Ye's father set down his bowl and replied, "We need to get to the anchorage now."
This ship had just been repaired; it was their treasure and they could not afford any mishaps.
Although, based on past experiences, it was still early July and there shouldn't be much of a typhoon, it was better to be cautious.
They couldn't take that risk.
"Dad, can I go with you?"
"Trying to slack off and avoid work, are you?" Ye's father shot him a sideways glance.
"Of course not! Haven't you seen how diligent I've been these past few days? The anchorage isn’t far, take me along to see the sights and teach me a little about navigating the ship?"
The anchorage lay not far within the waters of their town.
After pondering for a moment, Ye's father nodded in agreement.
Ye Yaodong accompanied his father to the ship while the others continued with their tasks on the land.
The sun still hung high in the sky, and there was not a whisper of wind.
Once on the boat, he could truly feel the approach of the typhoon.
The waves rolled and churned, creating foamy crests that crashed against each other.
Small wooden boats floated on the sea, reminiscent of the tiny vessels of ancient times.
The boatman was straining to row against the waves.
They were all likely heading to the anchorage, and watching him made Ye Yaodong's heart race with concern.
He feared a big wave might come crashing in and capsize the boat.
Thankfully, their boat was larger and fitted with an engine rather than relying solely on oars.
In these times, such small wooden boats were still quite common.
It would not be until a few years later that they would slowly fade away, replaced by fancier boats in recreational parks.
"Dad, since we’re going to the anchorage anyway, why not cast a net? We shouldn’t waste this chance. If we catch some small fish or shrimp, it could make for a nice dish."
"Mm."
To make the most of their time, Ye's father spent the journey teaching him how to steer the boat and cast a net, even letting him take a turn at the helm...
He pretended to listen closely and follow along but couldn’t help but interject, "Dad, didn’t A Guang teach me that a few days ago?"
"Oh? So you think just because somebody showed you once, you’ve mastered it? No need to learn anymore, huh?"
"Uh... no! Your experience is much more extensive. Please, continue."
It wasn’t until they were nearing the anchorage that Ye's father decided to cast the net.
"Huh? There's quite a catch! Look, there's a big green crab!"
Once they pulled in the net, Ye Yaodong quickly sorted out the shrimp and crabs, sifting through, "Yellow crab, black crab, spring fish, water fish, small pomfret, sea eel, squid, small octopus… they’re all quite plump, some even have roe… Dad, we’ve only been fishing for a short while, and we’ve got quite a haul!"
"Mm, perhaps because of the approaching typhoon, these seafood are getting swept in by the waves."
At least their efforts had not been in vain.
Once everything was secured, they sailed into the anchorage.
The anchorage, lacking any loading equipment, served one sole purpose: to shelter ships during storms and protect them from the wind and waves.
The port at their town had three docking points for fishing boats: Yu Jing, Yang Tou, and Heng Shan, with Heng Shan being the longest.
Stretching about three kilometers from the anchor spot to the sea entrance, the south bank had solid sea walls for support, making it a safer refuge for moored boats during typhoons.
In this narrow anchorage, barely a hundred meters wide, Ye Yaodong saw boats of all sizes crowded together.
Aside from the wind turbines on some small fishing boats spinning aggressively, all other boats had been secured and remained still.
Once Ye’s father secured their boat, he took measures to ensure it stayed in place, then asked Ye Yaodong to gather the catch before heading back home.
Ye Yaodong carried a bucket of fish along the gravel path, watching as a bus passed by.
He craned his neck to look and couldn’t help but frown, "Dad, can't we just take a bus? It would be so much faster; we could be home in less than ten minutes. This way, we have to walk a long time."
"What bus? Is your leg so precious? Just a few steps; we’ll be home in an hour."
An hour, he sighed.
Those legs of today's young people could really carry them.
Future generations would consider their legs to be truly precious; just a five-minute walk in the village would merit a ride on an electric bike.
Ye Yaodong followed his father, feeling as if his legs might give way before they finally reached home.
Ye's father sorted the catch, setting aside the more valuable items in a separate bucket.
"You go call your mother to come back and gut the fish. Also, lend a hand with the chores while you're at it; I’ll take these to sell."
Couldn’t he sit down and catch his breath for a moment?
The old lady interjected, "What’s the rush? First, drink some water and take a rest. I just brewed a whole pot of tea; let it cool down a bit first. It’d be perfect for Dongzi to take over later."
Ye’s father shot a glance at them but didn’t say much, merely carrying the bucket and heading out.
The morning had been bright and sunny, but by afternoon, dark clouds rolled in, casting shadows everywhere.
Yet come evening, the sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink as it set.
Such was the unpredictable nature of the weather during typhoon season.
From the formation of the typhoon to its landfall, a few days would pass, and coastal cities would be affected to varying degrees depending on its path.
Parts of the day were overcast, while others were sunny, and after two such days, the third brought heavy rainclouds, stopping work at their home until after the typhoon.
With breakfast finished, Ye Yaodong, feeling bored, sat at the porch, observing the ever-changing weather.
Just as he had finished breakfast while rain was pouring down, the sun was now shining brightly?
The kids at home couldn’t sit still either.
Seeing the rain had stopped, they all rushed out to jump in the puddles.
He scolded a few but to no avail; they were too lively to be contained, and soon enough, they would end up wet and in trouble together.
"Ah Qing, since the rain has stopped, do you want to go for a walk by the beach?" he called to Lin Xiuqing, who was weaving a net indoors.
"Why go to the beach during typhoon season? What if we get swept away by the waves?"
"The tide’s receding, and there’s nothing to worry about. Look, it’s sunny now! Come on…"
"I’m busy…"
"Weaving fishnets can wait. Come on, let’s take a look at the waves."
He pulled her up as he spoke.
With so many people inside, it felt awkward to be tugging her, and thus Lin Xiuqing reluctantly got up, mumbling complaints about how he was delaying her work.
As soon as they stepped outside, they saw a group of kids playing in the water.
That instantly set her temper aflame.
"Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, these little rascals are splashing in the water and getting soaked!"
Two figures quickly dashed out of the house, and soon, they could hear the kids shrieking in protest.
After Lin Xiuqing finished scolding the children and changed into dry clothes, she was once more dragged by Ye Yaodong towards the beach.
"You've dragged me out on a day like this when it might rain again. What was the point? The beach is fine—everyone is staying inside, and you insist on going out…"
"Enough with the complaints! I’m just taking you for a little walk to see if there’s anything to collect."
"Collect what? How do you know if there’s anything to find?"
"We won’t know until we take a look."
"I didn’t bring a bucket..."
"I’ve got a sack in my pocket!"
(End of Chapter)