Chapter Summaries

Ye Yaodong awoke in 1982 after dying at sixty-five and found his family arguing with his two elder uncles over the proceeds from a large yellow croaker catch. He confronted his uncles and threatened to let the villagers judge their claim, leaving them eager to retreat.

• Ye Yaodong realized he had returned to age twenty-five in 1982 after drowning at sea.
• Ye Yaodong's elder uncles demanded a share of the money from the large yellow croakers, claiming they were entitled to part of the boat their father had left behind.
• Ye Yaopeng reminded the uncles that the family had already divided the inheritance, with Ye Yaodong's father taking the broken-down boat while the uncles took the money.
• Ye Yaodong defended his father and tried to drag his eldest uncle outside so the villagers and village chief could judge the dispute.
• When neighbors gathered, Ye Yaodong's uncles claimed they had only come to chat and hurried to leave.

After Ye Father’s brothers left without securing a share of the fishing proceeds, Ye Yaodong returned inside and reflected on his wife and family in the life he had lost. The family discussed the dispute and his grandmother’s whereabouts, and Ye Yaodong ended by asking his father how much the large yellow croakers had sold for.

• Ye Yaodong let Ye Eldest Uncle and Ye Second Uncle leave, then carried his younger son inside.
• Ye Yaodong met his wife, Lin Xiuqing, and remembered how she had supported him for decades before dying of cancer in his previous life.
• Ye Father worried that his brothers’ jealousy over the fishing haul could harm their relationship, while Ye Yaopeng and Ye Yaohua discussed the visible catch and payment.
• Ye Father learned that Ye Grandma had gone to check her corn and melons, and Ye Yaodong sent the children to bring her home.
• Ye Yaodong asked Ye Father how much the large yellow croakers had sold for, though his father had already told him.

Ye Yaodong regretted that his family had sold their catch of large yellow croakers for far less than they could have earned, and he explained why they were unlikely to catch such a haul again. His family began to see him in a new light, while he resolved to become more responsible without revealing how he knew so much.

• Ye Yaodong learned that his family had sold the large yellow croakers for 1,200 yuan and told them they could have earned twice as much in the county town.
• Ye Father blamed Ye Yaodong for not being at the dock, but then accepted that the fish were already sold and there was no use regretting it.
• Ye Yaodong explained how fishing methods had depleted large yellow croaker stocks and said their small boat was unlikely to bring in such a catch again.
• Ye Father's family and Lin Xiuqing were surprised by Ye Yaodong's knowledge and began to reconsider their view of him.
• Ye Yaodong hid how he knew about the fishing history and resolved to work harder to support Lin Xiuqing and their children.

Ye Yaodong’s parents scolded and chased him for being idle, but his grandmother intervened when he accidentally knocked her down and protected him from further blows. Her affection moved him as he helped her inside.

• Ye Father grew angry at Ye Yaodong’s flippant reply and chased him through the house with a shoe while Ye Mother joined in the scolding.
• Ye Yaodong fled outside, collided with his nieces and nephews, and knocked his grandmother off balance.
• Ye Father struck Ye Yaodong with a broom, but the grandmother shielded him and ordered Ye Father to stop.
• The grandmother defended Ye Yaodong against Ye Mother’s complaints, while the children gathered the scattered corn and melons.
• Ye Yaodong checked that his grandmother was unhurt and offered to help her inside, touched by her continued affection.

Ye Yaodong shared his saved melon with his family and promised to get his grandmother dentures, surprising his wife with his thoughtfulness. His family assigned him and the children to pick corn while his father planned to fish, leaving Ye Yaodong determined to prove he could carry the harvest.

• Ye Huimei told Ye Yaodong that the family had saved him a whole green-skinned striped melon.
• Ye Yaodong cut the melon into pieces and shared it with his grandmother, children, and wife before promising to get his grandmother dentures.
• Ye Father criticized Ye Yaodong as useless and said he should take the children to pick corn while Ye Father fished with his two older sons.
• Lin Xiuqing redirected the conversation to the low tide, and Ye Mother agreed to take the children to pick corn with Ye Yaodong.
• Ye Yaodong silently decided he would carry the corn back, while the old lady suggested picking it a little at a time to keep it fresh.

