I never expected that Uncle would abandon me as well. It has been thirteen years since I came from Anxi County to Quanzhou City to seek refuge with him when I was seven. We have always depended on each other; he treated me like his own son, and I could never bring myself to hate him. Thirteen years ago, also while fleeing disaster, I lost my sister. In this chaotic world, I thought I had no one left to rely on. It was Uncle who gave me clothes and food, taught me traditional Chinese medicine, taught me to read and write, told me about the insignificance of our lives, the wish to cure all the world’s illnesses, and the calling to heal the people... Now, all I have left is this boat ticket and the ten yuan bill he gave me earlier. I have nothing to complain about.

I am just heartbroken that Uncle left secretly without telling me the truth. As a lowly person in troubled times, honestly, if he had just told me, I would have understood. In this ruined era, so many things have already veered off the course of normal life.

At the time, I thought nothing could get worse than it already was. But now, facing this strange “Wu Cao” boat alone, I realize this is actually the biggest problem I have ever faced.

I was among the first to pay and board the ship. I showed the Sailor guarding the gangway the coin in my hand with a special mark. He took it and examined it for a long time, then reluctantly waved me on. I climbed up the gangway onto the ship.

From the part of the hull above the waterline, it was clear this ship had already spent a long time at sea. Several areas below the waterline were covered with barnacles and countless shell-like parasites. The rest of the hull, however, looked like fairly new wood, with not many parasites on it. But this contrast only made the ship look even more mottled and uneven, which was rather unsettling.

Judging by this, it seemed the hull had recently undergone major repairs or modifications. Was it to prepare for this long voyage?

But I knew that wasn’t the real reason the ship felt strange to me. After boarding the deck and walking to the rail, I finally began to notice something unusual.

Chapter Three: The Beautiful Woman

“Tall”—that was my first impression. This Wu Cao was very tall, or rather, too tall.

Wu Cao is a type of inshore vessel, with an extremely sturdy hull, very durable, and a narrow bottom with a wide top below deck, making it ideal for fishing in inland seas. Even if it hits a reef, it can usually withstand the impact. But it also has a fatal flaw: if it sails into the open sea, the wind and waves will make it rock endlessly or even capsize because it’s top-heavy. So, to go out to sea, a Wu Cao needs a lot of ballast stones to weigh it down and lower the waterline.

But this Wu Cao was clearly taller than any I had been on before. I could tell just by looking down from the rail. That meant this ship must have ballast stones, and the hull was much lighter than other ships.

I recalled some rumors I’d heard about the Fuchang, and as far as I knew, no one had ever mentioned anything unusual about the height of its hull. Which made sense—at this height, how could it possibly make it out to sea? Even a small wave would make the ship rock violently, and if the waves got any bigger, the ship might never reach its true destination.

Maybe it was just because no passengers had boarded yet, I thought. That was the only explanation I could come up with.

I was among the first to board, and many people didn’t even know the Fuchang had docked. Neither cargo nor people had come aboard yet. Maybe once everyone was on, the hull would sink a bit lower.

That seemed reasonable, but when I looked at another Wu Cao docked nearby, I felt something was off. That ship should have been in a similar situation as the Fuchang, but it was clearly a whole level shorter.

At my height, that difference was almost the height of an entire cabin.

Puzzled, I wanted to ask a Sailor, but everyone passing by looked fierce, and I didn’t know if there was some taboo about asking, so I suppressed my questions.

Besides, even if I found out something, I would still have to stay on the ship. Knowing too much would only bring me more trouble.

Soon, what happened next made me realize that those strange feelings were not just my imagination. To explain clearly, let’s take it step by step.

In the distance, Quanzhou City and the top of Chengu Mountain were still bustling with people. All these people, like me, would soon embark on an uncertain journey at sea. Before I boarded, I actually envied the Sailor who went out to sea. In these turbulent times, their lives seemed the safest and simplest. But once I was actually on the unfamiliar Fuchang, I inexplicably began to feel afraid.

I steadied myself, deciding not to dwell on these pointless thoughts, and instead checked if there was anything I needed to prepare. With such a mixed crowd and this strange ship, this journey was bound to be anything but smooth. Living in these chaotic times, heightened vigilance had become a necessary instinct. I quietly organized my bundle, and stuffed some valuables into the inner layer of my belt, finally feeling a bit more secure.

After I finished, I suddenly noticed that on the other side of the rail, many newly boarded passengers were pointing down and whispering, as if something interesting was happening.

Curious, I immediately leaned over the rail and looked in the direction they were pointing. Instantly, I saw a bright red figure in the crowd below. I immediately knew it was a slender woman in a red qipao.