The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Bottom Line, Law-Abiding

Han Xiaorui stared at the plain, grayish piece of raw sea bamboo in her hand, a little taken aback. ”Something this good and valuable... why is it so rare?”

Chen Yishui explained, ”It’s precisely because it’s good that it’s been overharvested. It grows very slowly. It takes five hundred years for the main trunk to grow just two centimeters. A single sea bamboo plant could very well be tens of thousands of years old.”

”My neighbor used to have a pair of bracelets made from this stuff. He had sweaty hands and would fiddle with them every day. The more he handled them, the redder and more beautiful they became, and the patterns stayed just as clear.”

”You don’t have to worry about fakes, either. Authenticating sea bamboo is the easiest thing. Just look at it with a magnifying glass. It’s covered in super-fine pores—its breathing holes. That’s impossible to counterfeit.”

”Sea bamboo also functions as a ’barometer.’ Before a storm, the shiny surface of a sea bamboo artifact will turn dull and secrete a small amount of sticky fluid. When the weather clears up, it goes right back to normal.”

”It’s said to lower blood pressure, slow the heart rate, and help with arrhythmia and vascular and intestinal spasms. It helps the body tolerate low oxygen levels, has anti-cancer properties, cools the spleen to relieve constipation, and is especially effective for hemorrhoids. That’s why black coral sea bamboo has been called the ’Divine Tree of the Sea’ since ancient times.”

...

Han Xiaorui felt like the pieces of sea bamboo in her hand were burning a hole in her pocket. ”Sister Shui, this stuff is so amazing and grows so slowly... it must have been harvested to near-extinction. It’s surely listed as a protected species.”

”I’m going to put this down for now and go look through some books in the cabin. If it’s legally protected, I can’t take it, no matter how expensive it is. I won’t break the law.”

Han Xiaorui went into the cabin, pulled a few books from a drawer, and began to read them carefully.

These were books she had gotten through Chen Yupeng, who worked in customs. They covered protected rare species not only in the country but around the world.

When she found the page on sea bamboo, Han Xiaorui sucked in a sharp breath. A policy prohibiting its harvest and sale had been enacted in 1985 to protect the precious biological resource.

Han Xiaorui brought the book out and showed everyone. Then, right in front of them all, she threw the sea bamboo back into the sea.

”We can’t do anything illegal, no matter how tempting. And we can’t take anything illegal, no matter how valuable.”

After seeing this, everyone agreed that Han Xiaorui had a point, but they also thought she was making a mountain out of a molehill.

”Ship Owner, we’re all friends here. If no one talks, no one will ever know,” Sister Lan said with a smile. ”Besides, it’s not like we harvested it on purpose. Throwing it back into the sea is just a waste. Why not let us take it home?”

”Exactly, Ship Owner. Don’t be so rigid. The jewelry made from this stuff is beautiful. It would be a shame not to keep it.”

Seeing that they were disregarding the law, Han Xiaorui patiently explained, ”You might be right that no one would report it, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s illegal.”

”If it’s a protected species, that means it’s truly on the verge of extinction. If you don’t care for it and I don’t care for it, sooner or later it will disappear from this planet.”

”No matter how beautiful the jewelry made from it might be, I have plenty of accessories already; I’m not missing this one. There’s no need to wear accessories made from something illegal.”

”I appreciate everyone’s kind intentions, I really do. But my principle is to not break the law. We had a huge haul with the ambergris this trip, so there’s no need to feel bad about the sea bamboo I tossed.”

Liang Xiaoyu understood Han Xiaorui’s personality. If she didn’t want to do something, no one could force her.

”Xiao Rui is right, actually. There are plenty of beautiful things in the world; there’s no need to break the law for one. And since Xiao Rui is the big boss, she has to be especially careful with her words and actions. She can’t afford to be reckless.”

Chen Yishui chuckled and scratched her head. ”Haha, we’re still stuck in our old ways of thinking. We really need to learn more about the laws and regulations these days. Otherwise, we could break the law and end up in jail without even realizing it!”

