Washing up aboard the boat was inconvenient, and there was little fresh water. Everyone only brushed their teeth, without any water to wash their faces. The remaining half bucket of fresh water went toward cooking noodles.
The fishing boats left the stretch of shore where they had casually moored and slowly headed toward town, scooping up jellyfish along the way, taking every one they found.
Everyone had earned quite a bit lately and kept the money on them, taking it out every day to count. Looking at it made them happy, but carrying so much money while away from home felt unsafe. They were all willing to spend half a day depositing it if they could.
There were not many jellyfish floating on the sea along the way, only the occasional scattered few. Following the principle of never passing up any they spotted, they took them all aboard. However little they earned, it would help cover fuel and wages.
They also came across plenty of small boats working nearby. On some, old men labored away on the sea, dripping with sweat. On others, elderly couples worked together, while still others carried entire families, young and old.
Ye Yaodong reckoned those with entire families aboard were probably Tanka people, also known as boat-dwelling families, waterborne residents of the southeastern coast who made their boats their homes.
He had not expected to see them here as well as in Southern Fujian. He only glanced at them before looking away.
The gloomy sky held not a trace of sunlight, yet it was not cool. Instead, it felt rather hot and oppressive. Even the sea breeze stirred up by the moving boats brought no relief, and once they went ashore, there was no wind at all.
After Ye Yaodong moored his boat at a