Recaps

Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing returned home with their children after a New Year visit, while Ye Chenghu schemed to get his father to buy him soda. The chapter ended with Ye Chenghu ruefully reflecting on his father’s claim to be head of the household as Ye Yaodong cared for Lin Xiuqing.

• Ye Chenghu asked Ye Yaodong for soda, but Lin Xiuqing refused to let him have more treats and caught him trying to swap his malt milk for it.
• Ye Yaodong emptied the bucket to make Lin Xiuqing a seat on the crowded bus, where Ye Chenghu secretly asked him to buy soda with his fifty cents.
• Lin Xiuqing spotted the father and son conspiring, while Ye Chengyang revealed that his uncle had given the money to Ye Chenghu to share with him.
• After the family got home, the boys ran off, and Ye Yaodong massaged Lin Xiuqing’s sore shoulders and brought her hot water and a drink.
• Ye Chenghu pressed Ye Yaodong about when he would buy the soda, then watched his father tend to Lin Xiuqing and sighed that he was supposedly the head of the household.

After the weather cleared, Ye Yaodong delivered dried fish to the military, opened his City shop, and brought Father Lin and Lin Mother to help run it. As they unloaded their stock, a reseller placed an order for five hundred jin of dried toadfish, giving the shop a promising start.

• After weeks of rain, Ye Yaodong received a military order for two thousand jin of dried fish and delivered it in two trips.
• Ye Yaodong arranged doors for his two shops, bought a small iron-frame bed and a radio, and brought Father Lin and Lin Mother to the City.
• Ye Yaodong and the elderly couple unloaded dried fish at his shop near the New Market and spoke with passersby who asked about the goods.
• A short, stout middle-aged reseller ordered five hundred jin of dried toadfish to try, promising to buy more if it sold well.

Ye Yaodong sold 500 jin of dried toadfish to Boss Zhou on the New Market’s opening day and began attracting other curious customers. Boss Zhou left with the fish and Ye Yaodong’s contact number, while Ye Yaodong hoped for future bulk orders.

• Boss Zhou visited Ye Yaodong’s newly opened shop and agreed to buy 500 jin of dried toadfish to test the market.
• Ye Yaodong gave Boss Zhou the Village Committee phone number and offered 20 jin of assorted dried fish for free.
• Father Lin and Lin Mother helped weigh the fish as other market visitors browsed and bought a dozen or so jin.
• Boss Zhou paid Ye Yaodong 225 yuan for the 500 jin of dried toadfish and took the free assorted fish.
• Ye Yaodong saw Boss Zhou off and invited him to contact him if the fish sold well.

Ye Yaodong's new dried-fish shop drew strong sales on its opening day, delighting his family and the elderly couple helping run it. After bringing in another load overnight, he caught a thief in the shop, and business remained brisk as customers and fish dealers bought more than two hundred jin.

• Ye Yaodong helped Father Lin and Lin Mother sell dried fish, set off firecrackers to mark the shop's opening, and counted the day's earnings.
• Ye Yaodong returned home with the money, showed his family the sales proceeds, and explained how well the shop had done.
• Ye Yaodong brought another load of dried fish and two sets of tables and chairs to the city during the night.
• Ye Yaodong caught a man stealing dried fish from the shop, forced him to drop it, and let him escape after a struggle.
• Ye Yaodong helped serve customers through the morning, and the shop sold more than two hundred jin of dried fish.

Ye Yaodong reassured Lin Xiuqing that her parents were adjusting to running the shop, then rested at home before dinner. The family discussed feeding him well and slaughtering a chicken, while Ye Chenghu dodged talk of getting a hundred marks and complained that studying was too hard.

• Lin Xiuqing questioned Ye Yaodong about how her parents were managing the shop, and he offered to take her to see them or have her father call.
• Lin Xiuqing brought Ye Yaodong water to soak his tired feet while the Old Lady praised his hard work and suggested stewing him a chicken with tonic herbs.
• Ye Chenghu ran away after overhearing the Old Lady mention that he might bring home a hundred marks, then returned when Lin Xiuqing called him for dinner.
• The Old Lady decided to catch a chicken at the old house while Mother Ye was at work, and Ye Yaodong agreed that they could slaughter it.
• Ye Yaodong scolded Ye Chenghu for arriving late to dinner, and Ye Chenghu complained that getting a hundred marks was too hard.

Ye Yaodong promised to take Ye Chenghu to the city if he earned perfect scores in Chinese and math, and the reward motivated the boy to start his homework. The family left the softshell turtle alive for now, while Ye Yaodong settled for stewing a chicken.

