Chapter 40: Chapter 38 The Injured Dolphin
Huo Sining had no idea that a single meal could spawn so many strange thoughts in these people’s minds.
She only found it odd that she couldn’t get drunk no matter how much she drank, and quickly linked this strange phenomenon to the pearl on her forehead.
There was no use doubting, it was almost certainly connected to that pearl.
Huo Sining didn’t dwell on it, considering the fantastical event of the pearl merging with her body had already occurred, being immune to inebriation was no longer peculiar.
After the Xianyu Shop opened, probably because the fish Huo Sining sold were of good quality, the business kept improving, and even the wild fish in her store gained fame.
Many voracious customers learned of the new shop and flocked there, seeking treasure—not for ornamental fish, but for those fresh, living creatures.
Huo Sining had initially spent all her money on the shop, which made her feel like a spendthrift.
Now, as her funds gradually increased again, she felt much more comfortable; life without money truly lacked a sense of security.
Ever since the shop opened, Su Qingqing often popped in for a free meal or drink.
Huo Sining’s store might lack other things, but never the fresh living creatures; Su Qingqing enjoyed eating different dishes daily without growing tired of them.
Gradually, Su Qingqing noticed something unusual about Huo Sining’s store. She couldn’t figure it out just by looking around and finally asked out of curiosity,
“Ningning, don’t you find it odd that even though there’s no air conditioning on in the room, the air always feels so cool and refreshing?”
Huo Sining pursed her lips, unsure of how to explain, but she understood perfectly well in her heart.
The store contained multiple aquariums, and to prevent the ornamental fish from falling ill, Huo Sining used Spiritual Energy every night to tend to the fish in the aquariums.
Though most of the Spiritual Energy in the aquariums was absorbed by the fish, the remnants still directly affected the air temperature, making the Xianyu Shop’s interior much cooler than outside.
As Su Qingqing frequented the shop, she had discovered this unusual detail.
Fortunately, Su Qingqing was typically carefree and did not dig deeper. Seeing Huo Sining not responding, she assumed it was due to the shop’s innate qualities and laughed, saying,
“It’s so cool here, it must be because the feng shui of the place is good. Ningning, you really picked a great spot to open your shop—not only is it cheap, you’re also saving on air conditioning!”
Huo Sining smiled and glanced at the slowly emptying tanks in the partition before hesitating and saying,
“Why don’t you stay here and look after the shop for me tonight? I need to take a trip to the countryside to bring back more wild stock.”
“Sure,” Su Qingqing agreed without a second thought. She didn’t question why Huo Sining wasn’t getting her supplies during the day but was waiting until night.
Dealing with people with simple thoughts has its advantages—they may be a bit naïve, but they spare you from exhausting strategies.
Huo Sining found this aspect of Su Qingqing quite endearing. Compared to someone who was always scheming, Huo Sining preferred spending time with those who were straightforward.
After dinner, Su Qingqing sprawled on the sofa, unwilling to move, while Huo Sining grabbed her bag and headed out.
With wild river delicacies becoming increasingly popular, she decided to haul in a big catch from the Yellow River this time.
This time, she had already notified a freight driver in advance, arranging for him to pick up the goods at six in the morning by the cruise terminal.
Once in the river, Huo Sining didn’t hesitate to start catching fish. Her fishing net had large openings, designed to capture only big fish.
But since big fish weren’t concentrated in one area, she had to resort to a trick.
After thinking it over, she slightly controlled the Spiritual Energy of the Azure Pearl, allowing fine strands of it to spread out into the water.
Sure enough, it didn’t take long to attract a large school of fish.
The large mesh of the net let all the small fish slip through, and Huo Sining’s haul was nothing short of bountiful.
“It seems this method is feasible!” Huo Sining thought happily and decided to continue with this approach.
After several continuous hauls, she had depleted some Spiritual Energy and felt a bit tired. She busily paused her actions to take a break.
Just then, a dark shadow rushed over from a distance. Huo Sining, caught off guard, was knocked to the ground by the creature.
Huo Sining was startled and turned around to see a large animal.
Huo Sining stared at the creature in front of her, puzzled as to why it would attack her.
When it comes to dolphins, the first impression people have is their exceptional intelligence and learning ability.
In aquariums, dolphins are the animals most quickly tamed. They can perform various tricks proficiently and accurately, following the trainers’ instructions.
Dolphins and whales belong to the same family, possessing developed brains. They are capable and clever aquatic mammals.
It’s said that dolphins are gentle by nature and friends to humans, very willing to interact closely with people. Huo Sining heard many stories about dolphins saving people in her previous life.
But Huo Sining found it strange that she was at the mouth of the Yellow River, at least tens of kilometers from the sea. Why would this marine animal come to a freshwater area?
What puzzled Huo Sining the most was why the creature attacked her so rudely upon approaching. Could it be that it found her looks offensive?
“This isn’t your territory; why are you attacking me?” Huo Sining asked, somewhat gloomily.
Perhaps sensing Huo Sining’s inner anger, the creature tilted its blunt head slightly, looking at her perplexedly.
Huo Sining thought the creature had been drawn over by the fish she was catching.
Being attacked for no reason would upset anyone, and Huo Sining had no desire to deal with the creature.
Since she had finished catching fish, there was nothing for her to stay for. Huo Sining started to pack up her net in front of the dolphin, preparing to leave.
Unexpectedly, when the dolphin saw her about to leave, it swam in front of Huo Sining to block her. Not only did it bump her with its head, but it also started to squeak.
This time, Huo Sining realized something was wrong. The dolphin’s eyes conveyed urgency, and it no longer bumped her with its head. It seemed quite friendly, and she got the sense that it didn’t mean to attack her. Huo Sining felt curious and couldn’t help but ask, “What’s up?”
The dolphin sank slightly then nudged Huo Sining with its tail fluke. Huo Sining had a hunch and pointed at the dolphin’s back, asking, “You want me to sit on you?”
The dolphin nodded gently, and despite her bemusement, Huo Sining complied.
As soon as she climbed onto the dolphin’s back, it raced through the water straight towards the open sea, and it wasn’t long before they reached the marine area.
“Hey, hey, where are you taking me?!”
Huo Sining panicked momentarily, but before she could get overly anxious, she noticed another dolphin looming in the distance, gazing their way from the sea.
Seeing its companion, the other dolphin quickly approached, swimming towards the one Huo Sining was riding.
The two dolphins took Huo Sining for a swim in the East Sea for a good half-hour until they brought her to a small island.
Without paying attention to the island’s terrain, Huo Sining saw a young dolphin squealing in a bay not far from the island.
The young dolphin had a huge wound on its back that was bleeding profusely; its piercing cries filled Huo Sining’s ears. The two dolphins approached the injured one as soon as they saw it.
By now, if Huo Sining couldn’t understand what the two dolphins were trying to tell her, she would be a fool.
The dolphin must have sensed the Spiritual Energy she was releasing at the river mouth was something beneficial. Therefore, despite the dangers of swimming in freshwater, it sought her out.
It came to the mouth of the Yellow River seeking the source of Spiritual Energy and, finding it was Huo Sining, rammed her with its head, hoping she would help treat its child.