Chapter 27: Tidal Harvest

The next morning, after buying vegetables, Lin Wei stopped by the supply and marketing cooperative next door.

Zhao Li happened to be there. She had probably heard from Liu Dan that Lin Wei was going with them to collect seafood, so as soon as she saw her enter, she smiled and asked, “Here to buy rubber boots and gloves?”

“Yes,” Lin Wei replied with a smile and got straight to the point. “Do you have them here?”

“We should.” Zhao Li turned and called out to her colleague at the industrial goods counter, “Do you have rubber boots and gloves over there?”

The woman at the industrial goods counter replied, “Yes. What size and height for the rubber boots? What color? And do you want nylon gloves?”

“Yes, nylon gloves. Size 36 for the rubber boots, knee-high, and any color is fine.” Lin Wei answered as she walked over to the counter.

The counters at the supply and marketing cooperative were divided into two sections. In front was a long glass display, and behind it were tall shelves that reached the ceiling, built along the wall. The bottom shelf consisted of cabinets used to store stock items that weren’t on display.

Hearing Lin Wei’s request, the woman at the counter turned and opened one of the lower cabinets behind her. She took out three pairs of knee-high rubber boots in red, blue, and black for Lin Wei to choose from. “Take a look and see which one you want.”

Lin Wei thanked her and started picking.

It was still early, so the cooperative wasn’t crowded. Zhao Li walked over from her own counter to offer advice. “I think the red ones are good—bright and festive. The blue ones are okay too, kind of vibrant. Don’t get the black ones—they look too dull and old-fashioned.”

“The red ones are nice, but will they be hard to match with clothes?” Lin Wei hesitated.

This question caught Zhao Li off guard. At that time, most people wore the same few styles, and just keeping their clothes clean when going out was already enough—few cared about matching outfits.

Especially for a pair of rubber boots—no one cared what you wore them with, especially on rainy days.

But Zhao Li didn’t think Lin Wei was being picky. Instead, she looked Lin Wei over carefully.

Lin Wei’s appearance needed no explanation—she had been neat and proper since childhood. Zhao Li examined her outfit and noticed that although it looked simple, it was actually well put-together.

For example, Lin Wei’s white blouse looked plain and loose at first glance, but on closer inspection, the collar was narrower than usual, and the shoulder seams were wider. These minor changes made it look less stiff.

Her skirt was also different. The waist area flared slightly at the top and bottom, cinching her slim waist nicely, and the hem flared slightly outward, emphasizing her graceful figure.

What stood out the most were her sandals—not the popular plastic ones worn in cities or the cloth ones common in rural areas. They looked like they were woven from straw, in a light color that matched her outfit well and gave her an elegant air.

Zhao Li was intrigued and asked, “Where did you buy those shoes? Are they straw-woven?”

The question came suddenly. Lin Wei glanced down following her gaze and replied, “They were made by an aunt from my hometown village. She’s good at straw weaving and sewing. I saw her wearing them before and thought they looked nice, so I asked her to make me a few pairs.”

People at that time also liked to follow trends. Men wanted to wear the ‘765’ style leather shoes, women went for T-strap heels, and sporty types favored Warrior brand sneakers. Even traditional cloth shoes were no longer favored by city folks, let alone straw-woven ones like Lin Wei’s.

So although Zhao Li seemed interested, Lin Wei didn’t try to promote them. She simply explained where they came from.

Before seeing them on Lin Wei, Zhao Li probably wouldn’t have thought highly of straw sandals. But now, she was already inclined to like them. After Lin Wei’s explanation, she asked, “Does your aunt still make shoes for others?”

“I’d have to write home and ask. Do you want a pair?” Lin Wei asked again to confirm.

Zhao Li nodded. “I think your sandals look great and seem breathable too. I’d like to order two pairs.”

Lin Wei didn’t agree right away. She asked, “What’s your shoe size?”

“I wear 36, sometimes 37.”

Zhao Li’s feet were a bit bigger than Lin Wei’s, but not by much. Lin Wei thought for a moment and said, “How about you try on mine first? If you like them after trying, I’ll write home and ask. Sound good?”

