Chapter 31: Sweet Potato Vermicelli

When Lin Xiuqing heard the commotion from the backyard after returning home, she hurried over.

Her husband was far too unreliable. She really couldn’t relax.

But the moment she stepped into the backyard, she saw how bedraggled he looked and quickly spoke up, worried he might lose his temper and hit his nephew.

“I’ll wash the boys. Go wash yourself.”

“You finally came back. I was about to be tortured to death by them.”

Ye Yaodong stood up gloomily and immediately pulled off his shirt to wipe his still-dripping hair.

Seeing that he hadn’t gotten angry, Lin Xiuqing relaxed a little.

“Mom already started cooking the noodles. Once you finish rinsing off, you can eat.”

“Got it. I’ll wash my hair first. You lot who are done washing, hurry up and scram. Leave a basin for me.”

The children laughed and shoved each other around as they ran inside naked, leaving only little Ye Chengyang still sitting in the washbasin.

The little guy immediately stood up anxiously.

“Brother~ Brother~”

“You little tagalong. All day long it’s ‘brother, brother.’ Hurry up and finish washing, then you can go inside too.”

Ye Yaodong didn’t bother with hot water.

He directly drew a bucket of well water, poured it into a basin, stripped down to only a pair of shorts, and scooped water over himself again and again.

After spending two days under the blazing seaside sun, his face and neck were noticeably darker than the rest of his body.

Still, compared to his older brothers, he was pale.

His two sons were pale too.

They only got tanned after growing older.

Actually, nobody in his family looked ugly.

They were just short…

A fatal weakness shared by most southerners.

In truth, it was because the family conditions were poor and everyone lacked nutrition.

The fact that he’d grown to one meter eighty was mostly thanks to his grandmother favoring him.

Ever since he was little, he’d never lacked eggs to eat.

Whenever the family killed a chicken, one drumstick always belonged to him.

Back when the production team still raised sheep, his grandmother would secretly squeeze out a bowl of goat milk for him and boil it with tea leaves.

By then his brothers and cousins were already older and could only watch enviously.

Only his little sister occasionally got a taste because she was still breastfeeding.

And because of that, his genes had somehow “mutated,” making him the tallest person in the family.

Even among his friends, he was the tallest.

Back in the countryside during this era, not many people reached one meter eighty.

After half a day out, other than being sweaty, he wasn’t actually dirty, so he didn’t bother using soap.

He just rinsed off casually, went back inside, dried himself with a towel, then took off his shorts and opened the cabinet looking for clothes.

The moment he opened it, he remembered—

He only had one spare set of summer clothes.

They were probably still hanging outside drying.

Creak—

The door suddenly opened.

Startled, he immediately rushed to the bed and wrapped the bedsheet around his lower body.

“I thought it was someone else. Can’t you knock before entering?”

“Daddy~ shame shame~”

“Get lost. Your butt’s still hanging out too, and you’ve got the nerve to laugh at me?”

Lin Xiuqing glanced at the shorts tossed on the stool.

“I’m entering my own room. Why would I knock? You’re the one standing there naked without pants on, and you’re not embarrassed at all.”

“I was just about to look for clothes when you came in. Didn’t you say I only had two outfits? They’re all drying outside. What am I supposed to wear? Besides, it’s not like you haven’t seen everything before. What’s there to be embarrassed about?”

Ye Yaodong grinned mischievously while wiggling his eyebrows at her.

“Stop running your mouth. You only have two shirts, but you have four pairs of shorts. They’re not in the wardrobe—they’re in the drawer.”

She shoved him away irritably, placed the child onto the bed, then opened the drawer and threw a pair of shorts into his arms.

“Hurry up and put them on. I’ll go get your clothes from outside.”

“Your ears are red. Think I didn’t notice? We’ve been married for years already. What are you shy about?”

“You shameless man…”

Lin Xiuqing glared at him before turning around and closing the door behind her.

Chuckling happily, Ye Yaodong carried the shorts over to the side of the wooden bed and was just about to change when he noticed his youngest son peeking at him over the bed railing.

“What’re you staring at? When you grow up, you’ll have your old man’s capital too.”

After saying that, he lifted the mosquito net and casually flung the bedsheet over Ye Chengyang’s head, completely covering the little guy.

“Ahahaha~ Daddy~”

Thunk!

The sound of a head hitting the bedframe rang out, followed immediately by loud crying.

Ye Yaodong hurriedly pulled on his shorts and poked his head over.

“What a little idiot…”

Just then, Lin Xiuqing returned carrying his clothes.

“Why’s he crying again?”

She hurried over and saw the youngest completely tangled inside the sheet, kicking and tugging helplessly while crying for his mother.

She shot Ye Yaodong an exasperated look.

“How old are you already, bullying him like this? Mom finished cooking the noodles. Hurry and get dressed to eat.”

Ye Yaodong rubbed his nose awkwardly.

He’d only tossed the sheet casually while playing around with his son.

Hearing her soothing the child, he quickly finished dressing too.

He was starving.

Lunch was sweet potato vermicelli.

They made it themselves from the sweet potatoes they grew at home.

The potatoes were ground into paste, then processed into sweet potato starch and stored away.

Whenever they wanted to eat it, they’d scoop out two bowls of starch, mix it with water, then pour a little into the wok and swirl it around like making pancakes.

Once both sides cooked through, they’d remove it and cut it into strips.

Repeat several times, and the noodles were ready.

Then they’d add some side ingredients and the clams dug up yesterday to make noodle soup.

It was unbelievably delicious.

Ye Yaodong alone ate an enormous bowl.

This stuff only required sweet potatoes and labor.

They could make it entirely at home without spending money.

Every year, their family planted huge amounts of sweet potatoes and made plenty of starch.

Whenever they wanted to eat it, there was always some available.

Even after he finished eating, Ye Mu was still making vermicelli.

No helping it.

There were simply too many people in the family.

“I’m heading out. Don’t cook dinner for me tonight.”

“You can’t sit still for even a moment. As soon as you finish eating, you’re patting your butt and running off again. Still think you’re a child who hasn’t grown up?”

“Didn’t I already work hard half the day today? There’s nothing else to do right now anyway. I promise I’ll come back early tonight, Mom. Don’t lock the door.”

The moment he said that, he tried slipping away, but Ye Mu stopped him.

“Wait. We noticed the wind picking up on the way back, and the waves are getting rough out at sea. Your father and brothers will probably return soon. Don’t run around. In another hour, go to the dock and help unload the catch.”

It was only because she’d seen him acting diligent these past two days that she was willing to send him out to help.

“Where’s Ahua?”

He’d originally thought that once things at home were done, he could go reconnect with his friends.

“The old lady said he spread the grass ash in the vegetable patch after lunch, then went back to work in the fields. He probably won’t be back soon. You think everyone’s like you, loafing around all day?”

“Alright, alright, stop scolding me. Didn’t I work hard with everyone today too? In another hour, I’ll definitely go wait at the dock and help unload.”

“Remember that. If you don’t go, then don’t bother coming home tonight.”

“Relax, I’ll remember.”

Even if he didn’t come home, he had plenty of places to sleep.

But he absolutely would go help.

Yesterday they’d hauled in a net full of large yellow croaker.

Who knew what today’s catch would be?

It had been too many years already.

Unless it was something especially memorable, he couldn’t recall clearly anymore.

If possible, he wanted a fishing boat of his own someday.

Living by the mountains meant relying on the mountains.

Living by the sea meant relying on the sea.

(End of Chapter)