"I told you, you always get confused, and I was right!" Uncle Grant squatted beside Edward Hill, "Brother, do you know who pushed you down? Look over there, the one with that flashy woman in the red qipao, that pretty boy—he's the one who pushed you into the sea. Your silver dollars are on him; he took them from you while you were unconscious."

Edward Hill looked at me, his eyes full of resentment. Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind—this is bad—and I instinctively reached for the pocket where I kept my silver dollars.

Meanwhile, Linda Brooks and Henry Clark were walking back toward us from a corner near the cabin door. Linda Brooks looked terrified, following behind Henry Clark, clutching tightly to the back hem of Henry Clark's shirt as if afraid he would abandon her. Annie and I exchanged a glance, not knowing what trick Henry Clark had used to win that woman's complete trust in just a few words. Amid my surprise, it suddenly occurred to me that if I hadn't warned her in time, Annie might have ended up just like Linda Brooks.

At this moment, Uncle Grant stopped talking to Edward Hill and stepped forward to greet Henry Clark with a smile: "Clark, you came at just the right time. I've already revived this man."

Strangely, when Linda Brooks heard her husband was awake, she showed no reaction at all, still clinging to Henry Clark's shirt. Henry Clark forced a smile and pushed Linda Brooks forward. As soon as Edward Hill saw her, he started scolding: "Shuimei, where did you go? I was just pushed into the sea—if this gentleman hadn't saved me, I'd be dead by now. Hey, Shuimei, what's wrong? Why aren't you answering me?"

Something was off about Linda Brooks. Her body was stiff, her eyes vacant, and her once delicate face was now wooden. She ignored Edward Hill's questions completely.

"Shuimei, what's wrong?" Edward Hill struggled to his feet, reaching out to grab his wife's wrist. Suddenly, Linda Brooks let out a shrill scream, yanked on Henry Clark's shirt, and stumbled backward a few steps, her hands flailing awkwardly. "Don't touch me, don't touch me, I don't know you!"

"Shuimei, I'm your husband, Shou Xiong! I'm Edward Hill! How can you not recognize me?" Edward Hill was stunned.

"Husband? Shou Xiong?" Linda Brooks's gaze was blank as she said coldly, "You're lying. I don't know you. I don't have a husband!"

"Shuimei..." Edward Hill tried to take Linda Brooks's hand again, but Linda Brooks screamed horribly once more and reached for Edward Hill's face. Luckily, Uncle Grant pushed him aside, or he would have been scratched and bleeding.

"Why... why is it like this when I wake up... What on earth happened?" Edward Hill couldn't accept the reality and cried out.

Uncle Grant said darkly from the side, "Are you really that stupid, or just pretending? Can't you see? Your wife was drugged by a child kidnapper!"

A chill ran through me unexpectedly, and I had a terrible premonition about what was about to happen. What kind of scheme were Uncle Grant and Henry Clark up to now? Were they targeting us? Annie's grip on my arm tightened, and in the dim cabin, her once rosy face had turned pale and lifeless. It seemed she sensed the danger too.

Chapter 11: Reunion of Loved Ones

I patted her, puzzled, thinking that Linda Brooks's dazed expression and strange behavior must have been caused by something Henry Clark did to her after taking her to the corner. But then, why did they bring Linda Brooks back? If they just wanted to trick women, wouldn't it have been easier to throw the unconscious Edward Hill into the sea and be done with it? While I was still confused, Uncle Grant's grating voice rang out: "The drug used by child kidnappers is strong, but it usually only confuses people temporarily. Just splash some cold water and they'll wake up. Clark, keep an eye on them, I'll go get some cold water."

With that, Uncle Grant pushed through the crowd of onlookers and ran out of the cabin. Soon, he returned carrying a leather bucket painted with sea fish, and immediately splashed the entire bucket of water onto Linda Brooks's face. Instantly, the unique salty fishy smell of seawater filled the air, even stronger than the smell on me.

Drenched from head to toe, Linda Brooks shivered and seemed to finally see Edward Hill in front of her. She cried out, "Husband, why am I all wet? I... When did you wake up?"

"You... I..." Edward Hill was clearly confused too, unable to form a complete sentence.

Uncle Grant sneered, pushed Edward Hill aside, and asked Linda Brooks, "Don't be afraid. Just answer honestly—what happened to you just now?"

"I..." Linda Brooks shook her head, looking completely bewildered. "My husband had just been pulled out of the sea, and I was crying and shaking him. Then someone came over, I smelled a fragrance, and then I don't remember anything. It was like I was dreaming, and then I woke up when someone splashed water on me."

"See, I was right!" Uncle Grant shouted. "There are child kidnappers on this boat! Quick, tell us who that person was!"