BTSFVI Chapter Seventy Three

Read/BTSFVI/Chapter 73

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        Chapter 73 Paying a Visit to Express Gratitude

As soon as he stepped outside, before even stretching his lazy waist, Ye Yaodong saw Secretary Chen and his family paying a visit.

"Oh? Secretary Chen, why do you have the time to come over? Come, come, please have a seat," Ye Yaodong greeted them and then shouted, "Dad, Secretary Chen is here.”

He didn't know if his father was in the room or at the back door, anyway, he just yelled.

Father Ye heard his shout and hurriedly pulled up his pants as he entered from the backyard, his belt still undone.

"Oh, Secretary Chen is here. Sit down quickly. Let's have a drink together. We also have a few dishes to go with it."

He didn't feel embarrassed at all. He naturally invited them to sit down and have a drink. However, Ye Yaodong felt a bit awkward. He didn't know if his father had washed his hands or not.

Entering the house in such a hurry...

Secretary Chen smiled and said, "No need, no need. We already cooked at home. I came here specifically to thank Yaodong. If he hadn't reached out in time, my grandson might not have made it."

As he spoke, he took the basket from his wife's hand and uncovered it, revealing two packs of cigarettes, two bottles of Maotai, two cans of food, and two red paper-wrapped cakes, which were famous local tea pastries.

This was the most extravagant gift they had ever received. Just one bottle of Maotai costs over ten yuan. The Ye family in the main hall was stunned.

Father Ye widened his eyes. "What... What are you doing? Yaodong just lent a helping hand. Quickly take these back. They're worth a lot of money. Why spend so much? Please return them."

Ye Yaodong was also surprised. He didn't expect Secretary Chen to be so generous. He had only wanted to see if he could save the child's life. He didn't expect to receive all this in return. After all, it’s also a life, right?

"It's only natural, Old Ye. Don't refuse. Today, my son and daughter-in-law came back, and only then did I realize how dangerous it was for my grandson. He almost didn't make it."

"That doesn't require such a generous gift. We're all from the same village. Helping each other is what we should do. Yaodong didn't do anything. It's your child who was lucky. His life was not meant to end."

"No, the doctor said that it was thanks to Yaodong administering first aid that my grandson managed to hold on until he reached the hospital. Otherwise, he would have stopped breathing. You must accept these. It's just a small token of our gratitude."

"No, no, we can't accept such a generous gift. Please take them back. Take them back. It's only right for us to help each other as fellow villagers. There's no need for such expensive gifts."

Father Ye refused to accept, not because he wasn't tempted, but because he believed that helping each other was only natural. How could he accept so many valuable items?

"Oh, these things can't compare to a child’s life. Please accept them quickly."

"Just accept them. Don’t refuse..."

"This is just a small token of our appreciation..."

"We really can't accept..."

"You should take them back quickly..."

Both families pushed back and forth. If it weren't for the smiles on their faces, someone who didn't know the situation might have thought they were about to fight.

Watching their back-and-forth, Ye Yaodong felt somewhat helpless. This was how Chinese people exchanged gifts. They liked to push and refuse, or exchange some polite words. It seemed as if accepting straightforwardly would make them lose face.

He leaned against the corner of the wall, watching them go back and forth. Anyway, it was just something he had casually done. Whether his parents accepted or not was up to them.

In the end, Father Ye and Mother Ye couldn't refuse any longer and accepted with smiles on their faces...

"Is the child alright?" he asked, seizing the opportunity.

"He's fine. We brought him back today. He just needs a few days of rest at home."

Mother Ye spoke up, "The child must have been frightened. Go to the pharmacy and buy some pearl powder for him to calm his nerves."

"We already have some. We gave it to him as soon as we arrived. We'll give him a little more before he goes to sleep tonight." Secretary Chen's wife spoke.

Mother Ye wiped her hands on her apron and said embarrassedly, "Um... Let's all sit down and have something to eat. The food is ready, but there aren't any good dishes. We didn't know you were coming, so we didn't prepare anything special..."

"No need, no need. We're here to express our gratitude, not to have a meal. No family has an abundance of food. How could I bring my whole family over for a meal? You eat, you eat..."