“That’d be great.” Zhao Li brightened. Looking around, she asked, “Should we try them here, or after I get off work at your place?”

Lin Wei said, “As long as there’s a seat, it’s fine.”

While they chatted, the woman at the industrial counter was crouched down rummaging through the bottom of the display for gloves. She finally found a batch and, standing up, saw the two women behind the counter and asked about the shoes—then went over to look as well.

Inside the counter area, Lin Wei had sat on Zhao Li’s break stool and taken off her sandals. Zhao Li was crouched on the floor trying them on. They were a bit tight, but still wearable. With some effort, she got one foot in and switched to the other.

After putting them on, Zhao Li stepped back and asked, “What do you think?”

The woman at the industrial goods counter took a good look and said in surprise, “These look really nice. Make your feet look dainty.”

“Right?” Zhao Li smiled, looking down at her feet, very pleased.

But she hadn’t been happy for two minutes when the woman added, “But your clothes don’t match the shoes. You’d need to change outfits.”

Zhao Li gave a little “ah?” and turned to Lin Wei. “You think so too?”

Although the cooperative didn’t have a uniform, employees still wore similar styles in summer—shirt and trousers that went past the ankles, which didn’t match straw sandals.

Lin Wei said, “These shoes go better with skirts.”

“I see.” Zhao Li’s smile faded. She used to be shy about wearing skirts, so she didn’t own any. Now she wasn’t sure if buying one just to match the shoes would be worth it.

Sensing her hesitation, Lin Wei smiled and said, “These shoes are nice, but they don’t go with many outfits and can cause blisters. I only wear them around the residential area. You can think it over before deciding.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.” Zhao Li took off the shoes and handed them back to Lin Wei. “Thanks for the trouble.”

Lin Wei smiled and said, “No trouble at all—we’re neighbors.”

After putting her sandals back on, Lin Wei returned to the counter and eventually chose the black rubber boots, along with a pair of nylon gloves that fit her hands.

In addition to her own boots, she bought two smaller pairs for the kids. But there were no child-sized nylon gloves, so she had to skip those.

Rubber boots and gloves were classified as industrial goods and required industrial coupons, which were only issued in limited amounts for specific items.

Fortunately, before going out to sea, Zong Shao had just received his wages and hadn’t used up all his coupons—he saved a few small-denomination ones, which were just enough to buy three pairs of boots and one pair of gloves.

After paying, Lin Wei asked her sons what they wanted and weighed out some lychees and jackfruit.

Since Lin Wei usually came to buy fruit in the morning, Zhao Li often opened jackfruit early too. Jackfruit sold well—it was usually gone by noon, so starting early didn’t affect much.

As she handed over the jackfruit wrapped in wax paper, Zhao Li asked, “Do you eat durian?”

Lin Wei had been on the island for a while but hadn’t seen durian sold at the cooperative. She asked, “I’ve never had it. Why?”

Zhao Li replied, “The cooperative’s getting in a few. If you eat it, I’ll save you one.”

Most people can at least tolerate regular fruit even if they’re not big fans—but durian is different. Those who love it, really love it. Those who don’t, can’t even stand the smell.

Not many people in the residential area liked durian, so the cooperative rarely stocked it. This time, it was partly Zhao Li’s personal wish—she was one of the fans. She had noticed Lin Wei seemed to like all kinds of fruit, so she asked just in case.

Lin Wei hesitated a bit and asked, “Do you sell durians individually? I’ve never had one before, so I’m not sure if I’d like it.”

As a durian enthusiast, Zhao Li was always generous when recommending it to others. After all, the more people in the family compound who ate durians, the more likely the supply co-op would keep them in stock—meaning she could achieve durian freedom sooner.

With that thought in mind, Zhao Li said enthusiastically, “No problem. When I open a durian later, I’ll save you some to try. Don’t worry, even though durians smell bad, they actually taste great.”

Lin Wei readily agreed, “Alright, if it’s good, I’ll buy one too.”

Hearing that, Zhao Li rubbed her hands together and patted the boys on their heads. “In a few days, there’ll be something tasty for you!”

