Jiang Chunlan was delighted to hear Fu Wan's words, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
"I knew it! These oysters are so plump! I was shredding them on the beach this morning and I filled a whole basin with them!"
November is the time when oysters are plump and fat. Many people mistakenly believe that oysters are the same as raw oysters, but they are not.
Oysters, scientifically known as Crassula ovata, are one of the most common shellfish in the sea.
This type of shellfish has very plump and smooth meat, and has long been known as "sea milk." While oysters look similar to raw oysters, they are much smaller. The difference between oysters and raw oysters is not only that, but their shells are also very thin and brittle, making it quite difficult to remove them from the rocks shell and all.
Therefore, fishermen usually carry a basin or small bucket, along with a hammer, to crack open the oyster shells and then use a spoon or knife to scrape the oyster meat into the basin.
This reduces the moisture loss from the oysters, and many fishermen even eat them raw while digging them up. As long as there's no mud or sand, eating them raw brings out the true taste of the sea.
These oyster meats can be used to cook noodles or pancakes, or to make soup.
If you're wondering why we don't sell it, the reason is that it doesn't taste quite as good as oysters, and it's also cheaper.
More importantly, a pound of raw oysters might only yield a few, while a pound of whole oysters would fill a large basin.
In the past, Jiang Chunlan would have exchanged every penny she could for, but now, she didn't care about those few cents. So she simply divided it in half and brought a large bowl to Ye Xiaocui's house.
"Okay, okay, as long as you like it!"
Jiang Chunlan was extremely proud; the fact that the children loved the fruits of her hard work was the greatest reward for her.
Seeing that it was getting late, Jiang Chunlan said goodbye to Ye Xiaocui and the others, and went home with Fu Liang.
Fu Wan quickly washed herself from head to toe before finally lying down on the bed.
She had never felt her bed was so comfortable. Fu Ling and Qin Mingzhu knew she was tired, so after washing up, she quietly climbed into bed and fell asleep.
Fu Wan slept soundly through the night, and when she opened her eyes again, it was already the next morning.
Although it was early winter, the sunlight shone through the window into the room, making the whole room warm.
Fu Wan got dressed and went out, just in time to run into Fu Ming coming back, swinging his motorcycle keys.
"Awan, you're awake? Mother said breakfast is on the table, hurry up and eat."
Fu Wan nodded in agreement, "Brother, you got up so early?"
To avoid revealing his identity, Fu Mingcai brought several oyster pancakes early this morning, and after sending Fu Ling and Qin Mingzhu to school, he also delivered breakfast to Qin Anning.
Thinking of Qin Anning's happy expression, Fu Ming walked with a spring in his step.
Unable to understand Fu Ming's smugness, Fu Wan brushed her teeth and quickly ate breakfast. Just as she finished eating, Fu Ming strode into the courtyard with a smile.
"Ah Wan, Ah Ming, the new boat has arrived at the dock. I'm going to get the firecrackers, you two hurry over there!"
The shipyard's speed is truly impressive; the final payment was settled yesterday morning, and the new ship arrived at the dock today.
Upon hearing this, Fu Wan took a box of matches from the kitchen before following Fu Ming to the dock.
Before she even reached the dock, she could see a group of people in the distance.
"Wow, this new boat is really impressive! It's been a long time since anyone in our village has bought a new boat!"
"That's right, everyone's buying second-hand boats, either wooden or tin boats. Look at these new boats, they all look different, they look so luxurious!"
When Fu Wan and her brother arrived, Li Youchuan looked at them as if they were his saviors.
"Comrade Fu, Comrade Fu!"
Everyone in the village has the surname Fu. If it weren't for the fact that Li Youchuan's voice sounded familiar, Fu Wan would have almost missed seeing him surrounded by people.
"Comrade Li, why did you come in person?"
Fu Ming pulled him out of the crowd, and Li Youchuan wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Damn it, even in this sweltering weather, he was sweating from all the questions the villagers asked him.
How much does this ship cost? Can we go up and take a look? How long does it take to build a ship?
They went on and on, and even a few aunties pulled him aside and asked if he had a girlfriend.
Good heavens, he's over thirty and his daughter is already in elementary school!
"Oh, I was just thinking of coming here for good luck, and since the factory wasn't busy today, I came with my colleagues."
So that's how it is. Fu Wan was also embarrassed.
She said with a smile, "The uncles and aunts in our village are all very warm and friendly, and they don't mean any harm."
Li Youchuan nodded, agreeing. He said that no one could get on the boat anyway, and as for the various questions asked of him, it was just casual conversation.
That's how it is in the countryside. After working in the factory for a long time, Li Youchuan sometimes misses the warm greetings from the village.
He just hadn't expected the greetings to be so intense, and he was a little overwhelmed by them.
"Here they come! The firecrackers are here!"
Fu took a small pack of firecrackers from home, and then, after thinking for a moment, went to a small shop and bought a large roll.
Ye Xiaocui, Jiang Chunlan, and Fu Liang were digging for oysters on the beach when they saw the commotion and ran over.
"Ignite! Ignite!"
"Let's set off firecrackers! Let's set off firecrackers!"
The children playing on the beach all ran over; the firecrackers, which are only lit during the Lunar New Year, were their stimulant.
When the firecrackers arrived, Fu Wan handed the matches to Boss Fu. Boss Fu was stunned. "Wan, aren't you going to light them?"
Fu Wan waved her hand, "What's so fun about setting off firecrackers? You guys set them off, I'll just watch."
Upon hearing this, Boss Fu took the matches, intending to light them himself. However, his gaze fell upon Village Chief Fu, who was looking on expectantly. After a moment's thought, he handed the matches over to him instead.
"Uncle Village Chief, would you like some?"
Upon hearing this, Village Chief Fu's eyes lit up, and his face showed eagerness to try.
He then feigned modesty and said, "Wouldn't that be inappropriate? Why don't you order yourselves?"
Even so, his eyes were practically glued to the match.
Setting off firecrackers for a new ship is a lucky gesture that everyone wants to do.
"Oh, if you don't want to order, I'm really going to order?"
Fu Laoda laughed and took out a match, while Fu Wan watched as Fu Laoda teased the old village chief.
"What do you mean I don't want to order? I really want to!"
Village Chief Fu snatched the matches, walked over to the firecrackers, and sternly chased away the children who were running around.
"Kids, get out of the way! If these firecrackers go off, they'll set your clothes on fire!"
Upon hearing this, the children screamed twice and turned to run into the crowd.
Seeing the children run away, Village Chief Fu took out a match and lit it. The moment the fuse was lit, the children covered their ears.
"When the firecrackers go off, gold and silver will flow in!"
May your future voyages be smooth and safe!
As Village Chief Fu called out a few times, the villagers began to exchange auspicious greetings with Fu's family.
This is the warmth of rural life; the smoke from firecrackers quickly filled the entire dock. Just as Li Youchuan was instructing Fu Wan and the others on how to maintain the boat, Fu Shi ran over from the village entrance.
"Awan, there are some people at the village entrance who say they're looking for you!"
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