Recaps

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye gathered stranded squid through the night, then shared breakfast with Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng after they arrived to scout the island. They planned to keep working around the island, while Ye Yaodong discovered that Father Ye’s cooking was much better than he had expected.

• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye collected squid on the beach, while Ye Yaodong also scooped up anchovies, mackerel, and a red octopus.
• As dawn broke, seabirds crowded the beach and stole squid, so the pair carried their catch back to their boat and rested.
• Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng arrived after trawling, and Ye Yaodong told them they could put branches on the island’s west side while his were on the east.
• Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng joined Ye Yaodong and Father Ye for noodles, and they discussed their catches and plans to repay Ye Yaodong.
• Ye Yaodong tasted Father Ye’s noodles and wondered why his father had pretended to be a poor cook before.

Ye Yaodong and his father hauled in a large squid catch before heavy rain kept the village fleet ashore for three days, giving Ye Yaodong time to care for his newborn daughter. When the skies cleared, he prepared to fish again and offered to take Lin Guangyuan’s grandparents out to gather squid.

• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye spent the afternoon casting nets for squid, then returned after one final cast each with a boat full of squid and some other catch.
• Ye Yaopeng and Ye Yaohua reported a strong haul of their own, and the family sold more than the previous day despite a small drop in squid prices.
• Heavy rain began that night and kept the fishermen from going out for three days, while Ye Yaodong stayed home holding his baby daughter, Ye Xiaoxi.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing agreed not to hold a one-month celebration or keep the cash gifts, and planned to return them.
• After the rain stopped, Ye Yaodong went up the mountain with Father Ye to cut branches for fishing, then offered to take Lin Guangyuan and his grandparents to gather squid.

Ye Yaodong persuaded Father Lin and Lin Mother to stay and take Lin Guangyuan squid-picking, then sold a repaired machine he had salvaged from the sea. He put the money away and persuaded Lin Xiuqing to buy a phonograph for the Old Lady.

• Ye Yaodong convinced Father Lin and Lin Mother that they could gather and sell squid, and they agreed to stay and go out to sea with him.
• The village repairman returned Ye Yaodong’s repaired machine, and Ye Yaodong negotiated to sell it to him for 165 yuan after the repair fee.
• Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law suggested the machine might have come from a sunken Luzhou Island boat, but Father Ye and Ye Yaodong avoided confirming it.
• Ye Yaodong told Lin Xiuqing about the sale and persuaded her to use some of the money to buy the Old Lady a phonograph.

Ye Yaodong took Lin Guangyuan and his in-laws to gather squid at a small island, where they met up with A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao. When another boat arrived and circled the island, Ye Yaodong brought his group over to confront the newcomers.

• Ye Yaodong took Lin Guangyuan to the pier with Father Ye and set out by boat with Father Lin and Lin Mother, who soon became seasick.
• At the island, Lin Guangyuan, Father Lin, and Lin Mother eagerly gathered squid while Ye Yaodong put out branches and Father Ye scooped up squid.
• A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao arrived, and Ye Yaodong had Lin Guangyuan collect oysters and shellfish for breakfast.
• A-Zheng spotted another fishing boat circling the island, so Ye Yaodong called Father Ye over and moved his boats toward it.
• Lin Guangyuan excitedly asked if they were going to fight, while Ye Yaodong said he preferred peace and approached the boat cautiously.

Ye Yaodong and his companions drove a father and his two sons away from the waters they had claimed for catching cuttlefish, but the men returned and provoked Ye Yaodong after turning the tables on him at sea. Ye Yaodong gathered his father-in-law and Lin Guangyuan to confront them, while another boat approached in the distance.

• Ye Yaodong and his companions surrounded a boat carrying a father and two young men and ordered them to leave the island’s fishing grounds.
• The father and sons sailed away, and Ye Yaodong’s group went ashore for breakfast before heading out to trawl.
• After returning, Ye Yaodong found the same boat secretly fishing nearby, but its crew fled and then turned to pursue him when they saw only Ye Yaodong and Father Ye aboard.
• Ye Yaodong escaped the pursuit, but the other boat stopped to fish and taunted him, so he went to the island to gather more people.
• Lin Guangyuan eagerly grabbed a stick, and Ye Yaodong led the group toward the boat as another vessel appeared in the distance.

