Chapter Summaries

Wei Donglai saved Xu Qingqing's younger brother from drowning and reassured his family that the child was recovering at the clinic. After returning home and telling his family what happened, he found Xu Qingqing and agreed to look after her younger sister, Momo, while she went to the clinic.

• Aunt Xu admitted that her two grandsons had caused Xu Qingqing's younger brother to fall into the water, then followed the doctor to the clinic with them.
• Wei Donglai walked home with Chen Fengying, Wei Ning, and Yuanyuan, explaining how he had saved the child and warning Wei Ning to stay safe around water.
• Li Yue'e cautioned Wei Donglai about the risks he had taken, and he left to tell Xu Qingqing that her younger brother was at the clinic and had survived.
• Xu Qingqing hurried to the clinic after leaving Momo in Wei Donglai's care.

Wei Donglai cared for Momo after rescuing her and cooked dinner with Li Changfeng and He Dongliang. As they talked about work, Li Changfeng remained unsure whether he should go to Guangzhou to help his brother-in-law with a clothing business.

• Wei Donglai brought Momo into his courtyard, gave her sugar water, and prepared to make her something to eat.
• Li Changfeng and He Dongliang arrived with food and liquor, and Wei Donglai told them how he had rescued Momo.
• Momo clung to Wei Donglai, so he brought her along to the kitchen while Li Changfeng tended the fire and He Dongliang helped cook.
• He Dongliang learned that Wei Donglai could cook, and the three men joked together as Momo watched them.
• Li Changfeng told Wei Donglai and He Dongliang that his sister wanted him to help her husband with a clothing business in Guangzhou, but he was unsure whether to go.

Wei Donglai encouraged Li Changfeng to seek opportunities in Guangzhou, then shared a meal with his friends and advised He Dongliang about opening a food stall. He Dongliang left with Wei Donglai’s support, but was told to check whether he could get a business license before rushing ahead.

• Wei Donglai persuaded Li Changfeng to visit Guangzhou next month, while A Liang and Wei Donglai decided to stay home.
• Wei Donglai fed Momo and served dinner to his friends, who joked and drank together.
• He Dongliang told Wei Donglai and Li Changfeng that A Min wanted to marry him and that he hoped to open his own food stall.
• Wei Donglai supported He Dongliang’s plan but advised him to ask the industry and commerce department about getting a business license.

He Dongliang considered leaving his state-run restaurant job to open a food stall, while Wei Donglai refused to join him and instead planned to go mud-eel catching with Li Changfeng. After Wei Donglai looked after Momo and drank with the men, Xu Qingqing returned to thank him for saving her brother and offered him all her money, which he refused.

• He Dongliang said he expected state-run restaurants to lose out to private businesses and asked Wei Donglai to join him in opening a food stall, but Wei Donglai declined because he wanted to go to sea.
• He Dongliang told Wei Donglai and Li Changfeng that mud eels sold for four yuan fifty per jin, and the two decided to go catch them with Li Changfeng's second uncle the next day.
• Wei Donglai gave Momo a little more rice, then beat He Dongliang and Li Changfeng in a drinking contest.
• Xu Qingqing arrived with her younger brother and thanked Wei Donglai for saving him, offering him about a hundred yuan.
• Wei Donglai returned the money and told Xu Qingqing he had saved her brother without expecting anything in return.

Wei Donglai refused to take back the money he had given Xu Qingqing and asked her to help with small tasks instead, letting her and the children eat before he went to collect his fish traps. Xu Qingqing joined him to hold the flashlight, and they found a catch that included four groupers and several other fish.

• Wei Donglai put the money back in Xu Yiming's pocket and asked Xu Qingqing to help him with manageable tasks as repayment.
• Wei Donglai carried Li Changfeng and another drunk home while Xu Qingqing cleared the table and fed Xu Yiming and Xu Momo.
• Wei Donglai remembered his fish traps and hurried home to collect them before the catch spoiled.
• Xu Qingqing offered to accompany Wei Donglai to the shore, leaving Xu Yiming to watch Xu Momo.
• Wei Donglai and Xu Qingqing collected the traps, finding four groupers, a black seabream, conger eels, and other fish, and Xu Qingqing offered to carry a bucket.

Wei Donglai sold his catch and continued saving toward buying a boat, then visited his mother and found Aunt Xu thanking him for saving her grandchild. After accepting Aunt Xu’s gifts, he left his mother’s home amid her renewed urging that he find a wife.

