Chapter Summaries

Ye Yaodong searched the reefs for squid but returned with seafood and two valuable groupers, then brought his catch home to sell and share. At home, he found Ye Xiaoxi waiting for her mother and protesting when her brother kept her from going outside.

• Ye Yaodong searched underwater for squid, gathered abalone, pen shells, and a sea cucumber, and returned without finding the squid.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye headed back, telling villagers that Ye Yaodong had caught two groupers on a line, and sold their catch for nearly a hundred yuan.
• Ye Yaodong reached home and learned that Ye Xiaoxi had pulled up chives while waiting for her mother, who had gone to answer a phone call for him.
• Ye Xiaoxi called Ye Chenghu bad when he shut the door to stop her from going outside, amusing Ye Yaodong and the family.

Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong that Boss Zhou wanted to try selling dried squid, and the family discussed preparing some when squid season began. The next day Ye Yaodong and Father Ye worked on the new boat while Ye Xiaoxi wandered around trying to feed yardlong beans to her family and the dogs.

• Lin Xiuqing returned from the Village Committee and said Boss Zhou had asked them to dry squid for his shop, so Ye Yaodong agreed to prepare more when the season began.
• Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong that their dried fish was nearly sold out and that Mother Ye had spent much of the day showing off the second boat to villagers.
• Mother Ye arrived and agreed to alter an old fishing net for Ye Yaodong to carry pen shells, which he planned to steam with minced garlic.
• The next day Ye Yaodong and Father Ye cleaned the boat and gathered firewood while Lin Xiuqing wove a hand cast net.
• Ye Xiaoxi picked yardlong beans and tried to feed them to Lin Xiuqing and Ye Yaodong, who redirected her toward the dogs.
• Ye Xiaoxi tried to feed the beans to Xiaohua, pulled out a handful of the dog's fur, and then turned toward the other dogs as they moved away.

Ye Xiaoxi kept getting into mischief at home while Ye Yaodong and Father Ye prepared firewood and waited for news about a boat from the Border Defense Station. After three more days at sea, Ye Yaodong learned that he could complete the paperwork and bring the boat back the next morning.

• Ye Xiaoxi chased the dogs, smeared chicken poop in Lin Xiuqing's hair, and kept finding new ways to make mischief.
• Ye Yaodong washed Ye Xiaoxi's hands and tried to keep her occupied, while Lin Xiuqing cleaned her up and put her down for a nap.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye finished bundling firewood, prompting Ye Yaodong's older brothers to discuss preparing their own supplies and ask about buying a Border Defense Station boat.
• Three days later, Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong that the Border Defense Station had called and wanted him to complete the paperwork and bring the boat back the next morning.

Ye Yaodong learned that the Border Defense Station would let him buy a seized smuggling boat for 1,500 yuan, and he prepared to go with his family and friends to collect it. His mother secretly held back her excitement so she could surprise the village when his three boats appeared at the pier, and the group set out hoping to buy more boats.

• Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong that the Border Defense Station had called and asked him to bring 1,500 yuan to pick up the boat the next morning.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye planned to take the day off and invited Ye Yaodong's brothers, A-Zheng, and Xiao Xiao to look for boats to buy.
• Mother Ye kept her news quiet overnight, hoping to let the sight of Ye Yaodong's three boats at the pier surprise the villagers.
• Father Ye told Ye Yaodong that Mother Ye had nearly given herself away by laughing when he asked why she had stayed home weaving nets.
• A-Zheng, Xiao Xiao, and Ye Yaohua arrived to wait while Ye Yaodong finished breakfast, and they prepared to head to the Border Defense Station with their money.

Ye Yaodong and his family went to the Border Defense Station to collect a boat and ask about seized smuggled goods. They learned the other boats had already been claimed, but the young officer suggested they ask again about the goods when more officials arrived.

• Ye Yaodong and five others rode three bicycles to town, hid their money carefully in the crowded market, and waited outside the Border Defense Station until it opened.
• Father Ye and Ye Yaodong entered the station while the others waited outside, and Ye Yaodong gave the young officer a pack of cigarettes.
• The young officer told Ye Yaodong that he only needed to sign and pay to collect the boat, and that the other boats had already been dealt with.
• Ye Yaodong asked whether seized smuggled goods were still available, and the officer told him to ask again when the others arrived.
• The young officer asked Ye Yaodong whether he was close to the Deputy Station Chief.

Ye Yaodong collected the starting crank for his newly acquired boat and persuaded Station Chief Tang to let his companions browse the confiscated smuggled goods. After they bought various household items, the group loaded them aboard and celebrated their good fortune, with Ye Yaodong treating them to lunch before their next fishing trip.

