Not everyone shared their thinking. Some people left the shore, but more stayed to see what would happen.
It was good money-who could bear to pass it up? A sackful earned a day's wages. In just that short time that morning, everyone had already gathered half a sack, never mind what they had collected yesterday.
Although Mother Ye had taken advantage of the confusion to get a tiger grouper, she did not want to squeeze into the water with so many people again. Another fight might really break out later. She had already come out ahead, so she was better off staying out of it. Her clothes had been splashed wet too.
"Then let's sell the catch and go home. We can come back to watch after a bath."
A-Guang said quietly to Ye Huimei, "I'll take you home to soak your feet. If you want to come out later, I'll come with you to watch, but don't go down to gather any more. I told you this morning not to go into the water, but you wouldn't listen..."
"I didn't know things would get so chaotic."
Ye Huimei felt frightened in hindsight too and no longer wanted to go down to gather any more.
"Let's go. I'll keep this half sack to take home and dry. Take yours to be weighed, and sell that grouper while you're at it."
After Father Ye spoke, they all headed to the buying station. Hardly anyone was selling anything now, so they did not have to wait. They came out as soon as everything had been weighed.
Only when they came out did they see that the eldest and second brothers and their wives were still standing there, watching. When asked, they said they would wait and see...
They left them to it,