Chapter 12: So This Is How Much They Disliked Me

Looking at his eldest and second brothers standing nearby soaked from head to toe, Ye Yaodong curiously asked, “Didn’t you guys go move the boat? Why do you look like you went for a swim?”

Ye Yaopeng lowered his head to look at the clothes clinging tightly to his body. Feeling uncomfortable, he tugged at the hem of his shirt and shook it a little.

“When we went out, the tide was already very shallow, so it was hard to move the boat out. We called a few friends to help push it in the water, so it delayed us until now.”

“Oh. What time are you going tonight?”

“One or two in the morning, probably. Want to come? Dad said dragging nets doesn’t need three people. Two are enough, so we’ll take turns going with him. That way everyone can get some rest.”

Second Brother Ye Yaohua also sincerely said, “Third Brother, you should rotate with us too. Learn from Dad how to steer the boat and how to use the compass so you won’t get lost at sea. We people by the sea can’t not know how to tell direction on the ocean.”

“It’s enough that you guys know.”

How could he possibly not know how to steer a boat? He could read a compass too. After working on large ships for many years, he had even taken the helm himself. There was no way he would lose direction at sea.

It was just that he had only recently drowned in the deep ocean and still hadn’t fully recovered mentally from it. Being told to go back out to sea now still felt impossible.

Mother Ye cut in from the side.

“You said in the house this morning that you wanted to learn from your elder brothers and become hardworking. Your words are like farting. From now on you’re not allowed to go anywhere. Stay at home and help out. Even if you don’t go to sea, you still have to help make nets. Otherwise I’ll break your dog legs.”

“Mom, you can’t become fat in one bite. You have to let me take things slowly…”

“You don’t even want to work at all, and you still want to take it slowly? Slowly until when? Until your son grows up and works to support you instead?”

“Hey, that’s actually not a bad idea!”

Mother Ye widened her eyes and raised her hand, wanting to smack this useless son of hers to death.

But Ye Yaodong had long expected that saying something cheeky would anger his mother. The moment he finished speaking, he ran. He didn’t even take his hard-earned harvest or look after his son anymore.

Only after running several steps away did he shout back to them:

“It’s too hot. I’m going home first!”

Anyway, his wife and the others were already coming ashore too. They were only a few steps behind.

After jogging home, he was drenched in sweat again. His entire face had turned red from the sun, and the old lady’s heart ached at the sight.

“Why didn’t you wear a hat when you went out? Look how badly you’re sunburned. Where are your mother and the others?”

“They’re walking behind me. They’ll be home soon.”

The old lady picked up a cooked corn cob from the basket and handed it to him.

“You must be starving at this hour. Eat some corn first to fill your stomach. The sweet potato porridge is already done. Once your mother and the others return, we can eat.”

“Alright.”

Homegrown corn really was soft, sticky, and sweet. No matter how much he ate, he never got tired of it.

That morning he had only eaten a bowl of sweet potato porridge with pickled vegetables. There hadn’t even been enough liquid to pee. After sweating so much, all the water in his body was gone. He had been hungry for a long time already, and now it was past noon.

“Where are all those children? It’s already mealtime and they still aren’t back?”

“They each grabbed a corn cob earlier and ran off again to play. Who knows where they went? Someone just needs to shout a few times and they’ll come running back.”

“I’ll go call them!”

After quickly devouring the corn in a few bites, he tossed the cob into the corner and got up to head outside.

But the moment he stepped out the door, he crashed into his mother. She was carrying a large basin full of sand clams, and when he bumped into her, the seawater in the basin splashed all over him!

“What are you doing? You’re already such a grown man and still so reckless. You deserve it!”

Ye Yaodong stepped back helplessly.

So this was how much his mother disliked him. She had been complaining about him nonstop all morning!

But he had already decided to turn over a new leaf and behave properly!

Depressing!

It was Lin Xiuqing who stepped in and said, “Go back inside and change your clothes first. Leave the wet ones for me to wash later. The noon sun is strong, so they’ll dry in one afternoon. Otherwise, after sweating again tonight, you won’t have anything to change into.”

“Mm.”

Maybe because of how he had behaved on the beach earlier, and perhaps because of the two mud crabs, his wife looked at him much more favorably than usual. She could even speak to him gently and kindly now.

After returning to the room, Ye Yaodong began rummaging through boxes and cabinets in search of clothes.

He remembered the clothes being in the cabinet, but he couldn’t find them. Thinking that his memory had become fuzzy after so many years, he started searching everywhere.

After rinsing off the children outside, Lin Xiuqing came in intending to grab some clothes for them to wear. But when she saw the mess, anger instantly surged through her, and her expression darkened.

“Are you trying to create extra work for me because you think I’m too idle? Or are you looking for money?”

“Huh? What are you thinking? I was looking for clothes!”

So she thought the reason he stayed home this morning instead of going out was because he had no money in his pockets?

Was he really that unreliable?

Well… maybe… perhaps… when he was younger, yes…

But hadn’t he already come back changed?

He felt suffocated with frustration!

“You needed to tear through everything just to look for clothes? Altogether you only have two outfits and two pairs of shorts to change between. The clothes are still hanging out back drying. What exactly are you digging through here?”

“Only two outfits?”

“How many outfits did you think you had?”

“I didn’t know there were only two sets of clothes. I’ll fold everything back up right now…”

Looking at the chaotic mess covering the bed, he also felt somewhat guilty. Fortunately, after living alone during the latter half of his life, he had learned to do all sorts of chores. He quickly and skillfully folded up all the clothes for the family of four, including clothes for every season.

Watching his actions, Lin Xiuqing’s anger faded somewhat.

Perhaps he really hadn’t known where the clothes were. Normally she handled all those matters. Even after bathing, she was always the one folding his clothes and placing them on the bed for him.

Maybe she had truly wronged him this time. Her tone softened as well.

“I’ll go outside and bring in your clothes.”

After changing, Ye Yaodong sat on the edge of the bed instead of immediately going out.

He was reflecting on himself…

In just one morning, he had clearly felt the dissatisfaction his family had toward him. So this was how much of a failure he had been in the past. It had really been decades since he had felt it this clearly.

After dressing the younger son, Lin Xiuqing came back in and separated the folded clothes and bedding before putting them into the cabinet. Seeing him still sitting there, she frowned slightly.

“Why are you still spacing out? Go out and eat.”

“I was waiting for you. How could I eat without you?”

Ye Yaodong had only spoken casually and flirtatiously, but unexpectedly, his wife’s entire face instantly flushed red. She awkwardly turned her head away.

“What nonsense are you saying!”

His eyes immediately lit up with interest.

She could actually blush!

Sure enough, women loved sweet talk!

“Come out and eat already. If we’re late, there won’t be any dishes left.”

Look at that—even her tone had softened.

His mood instantly improved. The depression from being misunderstood vanished completely. Straightening his back proudly, he leisurely followed behind her out of the room.

The large round table in the main hall was already packed with children. His wife stood beside his eldest son, Ye Chenghu, preparing to pick food for him. There was an empty seat left beside her for him, while the younger son sat directly on his grandmother’s lap being fed.

Among the youngest generation in the family, there were five boys and three girls.

His eldest brother had two sons and one daughter.

His second brother had one son and two daughters.

As for him, he had two sons.

The first four boys had been named in order: Hai, Jiang, He, Hu—Sea, River, Stream, Lake. When his younger son was born, he had casually named him Yang.

As he walked over and sat in his own seat, looking at the table completely filled with seafood, he couldn’t help sighing emotionally.

People living by the sea truly were so poor that all they could eat was seafood.

(End of Chapter)