• Wei Donglai sold most of his catch for 11 yuan and 5 mao, bringing his savings to a little over sixty yuan as he planned to buy a small wooden boat.
• Wei Donglai cooked breakfast, dried the salted redfish, and set his fish traps near a reef using crushed oysters and mud snails as bait.
• Wei Donglai brought chestnuts to his mother’s home and found Aunt Xu there with gifts to thank him for helping save a child.
• Aunt Xu told Wei Donglai that Xu Qingqing had accepted one hundred yuan in compensation and insisted he take her gifts, threatening to kneel until he agreed.
• Li Yue'e urged Wei Donglai to find a wife, and he took some meat from the gifts before leaving.

Wei Donglai, Li Changfeng, and He Dongliang visited Li Guowang to learn how to catch mud dragons. Li Guowang agreed to take them to the mangroves the next morning and revealed that He Yougui had been paying him less than the current market price.

• Wei Donglai scolded Li Changfeng and He Dongliang for arriving late after their night of drinking, then fed them lunch.
• Li Changfeng said his second uncle loved liquor, so Wei Donglai bought liquor, cigarettes, and brown sugar to bring to Li Guowang.
• Li Guowang agreed to show the three how to catch mud dragons the next morning and told them to bring mud sleds.
• Li Guowang learned that restaurants were paying 4.50 yuan for mud dragons, more than the 3.70 yuan He Yougui had paid him, and decided to sell his catch directly in town.
• Li Guowang forged two more mud dragon forks and explained that he used shredded tobacco and chili peppers to drive mud dragons from their holes.

Wei Donglai shared chicken and a hearty meal with Xu Qingqing and her siblings after discovering how little food they had, then set out with Li Changfeng and Li Guowang the next morning to harvest mud-eels. The three gathered at Li Guowang’s house, ready to head onto the tidal flats.

• Wei Donglai checked his fish traps, caught three dogfish, and sold them at the dock.
• Xu Qingqing brought Wei Donglai chicken soup, but he saw that she and her siblings had little food and brought the meal back to share with them.
• Wei Donglai divided the chicken among Momo, Yiming, and Xu Qingqing and urged the children to eat his cooking.
• Xu Qingqing thanked Wei Donglai as he left, and he hurried away after noticing her beautiful smile.
• Wei Donglai set his traps the next morning, fetched a mud horse, and joined Li Changfeng and Li Guowang at Li Guowang’s house before heading to the tidal flats.

Li Changfeng, He Dongliang, and Wei Donglai raced their mud sleds across the tidal flats, but Wei Donglai held back before speeding past them to win. Li Guowang then taught them how to find and draw mud eels from their burrows, while he set gill-net traps among the mangroves.

• Li Guowang brought the group onto the tidal flats with mud-eel tools and old gill nets for catching crabs.
• Li Changfeng and He Dongliang started the sled race early, but Wei Donglai conserved his strength and overtook them near the finish.
• Wei Donglai won the race and reminded Li Changfeng and He Dongliang to pay their wager of two packs of cigarettes.
• Li Guowang showed the three men how to identify mud-eel burrows and use tobacco mixed with chili to draw the eels out.
• The group split up to search for burrows as Li Guowang set gill-net traps around mangrove roots.

Wei Donglai learned how to catch mud eels from Li Guowang and tried the technique in the mangroves. He caught two mud eels but lost a larger one, while Li Changfeng bet four packs of cigarettes that he could beat him.

• Li Guowang showed Wei Donglai, Li Changfeng, and He Dongliang how to use tobacco and a fork to catch mud eels.
• Wei Donglai found three burrows, and Li Changfeng claimed to have found eight, prompting He Dongliang to doubt him.
• He Dongliang proposed another bet, and Li Changfeng wagered four packs of cigarettes against Wei Donglai.
• Wei Donglai found another burrow, then returned to catch mud eels from the burrows he had baited.
• Wei Donglai caught two mud eels but lost a larger one in the deep mud.

Wei Donglai caught a huge mud eel after a struggle, then joined Li Changfeng, He Dongliang, and Li Guowang as they compared their catches. Li Changfeng insisted his eel was the biggest, and Wei Donglai challenged him to reconsider after hinting that he might have caught a larger one.

