Anna, sitting beside Charles, tugged at his sleeve. "Gao Zhiming, why did the tattoo on your neck disappear?"


    Charles put down his bowl, pulled open his shirt, and saw that the spider-like tattoo was indeed gone.


    "Jiajia, wasn’t this something you did?"


    "How could it be me? Don’t talk nonsense. I’d never do something like that."


    As they spoke, the food was served, and the family began eating happily.


    Charles picked up the dishes with his chopsticks, savoring each bite. He had never imagined that simple home-cooked meals could taste so good.


    "If only my crew were here too," the thought flashed through Charles’ mind.


    "Ding dong." The doorbell rang. Charles opened the door to find all the crew members of the Narwhal standing outside, their faces lit up by the bright sunlight and their radiant smiles.


    "Dipper, Bandages, James, you… how did you get here?"


    "Captain! We came up to find you!" Dipper excitedly gave Charles a hug.


    "Mr. Charles, we’ve missed you so much since you left. Is this your home? It’s so beautiful!" Lily quickly climbed up Charles’ leg.


    With so many people, the small table was clearly insufficient. Fortunately, there was a large round table in the house. Once it was set up, everyone sat down together.


    Laughter filled the room as everyone toasted to Charles’ escape from the Underground Sea. Family, friends, and lovers were all by his side. Charles had never felt so happy.


    "Crack." One of the legs of Charles’ chair suddenly broke, and he fell to the ground. The room fell silent.


    Charles looked up at the concerned faces and quickly waved his hand. He pushed himself up with one hand and stood up.


    "It’s fine, it’s fine. The chair’s just a bit flimsy. Everyone, keep eating. Suling, grab a bottle of cola."


    The reunion meal continued. Lily jumped onto Charles’ table and looked up at him. "Mr. Charles, after we finish eating, can you take me out to play? I want to watch a movie, and I also want a phone."


    Charles smiled, picked her up, and gently patted her head. "No problem. I’ll take you out and let you have as much fun as you want. Forget one phone—I’ll get you as many as you want!"


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ...


    At the edge of the port district in Hefang, a worn-out house less than a meter tall stood. A haggard woman in her forties, her face lined with wrinkles, leaned against the doorframe, her eyes filled with worry as she gazed toward the port.


    Inside the room, a pair of siblings, around thirteen or fourteen years old, were skillfully weaving fishing nets. Their hands were cut and scarred from the rough nets, but they worked without slowing down.


    "Mom, it looks like Brother won’t be coming back today," the older sister said, putting down her work.


    "Ah…" The woman’s face grew even more troubled. She turned and joined her children in their work.


    "Mom, what should we do with the shark meat? It’s been three days. If we leave it overnight, it’ll definitely spoil," the younger brother asked.


    The woman hesitated for a few seconds, then walked over to the table.


    "I’ll take it to the madmen over there. It’s food, after all. It’d be a shame to throw it away."


    The elderly woman picked up a plate of shark meat covered with green flies and bent over as she walked out the door.


    She carried the plate a few hundred meters down the street.


    In a corner, a group of madmen sat, muttering incomprehensible nonsense. Passersby paid them no attention.


    When the woman poured the fish meat onto the ground, the madmen swarmed over it, their dirty hands grabbing frantically.


    The woman kept one piece for herself. She looked around and noticed one more madman, curled up in the darkest, filthiest corner.


    She walked over and handed him the piece of meat. "Eat. You never fight for it. I don’t know how much longer you’ll last."


    The ragged, filthy madman, with only one arm, took the meat with his right hand. "Elizabeth, thank you."


    As the madman devoured the meat, the woman sighed. "Ah, I don’t know what you’re saying. We’re all just trying to survive. Living one more day is better than dying."


    As she spoke, she noticed something. She pulled open the madman’s collar and saw a black tattoo mixed with dirt on his neck.


    It was a creature somewhere between a spider and an octopus. Some of its tentacles were spread out, reaching up to the madman’s face, wriggling as he chewed. "What is this?"


    Suddenly, the madman stopped chewing. He looked at the woman and slowly said, "Jiajia, wasn’t this something you did?"


    The woman shook her head and stood up. "Stop talking nonsense. Eat up, or the others will take it."


    "Dipper, Bandages, James, you… how did you get here?" The madman stood up, his face filled with surprise.


    The woman looked at him with a complex expression. "They say you madmen see things others can’t. Can you see the ghost of my husband, Kevin?"


    "Come on, there’s no room for so many people. The big round table is in that house. Let’s move it."


    "If you see Kevin, ask him for me—why did he have to go to sea? Why did he leave us behind? Why hasn’t he sent any word back all these years? Doesn’t he know how hard it’s been for me to raise three children alone?" As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.


    At that moment, a young man in his early twenties suddenly rushed over. He kicked the madman, sending him flying, and shouted angrily, "You’ve got a death wish! How dare you bully my mother!"


    The madman pushed himself up with one hand and stood up. "It’s fine, it’s fine. The chair’s just a bit flimsy. Everyone, keep eating. Suling, grab a bottle of cola."


    "West, what are you doing?!" The woman quickly grabbed her eldest son, who was about to stomp on the madman.


    West anxiously looked his mother over. "That madman didn’t do anything to you, did he?"


    "What are you talking about? I was just giving some spoiled fish meat to the madmen."


    West glanced at the one-armed madman, who was still devouring the meat, then pulled his mother toward the crumbling house. "Mom, let’s go home. I have something to give you."


    As they left, the madman continued to shout, "Lily, be careful of the cars!"