The younger boy, Mingming, being more naive, looked forward to the durian they’d soon taste. Ruirui, on the other hand, frowned thoughtfully. A fruit that smells bad but tastes good?

He had his doubts.

…

On Sunday, Lin Wei got up before sunrise. She first went downstairs to cook porridge, then went back upstairs to wake the two boys.

Both struggled to get out of bed. Lin Wei called them for half an hour. In a rush, she even dressed them herself. By the time they went downstairs, Ruirui was still dozing off, eyelids drooping.

Lin Wei called out, and the little guy barely managed to open his eyes and mutter an “okay” as he trudged downstairs.

After brushing their teeth and washing their faces, the boys finally woke up properly—though Ruirui was still sluggish. After leaving the bathroom, he quietly grabbed a small stool, sat by the door, and zoned out.

Mingming, however, was excited for the day’s outing. He followed Lin Wei from the bathroom to the kitchen, asking, “Mommy, is mudflat fishing fun?” and “Mommy, can we catch crabs?” so much that Lin Wei got a headache. “You’ll see when we get there,” she said.

Breakfast was simple: a pot of porridge, a plate of pickles, and three sweet potatoes at home.

Lin Wei thought she was early—it was only 6:30 when they started eating. But while they were still at the table, Liu Dan showed up.

She wore a somewhat worn-out crew-neck shirt and patched pants, rubber shoes, a metal bucket on her arm, and a pair of slightly used nylon gloves in her hand. She looked fully geared up.

Seeing her, Lin Wei quickly stood up to get a stool and asked, “Have you eaten? Want to join us?”

“I had porridge before coming,” Liu Dan waved her hand and smiled at the two boys. “You two excited to go digging on the shore today?”

“Yes!” Mingming replied loudly. “Auntie Liu, can we catch big crabs today?”

“You want to catch big crabs?” Liu Dan smiled.

Mingming nodded hard. “Really want to!”

“Alright,” Liu Dan nodded confidently. “Then today, we’ll catch big crabs.”

Before Mingming could cheer, Lin Wei said, “Don’t worry about him, Sister Liu. I’ll take them to look around. Don’t let him slow you down.”

“No worries, it won’t. I used to catch crabs all the time,” Liu Dan said with a smile.

With that assurance, Mingming was smug again, making faces at Lin Wei, who scolded him jokingly, “Hurry up and eat, we’re leaving soon.”

“No problem!” Mingming answered and quickly slurped his porridge.

…

After breakfast, Lin Wei didn’t wash the dishes right away. She just gathered the bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen, locked the door, changed into rubber shoes, put on a hat, and headed out with the bucket and gloves.

The hat was a gift from Deng Xiangyun. It was similar in style to a common straw hat in the countryside, but made of cotton fabric, with wire sewn into the brim to help keep its shape.

It was a stylish and clearly not cheap hat.

At first, Lin Wei didn’t want to accept it, but Deng Xiangyun said she made it herself, didn’t cost much, and that it was a thank-you gift for taking care of Xiao Shitou.

In the end, Lin Wei couldn’t refuse and accepted it.

And it was indeed a great hat—good-looking, wide-brimmed, and excellent at blocking the sun.

Lin Wei didn’t go out much usually. Her outings were mostly quick grocery runs in the morning, followed by leisurely beach walks in the afternoon when the sun wasn’t too strong—so the hat didn’t get much use.

But today, since they were leaving early and uncertain when they’d return, she decided to wear it.

“This hat’s nice—great for sun protection!” Liu Dan complimented, and immediately asked, “Where did you buy it?” She had her eye on it the moment Lin Wei stepped out.

Lin Wei found the question familiar—after a moment she realized, wasn’t it the same one Zhao Li asked the other day? She couldn’t help laughing.

Liu Dan was puzzled. “Why are you laughing to yourself?”

Lin Wei explained about the shoes, and Liu Dan looked her over carefully. “You know, you really do dress nicely. Look at me—I obviously look like I’m going to work. But you? You look like you’re going to experience local culture.”

