Although none of them had bought the boats they wanted, at least they had not come away empty-handed. If they could not get a big one, a small one offered some consolation.
It could be said that everyone except Father Ye had come away fully laden.
The trip from the town harbor to the village's little pier took about half an hour. On this outing, only the waiting and the picking and choosing had taken much extra time.
Looking at the village in the distance, Ye Yaodong checked the time. It was already eleven. Half the morning had passed just like that.
But as they approached shore, the fishing boats working along the nearby coast reacted as though they had seen a ghost.
They had been hauling in their nets or casting them, but as the fishing boat approached, all of them sprang into action, sculling furiously toward shore.
The closer they got to the fishing village, the more boats around them started moving. There looked to be six or seven.
Standing at the bow, Ye Yaodong was a little dumbfounded at the sight of all the fishing boats ahead rowing for their lives.
Everyone else aboard found it hilarious.
"Dongzi, do you think they've mistaken us for people from Luzhou Island passing through to rob them?"
"Hahaha, look how fast they're rowing..."
"Luzhou Island has such a rotten reputation. Good thing so many of them got arrested."
"This is killing me. One look and they're all running."
Ye Yaodong could not stop laughing either. If they reached shore and discovered it was him, their jaws would probably drop.
"They can't outrun me, but they're still rowing their hearts out."
"They have to run even if they can't outrun you. They don't necessarily have to beat your boat, just the