The couple stayed on the Isolated Island until two in the afternoon. Only when the tide slowly began rising did they stop. Four large sacks of assorted shellfish were piled on the beach beside them.
Lin Xiuqing looked longingly at the patches of barnacles and shellfish still covering the Reef Wall. "We couldn't dig all these up even if we came every day."
"Yeah, nobody wants this stuff. Who has time to waste coming here to dig every day? Only the big sea snails and oysters fetch any money. Nothing else sells, so it's not worth making a special boat trip. Coming over now and then to get some to eat with rice is fine, though."
"Let's head back, then. We've been out so long. I wonder how the children are doing, and whether our daughter's crying for me."
Thinking about it made her feel guilty. She had been worrying about the children at home all day, but since they had already come, they couldn't return empty-handed, or leave halfway through with hardly anything gathered. The round trip cost fuel, after all.
"Yeah. You go up that way. I'll carry these through the water."
"Let me help you..."
"No need. Some of the rocks are uneven, and some are slippery. Just watch your own footing and get aboard first. Only the sacks are a bit heavy. I'll carry them over in a few trips. Leave those buckets to me too."
"Can you manage on your own? Won't they be too heavy?"
"No, it's fine. You didn't fill them right up. I'll just make a few trips."
"Then I'll wait here and watch."
"Go aboard first. You can help me take the stuff when I get there."
"All right, I'll go over now."
It took a little persuading before Lin Xiuqing