Time Travel: A Fisherwoman Goes to the Sea to Raise a Baby

When the boat arrived at the county pier, a large crowd of people rushed to the Temple of Poseidon.

Xu Yiyi led Er'er and Sanchuan Sihai to squeeze among the pilgrims. Sihai grabbed her sleeve and stared at the golden-scaled carp lantern on the altar.

A Yue looked at the crowds of people and refused to come in.

There was no choice but to let her wait outside.

"Look, big sister! The Sea Goddess's golden crown has been replaced with a new one!"

When Er Er stood on tiptoe, the silver bells in her hair rang softly.

Xu Yiyi looked at the compassionate eyes of the Sea Goddess.

Wu Yuan twisted and turned in the baby carrier, pointing his little finger at the wave-shaped relief outside the hall, babbling something, his saliva dripping on the back of Xu Yiyi's hand.

She took out a piece of Poria cocos cake, crushed it and handed it to him, looking at a group of children outside who were gathering around the incense burner to grab the offerings. In the distance, the sea songs of fishermen drifted into the temple gate, mixed with the salty smell of the tide.

Xu Yiyi stood aside with the tribute. The fish, dragon and beast made of colored glaze shone with blue and green light in the sunlight.

The copper bells on the eaves rang softly in the wind, and the tinkling sound drowned out the noise of the crowd.

She suddenly recalled what her great-uncle had said, that the ringing of the bell was the Sea Goddess counting heads - if anyone had not offered incense when the bell stopped, they would surely encounter storms when they went out to sea next year.

The light in the main hall was dim, and only the hundreds of oil lamps on the altar made the golden statue of the Sea Goddess dazzling.

The statue was wearing a phoenix crown and a red robe, but its face was more majestic than the gods in the county town’s City God Temple. Its gold-painted eyes were half closed, as if it could really see through the thoughts of every kneeling worshiper.

"Make way! We from Sha'ao Village will be the first to offer incense!"

Several shirtless men squeezed over carrying a whole tuna, with blood still oozing from its gills.

Xu Yiyi quickly protected his brother and sister-in-law behind him.

Aunt Li was standing by and couldn't dodge in time, and the offerings in the bamboo basket were knocked askew, and a corner of the oil paper wrapping the mooncakes was torn off.

"What's so great about that? It's just catching a swordnose fish."

Aunt Li grumbled in displeasure, but Li Xiuying started to laugh.

Because one of these men is his fiancé.

Thinking of this, he turned around proudly to look at Xu Yiyi, but who would have thought that Xu Yiyi was busy talking to Er'er and didn't notice this side at all.

"Don't push, don't push, there are rules to follow in front of the Sea Goddess!"

The hoarse voice of the temple keeper came from beside the altar.

Xu Yiyi took a few more glances. He was a thin old man with skin as dark as old ship wood. There was a scar on his left cheek that extended to his neck, as if he had been whipped by a rope.

She took the opportunity to move her brother and sister-in-law to the table on the right side.

The deity enshrined here is the "Pearl Girl", the maid of the Goddess of the Sea. She is said to be a minor deity in charge of the tides. The incense offerings here are much quieter than those on the main altar, which makes it easier for them to do their work.

"Sanchuan holds the wine, Er'er places the cake, remember to raise both hands above your head."

Xu Yiyi whispered instructions and took out three coarse pottery cups from the basket.

When the rice wine is poured, fine bubbles appear, just like the sound of waves hitting the shore.

Next came the yellow croaker whose scales she had deliberately left on. The fish's eyes were covered with red paper, and a copper coin was placed in the fish's mouth - this was a trick she had learned from Auntie A-si last night.

Then, he followed his uncle and aunt, and Xu Yi said every word she said.

After burning incense, people began to pour into the Temple of Poseidon.

The incense is burning continuously.

"Auntie, here are the keys to our house. Please help feed the animals when you have time. When you return from the capital tomorrow, I'll bring you and my grandmother some new treats."