Ye Father and Ye Mother decided to use the money from selling the large yellow croakers to build houses for their sons and divide the household. The family agreed, and Ye Father went to arrange the housing plots.

• Ye Huimei told Ye Mother that Ye Eldest Uncle and Ye Second Uncle had demanded a share of the family's money.
• Ye Father announced that he and Ye Mother planned to build houses for their sons and divide the household.
• Ye Yaodong remembered that his father had done the same after the family caught large yellow croakers in his previous life, and he supported the plan.
• Ye Mother said the fish money and future earnings from going out to sea would pay for the houses, and Ye Father asked his sons and daughters-in-law if they objected.
• Ye Eldest Brother and Ye Second Brother, along with their wives, agreed to the plan, and Ye Father left to ask about purchasing housing plots.

Ye Yaodong joined his family for shore-gathering, surprising Lin Xiuqing with his unusual willingness to help and stay home. He tried to explain his changed behavior as the family headed toward the beach.

• The Ye brothers went to check their boat and planned to move it farther out and buy diesel before fishing that night.
• Lin Xiuqing and the other women worked on fishing nets while Ye Yaodong asked how much net-making earned and joked with his mother and son.
• Ye Mother’s elder sister called her to go shore-gathering, and Ye Mother invited the household to come along.
• Ye Yaodong followed the family to the beach, and Lin Xiuqing questioned his unexpected decision to stay home and join them.
• Ye Yaodong accidentally stepped on Lin Xiuqing’s heel, nearly making her drop their child, then apologized and said his parents had knocked some sense into him.

Ye Yaodong joined Lin Xiuqing and the other villagers in foraging for sand clams on the beach exposed by the receding tide. He showed Lin Xiuqing how to find clams by their airholes, then watched the tide and worked out when his brothers could take their boat out.

• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing went beyond the pier, where the low tide had exposed a patch of beach for digging sand clams.
• Ye Yaodong found clams by reaching into the airholes in the sand and explained the trick to Lin Xiuqing.
• Lin Xiuqing tried his method and quickly found a clam herself.
• Ye Yaodong stopped digging to stretch and observed the boats stranded by the falling tide.
• Ye Yaodong estimated the day’s tide schedule and realized his brothers would need to wait for enough water before taking their boat out.

Ye Yaodong took over gathering shellfish for his mother while she searched the beach, then spotted two mud crabs among the rocks. He caught both crabs and carefully separated them, leaving the chapter with his unexpected find.

• Ye Yaodong offered to gather oysters, sea clams, and snails so Ye Mother could dig for sand clams.
• Ye Mother handed Ye Yaodong her tools and demanded a bowl of each kind of shellfish.
• Ye Yaodong endured his eldest maternal aunt's lecture about finding steady work and supporting his family.
• Ye Yaodong moved to the rocks near the water and spotted two mud crabs fighting among the stones.
• Ye Yaodong grabbed the crabs by their shells and carefully pulled them apart.

Ye Yaodong gathered oysters, clams, rock snails, and two mud crabs while foraging along the shore. When he returned, he caught the women criticizing him, answered Auntie Zhu Hua sharply, and left Ye Mother to trade insults with her.

• Ye Yaodong tied two male mud crabs to his basket and continued prying shellfish from the rocks as the tide receded.
• Ye Yaodong worked farther out, filling his dipper and basket before the rising tide drove him back toward shore.
• Lin Xiuqing and Ye Mother noticed Ye Yaodong was missing, and Ye Yaodong’s sisters-in-law and nearby women complained that he shirked work.
• Ye Yaodong returned with his haul and confronted the women gossiping about him, insulting Auntie Zhu Hua in response.
• Ye Mother argued with Auntie Zhu Hua until others intervened, and Auntie Zhu Hua finally left as the tide came in.

Ye Yaodong's family found the two mud crabs he had caught, and his mother took them to sell rather than let the household eat them. As the tide came in, Ye Yaodong carried Ye Chengyang ashore and waited for his wife and family to finish gathering seafood before they headed home.

