The alveoli exploded. The salty sea water, wrapped in crushed ice, poured into the trachea.
Chen Yuan opened his eyes.
First I saw the yellowed newspaper on top. Rain dripped down the edge of the newspaper and hit an enamel basin on the bedside, making a monotonous clanking sound. He raised his hand and touched his chest. There was no fishbone knife that penetrated his heart. All that was left was a white washed cotton and linen vest. The rough fabric rubbed against the warm skin.
My fingers went down and felt the wood grain of the bed board.
Hard. Dry.
Sitting up, he looked down at his hands. The ten knuckles are thick, and the palms are covered with calluses. The oiliness gained from playing with agarwood skewers in the previous life has long since disappeared. This is the mark left by hauling fishing nets all year round when I was twenty years old.
There was a crisp sound of broken boards outside the door.
"Chen Dahai!! I can't afford the money today, so I'll tow your broken boat away!!"
The plastic sheeting on the window rattled as the rough male voice shook.
Lifting the thin quilt, Chen Yuan stepped barefoot on the cement floor. The ground is damp, and water vapor creeps up along the soles of your feet. He walked behind the door and looked out through the crack in the door.
Mud and water splashed everywhere in the courtyard. Chen Dahai hunched over, holding a thick hemp rope tied to an old locust tree in the courtyard. The other end of the hemp rope was connected to the wooden-hulled sailboat with its paint peeling off outside the courtyard gate.
"Wang Hu, please give me a few days of grace. The typhoon has just passed these days, and there is no goods in the sea. Next month, next month I will definitely collect three thousand yuan!!" Chen Dahai's voice was full of pleading, his withered face turned red, and the veins on his neck were throbbing.
Wang Hu was wearing a floral shirt and a pair of black rain boots, and kicked Chen Dahai on the thigh.
Mud and water splash.
