Chapter Summaries

Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing traveled with their children to visit her parents, bringing Mid-Autumn gifts and inviting them to their housewarming feast. After being welcomed and fed, Ye Yaodong joined his father-in-law and brothers-in-law on the hillside to pick persimmons.

• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing packed seafood, pork trotters, mooncakes, and rice wine, then traveled by bus and on foot with their children to Lin Xiuqing's village.
• Lin Xiuqing's parents met the family, welcomed them home, and were pleased by the gifts and Ye Yaodong's improved manner.
• Ye Yaodong told Father Lin that the family would move on the twentieth of the lunar month and invited him to their housewarming feast.
• Lin Xiuqing's parents agreed to have the family stay two nights and celebrate Mid-Autumn early with her eldest sister.
• After lunch, Ye Yaodong joined Father Lin, his two elder brothers-in-law, and the children to climb the hillside and pick persimmons.

Ye Yaodong and his family picked persimmons and vegetables at Father Lin’s home, then Mother Lin prepared taro rice for dinner. The family gathered to eat as Ye Yaodong chatted with the neighbors.

• Ye Yaodong climbed the persimmon trees while Father Lin and the children gathered fruit, filling most of a sack.
• Ye Chenghu picked cowpeas and cabbage, and Father Lin said they would use the beans to make taro rice.
• Father Lin offered to take the children picking pumpkins and crown daisies the next day, and Ye Chenghu eagerly agreed.
• Mother Lin changed the dinner plan and cooked taro rice with pork belly, taro, cowpeas, shrimp, and rice.
• Ye Yaodong chatted with the neighbors as the aroma of taro rice spread from the house.

Ye Yaodong joined Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong to catch river shrimp and fish at night, then spotted what might have been a Chinese sturgeon. The chapter ended as they hauled up a surprisingly heavy shrimp trap and discovered something was inside.

• Ye Yaodong went with Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong to set shrimp traps and net fish in the river.
• The brothers-in-law netted fish while Ye Yaodong baited and set shrimp traps downstream.
• Ye Yaodong spotted a long-snouted fish and told them it might be a Chinese sturgeon.
• Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong searched the river for the rare fish but found only common small fish.
• The three men hauled up one of Ye Yaodong's shrimp traps, and Lin Xianghui exclaimed that something was inside.

Ye Yaodong and his brothers-in-law caught a huge fish that they suspected was a Chinese sturgeon and decided to keep it alive until they could sell it. The brothers-in-law asked Ye to join them at the market the next morning, leaving them hopeful about the fish’s value but still unsure what it was.

• Ye Yaodong and his brothers-in-law hauled in a large fish and guessed it might be a Chinese sturgeon.
• Lin Xianghui put the struggling fish in a bucket of river water, and the three men headed home with their catch.
• Ye Yaodong advised Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong to present the fish as a Chinese sturgeon when they tried to sell it.
• Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong asked Ye Yaodong to come to the farmers’ market with them, and he agreed after confirming he would get a third of the money.
• Ye Yaodong told his brothers-in-law that the fish might be worth several dozen yuan and explained why Chinese sturgeon were prized.

Ye Yaodong realized the large fish might be a Chinese sturgeon, so he persuaded his brothers-in-law to release it rather than risk selling a protected fish. After it swam away, they headed home and talked about their river fishing and the crops they hoped to harvest.

• Ye Yaodong remembered that catching a Chinese sturgeon could bring legal trouble and urged Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong to release their catch.
• Lin Xiangrong resisted giving up the valuable fish, but Ye Yaodong and Lin Xianghui convinced him to let it go.
• Ye Yaodong tipped the fish into the river, where it splashed him with its tail before swimming away.
• Ye Yaodong declined a share of the brothers' shrimp money and said he had joined them for the experience.
• Lin Xianghui explained how he and Lin Xiangrong had learned to use traps and limited their catches, then talked with Ye Yaodong about their fruit trees and tea bushes.

Ye Yaodong and his brothers-in-law caught dozens of valuable Chinese soldier fish after releasing a Chinese sturgeon, then struggled to sell the catch at the township market. The chapter ended with Ye Yaodong hearing that the Ocean Bureau had arrived to catch a kind of fish and wondering if they had come for the sturgeon.

• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong netted dozens of Chinese soldier fish, while Ye Yaodong tied them to keep them fresh.
• Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong planned to split up and sell the fish at markets and restaurants the next morning, but Lin Xiangrong disappeared before dawn.
• Ye Yaodong went to the township market with ten fish and sold only three over several hours.
• Ye Yaodong followed a crowd after hearing talk that the Ocean Bureau had arrived to catch a kind of fish, and wondered if they were after the Chinese sturgeon.

Ye Yaodong helped Director Chen and the Ocean and Fisheries Bureau officials recapture the Chinese sturgeon that Lin Xiangrong had reported finding. After the officials confirmed they would return it to the Yangtze River, Ye Yaodong offered to show them the Chinese soldier fish he had caught, and they headed to his father-in-law’s house.

• Ye Yaodong spotted Lin Xiangrong riding with township officials and hurried after the group to the river.
• Director Chen’s staff detected a large fish underwater, but a staff member failed to cast the net, so Ye Yaodong took over.
• Ye Yaodong cast the net successfully, and he and the officials hauled up the Chinese sturgeon and placed it in a bucket.
• Director Chen said the Chinese sturgeon would be returned to the Yangtze River and promised commendations for future reports; Ye Yaodong asked about rewards and offered the rest of his catch.
• Director Chen agreed to take the Chinese soldier fish, and Ye Yaodong led the officials and Lin Xiangrong toward his father-in-law’s house to show them the fish.

Ye Yaodong helped the Lin family sell their remaining Chinese soldier fish to Director Chen, who agreed to buy the whole lot for a hundred yuan. After arranging delivery, Ye Yaodong reflected on the family’s decision to report the Zhonghua Sturgeon, then rested while his in-laws praised his newfound reliability.

• Ye Yaodong stalled Director Chen with tea and fishing stories while waiting for Father Lin and the others to return.
• Director Chen inspected the live Chinese soldier fish and agreed to buy the remaining catch for twenty cents per jin.
• Lin Xianghui and Lin Xiangrong weighed the sixty-two remaining fish, totaling 495 jin, and Director Chen rounded the payment up to a hundred yuan.
• Lin Xiangrong explained that the family had wanted to report the Zhonghua Sturgeon rather than release it without notifying anyone, and Ye Yaodong reconsidered his own haste.
• The Lin family arranged a tractor to deliver the fish to the county town, and Ye Yaodong gave Father Lin the money from the three fish he had sold.
• Ye Yaodong went to nap, while Father Lin and Mother Lin praised him for becoming more hardworking and dependable.

During a family dinner, Lin Xiuqing realized she might be pregnant and later told Ye Yaodong, leaving them worried about the risks of having another child under strict birth rules. They agreed to think it over and discuss it again after returning home the next day.

• Ye Yaodong reluctantly accepted part of the money from the fish sales after his brothers-in-law insisted on sharing it with him.
• Lin Xiuqing felt nauseous at dinner, realized her period might be late, and worried that she could be pregnant.
• Lin Xiuqing scolded Ye Chenghu and Ye Chengyang after they fought, then helped the drunk Ye Yaodong get ready for bed.
• Ye Yaodong woke to Lin Xiuqing dry-heaving, and she told him she thought she was pregnant.
• Ye Yaodong worried about the consequences of another child, and he and Lin Xiuqing agreed to think it over before discussing it again at home.

Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing left Lin Xiuqing’s parents’ home after an awkward night when their family mistook the creaking bed for something else. Mother Lin and Father Lin loaded them up with local food and vegetables, and the family set off home together on a handcart.

• Ye Chenghu and his cousin teased Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing because the creaking bed had kept them awake all night.
• Mother Lin packed oil, honey, pickled bamboo shoots, taro, pumpkins, persimmons, vegetables, and other food for the couple to take home.
• Father Lin returned with a sack of persimmons, cowpeas, and vegetables, then loaded the supplies onto the handcart.
• Ye Yaodong lifted his younger son onto the cart, and Mother Lin added taro leaves for shade and tea for the road.
• Ye Yaodong, Lin Xiuqing, their children, and Father Lin left for home as the children rode happily on the handcart.