• Ye Yaodong's mother scolded him for wanting to eat the mud crabs, then took them to the docks to sell and told him to dig for more clams.
• Lin Xiuqing felt relieved that the crabs would be sold and spoke with Ye Yaodong about his catch and how to cook the small shellfish.
• Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong to take Ye Chengyang ashore while she kept digging, and Ye Yaodong carried the boy away from the water.
• Ye Chengyang cried that his father had bullied him, then stopped when his grandmother pretended to punish Ye Yaodong and promised him corn.
• Ye Yaodong's mother called the women to stop digging as the tide came in, and everyone prepared to go home.

Ye Yaodong returned home after working on the beach, where his mother kept scolding him and an accidental spill soaked his clothes. He reflected on how badly his family had thought of him before, but Lin Xiuqing softened toward him, and he joined his family for lunch.

• Ye Yaodong’s brothers explained that they had struggled to launch the boat and invited him to take turns learning to steer and navigate, but he refused.
• Ye Mother scolded Ye Yaodong for avoiding work and threatened to make him help at home, so he slipped away and headed home.
• The old lady gave Ye Yaodong an ear of corn, and he went to call the children back for lunch before colliding with Ye Mother and getting splashed with seawater.
• Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong to change, then found him searching through the room and accused him of looking for money; he explained that he could not find his clothes and folded the family’s clothes afterward.
• Ye Yaodong waited for Lin Xiuqing, made a joking remark that embarrassed her, and then sat down with her and the children to eat lunch.

During lunch, Ye Father announced that the family had received approval to build houses, then asked which son would stay behind to care for him and Ye Mother. Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing volunteered, but Ye Father doubted that Ye Yaodong would support his parents.

• Ye Yaodong and his family ate a seafood-rich lunch and bickered over the oyster omelet.
• Ye Father announced that the People's Commune had approved a plot for building houses.
• Ye Yaopeng and Ye Yaohua discussed building two houses, while their wives showed reluctance about living with their in-laws.
• Ye Father asked which son would care for him and Ye Mother in their old age.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing offered to have his parents and Grandma live with them, but Grandma joked that Ye Yaodong might depend on them instead.

Ye Yaodong's parents decided to build separate houses for their three sons after a family discussion exposed the daughters-in-law's reluctance to live with them. After teasing his family and being scolded over food, Ye Yaodong saw his two uncles return to the house.

• Ye Yaodong joked that his parents should live with one of his brothers, prompting Ye Father to announce that he and Ye Mother would build three houses and support themselves.
• Ye Yaodong promised to buy the old lady dentures, then was scolded by Ye Mother for eating too many clams.
• The old lady defended Ye Yaodong and urged him to eat more, while Ye Father complained that she spoiled him.
• Ye Yaodong noticed the family had brought home basins of sand clams and learned his mother had kept them in seawater.
• Ye Yaodong greeted Ye Second Uncle and Ye Eldest Uncle as they returned, and Ye Second Uncle answered his joke with one of his own.

Ye Eldest Uncle and Ye Second Uncle came to Ye Father seeking money or a chance to rent his boat, but their conversation ended in a family quarrel after they spoke of the boat breaking down at sea. They fled after the family accused them of cursing Ye Father and the old lady rebuked their greed.

• Ye Second Uncle asked the old lady to persuade Ye Father to lend him and Ye Eldest Uncle money to build rooms, but Ye Father refused.
• Ye Eldest Uncle suggested renting Ye Father's boat, and Ye Yaodong rejected the idea because the old boat might be damaged.
• Ye Second Uncle and Ye Eldest Uncle discussed the risk of the boat breaking down at sea, and Ye Eldest Uncle blurted out that they might not get back.
• Ye Father, Ye Mother, Ye Yaopeng, Ye Yaodong, and the daughters-in-law angrily accused the uncles of cursing their family.
• The old lady prayed for protection, scolded Ye Eldest Uncle and Ye Second Uncle for their greed, and sent them home.

Ye Yaodong reflected on his family’s past and remembered that Lin Xiuqing had lost their third child in a tragic accident, prompting him to wonder when she would become pregnant. He also recalled his grandmother’s fatal fall and hoped he could prevent both tragedies.

