Chapter 1009: Setting Sail Again

After they had left one by one, Ye's mother said with a look of disgust, "They come sniffing around as soon as they catch wind, not caring whether the eggs are fragrant or rotten. A few words spread around the village and they're terrified someone else will get the better deal; if they don't get it themselves, with such a huge crowd, they still think they're coming here for what at this hour."

"Heh, it's normal. Dongzi's workshop keeps getting bigger, and the dried fish keeps piling up. Anyone with eyes can see there's money to be made; if there weren't, who would dare mess around like this? That's why everyone's eyes are on him," Ye's father said, smiling to soothe her.

"You're the only one who can talk; we're all mute."

"Look what you're saying. Even if you don't like them, you can't show it so obviously. They're relatives; you can't just kick them out. Just chat a few sentences politely and see them off, that's all."

"Seriously, normally no one comes to the door. Seeing someone about to get rich, they're terrified of missing out on the benefit."

"It's like that everywhere. If we had relatives who got truly rich and earned a fortune, we'd look at them with respect too; whenever we ran into them, we'd greet them a couple more times and say a few nice words."

【6】 The old lady said with a smile, "If Dongzi earns a fortune and has the ability, he certainly should help out his own people more. It's not wrong for them to come and chat. Hurry up and eat; the food is getting cold. It's already dark; eating at this hour, everyone must be starving."

The old matriarch said with a smile, "If Dongzi really makes a lot of money and has the means, then of course he ought to lend a hand to his own family. There's nothing wrong with everyone coming over to chat. Now hurry up and eat—the food's getting cold, and it's already dark. Eating this late, you must all be starving."

Ye's mother pouted and said nothing, eating on her own.

Lin Lin Xiuqing said with a smile, "Ah Dong is bad too. They clearly came to remind us that rich water shouldn't flow to outsiders, yet he insisted on making them buy dried fish."

"What I said isn't wrong. Originally, they were bringing goods to us to sell, which means they were giving us money to earn. Yet one by one they're terrified I'd give the money-making chance to outsiders."

Suddenly he slapped the table. "Ouch, I forgot to mention it. Just now, weren't they all here? I should have told them straight out about repairing the tomb. The people were quite complete; Grandma was even there. I should have told them directly. If they dare not agree, just let Grandma's dragon-head cane beat them to death."

The old lady's smile vanished from her face instantly.

"One by one they only care about themselves. Unfilial descendants; they were raised for nothing. They won't even fix a single ancestral grave. Wait until Qingming in a few days when we go to sweep the graves; tell your grandfather, let him visit them in a dream at midnight and scold them."

"They eat and drink well at home, yet don't care that your grandfather lived to an old age without enjoying any fortune, never ate a single good meal, and even after death still has to face wind, sun, and rain outside."

"No wonder your grandfather doesn't bless them; he blesses your family instead, letting your family live in peace and safety and get rich. One after another, they've eaten for fifty or sixty years for nothing, not even knowing how to honor their ancestors…"

The old lady cursed and ranted for a while, then got so full of anger she stopped eating, put down her chopsticks, and went straight to her room.

The father and son looked at each other in silence.

Ye's father was also full of gloom. "Wait until we have some days off in a few days and handle this matter. If they don't cooperate, then listen to your Grandma; when we go to sweep the graves, cry for your grandfather and let him visit them in a dream to curse them to death."

Ye's mother interjected, "It should be the old lady who cries at the grave. Dongzi's crying doesn't have half her power."

"Hmm, understood. When the time comes, just carry Grandma up the mountain and let Grandma cry at the grave."

"That works too. Last year your Grandma's legs and feet weren't convenient, so she didn't even go up the mountain to take a look."

Ye's mother continued giving ideas. "When going up the mountain or on the way back, cry while walking… Yes, just cry while walking up the mountain, cursing them for being unfilial, deliberately not repairing the tomb, letting father face wind, rain, and sun on the mountain."

"Hmm, right. Mother's idea is good. That way we won't fear them making excuses about having no money. Even if there's no money, we must borrow to repair it. There are so many grandchildren; if each contributes a little, how could there be no money?"

