Chapter 2: How Much Money Did the Large Yellow Croakers Sell For?

This matter was indeed not something easy to bring up. Two years ago, when the old man held the funeral, all the neighbors came to help, yet everyone knew how they had divided the inheritance.

It had been two years since the division, with no objections raised for so long; now, seeing Ye Fu earn a large sum of money, they suddenly jumped out, which truly did not sound good if spoken aloud.

If Ye Fu and Mother were willing to share a little money with them, then no one else could interfere; but if they were unwilling, it was indeed difficult for them to demand a share in front of outsiders.

As Elder Uncle Ye and Second Uncle Ye prepared to leave, Ye Yaodong did not stop them, simply letting go and allowing them to depart.

It did not matter whether they would return; even if they did, he was not afraid.

Without his father's nod, could they possibly dig the money out of their family?

Even if his father agreed, the three brothers themselves would not be willing!

On what grounds?

Seeing there was no more drama to watch, the neighbors dispersed. Ye Yaodong clapped his hands and addressed his father and the entire household: "Alright, let's go inside!"

But just as he lifted his leg, a little radish-head wobbled over directly, hugged his thigh, exposed two tiny millet-like teeth, and sweetly called out, "Dad, carry me!"

During the earlier argument involving his father, the women of the house had taken the younger children back inside to avoid frightening them.

When the commotion moved to the doorway, they had brought the children out again.

Looking at such a cute, fair-skinned little cub, Ye Yaodong could not associate him with his dark-skinned second son from his previous life.

He pinched the child's small face, casually lifted him up, held him in his arms, and headed indoors; he himself had not even eaten breakfast yet.

Sleeping until the sun was high in the sky before getting up for breakfast—aside from him, no one else in the whole family did that!

The entire family was accustomed to it; Ye Yaodong had been spoiled by the old lady, which was why he could not carry loads on his shoulders, could not lift things with his hands, did nothing all day, and merely loafed around playing everywhere.

Fortunately, because he had not engaged in labor, his skin was tender and smooth, looking nothing like someone from the seaside, allowing him to secure a marriage based solely on his face.

Otherwise, being so lazy and a good-for-nothing ruffian, no woman would have married him.

Just as he stepped across the threshold, Ye Yaodong saw a short-haired woman of delicate beauty walking toward him. "Give me the son; you go eat. The rice and dishes are keeping warm in the pot."

Her tone was faint, neither warm nor enthusiastic, leaving him feeling somewhat unsettled in his heart.

This was his wife, named Lin Xiuqing, the same age as him, from a neighboring town.

Because everyone within ten miles and eight villages knew he loafed around and did no work, when he turned twenty, his parents feared he would not find a wife nearby, so they entrusted others to introduce someone from farther away.

They met once during the blind date; his wife indeed took a liking to his face and agreed immediately, but not long after marriage, she discovered his true nature...

He was simply a gluttonous and lazy ruffian...

Originally, Lin Xiuqing had been full of joy when they first married, but gradually, she became increasingly disappointed in him; yet she did not divorce him, as divorce was a very shameful matter in those days.

Some women, no matter how badly their husbands beat or scolded them, never even considered divorce.

If the women in the family were disobedient, they had to be beaten; this seemed to be a common ailment.

Fortunately, he did not beat his wife; he was merely lazy and did not engage in proper work. If she worked a bit harder, life could still be managed.

Consequently, his wife bore all hardships and complaints to support him for thirty years...

At fifty, she contracted intestinal cancer; lacking money for treatment, she passed away while still young.

When she lay helpless on the hospital bed during her illness, he felt extremely panicked; after she was gone, he felt completely lost.

The entire family had relied on her to hold it together; once she was gone, he suddenly realized his world had turned gray, yet life still had to go on.

Therefore, at fifty, he finally started working to earn money; although he had never done any job before, being from the seaside where everyone worked the sea, being hired as a deckhand on a large ship was no problem.

He never expected that in just over a decade, he could not escape the fate of a short life.

He just wondered if he had accumulated virtue in his previous life, allowing him to start over?

So much time had passed that he had somewhat forgotten his wife's appearance; now, hearing her speak in such a faint tone, he felt unsettled in his heart and stared at her for quite a while.

Seeing this, she frowned. "Why are you standing there dazed? Give me the child."

"Uh... it's fine, I'll hold him. Have you all eaten?"

Lin Xiuqing was slightly surprised; ever since their eldest son had defecated on him, he had never held a child again, yet today, unexpectedly, he wanted to hold their youngest son. But since he wanted to hold him, she would not stop him.

"We have eaten."

Ye Yaodong held the child and followed her indoors, where she took a bowl of sweet potato shred congee and a small dish of pickled mustard greens out of the pot on the earthen stove.

Just as he put the child down and picked up his chopsticks, he heard his father say, "Your Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle are just envious; the principle of not displaying wealth was correct."

Ye Yaopeng, sitting beside Ye Yaodong, frowned and said, "We had no way to avoid displaying it. When the boat reached the dock, everyone saw the golden large yellow croakers, and moreover, when the buyers paid, stacks of 'Great Unity' banknotes were seen by all the villagers."

"What is there to fear? What is there to worry about? The money is in our pockets; how could they possibly dig it out?" Ye Yaodong picked up a piece of pickled mustard green, bit into it with a crisp crunch, and said with complete indifference.

"Is Father afraid that if things truly escalate, it will hurt the brotherly bond with Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle?" The speaker was the second son, Ye Yaohua, who appeared somewhat simple and honest.

Ye Fu did not respond; instead, he pinched a small pinch of tobacco shred, pressed it into the round hole of the water pipe meant for tobacco, then picked up the matchbox, took out a match, and struck it against the side.

A small flame flared up; Ye Fu brought the burning match close to the tobacco hole and began to smoke slowly, the water pipe making a gurgling sound...

Only after smoke drifted from his mouth and nose did he glance around and ask, "Where is your Grandma?"

Only then did Ye Mu speak: "Mother went out early this morning; she probably went to the roadside at the village entrance to check if the corn and melons she planted are ripe. Last night, I heard her muttering that the corn and melons should be ready to eat, perfect for satisfying the cravings of the little ones."

"Already eighty years old, yet still cannot stay idle..."

Ye Yaodong slurped down the small bowl of sweet potato shred congee, put down his bowl and chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and interrupted his father's words, directing several older nephews and nieces who looked about five, six, seven, or eight years old.

"You little ones, hurry to the roadside at the village entrance, see if your Great-Grandma is in the fields, and bring her back."

Having not seen her for decades, he strangely missed his Grandma, who had doted on him the most.

"Okay, Third Uncle!"

Several children obediently and excitedly rushed outside in a flurry, not minding the strong sun at all!

Country children were very tough; they spent all day climbing mountains and diving into the sea, needing no adult supervision. Now that summer vacation had just begun, they were going all out playing wildly.

Adults in this era, busy rushing about for livelihood and rations, had no time to manage them, so they let them run freely throughout the village.

After directing the little ones, seeing his wife come over to clear the bowls and chopsticks, he smiled at her, then turned his gaze to his father.

"Father, how much money did that net of large yellow croakers sell for yesterday?"

Ye Fu glanced at this unreliable third son and remained silent; it had already been said yesterday, yet he asked again—who knew what scheme he was plotting!

Ye Yaodong: …

He truly did not remember!