• Ye Yaodong paid 1,500 yuan and received the starting crank for his boat, then spoke with Station Chief Tang about buying confiscated goods.
• Ye Yaodong's companions learned that all the boats had been allocated, and Ye Yaodong invited them to the warehouse to shop for confiscated goods.
• Ye Yaohua bought a sewing machine, Ye Yaopeng bought a bicycle, A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao bought radios and sewing machines, and Ye Yaodong bought a camera, film, and umbrellas.
• The group loaded their purchases onto Ye Yaodong's boat and discussed how the village would react when he brought home another boat.
• Ye Yaodong promised to treat everyone to seafood and drinks at lunch before they rested for the evening fishing trip.

Ye Yaodong brought a third fishing boat back from the Border Defense Station, startling villagers who mistook the approaching boats for a threat from Luzhou Island. The boat docked safely, and the villagers learned it belonged to Ye Yaodong as his growing fleet became the talk of the pier.

• Ye Yaodong and his companions watched nearby fishermen row frantically toward shore, then teased them by steering alongside their boats and revealing themselves.
• Ye Yaodong explained that the Luzhou Island boat had been legitimately reserved for him and said they would repaint and service it after the fishing season; Father Ye agreed to operate it.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye decided to wait until the chosen day, the day after tomorrow, to set off firecrackers and take the boats out fishing.
• People at the pier saw the Luzhou Island markings and questioned Ye Yaodong, who stressed that he had not stolen the boat.
• A-Zheng and the others explained that the Border Defense Station had reserved the boat for Ye Yaodong, and the villagers reacted with astonishment at his third boat and his family's growing fleet.

Ye Yaodong and his family returned to the village with three boats and several discounted appliances, drawing a crowd of curious and envious villagers. The goods were delivered to the family homes, where Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law scolded Ye Yaopeng for buying a bicycle instead of a sewing machine.

• Father Ye basked in the villagers’ praise as the boats arrived and explained that the appliances had been bought by different people in the group.
• Ye Yaodong asked A-Cai to save him several bowls of seafood, then left the crowd with Xiao Xiao, A-Zheng, and Father Ye while they joked about their new wealth.
• Ye Yaodong told Lin Xiuqing and the other women that the boats had returned, while Ye Yaohua explained that he and Ye Yaopeng had been unable to buy boats in town.
• Father Ye directed Ye Yaopeng and Ye Yaohua to deliver the appliances by handcart, and the group unloaded the goods at the family homes.
• Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law discovered that Ye Yaopeng had bought a bicycle and scolded him for not choosing a sewing machine instead.

Ye Yaodong brought home a camera and umbrellas, discussed gifts for the Border Defense Station and future work for relatives, and reassured the Old Lady about family worries. The chapter ended with him accidentally knocking Ye Xiaoxi over when he opened the bedroom door, leaving her crying and scolding him.

• Lin Xiuqing examined the two umbrellas Ye Yaodong had bought, while Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law argued with her husband about his bicycle instead of a sewing machine.
• Ye Yaodong told the Old Lady and Father Ye that he planned to bring cakes and other gifts to the Border Defense Station to thank the people who had helped with his boats.
• Ye Yaodong said he would invite friends over for a meal and promised to take family photos once he learned to use the camera.
• Ye Yaodong agreed to consider hiring relatives to work on his boats, and the Old Lady worried about his second cousin finding work after his release.
• Ye Yaodong rushed to answer Ye Xiaoxi's cries, knocked her over by opening the door too quickly, and upset her.

Mother Ye returned home delighted by the village’s praise but warned Ye Yaodong to say he had paid for his boats so relatives would not expect loans. As villagers flocked to inspect his three trawlers, his Eldest Aunt came seeking help, and the Old Lady offered her second son boat work while warning her not to ask for anything else.

• Mother Ye told Ye Yaodong that his Eldest Aunt had already asked to borrow money and advised him to claim he had spent everything on two boats.
• Ye Yaodong told his drinking companions that he had paid fifteen hundred for the boat, and the table celebrated his luck and connections.
• Villagers gathered at the pier to verify that Ye Yaodong had three trawlers, including the boat marked with the Luzhou Island Black Mark.
• Lin Xiuqing let Ye Yaodong's Eldest Aunt into the house but kept busy with the dishes, then directed her to speak with Mother Ye.
• The Old Lady told Ye Yaodong's Eldest Aunt that Dongzi could give her second son work on the boat and warned her not to ask for anything else.