Ye's father just watched the mother and son sing in harmony and arrange the matter, and they arranged it quite well.

If we don't take a strong medicine to cure this, we don't know how many more years it will drag on. Getting this matter done sooner lets them fulfill a great wish, and afterward there will be no more big expenses.

"Then… then when we have free time, should we still call your cousins over to talk about it?"

"Call them, of course we should. But given the nature of Ye Dabo and Ye Erbo, we might not be able to persuade them. Ye Erbo has Brother Brother Asheng over there, which is easier to handle; Ye Dabo's side is truly hard to say."

"Alright then, let's talk about it first. If they agree, that's best. If they don't agree, then in a few days when we go to sweep the graves for Qingming, we'll carry your Grandma to the grave and scold them."

"Hmm."

The family atmosphere instantly became harmonious again.

Adults speak; children have no part to interrupt. They don't understand and don't care. One by one they obediently hurried to shovel their rice and rushed off to play.

Lin Lin Xiuqing fed Ye Ye Xiaoxi with her left hand and Pei Yu with her right, busy as could be. After feeding both and seeing them down from the table, everyone at the table had already finished eating, leaving only her to slowly eat the leftover rice and dishes.

Seeing she ate last, Ye's mother didn't rush to clear up; she left the table for her to clean and went out to the workshop herself, preparing to check whether last year's fermented fish sauce was ready to be filtered and packaged.

Anything that could be filtered and packaged before the New Year had all been filtered out.

Next, the father and son will go out to sea steadily to fish, and the miscellaneous goods they bring back will certainly be even more. The containers that can be freed up must be cleared out as soon as possible. The last batch of large jars reserved before the New Year hasn't been delivered yet, even though work started after the New Year.

Thinking this, after checking and returning, she told Ye Yaodong the same thing, telling him that when he has free time he must urge them to deliver as soon as possible.

"Are there still empty buckets? When we return from sea in a few days, go to the county town to urge them then. Right now there should still be enough. You filter whatever can be filtered. We're going out to sea tonight; we won't have time for the next few days."

"I'm just mentioning it once; you just remember. Urge them when you have time. Maybe in these few days you're not here, they'll deliver on their own."

"Hmm."

On this voyage's return trip, he still needs to stop at the city to go to the shipyard in the city and ask about the cost and delivery time for building a fresh-fish vessel over thirty meters long.

It should be cheaper than a trawler of the same tonnage and length, since it doesn't need some trawling equipment; it just needs a larger fish hold capacity and a larger ice-storage room capacity.

His fresh-fish vessel may initially connect with not many ships and receive not much cargo, probably making round trips every other day. But once his fleet increases, it will absolutely make same-day round trips; even a simplified schedule will do.

Moreover, when the time comes, their several ships will definitely go in and out together; even if the distance between them is far, it won't be that far. The efficiency of the fresh-fish vessel can be greatly improved, without having to sail and rush around the sea like other fresh-fish vessels.

Yesterday, after Ah Qing agreed, they didn't discuss it again. This woman probably thought he had forgotten, or something, so she didn't remind him either, probably holding onto a hope for luck.

On the way back, when the time comes, we can pass through the city, go ashore to sell some goods, and on the way consult the shipyard, then compare it with the county town's shipyard, and then make a decision.

Such a big matter can't be rushed; anyway, it must be handled only after taking time to ask.

Since she already agreed, he isn't afraid she'll go back on her word.

After Ye's mother spoke, she left. Lin Lin Xiuqing was still eating there, mainly afraid of wasting, wanting to eat all the leftover dishes and smoothly peel out the meat from those with shells.

"Why are you still eating there?"

"I'm the last one to eat, so isn't it natural I'm eating now? It's a pity to throw these away directly. Peel out the meat; we can cook seafood porridge tomorrow."

"What's there to pity…"

"We can't waste. Anyway, if we're idle, we're idle. Peel out some meat to cook seafood porridge for them; everyone likes it. You go to sleep early; go sleep in the other room. Don't sleep with us tonight, so you won't be disturbed and sleep poorly."

