, which is less than two fingernails big and mostly meatless, can excite Xiao Xianghua to cry out loud.

Lin Wanwan herself is very interested in sea gathering; in modern times, there are no marine resources as rich as those in the Great Tang, making it quite difficult to properly go sea gathering.

Living by the sea in the Great Tang now, she makes sure to go sea gathering every month when she has the time.

The sensation of barefoot on the sandy beach brings such relaxation and ease, all worries can fade away.

"Wanwan cousin, quickly come here! I caught a really strange fish!" Xiao Xianghua shouted excitedly like a village girl who hasn’t seen much of the world.

Lin Wanwan held Lin Qingyu’s hand, followed by a string of animals, including a fox, black muntjac, lamb, little elephant, little horse, Campbell’s duck, big white goose, and sea turtle (the same sea turtle that saved Lin Qingyu, and has recently taken a liking to coming ashore, recruited by Lin Qingyu into the animal troupe), except the water-fearing White Feather Chicken that hasn’t come, Lin Qingyu’s animal troupe was complete, with a Haidong Qing circling above.

Quickly walking up to Xiao Xianghua, sure enough, she saw a light green fish in her arms, covered in blue spots, with white tail fin edges and a black stripe near the trailing edge.

"Is this a West Star Spot?" Lin Wanwan turned to ask Sun Chuyao, who possessed knowledge akin to the sea villagers of the Lin Family Manor.

"You’re right, this is indeed a West Star Spot. Lady Xiao Xianghua is lucky; catching a West Star Spot on your first sea gathering, beginners truly have good fortune." Sun Chuyao immediately recognized the fish. Its features were too distinctive, easy for those raised by the sea to identify.

The other women from the Lin Family Manor who came to sea gather heard the discussion and were envious, truly, nobility brings affluence; even their hand fortune was better, encountering such a valuable West Star Spot.

Such grouper can fetch dozens of coins on the Great Tang docks due to its appealing appearance, delicious flesh, and tender taste, being much liked by nobles and typically grabbed by fish traders as soon as it’s brought to the dock.

In fact, West Star Spots are valuable not only in the Great Tang but also in modern times, where they can sell for over a hundred pounds, and beyond banquets, regular families are reluctant to buy them for daily meals.

It’s unusual to catch them along the beach side; one needs to sail out with nets to have a chance.

"Hey, Aunt Xianghua, quickly keep it alive; it’s stopping bubbling; it might die!" Lin Qingyu shouted, pointing at the West Star Spot to remind Xiao Xianghua.

"Yes, yes, quickly fetch some sea water to keep it alive; fresh-caught and steamed gives the best flesh!" Sun Chuyao also promptly spoke.

Xiao Xianghua then snapped out of her excitement, beaming, saying, "Yes, yes, it should be kept alive first. Chun Jing, quickly, fetch some sea water into the empty bucket. But how long can this fish be kept alive? It’s my first catch; I want to keep it for a couple of days, then take it back to Qiantang to show the family."

"Feeding it twice a day, you can keep it for ten days or so without problem," Sun Chuyao advised Xiao Xianghua.

"Alright, let’s keep it then."

Xiao Xianghua’s maid pours the few spicy snails into another wooden bucket, then scoops half a bucket of water from the shallow reef, stepping before Xiao Xianghua to take the fish.

Xiao Xianghua carefully set the fish in, watched it swimming around the bucket, feeling extremely pleased.

Lin Wanwan was influenced by her good mood, laughing, "I must try harder; you, a newbie, found something alive, while my bucket still remains empty!"

Lin Qingyu proudly puffed her little tummy, "Mother, I picked up lots of clams and even large conchs, Aunt Hua Nong makes delicious conch meat."

Lin Wanwan praised, "Yes, yes, yes, my little Qingyu has made great achievements."

Lin Qingyu lifted her face, with strong competitiveness asking Lin Wanwan, "Mother, who caught the most and is the most capable?"

"You’re all capable."

"No, you must pick one."

Lin Wanwan and Xiao Xianghua exchanged a glance, smiling, "You, it’s you who’s the most capable."

Lin Qingyu, hearing desired praise, couldn’t hold her small face, revealing an undeniably proud expression after receiving compliments.

Lin Wanwan found Lin Qingyu’s expression precious, couldn’t help but gently swipe her chubby little cheek.

Such little one gains a bit of new skill every day; watching her grow bit by bit is so fulfilling.

Why are unclear young children so lovable while elderly suffering from senility and intellectual regression to childhood are often disliked?

The answer is simple; young children are like the rising sun, getting smarter and more agile with promising futures; while the elderly are like setting suns, growing ever muddled till life’s end.

At the end of today’s sea gathering, assessing the harvest, Lin Qingyu indeed had the best fortune.

She saw three big mud crabs (directing Sun Chuyao to catch them), found a super-large conch, and countless clams and thumb-sized China cockles.

Next was Xiao Xianghua, who caught the West Star Spot, while Lin Wanwan had the smallest harvest among the trio; were it not for the Great Tang’s rich marine resources, she’d likely have returned empty-handed.

The group carrying buckets donned clogs, making "clop-clop" sounds as they trod back along the village road. Lin Qingyu climbed onto the little elephant’s back, falling behind.

The animal troupe often got attracted by the vegetables planted in village yards along the way, unable to resist taking a few bites.

The villagers weren’t annoyed; instead, they’d dig up what hadn’t been eaten and feed them again.

Lin Qingyu would then act like an animal parent, scolding them for eating randomly, and arbitrarily paying for them at much higher-than-market prices.

As you can see, just because Lin Qingyu can afford to pay for them, her animal troop receives special treatment.