As soon as Secretary Chen entered, he saw a large pot of shredded sweet potato porridge on the clay stove. They were still building houses, so they didn't want to waste white rice. How could he let his whole family sit down and eat?

"It’s fine. We have enough rice at home. We'll cook another pot later..."

"No need. We'll eat at home. We've already cooked the food. We wanted to come in the morning, but we saw that you were either building houses or going out to sea. There was no one at home, so we waited until mealtime to come."

Otherwise, who would visit during mealtime? It would obviously seem like they were just trying to get a free meal. Who doesn't value their own food? They didn't even have enough to eat at home.

At this time, many guests who came to visit wouldn't stay for a meal. Either they brought their own provisions or didn't stay at all.

Secretary Chen thought for a moment and felt it necessary to remind them, "Oh, and there's something I need to let you know. Lin Jishang from the village went to the commune this afternoon and said that his relative wanted to buy your homestead. I stopped it, but you should be careful."

"What? There's so much vacant land in the village. Why did they set their sights on our land?" Father Ye was surprised.

Mother Ye suddenly realized, "No wonder I saw Lin Jishang and a few people wandering around our land this morning."

"The whole village has been talking about your new house having good feng shui, that's why your family has been having such great success..."

"What?!"

Everyone was astonished. Just because of this baseless feng shui?

Ye Yaodong was speechless. It was just something he casually mentioned...

If that land had good feng shui, how did he end up being poor in his past life? It was all about fate, right?

"How is that possible? Just because of some unfounded rumors, someone wants to buy our land?"

The Ye family found it hard to believe.

Mother Ye added, "I also saw an old man among them this morning, muttering something. So, he was calculating feng shui?"

"Your family has really been in the limelight recently."

"Which relative of Lin Jishang's is it? Where are they from?" Ye Yaodong asked.

Lin Jishang’s family was rich in his previous life. It was said that they had houses all over the city and provincial capital. They never mentioned wanting to buy their homestead. It seemed like a butterfly effect...

"I'm not sure about that. He didn't say. He even wanted me to prove whether the land had a title or not. I told him that I had already given you the land title certificate and the village committee had accepted the registration. I asked him to find another piece of land."

"That's good. We've already laid the foundation stones and started building the house. How can we sell it to him?" Father Ye's brows furrowed. The construction of the house had begun, and now this unexpected obstacle had appeared.

"I don't know if he's given up or not, or who this relative is. It's only been a few days since it happened in our village, but it spread so quickly. Anyway, just be cautious. You've paid the money, and the title has been issued. That land is already yours. No one can forcibly take it away."

"Alright, thank you for letting us know."

Secretary Chen quickly added, "Then you should have your meal. We won't disturb you any longer."

"Stay and have a drink. We have some rice wine at home..."

"No, no, we need to go home for dinner..."

(end of this chapter)

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BTSFVI Chapter Seventy Two

Read/BTSFVI/Chapter 72

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        Chapter 72 A Day's Income of Nearly 100 Yuan

Ah Cai casually tucked the cigarette behind his ear. He didn't have time to smoke it now. "Oh, don't worry. We're old friends. I won't cheat you."

"We're brothers, so let's be clear about the numbers. You tell me the price, and then I'll consider whether to sell it or not. If it's not profitable, I'll take it to Hongsheng myself. On that day, when I brought the sea bass, I might have gotten a higher price at Hongsheng..."

Ah Cai's lips twitched. This guy had raised the price of that fish, and he didn't even earn 2 yuan. What a rip-off... Now he had the audacity to bring it up.

"Brother, we're from the same village; we're fellow villagers. I buy all your father's goods. How can I not give you a fair price? Don't worry, this red spotted fish will be priced at 6.50 yuan per jin. How about that?"

"This price is the same as the sea bass? That fish was priced at 12 yuan for less than two jin. This red spotted fish should be worth more than the sea bass, right? Don't think that just because we're from the countryside, we don't know its value. 8 yuan per jin, let's weigh it if you agree!"

Ah Cai felt a pang of pain. The muscles on his face trembled. This guy was becoming more and more difficult to deal with. He was stepping over his bottom line every time.

"There's really not that much profit, brother. Look at these seafood items. Ask around in town and you'll know. I only earn a few cents per jin. I can't even make a penny from the dragonhead fish. It's just three to five cents..."

