Barbecue and Fishing at Sea

On the deck of the houseboat, three children—Qinqin, Weiwei, and Xinxin—leaned on the railing, gazing out at the sea.

"Sister Weiwei, Xinxin, can you see how blue the sea is in the distance?" Qinqin exclaimed.

"Sister Xinxin, isn't water colorless? How can it be blue?" Ye Xin inquired.

"I don't know. Sister Weiwei is in the first grade. She should know why the sea is blue, right?" Qinqin suggested.

"I'm not sure. Why don't we ask Aunt Shuangshuang?" Ye Wei proposed.

"Okay, let's ask Aunt Shuangshuang."

So the three children abandoned their sea-watching and rushed toward Cheng Shuangshuang, who sat on a chair engrossed in a book, and began their inquiry.

Cheng Shuangshuang smiled and proceeded to explain to the children why the sea appeared blue.

Following this question, the trio bombarded Cheng with countless other queries, to which she patiently responded.

Meanwhile, Fei Wei and Sun Siqi stood at the bow of the boat engaged in conversation, their topic unheard by others.

Jiang Xianhai sat upright and noticed Ye Cheng and Lin Yuanyuan emerging, prompting him to greet them warmly.

Ye Cheng nodded and followed Lin Yuanyuan to the stern of the boat, where they could see Hairun Pier in the distance along with the towering buildings of Pengcheng.

"Standing on the boat feels incredibly relaxing, doesn't it?" Lin Yuanyuan remarked, relishing the sea breeze against her skin.

"Being cooped up at home every day with the children must be exhausting. It's good to get out and relax a bit," Ye Cheng replied. "We should make it a habit to come out to sea every week when we have the time."

"Husband, let's take a picture," Lin Yuanyuan suggested suddenly, retrieving her phone.

"Sure thing," Ye Cheng agreed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as they posed with the sea as their backdrop.

Lin Yuanyuan snapped a photo and then gestured for more. "Let's take a few more shots so I can share them on social media."

During this period, with most of their time spent at home, Lin Yuanyuan missed going out. On the other hand, Ye Cheng rarely checked social media and seldom posted updates, his last being the announcement of Xiao Feifei's birth.

After more than half an hour of cruising, the houseboat had covered about ten nautical miles, and the land and distant cities were now visible on the horizon. Occasionally, a yacht would speed past.

At this moment, Captain Xiao Yongming emerged from the operating cabin.

"Mr. Ye, this area isn't far from the coast. The sea breeze and waves are relatively mild, making it an ideal spot for temporarily docking the yacht," Xiao Yongming explained.

"Well, Captain Xiao, then here it is.

Ye Cheng nodded and said.

"Also, Mr. Ye, it's almost ten o'clock, and the sun is starting to shine. It is necessary to prevent the skin from being damaged by ultraviolet rays from the sea. It is best to stand in the shade or apply sunscreen to exposed skin."

Xiao Yongming said.

He knew that Ye Cheng's family should be going to sea for the first time, and he probably didn't have any experience at sea, so he reminded him.

"OK."

Ye Cheng nodded.

After the boat came to a complete stop, Ye Cheng activated the parasol on the deck, forming a large shaded area.

At the same time, he asked Qinqin and the other two to apply sunscreen to their skin.

The three children couldn't sit still for a moment, and if they were to sit under the umbrella, they would definitely be restless.

Aunt Xu brought out a large plate of fruits, all of which were the freshest seasonal fruits.

Lin Yuanyuan also brought some cold drinks.

"Captain Jiang, can you cook a barbecue?"

Ye Cheng asked Jiang Xianhai.

On this boat, there is a full set of barbecue tools, which is very convenient.

"Yes, I used to have dinner with friends and often cook barbecues myself."

Jiang Xianhai said.

"Then go get some ingredients from the kitchen, and we'll have a barbecue later."

Ye Cheng said.

Jiang Xianhai hurried off.

Ye Cheng started to prepare the barbecue equipment.

It is fixed on the opposite side. When not in use, it is encapsulated inside the side of the ship. When needed, it can be taken out. It is fully electrically controlled.

There is even a small platform next to it where food can be cleaned and prepared.

Moreover, this barbecue equipment is also equipped with the most advanced integrated range hood, which basically eliminates any oil fumes when in use.

Fei Wei and Sun Siqi also came to help.

First, they cleaned the barbecue grill, then dried it, took out some smokeless charcoal, put it in, and ignited it. Meanwhile, Jiang Xianhai and Aunt Xu were preparing various kinds of food.

In the end, Ye Cheng found himself idle.

Because all the work had been done by everyone else.

Cheng Shuangshuang also wanted to come and help, but Ye Cheng just let her watch and take care of the three children, lest any accidents happen to them.

After all, they were on a boat, surrounded by the sea. Although there were guardrails, Ye Cheng was still uneasy about the three of them running around.

At this time, Lin Yuanyuan came out holding Xiao Feifei.

Ye Cheng stepped forward and hugged Xiao Feifei.

"Just fed?"

Ye Cheng noticed white milk stains on the corner of the little one's mouth.

"I just fed her; be careful when you hold her; don't bump her, or she will spit up milk."

Lin Yuanyuan nodded and said.

"Understood."

Ye Cheng nodded.

Now that the boat is docked, the sea breeze is not particularly strong, and the temperature is high, The little one has a hat on her head, so she is not afraid of catching a cold.

