So This Was How Much You Disliked Me

Ye Yaodong looked at his two older brothers, both soaking wet, and asked curiously, "Weren't you taking the boat out? How come you look like you swam back?"

Ye Yaopeng looked down at the clothes clinging to his body. They felt uncomfortable, too, so he tugged at his shirt hem and shook it out. "The water was already shallow when we set off, so it was hard to get the boat out. We called a few friends over to get in the water and help push. That's why we took so long."

"Oh. What time are you going out tonight?"

"One or two. Want to come? Dad said trawling doesn't need three people, just two. He wants us to take turns going with him so we can get some rest."

His second brother, Ye Yaohua, said earnestly, "You should take turns with us too. Learn from Dad how to steer the boat and read a compass so you don't get lost at sea. We live on the coast. We can't go without knowing how to find our bearings out there."

"It's enough if you two know."

How could he not know how to steer a boat? He could read a compass, too. After years working on big ships, he could even take the helm. How could he possibly lose his way at sea?

It was just that he had only just fallen into the deep sea and still hadn't recovered from it. Asking him to head back out right now felt like too much.

Mother Ye snapped from beside them, "Just this morning, you were saying at home that you'd learn to work hard like your brothers. Your words are worth less than a fart! From now on, you're not going anywhere. You're staying home to help. If you won't go to sea, you'll help make nets, or I'll break your damn legs!"

"Mom, you can't get fat from a single mouthful. You've got to let me take it slowly..."

"You never want to do any work, and now you want to take it slowly? How slowly? Until your sons grow up and do your work for you? You might as well let them support you!"

"Hey, that's a pretty good idea!"

Mother Ye glared and raised her hand, ready to smack her good-for-nothing son.

But Ye Yaodong had known his smart mouth would make her angry and had been ready for it. The moment he finished speaking, he slipped away, leaving behind both his hard-earned catch and his sons.

Only after putting a few steps between them did he call back, "It's roasting out here. I'm heading home first."

His wife and the others were already ashore anyway. They would be right behind him.

By the time he jogged home, sweat was pouring off him, and his whole face was red from the sun. The old lady's heart ached at the sight.

"Why didn't you wear a hat? Look how sunburned you are. Where are your mother and the others?"

"They're walking back behind me. They'll be home soon."

The old lady took a cooked ear of corn from the basket and handed it to him. "It's so late, you must be starving. Have some corn to tide you over. The rice porridge is ready. We can eat once your mother and the others get back."

"Sure."

Homegrown corn was tender, chewy, and sweet. He never got tired of it.

All he'd had that morning was a bowl of rice porridge with shredded sweet potato and some pickled mustard stem. There wasn't even enough liquid in him to pee; a little sweating had drained it all away. He'd been hungry for ages, and now it was past noon.

"Where are the kids? It's lunchtime. Aren't they back yet?"

"They came back earlier, grabbed an ear of corn each, and ran off to play again. Who knows where they went? Go outside and shout a few times, and they'll come back."

"I'll call them!" He finished the corn in a few quick bites, tossed the cob into a corner, and got up to go outside.

But the moment he stepped out the door, he collided with his mother. She was carrying a washbasin full of sand clams, and the impact sent the seawater in it splashing all over him!

"What are you doing? A grown man and still so careless. Serves you right!"

Ye Yaodong stepped back, looking helpless. So this was how much his mother disliked him. She'd spent the whole morning finding fault with him!

He'd already decided to turn over a new leaf!

How frustrating!

Lin Xiuqing was the one who stepped forward and said, "Go change in our room. Give me those clothes to wash afterward. With the midday sun this strong, they'll dry in an afternoon. Otherwise, if you keep sweating, you won't have anything to change into tonight."

"Okay."

Maybe it was because he'd done well on the beach, with those two mud crabs earning him some extra credit. His wife seemed much more pleased with him than usual. She could even speak to him so gently.

Once he entered their room, Ye Yaodong began rummaging through everything. He couldn't find his clothes in the cabinet where he remembered keeping them. Thinking too much time had passed and his memory was off, he searched everywhere.

After rinsing their son off outside, Lin Xiuqing came in to get him some clothes. One look at the room made anger flare in her chest, and her expression turned cold.

"Do you think I'm too idle and need more work, or are you looking for money?"

"Huh? What are you thinking? I couldn't find my clothes!"

So she thought I hadn't gone out this morning because I didn't have any money in my pockets?

Was I really that irresponsible?

Maybe... possibly... when I was young... but... but hadn't I come back now?

Unbelievable!

"Did you have to turn everything upside down just to find clothes? You only have two sets and two pairs of shorts to change between. Your clothes are hanging out back to dry. What are you rummaging around in here for?"

"Only two sets?"

"How many do you want?"

"I didn't know I only had two sets. I'll fold all this up..."

The mess covering the bed left him feeling a little guilty. Fortunately, he'd lived alone for the latter half of his life and knew how to do everything. He quickly and deftly folded the clothes for all four family members, for every season.

Watching him, Lin Xiuqing's anger eased a little. Perhaps he really hadn't known where his clothes were. She usually handled all these things, and whenever he bathed, she folded his clean clothes and left them on the bed for him.

Perhaps she really had misjudged him this time. Her tone softened. "I'll go bring in your clothes."

After changing, Ye Yaodong sat at the head of the bed rather than going straight outside. He was reflecting on himself...

In just one morning, he'd clearly felt his family's dissatisfaction with him. So he really had been that much of a failure before. He hadn't felt it this clearly in decades.

After dressing their son, Lin Xiuqing came back in and sorted the clothes and sheets he'd folded into the cabinet. Seeing him still sitting there, she couldn't help frowning. "Go out and eat. What are you sitting there for?"

"I'm waiting for you. How could I eat without you?"

Ye Yaodong had only been joking, tossing the words out casually. To his surprise, his wife's whole face flushed red, and she turned away shyly. "What nonsense are you talking?"

He found it fascinating. She could actually blush! Women really did like hearing sweet nothings!

"Come out and eat. If we're late, there won't be any dishes left!"

Look at that. Even her voice had gone soft...

His spirits lifted at once, and all the frustration of being wrongly accused vanished. He straightened his back and followed her outside at a leisurely pace.

The large round table in the main room was already crowded with children. His wife stood beside his eldest son, Ye Chenghu, ready to put food in his bowl, with an empty seat beside her saved for him. His youngest son sat on his mother's lap while she fed him.

There were five boys and three girls in the youngest generation of the family. His eldest brother had two sons and a daughter, his second brother had a son and two daughters, and he had two sons.

The first four boys had been named, from oldest to youngest, after the sea, a great river, a river, and a lake. When his youngest son was born, he'd casually picked "ocean" for his name.

He went over and sat in his place. Looking at the table laden with seafood, he couldn't help reflecting that coastal folk really were so poor they had nothing but seafood to eat.