Ye Yaodong patted his big belly without hesitation. "Look at your big belly. You've definitely made a lot of money. Even if it's just a few cents in profit, the quantity makes up for it. Besides, can you compare the dragonhead fish to this one? Are you shamelessly discussing a few cents?"

The onlookers burst into laughter. "That's right. Look at your belly. It's clearly filled with profits!”

"Yeah, eat a little less and share the profits. Wealthy people only care about the goods, not the money. Just sell it for a higher price."

Father Ye made an effort to negotiate. "We have no problem with the other items. Just add a little to the price of this fish."

Uncle Lin chimed in, "We're all as thin as a bamboo pole. Ah Cai, how can you haggle over the price? Hurry up; it's not easy to catch a red spotted fish. I've been fishing for decades and have never caught a red spotted fish. This one looks like it weighs almost three jin. It's definitely worth a good price."

"Tsk tsk tsk~ Such vibrant colors and quality, it's not something we can find in our nearby waters," Ah Gui, the guy next door who also receives goods, also came over to join in. "Acai, do you want it? If not, I'll take it.”

"Get lost! What's it to you? Fine, let's make it 8 yuan," Ah Cai frowned, his face looking bitter. "I really didn't make any money from you, brother. I've only made a few cents from the fish you brought recently..."

"Don't dilly-dally. We're risking our lives out at sea to earn a living, and here you are, waiting to receive the goods and enjoying a full belly. How can you say you've only made a few cents from me? Are you not ashamed? Hurry up and weigh it."

Ah Cai kept his mouth shut. If he earned a little less, so be it. He would just use it to build a relationship with the bosses. He went straight to the scale.

"2 jin and 8 taels!"

He made a note on the receipt, "Big red spotted fish, 2 jin and 8 taels, 22.48 yuan. The skatefish, bring them over to be weighed too."

Everyone's attention shifted to the skatefish as they saw the baskets being brought onto the scale. They discussed animatedly...

"These skatefish usually live at the bottom of the sea, not easy to catch. Old Third Ye is really lucky..."

"I heard they caught three nets, all skatefish."

"How did you manage to catch so many fish, Old Third Ye? I've noticed that you always bring back more fish than others when you go out to sea. Do you have any techniques? Teach us!"

Father Ye smiled and looked at the villagers who were gathered around, enjoying the spectacle. "There's really no special technique. I handed the task of trawling the nets to Yaodong today. He was the one who handled all the nets. Maybe he just has beginner’s luck."

"Is that so?"

"Is it true?"

Everyone was pondering whether they should give it a try. However, after some consideration, they realized that apart from women and children, there were no newcomers in their families. They couldn't possibly ask women and children to go out on a boat. So they had to give up the idea. 

They could only feel envy and jealousy as they watched others get rich.

"Skatefish, 386 jin. 18 cents per jin. In total... let me calculate, a total of 69.48 yuan. Alright, let's round it up to 69.50 yuan." To prevent Ye Yaodong from being long-winded, Ah Cai voluntarily rounded up.

Actually, Ye Yaodong wanted him to round it up to 70, but he held back. 0.50 yuan is still a considerable sum now, and he can’t count it as loose change.

"Now bring over the three baskets of balang fish to be weighed..."

"Is it 3 cents per jin?" Ye Yaodong asked uncertainly.

"That's right!"

"Dad, should we not sell the balang fish?"

It was so cheap—only three yuan for a hundred jin. It would be better to keep them at home and dry them.

Mother Ye smiled and said, "We had a good harvest today, and the balang fish is not worth much. Moreover, we all enjoy eating it. Let's keep it, dry half of it and pickle the other half."

"Okay, we'll bring it back later." Father Ye nodded. They had earned quite a bit today, and the three or four yuan from the balang fish wouldn't make much of a difference. It would be nice to keep several dozen jin for consumption.

At the seaside, a meal without fish on the table was unimaginable. If there wasn't a bowl of fish, it meant there was nothing to accompany the meal.

After weighing the shrimp and crabs, the total price came to 96.50 yuan. Everyone was truly envious now. If they sold the balang fish, they would easily make over a hundred yuan in a day. It was truly tantalizing.