"It's too early to sleep. How about calling our daughter and Little Yu back?"

"I don't have time to watch. If you call them back, you watch them? It's too early; how can we make them sleep?"

"I'll watch them. If I go out tonight, I won't see my daughter for several more days. Call her back so I can be affectionate with her."

Lin Lin Xiuqing shook her head and muttered, "When you're in a good mood and cherish it, it's 'my daughter'; when she's not obedient, it's 'your daughter'. What character…"

Not long after, they saw him holding one in his left hand and one in his right, carrying the two little girls into the room together.

And both little girls were very curious, giggling and laughing as they held their dolls in their hands and playfully tapped each other.

"Stop hitting, stop hitting, they'll fall; I'll drop you to the ground."

"They won't~"

"Yes, you're all blocking my view, I can't see the road ahead. If one of us falls, three will fall!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing turned her head and looked on speechlessly as Ye Ye Xiaoxi deliberately rubbed the doll on her father's face, making him protest with indignant wails as he twisted his head away.

"Why don't you squat down and put them on the ground? Why do you have to hold one in each arm?"

"Can't I just hold them a little longer?"

Ye Yaodong still listened to her and put the children down. He had originally planned to carry them back inside to play.

"Xiaoyu, is it fun here with your little uncle? Are you having a good time playing with big sister?"

Pei Yu obediently nodded, also showing off the few teeth she had just grown.

"Then you're not allowed to cry at night, and you're not allowed to wet the bed, understand?"

Lin Lin Xiuqing gave him a hard smack. "Don't say things like that to a child at night."

"Oh…"

The countryside belief is that children are very petty. At night, the more you tell them not to do something right in front of them, the more likely they are to do exactly that.

"Bring them inside, get some water for them, wash their faces and feet, then put them on the bed."

"Oh…"

Lin Lin Xiuqing also cleared the table, put a small bowl of peeled mantis shrimp and shrimp meat on a higher spot on the kitchen counter, and went to knock on the old lady's door to brief her.

When everything was done and she returned to the room, Ye Yaodong was grabbing the two children's little feet and bringing them up to his mouth one after another, tickling them with his beard, making them giggle uncontrollably and kick their feet nonstop. No wonder she had heard peals of laughter from inside the house just now.

"No, that tickles~"

"No… tickles…"

"Stinky feet, I don't want to smell them."

"That's not true, you're the stinky one… you're the stinky one…"

"The water's gone cold and you didn't even think to dump it, still playing with them over there." Lin Lin Xiuqing said as she walked over and picked up the basin by the bed to dump it out.

"While you're at it, bring me a basin of hot water. I want to wash my feet too."

"I must have owed you people in my past life, to have to serve you like a horse and an ox."

"Bitter first, sweet after. Once the kids grow up, you'll be happy."

"I'm talking about you!"

Ye Yaodong immediately stood up, took the washbasin from her, and coaxed her in a low voice. "Carrying a basin of foot-washing water makes me a horse and an ox? Alright, alright, I'll do it myself."

Lin Lin Xiuqing rolled her eyes at him. "Let go, I was just saying it casually. I'll go get the water for you."

"I'm not the one who made you be a horse and an ox. You're the one who wanted to be a horse and an ox for me."

"You got the better end of the deal and you're still acting smug. Let go. Get a basin of foot-washing water, wash your feet, and hurry up and go to bed early. We still have to go out to sea tonight. Going to sleep early means you can sleep a bit longer."

Ye Yaodong quickly nodded and coaxed her. "Mm, only my wife knows how to care for people."

The moment someone mentioned owing him in a past life, he felt uncomfortable. It should be him who owes her.

Thinking about it, she didn't get a moment's rest from morning till night, busy running around, still having to take care of the household and the children. She wasn't any less busy than him, and now there's one more child for her to look after.

He still had to get a washing machine back to lighten her burden. Instantly, he was full of motivation again.

Lin Lin Xiuqing went and came back, having switched to a fresh basin of hot water.