After Han Xiaorui’s explanation, everyone had a deeper understanding of the relevant laws.

Liang Xiaoyu urged her, ”Xiao Rui, go rest in the cabin. Don’t just stand around. We rough folks don’t like to read, so you should read more.”

As she spoke, she personally escorted Han Xiaorui to the cabin, not letting her wander about.

Outside, the crew sat in small groups. Some went back to sleep.

Sister Tang smiled. ”Our ship owner is kind and law-abiding. We can’t go wrong by following her.”

Liang Xiaoyu nodded. ”Of course. Who in Jinshan Bay doesn’t give Xiao Rui a thumbs-up these days?”

”It’s because Xiao Rui is so good that we crew members need to hold ourselves to a higher standard and not cause trouble for the ship owner,” Chen Yishui said with a smile. ”Now that she’s pregnant, everyone needs to be more considerate and work a little harder so she doesn’t get tired.”

Everyone readily agreed. During the rest of the fishing trip, they proved it with their actions, resolutely refusing to let Han Xiaorui lift a finger.

When Liu Huamei learned Han Xiaorui was pregnant, she started preparing special meals for her that were suitable for expectant mothers. It wasn’t like before, when they just ate whatever was tastiest; now she had to consider the needs of both the mother and the baby in her womb.

’Being fussed over by everyone like this... I’m really not used to it!’

The two-day, two-night trip concluded. By the morning of the second day, the fish hold was full, and they were ready to head back.

They could have actually headed back at midnight, but they heard over the radio that Captain Qi and Captain Wu hadn’t filled their holds yet, so they delayed their return.

Just then, Wu Guangfu was on the radio, chatting with Qi Heng. ”How’s the haul on your end?”

Qi Heng chuckled. ”Better than last time. How about you?”

”Better than last time here, too.” Wu Guangfu glanced toward his own fish hold, so envious he could almost drool.

’Back when I was a ship owner, if I’d had hauls like this, why would I ever have sold my big ship?’

’But there was no use regretting it now. It really all came down to luck.’

He was now a firm believer in Han Xiaorui’s good fortune. Fishing on her boat, the hauls were fast and plentiful, and they even saved on fuel.

”All right, stop whining about your old ship,” Qi Heng said. ”You just weren’t destined for it. Just focus on being a good captain. You earn plenty and don’t have to worry about overhead.”

Wu Guangfu nodded. ”I’m just a little envious, that’s all. The rest is fine. These last few trips have actually been pretty relaxing for me. Even though the work on the boat is tiring, payday feels amazing. It’s so much less stressful than when I was a ship owner.”

Qi Heng agreed. ”So just keep up the good work. Brother Yang and Xiao Han aren’t harsh or stingy. I’ve been doing this for a long time now, and I’m very happy. I don’t even think about buying my own boat anymore.”

After Qi Heng’s encouragement, Wu Guangfu felt much better. ”Alright, I’ll let you go. When we get back to shore, I’ll buy you a drink. Time to get back to work!”

’Even as captain, I still have to work. Got to earn the salary and commission the boss pays.’

Meanwhile, Han Xiaorui was taking it easy. ”Sister Shui, Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, and all you other sisters, I have a favor to ask all of you.”

Liang Xiaoyu glanced at Han Xiaorui’s stomach. ”You’re not going to ask us to keep your pregnancy a secret, are you?”

Han Xiaorui smiled and nodded. ”That’s right. Look at me, I’m in great shape right now. It’s almost April, and the fishing ban starts May first. I just want to come out with you all for this one last month, catch more fish, and help everyone earn more money.”

Chen Yishui hesitated. ”But... but...”

Han Xiaorui waved her hand dismissively. ”No buts. You all say I’m favored by Mazu. I feel most comfortable when I’m out on the sea. If I get morning sickness or start feeling unwell, I promise I won’t come out on the boat with you.”