Back To the Small Fishing Village In 1982

Chapter 26 Digging by the Sea

In recent years, the living standards of many households have improved, and not everyone is willing to go digging at the beach. Moreover, with such a scorching sun, isn't it better to stay at home and weave fishing nets?

And besides, digging at the beach doesn't really earn much money; it only provides enough for a meal.

As Ye Yaodong walked home, he only sporadically saw a few people carrying tools and buckets along the way.

Just as he reached the corner of the road, he saw several women from his family leading a group of children, marching in a grand procession.

"Are you going to the pier or the beach at the intersection?"

Lin Xiuqing stopped and held her youngest son in her arms, responding to him, “Mother said we should go to the pier. Some of your friends are looking for you to go digging, and they're waiting at the doorstep.”

"Got it. You go ahead, I'll join you in a little while."

Ye Yaodong hurriedly ran towards his house, where a few of his friends were sitting with their feet propped up in the shade near his doorstep, waiting for him. As he approached them from a distance, they playfully teased him with a few remarks.

"Oh, look who's become diligent! Going to help with weeding on such a hot day, Yaodong?"

He stood under the shade of a tree, gasping for breath, and extended his hand to fan himself. "Don't I have to contribute to my new home?"

Ah Zheng said righteously, "When will you start building? If you need help, just let us know, we'll lend you a hand."

"If you don't do the work at your own home and come over to work for me, won't your mother use a hammer to beat you!"

"No, she won't. My mother only praises me for being hardworking! Besides, we're all brothers. If something happens at my home, you would also lend a helping hand, right?"

Ye Yaodong rolled his eyes and muttered to himself, a doting mother often spoils the child.

Forgot that I'm also a "spoiled child" myself!

"Okay, when I need you guys, I'll call you. Did you bring your tools? Wait a moment, I'll go inside and get a shovel and a bucket, and while I'm at it, I'll grab a hat too. It's too sunny out there."

"Hurry up! If you're late, everything will be picked up by someone else."

"Right away!"

He ran inside but couldn't find where the shovel was kept, so he simply grabbed a pair of tongs and hastily ran back outside. The old lady, holding a bamboo tube, called out from behind, "Yaodong, bring the tea along."

He turned back and took the bamboo tube handed to him by the old lady. "Thank you, Grandma. You can go back now! Just sit inside the house or at the entrance to enjoy the cool breeze. Don't go to the backyard, the ground might be wet, and be careful not to slip."

"Alright, take care~" 

"Well, I'm off!"

The group of five people each carried a bucket, filled with tools, and eagerly headed towards the pier.

Little Xiao, somewhat excited, said, "It seems like it's been two years since we last went digging."

Ah Zheng reminded, "More than that, right? Since you guys got married one by one, we haven't really gone much."

"No worries, let's relive old dreams today. Let's walk faster." Ye Yaodong, at this moment, was filled with boundless hope for a fresh start in life, and he seemed quite positive.

Seeing him walking so quickly, everyone also quickened their pace to catch up.

When they arrived at the pier, there were already quite a few people on the sandy beach below, both young and old, but it seemed like his family had the largest number of people!

Moreover, the adults were all busy shouting, forbidding the children from venturing too far into the tide. They were only allowed to play on the beach.

When Ye Yaodong's two sons saw him, they loudly called out, "Dad! Dad! Mom, Dad is here too!"

Lin Xiuqing looked up at a certain person who arrived late, relieved that he didn't deceive her last night before bed. "Got it, you guys can play next to me, but no running around."

Eldest Sister-in-law Ye couldn't help but say, "Yaodong has been quite diligent these days!"

"Who knows how long it will last? Maybe it's just because he hasn't been digging in a while, and it feels exciting at the moment," Second Sister-in-law Ye pouted. She didn't believe that Ye Yaodong had suddenly become better. After all, old habits die hard, and people rarely change their true nature easily!

"At least he seems more composed now. It's not like before when he was always absent.”

"If he doesn't become more diligent, more responsible, then after the separation, let's see who will support him!"

Ye Yaodong, upon approaching, also heard the comments from his two sisters-in-law, and couldn't help but furrow his brows. Women are just so talkative!

"Dad, where are you going? Mom said not to go too close to the tide.”

"I'm going to catch fish and crabs. You guys stay here and play, help me dig for sand clams, but don't follow me.”

The children reluctantly stopped in their tracks, watching him walk down. They also wanted to go down and play. If there were no adults around, they would have gone swimming. What a pity.

"Let's split up and explore separately. Later, we can see who catches more.”

"Sure!"

This game of luck in finding crabs, fish, and shrimp couldn't compare to the efficiency of digging sand clams like Mother Ye and the others. Therefore, not many people bothered to spend time searching for them. It was just a way for them to pass the time.

Ye Yaodong had also tasted the sweetness of catching two blue crabs yesterday. Now, he headed directly towards the areas with rocks around them.

Using the tongs in his hand, he moved a large rock aside, and to his delight, as he expected, a nine-section shrimp appeared!

"Wow, I found a nine-section shrimp! I've got the first catch!" He quickly picked up the wriggling nine-section shrimp with the tongs and held it up for everyone else to see.

Everyone turned their attention towards him. "That's some good luck! Just as you arrived, you already have a catch, and it's a nine-section shrimp!"

Nine-section shrimp have a large size and a visually appealing appearance. They have horizontal markings on their bodies, with varying shades of color. The tail also carries patterns. When cooked, they exhibit distinct white markings in the shape of nine segments. The flesh is refreshing and has a good texture, making them highly sought after. Ye Yaodong himself also enjoys eating them, so finding one as soon as he arrived was a great way to start, and he felt quite satisfied with his achievement.

"Seeing that makes me crave it too. I want to catch a few more," Little Xiao said enthusiastically. He casually kicked a rock nearby and exclaimed, "Hey~ a jumping fish? I didn't expect to have a catch just by kicking it."

"Oh, you all have caught something already. We can't be left behind. Let's go... go... and split up!"

Originally, everyone had a casual attitude, just wanting to pass the time. But now, their interest has piqued as well.

After the tide receded, small fish and shrimp on the seabed often got caught among the rocks, unable to retreat back into the sea with the receding water. They remained in the shallow areas around the reefs, waiting for the next high tide to return to the ocean.

Everyone had experience, so they knew to search in the low-lying areas with rocks and water.

Ye Yaodong felt fortunate as he took a few steps to the side and immediately spotted two stone crabs hiding beneath a large rock.

"Caught two more, though they're not blue crabs. Nevertheless, it's better than nothing.”

The stone crabs had brown carapaces with red mottling, while their pincers were predominantly red. They had a stone-like appearance and thick shells. They preferred habitats near the low tide line with sandy and rocky bottoms or areas with abundant seagrass. They often hid under rocks.

He used the tongs to directly grip the two stone crabs hiding beneath the large rock and placed them into the bucket. Then, he moved on to another spot.

In the 1980s, the beach in their village remained undeveloped and in its original state. The marine resources in the area were also abundant. It was common for people to take a casual stroll along the beach during low tide and seldom return empty-handed.

As for the amount, it depended on the tides and luck.

(end of this chapter)

***

1.

2.

3.