• Ye Chenghu complained about having to attend school, and Ye Yaodong challenged him to earn perfect scores in Chinese and math for a trip to the city.
• Ye Chenghu eagerly accepted the challenge, and Lin Xiuqing agreed that the trip could motivate him to study.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing found Ye Chenghu doing his homework after dinner and discussed using rewards to encourage the children.
• Ye Yaodong suggested killing the children's softshell turtle to stew with a chicken, but Lin Xiuqing warned that the boys would be upset.
• Ye Yaodong gave up on the turtle and decided to stew only the chicken.

After delivering dried fish, Ye Yaodong rested with his family and discussed his new boat and Ye Chenghu’s school goals. The next morning, he decided to set gill nets, but learned Uncle Pei had called Father Ye away to inspect a friend’s boat.

• Ye Yaodong ate chicken soup and joked about being a good-for-nothing, while Lin Xiuqing scolded him and the family shared the meal.
• Mother Ye scolded Father Ye for letting a chicken go missing, but he defended Ye Yaodong and urged him to eat well.
• Ye Yaodong and his parents discussed getting his boat built and suggested that the children could learn shipbuilding after junior high.
• Ye Chenghu declared that he would earn a hundred on his exams, and Lin Xiuqing explained that Ye Yaodong had promised him a trip to the city for perfect scores.
• After learning that boats had gone out to sea overnight, Ye Yaodong planned to set gill nets and discovered that Uncle Pei had called Father Ye away to inspect a friend's boat.

Ye Yaodong learned that Uncle Pei’s friend had brought back over thirty thousand jin of Bombay duck and arranged to buy the dried fish for his shop. After agreeing to take the whole batch if it was properly prepared, Ye Yaodong left with his father to return to setting the gill nets.

• Ye Yaodong waited for his father to return, then learned Uncle Pei had called him over to discuss a large haul of Bombay duck and dried shrimp.
• Father Ye explained that his friend had over thirty thousand jin of Bombay duck to sell, and Ye Yaodong decided to inspect it and consider buying the dried fish and shrimp.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye cycled to the pier, where workers were cleaning the fish and preparing them to dry.
• Ye Yaodong met Uncle Pei and the fisherman, then agreed to buy all the dried Bombay duck at fourteen fen per jin if it was fresh and properly prepared.
• Ye Yaodong planned to give Uncle Pei a referral fee, and the group agreed that the seller would contact him as batches dried so he could collect them.

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye returned from arranging a bargain purchase of Bombay duck and discussed expanding their dried-seafood business. After setting their nets, they planned to check on Ye Yaodong’s boat and give A Hai a chance to learn about shipbuilding.

• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye agreed to buy Bombay duck through Father Pei and planned to give him a commission.
• Father Ye urged Ye Yaodong to track the dried-fish business, while they discussed buying more stock and asking the village for dried fish.
• Ye Yaodong suggested that his sisters-in-law gather shellfish to dry and sell, and Father Ye agreed to raise the idea with them.
• Ye Yaodong and Father Ye ate lunch aboard their boat, then set gill nets and buoys at a quiet fishing spot.
• Ye Yaodong asked Father Ye to check on the boat being built at the shipyard and suggested taking A Hai along on a weekend to see whether he was interested in learning a trade.

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye set gill nets and caught fish that leaped into the boat and net, while Ye Yaodong arranged to buy dried shellfish from his sisters-in-law. The women then asked Lin Xiuqing to prepare lunch for their school-aged children while they went out to gather shellfish, leaving her to consider an unexpected burden.

• Ye Yaodong worried that his young nephew might be led astray if he watched the shop alone in the city.
• A fish leaped into Ye Yaodong's chest, and several mullet later jumped beneath the gill net he was setting; he and Father Ye finished laying all forty-two nets before returning to shore.
• Ye Yaodong told Ye Yaopeng and Ye Yaohua that he would buy dried shellfish, and both brothers agreed to have their wives gather and dry it for sale.
• Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law and Ye Second Sister-in-Law visited Lin Xiuqing during dinner and asked her to prepare lunch for their children while they went shellfish gathering.

Lin Xiuqing refused to take on the regular care of her six nieces and nephews because she already had too much work and too many children to manage. The family agreed that the children’s maternal grandparents would help, with Mother Ye offering to step in if needed.

• Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law and Ye Second Sister-in-Law asked Lin Xiuqing to look after their six children while they worked, but Lin Xiuqing explained that she could only help for a day or two.
• Ye Yaodong, Mother Ye, the Old Lady, and Father Ye suggested that the children stay with their maternal grandparents, who could also cook for the children and their parents.
• Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law and Ye Second Sister-in-Law agreed to ask their parents for help, and Mother Ye offered to cook for them if the grandmothers were unavailable.
• After the sisters-in-law left, Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing joked with Mother Ye as the family returned to their meal and chores.

Ye Yaodong went to recruit Ye Yaosheng for a fishing trip, while Second Uncle Ye used the visit to push his son to prioritize Ye Yaodong’s work and abandon his plans with the Wang Family. Ye Yaosheng agreed to leave for sea at five the next morning, and Ye Yaodong headed home.

• Ye Yaodong listened as local women complained that the Village Committee had taken nearly two months to deliver a fifty-yuan reward and a certificate for donating a sea monster.
• Ye Yaodong visited Second Uncle Ye’s home to ask Ye Yaosheng to join the crew at five the next morning.
• Second Uncle Ye overruled Ye Yaosheng’s promise to help the Wang Family build a pigpen and urged him to work for Ye Yaodong instead.
• Ye Yaosheng agreed to go with Ye Yaodong, who left for home with his flashlight after ending Second Uncle Ye’s rambling.

Ye Yaodong took Ye Chenghu home after promising to reward him with trips to the city for perfect scores, then set out to sea with Ye Yaosheng and Father Ye. They spotted an unmanned boat covered in strange, writhing growth and prepared to inspect it.

• Ye Yaodong considered his debts and told Ye Chenghu to go home, promising to take him to the city whenever he earned two perfect scores.
• Ye Chenghu proudly shared the promise, while the other children envied him and their mothers worried about their own sons wanting to visit the city.
• Ye Yaosheng apologized for his father's earlier remarks and asked Ye Yaodong whether A-Guang's family was still renting out a boat.
• Ye Yaodong and Ye Yaosheng discussed the possibility of renting a boat and Ye Yaodong's plans for his own fleet.
• As the three men headed out to sea, Father Ye spotted a small boat drifting nearby, and they approached it.
• Ye Yaodong recognized the boat's dense covering as barnacles and shellfish, and Ye Yaosheng fetched a long hook to pull it closer.

Ye Yaodong and Father Ye discovered that a drifting wooden boat was covered in valuable Sea Chicken Feet, then hauled it aboard. Ye Yaodong found the boat’s wood rotten, while Ye Yaosheng offered to split it open later to collect shipworms to eat.

• Ye Yaodong recognized the wriggling growth on the boat as Sea Chicken Feet, and explained to Father Ye and Ye Yaosheng that they were Goose-Neck Barnacles.
• Father Ye used a hook to draw the little boat alongside their vessel, and the three men hauled it onto the deck.
• Ye Yaodong inspected the boat and found that its wood crumbled easily, making it unsuitable for Ye Yaosheng to use.
• Ye Yaosheng suggested that shipworms might be inside the holes in the wood and said he wanted to collect and eat them once they reached shore.
• Ye Yaodong offered Ye Yaosheng the boat to split open after they docked, while privately recoiling at the thought of eating shipworms.

Ye Yaodong and Ye Yaosheng salvaged barnacles and shipworms from a rotten wooden boat, joking about eating the worms raw. Ye Yaodong offered to lend Ye Yaosheng money for a small fishing boat, but Ye Yaosheng declined, saying he preferred to save up rather than owe anyone.

• Ye Yaodong and Ye Yaosheng pried barnacles from the boat while Father Ye steered and watched them work.
• Ye Yaodong found a shipworm and teased Ye Yaosheng by offering it to him raw, but Ye Yaosheng insisted it should be cooked.
• Ye Yaodong explained how shipworms damaged wooden boats as the two men continued removing barnacles.
• Ye Yaodong noticed Ye Yaosheng's swollen, cold-exposed fingers and asked whether he washed his own clothes.
• Ye Yaodong offered to lend Ye Yaosheng money to buy a small fishing boat, but Ye Yaosheng refused because he did not want to owe anyone.

Ye Yaodong worked with Father Ye and Ye Yaosheng hauling in their nets, then spotted a venomous stonefish and secretly planned to take it home for soup. The crew caught an enormous blackback skate, which they lifted toward the table.

