Chapter Summaries

Ye Yaodong spent a rainy stretch at home with Lin Xiuqing and their family before returning to sea as autumn turned colder. When his nets brought in a meager catch, he joked that the God of Wealth had nearly used up his yearly allocation for him, and he and Father Ye headed home early.

• Lin Xiuqing scolded Ye Yaodong after their intimate encounter, then cooked a simple dinner while Mother Ye asked whether he had sold the cassette tapes.
• Ye Yaodong fell asleep beside Ye Xiaoxi, woke to rain, and let Lin Xiuqing and Mother Ye keep his meal warm for him.
• Rain came and went for half a month, and as the weather cooled, Ye Yaodong resumed fishing in a thin padded jacket.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye hauled in a fourth net and found only a small amount of mostly cheap fish and shrimp.
• Ye Yaodong joked that the God of Wealth had nearly paid out his yearly allocation, and he and Father Ye collected the longlines and decided to return early.

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye witnessed dolphins surround and kill a shark, then collected fish stunned by the dolphins’ calls. When they hauled in their longline, they discovered it was packed with mackerel.

• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye spotted a shark hunting near their longline but decided not to catch it.
• A pod of dolphins charged the shark, surrounded it, and repeatedly struck its belly until they killed it.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye scooped up two baskets of fish stunned by the dolphins’ calls, mostly mackerel.
• Ye Yaodong began retrieving the longline and found mackerel and small yellow croakers on the first hooks.
• Ye Yaodong pulled up a stretch of line with fish hanging from every branch line, revealing an unusually large mackerel catch.

Ye Yaodong tried using sticks to attract a pod of dolphins that was herding fish, and the dolphins turned the school toward his boat. The fishermen caught a large haul before the growing crowd depleted the fish.

• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye watched dolphins herd a school of fish while they finished hauling in their longline, bringing home eight more baskets of fish.
• After reaching shore, Ye Yaodong and Father Ye spotted the dolphins herding a much larger school and followed them with other fishing boats.
• Ye Yaodong struck the water with sticks to attract the dolphins, and Father Ye joined him after one dolphin turned toward their boat.
• The dolphins responded to the splashing, called the rest of the pod, and turned the fish toward Ye Yaodong and Father Ye.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye hauled in a heavy netful of fish as nearby boats joined the catch, and the school dwindled as more fishermen arrived.

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye returned from a poor fishing day with a large catch from dolphin-herded schools, and Ye Yaodong explained how striking the water with wooden sticks could attract dolphins. As villagers praised his growing wealth, he played down his earnings and decided to order gill nets for winter fishing.

• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye left the crowded fishing grounds after scooping up fish from the schools, while other boats arrived too late to find much.
• After weighing the catch, Ye Yaodong told curious villagers that striking the water with wooden sticks could attract dolphins and help drive fish toward their boat.
• Ye Yaodong deflected villagers' praise about his family becoming a Ten-Thousand-Yuan Household and slipped away when their conversation shifted to matchmaking.
• Father Ye urged Ye Yaodong to consider gill-net fishing as colder weather reduced the days they could go to sea, and Ye Yaodong decided to order a few dozen nets.
• Their catch sold for a little over forty yuan, and Ye Yaodong planned to keep yellowtail scad for drying and ask his mother to help clean the fish.

Lin Xiuqing wound yarn with Ye Chengyang’s help and planned sweaters for the children, while Ye Yaodong returned early with a large catch. The family cleaned fish and teased one another at home, and Ye Yaodong promised to take the Old Lady to get reading glasses when he had time.

• Lin Xiuqing rewarded Ye Chengyang for holding the yarn by promising to share apples with the children and explained she was knitting sweaters for them.
• Ye Yaodong returned with three baskets of yellowtail scad and said he had sold forty-two yuan’s worth of fish.
• Ye Yaodong offered to take the Old Lady to town for reading glasses, cheering her up with the prospect of helping knit.
• The Old Lady talked about gardening and preparing mustard greens and sweet potato vines while she wound yarn.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing cleaned fish and bantered, while Ye Chengyang copied his father’s teasing and bargained for apple rewards.