Ye Yaodong and his companions chased down the men stealing their squid catch and beat them after the thieves rammed their boat. They took the stolen squid and gear, while Lin Guangyuan proudly helped and expected his promised reward.

• Ye Yaodong encouraged Lin Guangyuan to join the confrontation despite Father Lin and Father Ye objecting.
• Ye Yaodong pursued the rival boat after its crew tried to flee with baskets and a net full of squid.
• The thieves rammed Ye Yaodong's boat, but Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng arrived and helped hem them in.
• Ye Yaodong, Lin Guangyuan, Xiao Xiao, and A-Zheng boarded the rival boat and beat its three-man crew until they could no longer resist.
• Lin Guangyuan boasted about earning fifty cents and a chicken drumstick, while Ye Yaodong and A-Zheng traded jokes.
• The group took the squid, net, and other movable gear from the rival boat, and Ye Yaodong worried that the collision had damaged his boat.

After Ye Yaodong and his companions took the goods from the disabled boat, they returned to gathering squid around the island and worked until sunset. They picked up their family and Lin Guangyuan, who had collected shellfish and seabird eggs, then headed home.

• Ye Yaodong stopped Lin Guangyuan from kicking the defeated men and warned him to avoid fighting and learn a trade.
• Ye Yaodong and his companions divided the squid and agreed to split the proceeds from the diesel engine after selling it.
• Ye Yaodong dropped Father Lin and Lin Guangyuan on the island, then returned to sea with Father Ye to catch more squid.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye hauled in their final net at sunset and saw another boat towing the distant boat away.
• Ye Yaodong found that Lin Mother had filled two sacks with shellfish, while Lin Guangyuan returned with a bucketful of seabird eggs.
• Ye Yaodong shouldered a sack of shellfish and led everyone back home after a long day.

Ye Yaodong and his family returned from a successful fishing trip with a large catch, seabird eggs, and shellfish. At home, they shared the eggs with the children and discussed raising chickens and ducks.

• Ye Yaodong and his parents-in-law sold their catch and returned home after a tiring day at sea.
• Mother Ye welcomed them and learned that Lin Guangyuan had collected a bucket of seabird eggs.
• The children crowded around the eggs and asked Ye Yaodong to take them seabird nest hunting.
• Mother Ye said fifteen chicks had hatched and planned to divide them among the families.
• Ye Yaodong asked about getting ducklings, and Lin Mother offered to bring him some when her duck eggs hatched.
• Mother Ye boiled seabird eggs for the children and scolded them for neglecting their homework.

Lin Guangyuan returned with seabird eggs and birds he had shot, while Ye Yaodong taught him why seagulls were useful to fishermen and warned him not to shoot them. As worsening winds forced the boats back early, the family shared the eggs, and Ye Yaodong prepared to keep fishing despite the rough weather.

• Lin Guangyuan brought home sacks of seabird eggs and several birds he had shot with a slingshot, and Ye Yaodong identified them and told him not to shoot seagulls.
• Ye Yaodong explained that seagulls could signal reefs, guide lost boats toward harbors, and forecast changes in the weather.
• Lin Guangyuan asked Ye Yaodong to take him fishing again, and Ye Yaodong agreed while jokingly asking him to pay with seabird eggs.
• Ye Yaodong, Father Lin, Lin Mother, and the others ended their work early when the wind rose and the waves became dangerous, then returned to shore with their catch.
• Mother Ye boiled the seabird eggs, and the children eagerly grabbed and ate them while Lin Mother praised her larger haul of shellfish.
• Ye Yaodong saw that the night sky was clear and planned to go out fishing as usual, while Lin Guangyuan arranged to bring Ye Chengjiang along the next day.

Ye Yaodong and his companions returned to White Sand Village with their catch, only to learn that the father and sons whose boat they had confronted at sea had come seeking revenge. The villagers heard both sides argue over the seized engine and nets, and one of the outsiders admitted they had poached squid near the island.

• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye sold their squid catch, and Ye Yaodong urged Father Lin and Lin Mother to stay for more of the squid run, but they decided to return home to tend their fields.
• Lin Jianjun rushed to the pier and told Ye Yaodong that more than twenty men had come to White Sand Village demanding their engine back, so Ye Yaodong and his companions hurried to the village with shoulder poles.
• Ye Yaodong and his companions joined the villagers facing the outsiders, and Ye Yaodong explained that the men had poached squid near their marked island and rammed his boat.
• A-Qiu accused Ye Yaodong's group of attacking them and stealing their engine, but villagers backed Ye Yaodong and pointed to the collision damage on his boat.
• The outsiders proposed paying for repairs in exchange for the engine, but Ye Yaodong rejected the offer and argued that their lost fishing time had cost them far more.
• One of A-Qiu's companions blurted out that Ye Yaodong had taken all the squid they had poached, confirming the villagers' suspicions.

Ye Yaodong and the villagers fought the outsiders who had come to demand their fishing machine, beating them until they gave up and backed down. After the fight, Ye Yaodong warned Lin Guangyuan to stay out of trouble, while the village remained wary of further clashes at sea.

• A-Qiu threatened to bring boats to rob the villagers, and A-Zheng broke his finger, setting off a fight.
• The outsiders struck a villager with a stick, and Ye Yaodong and the villagers surged into a one-sided beating as more men joined in.
• Ye Yaodong and the others dragged out A-Qiu and his father and brother, while Lin Guangyuan joined the fight unnoticed.
• Secretary Chen stopped the villagers before the beating became more serious, and the outsiders admitted they no longer wanted the machine.
• Ye Yaodong told Lin Guangyuan to avoid other people's fights, and Father Lin grabbed the boy by the collar to deal with him at home.

After Ye Yaodong refused a low offer from the mechanic, he sold the seized diesel engine to Licheng for 210 yuan in a bidding contest with Zhang Dazhu. Ye Yaodong and his family prepared to deliver and install it, pleased to have made money without a middleman.

• Father Ye and the others returned home after the village fight, and Mother Ye urged Ye Yaodong to sell the seized machine.
• Ye Yaodong rejected the mechanic's offers of 160 and 180 yuan for the engine.
• Zhang Dazhu offered 190 yuan, but Ye Yaodong insisted on 200 and persuaded him to consider buying it.
• Licheng arrived to buy the engine, prompting Zhang Dazhu and Licheng to compete by raising their offers.
• Licheng won the engine with a bid of 210 yuan, and Ye Yaodong promised to deliver and install it with help from both fathers.

After selling the machine for 210 yuan, Ye Yaodong divided the proceeds among the people who helped, including his father, father-in-law, and nephew. He put his own share away with Lin Xiuqing and prepared to rest before possibly heading out to sea again.

• Ye Chenghai revealed that he had earned coins by winning and reselling marbles, then hurried off to summon A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao.
• Ye Yaodong told everyone how two buyers had bid against each other, allowing him to sell the machine for 210 yuan.
• Ye Yaodong and the others agreed to give 40 yuan each to five adults and 10 yuan to Lin Guangyuan for his help.
• Ye Yaodong handed out the shares, giving Lin Guangyuan's money to Father Lin to hold.
• Mother Ye took Father Ye's share, and Ye Yaodong asked her to stew some of the pelican he had saved for his in-laws.
• Ye Yaodong put his own money in a drawer after telling Lin Xiuqing that the shares had been divided.

Ye Yaodong bought the Old Lady a phonograph, and his family reacted to the expensive gift while she happily accepted it as a belated birthday present. After resting, Ye Yaodong went fishing again, and the day passed without trouble.

• Lin Xiuqing asked Ye Yaodong whether the phonograph he had ordered for the Old Lady had arrived, and he told her to keep its cost quiet.
• Mother Ye scolded Ye Yaodong for spending ninety yuan on the phonograph and reminded him of the other costly things he had bought.
• The Old Lady thanked Ye Yaodong and happily accepted the phonograph as a belated eightieth birthday gift.
• Father Ye learned that Lin Jishang had delivered the phonograph and joined the Old Lady in welcoming the purchase.
• Ye Yaodong rested, then went fishing that night after checking that the weather was safe; the day passed without mishap.

Ye Yaodong’s family gathered around the Red Lantern radio he had bought, and Mother Ye showed them how to use it. The family listened to opera and storytelling until the broadcast ended, leaving them eager to hear more.