But Ye Cheng didn't step out from under the umbrella.

Children's skin is too delicate to avoid being burned by sunlight and ultraviolet rays.

After staying on the deck for a while, Ye Cheng carried Xiao Feifei into the bedroom. The temperature outside was still a bit high, unlike the bedroom, which had air conditioning and was very comfortable.

As soon as he returned to the bedroom, little Fifi, who had been moving non-stop, suddenly became quiet.

Ye Cheng put her back on the bed.

She seemed to be trying to turn her head to look at Ye Cheng and others.

The little one played for a long time before finally starting to sleep.

The older the month, the shorter the sleep time each day.

Mainly, the development of the baby's brain and body organs is getting better and better.

At this moment, the door was pushed open, and Qin Qin ran in.

"Dad, can we eat barbecue?" Qin Qin said.

"Sure," Ye Cheng replied.

Ye Cheng walked out of the bedroom with Lin Yuanyuan, and Helan followed, leaving Yuesao to take care of little Feifei.

On the deck, Ye Cheng could smell the aroma of barbecue, especially strong.

With the sizzling sound, saliva is about to flow out.

On the table is a plate, already piled with grilled mutton, chicken wings, and so on.

The roasting method is obviously very good, and it looks very appetizing.

Ye Cheng picked up a bunch of mutton and ate it.

The outside is tender, and the inside is juicy, with a rich color and flavor.

"Captain Jiang, your barbecue skills are really good," Ye Cheng praised.

"Mr. Ye, it tastes good, but the seasonings are not well balanced. If you marinate for a longer time, the taste will be even better," Jiang Xianhai said, busy flipping the skewers.

"Sister Xu, please send some to the masters in the operation cabin," Ye Cheng instructed Aunt Xu.

"Okay," Aunt Xu nodded, then took a stainless steel plate and entered the operation cabin.

As for fruit drinks and the like, they were delivered long ago.

That's it; BBQ took up half of the afternoon.

During the period, Aunt Xu also cooked meals in the houseboat's kitchen, and the Chinese food was solved like this:.

After eating and drinking enough, Ye Cheng took out a few fishing rods and fixed them on the rod holder.

Fishing at sea.

And it's fishing on a yacht. For many people, that's something worth looking forward to.

"Come on, one shot per person. Whether you can eat fish for dinner depends on whether you can catch it," Ye Cheng said with a smile.

Jiang Xianhai and Fei Wei were both guarding a fishing rod.

Even Lin Yuanyuan couldn't help coming out of her bedroom to go fishing.

"Dad, I want to fish too."

Qinqin said, "It's very dangerous to take the boat out for fishing; children shouldn't fish. They should just sit under the umbrellas and watch."

Ye Cheng replied with a smile, "Oh, alright."

Qin Qin nodded.

Several people had been fishing for more than half an hour without any movement.

"Aren't there any fish around here?" Ye Cheng asked, sounding a bit puzzled.

"Mr. Ye, I've heard that if you want to catch fish in the sea, you need to encounter a school of fish," Jiang Xianhai explained.

"Well, then I'll ask Captain Xiao and the others. They often go out to sea and should know how to fish in these waters," Ye Cheng nodded, acknowledging Jiang Xianhai's point.

It was Ye Cheng's first time fishing at sea. He picked up a walkie-talkie and tuned in to the frequency used by Captain Xiao in the operating room, quickly establishing contact.

Upon hearing Xiao Yongming's response, Ye Cheng smiled. "Mr. Ye, if you manage to find a school of fish, your chances of catching some are high. Otherwise, it's quite difficult to catch scattered fish. However, even if you encounter a school of fish, luck plays a significant role. Fortunately, in the area where we're anchored, fish gatherings are common. We have a special fish sonar tracker on this boat. Once it's activated, it can detect nearby fish."

"I've already activated the fish sonar tracker. If a school of fish is detected, I'll inform you immediately. If not, we'll need to move the houseboat and search for fish schools nearby," Xiao Yongming added after a brief pause.

"Alright, we'll follow your instructions," Ye Cheng agreed.

After ending the conversation, Ye Cheng resumed watching over the fishing rod, waiting for a bite.

Despite wearing a sun hat and applying sunscreen, the sun's intensity was unbearable. Lin Yuanyuan and Sun Siqi sought refuge under the umbrella, leaving Ye Cheng alone to tend to the fishing rod.

After about ten minutes without any activity, Xiao Yongming's voice crackled through the walkie-talkie. "Mr. Ye, there are no fish within 1.8 nautical miles. I'm going to start moving the houseboat. Please retrieve your fishing lines."

"Understood," Ye Cheng acknowledged, then relayed the message to his companions.

They reeled in their lines, and soon the houseboat began to move, accompanied by the rumble of its diesel engine.

About ten minutes into the journey, Xiao Yongming's voice returned: "Mr. Ye, luck is on our side. We've located a school of fish, and it seems to be of considerable size. I'm going to stop the boat now. You can start fishing."

Shortly afterward, the houseboat slowed to a halt, and the noise from the engine gradually subsided.

Xiao Yongming continued to provide updates on the fish's position and movements. The school of fish was relatively stationary, still meandering in the vicinity.

Excited by the news, Ye Cheng, along with Fei Wei and Jiang Xianhai, baited their fishing rods and cast them into the water, securing them onto the brackets, eagerly anticipating the fish to take the bait.