Chapter Four: Returning Home

Niu Niu, seeing her mother cry, also started crying. Many neighbors heard the commotion and came to see what was happening. After her brother-in-law's explanation, they all left.

Ye Yuan didn't know what to do in this situation. He blamed himself for not explaining things clearly. But with his sister's emotions so unstable, he figured anything he said would be useless. His sister was still crying, and Niu Niu was hugging her mother. Anyone seeing them would think something terrible had happened.

Ye Yuan pulled his brother-in-law outside the supermarket. He said helplessly, "Actually, it's my fault for not explaining properly. I plan to develop things here back home. I really have my own plans. I don't want to work for others my whole life. Can you understand?"

His brother-in-law sighed deeply. "How could I not understand? Who wants to work for someone else? Sigh~ But what can you do here in our county? You studied marine science. Are you going to be a fisherman?"

Ye Yuan didn't say anything. He knew that saying anything now would be useless. He could only ask his brother-in-law to comfort his sister and say he was going home. He would come back in a few days.

Ye Yuan stood in front of the pier. Since Ye Family Village was a small fishing village with only fifty-odd households, the ferry to Ye Family Village only ran once a day. He had originally wanted to stay at his sister's house a little longer, but since she had cried, he felt awkward about staying any longer.

He sat by the pier, looking out at the sea and lost in thought.

For Ye Yuan, swimming back to the village wouldn't have been a big deal, but that wouldn't explain how he was supposed to get back without a boat.

He couldn't blame the government for relocating the island fishing villages; the transportation was truly inconvenient.

"Ye Yuan. Why are you here?" Following the sound, he looked over.

A strong man, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, around 1.8 meters tall, with his upper body bare and wearing dark green military pants on his lower half, a T-shirt hanging from his waist, stood on a sampan not far from him.

Ye Yuan recognized this person. He was the only young man from Ye Family Village who had stayed in the village. This man's name was Ye Zhuang.

Speaking of Ye Zhuang, he was also an unfortunate person.

Ye Zhuang was one year older than Ye Yuan. When Ye Yuan was in the sixth grade, the same year Ye Zhuang was in the first year of junior high, Ye Zhuang's grandfather, along with his parents, went out to sea and never returned. His grandmother passed away a few days later, unable to bear the shock.

The village chief had planned to send Ye Zhuang to his uncle's house, 50 kilometers away. Who knew that his uncle's family would say, "Ye Zhuang's surname is Ye, he's not our family. Our family has no money to raise outsiders."

In the end, there was no other option, and he was adopted by an elderly childless couple in the village. However, the elderly couple was not in good health and couldn't take good care of Ye Zhuang, so Ye Zhuang had to grow up eating food from different families. A few years later, the elderly couple also passed away due to health reasons.

That year, Ye Zhuang was 18. All the elderly couple left him was the sampan in front of him.

In the past few years, young people had gone out to work. Ye Zhuang was healthy, and many young people had asked him to go out with them. But Ye Zhuang had never agreed. In his words, "If all the young people leave, what will happen to the elders in the village? I, Ye Zhuang, grew up eating food from different families in Ye Family Village. I will take care of all the elders in the village."

Ye Yuan admired this loyal and righteous man from the bottom of his heart.

"Da Zhuang, I'm just waiting for the boat to go home," Ye Yuan greeted Ye Zhuang with a smile.

Da Zhuang rowed the sampan towards Ye Yuan. "Get on. What are you waiting for? I'm here to sell fish. After I sell it, I'm heading back."

Ye Yuan leaped onto the sampan.

Ye Yuan discovered that since he started practicing the Water Control Art, his body had undergone subtle changes. He was much more agile and much stronger than before.

Da Zhuang's sampan was equipped with an electric motor. After an hour of sailing, they saw the island where Ye Family Village was located in the distance.

Blue sky, white clouds, sandy beaches... As far as the eye could see, it was a beautiful painting, like a paradise.

The island covered more than ten square kilometers and was shaped like a crescent moon. The people who had lived on the island for generations made their living by fishing, hence it was called Fishing Bay Island.

Soon, the sampan docked at the island's simple pier. Ye Yuan thanked Da Zhuang and walked towards his home, carrying his luggage.

Ye Yuan's home was very close to the pier. It was the first house after entering the village. When Ye Yuan was admitted to university, he became the first college student in the village, enjoying immense prestige. But who would have thought that after graduation, he would be like any ordinary person who went out to work?

From a distance, he saw the dilapidated stone houses that were his home. His mother was in the yard arranging dried scallop meat. Drying scallop meat was a characteristic of fishing villages. Every household made their own dried scallop meat to sell, which was a considerable source of income.

Before Ye Yuan could speak, a yellow dog from under the tree in the yard quickly rushed over, running around Ye Yuan, its tail wagging like a fan.

His mother saw Ye Yuan. She hadn't expected her son to return so soon. She said with a smile, "Xiao Yuan, why didn't you call when you came back? I could have asked your dad to pick you up. Are you tired? Hurry back inside. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Mom will make you your favorite seafood noodles right away."

Ye Yuan reached out his hand. The big yellow dog beside him stuck out its tongue and licked it energetically, as if Ye Yuan's hand was the most delicious food.

Ye Yuan then patted the big yellow dog's head. "Big Yellow, go play somewhere else."

At this moment, Ye Yuan's father also came out of the house. He was very happy to see Ye Yuan. He hadn't seen his son for over four months.

The family went inside, and his mother was about to make Ye Yuan food.

Ye Yuan grabbed his mother's arm. "I'm not hungry. I ate in the county. Mom and Dad, tell me about the relocation first." After speaking, he casually picked up the kettle, poured two cups of water, handed them to his parents, and poured himself a cup. He sat down and listened to his parents talk about the relocation.

After his father's explanation, Ye Yuan basically understood the reason for the relocation. It was mainly as he had understood. Not only Ye Family Village but also several other villages nearby were in similar situations.

Every month, the government had to mobilize a large number of personnel to deliver daily necessities to these small islands.

Because the islands were far from the mainland, supplies could only be transported by boat, and the local government's finances were tight. Therefore, they planned to relocate the fishing villages on these islands to the mainland. The land had already been planned, and the new fishing village was under construction, expected to be completed in two months.

Considering the villagers' various concerns, the government offered three solutions.

The first option was for villagers to relocate to the new fishing village built by the government. Each family would receive a house, all built to a uniform standard and with similar areas to their current homes.

The second option was to exchange for an apartment in the county town. Based on Ye Yuan's family's situation, they could exchange for a three-bedroom apartment of about 100 square meters in the county town.

The third option, and the simplest, was to measure the area and provide cash compensation at a price of 1500 yuan per square meter.

Ye Yuan's family's property area would be compensated with around 350,000 yuan.

"What do you guys think? Which one do you want?" Ye Yuan looked at his father and took out a cigarette from his pocket, handed it over, and lit it for his father.

After taking a puff of the cigarette his son handed him, his father said, "My and your mother's opinion is that our family wants the third option. The money will be used for you to buy a house on Blue Island. Although it won't be enough for the full payment, it should be enough for a down payment. Your salary can cover the mortgage. If it's not enough, we'll send you some money every month."

"I've inquired. Some families in your uncle's village have moved into the county town. Their houses are vacant. Although they are a bit old, they are cheap. Your father and I will live in your uncle's village," his mother added at this moment.