The long queues held not just people but their catches, stretching out in several long lines. Almost the entire village had turned out today, and the shore was now packed with people and goods.
The surrounding roads were full of mud and puddles, and everyone's trouser legs and shoes were splattered with yellow mud. Their cold hands and feet did nothing to dampen their excitement.
The pier had never been this lively either. It was noisy everywhere, with barely any room left to set foot, and the smiles on everyone's faces almost rivaled those at New Year.
This was the joy of making money. Who didn't want to get rich?
Everyone just regretted that there were so many people sharing the bounty. Besides, the tide had come in, and the rising water made gathering harder.
Ye Yaodong heaved the last half sack of starfish onto the handcart before catching his breath. "How many sacks is that?"
Lin Xiuqing had been standing guard beside the handcart, keeping a close eye on their catch. She knew exactly which sacks were theirs.
"Seven and a half. There aren't any more down there, are there?"
"No."
She smiled. "Mother, Father, and Younger Sister gathered almost seven sacks between them. Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-Law, and Second Older Brother and Second Sister-in-Law, each gathered a little over four sacks."
Ye Yaodong nodded. He hadn't gathered much that afternoon. After working all morning, he could barely straighten his back. He had collected less than two sacks that afternoon; most of the rest had been gathered in the morning.
He looked at the other villagers. Each had sacks beside them and seemed to have gathered quite a lot too. Most had brought their whole families, with several people in each household. They had probably pooled their catches