Xu Yiyi said as she handed over the key around her neck.

"I really envy you for being able to go to the capital again."

Xu Honglian pouted with an unhappy look on her face, and looked at Xu Yiyi with a hint of envy in her eyes.

"How about you come too?"

Xu Yiyi asked tentatively, and Xu Honglian's eyes lit up instantly.

Before she could say anything, Auntie A Si pinched her arm.

"Just go home and stay there obediently!"

Looking at the scorching sun, Aunt A Si was afraid that Xu Honglian's fair complexion, which she had cultivated with great effort, would be sunburned away again.

"Sister Honglian, I will definitely go to the Lantern Festival more often and tell you how much fun it is when I come back."

Er'er said this seriously, but who would have thought that Xu Honglian was even more depressed.

"Okay, hurry up and get to the dock! Otherwise, you'll miss the trip."

Asi waved his hand and took Xu Honglian to the temple fair.

Xu Yiyi and several children in her family placed the offerings after the worship on Uncle Pinghai's boat, and quickly boarded the merchant ship bound for the provincial capital.

Lingxi County has a special location, and the entire county is a long distance away from the sea.

It is much farther to get to the provincial capital from here than from Ping'an Town.

After half a day, when we arrived at the provincial capital, the kids all looked a little listless.

Xu Yiyi had no choice but to go to the inn and book a few rooms. Sanchuan and Sihai fell asleep as soon as they entered the room.

After the merchant ship docked, A Yue became a little impatient and kept asking to go out.

Er'er coaxed the person for a long time before he finally calmed down.

Outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the green-tiled roofs red. In the distance came the shouts of vendors packing up their stalls, the muffled sounds of porters unloading goods, and the aroma of stir-fried dishes wafting from some restaurant.

Xu Yiyi sat by the window, looking at the lanterns that were gradually lighting up, and was thinking about where to take the children for a walk later.

Wu Yuan, nestled in her arms, babbled and made a fuss about wanting to go out.

When Sanchuan and Sihai woke up, the lights outside were already on.

The night market in the city is a hundred times more lively than that in Ping'an Town. Lanterns are hung high on the long street, illuminating the bluestone road with warm light.

Various stalls are lined up along the street. When the steamer is opened, white mist billows out. The fried food in the oil pan sizzles. Children gather in front of the sugar painting stall. Street performers beat gongs and drums, attracting passers-by to stop.

"Big sis! I want to eat that!"

As soon as Sihai saw the food, he immediately became energetic and jumped up and down, pointing at a stall selling fried oysters not far away.

Xu Yiyi smiled and nodded, holding their hands tightly and walking towards the stall.

The stall owner was a very thin old man. He heated the iron pan to a sizzling temperature. He poured a spoonful of batter into it, and with a "sizzling" sound, white steam instantly rose up. He then sprinkled a handful of fresh oysters and leeks on it. When he turned it over, it became golden and crispy. Finally, he poured sweet and spicy sauce on it, and the aroma went straight into people's noses.

The fragrance was so strong that Sihai couldn't even walk, and Wuyuan lay on her back with his mouth drooling.

"Five oyster omelets, one with extra sauce."

Xu counted out the copper coins one by one, then turned to the children and asked, "What else do you want to eat?"

"Candied haws!" Er'er's eyes sparkled.

"Meat dumplings!" Sanchuan was not willing to be outdone.

Xu Yiyi agreed with a smile and took them for a walk along the street.

The vendor selling sugar-roasted chestnuts swung his shovel, the crisp crackle of the shells mingling with the aroma of caramel. At the fish ball soup stall, the owner stirred the milky broth with a long spoon, and the snow-white fish balls floated in and out. And then there was the vendor selling taro cakes, fresh from the pan, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Take a bite, and the sweet and fragrant taro paste overflowed...