“It’s not that exaggerated,” Lin Wei chuckled as she locked the door, slung the bucket over her arm, and called the kids to head out.

As they walked, Liu Dan said, “That’s not exaggerated at all. Haven’t you noticed? A lot of the young military wives in the compound are starting to dress like you. Before, everyone wore pants. Now more and more are wearing skirts. If I were younger, I’d buy a couple myself.”

Lin Wei laughed, “You’re not even thirty. How is that old?”

“I’ll be thirty by the end of the year—how’s that not old?”

“Thirty’s not old at all. It’s your mindset that matters. Stay young at heart, and you’ll look younger too.”

As they chatted, they arrived at the Zhou family’s home. Deng Xiangyun wasn’t working today and was squatting in the yard doing laundry. Seeing Lin Wei and the kids, she stood up to greet them. “You’re heading out so early?”

“Yeah, the earlier we go, the earlier we come back,” Lin Wei replied.

Liu Dan asked, “Want to come with us?”

Deng Xiangyun shook her head, smiling. “I’ll pass. Got a bunch of chores to do at home.” She was always cautious. Even with something common like mudflat fishing—something all the military wives did—she didn’t dare participate.

Liu Dan wasn’t surprised. She waved. “Alright, we’ll head off then.”

Lin Wei also waved and walked off with the kids.

…

Lin Wei had to admit—mudflat fishing was not quite what she imagined.

When she first arrived on the island, she pictured sunshine, sandy beaches, and lobsters and crabs peeking out after the tide receded. But in reality, it was sunshine, sandy beaches, and a stretch of mudflats still partially covered by seawater.

Still, the scenery was beautiful. The mudflats stretched from the beach into the blue sea. The shallow water over the flats was crystal clear, revealing every detail of the terrain below.

They were still a little late though—the mudflats near the shore had already been thoroughly searched, and only fingernail-sized shellfish were left.

After searching for a while, Liu Dan and Zhao Li suggested moving farther out and asked if Lin Wei wanted to come.

Lin Wei looked at her two kids standing ankle-deep in the water, searching carefully, and shook her head. “You go ahead. I’ll take the kids over there.” She pointed to a farther spot where few people had ventured yet.

“Alright, we’re heading off then,” Liu Dan waved and walked away with Zhao Li.

Lin Wei led the kids along the coast, bent over with a small shovel, digging as they moved toward the quieter area.

Her decision turned out to be a good one. After a short walk, they started finding more and more things. While it was still mostly shellfish, the boys were thrilled with their harvest and dug with increasing enthusiasm.

Suddenly, Mingming shouted, “Mommy! A huge lobster!”

Lin Wei rushed over and saw a mantis shrimp dart into the mud. Mingming shouted beside her, “Mommy, hurry! It’s getting away!”

Lin Wei responded with an “okay” and, holding a small shovel in her right hand, plunged it into the ground, prying open a patch of sand and mud.

There was nothing with the first scoop, so Lin Wei quickly went for a second. This time, she finally spotted the tail of a mantis shrimp, and immediately went in for a third scoop.

Mingming, unable to see clearly, craned his neck and asked, “Did you catch it? Did you catch it?”

Lin Wei brushed the mud off the mantis shrimp with her gloved hand, then swished it in the seawater, and finally held it out in her palm to show the two kids. “Caught it.”

“Mommy, you’re amazing!” Mingming said excitedly, reaching out to grab the shrimp.

Seeing this, Lin Wei quickly pulled her hand back. “The shell is hard—it might poke your hand.” She tossed the mantis shrimp into the metal bucket.

Mingming then turned his attention to the bucket, his eyes sparkling as he watched the mantis shrimp crawl over various shellfish. He turned to brag to his younger brother, “This mantis shrimp was found by me, you know!”

Ruirui, provoked by his brother’s smug tone, became competitive. “I can find one too.” He bent down and began searching.

“Then good luck!” Mingming said with a cheerful grin. “Ah, since I’ve already found a mantis shrimp, what should I look for next? Oh right, a big crab!”

Ruirui, refusing to acknowledge his overly proud brother, said nothing: “……”