However, while he was soaking his feet, the two children didn't let him off either. Both of them hung on his neck hugging him, as if to get revenge for him tickling their feet earlier.

He casually pulled Pei Yu over, saying, "Stop it, stop it, you're going to strangle me to death."

"I will, I will…"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi excitedly stood behind him, wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to pull him backward, but couldn't budge him no matter what. He remained sitting as steady as a mountain, so she resorted to climbing all over him using both hands and feet.

Until she was gripping his hair with her whole body and sitting on his shoulders, only then did she happily giggle.

"Haha, I'm taller than you, taller than you, giddy-up~ giddy-up~"

Seeing her swaying back and forth while gripping his hair, Ye Yaodong quickly used one hand to steady her leg as well.

"My little ancestor, stop the giddy-up, you're going to fall…"

One on his head, one in his arms, and his two feet were unfortunately soaking in the water, unable to move at all.

"Ah Qing, quick… quick, take them off me."

"Can't handle it?" Lin Lin Xiuqing was combing her very long hair with a comb, too lazy to bother with him.

"Can't handle it, really can't handle it. They're way too naughty. She actually climbed onto my head, she's going to pull all my hair out. If I go bald and get a Mediterranean look in the future, it's definitely your daughter's doing."

"Giddy-up~"

Compared to Ye Ye Xiaoxi, Pei Yu was still relatively well-behaved. Sitting in his arms, she didn't fidget, just watching Ye Ye Xiaoxi's kicking feet with curious, smiling eyes.

He didn't count on Lin Lin Xiuqing anymore. He twisted his body, carefully moved the well-behaved one in his arms onto the bed with one hand, while the other hand still gripped the thigh on his shoulder to steady Ye Ye Xiaoxi's body.

Only after dealing with one did he take the one on his shoulder down, press her facedown across his lap, and spank her bottom.

"Being naughty means spanking your bottom!"

"No~ spank you, spank you~"

"Spank you!"

"Pfft~"

"Ah! Holy crap, you just farted!" Ye Yaodong immediately stopped his hand. "Oh no, oh no, my hand is ruined."

"Hahahaha~ Eat this! Eat my fart~"

Lin Lin Xiuqing watched from the side, chuckling continuously. "Your daughter is just like you, full of farts."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi quickly scrambled up from his knees, climbed onto the bed, then aimed her bottom at his back and let out another big one. After letting it rip, she laughed even louder.

"Ah! You little brat…"

By the time he heard the sound and wanted to turn around and grab her, she had already escaped to the inner side of the bed.

"Hahahaha~"

"You little brat, get over here! Just wait till I smack you—who'd you learn that from…"

Lin Lin Xiuqing laughed too. "Didn't I learn it all from you?"

Ye Yaodong's face was a picture of helpless amusement, half-annoyed, half-laughing as he watched Ye Ye Xiaoxi giggling with exaggerated smugness.

"Hahahaha~ Stink on you~"

He immediately grabbed a rag nearby, gave his feet a couple of quick wipes, then climbed onto the bed to catch her.

Ye Ye Xiaoxi shrieked and wailed, bouncing all over the bed, and Pei Yu joined in her shouting and screaming—the two little girls' voices nearly lifted the roof off.

After Ye Yaodong caught her, he spread his five fingers and grabbed a fistful of air, then pressed his palm against Ye Ye Xiaoxi's mouth. "Eat it! You let it out, you eat it!"

"Ahaha~ ptooey~ eat it~"

She copied Ye Yaodong's move, spread her little hand and grabbed a fistful of nothing, then shoved her hand toward his mouth.

Kids pick up grown-up habits frighteningly fast.

In no time at all, the three of them—one big, two small—were tumbling into a heap on the bed. Ye Yaodong started tickling their armpits, making them laugh so hard they rolled all over the mattress.

"Alright, alright, that's enough. If we keep this up, the two of you won't have any strength left, and you'll definitely wet the bed tonight. I'll have to wash the blankets again tomorrow."

"Fine, then we won't play anymore."

