Chapter 748: The Third Boat Docks

Although everyone hadn't managed to buy the boat they wanted, at least they hadn't come back empty-handed—if they couldn't get a big one, at least they had a small one, which was some small consolation.

It was fair to say that apart from Ye Fu, every single one of them had come back with a full load.

It took about half an hour to sail from the town's port to the village's small dock; the trip only took a bit of extra time for waiting and for picking and choosing.

Looking at the village now within sight, Ye Yaodong checked the time—it was already 11 o'clock, and the better part of the morning had passed just like that.

Only as they were about to dock, the fishing boats working along the nearby coast all looked as if they'd seen a ghost.

They had all originally been hauling in their nets or casting their nets, but the moment his fishing boat drew near, they all sprang into action at once, rowing furiously, all heading for shore.

The closer they got to the fishing village, the more fishing boats around them started moving—looked to be about six or seven of them.

Ye Yaodong stood at the bow, and seeing the fishing boats up ahead all rowing desperately, he was a bit dumbfounded too.

The others on the boat were all highly amused.

"Dongzi, they wouldn't happen to think the Luzhoudao people are passing through and coming over to rob us, would they?"

"Hahaha, they're rowing so fast…"

"Luzhoudao's reputation really stinks—good thing so many of them got arrested."

"Dying of laughter—just one glimpse and they're all running away."

Ye Yaodong laughed so hard he could barely stand it; if they pulled up to shore and found out it was him, they'd really be in for a shock.

"They can't outrun me anyway, yet there they are rowing like mad."

"Even if they can't outrun you, they still have to run—they don't have to outrun your boat, just as long as they can outrun the other boats."

"Makes sense! At least there's someone to take the fall behind you, hahaha～"

"Speed up a bit, pull up alongside that boat up ahead—let's see what reaction they have when they notice?" A'zheng said with a mischievous grin.

"Hahaha! You're so mean～"

Ye Yaodong also thought it sounded fun—after all, they were heading that way anyway.

He steered toward a small wooden boat that was relatively close to his, and as he drew near, he even slowed down.

The old uncle on the boat immediately widened his eyes, staring at them on the boat; he even forgot to row, utterly astonished.

"Go on, pull up alongside that boat up ahead too…"

"Let's sidle up to them one boat at a time, shock them to death…"

With the two rascals beside him plotting, Ye Yaodong really did steer toward the boats up ahead one by one, slowly overtaking them; watching the villagers on the small boats looking stunned, they all grinned from ear to ear.

"Sigh～ Dongzi's going to be famous again～"

"Don't envy me, bro—I'm just a legend～" Ye Yaodong recalled a popular slogan from the '00s or '10s.

"You're really going to make me die of envy…"

"Hey hey～ look, the fishing boats behind are still rowing like mad!"

"Probably trying to hurry over to hear the news. Capturing a Luzhoudao pirate boat—that's enough to shock anyone, anywhere."

Ye Fu frowned. "Nonsense…"

The matter of having captured a Luzhoudao pirate boat was a sore spot for them; a casual joke had really hit the mark with Ye Fu, and he rarely bothered to seriously refute their teasing.

"Haha, just kidding—it's just a Luzhoudao fishing boat, only we came by openly, nothing to hide; once we dock, all the folks back home will know anyway."

"Right, and when they find out it was a big shot who put in a word to leave one for Dongzi, everyone will just be green with envy."

"Exactly, I think Dongzi doesn't even need to paint it—just take this boat out fishing as is, let's see who dares to cause trouble, hahahaha～"

"Right right right, that's a great idea! A fox borrowing the tiger's menace!"

Ye Yaodong laughed and shook his head. "Great idea my ass—what if we really run into Luzhoudao people someday? They only arrested some of the lawbreakers, not all of them; there are definitely still people going out to fish, and if they recognize the boat, that'll just bring unnecessary trouble."

"That's true enough."

Ye Fu quickly said, "There's still some paint left from a few days ago…"

"Probably too late now—painting and maintenance both take several days; it's already the end of the month, so we can just take it out fishing first, and do the maintenance after the fishing season. Our own original boat should get some maintenance too while we're at it—it's been almost a year."

"Mm, alright then, leave this boat for me to drive. The one that just got painted a couple days ago—following what you brothers discussed, give it to your eldest brother and Ye Ye Erge to drive."

Ye Yaodong nodded; he didn't care either way—letting his father drive it was safer too, and besides they'd hired people, so if anything really happened, there'd be plenty of them and no need to be afraid.

"Then Dad, can we just take it out trawling tonight? Anyway, like we said before, we'll split the take with Dongzi—trawling counts the same." Ye Ye Yaopeng asked, a bit impatient.

Ye Fu looked at Ye Yaodong.

Ye Yaodong couldn't bring himself to refuse; conveniently, the second boat had also finished sun-drying yesterday, and yesterday evening he'd taken advantage of the high tide to moor it specially outside the dock—it hadn't been taken out fishing yet.