After they finished weighing, it was Lin Jingye's turn. He shook his head with a smile. "Compared to you, my catch is just a drop in the bucket."

"It's not bad. It looks like yours should be worth around thirty-something yuan."

"If I hadn't seen your catch, I would still be happy. After the typhoon, there's definitely more seafood than before."

Ye Yaodong patted him on the shoulder. "Ah, Uncle Lin, even if you have fewer catches, it's still more than enough."

"That's true. It seems like you've made a lot of progress. Come and help me carry this basket of crabs..."

"Sure!"

As they chatted while lending a hand, they managed to borrow a cart. They loaded the remaining balang fish and miscellaneous fish onto the cart. Today, Mother Ye deliberately kept a few smaller shrimp, planning to make drunken crab in the evening.

Since Mother Ye deliberately left two extra bowls of gnocchi when she cooked afternoon snacks for the workers, it didn’t take long, and it was still hot. As soon as they came back and took a shower, they ate the gnocchi, filled their stomachs, and went to rest.

It wasn't until dinner that he was woken up.

Ye Yaodong looked confused at Lin Xiuqing, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, folding clothes. Then he moved closer and hugged her waist, rubbing his head against her back.

"What time is it? Done with work?"

Lin Xiuqing shifted uncomfortably. "Hmm, it's 6 o'clock. I'm all sweaty. Don't cling to me. You should get up and have dinner. I need to take a shower first."

"I just woke up. It hasn't been long since we finished the snacks. Let's eat later. You go ahead and shower. I won't look at you."

"Then you go out and watch the kids. They just took a shower. Don't let them get all dirty again."

Well, the point is to keep him from staying indoors and watching.

"Fine."

It's not like he hasn’t seen it before!

(end of this chapter)

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BTSFVI Chapter Seventy One

Read/BTSFVI/Chapter 71 

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        Chapter 71 Red Spotted Fish

Father Ye was also pleasantly surprised. “There's a red spotted fish too?? I didn't expect to find a red spotted fish here!"

Ye Yaodong picked up the fish and examined it in his hands with delight. "Um, I think so! I thought this catch wouldn't be anything special, but I didn't expect to find a red spotted fish! Perfect haul!"

"Let me take a closer look!" Father Ye couldn't wait.

"In winter, there's pufferfish; in summer, there's red spotted fish. This one weighs over two jin, so it should be close to three jin. It should fetch a good price."

He remembered that before his rebirth, farmed red spotted fish would sell for two to three hundred yuan per jin, and wild ones would go for 800 or more!

"Well, it's much bigger than the sea bass you caught during the typhoon."

"I told you I had good luck, tsk tsk tsk~ Such a big red spotted fish!"

"Keep it separate; don't damage it. If it doesn't look good, we'll have to give a big discount." Father Ye carefully took a small basket to put it in.

"After dragging the net for so many days, besides the big yellow croakers, Today's catch has been the most fruitful one. We can sell it for over a hundred yuan."

Father Ye glanced at the delighted Ye Yaodong and said, "Well, your luck is indeed good. From now on, your eldest brother and second brother don't need to come. Just stay at home and help build the houses. You can come with me every day."

"Huh?" His smile froze for a moment. He wanted to protest, but then he thought about it. Besides having to wake up early and not eating or sleeping well, going out to sea seemed easier than doing physical labor like picking stones or carrying rocks. His stagnant smile suddenly returned to his face.

"Okay."

"Stop daydreaming and start working."

"Well, you were the one who said..."

Father Ye ignored him and adjusted the last load of goods. He had a rough idea in his mind, "Apart from that big red spotted fish, the catch from this haul is still good. Sort out the items, tie the crab's legs together, and pick out the thin and small ones. I'll steer the boat back. The sun is setting, so let's go back early. Otherwise, the tide will be too shallow, and the boat won't dock properly."

"Oh."

Ye Yaodong had no objections. He had been drifting since 2 a.m., and he was a bit tired now. It was better to go back early.

He sorted the various seafood into baskets and then sat down leisurely to tie the crab's legs.

There weren't many crabs today. After he finished tying them, the boat was not far from the pier, and he could see several fishing boats returning from the sea.

They were all from their village, and everyone was familiar with each other. When they saw each other, they naturally greeted and asked about their catch.