But just as he stopped, the two kids didn't know to stop. They spotted their chance, scrambled up, and reached out to tickle him.

"Tickle you~ itchy~ tickle you~ tickle you~"

"I'm not playing with you anymore. I'm going to sleep."

"Play more~ Daddy~"

"Let your mother play with you. I'm tired—I still have to get up early tonight."

He really was tired. Playing with two kids was no easy task. He stood up, leaned against the table, and caught his breath.

Lin Lin Xiuqing told him to hurry up and sleep, so it wouldn't drag on forever.

"Then I'm off. I won't sleep with you tonight. Give me a kiss and I'll head out."

He walked back to the bed, stuck his head in front of the two kids. "Hurry up, one each side. Kiss me and I'll go to sleep."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi clung to his neck reluctantly, gave him a kiss, then patted his head. "Then be good now~"

Ye Yaodong replied helplessly, "Alright, I'll be good!"

Pei Yu copied Ye Ye Xiaoxi's move, stepped forward, and kissed his cheek.

He rubbed both their little heads. "Alright, you two be good and sleep too. Don't make a fuss."

After stepping out of the room, he didn't go straight to sleep. First, he went and rounded up the two kids who'd been running all over the place, then made a round of the workshop to do a quick inspection.

Back in the yard, he checked everything in the yard as well—the things to be loaded onto the boat tonight. His father had already sorted everything out after dinner.

The rice, vegetables, and other goods to be loaded onto the boat were already stacked on the cart. The three blue half-human-tall big barrels were all filled with fresh water. These supplies were really simple to prepare—the vegetables were all dug from their own plot by his father.

The baskets brought down from the boat a couple of days ago were also stacked up and placed in the corner. The cart was piled full of miscellaneous items—the baskets would have to wait for the second trip back to be hauled onto the boat.

After checking everything and finding no problems, he shut the doors, windows, and lights, then went inside to sleep.

Just before going inside, he could still hear laughter and playful noise, children's prattle, and Ah Qing's scolding coming from their room.

A bed for one was cold and lonely. The moment he burrowed in, he even shivered a little.

"So cold! No one to warm the bed—how miserable!"

He curled himself into a ball, pulled the quilt up to his neck, tucked in the edges and pressed them down, wrapping himself up like a silkworm cocoon. It took quite a while before the bed felt less icy.

"Miserable. In the dead of winter, how on earth are those single dogs supposed to sleep? Having a wife is really the best."

Although it was March and not that cold, and the air carried a hint of warmth, the nights were still quite chilly. The cotton quilt had to be piled on thick to keep warm.

To actually shed the cotton clothes, they'd have to wait until the end of the month, before Qingming.

As the saying goes, bundle up in spring, freeze a bit in autumn.

When he got up at night to go out to sea, he still put on the turtleneck sweater Lin Lin Xiuqing had knitted for him, obediently wrapped himself in a thick cotton-padded jacket, put on the scarf and hat too, fully geared up, and headed out pushing the cart with his father.

Coincidentally, his eldest brother and Ye Ye Erge had also gotten up, preparing to head to the dock. His father called out to them to help bring the baskets from the yard along to the dock as well. Their cart still had plenty of space anyway, saving him a second trip to haul the goods.

"Dad, how many days are you planning to be out on this trip?"

"Don't know. Depends on the wind and waves. If there aren't any, we'll stay a day or two longer. If there are, we'll come back a couple of days earlier. Who can say for sure about things at sea? Once the food runs out, we'll probably head back too."

"Oh, the weather's been pretty nice lately. Spring has lots of rain. While the weather's good, stay out at sea as many days as you can, earn a bit more money."

"We'll see. It all depends on whether the heavens grant us a living."

Father and sons, four in all, pushed the two carts toward the dock outside, chatting as they went. They ran into a few fellow villagers on the road and exchanged greetings, walking together.

With company, they could switch off two of the flashlights and save some battery.

Since Ye Ye Yaopeng and Ye Ye Yaohua were both there, they took the chance to use their boat to haul goods to the Dong Sheng out at sea.

