Mother Ye had been waiting at the entrance the whole time. When she saw a crowd of grandchildren racing over, clamoring for her to fry sandworms, she immediately launched into a scolding.
"Fry them? Doesn't that take oil? You're all knee-high to a grasshopper, but you certainly know how to eat. You even know to ask for them fried! Are you itching for a beating?"
"Hehe, Third Uncle said it! He said he'd fry us a whole basin!" After saying that, Ye Chenghai immediately shouted behind him, "Third Uncle, you said you'd fry us a whole basin of sandworms just now. Does that still count?"
Ye Yaodong slowly pushed the handcart over and said with a smile, "What would you do if I said I was fooling you?"
"Aaah! I'm never believing you again! And we worked so hard just now!"
"Exactly! I'm so mad..."
"Dad, you're breaking your promise! You're going too far..."
"Aaah, we're never helping you work again..."
The children were furious, all glaring at him.
Knowing he had angered the whole crowd, Ye Yaodong dared not string them along. "I didn't say I wouldn't fry them! Wasn't I just asking a question to tease you? We'll fry them, of course we will. A whole basin, so you can eat your fill!"
"Hmph, that's more like it!"
"What are you snorting at?" Mother Ye rapped Ye Chenghai on the head, then glared at Ye Yaodong. "Fry them? A whole basin, at that? Doesn't that take oil? Got so much money it's burning a hole in your pocket?"
"Oh, how much oil could it take? Just fry some for them. They gathered all these sandworms, and everything in those sacks too. They were really eager today and worked hard. They deserve a reward."
"Go on, spoil them. Tomorrow