• Ye Father took his two sons to buy bricks and sand for the new house while Ye Yaodong stayed behind.
• Ye Yaodong found Ye Chengyang playing in a bucket of water, and Lin Xiuqing changed the boy’s clothes.
• Ye Yaodong remembered that Lin Xiuqing had lost their unborn daughter after falling while picking tea, but could not recall which year it happened.
• Ye Yaodong decided he would rather Lin Xiuqing not become pregnant again than risk her suffering through another dangerous birth.
• Ye Yaodong recalled his grandmother’s fatal fall and regretted not having cared for her better before drifting off to sleep.

Ye Yaodong woke from a nap and left his sleeping younger son with Lin Xiuqing, but soon joined A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao when they came by with news of a cobra. He went with them to prepare a feast, leaving Lin Xiuqing angry and watching the child alone.

• Ye Yaodong watched his younger son briefly after Lin Xiuqing laid him beside him, but the boy kept kicking off his sheet and woke him with a foot to the face.
• Lin Xiuqing and Ye Second Sister-in-Law scolded A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao for repeatedly calling Ye Yaodong away from home.
• Ye Yaodong came out and learned that A-Guang had caught a cobra on the hillside, and he eagerly suggested making Dragon-and-Phoenix Soup with a chicken.
• A-Zheng, Xiao Xiao, and Ye Yaodong gathered ingredients and headed to A-Zheng's house to cook the feast.
• Ye Yaodong told Lin Xiuqing he was going with his friends and asked her to check on their sleeping son, while she turned away in anger.

Ye Yaodong and his friends went to A-Zheng’s house to get a rooster for a meal with cobra, and A-Zheng persuaded his mother to let them take one. They brought the chicken to A-Guang’s house, where their friends were playing cards, and Ye Yaodong volunteered to prepare it.

• Ye Yaodong followed A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao to catch a chicken after promising himself he would make things up to his wife.
• A-Zheng’s mother initially refused to let them take a chicken, but agreed to give them a rooster so they could make nourishing soup for his father.
• The three friends struggled to catch the rooster until Ye Yaodong lured the chickens with rice bran and grabbed one.
• Ye Yaodong and his friends carried the tied rooster to A-Guang’s house, where the group had gathered to play cards.
• A-Guang announced he had won the card game and went to the docks to buy seafood, while Ye Yaodong took responsibility for killing and cleaning the chicken.

Ye Yaodong watched his childhood friends play pai gow while preparing a rooster for dinner. Xiaoxiao drew Supreme Treasure and won the round, and Ye Yaodong returned to plucking the chicken after Ah Guang joined the game.

• Ye Yaodong counted his childhood friends, slaughtered a rooster, and set aside its blood to prepare for cooking.
• Xiaoxiao revealed a big joker and the three of hearts, making Supreme Treasure and winning everyone’s bets.
• Ah Guang returned from the wharf, heard about Xiaoxiao’s win, and joined the next round after handing crabs and mantis shrimp to his younger sister.
• Ye Yaodong resisted joining the gambling and went back to pluck the rooster when Ah Guang’s younger sister told him the water had boiled.

Ye Yaodong cooked Dragon-and-Phoenix Soup with his friends and made plans to forage on the shore the next day. The meal ended with joking about their marriages and Ye Yaodong’s father’s profitable catch.

• Ye Yaodong helped Fatty prepare chicken, snake, and ribs for Dragon-and-Phoenix Soup, and set aside a bowl for A-Zheng to take to his parents.
• Ye Yaodong invited his friends to forage at the beach the next day, and A-Guang, Chen Wei, A-Zheng, and Xiao Xiao agreed to go.
• A-Guang explained how he bought mantis shrimp with red roe at the dock, and the group ate them with the soup and seafood.
• A-Zheng and A-Guang joked about being unmarried, until A-Guang stopped them when his sisters came in.
• Chen Wei asked whether Ye Yaodong would go out to sea with his father after the latter’s profitable yellow croaker catch, and Ye Yaodong joked that he enjoyed living off someone else.