Rebirth: Splendid Marriage in the 80s Chapter 2446 - 2382: A Man Who Does as He Pleases

Previously on Rebirth: Splendid Marriage in the 80s...

Zhu Shun gazed at Chiang Xiao in awe after witnessing her swiftly twist the head off a venomous snake to protect Wang Yi from danger in the forest. Though Chiang Xiao admitted her fear and disgust of snakes, washing her hands repeatedly by the lake, Zhu Shun marveled at her composure, with Chen Yin and Meng Xinian revealing her talent as a renowned painter. The group celebrated their catch of a massive twenty-to-thirty-pound fish that Zhu Shun had been pursuing for days, trapped between rocks in the lake. Zhu Shun, a carefree wanderer, shared how he had a small boat custom-made to drift idly on the scenic waters, viewing the fish as perfect rations for his temporary stay.

"Grab it and grill it up—with the kind of weather we're having, soaking in that icy spring water, it won't go bad anytime soon. That's why I was dead set on catching it, but this slippery devil kept evading me. I chased it around for two whole days in a battle of smarts, yet I still came up empty-handed."

Hearing this, Chiang Xiao threw in a light comment, "Sounds like that fish has some real spirit to it. Wouldn't it be a little harsh to devour a smart one that outwitted you over two days?"

To their surprise, Zhu Shun stopped short, then smacked his palms together and declared, "Sister-in-law's got a point! For a fish to get that huge in this lake, it has to be soaking up some spiritual essence! Plus, over these last two days, its antics kept me from dying of boredom! So yeah, it's basically my buddy now—how could I possibly chow down on a friend?"

Saying that, he dashed over to scoop up the still-thrashing fish from the sandy shore, bolted toward the lake, and tossed it right back into the water without a second thought.

"Buddy! I was wrong to even consider turning you into dinner! Good thing someone snapped me out of it before it was too late—I saw the error of my ways! Forgive me, won't you?"

Chiang Xiao and the other three watched him in total shock.

What on earth just went down?

They really never saw it coming—that because of Chiang Xiao's casual remark, Zhu Shun would let the fish go free!

Forget about it, the guy who griped over wasting two days of hard work, who mentioned how tough it was to trick that fish into the crack.

On top of that, it required all three of them teaming up to haul the thing out.

Yet he set it loose just like that, all from a few words.

"Brother Xinian, is Brother Shun usually this way?" Chiang Xiao turned to Meng Xinian.

So impulsive.

Meng Xinian shook his head, "Truth is, I've only crossed paths with him a handful of times. The most was spending three days straight together. Since he quit the special operations team, I haven't laid eyes on him. He was always laid-back back then, but nothing like this level of whimsy."

"Was there a particular reason he left the special operations team?"

Meng Xinian gave a nod, "I'll fill you in once we're back, but keep it under wraps around him."

Looks like Zhu Shun's exit from the special operations team had some backstory, and it's a topic best avoided.

Zhu Shun hurried back from the lake's edge, eyed them all, then the grub on the metal rack, gulped hard, and muttered, "This is trouble. My original idea was to split the fish—half to show thanks for your assist, and the other half to trade for some eats to share with you. But now with no fish, does that mean I miss out on your cooking and end up in your debt?"

Meng Xinian shot him a look, "Dig in, dig in, cut the chatter."

"Hahaha, I figured you'd be the biggest softie! You all cool with that, yeah?" Zhu Shun glanced at Chiang Xiao and the rest.

Of course, the three of them shook their heads no problem.

On this trip, they'd packed a ton of gear; while shopping, it all looked useful, figuring variety was key, but only after purchasing did they see they'd overdone it big time.

The five crowded around the grill, fired up and flipping the food with gusto.

Wang Yi turned to Zhu Shun with curiosity, "Brother Shun, you were set on boating here for days without packing any provisions?"

"Nah, didn't pack a thing—figured the lake's full of fish, so I just grabbed a couple boxes of matches and a little salt pouch. What more could a guy want?"

While speaking, he suddenly smacked his forehead and burst out laughing, "Hold on, hold on—there's actually something awesome I nearly overlooked! I was saving it for a solo night on the boat, but since you've shown up, let's raise a glass together!"