After returning from his in-laws’ home, Ye Yaodong learned that the village would suspend fishing for a week and postpone his move. He hauled in his traps, discovered two strings had been raided, and ended the day with a profitable catch before asking A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao to help carry the traps home.

• Ye Yaodong brought home vegetables from his in-laws, and Mother Ye told him the village would observe a week of vegetarian meals and prayers, banning fishing and delaying the move until the twenty-sixth.
• Ye Yaodong hauled his four strings of pot trap nets and found that two had been raided, while the others yielded prawns, crabs, fish, and octopuses.
• Ye Yaodong told A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao about his catch and his trip to his in-laws’ home, including catching and releasing a Zhonghua Sturgeon and selling Chinese soldier fish to the Fisheries Bureau.
• Ye Yaodong sold his catch to A-Cai for twenty-five yuan and six mao, then asked A-Zheng and Xiao Xiao to help carry his traps and borrow a handcart.

Ye Yaodong returned home, dealt with the stolen catch from his traps, and learned that Lin Xiuqing was pregnant again. The chapter left him concerned about her pregnancy while she rested in their room.

• Ye Yaodong returned home and found A-Guang bringing the family a box of Bombay duck to clean and dry.
• Ye Yaodong waited at the shore for Father Ye’s boat, told him two strings of his traps had been stolen, and helped unload and sell the catch.
• A-Guang’s gift prompted Mother Ye and Father Ye to discuss whether he might be a suitable match for Ye Huimei.
• Ye Yaodong’s grandmother secretly gave him two guavas and urged him to take some miancha cakes as well.
• Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong she had vomited from the fishy smell and that the family had realized she might be pregnant again.
• Ye Yaodong brought Lin Xiuqing water and encouraged her to rest, while she said she was not yet sure whether she was pregnant.

On Mid-Autumn Festival, Ye Yaodong went with Xiao Xiao to gather firewood but got distracted by wild bananas and collected several bunches with help from Xiao Xiao and A-Guang. The three headed to Back Hill to pick more, while Ye Yaodong also considered gathering reeds to make a broom.

• At dinner, Mother Ye told the family not to spread word that Lin Xiuqing might be pregnant.
• That night, Ye Yaodong shared hidden guavas with his children and Lin Xiuqing.
• On Mid-Autumn Festival morning, Mother Ye bought fish balls while Ye Yaodong went out for a walk.
• Xiao Xiao pulled Ye Yaodong along to gather firewood, but Ye Yaodong spotted wild bananas and cut down several bunches.
• Xiao Xiao brought a hooked bamboo pole, and A-Guang joined them before suggesting they pick bananas at Back Hill.
• As they walked toward Back Hill, Ye Yaodong learned villagers gathered reeds there to make brooms and planned to return for some.

Ye Yaodong picked wild bananas with Xiao Xiao and A-Guang, then celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival with his family as the children made offerings to the moon. The chapter ended with Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing planning to move their belongings into their new house.

• Ye Yaodong, Xiao Xiao, and A-Guang picked bananas on Back Hill and divided them among themselves.
• Ye Yaodong brought his share home for Grandma and the family, then stopped the children from grabbing dinner before washing their hands.
• Ye Yaodong shared the prawns with his wife, children, and Grandma during the family meal.
• Mother Ye set out a mooncake for the children to offer to the moon, and the children divided and ate it after the incense burned out.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing agreed to move clothes, quilts, and bedsheets to the new house the next day.

Ye Yaodong and his family prepared their new home while observing a week of vegetarian meals for the Mazu blessing ceremony. After a busy day of clearing land and building a vegetable garden, they ate dinner together and prepared for the remaining days of the ceremony.