"Huh? Old Third Ye, why did you bring Yaodong out today?" It was his father's friend, Uncle Lin Jingye.

"Don't the three brothers take turns working? If he doesn't do some work, what will become of him? He won't be able to support his wife and children in the future."

Work, and he'll be scolded! Don't work, and he'll still be scolded!

This is what his father is like. Only his father would scold him for not turning iron into steel.

Hey, since he came back, besides hanging out with friends, hasn't he been working hard?

Ye Yaodong helplessly said, "Dad, haven't I been performing well and working diligently recently? Can't you say something good?"

Uncle Lin smiled and said, "That's right, Yaodong has been diligent and ambitious recently. I heard he caught a lot of big catches. We've been fishermen all our lives, but we've never caught anything rare."

"Well, it's all luck. Who can have a lifetime of good luck? Hard work is what we rural folks should do. No one can guarantee coming back with a full load every day. There are so many unpredictable things at sea, and the risks are higher than on land."

"It’s because the risks are high that luck becomes important. Otherwise, when going to sea, some people get a low harvest, while others get a high one. Some people may even lose their lives at sea."

That's indeed true. Father Ye couldn't argue, and Ye Yaodong agreed, "Uncle Lin is absolutely right. Luck is crucial for us who work at sea!"

"Yes, that's why I'm asking, how much did you catch today?"

This question struck a chord with Father Ye. He smiled and said, "We caught three nets of skatefish, one net of balang fish, and one net of shrimp and crabs..."

Before Father Ye could finish speaking, Uncle Lin exclaimed in surprise, "Such a big catch? And three nets of skatefish? That must be over a hundred jin, right? Wow... And balang fish and shrimp and crabs too, you had quite a harvest today."

"More than that, we caught around three to four hundred jin of skatefish, and we also caught a big red spotted fish weighing almost three jin!"

"What? Red fish?"

"It's a red spotted fish! What's so special about a red fish? Is it worth mentioning?"

"Ah, a red spotted fish? And it's almost three jin? Show it to me! Did you really catch a red spotted fish? Your family has been so lucky recently. How come you're encountering all these good things?"

Uncle Lin stretched his neck, and he saw Ye Yaodong taking out a large fish with red color, stripes, and spots from the foam box. His eyes widened.

"Unbelievable, it's really a big red spotted fish! Your family's luck has been quite good lately! Could it be because of the good Feng Shui of your new house?"

"Well, you never know; it's possible." Father Ye had heard someone mention the good Feng Shui of their new house yesterday.

"Wow, you've hit the jackpot again today! Three to four hundred jin of skatefish alone can sell for sixty to seventy yuan. This red spotted fish is worth at least a dozen yuan or more. And there are other seafood..."

"What red spotted fish?"

When they approached the shore, their loud conversation caught the attention of the villagers on the nearby boats. Due to the loud noise from the boat's engine, they had to speak loudly. It was like poking a hornet's nest, and everyone started asking about the red spotted fish.

Ye Yaodong had already put the fish back in the foam box and didn't want to take it out again. "You'll see when we unload the goods later."

Since he didn't take it out, Uncle Lin, who had seen the goods, naturally helped them boast. Now everyone was even more curious about what kind of incredible luck the Ye family had recently.

With this interlude, when they unloaded the goods, there were many people gathering around the pier to watch.

As they carried the skatefish off the boat, everyone wasn't too surprised. But when they continued to carry several baskets, everyone was amazed!

"Old Third Ye, did you have a massive catch?"

"There are quite a lot of these skatefish! Several hundred jin?"

"I heard there's a red spotted fish weighing nearly three jin!"

"Is it true?"

"Yes, it's really a red spotted fish!"

Seeing the basket with the red spotted fish placed on top of the basket of miscellaneous fish, everyone crowded around and started discussing how much the fish was worth.

"Everyone, make way and let us weigh the goods first. Once it's weighed, we'll know how much it's worth." Mother Ye smiled with joy. She hadn't expected such a bountiful catch today.

Ah Cai, seeing the red spotted fish, had a big smile on his face too. He had sold some rare fish recently, and even the youngest son of the owner of the Hongsheng Hotel in town remembered him. He told him to send any good catches over.

