Back To the Small Fishing Village In 1982

     Chapter 12 So, it turns out that I am so displeasing in your eyes.

Ye Yaodong looked at his older brothers, who were drenched from head to toe, and curiously asked, "Weren't you guys supposed to go out on the boat? Why do you look like you've been swimming around?"

Ye Yaopeng glanced down at his clothes clinging to his body and felt a bit uncomfortable. He grabbed the hem of his clothes and shook them as he said, "When we came out, the tide was already shallow, making it difficult to sail out. We had to call a few friends for help to push the boat into deeper water, so it took us longer than expected."

"Oh, what time are you planning to go at night?"

"Maybe around one or two o'clock. Are you going too? Dad said that it doesn't take three people to drag the nets, two people are enough. He suggested that we take turns so that we can also take breaks."

The second brother, Ye Yaohua, also sincerely said, “Third brother, why don't you take turns with us as well? Learn from dad how to operate the boat and navigate with the compass at sea without getting lost. As coastal people, we must know how to distinguish directions at sea.'"

"You guys knowing it is enough."

How could he not know how to operate a boat? He can also read a compass. After years of sailing big ships, he can steer without getting lost at sea.

It's just that after falling into deep water, he hasn't recovered yet, so asking him to go out to sea now doesn't seem right.

On the side, Mother Ye retorted, "In the morning, you were talking about learning from your older brothers and being diligent. Your words are just fart. From now on, you're not allowed to go anywhere. You'll stay at home and help out. If you don't go out to sea, you better help with the fishing nets. Otherwise, I'll break your legs."

"Mother, you can't become a fat person by trying to eat everything in one bite. You have to let me take it slowly..."

"You don't even want to do any work all day long, and you still expect to take it slowly. How long will you take? Will you take it so slowly that your sons will grow up and do the work for you and support you?"

"Hey, that's a good idea!"

Mother Ye glared and raised her palm, ready to slap the useless fellow.

However, knowing that Ye Yaodong's sharp tongue would inevitably infuriate his mother, he was already prepared. After saying his piece, he slipped away, leaving behind the fruits of his own hard work and not even bothering to look at his son.

He ran a few steps away before shouting back at them, "It's too hot! I'm going back home first."

Anyway, his wife and the other daughters-in-law had also come ashore, almost at the same time.

He ran back home, panting heavily, and was drenched in sweat. His entire face had turned red from the scorching sun, and his grandma looked at him with distress.

"Why didn't you wear a hat when you went out? Look how sunburned you are. And where are your mother and the others?"

"They are walking behind, they will be home soon too."

The old lady took a cooked corn from the basket and handed it to him, "It's so late, you must be hungry. Have some corn to fill your stomach. The porridge is ready, and we can have a meal as soon as your mother and the others come back."

 "Oh, okay."

The corn they grew was tender, sweet, and irresistible. He’ll never grow tired of eating it.

In the morning, he only had a bowl of shredded sweet potato porridge with pickled vegetables. It didn't even make him urinate, and he sweated so much that all the moisture was gone. He had been hungry for a long time now, and it was already past twelve o'clock.

"Where are the kids? It's time for lunch, and they haven't come back yet?"

"One of them came back earlier, grabbed a corn and ran off to have fun again. Who knows where they went. They'll probably come back soon after shouting a few times."

"I'll go call them!" After quickly devouring the corn, he tossed the cob into the corner and got up to leave.

As he stepped out of the house, he bumped into his mother, who was holding a basin filled with clams. Due to the collision, the basin of seawater spilled all over him!

"What are you doing? You're already grown up, yet you're still so restless. Serves you right!"

Ye Yaodong took a step back, looking helpless. It turns out his mother found him so displeasing. She had been criticizing him all morning!

He had already made up his mind to be a better person! 

Depressed!

