After pouring tea for the two of them, Xu Lianyun found herself reminiscing about the old days.
"Come to think of it, it's been years since our two families last saw each other."
Wei Guoqing was moved as well. "Hasn't it just? My Yue'e still misses that fish sauce of yours from back then."
"That's easy enough. If she wants some, I'll pack a jar for you to take home later."
Wei Guoqing didn't stand on ceremony. "That would be wonderful. Yue'e will be delighted to get some of your fish sauce."
As they talked, Xu Lianyun ran to the backyard and called Carpenter Zhou over.
"Guoqing, I'll let Old Zhou keep you and your son company while I go out and get some food. Stay for lunch before you leave."
"Sister-in-law, you don't need to go to all that trouble."
Zhou Huaimin was displeased. "What? You come to my place and want to leave without a meal? I'm telling you, if we don't finish the liquor you brought today, don't even think about walking out my door."
Wei Guoqing gave a wry smile. "Since you've put it that way, Brother Zhou, we'll do as you say."
Only then did Zhou Huaimin smile. He waved to Sister-in-law Xu. "Go on, hurry along. I can look after our guests."
"All right, I'll be back as soon as I can."
With that, Sister-in-law Xu picked up a basket and went out.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Zhou Huaimin, Wei Guoqing explained why they had come.
Zhou Huaimin looked surprised when he heard they wanted to order a boat.
"Normally, it might really take ten days or half a month before I could get one to you, but you've come at just the right time. I happen to have a boat here."
Wei Guoqing was surprised. "You really have one ready-made?"
Wei Donglai was pleased. He had thought they would have to wait a while, but unexpectedly, there was one ready-made.
Zhou Huaimin nodded and grunted in affirmation.
"It's a little complicated. Take a look at the boat first. It's in the backyard."
With that, Zhou Huaimin got up and led the two of them to the backyard.
Perhaps because he needed the space for his carpentry, Zhou Huaimin's backyard was very spacious. Timber lay everywhere the eye could see.
A simple shed had been built in one corner of the yard, presumably where Zhou Huaimin usually worked.
Under the shed, a finished little wooden boat rested on a simple wooden frame. It was about six meters long, and its hull was ocher red throughout.
Wei Donglai went closer and examined it carefully. Sure enough, the entire wooden boat had been made using mortise-and-tenon joints, and it was exquisite.
He turned to Zhou Huaimin. "Uncle Zhou, this boat is made of Borneo ironwood, isn't it?"
Zhou Huaimin was a little surprised. "You can tell?"
Wei Donglai nodded. "Borneo ironwood is hard and highly resistant to moisture, so it couldn't be better suited for boatbuilding."
In fact, Borneo ironwood could also be used for furniture, especially in places with humid climates, such as coastal areas.
But compared with other woods, it cracked easily because it was so hard, and it didn't stand up well to wind and sun, so it wasn't as widely used for furniture.
For boatbuilding, however, it couldn't have been more suitable.
Wei Donglai remembered coming across a video in his previous life about a dragon boat made of Borneo ironwood. Even after a hundred years, it still hadn't rotted.
That showed just how durable a dragon boat made of Borneo ironwood could be.
What Wei Donglai admired most, though, was that this dragon boat should, in theory, have been prone to cracking if made with mortise-and-tenon joints, given the nature of the wood.
Yet Wei Donglai had looked it over just now and hadn't seen a single crack, which also showed indirectly just how masterful Zhou Huaimin's craftsmanship was.
He was definitely a carpenter with exceptional skill.
Seeing the gleam in his son's eyes, Wei Guoqing knew the boy had taken a fancy to the boat.
Recalling what Zhou Huaimin had said inside, he voiced his question.
"Brother Zhou, you said just now that the situation with this boat was a little complicated. What exactly happened?"
Zhou Huaimin sighed. "Someone else originally ordered it. At first, they said they wanted the best wood and didn't mind paying more, so I chose this Borneo ironwood."
"I went to a lot of trouble to get the timber, and I used mortise-and-tenon joints. But I never expected that after I finished the boat, the buyer would complain it was too expensive."
"They wanted me to lower the price, but I wouldn't, so we reached a stalemate. I don't intend to sell it to them anymore. If you like it, you can have it for 160 yuan."
Wei Donglai knew that 160 yuan was the price of an ordinary wooden boat.
But 160 was definitely too low for this one.
Although Zhou Huaimin was close to his father and had most likely offered that price out of consideration for him, Wei Donglai didn't want to take advantage of it.
"Uncle Zhou, how much did you ask the buyer for?"
"Two hundred yuan."
Wei Donglai made up his mind on the spot.
"Uncle Zhou, I'll buy this boat from you for 200 yuan."
"No need, just 160. This boat has been sitting here for a long time. Taking it off my hands would save me a worry and spare me the annoyance of looking at it every day."
Wei Guoqing spoke up too. "Brother Zhou, listen to my third son. Friendship is friendship, and business is business. With the materials and craftsmanship you put into it, we're not losing out at 200 yuan."
"But..."
"Uncle Zhou, no buts. If you really sold us this boat at a low price, my dad and I would be the ones with uneasy consciences. We might take advantage of someone else, but we can't take advantage of you, can we?"
"Brother Zhou, I agree with Donglai. If we took your boat on the cheap, I'd probably be too embarrassed to come around here again."
After father and son had both spoken, Zhou Huaimin stopped wavering. "All right, 200 yuan it is. I owe you two a favor."
"Brother Zhou, if you keep being so polite, I won't stay for lunch."
"You're not getting away today. When we sit down for a drink later, you'll see whether I'm polite to you then."
Wei Guoqing couldn't help laughing at that.
Lunch might not have been a feast of fish and meat, but Xu Lianyun was such a good cook that it didn't matter.
The few home-cooked dishes tasted excellent.
Wei Donglai also had the good fortune to try the fish sauce his mother had never stopped thinking about.
The sauce was made with anchovies. Its salty, savory flavor stood out, but it contained other flavors too, with wonderfully rich layers.
Wei Donglai even asked how the fish sauce was made.
Xu Lianyun kept nothing back and explained the method to Wei Donglai in detail.
Once Zhou Huaimin sat down at the table, he was true to his word. He competed with Wei Donglai's father in drinking and showed him absolutely no mercy.
After several rounds, Wei Donglai saw his father repeatedly shooting him looks, wanting him to help fend off the drinks.
But how could Wei Donglai get involved in a battle between the two old friends? He pretended not to see.
Wei Guoqing was so angry that he kicked him under the table.
In the end, Wei Guoqing naturally admitted defeat, but Zhou Huaimin wouldn't let him off on that account.
After all, they hadn't seen each other in years. He really was happy, and he really did want to drink.
Only when Wei Guoqing was getting tipsy and beginning to slur his words did Zhou Huaimin stop drinking with him.
Although Wei Donglai hadn't drunk much at the meal, he had certainly eaten plenty.
Xu Lianyun kept putting food in his bowl, as if afraid he wouldn't get enough.
After the meal, the two rested for a while and arranged to come back for the boat the next day with Zhou Huaimin before setting off at an unhurried pace.
They really couldn't go any faster. With Wei Guoqing now swaying every few steps, Wei Donglai was afraid that one careless move would send him tumbling into a roadside ditch.
Most importantly, he wouldn't let anyone support him.