Ye Yaodong grinned and shook out the sack. "Emergency assistance! I'm commandeering this. It's easier for you to use sacks anyway. Once they're full, you can carry them straight ashore. I'll have to sort through mine again after I finish collecting them."
As Xiao Xiao picked, he asked, "When did you find these? You've already collected almost a boatload."
"This morning. The fishing pots had been out at sea for days without being checked, and I was worried the fish and shrimp inside would die. I came out to see whether I could collect the catch, but I never expected to find so many starfish here stealing food."
"Fuck, look at this whole mass of them. There really are a shitload..."
"Keep picking, hurry up. These things are dirt cheap, but there are so many of them. They're free for the taking, and you can dry them or steep them in liquor when you get home..."
Nearby, Mother Ye and the others were chatting happily too. "This happened once years ago. They ate every sand clam on the whole beach. When the tide went out and the sand was exposed, there was nothing but starfish and empty shells."
Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law said excitedly, "I remember. I was still unmarried then. My whole family came out to collect them..."
"Not just your whole family. The whole village was out on the beach picking like mad..." Ye Second Sister-in-Law worked briskly as she spoke. In that short time, she had already filled nearly half a sack, and her grin was so wide she could barely close her mouth.
"Those who live by the sea live off the sea. Strange things like this turn up on the beach from time to time. Who knows when they'll appear again?" Father Ye smiled and shook