Ye Yaodong genuinely thought it needed lubricating. Seawater was corrosive, and after a machine had been used for a long time, it was perfectly normal for its parts to rust, stop running smoothly, and start creaking.
His net hauler was in pretty good shape. It had never broken down since he bought it, partly because his father maintained it well. After every use, he would wring out a towel in fresh water and wipe it down, then cover it with a nylon bag. He took extremely good care of it.
If it had been left to him, who knew how many times it would have needed repairs by now.
"If you don't believe me, just watch. You'll know once we haul the catch aboard."
Although marine resources were plentiful these days, even an exceptionally full net would only bring in a hundred or two hundred jin, perhaps two or three hundred. Hauling in one or two thousand jin in a single net near shore? Forget it.
In later years, they would have been thanking their lucky stars to haul in a few dozen jin near shore. For the machine to struggle, they would need another whale shark like last time, or something equally enormous.
That was why, when his father said they might have another bursting net and the machine began creaking, he had immediately dismissed it and said it needed lubricating.
If his luck really was that extraordinary and another whale shark came along behind them to steal their catch, he would consider that hitting the jackpot. All he could do then was another good deed.
Father Ye gave him a sidelong look, then looked back at the sea. "Can't you think of something good?"
"It still has to be realistic. Look how easily the net hauler's reeling it