Hongsheng is the largest hotel in their town, and they even have an OK lounge. The wealthy people spend lavishly there. In this era, the crackdown on illegal activities like prostitution is not very strict in their area. Even in the surrounding towns and the city, many affluent individuals and officials like to go there for entertainment.

Ah Cai happily said, "This red spotted fish is a great catch. Let's weigh this first!"

Ye Yaodong handed him a cigarette and said, "Let's agree on the price per jin first, Brother Cai!"

(end of this chapter)

***

Z's corner:

Ah Dong: "Let's agree on the price per jin first, Brother Cai!"

Ah Cai: (*&^%$#@#

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BTSFVI Chapter Seventy

Read/BTSFVI/Chapter 70

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        Chapter 70 A Bountiful Catch

When the sun was high in the sky, casting a radiant red glow, Father Ye glanced at the time and decided it was time to start the second haul.

As they reached the tail slide, he noticed that this catch seemed to be even larger and more challenging to drag. Father Ye shouted to Ye Yaodong, "Come and help!"

The father and son worked together to bring the net up from the tail slide. "Oh my, this is really tough. It's still skatefishes in this catch. Did we venture into a skatefish swarm and can't get out?" 

"Good luck again, another bountiful catch! The entire sea in this area is filled with skatefish," Father Ye said joyfully.

The schools of fish are swimming together. With one catch, they get a better harvest than those scattered shrimps and crabs.

Ye Yaodong also grinned from ear to ear, saying, "This catch is even bigger. We're going to make a fortune today! There are also two Chinese fan rays and this blue shark is not small either, it's still moving. It must weigh around forty to fifty kilograms."

The blue shark is known as the most beautiful shark in the sea, with a sleek and handsome appearance. They are still abundant in the ocean now, but in 40 years, they will be listed as an endangered species. Many countries, especially RB, are fishing for blue sharks.

"Um, we can still sell it for a few yuan."

The value of shark meat is quite low, and the valuable part is the shark fin. However, for people like them who are currently lacking resources, even a large chunk of shark meat is something they can eat.

He felt somewhat proud, "I told you I had good luck. These two catches should fetch around 50 yuan, right?"

Luck is a mysterious thing; if you keep saying you're lucky all the time, your luck might actually be good. On the other hand, if you keep singing the blues, bad luck might just keep following you around.

"Um, the catch from these two rounds is pretty good. It's equivalent to a month's wages for a worker. Today, we can go for another three rounds. You go and operate the boat to set the nets, and I'll take care of things here."

Father Ye was also very satisfied. The yield from these two rounds made up for their previous two trips.

He couldn't help but think that his third son had been quite lucky recently. Perhaps it was because he was still new to the job. It was a good opportunity to take advantage of his good luck and let him go for a few more rounds. Besides, he seemed to have a natural talent for fishing. He didn't need much instruction and already knew what to do.

If he can continue to work diligently and go out to sea after the family is divided, the two elders won't have to worry about him starving to death.

Finally, things are starting to get better.

Ye Yaodong continued to set the nets for the third round, but the catch wasn't as good as the previous two rounds. Moreover, there were no skatefish in the third round. He didn't know if they had escaped or if they had all been caught. Instead, they caught a bunch of balang fish! Despite their small size, they weighed over a hundred jin!

But these fish were incredibly cheap!

"Damn, why is it balang fish? Is this fish even worth five cents per jin?"

"It sells for three cents!"

Father Ye wasn't too regretful either. Fishing is also a matter of luck, and it's not reasonable to expect a bountiful catch every time. The value of this catch was similar to their normal haul.

Moreover, although this fish is cheap, it tastes great when dried or salted. Everyone in their family enjoys it.

Ye Yaodong has relatively low taste requirements when it comes to food. While most people would turn up their noses at this fish, he appreciates its meaty texture and the benefits it brings. After long cooking, the balang fish becomes firm in texture, rich in flavor, and particularly satisfying to chew. The only downside is that it is sold at a very cheap price.

If he had to buy it, his perspective might be different, and he would probably exclaim how lucky he was to get such a great deal.

