Ye Yaodong had thought only a few close acquaintances knew about his buying a boat. He had not gone around announcing it, but that did not mean other people had kept quiet. That very afternoon, his mother had happily made a circuit of the village, telling their friends and relatives.
By the time he returned from the old house to his new home, several rolls of firecrackers were already piled in a corner.
He spotted their vivid red color the moment he came home.
"Word spread that fast?"
"The whole village knew by this afternoon. I was thinking of ordering a tray of sugar cake tomorrow to share with our friends and relatives, since they've all sent firecrackers over." Seeing him return, Lin Xiuqing went to bring out the food from the pot as she spoke with a smile.
Sharing sugar cake on happy family occasions was a local custom. On the day they moved, they had steamed two trays to distribute among their friends and relatives.
Buying a new boat came with the same custom of handing out sugar cake, symbolizing rising higher with every step.
Ye Yaodong had originally thought that since it was only a secondhand iron-hulled boat, they could keep things low-key and not tell everyone. He had not expected word to spread so widely.
"Must have been Mother who told everyone. That's why word spread so fast. Go order it tomorrow, then. Get a tray of sugar cake, cut it up, and share it with our friends and relatives!"
"Mm. Your friends brought over a few strings of firecrackers too. When they saw you weren't home, they said they'd come back after dinner."
"Oh."
"I thought that since we've only just bought the boat, we should pick an auspicious date for taking it out the