Li Changfeng
Seashore Foraging: Back in '82, I Start Setting Sail and Hauling Nets
Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Li Changfeng (李长峰) |
| Alias(es) | A Feng; collectively called one of the “three scourges of Moon Bay Village” alongside Wei Donglai and He Dongliang 10 22 |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | In his twenties 10 |
| Residence | Moon Bay Village 10 48 |
| Occupation/Role | Initially unemployed; later earns money catching and selling mud eels 22 33 34 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 10, “A Chance Encounter With a Brother on the Way to Town” 10 |
Appearance
- A chubby young man in his twenties 10.
Personality
Li Changfeng is sociable and protective of his friends. When he hears about Wei Donglai’s breakup, he offers to introduce him to his cousin. After learning that He Lijuan was unfaithful, he immediately wants to expose the truth on Donglai’s behalf. He also readily helps Donglai collect a scrap collector’s fallen belongings 10 34.
He is prone to procrastination and reluctant to leave familiar surroundings. Donglai’s description of repeatedly postponing tasks strikes home, prompting him to ask how he can change. Although the prospect of earning ten thousand yuan persuades him to try Guangzhou, he continues looking for reasons to stay home 10 23 48.
Competitive and easily goaded, Changfeng repeatedly wagers cigarettes against Donglai. He takes an early start in their mud-sled race and stubbornly defends his inferior eel catch afterward. However, he eventually refuses another bet rather than risk further losses. His appetite and cheeky humor also feature prominently in their gatherings: he especially likes roast chicken and char siu, praises Donglai’s oyster omelets, and teases his uncle at the lunch table 17 22 29 30 31 32.
History
Advice from Wei Donglai
Changfeng first appears riding in his second uncle Li Guowang’s tractor trailer and offers Donglai a lift to town. Their conversation moves from Donglai’s breakup to the need to earn money and change their habits. Donglai urges him to overcome laziness and act instead of postponing things. Afterward, Guowang reinforces the advice, leaving Changfeng deep in thought 10.
Changfeng later arranges a gathering with Donglai and He Dongliang. He visits Donglai’s new home, shares breakfast, and leaves to help pick chestnuts at his uncle’s place. At the evening gathering, he helps tend the kitchen fire while the friends prepare dinner 17 22.
Considering Guangzhou
Changfeng’s older sister, who married and moved to Guangzhou years earlier, asks him to help with her husband’s clothing business. His brother-in-law had left a team-leader position at a soda factory nearly half a year earlier, a decision that caused friction with his own family. Changfeng’s father supports the proposed move, but Changfeng is unsure and reluctant to leave home 22 23.
Donglai encourages him to explore Guangzhou’s business opportunities, pointing out that his sister and brother-in-law can guide him. Inspired by the possibility of becoming a ten-thousand-yuan household, Changfeng agrees to go the following month. He tries to recruit both friends as companions, but neither joins him 23.
Mud-Eel Harvesting
After learning that mud eels sell for 4.50 yuan per jin, Changfeng and his friends seek instruction from Guowang. Changfeng suggests bringing liquor to win his uncle over, and Guowang agrees to teach them on the tidal flats 24 27.
During the outing, Changfeng initiates a mud-sled race and loses to Donglai despite starting early. He then boasts of finding eight eel burrows and accepts another cigarette wager. His eventual catch is only one eel; Donglai catches seven, including one larger than his. By the time they sell their catches in town, Changfeng promises Donglai eight packs of cigarettes after he catches more eels 29 30 31 32 33.
He continues harvesting with Donglai and Guowang over the following days. As more villagers enter the trade, catches decline. After hearing that He Jiahao stole eels from Donglai’s prepared burrows, Changfeng suspects the thief may also have raided his own. He obtains seven or eight large scallops from Donglai before they head home 34 35 36.
Preparing to Leave Home
When Donglai announces plans to buy a boat, Changfeng briefly considers following him to sea. Guowang reminds him of the hardship involved, quickly deflating his enthusiasm. Donglai again advises him to concentrate on Guangzhou 36.
A few days before the planned trip, Changfeng prepares fish to be dried for his sister, who misses the taste of home. Donglai helps him finish the work and invites him to celebrate his newly purchased boat. Changfeng’s mother, Zhang Xiuzhen, worries because he has never traveled far, but accepts Donglai’s argument that the trip will broaden his horizons. Changfeng then visits the boat with Donglai and joins the celebration 47 48.
Previous-Life Outcome
In Donglai’s recollection of his previous life, Changfeng did fairly well in Guangzhou and apparently owned a garment factory. This remembered outcome informs Donglai’s encouragement; it is not an achievement Changfeng has reached in the current timeline 36.
Abilities & Skills
Mud-Eel Harvesting
- Learns from Guowang how to identify burrows, use shredded tobacco and chili to drive eels out, and secure them with a specialized fork 27 29 30.
- Remains inexperienced during his first outing: several eels escape, and Guowang rebukes him for blaming luck rather than acknowledging Donglai’s better results 31 32.
- Helps take the combined catch to town for sale, using his father’s bicycle with Donglai 34.
| Outing | Documented Catch | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First lesson | One mud eel | Guowang estimates its weight at one jin and seven or eight liang; Changfeng loses both the quantity and size comparison with Donglai 31 32. |
| Following day | Three mud eels | Combined weight of approximately 1.8–1.9 jin; none individually reaches one jin 34. |
| Final documented outing | One mud eel | Weighs approximately eight liang, amid increased competition on the flats 36. |
Mud-Sled Riding
- Uses a wooden mud sled to travel across tidal flats where walking is difficult 28 29.
- Builds an early lead in the friends’ race but exhausts himself before the finish; both He Dongliang and Donglai overtake him 29.
Relationships
- Wei Donglai — Childhood friend and frequent dining and harvesting companion. Donglai pushes him to change his habits and pursue opportunities in Guangzhou 10 23 36.
- He Dongliang (A Liang) — Close friend and fellow member of the village’s “three scourges.” They drink, joke, and harvest together; Dongliang also goads him into betting against Donglai 10 22 30.
- Li Guowang — Second uncle, tractor driver, and mud-eel instructor. He helps the friends reach town but readily scolds Changfeng’s boasting and questions his readiness for work at sea 10 27 32 36.
- Zhang Xiufen — Second aunt and Guowang’s wife. She welcomes the group for meals but joins her husband in reprimanding Changfeng after his suggestive joke at lunch 28 32.
- Zhang Xiuzhen — Mother. She worries about his inexperience away from home and hopes he will learn from his brother-in-law rather than merely chase money 47 48.
- Father — Encourages him to work with his brother-in-law in Guangzhou; owns the bicycle used to transport the group’s eel catch 22 23 34.
- Older sister and brother-in-law — Based in Guangzhou. His sister invites him to help with her husband’s clothing business, giving him an opportunity to work outside the village 22 23.