Chapter 7: Going to the Beach

After Father Ye went out, Eldest Ye and Second Ye also went to the dock to check on the boat.

It was almost the first day of the lunar month, and the tide had been receding quite far recently. If the boat ran aground, they wouldn’t be able to go out to sea tonight. They had to go take a look, move the boat a little farther out, and also buy a barrel of diesel to keep on board. Tonight, while their luck was still good, they planned to head out to sea again.

The net full of large yellow croakers they had caught yesterday was simply too exciting. They wished they could go out right now, but they couldn’t. The time was too short. If they went out and came back after only a little while, it would only waste diesel money.

The women of the family also took fishing nets and sat by the doorway, beginning their daily work of making nets.

The difference was that today, they were especially motivated. Once the houses were built, the family could be divided and they could move into new homes. Who wouldn’t be happy?

Lin Xiuqing was also very happy. Even lips and teeth sometimes bumped against each other, let alone sisters-in-law. She also wanted a small home of her own, so her hands moved even faster as she wove the fishing net.

Their fishing village was called Baisha Village. It was far from the county town and required more than an hour of walking along mountain roads. Women had to look after the household and couldn’t go out to work for money. The only way they could earn anything was by making fishing nets.

Although this work earned little, it was easy and could be done at home. Every woman by the sea knew how to weave and mend fishing nets. As for the men in the village, most went out to do odd jobs, farmed, or, if they had boats, went out fishing. The last group was relatively small.

After marrying into the family several years ago, Lin Xiuqing had also learned to make fishing nets. After all, her man did nothing, so she could only rely on herself to save money.

Everyone had work in their hands. Ye Yaodong, on the other hand, became the idlest person there. Even the old lady was helping them thread the shuttle needles in sequence.

He shuffled his feet over and squatted beside his wife. Picking up the net she was weaving, he asked curiously, “How many of these gill nets can you weave in a day?”

Lin Xiuqing looked at him strangely.

“Five or six. The children cry and fuss, and there are many chores, so I can’t make more. Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law can make a bit more.”

“Then how much can you earn in a day?”

“A few mao, less than one yuan!”

Ye Yaodong looked at the fishing net with disdain and curled his lips. Labor was really cheap!

Just as he turned his head and wanted to say something, his second son, Ye Chengyang, came over and stuffed a piece of melon covered in drool into his mouth. Ye Yaodong was so startled that he fell onto his backside and quickly spat it out.

“Pah! Ugh! Isn’t that disgusting? It’s one thing for you to eat it yourself, but you stuffed it into my mouth too?”

Mother Ye glanced sideways at him.

“Your own son is being filial to you, and you’re actually disgusted?”

“Mom, if you’re not disgusted, I’ll take a piece of melon too, cover it in my saliva, and feed it to you. I’m your own son, so don’t be disgusted!”

“Don’t be disgusting. How old are you, and how old is he? A baby’s saliva is clean.”

“He touches this and grabs that all day, then stuffs everything into his mouth. How clean can it be?”

Ye Yaodong patted his backside and stood up. Seeing that his son was about to step on the fishing net and cause trouble again, he quickly picked him up and set him aside.

“Don’t be naughty. If you’re naughty, I’ll beat you.”

“Don’t scare him. He’s only a tiny child. What does he know? Since you’re rarely not running outside today, just stay home and watch the children properly so your wife can weave more…”

“Lixiang! The tide has gone out. Stop making nets. Come gather seafood with us…”

Mother Ye’s real name was Chen Lixiang, and she ranked seventh in her family. Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted. She looked up and saw that it was her eldest sister calling her to go.

She had married within the same village. In this era, every household had many children, and Baisha Village had four to five hundred households. Half the village was made up of relatives connected one way or another.

“The first day of the month is the day after tomorrow. Will there be anything to dig today?” Although she said this, she still stuck the shuttle needle into the net and stood up.

“We’ll know once we go take a look. It won’t take too long. I heard some people have already gone. Hurry up. I’ll go first and take a look.”

“Alright, alright.”

After Mother Ye responded, she turned to everyone in the courtyard and said, “Put the nets away for now. Take spatulas, tools, and buckets. Let’s go take a look together.”

At this time, they usually called it gathering seafood. Fewer people called it going to the beach at low tide.

Ye Yaodong had nothing to do anyway, so he followed along as well.

After being reborn, he still hadn’t gone out to look at their little fishing village.

Lin Xiuqing carried their son and looked at him in confusion. She felt like he had taken the wrong medicine today.

“You’re not going out today?”

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

She turned her head away. Who would be happy about a husband who spent all day idling around outside?

“No. I just asked casually.”

“I don’t feel like going out today. I’ll go gather seafood with you and see if there’s anything to harvest. It’s been a while since I strolled along the beach.”

It truly had been a very long time since he had leisurely walked on the beach. In his previous life, only during the fishing moratorium, when he didn’t go out to sea, would he occasionally take his little grandson to play on the beach.

Lin Xiuqing sized him up, then raised her head to look at the sun shining in the sky.

Had the sun risen from the west?

How rare!

Ye Yaodong watched her actions, and the corner of his mouth twitched. What was wrong with going to gather seafood with them?

Now that he had another chance, he wanted to work hard properly.

He turned his head away and stopped talking. Instead, he curiously examined the shabby surroundings. After forty years, he had already somewhat forgotten what the village looked like in the eighties. Now that he saw it again, those memories were awakened.

Underfoot was a dirt road covered in stones, not very easy to walk on. If one accidentally fell, their palms and knees would definitely bleed. Wild grass grew thickly along both sides of the road, and there was also a small drainage ditch. Around them, short stone bungalows were arranged in a regular pattern, along with two-story brick-and-tile houses.

The brick-and-tile houses had been newly built in recent years. In the past, when people here built houses, it had been fashionable to use stone. After 2020, stone houses became rare. Even when they existed, they were usually coated with cement putty and painted over.

“Sigh~”

“Ah!”

Ye Yaodong was looking around and failed to pay attention to his feet. By accident, he stepped on his wife’s heel. Seeing her stumble forward, almost falling, with the child nearly flying out of her arms, he quickly reached out and pulled her back, holding both her and the child in his arms.

“Are you all right?”

“What are you doing? You don’t even watch the road when walking. It’s fine if I fall, but what if the child falls?”

Lin Xiuqing patted the child’s back to soothe him, still frightened. The child was quite bold too. He didn’t cry or make a fuss and didn’t seem scared, which put her somewhat at ease.

“I didn’t look carefully. This stone road isn’t easy to walk on. Give me the child. I’ll carry him.”

The sun really had risen from the west. He was actually taking the initiative to carry the child again. He had been acting abnormal ever since waking up this morning. Lin Xiuqing looked at him suspiciously.

“What’s wrong with you today?”

Ye Yaodong’s heart tightened. Sure enough, the person beside your pillow knew you best. He had to take things slowly.

He stuck both hands into his pockets and no longer tried to carry the child, saying casually, “Nothing. Dad and Mom beat some sense into me. Let’s go.”

Lin Xiuqing was speechless.

“What are you looking at? Hurry up and catch up. They’ve gone far ahead.”

“Oh, oh…”

(End of Chapter)