Chapter 23: Big-Headed Green Flies

Early the next morning, Ye Yaodong woke up as soon as he sensed movement beside him.

His eyes still refused to open properly, so he squinted with one eye open and one closed, only to see Lin Xiuqing dressing the two children.

“What time is it? Why are they up so early?”

“Six.”

After getting dressed, Ye Chenghu climbed over curiously and asked,

“Dad, why are you awake so early today?”

“Can’t I? Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy!”

“But usually you sleep until the sun’s shining on your butt.”

Ye Yaodong glanced at his eldest son and chose not to respond, closing his eyes again.

Too early. Nothing to do yet. Might as well nap a little longer.

“Hehe~ Grandma says Dad’s a big lazy bug!”

The younger one also shouted excitedly,

“Big lazy bug! Big lazy bug!”

Ye Yaodong opened his eyes again and glared at the two boys.

These little brats were seriously unlikable!

And he’d even left them compensation money after he died!

“Why are you yelling so early in the morning? Go play outside!”

“Blehhh~”

His eldest son made a face at him and scrambled off the bed, running outside.

The younger one panicked immediately.

“Brother! Brother~”

“What’s the rush?”

Lin Xiuqing pulled his pants on properly before setting him on the ground.

“Be careful. Don’t run and fall.”

As she spoke, she picked up last night’s bowls and spoons, along with the blanket the child had wet, and followed behind him.

“My shorts from last night are on the stool in the corner. The clothes were thrown into the backyard.”

“I know.”

Once the door closed again, the room became quiet.

But Ye Yaodong had already lost all desire to sleep.

With his hands behind his head, he simply rested with his eyes shut, worried that getting up too early would make everyone stare at him in shock.

Yet before he’d lain there long, he heard his second sister-in-law loudly gossiping in the main room, as if she were deliberately making sure he could hear.

“Mother, construction starts in a couple of days. Ahua and eldest brother have to take turns going out to sea with Father, so one of them will always stay behind. Since Yaodong isn’t going fishing, shouldn’t he help out carrying things or something? He’s idle anyway. Otherwise we’ll need to hire another worker and spend extra money.”

“When he gets up, I’ll talk to him.”

“The three brothers are each getting a room. Even if he doesn’t go out to sea, he should at least lend a hand. Once the family splits, he’ll be the head of his own household too. He should have some sense of responsibility.”

His eldest sister-in-law chimed in as well.

“Exactly. Nobody expects him to do much, but he should at least help out…”

…

His eldest sister-in-law’s voice wasn’t nearly as loud as the second one’s, so Ye Yaodong couldn’t hear clearly, only bits and pieces.

He frowned.

His eldest sister-in-law was alright, fairly kind-hearted.

But this second sister-in-law…

Always nitpicking, always talking, petty-minded, and calculating.

Thankfully his own wife wasn’t like that.

Honestly, with a husband like him, Lin Xiuqing was quite pitiful.

Even his mother favored her a little more because of it.

Every time Lin Xiuqing returned to her parents’ home, his mother secretly slipped her some money and told her to buy fish to bring back.

His other two sisters-in-law never got that treatment.

After all, his older brothers were hardworking men.

Come to think of it, aside from accompanying his wife back to her parents’ place on the second day of Lunar New Year, he hadn’t gone with her once these past six months.

Even though he was a useless bum, his father-in-law had treated him fairly well in the beginning.

Probably because he felt sorry for his daughter.

Later on, though, that treatment disappeared. The old man simply ignored him.

Maybe he cursed him behind his back every day too…

By Mid-Autumn Festival, he ought to accompany his wife home with holiday gifts.

After lying in bed thinking about random things for quite a while, he noticed the sunlight shining in brightly enough to hurt his eyes.

Judging by the light, it should be late enough now.

So he climbed out of bed.

The moment he stepped outside, his grandmother looked astonished.

“Dongzi, why are you up so early? Why not sleep a little longer?”

“Not early anymore. Father and eldest brother went out to sea after one in the morning. Ahua got up at six to clear weeds at the building site. Even the kids already finished breakfast and went out to play. Who in this family sleeps more comfortably than him until now?”

His second sister-in-law sat at the doorway. Hearing Grandma’s words, she glanced up at the glaring sunlight and couldn’t help loudly speaking toward the room.

Ye Yaodong dug at his ears and pretended not to hear.

He’d heard this sort of thing plenty in his previous life.

He was used to it.

“I woke up naturally, so I got up. Grandma, have you eaten breakfast yet?”

“Yes, yes. Hurry and wash up in the backyard.”

“Mm.”

After brushing his teeth, he suddenly felt the urge to pee.

But the moment he turned and took two steps, he saw the crude outhouse built in the backyard corner with bricks and straw.

The “door” was just a broken wooden plank propped there.

And instantly, he remembered what was inside—

A giant chamber pot.

Filled with… things.

At that exact moment, he also heard the buzzing of big-headed green flies nearby.

Ye Yaodong immediately retracted the foot he’d just stepped out with and instead walked toward the vegetable patch.

Better to fertilize the vegetables directly.

Yesterday morning while tidal foraging he’d peed by the shore.

Yesterday afternoon at A’Guang’s house he’d peed in the grass.

He genuinely hadn’t thought about the toilet at home.

Ugh…

No, don’t think about it.

He still needed to eat breakfast later!

He suddenly felt a renewed motivation to improve his life.

Not only did he need a better bed, he also needed a proper toilet.

After finishing and shaking twice, he returned indoors.

Breakfast was already laid out on the table.

Sweet potato shred porridge as usual.

But surprisingly, instead of pickled vegetables, there were two dried fish.

His appetite instantly soared.

“Grandma, were these dried fish sun-dried yesterday?”

The old lady grinned happily, revealing her toothless gums.

“Yes. They were too small to sell for money. The day before yesterday your father brought back dozens of jin of them to clean. They dried after one day in the sun yesterday. This morning I specially steamed a bowl and saved you two. Hurry and eat!”

They were dried shuigu fish.

With the heads removed, each was only a little longer than his middle finger.

Too small for braising, but perfect for drying.

An ultimate rice companion for coastal families.

“Mm, really fragrant!”

“If you like them, I’ll steam more at noon. When your father comes back this evening, there’ll definitely be more. We’ll continue drying them tomorrow too.”

“Want me to go pick corn today? I’ll go gather some from the field for you later.”

Grandma waved her hands repeatedly.

“No need, no need. If you’re busy, don’t bother. I’ll take the little ones later and pick a basketful.”

“I’m free. Idle as can be. The tide’ll go out half an hour to an hour later than yesterday anyway, so no need to rush to the beach. After breakfast I’ll go pick them for you.”

“You’re not going out to fool around today?”

“Too hot. Don’t feel like going anywhere. I already arranged with some friends to go tidal foraging after the tide recedes.”

“Good, good. Then you can go pick them for me.”

Ye Yaodong shoveled down a small bowl of porridge.

Just as Grandma reached out with a rag to clear the table, he took it from her first, swept the fish bones into the bowl, and carried everything to the backyard.

Grandma’s face bloomed with joy.

“You could’ve just left it there for your wife to wash later.”

“Mm. Let’s go.”

Seeing his youngest son sitting alone at the doorway playing with seashells, he casually picked him up.

“Want to come play?”

“Yes! Yes!”

Ye Chengyang wrapped his arms around his father’s neck excitedly.

He was the youngest in the family.

By the time he finished eating, all his older brothers and sisters had already run off to play, leaving only him stuck at home with his mother.

(End of Chapter)