Ye Yaodong turned away relatives seeking loans and unexpectedly received a visit from Rat, who brought pears and praised his fishing success. Rat’s reason for coming remained unclear as Ye Yaodong joked about saving his fortune and retiring at forty.

• Ye Yaodong learned that relatives had been asking his sisters-in-law to lend them money, while A Qing and the Old Lady had avoided such requests.
• Rat arrived at Ye Yaodong’s gate with a basket of Chinese pears, and the Big Black Dog barked until Ye Yaodong called it off.
• Rat gave Ye Yaodong pears for his children and praised his skill at bringing a school of fish back toward his boat.
• Ye Yaodong offered Rat a basket of yellowtail scad and explained that he planned to save his money and retire at forty.

Ye Yaodong and A-Guang realized Rat was trying to reconnect partly because he wanted work as a boat captain. They listened to his financial troubles and warned him about his wife's family's constant demands, but A-Guang decided not to partner with him and planned to let his father refuse.

• Ye Yaodong suspected Rat had visited to renew their friendship, then entertained the children by peeling pears and joking with Ye Chenghu.
• At the pier, Rat asked how A-Guang split earnings with his hired boat captain, and A-Guang explained that they shared the proceeds fifty-fifty.
• Rat asked A-Guang to let him captain the other boat over winter, but A-Guang hesitated and said he would ask his father.
• Rat told Ye Yaodong and A-Guang that his wife's family obligations and gift expenses kept him from saving money, and they urged him to discuss the spending with his parents and wife.
• A-Guang privately agreed with Ye Yaodong that Rat's renewed closeness felt awkward and decided to use his father's decision as an excuse to reject the boat arrangement.

Ye Yaodong took the Old Lady into town for reading glasses, bought nylon thread to have fishing nets made, and arranged for a family portrait later in the year. Back home, he planned to ask his sisters-in-law to make the nets so he could set them once the weather improved.

• Ye Yaodong took the Old Lady into town, bought her reading glasses, and invited her to take photographs at a studio.
• Ye Yaodong arranged for the photo studio owner to take a family portrait at their home at the end of the year.
• Ye Yaodong collected two sacks of white nylon thread and shared a hot oyster-filled fried dough cake with the Old Lady while they waited for a ride home.
• Ye Yaodong returned home without treats for the children, who scattered when he threatened to whip them.
• Lin Xiuqing suggested that Ye Yaodong ask his sisters-in-law to make the fishing nets, and he agreed.

Ye Yaodong planned to shift toward longline fishing and gill nets while helping his family with net-making. After his daughter Ye Xiaoxi fell from the bed, he built a wooden guard around it, only for Lin Xiuqing to propose a removable fishing-net barrier instead.

• Ye Yaodong told Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law and Ye Second Sister-in-Law when their shop payments were due and brought them twine for making nets.
• Ye Yaodong helped the Old Lady unravel a sweater while Lin Xiuqing cooked.
• Ye Xiaoxi fell from the bed, and Lin Xiuqing and Ye Yaodong checked her for injuries and soothed her.
• Ye Yaodong built a wooden barrier around the bed and joked with Ye Chengyang and Ye Chenghu while they watched.
• Lin Xiuqing said a removable net barrier would work better, leaving Ye Yaodong upset that his hours of carpentry might have been wasted.

Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing bickered over the baby’s new bed railing, then misunderstood each other’s intentions as they got ready for bed. The chapter ended with Lin Xiuqing insisting that Ye Yaodong turn off the light before they continued.

• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing argued about the bed opening and the baby’s safety, and Ye Yaodong pushed Lin Xiuqing onto the bed while teasing her.
• Ye Yaodong brought Ye Xiaoxi back from the Old Lady’s room after refusing to let her sleep there, and Lin Xiuqing blamed his loud talk for the Old Lady’s offer.
• Ye Yaodong showed Lin Xiuqing how Ye Xiaoxi enjoyed kicking against the railing, then asked her to gather shellfish with him the next day, but Lin Xiuqing hesitated over leaving the children.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing discussed the children’s winter clothes, and Lin Xiuqing put down her knitting and lay beside the bed opening.
• Lin Xiuqing mistakenly thought Ye Yaodong wanted to have sex and undressed, so Ye Yaodong began undressing too and teased her when she realized the misunderstanding.
• Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong to turn off the light, while Ye Yaodong pointed out that she had earlier lain down without asking him to do so.

Ye Yaodong took Lin Xiuqing out to a nearby island to gather shellfish and explore its shoreline after the tide began to recede. As he wandered around collecting stranded sea life, he spotted a large tidal pool enclosed by reef rocks.

• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing left their children at home and took his boat out to an island where he had searched for treasure and found sea turtle eggs the previous year.
• Ye Yaodong helped Lin Xiuqing across the reef rocks, then left her to gather shellfish while he explored the beach.
• Ye Yaodong searched the exposed shore, marked a patch of razor clam holes, and found sand lugworms and stranded mudskippers.
• Ye Yaodong spotted a large pool enclosed by low reef rocks as the tide receded.

Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing searched tide pools for seafood, and Ye Yaodong caught several fish and crabs while waiting for the water to drain. The chapter ended when he startled a whole school of dogfish from beneath a loose rock.

• Ye Yaodong caught a large red octopus and a conger eel that had washed out of a pool, then gathered crabs, shrimp, and stonefish nearby.
• Lin Xiuqing called Ye Yaodong over to a smaller pool where she had seen fish and caught two crabs; he gave her a hand net and returned to the larger pool.
• Ye Yaodong scooped a black seabream, a white-spotted conger, and two small spring fish from the larger pool while searching for a tiger grouper.
• Ye Yaodong stepped onto a loose rock, which shifted and sent a whole school of dogfish scattering from beneath it.

Ye Yaodong searched a tidal pool and caught thirteen dogfish, a tiger grouper, and other seafood, while Lin Xiuqing made a good catch in her own pool. After resting and deciding he had caught nearly everything worth keeping, Ye Yaodong left to dig for razor clams.

• Ye Yaodong waded into the pool and caught five dogfish, then accidentally netted a tiger grouper along with another dogfish.
• Ye Yaodong carried his catch back to Lin Xiuqing, who showed him her spotted grouper, yellowfin seabream, black octopus, and stone crabs.
• Ye Yaodong returned with an empty bucket and caught five more dogfish, bringing his total to thirteen, while releasing a small white-spotted conger.
• Ye Yaodong rested, emptied the seawater from his boots, and decided to leave the pool and dig for razor clams.

Ye Yaodong found and gathered wild kelp while foraging on the island, then returned to Lin Xiuqing, who had collected shellfish. They decided to keep gathering bamboo razor clams together, ending their walk with playful teasing.

• Ye Yaodong spotted wild kelp clinging to reef rocks and pulled off the largest sheets, filling part of his burlap sack.
• Ye Yaodong returned to Lin Xiuqing, kissed her, and showed her the kelp; she suggested drying some to send to her parents and his mother.
• Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong she had gathered a sackful of shellfish, and they agreed to dig up the bamboo razor clams together.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing took off their rain boots and walked barefoot toward the clams, joking and teasing each other along the way.

Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing gathered bamboo razor clams together on the island, joking and flirting as they worked. After clearing the patch, they headed to collect more from the rocks before going home.

• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing overshot the bamboo razor clam patch because Ye Yaodong got distracted, then turned back toward it.
• Ye Yaodong used salt to draw bamboo razor clams out of their holes, and Lin Xiuqing eagerly learned to do the same.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing traded dirty jokes and teased each other while collecting the clams, including a plump razor clam king among them.
• After clearing the patch, Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing stretched, held hands, and set off to gather more shellfish from the rock face before the tide came in.

Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing returned from Isolated Island with sacks of shellfish, and Ye Yaodong sold his catch before heading home. He found Rat accompanying A-Guang and wondered whether Rat had been visiting in hopes of captaining A-Guang’s other boat.

• Ye Yaodong carried the shellfish and buckets aboard while Lin Xiuqing worried about his sore shoulder.
• People at the shore praised Ye Yaodong’s catch, mistaking some of the fish he had gathered for fishing-pot catches.
• Ye Yaodong sold his catch and agreed to travel with A-Cai when their city shop payments came due.
• Ye Yaodong ran into A-Guang and Rat, who said Rat had come along to help collect the catch.
• Ye Yaodong offered A-Guang and Rat shellfish, then discussed with Lin Xiuqing whether Rat hoped to captain A-Guang’s other boat.

Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing returned home, comforted their baby daughter, and realized they had forgotten to bring Ye Chengyang back from the Old House. A-Guang discussed lending money to relatives and partnering with Rat, while Ye Yaodong revealed he wanted another boat, possibly a larger one, before an unexpected visitor reacted to the news.

• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing came home and found their daughter crying for them, so Lin Xiuqing nursed her to sleep.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing realized they had forgotten Ye Chengyang, then Ye Yaodong fetched him from the Old House, where he had been happily playing.
• A-Guang visited and explained that Rat would operate his family's boat with them until February, before they took it back in March.
• A-Guang and Ye Yaodong discussed relatives asking to borrow money, and the Old Lady said they should lend money for funerals.
• Ye Yaodong told A-Guang and Lin Xiuqing that he wanted to buy another boat, possibly a bigger one, and an unseen visitor reacted at the gate.

Ye Yaodong expanded his fishing operation by buying a rolling wheel and preparing fifty gill nets, while putting off plans to buy a larger boat. He and Father Ye set the nets and longlines, then headed home expecting to haul them the next day.

• Ye Yaodong denied that buying a larger boat was settled, and Lin Xiuqing explained that their earnings would go toward paying for the city shop.
• Rat arranged to borrow A-Guang's boat after its barnacles were scraped off and its hull was painted, while the Old Lady advised him to choose an auspicious day to set out.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing agreed to buy a rolling wheel, and his sisters-in-law finished making the gill nets over five days.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye set fifty gill nets and placed their longlines far away so the gear would not interfere.
• Father Ye worried about the machine's cost, but Ye Yaodong explained that recent gill-net catches were promising and that the equipment could be used in later years.

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye hauled in fifty Gill Nets, catching a large quantity of fish and an Otter Pup. Ye Yaodong released the pup when he met A-Guang's boat, while Rat's wife and father regretted the lost catch.

• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye began hauling in fifty Gill Nets and found many Toadfish among the catch.
• Father Ye pulled a large devil ray from the net and cut off its tail to free it.
• Ye Yaodong found a small Otter Pup tangled in the Gill Net and freed it.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye decided to release the Otter Pup rather than keep or eat it.
• Rat, his wife, and his father approached in A-Guang's boat, and Ye Yaodong tossed the Otter Pup back into the sea.

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye watched Rat's family try to catch a group of otters, but Rat's wife was dragged into the sea and Rat had to rescue her. After the otters escaped, Rat's cast net turned out to have snagged Ye Yaodong's gill net, which they returned before Ye Yaodong continued hauling in his catch.

• Rat's wife urged the others to catch the small otter Ye Yaodong had just released, and Father Ye prepared a net as more otters surfaced nearby.
• Rat's wife caught an adult otter, but the otters pulled her overboard, attacked the couple, and Rat and his father helped her back onto the boat.
• The otters swam away, and Ye Yaodong and Father Ye resumed hauling in their gill net while Rat's family recovered and argued.
• Ye Yaodong discovered that Rat's cast net had snagged his gill net, and Rat returned it after recognizing it belonged to Ye Yaodong.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye discussed Rat's wife's behavior and their catch, then continued hauling their nets and planned to move them later.