Reborn As Super Heiress

Chapter 741: Chapter 738 Touching Shells

Youming Island isn’t very large, but it is densely wooded; however, since there are no freshwater sources on the island, no one lives there. Only some fishermen from the fishing village would occasionally stop by the island when they went out to sea to fish.

Now that they had arrived at Youming Island, the Luo Family didn’t rush to go back to sea. They decided to rest on the island first and wait for Luo Jinling and Uncle Luo to find them with the large boat.

Since this catch had exceeded Master Luo’s expectations, he wore a smile on his face and stopped insisting that Luo Jinzhi help untangle and organize the nets. Instead, he asked Jin Zhi to take Huo Sining for a stroll on the island.

This suggestion was, of course, to Si Ning’s liking. Youming Island had been Jin Zhi’s secret base since childhood; she had come here so often that she was very familiar with everything on the island, cherishing it deeply like her own home treasures.

”Over there, you can see a bay that’s just like a pond. When I was younger and went out to sea with my sister and others, we often came here to bathe. The water in the bay is shallow, and there are many seashells washed in by the tides that we liked to dive for and play with while bathing.”

With a smile, Luo Jinzhi led Huo Sining and Qin Shui to a small bay. As expected, the bay was just like a pool of water, no more than three or four meters deep and as clear as could be to the bottom.

”Does that mean we can go in for a wash too?” Si Ning had never bathed in the sea before. She now had the Water-Repelling Pearl, allowing her to be in the water as if wearing a protective barrier. Suddenly seeing such inviting seawater, she felt excited and couldn’t help but ask Jin Zhi eagerly.

It was the middle of summer and the weather was hot, especially at sea, under the blazing sun. There was a strong impulse to jump into the water. Hearing Si Ning’s question, Jin Zhi naturally wouldn’t refuse, ”Of course. My second sister and my uncle should be arriving soon. We can bathe here and then follow their big boat back.”

Saying so, Luo Jinzhi was the first to rush into the waters of the bay. Seeing this, Qin Shui and Huo Sining shared a smile and then followed Jin Zhi into the sea.

The cool water flowed over ankles, waists, and shoulders, and in an instant, Si Ning felt a different kind of comfort and refreshment, letting out a sigh, ”This is really nice.”

Luo Jinzhi’s face, usually shy and insecure, finally showed a hint of pride, ”How is it? Fun, isn’t it?”

Si Ning nodded, ”It’s fun. I’m so happy I’ve forgotten all my troubles back in Shu. I envy you. If only I had grown up by the sea as well.”

Although the bay was only three or four meters deep, there was still plenty to see underwater, including a variety of algae, colorful and complex in shape and hue.

Besides that, there were all sorts of animals, like the leisurely swimming sea turtles, sea urchins and sea stars clinging motionless to the rocks, the darting needlefish that appeared and disappeared like dragons, and in the water, there were also transparent jellyfish and octopuses waving their tentacles.

Of course, there was no need to mention things like seashells; they were among the most abundant life forms on the seafloor.

Qin Shui and Luo Jinzhi, both being good swimmers, and Huo Sining, armed with her Water-Repelling Pearl, were not afraid of the water. After testing Si Ning’s swimming abilities, Qin Shui suddenly suggested a competition to see who could find the most and the prettiest seashells.

Si Ning, of course, had no objections. If it were anything else, she definitely wouldn’t stand much of a chance against the fishermen who had grown up by the sea. But when it came to collecting seashells, it was all about diving and holding one’s breath, and in that regard, she really had nothing to fear.

The three agreed to meet back at the shore in half an hour to settle their respective gains. At the signal, they splashed into the water.

Eager to win the competition, Luo Jinzhi and Qin Shui naturally dived into the water without delay, while Huo Sining leisurely strolled in.

The underwater scenery was beautiful, too, with all sorts of colorful things. There were diatoms that could only be observed with a microscope, kelps that stretched for meters, transparent jellyfish, and fish that glowed on their own. The world beneath the sea was full of wonders and unparalleled beauty.

Huo Sining wasn’t in a hurry as she picked and chose—she didn’t take every shell she came across but selected the most brilliantly colored and oddly shaped seashells and conches. After about ten minutes of picking, her hands were almost too full to hold any more.

Just as she was about to turn back to the shore, she accidentally stepped on a hard object in the soft sand that caused a sharp pain in the sole of her foot, making her instinctively draw her foot back.

When she looked down, she discovered an unusual shell buried in the mud and sand beneath her feet.

This shell was large and heavy, the size of a football, golden in color with a metallic luster, shaped somewhat like a hat and also similar to a majestic palace plated in red gold.

Huo Sining squatted down and examined it closely. Upon inspection, she realized that the shell was not a living creature but a seashell that had died a long time ago. The flesh inside had long since vanished, leaving only the empty shell, dull and conical, about seven or eight centimeters tall with a low spire, swollen body whorl, and full with nodules, its surface studded with protruding lumps, looking smooth and translucent.

As she picked up the shell, her forehead’s Water-Repelling Pearl flickered non-stop, confirming her suspicion that this shell certainly must be a treasure.

Although unclear about the exact nature of the shell, the identification provided by the Water-Repelling Pearl was assurance enough. Without hesitation, Huo Sining stuffed the shell into her Spatial Storage Ring and turned to continue her search.

Just then, her gaze was suddenly drawn to a sneaky figure skulking near the base of a nearby reef, flickering in and out of visibility among the rocks.

Huo Sining’s eyes lit up, and without a second thought, she rushed towards the figure, instinctively reaching out to grab two small feelers poking out from the crevice in the rock.

But as quick as Huo Sining was, the figure was faster. The moment she reached out her hand, the figure shot out from the other side and bolted away.

Such a large lobster!

Seeing the lobster’s two large pincers, a quiet thrill rose in Huo Sining’s heart. The lobster was big—she estimated it was over ten kilograms at least. In her mind, it could only compare with the lobsters from Australia.

Such a large lobster that had probably lived at least a decade was a rare encounter. How could Huo Sining possibly let it slip away?

So, without notifying Luo Jinzhi or Qin Shui, she immediately pursued the lobster, heading toward the deep sea area.