• Wei Donglai wrestled a huge mud eel out of the mud and put it in his bucket.
• As the tide came in, Wei Donglai left the mangroves and met Li Changfeng and He Dongliang, who were covered in mud.
• Li Guowang showed the group his bucket of mud eels and three mud crabs, while He Dongliang revealed that he had caught two mud eels.
• Li Changfeng admitted he had caught only one mud eel but argued that it weighed nearly two jin and was the biggest.
• Wei Donglai challenged Li Changfeng to rethink his claim, and He Dongliang encouraged them to bet again.

Wei Donglai outcaught Li Changfeng and Li Guowang in mud eels, then joined them for a generous lunch at Li Guowang’s home. After lunch, Li Guowang planned to take the three young men to town, while He Dongliang said he would visit his girlfriend afterward.

• Wei Donglai revealed that he had caught seven mud eels, including one larger than Li Changfeng’s, and Li Guowang scolded Li Changfeng for insisting his own catch was better.
• Li Guowang agreed to take Wei Donglai, Li Changfeng, and He Dongliang to town after lunch and invited them to eat at his home.
• Wei Donglai gave Li Guowang the smallest mud eel to add to lunch, and the four men shared the meal and liquor.
• Li Changfeng teased Li Guowang about his wife, so Li Guowang and Zhang Xiufen each slapped him.
• He Dongliang said he would visit his girlfriend after the trip and joked that Wei Donglai and Li Changfeng might stay awake because they were both single.

Wei Donglai and his companions sold their mud eels to Manager Gong at Full of Fragrance for a high price. As they prepared to leave town, Wei Donglai caught a man who stumbled while carrying a towering load.

• Manager Gong first dismissed the group, then apologized after learning they were selling mud eels and offered to buy the catch.
• Wei Donglai and the others accepted Manager Gong's prices and received payment for their mud eels.
• He Dongliang said goodbye to the group, and Li Changfeng promised to repay Wei Donglai with eight packs of cigarettes after catching more mud eels.
• Near the tractor, Wei Donglai warned a man carrying a large stack of goods, then caught him when he tripped over a stone.

Wei Donglai found a dirty Hainan huanghuali box while helping a scrap collector, then focused on catching mud eels to save for a small wooden boat. After several profitable days, an unexpected development interrupted the trio’s plans.

• Wei Donglai took the huanghuali box from the scrap collector after helping him, then gave Li Guowang cigarettes and liquor to thank him for the tractor rides.
• Wei Donglai sold a poor fish-trap haul for 2 yuan and 3 mao and decided to concentrate on mud eels to save for a boat.
• Wei Donglai, Li Changfeng, and Li Guowang caught mud eels the next day, and Wei Donglai’s share sold for 11 yuan and 3 mao.
• Over the next three days, Wei Donglai’s mud eels earned 24 yuan and 3 mao, 33 yuan and 2 mao, and 19 yuan and 7 mao, while his fish traps brought in 5 yuan and 4 mao total.
• As the three prepared to continue catching mud eels, something unexpected happened.

Wei Donglai went mud eel hunting with Li Changfeng and Li Guowang, but discovered someone was stealing the eels from his baited holes. He caught He Jiahao taking a mud eel from another hole and kicked him from behind.

• Wei Donglai, Li Changfeng, and Li Guowang went to the mangroves, where they found many more people catching eels and mudskippers because prices had risen.
• Wei Donglai found mud eel holes and used tobacco to drive out the eels, but two later holes had already been disturbed.
• Wei Donglai examined the tracks and concluded someone had stolen the catch from his holes.
• Wei Donglai baited another hole and hid nearby to catch the thief in the act.
• He Jiahao crept to the baited hole, snared the emerging mud eel, and put it in his fish basket.
• Wei Donglai approached He Jiahao from behind and kicked him in the backside.

Wei Donglai caught He Jiahao stealing mud eels from his baited burrows, then bought mudskippers and gathered shellfish with Li Changfeng and Li Guowang. He planned to order a small boat and try fishing offshore, while Li Changfeng reconsidered following him and Wei Donglai urged him to go to Guangzhou instead.

