The siblings quickly brought out the food. Zhang Lan had prepared a large pot of river crabs, a plate of stewed carp, a cold cucumber salad, boiled corn, and pancakes.

Zhang Weiguo brought some wine for his father. The old man had no other hobbies and enjoyed having a small drink in the evening to relieve fatigue.

“This is quite a feast. We eat better than others. Today, I’ll have a good drink,” the old man said.

He opened a crab, which turned out to be a male and quite plump. The meat was fragrant. “Delicious. Wife, you should try it. It’s really tasty,” he said as he handed a large crab to his wife.

The old man personally peeled a large crab for his wife, while Zhang Weiguo started munching on the corn. He had always wanted to eat it but had never had enough. Today, he was determined to eat his fill.

Wang Qian had a small appetite and was satisfied after eating half an ear of corn and some other dishes. Although she didn’t consciously control her food intake, she didn’t want to grow up to be overweight.

Geng Lianhua ate heartily that evening, finishing most of the cold dishes by herself. After munching on an ear of corn, a piece of pancake, and some crab and fish, she felt full and energized. Everyone could see that her fiery temperament had likely subsided.

Taking a sip of wine, the old man said, “Daughter, if you had come back earlier, your mom wouldn’t have had to endure this. Sigh, dear, why can’t we be more understanding at our age? From now on, you shouldn’t go there. Your fourth sister has that kind of character. The less you go, the less trouble you’ll have.”

The old man dared to say this today. They had avoided discussing this while his wife was ill, fearing that it might worsen her condition.

Geng Lianhua put down her chopsticks and looked at Zhang Wanyou with a smile. “Old man, I’ve come to terms with it. Our granddaughter advised me this afternoon and even said that in the future, she’d use five-cent coins to pelt my fourth sister. It’s funny to think about it now. I wonder if those coins will knock her nose crooked. Qianqian, we’ll do it together when the time comes.”

Everyone burst into laughter. “Qianqian, you came up with this idea? I bet your aunt would rather have her nose knocked crooked than have you use coins to pelt her. After all, it’s money, and she’s not getting any younger.”

Little did they know that in the future, those coins would be of little use. At this time, however, they could still buy quite a lot. At least a one-cent coin could buy a nice piece of candy.

Zhang Weiguo, after munching on five ears of corn, finally couldn’t eat anymore. “Wow, corn is really delicious. It’s a pity I can’t eat anymore.”

The old lady looked at her son. “Silly boy, I’ve never seen you eat corn like this. Be careful not to overeat. Go for a walk later.”

Geng Lianhua still didn’t want her son to suffer. Being hungry was uncomfortable, but overeating wasn’t good either. “Mom, I’ll go prepare things with my sister for clamming later.”

The old man was also full and content after the meal. “Dear, you should go for a walk too. Lying down for too long can be uncomfortable. Let’s take a leisurely stroll. The kids will catch up with us later.”

Zhang Wanyou also didn’t want his wife to be unwell. Seeing her in good spirits, he decided to take her out for a walk. This would help with her breathing and alleviate her illness.

Zhang Lan quickly cleared the table, and Zhang Weiguo brought the only electric appliance in the house, a flashlight. The siblings carried baskets, with Wang Qian following behind. Many families had finished dinner and were now enjoying the cool evening air near the front gate. The elderly were fanning themselves with large palm-leaf fans, trying to shoo away mosquitoes.

Seeing the Zhang family heading out, everyone greeted them. Since the sea was nearby, clamming was convenient. Few people went clamming at night due to poor visibility, and there would still be tides the next morning.

In Wang Qian’s view, people nowadays had a good mindset, embracing contentment and seeing misfortune as a blessing. Despite the lack of medical care and medicine, people rarely suffered from strange illnesses. This was partly due to environmental pollution, but more importantly, it was about people’s mindset. A peaceful mindset naturally kept illnesses at bay.

The group strolled leisurely, and Geng Lianhua came out for some fresh air. She felt refreshed and said, “Old man, I’ve caused you and our son to worry these past few days. I don’t know how I got myself into such a predicament.”

Zhang Wanyou knew his wife was strong-willed and straightforward. However, as the saying goes, the strongest wills are the easiest to break. “Dear, it’s good that you’ve come to terms with it. What can she do with her money? She won’t spend it on us. There’s no need to assert yourself in front of her. Let’s live our lives, and she can live hers. Let’s not seek discomfort. It’s best for us to live our lives properly.”

When they reached the beach, the tide was just beginning to recede, and the rocks were not fully exposed. They could only walk along the shore.

It was Wang Qian’s first time clamming at night, so she felt excited and a bit mysterious. She held her mother’s hand as they strolled along the beach. The gentle sea breeze carried away the daytime heat and restlessness. The mother and daughter felt extremely comfortable as they walked barefoot on the soft sand, which had been warmed by the sun during the day. The beach was quiet, with only the sound of the waves hitting the rocks.

“Brother, the tide is receding,” Zhang Weiguo shouted from a distance. The two women quickly joined the elderly couple. Although it was late, the moon was bright, and Zhang Weiguo had already turned on the flashlight, casting a soft light over the sea.

Wang Qian heard a rustling sound coming from the beach. “Mom, what’s that sound?” Her skin felt like it was covered in goosebumps. The sound seemed to resemble the noise of silkworms munching on leaves, which was quite unsettling.

Sensing her daughter’s fear, Zhang Lan smiled and said, “Silly girl, look towards the light. Isn’t that the sound of crabs walking? Hurry and collect some in your bucket. When we get back, I’ll go with you to sell them.”

Now understanding the source of the sound, Wang Qian’s courage grew. With so many people around, everyone began picking up the crabs crawling towards the light.

She went straight to the bucket filled with seawater and started collecting crabs. Taking advantage of the darkness, she also secretly stored some in the space. According to her grandmother, people by the seaside weren’t particularly interested in this item. Every household’s food supply was not abundant, and these crabs were at best a fresh treat, not a substantial meal. It was mainly people from outside the area who appreciated them.

Special thanks to suky107 for the pink hearts. Today’s update is an additional one thousand words. Thank you all for your support of 99.

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