It was Lin Xiuqing who stepped forward and said,"Go back to the house and change your clothes first. Give me the ones you're wearing, I'll wash them. The sun is strong at noon, so they'll dry quickly. Otherwise, if you sweat again, you won't have any clothes to change into tonight."

"Um."

Perhaps it was because he performed well on the beach just now, and also thanks to the two blue crabs, his wife found him more pleasing to the eye than usual and could speak to him so gently.

After returning to the house, Ye Yaodong began rummaging through drawers and cabinets, searching for his clothes. He couldn't find them in the cabinet where he remembered keeping them. Thinking that perhaps his memory had failed him due to the passage of time, he searched everywhere.

Lin Xiuqing had just finished giving the children a bath outside and was planning to come in and get clothes for them. However, when she looked inside, she became furious and her face turned cold. 

"Are you thinking that I have too much free time, do you want to find something for me to do, or are you looking for money?"

"Ah? What are you saying? I can't find my clothes!"

So, she thinks the reason he didn't go out this morning is because he didn't have money in his pocket?

Is he really that unreliable?

Perhaps... maybe... he was a bit unreliable when he was younger... but... but he did come back, didn't he?

Exhausted!

"Is it necessary for you to rummage through everything like this to find clothes? There are only two sets of clothes and two pairs of shorts for changing. The clothes are still hanging in the backyard to dry. Why are you searching here?"

"Only two sets?"

"How many sets do you want?"

"I didn't know there were only two sets of clothes. I'll fold them for you right away..."

As he looked at the mess on the bed, he felt a bit guilty. Fortunately, he had lived alone for the second half of his life, so he knew how to do everything. He quickly and efficiently folded the clothes for the whole family, including outfits for all four seasons.

Lin Xiuqing watched his actions, and her anger subsided a bit. Perhaps he really didn't know where the clothes were kept. She usually took care of these things in their daily life, and she would fold the clothes and place them on the bed for him after he took a shower.

Maybe she misunderstood him this time, and her attitude softened. "I'll go outside and collect the clothes for you.”

Having changed into fresh clothes, Ye Yaodong sat at the edge of the bed, but instead of immediately going outside, he began to reflect on himself…

In just one morning, he could clearly sense the dissatisfaction of his family towards him. It made him realize how much of a failure he had been in the past. It was the first time in decades that he had such a clear realization of it.

After dressing their son, Lin Xiuqing returned to the room and neatly stored the folded clothes and bedsheets in the wardrobe. Seeing him still sitting there, she couldn't help but furrow her brows and said, "Go out for lunch. Why are you still sitting there?"

"Waiting for you. Without you, how can I eat?"

Ye Yaodong originally just spoke casually, but he didn't expect his wife's face to turn red and she even shyly looked away, saying, "Nonsense!”

He suddenly felt intrigued. She actually blushed! It seems that women indeed enjoy hearing sweet words and compliments!

"Let's go out for lunch. If we're late, there won't be any dishes left!"

Just look at that, even the tone has become soft...

He instantly felt much better, the frustration from being misunderstood disappeared, and he straightened his back, leisurely following behind her as they went out.

The living room was filled with children sitting around a large round table. His wife stood next to their eldest son, Ye Chenghu, preparing to serve him food. She had also left a seat empty next to her for him. Their youngest son sat directly on his mother's lap, and she was feeding him.

In his family, there were five boys and three girls in the youngest generation. His eldest brother had two sons and one daughter, and his second brother had one son and two daughters. As for himself, he had two sons.

The names of the four older boys were chosen from the Zhaohai River and Lake, from oldest to youngest: Hai, Jiang, He, and Hu. However, when his youngest son was born, he casually gave him the name Yang.

He sat down at his own seat and looked at the table filled with seafood. He couldn't help but feel emotional and remarked that people living by the seaside were truly so poor that they could only eat seafood.

(end of this chapter)

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1.

照海 (zhào hǎi) = zhaohai

江河 (jiāng hé) = river

湖 (hú) = lake

洋 (yáng) = ocean