• Ye Yaodong noticed the new radio, while the children warned him not to touch it carelessly.
• Mother Ye explained that the radio could run on electricity or batteries and tuned it to a broadcast.
• Father Ye and Ye Chenghe excitedly recognized The Tale of Yue Fei, and Ye Xiuxiu complained that Mother Ye kept switching programs on and off.
• The family members returned and learned that Ye Yaodong had bought the radio, prompting them to praise him and ask about its price.
• Ye Chengjiang sprayed rice across the dishes, and the family laughed as the broadcast announced that The Tale of Yue Fei had ended for the day.

Ye Yaodong returned home to find his family gathered around their new phonograph and spent time coaxing his baby daughter while Lin Xiuqing warned him not to waste money. The household settled down for the night, with Ye Yaodong going to sleep before another night at sea.

• Ye Chengjiang tried to share food with Ye Yaodong, who scolded him to eat all the leftovers.
• Mother Ye and the children argued over how long they could listen to the phonograph, while the family discussed their fishing work and plans for the baby's month celebration.
• Ye Yaodong visited Lin Xiuqing and their daughter after bathing, then happily picked up the baby when she woke.
• Lin Xiuqing took the baby back and told Ye Yaodong not to buy another phonograph or waste their savings.
• Ye Yaodong gave up trying to explain his view of money and went to bed.

After the rain cleared, Ye Yaodong planned to move his fishing pots to the Submerged Reef and avoid trouble with the people he had crossed. His brothers-in-law arrived with vegetables, winter melons, and ducklings, and he invited them to join him at sea to collect squid.

• Ye Yaodong slept through the night rain and decided to move his fishing pots to another fishing spot after the weather cleared.
• Ye Yaodong collected his catch, kept white shrimp for his family, and sold the rest.
• Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong arrived with vegetables, two winter melons, and five ducklings sent by their parents.
• Ye Yaodong offered his brothers-in-law a chance to collect squid with him instead of leaving it for seabirds.
• Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong eagerly agreed to go out on the boat with Ye Yaodong that night.

Ye Yaodong hosted his two brothers-in-law, Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong, before preparing them for a trip to sea. He then fielded village gossip about his recent earnings and left the villagers debating fines and sons.

• Ye Yaodong turned on his radio for Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong, then showed them his baby daughter, whom they praised for her looks and thick hair.
• Ye Yaodong took his brothers-in-law and Father Ye toward the Old House, stopping at a pharmacy to buy seasickness patches for them.
• Villagers praised Ye Yaodong's recent catches and earnings as Father Ye listened proudly to their comments.
• Ye Yaodong claimed he still had debts, another child to feed, and a thousand-yuan fine, prompting villagers to debate fines and the importance of having a son.
• Ye Yaodong slipped away after shifting the villagers' gossip onto another topic.

Ye Yaodong took his brothers-in-law to the island to gather seafood, then explored its woods while the tide rose. He returned with a bucket of eggs and found wild strawberries, while the family prepared to set Fishing Pots and catch squid.

• Ye Yaodong quieted the children at home and sent his sons to bed before setting out with Father Ye and his two brothers-in-law.
• The two brothers-in-law became seasick on the boat but recovered enough to gather squid and other catches after landing on the island.
• Ye Yaodong explored the island’s woods, found nests full of eggs, and collected them in his bucket.
• Ye Yaodong discovered a patch of wild strawberries and startled a cock pheasant, collecting its fallen feathers.
• Ye Yaodong returned to Father Ye, who teased him for bringing back only eggs, and they planned to eat breakfast before setting Fishing Pots and going into the water.

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye set fishing pots at the submerged reef before Ye Yaodong dived to harvest pen shells from a nearby seabed. The chapter ended with Father Ye hauling up a mesh bag containing an estimated forty or fifty jin of pen shells.

• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xianghui discussed making traps to catch pheasants and other game after returning to the village, while Father Ye objected to the extra work.
• Ye Yaodong left his brothers-in-law on the island to gather squid and other shore food, warning them to stay safe and use a red flag if they needed help.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye spotted an ocean sunfish but left it alone and continued to the submerged reef to set fishing pots.
• Ye Yaodong put on his diving gear, found a cluster of pen shells on the seabed, and filled a large mesh bag with them.
• Ye Yaodong surfaced and explained that the pen shells were near the reef in shallower water, then asked Father Ye to haul up the bag while he rested.

