Chapter 7: Going to the Beach

After Father Ye went out, Ye Lao Da and Ye Lao Er also went to the dock to check on the boats.

With the new moon approaching, the tides had been receding significantly. If the boat got stranded, they wouldn’t be able to set out to sea tonight. They needed to check it and move the boat further out. They also needed to buy a barrel of diesel for the boat to make sure they could take advantage of the good fortune to go fishing tonight.

The big haul of yellow croaker they caught yesterday was incredibly exciting, and they were eager to go back out immediately. However, it wasn’t feasible because the time was too short. Going out for such a short period would just waste diesel money.

The women of the household sat at the door with their fishing nets, starting their daily net-making tasks.

But today, they were especially motivated. Once the house was finished, they could split up and move into their new homes. Who wouldn’t be happy about that?

Lin Xiuqing was also very happy. There were always clashes between lips and teeth, let alone between sisters-in-law. She also wanted her own little home. She worked on the fishing nets with even faster hands.

Their fishing village, called Baisha Village, was far from the county town, requiring over an hour of walking on mountain roads. The women had to take care of the home and couldn’t go out to work. The only way to earn money was by making fishing nets.

Although this job paid little, it was easy and could be done at home. Every woman in their seaside village knew how to weave and repair nets. The men usually went out for odd jobs or farmed, while those with boats went out to fish, though they were in the minority.

Lin Xiuqing had been married into the family for a few years and had learned to make fishing nets because her husband did nothing. She could only rely on herself to save money.

Everyone had their tasks, making Ye Yaodong the most idle. Even the old lady was helping them by threading the shuttle with net needles.

He moved closer to his wife, squatting beside her, and picked up the net she was weaving, curiously asking, “How many of these gillnets can you weave in a day?”

Lin Xiuqing looked at him inexplicably. “Five or six. The child cries, and there are so many things to do. I can’t make more. Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law can do more.”

“How much do you make in a day?”

“A few cents, less than a yuan!”

Ye Yaodong glanced at the net disdainfully, curling his lips. Such cheap labor!

As he was about to say something, his second son, Ye Chengyang, came over, shoving a slobbery melon into his mouth, startling him so much that he fell on his butt and quickly spat it out.

“Ugh! Yue! That’s disgusting. Eat it yourself; don’t put it in my mouth.”

Mother Ye glanced at him sideways. “Your son is being filial, and you’re complaining?”

“Mother, if you don’t mind, I’ll take a piece of melon covered in spit and feed it to you! He’s your son; don’t complain!”

“Don’t be disgusting. You’re an adult, and he’s just a baby. Baby spit is clean.”

“Always touching this and that, putting everything in his mouth, how clean can he be?” Ye Yaodong patted his butt and got up, seeing his son about to step on the nets again. He quickly grabbed him and moved him aside. “Don’t be naughty, or I’ll spank you.”

“Don’t scare him. He’s just a little kid. It’s rare you didn’t go out today. Watch the child so your wife can weave more.”

“Lixiang! The tide is out. Stop weaving the nets. Let’s go to the beach to scavenge.”

Mother Ye’s full name was Chen Lixiang, seventh in her family. She hadn’t finished speaking when she was interrupted. She looked up and saw her eldest sister calling her.

She was married within the same village. In these times, every household had many children, and half the village were related in some way.

“It’s not the new moon yet. Is there anything to dig today?” Despite her words, she still stuck the shuttle into the net and stood up.

“We’ll see when we get there. It won’t take long. I heard some people are already there. Hurry, I’ll go ahead.”

“Alright,” Mother Ye responded, then told everyone in the yard, “Put the nets away. Bring shovels, tools, and buckets. Let’s go see.”

At this time, they mostly called it “scavenging” rather than “beachcombing.”

Ye Yaodong, being idle anyway, followed along.

Having been reborn, he hadn’t gone out to see their little fishing village yet.

Lin Xiuqing, carrying her son, glanced at him in confusion, feeling that he was acting strangely today. “Aren’t you going out?”

“Go where? Do you really want me to go out?”

She turned her head away, thinking who would be happy if their husband played around outside all day. “No, just asking.”

“I don’t feel like going out today. I’ll go scavenging with you all, see if there’s anything to find. It’s been a while since I walked on the beach.”

Indeed, it had been a long time since he leisurely walked on the beach. In his past life, he only occasionally took his grandson to play on the beach during the fishing ban period when he wasn’t at sea.

Lin Xiuqing looked at him, then up at the high noon sun. It rose in the west today? What a rare sight!

Ye Yaodong noticed her actions, his mouth twitching. What’s wrong with going scavenging with them?

Having a second chance at life, he wanted to work hard.

He turned away, saying nothing, and curiously observed the rundown surroundings. After forty years, he had almost forgotten what the village looked like in the 1980s. Seeing it now, his memories were rekindled.

Underfoot was a stony dirt road, difficult to walk on. A fall could easily cut your hands and knees. Weeds grew abundantly along the sides, with a small ditch nearby. The area was filled with uniformly low stone houses and some two-story brick buildings.

The brick houses were built in recent years. In the past, they used to build with stones. After 2020, stone houses were rare. Even if there were, they’d be coated with cement, putty, and painted.

“Ah!”

Distracted, Ye Yaodong accidentally stepped on his wife’s heel, causing her to stumble and nearly drop the child.

He quickly reached out to steady her, holding her and the child in his arms.

“Are you okay?”

“What are you doing? Not looking where you’re going. What if I fell and hurt the child?”

Lin Xiuqing, still anxious, patted the child’s back to soothe him. The child, surprisingly brave, didn’t cry, which reassured her.

“It’s my fault. The stony road is tricky. Let me carry the child.”

The sun must really be rising in the west today. He actually offered to carry the child. Lin Xiuqing gave him a suspicious look.

“What’s wrong with you today?”

Ye Yaodong’s heart tightened. His wife knew him too well. Better take it slow.

Hands in his pockets, he casually said, “Nothing. Just had an epiphany from my parents. Let’s go.”

Lin Xiuqing: “…”

“What are you looking at? Hurry up, they’re getting ahead.”

“Oh, okay…”

End of Chapter 7