• Ye Yaosheng declined Ye Yaodong's offer of a loan but said he might rent a boat from him someday.
• Ye Yaodong and Ye Yaosheng moved the boat aside and joined Father Ye in hauling and sorting the nets.
• Father Ye spotted a stonefish in the gill net, and Ye Yaodong carefully brought it aboard while planning to keep it.
• Father Ye hauled in a huge ray, and Ye Yaodong identified it as a blackback skate rather than a devil ray.
• Ye Yaodong, Father Ye, and Ye Yaosheng supported the enormous fish and prepared to lift it onto the table.

Ye Yaodong and his father hauled in a huge Blackback Skate, which weighed 106 jin, and decided to take it to the City to sell for a better price. After drawing attention at the shore and baffling A-Cai by refusing to sell it to him, Ye Yaodong stored it for the night and planned to travel the next day.

• Ye Yaodong, Father Ye, and Ye Yaosheng hauled a massive Blackback Skate from their gill net and set it aside to take to Hongsheng.
• After they returned to shore, Ye Eldest Brother, Ye Second Older Brother, and other onlookers admired the catch as they carried it to be weighed.
• A-Cai weighed the Blackback Skate at 106 jin, but Ye Yaodong refused to sell it and joked that he was taking it home to guard the house.
• Ye Yaodong arranged to get ice to keep the skate fresh and decided he would take it to the City the following day.
• Since Ye Yaodong would not be going to sea the next morning, he planned to have Father Ye find another person to join him and Ye Yaosheng.

Ye Yaodong helped his family bring home their catch and the shellfish-covered Small Wooden Boat, which broke apart as they loaded it. The wreck revealed shipworms, and Ye Yaosheng collected some before they took the boat halves home.

• Ye Yaodong waited ashore while Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law and Ye Second Sister-in-Law returned home with their catch, then helped Father Ye load the family’s haul onto a handcart.
• Ye Yaodong went to fetch ice for the devil ray and returned to tell Father Ye that he and Ye Yaosheng would retrieve the Small Wooden Boat.
• Ye Yaodong and Ye Yaosheng carried the Small Wooden Boat ashore as villagers commented on its shellfish-covered hull.
• The Small Wooden Boat slipped from their hands and broke in two, exposing shipworms packed inside the wood.
• Ye Yaosheng collected shipworms in a bucket while Ye Yaodong held a flashlight, and they loaded the boat halves onto the handcart to take home.

Ye Yaodong and Ye Yaosheng brought home a huge devil ray and a wrecked boat, but their work was interrupted when Wang Lizhen arrived to confront Ye Yaosheng about his family calling off their engagement. The neighbors urged Wang Lizhen to leave and discuss the matter with the elders the next day, while Ye Yaosheng remained embarrassed and frustrated.

• Ye Yaodong encouraged Ye Yaosheng to accept the broken engagement and focus on earning money as they brought their catch home.
• Ye Yaodong’s family admired the enormous devil ray, and Ye Yaodong said he would take it to town to sell the next day.
• Wang Lizhen entered the yard calling for Ye Yaosheng, and the family’s dogs surrounded her and tore her clothes as she kicked at them.
• Ye Yaodong called the dogs back, while Mother Ye, Lin Xiuqing, and the children confronted Wang Lizhen for making a scene.
• Ye Yaosheng admitted that he also wanted to end the engagement, and the neighbors urged Wang Lizhen to return the next day with the elders to talk.

Ye Yaosheng left after his engagement to Wang Lizhen was called off, while Ye Yaodong’s family resumed its evening routine and discussed the shellfish his sisters-in-law had gathered. The chapter ended with Mother Ye explaining that authorities had uncovered a child-trafficking hideout in the county seat and rescued missing children.

• Ye Yaosheng thanked Ye Yaodong and left after the Old Lady advised him to let his parents handle any complaints about the canceled engagement.
• Wang Lizhen demanded compensation for her torn clothes, and Ye Yaosheng pulled her away before she could argue with the family.
• Ye Yaodong teased Lin Xiuqing at home before they talked about the shellfish and possible pearls gathered by his sisters-in-law.
• Mother Ye and the others went next door, where Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law and Ye Second Sister-in-Law were sorting several sacks of shellfish with their children.
• Mother Ye told them that authorities had caught a trafficking gang in the county seat and rescued children after tracing the gang’s hideout.

Ye Yaodong rescued a stonefish from the fish waste and cooked its meat despite his family’s worries, while his relatives cleaned the shellfish he had agreed to buy. They found a pearl that eased their fears about making a loss, but after several more nights yielded none, Ye Yaodong remained unwilling to promise the neighbors he would buy their shellfish.