Still, they hadn't set off firecrackers to wish for good luck.

"What date did Mom pick again? Let's set off some firecrackers, pick an auspicious day before taking it out—after the firecrackers, we can take this boat out fishing too while we're at it."

"Right right, we have to set off the firecrackers first, pick an auspicious day before going out—great luck and smooth sailing."

Ye Fu had almost forgotten about that too, his mind only on getting the boat out to earn money sooner.

"The date she picked is the day after tomorrow, right? I think I heard Mom mention it a few days ago—she said the 2nd."

"That's right."

"Alright then, we'll take it out the day after tomorrow."

Xiao Xiao rubbed his chin. "Feels like the fishing season's a bit late this year."

"No need to guess—it really is late. In a few years I bet there won't even be a fishing season anymore." Ye Yaodong said with certainty.

"No way, then we're done for—fewer chances to make the big bucks."

"So while there's still a chance to make the big bucks, you guys can buy a boat sooner and start earning sooner."

"Damn, still gotta fork out a big chunk of money!"

"Buy early, earn early!"

He'd heard that in a few years, aquaculture would start to slowly take off, and certain fish fry would become very valuable.

Of course, that was just something he'd heard—whether it was true or not, he didn't know.

Wait for the days to fly by, then we'll find out.

As they chatted idly, the boat also slowed and gradually drew toward the shore.

At this hour, there weren't many people on the shore either—only a few from the purchasing station, carrying stools over to sit by the water's edge and chat.

They had originally planned to head home for dinner, but seeing the fishing boats in the distance all heading for shore at this moment, they simply waited there, figuring they'd finish receiving the catch before going home to eat.

How could they possibly have guessed that the reason those little fishing boats were desperately heading for shore was because Ye Yaodong had brought a boat from Luzhoudao back.

Seeing a big boat also heading for shore at this hour, they grew curious too; once they spotted the markings on the hull, each of them was astonished.

What a strange thing—a boat from Luzhoudao actually pulling into their dock. Did something happen?

But once the fishing boat docked and they saw the familiar group of people on board, they were even more shocked than by the boat docking at their village's pier, and they all crowded forward.

"Hey! Where'd you get that boat?"

"Isn't that marking on the boat from Luzhoudao? You robbed a Luzhoudao fishing boat?"

"That fierce?"

"I was wondering why those little boats in the distance suddenly all started heading for shore."

"Tsk tsk tsk, you guys really have some nerve~"

They were just surprised, found it novel—that was all.

"Now that's where you're wrong. We're upstanding citizens who Feng Gong Shou Fa—definitely not robbers."

Probably because it hit a sore spot, Ye Yaodong laughed and emphasized it, while the others chimed in to back him up.

"Hehe, you're wrong this time. This is Dongzi's third boat!"

"This one Dongzi brought back from the border defense station!"

"This was a few days ago when the leaders spoke up and had the border defense station set one aside for Dongzi."

"We went with him this morning to the border defense station to pick up the boat. The boat's origins are perfectly legitimate!"

Ye Fu's old face broke into a grin as he emphasized, "The border defense station notified Dongzi yesterday to go pick it up. This is his third boat."

The more they explained, the more astonished the few people on shore became, wishing they could bore a hole straight through Ye Yaodong with their stares.

"Th-three boats?"

"A third boat? Just like that, and he has three boats now?"

"No way? He just brought one boat back, and today another one—and they're both Ah Dong's? Oh my, what great luck did he stumble into?"

"Exactly, how does he keep getting boat after boat? Acting like they're free."

"How many trawlers does this village have in total? Your family owns more than half?"

"Your family holds half the kingdom of our village!"

"Ah? Hahahaha~" Ye Yaodong found their comments funny.

But it really was the truth!

If you counted it up that way, their family really did hold half the kingdom of the entire village.

His three boats, his older brother and Ye Ye Erge's one, A Guang's family's two—already more than half the kingdom, and if you counted the neighboring village, their family still held half the kingdom.

"You're too kind, too kind. I just got lucky, happened to know someone, so they put in a word for me and set one aside…"

"Oh my, it's really your boat?"

The fishing boats that had been paddling back desperately from behind finally started docking; hearing the conversation, they quickly chimed in to ask.

"It's not ours—this one is Dongzi's boat alone."

A Zheng very enthusiastically explained the boat's origins to everyone, face beaming, looking as if he shared in the glory. Anyone who didn't know would have thought it was his boat, he was that proud.

Having a successful friend really did give them face.

"Ah, then this-this-this is all his boat?" Old Uncle pointed in astonishment at the few big boats by the shore.

Ye Fu, proud as ever, pointed again at the one right at the edge that had originally been his. "That one is also our family's!"

"Four boats! Oh my heavens~ your family has made it big…"

"What kind of feng shui is this? Boats one after another…" More little boats pulled in from behind; hearing the conversation, they were green with envy.

Now that the boats had docked and there was no engine noise, their voices carried clearly as they spoke to each other quite loudly.