Eldest Uncle Ye’s wife tried to persuade the family to use Ye Yaodong’s connections to reduce A-Hong’s prison sentence, while the Old Lady and Lin Xiuqing suspected she was paving the way to borrow money. After Ye Yaodong said he could not help, dinner turned to family gossip and a story about a young man believed to be possessed after eating dog meat.

• Eldest Uncle Ye’s wife asked the Old Lady to have Ye Yaodong use his connections to shorten A-Hong’s sentence, and the Old Lady agreed to ask him when he woke up.
• Lin Xiuqing and the Old Lady suspected Eldest Uncle Ye’s wife would ask to borrow money if Ye Yaodong could not help A-Hong.
• Ye Yaodong said he had met the official only a few times and could not ask him to release A-Hong, so Mother Ye planned to explain that to the woman.
• At dinner, Ye Yaodong argued that A-Hong’s imprisonment might give villagers time to forget the money he owed, but Father Ye rebuked him.
• Mother Ye told the family that a young man in East Bridge Village was acting strangely and that people blamed dog meat and suspected possession; Ye Yaodong said the man should see a doctor.

Eldest Aunt Ye and Eldest Uncle Ye visited Ye Yaodong’s family to ask for help for their sons, A-Hong and A-Fan. Ye Yaodong offered work to his cousins but rejected Eldest Aunt Ye’s demand that he sell A-Fan a boat on installments, leaving the family at odds.

• Mother Ye and Father Ye discussed rumors about a spirit medium before Eldest Aunt Ye and Eldest Uncle Ye arrived at dinner.
• Eldest Aunt Ye and Eldest Uncle Ye lamented A-Hong’s imprisonment and their family’s hardship, making Ye Yaodong and the others feel sympathy for them.
• Ye Yaodong offered to let A-Fan work with the brothers and said Eldest Cousin’s Wife could help with fish-gutting work.
• Eldest Aunt Ye asked Ye Yaodong to sell A-Fan one of his boats and accept an IOU paid in installments.
• Ye Yaodong, Mother Ye, Father Ye, and the Old Lady rejected the proposal, and Ye Yaodong said he would not sell the boat.

Ye Yaodong and his family rejected Eldest Uncle Ye's wife's request to buy a boat on installments and confronted her over the debts her sons owed them. She was driven away, and the chapter ended with Ye Yaodong reassuring Old Lady that she should stop worrying about the relatives.

• Ye Yaodong refused to help Eldest Uncle Ye's wife buy a boat and told her to repay the money her sons had taken from his brothers first.
• Lin Xiuqing and Mother Ye challenged Eldest Uncle Ye's wife about her sons' responsibility for the debt, while Old Lady criticized her for scheming against the family.
• Mother Ye went to fetch her two daughters-in-law, and the three women confronted Eldest Uncle Ye's wife at the entrance until she hurried away.
• Mother Ye told the neighbors how Eldest Uncle Ye's wife had tried to get a boat, publicly shaming her and defending her family's decision.
• Ye Yaodong guided Old Lady inside and told her not to worry about the relatives, who would have to make their own plans.

Ye Yaodong discussed boat crews and his plan to buy his brothers’ squid for drying, while they urged him to start cautiously. After the family prepared branches to take to the boats, Ye Yaodong played with Ye Xiaoxi at bedtime.

• Ye Yaodong, Father Ye, Ye Yaopeng, and Ye Yaohua discussed hiring crews for their boats and agreed that Ye Yaohua and Ye Yaopeng could use Ye Yaodong’s second boat.
• Ye Yaodong asked his brothers to sell their squid catch directly to him so he could try drying it, and they warned him about the expense and encouraged him to start small.
• The brothers and Father Ye decided to load the prepared branches onto a handcart and take them to the boats in case the fishing season began soon.
• Mother Ye bickered with Father Ye and Ye Yaodong while helping move the branches, and Ye Yaodong sent Ye Chenghu to bring her water.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing played with an energetic Ye Xiaoxi in bed, making her laugh as she rode on his back.

Ye Yaodong, Father Ye, Xiao Xiao, and A-Zheng prepared branch bundles as squid began gathering near the island, while Ye Yaodong coordinated their fishing and pen-shell diving. The chapter left Ye Yaodong underwater, searching the seabed after spotting squid and eggs and confirming the pen shells’ location.

• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye set out with branch bundles, prompting villagers who saw them to hurry home and fetch branches of their own.
• Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng joined Ye Yaodong and Father Ye near the island, and Ye Yaodong invited them to help gather underwater pen shells.
• After a trawling run brought in several catties of squid, the boats put branch bundles into the water at separate spots around the island.
• Ye Yaodong went underwater first, spotted squid and eggs, and found that the buoy marking the pen shells had drifted west.
• Ye Yaodong explored a nearby patch of seaweed and startled fish, shrimp, and quickly moving scallops.

Ye Yaodong found a crevice filled with bigfin reef squid and brought back sixteen, then helped his companions gather a much larger haul of pen shells. The boats returned to shore with baskets full of catch, while the villagers speculated about the fishing grounds and prepared for squid season.

• Ye Yaodong gathered scallops, sea cucumbers, snails, and abalone before discovering a crevice full of bigfin reef squid.
• Ye Yaodong used his hand net to catch sixteen squid, then surfaced and told Father Ye about the find.
• A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao took turns diving; A-Zheng brought up squid and squid eggs, and the companions collected a large haul.
• Father Ye collected the fishing pots and shrimp pots while the others dived, and the crew filled six baskets with pen shells.
• The villagers questioned Ye Yaodong about his catch, and the conversation shifted to squid season after he refused to reveal his fishing spot.

Ye Yaodong celebrated the auspicious date for his new boats, then rode to the Border Defense Station to thank its staff with prosperity cakes, cigarettes, and liquor. The station chiefs invited him into the office, giving him the chance to present them with their gifts.

• Lin Xiuqing and Mother Ye prepared and handed out prosperity cakes as the village celebrated the boats with firecrackers and fireworks.
• Ye Yaodong teased Ye Xiaoxi by eating most of her cake, making her cry before Lin Xiuqing comforted her with another piece.
• Ye Yaodong took money from Lin Xiuqing, bought cigarettes and liquor, and arranged them with the cakes in his basket.
• Ye Yaodong gave cakes and cigarettes to the Border Defense Station staff, explaining that he had come to share the good luck and thank them.
• The station chiefs came out to see the gathering and invited Ye Yaodong into their office to talk.

Ye Yaodong delivered cakes, liquor, and cigarettes to the Border Defense Station officials to thank them for helping him secure a boat, then returned home before preparing to go squid fishing. As he headed to the pier with Eldest Maternal Cousin, he discussed Mazu’s new temple and his plans to use his three boats, while his cousin hinted that he wanted a place on one.

• Ye Yaodong gave the Border Defense Station officials cakes, Moutai, and cigarettes, thanked them for their help, and left for home.
• Lin Xiuqing prepared lunch, packed food for Father Ye and the others, and gave Ye Yaodong tomatoes to take along.
• Eldest Maternal Cousin arrived, and Ye Yaodong set off with him for the pier to go squid fishing.
• Ye Yaodong and Eldest Maternal Cousin discussed Mazu’s new temple, the procession, and the Merit Stele bearing Ye Yaodong’s name.
• Eldest Maternal Cousin asked about Ye Yaodong’s three boats and offered to work for him, while Ye Yaodong said his family planned to use the boats for now.

Ye Yaodong took his eldest maternal cousin out to sea to check the squid season and visit Father Ye’s trawler near Oarfish Island. He left his father to finish hauling in the net and headed toward the island to look for squid.

• Ye Yaodong steered his newly acquired boat away from shore and told his eldest maternal cousin that it still needed equipment.
• Ye Yaodong checked a nearby fisherman’s catch, learned it was still sparse, and continued farther out to sea.
• Ye Yaodong found Father Ye and Ye Yaosheng trawling near Oarfish Island and brought them lunch.
• Father Ye told Ye Yaodong they had seen a few squid flashes and collected less than two jin on shore.
• Ye Yaodong pointed out the nearby buoys and fishing spots to his cousin, then headed toward the island to check for squid.

Ye Yaodong and Eldest Maternal Cousin found a newly arrived school of squid and caught over a hundred jin, while Father Ye's boat caught less. With the squid season only beginning, Ye Yaodong decided to retrieve his shrimp pots and fishing pots while waiting for more squid.

• Ye Yaodong and Eldest Maternal Cousin spotted a large school of squid near the island and cast their hand nets among the submerged branches.
• Ye Yaodong hauled in a heavy first catch, collected squid eggs from the branches, and put the squid into baskets.
• The two men made more casts, but their later catches were smaller as the school scattered.
• Father Ye's boat arrived and had caught less squid than Ye Yaodong's boat; Father Ye suggested waiting because the squid were worth over thirty cents per jin.
• Ye Yaodong agreed to wait for more squid and set out to retrieve his shrimp pots and fishing pots.