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye hauled a large catch of pen shells from the seabed, rested with a meal, and worked until evening. They left with their two brothers-in-law, carrying a piece of ocean sunfish skin that they planned to turn into a ball for the children.

• Ye Yaodong hauled up a basketful of pen shells and told Father Ye that the seabed patch might yield a thousand jin.
• Father Ye offered to take turns diving, but Ye Yaodong refused and continued harvesting the pen shells himself.
• After several dives left him exhausted, Ye Yaodong ate cooked pen shells with Father Ye before they resumed work.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye made two more hauls near sunset and left when Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng arrived with Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong.
• Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong showed them a piece of ocean sunfish skin, and Ye Yaodong said they could wind it into a ball for the children.
• Xiao Xiao asked where the pen shells came from, and Ye Yaodong said he had hauled them from the seabed.

Ye Yaodong sold the pen shells he had gathered underwater and learned that squid prices had fallen again. After finding that neighbors had crowded into his home to listen to his radio, he discovered the Fake Ambergris he had hidden by the back door was missing.

• Ye Yaodong gave Xiao Xiao and the others pen shells to try, then sold his catch for thirty yuan despite lower-than-expected prices.
• Ye Yaodong asked A-Cai about squid prices and heard they had dropped another two fen.
• Ye Yaodong found neighbors leaving his home after listening to his radio and saw rubbish scattered around the doorway.
• Ye Yaodong told Mother Ye to ask neighbors to contribute to the electricity bill if they returned, while Father Ye warned that the crowd could disturb the baby or steal something.
• Ye Yaodong searched the baskets by the back door and realized someone had stolen the Fake Ambergris.

Ye Yaodong discovered that the fake ambergris he had made was missing, then heard that Xu Laifu had supposedly found ambergris on the Beach. He watched the Xu family turn away curious villagers before they had even examined the fake, leaving the family convinced they had found a fortune.

• Ye Yaodong checked the real ambergris hanging in his room and told Lin Xiuqing that his fake piece had been stolen.
• Ye Yaodong heard Sister-in-law Lan and Second Sister-in-law Lan say that Xu Laifu had found what people believed was ambergris.
• Ye Yaodong went to the Xu family's home and found villagers demanding to see the supposed treasure.
• The Xu family refused to show it and insulted the villagers, who left grumbling about their behavior and doubting whether the ambergris was real.
• Ye Yaodong watched the villagers' reaction and privately looked forward to the Xu family discovering the piece was fake.

Ye Yaodong laughed at the rumors about the Xu family’s stolen ambergris, then discovered that dried longans and bird eggs had gone missing from his home. The next day he returned from fishing to find the village stirred up by another spectacle.

• Ye Yaodong told Mother Ye how villagers had embellished the story of the Xu family finding ambergris, and Lin Xiuqing worried the gossip might cause trouble for them.
• Mother Ye discovered dried longans and bird eggs were missing and searched the house, while Ye Yaodong warned her not to let so many people in.
• Ye Yaodong went out with a slingshot to hunt pheasants but found none, so he brought home wild strawberries for the children instead.
• Ye Yaodong and his father hauled in the Fishing Pots, and their day at sea brought a substantial catch.
• When Ye Yaodong returned to the Beach that evening, the village was in an uproar over another spectacle.

Li Lao'er went to the Xu family seeking the stone he had paid Xu Laifu to steal, believing it might be ambergris. Xu Laifu revealed that he had stolen it from Ye Yaodong's home, and the listening villagers rushed to inform Ye Yaodong.

• Li Lao'er heard that the supposed ambergris found by the Xu family was fake and went to question Xu Laifu.
• Li Lao'er confronted the Xu family and found the grayish-white piece of wood he had asked Xu Laifu to steal.
• Xu Laifu admitted that he had stolen the piece from Ye Yaodong's house for a promised yuan.
• The villagers overheard Xu Laifu's confession and sent Xiao Liu to tell Ye Yaodong that his treasure had been stolen.
• Li Lao'er realized the villagers knew where the piece came from and no longer dared demand a share.