Xu Yiyi bought one portion for each of the little kids, but only tasted two bites herself, and let Sanchuan and Sihai share the rest.

When she reached a stall selling peanut soup, she finally stopped, ordered a bowl of ice-cold sweet soup, and sipped it.

The night wind is cool and the lights are bright.

On the stage in the distance, the puppet show was at its most exciting part and the crowd burst into cheers.

Sanchuan and Sihai squeezed in the front, looking up with fascinated eyes.

At three quarters after the twilight, the lanterns on the streets of the West Market in the city were suddenly lit.

Xu Yiyi untied Wu Yuan from his back and brought him to her, looking at his eyes reflecting the flames in the sky.

Thousands of glazed lanterns were hung under the eaves of the houses along the entire street. The shapes of carp leaping over the dragon gate, unicorn stepping on auspicious clouds, and Chang'e flying to the moon swayed gently in the wind. Even the moss in the corners of the walls was dyed a warm golden color by the candlelight.

"Look, big sister!"

Er'er exclaimed and suddenly pointed to the moat. Three pleasure boats were slowly passing by, with lotus lanterns taller than people tied to the bows. The fish oil in the wicks crackled, illuminating the thousands of water lanterns floating on the water.

Sihai went after the candy seller's carrying pole. The syrup pulled out golden threads in the moonlight, and the peddler's rattle sounded loudly.

"Slower!"

Xu Yiyi's heart tightened, and she was about to pull Sihai back.

The next moment, he was picked up by someone.

"Uncle Zhong!"

Xu Yiyi forced a smile and greeted the person.

"You're still so naughty! It's so crowded now, not like when you were in Ping'an Town. You're not afraid of getting lost no matter how much you run. Just stay by your big sister's side."

Zhong Xiang put Sihai down and patted his chubby little butt.

Sihai didn't like this person very much, and walked back to his elder sister hesitantly.

Zhong Xiang walked up and asked, "Did you come all the way from town specifically to visit the Lantern Festival?"

Xu Yiyi responded with a smile and asked the children to say hello.

Zhong Xiang felt as if he was in another world. It was clear that the Xu family was still poor a few months ago. The children were dressed in rags and were thin and small. They looked unlucky.

Now everything looks different. Xu Yiyi is indeed a capable person.

After his parents passed away, he managed to keep the family going and raised his children to be plump and healthy.

Especially the little one in her arms, what was he thinking at that time?

Zhong Xiang was stunned and his eyes turned away.

Yes, at that time everyone thought that the child would definitely not survive.

Unexpectedly, he not only survived, but also fared better than he expected.

You can tell from his eyes that he is a smart kid.

The more I look at it, the angrier I get. It would have been great if the engagement hadn't been cancelled.

Zhong Xiang couldn't help but think about it and really didn't want to continue chatting with Xu Yiyi. After a while, he left on the pretext of having something to do.

"Sister, why do I feel like he's a little weird?"

Sanchuan said thoughtfully, watching the bell ring and squeezing into the crowd.

"It's just an imbalance in my heart."

Er'er said dissatisfiedly that the Zhong family was not a shameless family.

Even after breaking off the engagement, he still comes to harass my elder sister every few days.

It's just that my eldest sister has become rich now and has taken a fancy to my restaurant.

"Say less."

Xu Yiyi shouted at the top of her voice. Wu Yuan had long been impatient with them stopping for so long, and now he came over with a frown on his brow and an unhappy look.

Er'er stuck out her tongue and said nothing. The next moment she grabbed her elder sister's sleeve and looked up at the tall watermelon lanterns along the street.

The turquoise melon skin was carved with winding branches, and the candlelight inside made the tip of her nose shine. "Big sister! Look! That rabbit lantern's ears can move!"

The streets were almost shoulder to shoulder with huge crowds of people.

Xu Yiyi really couldn't take care of so many children, so she had to take the rope out of the cloth bag.

