Father Ye was grinning so broadly he could not close his mouth.
He had known that once the fishing boats docked, the villagers' eyes would practically pop out at the sight, but actually seeing their shock and envy felt as refreshing as a mouthful of ice water in the hottest days of summer.
No wonder his wife was always showing off. Those envious looks really did feel good. Whose family had more boats than theirs now?
"It's all thanks to Dongzi being clever and quick-witted, and knowing so many people..."
He had worked hard all his life and had always been one of the village's most ordinary fishermen. Suddenly becoming the envy of everyone because his son had made something of himself made him even happier than succeeding himself would have.
Father Ye's eyes disappeared into his grin, and all their praise filled him with reflected pride.
"Yes, we watched your third son suddenly start doing so well..."
"It must be the good feng shui of your house!"
"Exactly! It's incredible. You bought a boat the year before last, then a shop last year. At first I heard it was one, then later I heard you'd bought two. And lately you've been bringing home one boat after another... amazing..."
As more fishing boats docked, word spread, and more people joined in marveling at it. Compliments poured out as though they cost nothing.
"Incredible, just incredible. What a successful son... several boats all at once! Your family's going to earn all the money there is..."
"I heard your eldest and second sons bought shops in the city too. Shops and boats-you really know how to raise sons. Each one's more capable than the last..."
"Your family's number one in the village now. Nobody can compare, nobody..."
When these people really started