• Ye Yaodong offered incense at the Mazu Temple, then helped his family move belongings to their new homes.
• Ye Yaodong cleared unused land beside his house for a vegetable garden, and Father Ye helped him build a bamboo fence.
• Ye Yaodong returned to the temple with the family men to offer evening incense and corrected a young fellow on how to hold his hands.
• The children complained about another vegetarian dinner, so Mother Ye promised to make sweet potato rice the next day.
• Father Ye scraped soot from the family wok while Mother Ye collected it, then reminded the brothers to buy iron woks for their new homes.

Ye Yaodong accompanied Father Ye to the fields with his two sons, helping harvest potatoes and plant seeds. After the boys got filthy playing in the dirt, they returned home to be scolded, and Ye Yaodong wondered whether the possible baby would be a daughter and whether he could keep Lin Xiuqing safe through the coming year.

• Ye Yaodong agreed to join Father Ye in the fields, and Ye Chenghu and Ye Chengyang insisted on going with them.
• Ye Yaodong dug potatoes and planted radish seeds while Father Ye directed him to sow mustard greens in the old lady's plot.
• Ye Yaodong dismantled a bean trellis while his sons gathered potatoes, then found them throwing dirt at each other and carried them home.
• Lin Xiuqing punished Ye Chenghu for getting his brother dirty, and the old lady later comforted him with ripe persimmons.
• Ye Yaodong brought persimmons to Lin Xiuqing and privately wondered whether their possible baby would be a daughter.

The village completed its elaborate Mazu procession, while Ye Huimei served as an attendant and drew A-Guang’s attention. After the ceremony, Ye Yaodong took his family home, still wary of A-Guang’s interest in his sister.

• The villagers carried Mazu through the village and out to the beach, where the music ensembles performed and prayed for the fishermen’s safety and prosperity.
• The chapter recounted the legend of Lin Mo, whose charitable work and rescues at sea led people to revere her as Mazu.
• The villagers returned Mazu’s statue to the temple, ending the procession.
• Ye Chengyang wet his trousers during the walk home, and Lin Xiuqing changed him while the other children teased him.
• Ye Yaodong noticed A-Guang lingering after the procession and left with his family, privately concerned about his interest in Ye Huimei.

Ye Yaodong set his Pot Trap Nets and tried fishing with a homemade rod, catching a bucketful of fish for his family. After checking the traps for live bait, he found an unexpected sea bass and prepared to continue fishing.

• Ye Yaodong made a hook from a thick sewing needle and brought dried blue mussels as bait when he went to set his traps.
• Ye Yaodong set his Pot Trap Nets offshore, then caught black sea bream, red scorpionfish, a leatherjacket fish, and a yellow grouper with his rod.
• Ye Yaodong hauled up his traps to collect live fish and shrimp for bait and found a sea bass weighing about two jin in the last one.

Ye Yaodong spotted two Bryde's whales driving fish shoals near the seabirds and watched as nearby boats gathered to cast nets. He caught a large croaker with live shrimp bait, while Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng hauled in a large yellow croaker and other fish.

• Ye Yaodong found two Bryde's whales feeding beneath circling seabirds and kept his distance as small boats approached.
• Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng arrived with Korean nets, then rowed over to see the whales after Ye Yaodong told them what he had found.
• Ye Yaodong used live shrimp as bait and caught a black grouper weighing over a jin.
• Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng hauled in a net full of fish, including a wild large yellow croaker weighing over three jin.
• Ye Yaodong hooked and hauled aboard a much larger croaker, which he estimated weighed around twenty-seven or twenty-eight jin.

Ye Yaodong caught several sizeable fish with live shrimp while Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng cast nets and took turns using his rod. After A-Zheng’s net landed a large school of red snapper and his fishing turn produced only a foolish fish, the three headed home to sell their catches.

• Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng caught little with their nets as Ye Yaodong continued fishing with live shrimp, landing a sea bass, a black grouper, and other fish.
• Ye Yaodong let Xiao Xiao and A-Zheng take turns using his fishing rod.
• A small school of red snapper passed beneath the boats, and A-Zheng cast a net that caught dozens of fish.
• A-Zheng caught a foolish fish with the rod, while Xiao Xiao hauled up a net with only a few small fish.
• The three decided to return home and sell their catches, vowing not to let A-Cai underpay them.