"The catches from the previous two nets were good, so let's just keep all the fish from this net to dry or pickle. After all, they won't spoil, and we still have a few months until the houses are completed. The typhoon has just passed, and we have no food at home. It's a good opportunity to stock up, in case we encounter consecutive typhoons again. Then we won't have to worry about running out of food."

Keep some of this cheap fish; it's cost-effective to have it for ourselves or use it as a dish for the workers.

"You and your bad omens! Typhoons don't happen every day," Father Ye scolded him with a stern look. "Let's see, let's see how the next few hauls turn out."

"They definitely won't be bad!"

"After sorting these fish, let's go eat first. Once we finish eating, we can continue putting out the nets."

The meal prepared by Mother Ye in the early morning has already turned cold. Luckily, it's the height of summer, so they don't need to eat hot food. Besides, there aren't any traces of oil in the dishes.

Their meal is quite simple: a bowl of clams and a bowl of stir-fried vegetables. There's no other choice; they haven't been out to sea for a few days, and all they have at home are vegetables and the clams they collected yesterday. Even the dried fish has been completely consumed.

Yesterday, they sold all the seafood they collected at the beach that could fetch a price. The ones they couldn't sell were only enough for one meal, considering they have nine adults and eight children at home. They go through quite a bit of food each day.

Mother Ye is very thrifty. Every day, she cooks porridge with shredded sweet potatoes, which is enough to sustain them.

Of course, the workers engage in physical labor, so they can't eat sweet potato porridge. Mother Ye cooks white rice for them, while she prepares sweet potato shreds for their family's dinner.

When they go out to sea, they also bring white rice. After all, they only have one meal while at sea. They eat a meal before setting off at night, and that sustains them until now.

After finishing all the rice and dishes, Ye Yaodong takes the initiative to go and open the boat to cast the net. Father Ye is somewhat satisfied and gives him a nod of approval.

In fact, Ye Yaodong quite enjoys going out to sea for fishing. Every time he casts the net, it feels like opening a blind box. You never know what kind of fish you'll find inside. It could be valuable fish or just random ones. If there's a big catch, you can imagine how happy he would be.

Right now, they are fishing for a living. Many modern people go out to sea for the fun of it and the satisfaction of the harvest. Buying fish? Anyone can afford it.

Father Ye observed that Ye Yaodong handled the first two nets proficiently, and he steered the boat well. As they prepared to cast the fourth net, Father Ye didn't pay much attention anymore. He simply cautioned to be careful and avoid touching the reefs, then closed his eyes and took a short nap.

Today's catch is already sufficient, and he doesn't mind letting his youngest son take over. It seems like he learns faster than the eldest and second son.

Ye Yaodong takes the task of steering the boat seriously. When he sees that it's about time, he wakes up his father who was dozing off, and prepares to fish the net.

"Dad, this net seems to have quite a lot!"

The father and son struggle a bit to handle it.

"Hmm, let's pull it up and see what we've got."

As the two of them worked together to haul the entire fishing net onto the boat, they also took a look. "Damn, it's still skatefishes! We hit a skatefish jackpot today! Three out of four nets are full of skate fishes."

"Skatefish are skatefish. As long as there's a good catch," said Father Ye with joy. This net has more quantity compared to the previous two nets, another bountiful catch.

Ye Yaodong was also thrilled. With so many skatefish in this area today, it could be considered a fortune.

"Today, there aren't many crabs, shrimps, and other seafood. Should we go further and find another spot for the last net? It feels like this area is filled with skatefish, and we've probably caught most of them."

Father Ye gave him a disdainful look, "Why do we need so many different types? As long as we have something valuable to sell, that's good enough. Let's continue dragging the net in this area and see if we can catch more skatefish!"

"Alright, we'll do as you say!" Who knows, there might still be some skatefish left to catch.

However, the last net surprised both father and son. There were no skatefish at all, only a mix of blue swimmer crabs, shrimps, and various other fish. Altogether, the catch weighed around thirty jin.

The father and son weren't too disappointed; this catch was considered a normal haul from dragging the net.

They just didn't expect that when they untangled the net and poured out the contents, there would be some rare finds!

"Wow, look at this! It's a Red Spotted Fish! This net actually caught a big Red Spotted Fish!"

(end of this chapter)

***

Z's corner:

Another day fishing with the Ye's~

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