The crew of the Feng Shou were already waiting on the shore. Father Pei was a step behind them.

After they had loaded all the supplies onto the boat and everything was ready, he boarded the boat and arrived, fashionably late.

"Oh dear, I dawdled at the door a bit too long today, got here late. I made you wait, didn't I?"

"No rush, Old Pei, take your time. We just got on board ourselves, just finished sorting the stuff."

"Alright, alright. Once we've loaded all the supplies onto the boat, we'll set off right away."

Fishing boat lights flickered across the sea, all heading from the shore toward the open water, accelerating from slow to fast, until only a row of small wooden boats remained on the shore, swaying with the waves.

The village was dim, not a glimmer of light, only a few flashlights flickering at the dock.

After the Feng Shou finished loading the cargo, they immediately got underway.

The Dong Sheng began moving forward slowly, and the Feng Shou followed suit right behind.

The already biting sea wind howled even more wildly in their ears.

Last time they went out to sea, the Feng Shou led the way in front, and they followed steadily behind without needing to navigate. This time, they had just set off ahead in front.

Ye Yaodong steered along the familiar route. He knew the first stretch of the route well, so Ye Fu felt at ease letting him take the lead up front.

"Later slow down a bit, let the Harvest take the lead, and you follow behind at a steady pace — it's easier and saves trouble."

"Got it. After we finish fueling up and loading ice later, I'll let the Harvest take the front. You and the deckhands go back to the cabin and get some sleep."

He definitely knew following behind was easier, but this stretch at the front didn't matter anyway.

Ye Fu was quite reassured by him now, and trusted him quite a bit. After giving one instruction, he went back to the cabin with everyone else to sleep.

When the sky was just starting to lighten later, they would only need two people to get up and help lower the net. This first short stretch out to sea was still relatively leisurely, and they all had a bit of experience now — whenever they could rest, they had to seize the time to catch up on sleep.

The first trip out to sea a few days ago, everyone had been so excited, all standing on the deck, nobody going back to the cabin to sleep. This time there was no novelty anymore.

In the dark of night, on the sea at this hour, one could still see the fishing boat steadily forging ahead in front, its lights swaying as it moved forward.

But under their full-speed sailing, the distance gradually closed, until they overtook it.

The journey of sailing was boring — no, it should be said that fishing at sea, for old fishermen like them, was boring. Day after day, year after year, repeating the same work, repeating the wind, sun, and rain.

Only young people in the city who had never been out to sea would find going to sea novel, would find fishing fun. For old fishermen like them, life at sea was bitter.

Excitement exists, but what they seek is safety, not excitement, and also the joy of a good haul.

However, when city folks are willing to pay enough, old fishermen are also happy to take guests out to sea for the experience. There's none of that now — everyone's just barely solved food and clothing, who would be chasing that kind of excitement?

At this point everyone had gone to rest, only Ye Yaodong alone in the wheelhouse. He was used to it.

After sailing into town, once they finished fueling and loading ice, he told Uncle Pei to let him take the lead, with the Dongsheng following behind was fine.

Then he waited for the Harvest to go first, with the Dongsheng following behind. This way he had less to worry about, and Uncle Pei leading the way himself could feel more at ease.

The two boats, one ahead and one behind, moved forward unhurriedly at a steady pace, until the sky had just broken into dawn. Father Pei came over the radio saying to prepare to slow down and lower the net, and he immediately agreed, slowing down along with him, and took the opportunity to change direction.

Then he went to the cabin to wake his father, and the two deckhands who had been paired up with his father all along.

He handed the boat over to his father to steer, and had the two men help lower the net together. Once it was set, they could go back to sleep.

Anyway, before the first net was hauled up, it was all free time. Once the first net came up, from then on it would be continuous nonstop work, constant shift changes — no time to rest, only rotating shifts.

It's not that he's a capitalist, it's just that fishing boats working at sea are like this. Every second underway burns fuel and money — how could they let you sleep well before working? Otherwise, why would the pay for going out to sea be high?