Chapter 93
At eleven o’clock in the evening, the rescue team arrived at North Swift Island.
Located directly north of Haidukou, North Swift Island was surrounded by numerous sea fish farms.
For transportation convenience, docks were built on both the northern and southern sides of the island.
In recent years, as the trend of private island paradises for vacationing gained popularity, North Swift Island also adapted to the times by developing high-end customized tours, specifically offering deep-sea fishing services for fishing enthusiasts.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before the island’s service resources failed to keep up, and its environmental facilities fell short of standards, leading to a gradual decline in tourists. Slowly, only die-hard enthusiasts like Old Shen, who loved fishing so much they didn’t mind roughing it outdoors, would rent boats to come here.
The rescue team leader was very familiar with this stretch of sea. Spotting North Swift Island from afar, he called out to the sailors to prepare to dock.
“When North Swift Island first developed its tourism industry, I brought my wife and son here. Unfortunately, the water quality near the shore isn’t good enough to develop marine projects like those in Sanya or Qingdao,” the rescue team leader said, leaning on the railing and gazing at North Swift Island blending into the night. “If the seawater isn’t clear enough, snorkeling isn’t possible. There are many undercurrents in the nearby waters, and diving deeper isn’t safe either. It’s only really suitable for fishing.”
“My child didn’t like it either, saying the smell of fish near the shore was too strong. Basically, most people who come to North Swift Island are lured by tourist brochures. If they’re not fishing enthusiasts, they won’t come back a second time.” He sighed and continued, “Later, as the number of tourists dwindled, the boats operating here couldn’t get enough business and gradually stopped taking jobs.”
He gently patted Ji Qinghe’s shoulder, offering comfort. “You don’t need to worry too much. If the old man comes here often, he might just be waiting on the island for a boat to pick him up.”
His intention was to tell Ji Qinghe that North Swift Island had once been a tourist attraction and that the surrounding waters were relatively stable and safe compared to other places.
But he wasn’t good with words and, after talking for a while without getting to the point, he simply gave up.
—
The rescue team’s boat docked at the southern pier of North Swift Island. Only the captain and two sailors remained on board, while the rest, including Ji Qinghe, disembarked. They began a systematic search along the coastline, gradually moving toward the center of the island.
It was nighttime, the tide was rising.
Seawater washed onto the beach, crashing against rocks and reefs, producing the rhythmic sound of waves, one surge after another.
North Swift Island was littered with abandoned recreational facilities, and beneath the trees lay dilapidated long tables and wooden chairs. This was just near the shore. Further inland, along the way, there were also long-neglected small wooden cabins and abandoned, unmaintained public restrooms.
Under the flashlight beams, these once-prosperous facilities resembled discarded dolls—old and decaying.
The deeper they went, they gradually began to see some houses on the island and steps paved with rocks. Occasionally, they could spot a few flashlight beams from the nearby woods, mingling with the chirping of unknown insects and birds, creating an eerie rustling sound.
The team leader couldn’t help but sigh. “In just a few short years, North Swift Island has become so desolate.”
Ji Qinghe slightly raised his gaze, his eyes settling on a wooden cabin ahead. Inside the cabin, a faint candlelight flickered, like a small, dim firefly glowing softly.
He asked, “Are there people living on North Swift Island?”
“Yes,” the team leader replied, pushing aside the branches hanging in front of him while reminding his teammates to watch out for mosquitoes, insects, snakes, and ants. “There’s always been an elderly man in his sixties or seventies keeping watch on the island. He doesn’t live here all the time, though. During the fishing ban period, he takes breaks and goes back to town to drink with friends.”"It seems like it's the fishing ban season right now?" Ji Qinghe's gaze fixed on the cluster of candlelight drawing closer to the window. He curled his lips slightly and shone the flashlight straight ahead toward the row of low houses, saying, "Let's go check over there."
——
After finishing the meeting, Shen Qianzhan went to sit on the rattan chair on the balcony.
The cramped, stuffy air and the smell of smoke inside the room filled her with immense disgust, as if trapped in a glass bottle filled with swamps—miasma, toxic fumes, and scorching heat made it unbearable to stay even a moment longer.
It was late at night, quiet and still, with a gentle breeze.
She lay on the rattan chair, looking up at the night sky.
Tonight’s sky wasn’t particularly beautiful, as if washed in ink, with heavy, uneven patches of color.
In the distance, dark clouds seemed to loom, brewing an impending storm.
Closer, within her sight, neon lights flickered—the city’s vibrant nightlife remained unaffected.
But none of this stopped her from continuing to gaze at the night sky.
After a busy day, this moment of quiet felt stolen, every minute and second incredibly precious.
She cleared a space in her mind, replaying the chaotic day that had been torn open by the ringing of her phone.
As she thought, her heart gradually settled.
Slowly, her eyelids drooped, and she closed them. Before she knew it, lulled by the cool night breeze, she fell asleep.
In her dream, Shen Qianzhan was startled awake by the ringing of her phone.
When she opened her eyes, she was lying alone on the large hotel bed.
On the phone screen, the words "Her Majesty Mother" stood out glaringly, instantly awakening some unpleasant memories.