• Ye Yaodong’s relatives worried that nobody would buy the shellfish meat, but Father Ye reassured them that Ye Yaodong had agreed to take it.
• Ye Yaodong found the stonefish buried in the fish waste, removed its venomous spines, and cooked it despite Mother Ye’s objections.
• Lin Xiuqing tested the fish soup with a silver bangle before Ye Yaodong drank it, then declined to eat any herself.
• Father Ye found a pearl among the shellfish, and the family celebrated the prospect of covering their costs.
• After finding no more pearls over the next three nights, Ye Yaodong refused to promise neighbors that he would buy their shellfish before testing the market.

Ye Yaodong visited Father Lin and Lin Mother at their busy city shop, where he learned they were selling dried fish quickly and arranged a 3,000-jin sale with Boss Zhou. The bulk order and truck pickup eased his storage and transport problems, leaving him confident he could afford the final payment on the large ship.

• Ye Yaodong brought more dried fish to the city and found Father Lin and Lin Mother had adapted well and were selling briskly.
• Father Lin gave Ye Yaodong the shop’s takings, and Ye Yaodong discussed finding a truck to transport more stock.
• A market boy told Ye Yaodong he had a phone call, and Boss Zhou offered to buy 3,000 jin of dried fish and send a Big Jiefang Truck to collect it.
• Ye Yaodong returned with meat buns, urged Father Lin and Lin Mother to eat properly, and told them about Boss Zhou’s order.
• Ye Yaodong planned to rent the couple a nearby house and realized that the sales money would leave him able to make the final payment on the large ship.

Ye Yaodong went to Xinghua Zhong Village to find a place for his in-laws to stay near the market stalls, where Village Chief Wei Aiguo agreed to ask around about houses for rent or sale. He returned to the shop and planned to weigh the dried fish stock and reserve three thousand jin.

• Ye Yaodong entered the village and, after wary residents mistook him for a possible child trafficker, found his way to the village committee office.
• Ye Yaodong asked Village Chief Wei Aiguo about renting or buying a house near the market, and Wei agreed to ask around and report back the next day.
• Ye Yaodong and Wei Aiguo discussed their market stalls, including Wei's unsold shop at entrance three.
• Ye Yaodong returned to the shop and told his in-laws he wanted to rent a house for them, but they objected until he explained the shop would be filled with stock.
• Ye Yaodong planned to weigh the dried fish and set aside three thousand jin, with more stock to check at Uncle Pei's friend's place.

Ye Yaodong collected several days of sales money from Father Lin and began considering buying the Production Team’s tractor. Back home, he teased Lin Xiuqing while they counted the money, but their playful exchange was overheard by their child and the Old Lady, leaving Lin Xiuqing mortified.

• Father Lin gave Ye Yaodong the several hundred yuan he and Lin Mother had earned selling goods, and Ye Yaodong hid it under his clothes for the trip home.
• Ye Yaodong offered to give Old Zhou dried shrimp and learned that the Production Team might sell its tractor.
• Ye Yaodong decided he wanted to buy the tractor and planned to speak with Secretary Chen about getting first priority.
• At home, Ye Yaodong hurried Lin Xiuqing into their room and joked with her while showing her the money.
• Their child peeked in while Ye Yaodong was joking about taking off his clothes, and the Old Lady shut the door after overhearing them.
• Lin Xiuqing blushed and scolded Ye Yaodong for embarrassing her, while he laughed and insisted there was nothing wrong with flirting with his wife.

Ye Yaodong returned with a large sum from selling goods and discussed buying the village Tractor with Lin Xiuqing, who persuaded him it would be an unnecessary expense. They arranged to sell 3,000 jin of dried Bombay Duck to Boss Zhou the next day, freeing space to collect Uncle Pei’s friend’s goods, then counted their money until the Old Lady came in to ask Lin Xiuqing to feed Xiao Jiu.

• Ye Yaodong poured out the money he had earned, and Lin Xiuqing assumed he wanted to discuss buying an expensive appliance.
• Ye Yaodong proposed buying the village Tractor, but Lin Xiuqing argued that they would rarely use it and could hire Uncle Zhou instead.
• Lin Xiuqing told Ye Yaodong that their son already had children following him home after school, and Ye Yaodong proudly imagined the boy showing off their future Large Ship.
• Ye Yaodong revealed that Boss Zhou would collect 3,000 jin of dried Bombay Duck the next day, allowing them to weigh and take Uncle Pei’s friend’s goods as well.
• Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing counted their money in the bedroom until the Old Lady came in and asked Lin Xiuqing to feed Xiao Jiu.