They were tied to several children one by one.

"Sister? What is this?"

Sihai pulled the rope and found that it tightened around his waist.

"A rope! What else could it be? There are so many people here, I can't keep up. This is the only way."

Xu Yiyi spoke helplessly. She had thought there would be many people at the Lantern Festival but she didn't expect there would be so many.

It clearly exceeded her expectations.

"I'll buy you a candy man first."

Xu Yiyi and a few other children squeezed in front of the candy man's shoulder pole.

The old man selling sugar figures was drawing birds and beasts with honey, and the master who blew the sugar figures puffed up his cheeks and blew out a jade rabbit that was translucent in the blink of an eye.

Sanchuan and Sihai stared at it intently. This thing couldn't be found in the town.

"What do you want?"

The old master asked a question, and the three children talked at once.

A Yue stood aside in silence, as if the excitement had nothing to do with her.

"What do you want, Yue?"

Xu Yiyi patted her hands, and A Yue came back to her senses.

Looking at the things on the burden, he picked up a rabbit.

Before she could think about it, the children were attracted by other things.

"Run slower!" Xu Yiyi clenched the sugar painting in her hand. The long sleeves of Chang'e drawn with the thin sugar had not yet solidified, and she was afraid that they would be melted by the collision.

Sanchuan suddenly tugged at the belt around her waist and pointed his finger at the acrobatic troupe on the high platform in the middle of the street.

"Look, big sister! That guy wielding the meteor hammer has a string of copper coins hanging around his waist. The jingling sound is louder than me reciting my lessons!"

She was so busy that she answered casually, and squeezed past the shoulder pole selling sweet osmanthus cakes with her child. Sihai suddenly pointed at the floating lanterns in the sky and exclaimed.

These kids haven't shut their mouths since they came out of the inn.

After finally stopping, Xu Yiyi quickly took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped Wu Yuan's sweat.

"Just now, I passed by the moat and saw someone releasing lotus lanterns into the water. Would you like to release one?"

There aren't as many people over there, so you can go there to light a few lotus lanterns and take a break.

Before he finished speaking, Sihai was already running forward with his sleeves pulled up.

Sanchuan had specially changed into a navy blue cotton robe this morning, but now his shoes were being pulled down, and the silver bracelet on his hand was jingling against the peddler's shoulder pole.

"Selling glass!" A crisp shout came from the corner.

Er'er was attracted by the glass rabbit on the stall owner's counter, and suddenly saw Sanchuan squatting in front of the lantern shop, poking a "revolving lantern" with his fingertips and spinning it.

Suddenly, the sound of drums and music came from the direction of the west city gate.

Sihai quickly grabbed Sanchuan's hand and pushed forward. Er'er suddenly pointed at the street ring and said with a smile: "Guess the riddle and win a lantern!"

Er Er let go of A Yue's hand and pulled San Chuan into the crowd: "San Chuan, help me guess! I want the lantern at the top!

Under the colorful tent for guessing lantern riddles, colorful pieces of paper were hung under hundreds of small lanterns, and many people stopped to concentrate on thinking.

"I'll try it first."

Sanchuan blushed and was eager to try.

Sihai walked to a carp lantern and asked, "You don't even know me by this word?"

Sihai frowned and suddenly felt that it was not fun.

"Nonsense, it's obvious that you don't recognize it."

Er'er tapped Sihai's little head and moved forward.

Xu Yiyi turned and looked at A Yue.

"Ayue, are you feeling well? I see you've been in a bad mood all night."

Xu Yiyi asked with concern.

Ah Yue lowered her eyes and took a bite of the candy man in her mouth. "I'm not uncomfortable, nor am I unhappy."

A Yue didn't want to talk, but was afraid that Xu Yiyi would keep asking questions, so she hurried under the colorful tent.

This action made Xu Yiyi realize that something was wrong.

A Yue's eyes didn't seem as ignorant as before.