Shen Qianzhan answered the call, as if already anticipating what had happened at home, and asked right away, "What about Old Shen? Still no contact?"
Shen’s Mother’s sobbing voice immediately stopped, and she asked in surprise, "How did you know?"
Just as she had expected, the situation was repeating itself at this moment.
Shen Qianzhan changed clothes while holding the phone between her ear and shoulder, hurriedly asking, "Where did Old Shen go fishing?"
"North Swift Island," Shen’s Mother whispered between sobs, pleading softly, "Dengdeng, you can’t abandon your dad. Please think of something."
Clutching her phone, Shen Qianzhan stepped out of the room. Anxious and in a hurry, she didn’t notice the scene suddenly shifting to a ferry dock.
Standing before her was the rescue team captain, whose features were unclear.
The captain’s voice was loud as he gripped the sail’s rope, urging her to board quickly: "If you’re any later, my boat will leave."
Shen Qianzhan apologized repeatedly, stepping onto the boat via the wooden plank and following the rescue team out to sea to save Old Shen.
From dawn to dusk, all she could see was the solitary boat and the scorching sun.
Across the vast sea, aside from a few seagulls, not a single passing fishing boat was in sight.
Puzzled, she leaned against the mast and asked the captain, "Didn’t they say there are quite a few merchant ships near North Swift Island? How come we haven’t seen a single one after all this time?"
The captain bit his cigarette, glancing sideways at her, and said, "Who told you that?"
Suddenly, she couldn’t recall the name, as if an eraser had wiped away all traces of his existence. She clearly remembered that such a person had existed, yet everything about him felt hazy, obscured by a thick fog.
Her heart instantly raced with panic. Deep down, she felt she had forgotten someone very important and precious.
But no matter how frantically she searched her memories, this person remained as elusive as morning mist, leaving her only with a faint silhouette that vanished the moment sunlight touched it.
Abruptly, day and night shifted.A sudden storm rose over the sea, fierce winds churning the waves and rocking the ship like a leaf tossed into the water.
Shen Qianzhan stumbled several times, falling onto the deck, drenched head to toe by the crashing waves.
The cabin and deck descended into chaos.
Amid the howling wind and roaring waves, lanterns hanging from steel cables were swept away by the surging sea. The entire ship groaned under the towering walls of water, nearly breaking apart.
At that moment.
A sailor spotted a small boat in the distance, pushed toward them by the waves. It was so tiny, like a simple bamboo raft, bobbing and swaying in the turbulent sea.
Immediately, rescue efforts began. Ropes and rope ladders were thrown over the side of the ship.
Finally, the raft was pushed closer by the waves, right before their eyes.
Only then did everyone realize that this seemingly fragile raft stood unwavering in the storm.
A tall, elegant figure stood beneath the sail, as if commanding the waves, walking steadily across the tumultuous sea.
He looked up, his gaze fixed precisely on Shen Qianzhan standing at the bow, and smiled calmly. "I've come for you."
He reached out, his slender fingers seeming to possess a magical allure, drawing her step by step forward.
She stepped onto the ship's rail, looking down at the young man who, like a deity, seemed to command the seas from the eye of the storm. Beyond his raft, towering waves rose like walls, swallowing the boundless darkness of the ocean.
He smiled, his gaze steady, nodding slightly to her. "Still don't believe me?"
Seawater splashed, scattered by the wind, misting her face.
Surrounded by the sound of rain plunging into the sea, she was soaked through.
She looked at him, as if enchanted, and leaped from the bow, throwing herself into his arms.
In the weightless sensation of the rapid fall, he reached out and caught her firmly. The sound of wind and waves faded from her ears as he looked down, his tone slightly reproachful. "I told you I'd bring your father back. Why did you still set out to sea?"
"I was worried about Dad," she said, her heart heavy with concern for Old Shen, anxiety gnawing at her.
A massive whale breached the surface, its call echoing like a deep cosmic flute, ethereal and profound.
She glanced sideways.
To her surprise, she saw Old Shen struggling and calling for help in the towering waves. Her face drained of color, and just as she was about to rescue him, the piercing ring of a phone cut through the fog, relentless and unceasing.
Shen Qianzhan jolted awake.
She opened her eyes to the streetlights not far away, their dim glow illuminating the pouring rain—just like the downpour in her dream, cascading in torrents.
Mist drifting onto the balcony had dampened her clothes, leaving her soaked. A gust of wind made her shiver to the bone.
Shen Qianzhan got up to fetch her phone.
The ringing had stopped, but the screen still glowed, showing a missed call from an unfamiliar number.
Just as she wondered who it might be, her phone vibrated with several incoming messages—
"No signal on the island, borrowing a star to tell you."
"Your father has been found, stranded on North Swift Island. Unharmed, all is well."
"Storm at sea, can't return tonight. The rescue team decided to stay on North Swift Island overnight, returning tomorrow morning."
Shen Qianzhan's heart finally settled.
She read the three messages over and over, her thumb gently tracing the screen, wondering how to reply.
Her phone vibrated again. Ji Qinghe, using this "star," sent one more message—
"Carry a lantern into your dreams. Tonight, the light won't go out. Come to me in your dreams."
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