• Wei Donglai caught He Jiahao taking mud eels from burrows he had baited, reclaimed his fish basket, and beat him until he promised not to do it again.
• After finding more burrows already raided, Wei Donglai stopped searching and bought two jin of mudskippers from an older man on the mudflat.
• Wei Donglai gathered scallops and spotted babylons while waiting for Li Changfeng and Li Guowang, whose mud eel catches were small.
• Li Changfeng asked for a share of Wei Donglai's catch and took several large scallops after learning He Jiahao might have raided his burrows too.
• Wei Donglai said he would stop catching mud eels and order a small wooden boat the next day so he could try fishing offshore.
• Li Changfeng briefly considered buying a boat and joining Wei Donglai, but lost confidence after Li Guowang warned him about the hardship; Wei Donglai told him to focus on going to Guangzhou.

Wei Donglai shared food and candy with Xu Qingqing’s family, then joined his own family for dinner after helping sell their catch. The chapter ended with Wei Hai declaring that Wei Donglai ranked first among his favorites and Grandpa second.

• Wei Donglai sold two earth dragons, bought food, and brought candy and fish to Xu Qingqing’s home for Yiming and Momo.
• Xu Qingqing explained that Yiming had recovered enough to return to school, and Wei Donglai left Momo the candy to share with him.
• Wei Donglai brought meat and roast duck to Li Yue'e’s home and said he wanted to discuss something over dinner.
• Wei Donglai met Wei Guoqing and Wei Fangchun at the dock, helped sell their catch for nearly 50 yuan, and returned home with them.
• Wei Hai begged Wei Donglai for a popsicle, then ranked him first and Wei Guoqing second among his favorites.

Wei Donglai persuaded his parents to let him pursue fishing at sea instead of taking a meatpacking plant job, arguing that his recent success and ambition made the risk worthwhile. His father agreed to help him look for a boat the next day, and his mother consented after Wei Donglai promised to bring her a daughter-in-law within a year.

• Wei Donglai told his family that catching pike conger had earned him over a hundred yuan and asked his father to help him order a small wooden boat.
• Li Yue'e objected to Wei Donglai going to sea and urged him to take the meatpacking plant job instead.
• Wei Donglai argued that he could earn more at sea, was willing to work hard, and did not want to rely on a fixed wage.
• Wei Guoqing warned Wei Donglai about the hardships and risks of going to sea, then agreed to respect his choice if Li Yue'e approved.
• Wei Donglai promised Li Yue'e he would work hard and bring her a daughter-in-law within a year, and she agreed to let him go to sea.
• Wei Guoqing arranged to take Wei Donglai to Carpenter Zhou's the next day to look at boats, and Li Yue'e allowed the family to drink with dinner.

Wei Donglai chased a suspicious figure away from Xu Qingqing’s house and realized she thought the man had come to harass her, reminding him of his own past misconduct toward her. The next morning, he accompanied Wei Guoqing to River Source Village to ask carpenter Zhou Huaimin to build him a wooden boat.

• Wei Donglai spotted a figure skulking by Xu Qingqing’s wall, chased him through an alley, and lost him.
• Wei Donglai warned Xu Qingqing to be careful, but she told him the figure had probably wanted to harass her, and he remembered that he had done something similar to her before.
• Wei Donglai met Wei Guoqing the next morning, learned his father had been scolded by his mother for drinking too much, and got smacked for snickering.
• Wei Guoqing and Wei Donglai traveled to River Source Village with liquor and candy to ask Zhou Huaimin to make a small wooden boat.
• Xu Lianyun welcomed Wei Guoqing and praised Wei Donglai’s appearance as they discussed the boat request.

Wei Guoqing and Wei Donglai visited Zhou Huaimin and bought a Borneo ironwood boat for 200 yuan. After sharing lunch and drinks with their hosts, they arranged to collect the boat the next day and headed home with Wei Guoqing tipsy.

• Xu Lianyun welcomed Wei Guoqing and Wei Donglai, invited them to stay for lunch, and went out to get food.
• Zhou Huaimin showed Wei Donglai a finished boat made of Borneo ironwood and explained that its original buyer had balked at the 200-yuan price.
• Wei Donglai and Wei Guoqing insisted on paying Zhou Huaimin 200 yuan for the boat instead of accepting his offer of 160 yuan.
• Xu Lianyun served lunch and taught Wei Donglai how to make fish sauce while Zhou Huaimin drank with Wei Guoqing.
• Wei Guoqing and Wei Donglai arranged to return the next day for the boat, then set off with Wei Guoqing stumbling from drink.