With so many abalone, what are we waiting for? Let's dig them up!
The backache from digging oysters was gone, especially for Ye Jianguo, Ye Xiaocui, and Jiang Chunlan, who were all middle-aged and worked quickly and accurately.
"Xiao Cui, it's so much better for you to live by the sea than in the mountains! You have so much stuff, it's like you got it for free!"
Ye Xiaocui nodded, "There are many things in the sea, but it also depends on luck. If you're lucky, you can catch a lot, but if you're unlucky, you might go back empty-handed."
Fu Wan agreed, "Both farming and making a living by the sea are hard jobs, but if Uncle doesn't have much to do at home, he can have his cousin come with us to sea."
Ye Lin was somewhat tempted; people are always drawn to paths they haven't yet traversed.
They were new to the fishing industry, and the novelty made them forget the seasickness they had experienced on their way there, as well as the uncertainty of whether they would catch any fish at sea.
"Dad, we don't have anything to do back home anyway, so why don't we stay at Aunt's house for a few days?"
Ye Jianguo pondered for a moment, "I definitely have to go back. How can I leave such a big family to your mother? Why don't you stay and help your aunt?"
Ye Lin readily agreed, and Ye Xiaocui had no objections either.
Fu Ming, Fu Wan, and Fu Liang had no objections. Ye Lin was used to farm work and was full of energy.
More people means more effort!
Moreover, they know everyone's background well, so they feel much more at ease.
Just then, Boss Fu came over with his tools. Fu Wan couldn't read the emotions on her father's face, nor did she know how his harvest was going.
"Dad, did you catch any fish?"
Fu Ming, who was not afraid of death, shouted it out loud.
Boss Fu handed them the bucket in his hand, in which was a conger eel weighing about two or three pounds, and two smaller sea bass next to it.
"Wow, Dad, you even caught a moray eel?"
Boss Fu was initially a little embarrassed about having only one decent fish, but now he felt comfortable thanks to Fu Ming's flattery and even had a hint of pride on his face.
"This conger eel has a lot of meat and few bones. I'll take it back and cook it for everyone to try!"
Ye Xiaocui glanced at the eel, and although she felt a pang of regret, she didn't refuse.
It's just a sea eel. My brother rarely comes over, and he needs money to buy meat, doesn't he?
"Dad, hurry up and dig for abalone, there are just too many!"
Fu Wan felt like she was a ruthless abalone digger, her hands were so tired they felt mechanical.
Only then did Boss Fu notice the protruding abalone in front of them. He put down the bucket in front of Fu Ling, who was squatting down playing, and immediately joined the team to pry open the abalone.
"These abalone look quite good. I wonder how much Fu San can charge per pound?"
Jiang Chunlan chatted with Ye Xiaocui while working. Fu Wan saw a half-bag of abalone next to her, picked one up and examined it for a long time.
"Ah Wan, what are you looking at?"
Fu Liang was a little puzzled. What was so interesting about abalone?
"I was wondering, since this abalone is so big, could there be abalone pearls inside?"
She suddenly remembered seeing a news report somewhere before, where someone had dug out an abalone pearl from an abalone. She remembered that the abalone pearl in the news was very beautiful, a rare blue color.
"What? Abalone has pearls inside?"
Fu Ming was stunned. Fu Wan nodded and explained to the family members in front of her, who were all looking at her with puzzled expressions.
"Abalone and oysters are both shellfish. The principle of pearl formation is that when sand or small stones get into the shell, the abalone or oyster will instinctively secrete substances to coat the sand or stone when it feels the stimulation of the sand or stone. Over time, a pearl will be formed."
Fu Ming felt a pang of pain just listening to it. "Isn't that just like Grandpa Fu's gallstones? Last time, he was in so much pain that he couldn't even walk."
"That's a really good way to describe it; pearls are just stones that grow on shells!"
A collective sigh rippled through the crowd. "It's not easy for oysters to grow pearls!"
However, this did not stop everyone from being full of anticipation for these abalone. Ye Lin was eager to try them, "Awan, can these oysters be eaten raw? I'll open one, and if they're not available, I'll eat them myself!"
Ye Jianguo slapped Ye Lin across the face, "This abalone could be worth a lot of money, and you ate it yourself, have you no shame?"
Fu Wan quickly stopped him, "Uncle, with so many abalone, how much can my cousin eat?"
"You can eat abalone raw, but if your stomach can't handle it, you'll at most vomit and have diarrhea."
Although Fu Wan spoke with great seriousness, she herself had no interest in raw abalone.
"Didn't I bring a stainless steel pot? It's almost noon, I'll go boil some water and throw in a few abalone to enhance the flavor!"
Jiang Chunlan asked Fu Liang to go to the boat to get a steel pot and fresh water. They had also brought a large amount of noodles with them when they came out today, so they could have something to eat later.
With a pot, there's no need to eat raw food. Ye Lin picked up an abalone and was about to open it when Fu Ming stopped prying open his abalone and also picked up the one in his hand, ready to see if there were any abalone pearls that Fu Wan had mentioned.
Fu Ling was tired of playing and found it amusing to see her two uncles digging out the abalone meat.
She imitated Fu Wan, picked up a stone from the ground, and began to chisel at a large abalone.
The little one is quite strong; he took the abalone off in no time.
"Mom, here, have some!"
Fu Wan took the abalone. The shell was undamaged, and the meat was still intact inside. The abalone was very fresh, and the meat was still moving.
"Thank you, Lingling. Mom will wash you clean and cook noodles for you later."
The abalone had some sand on it, but after washing it clean and blanching it in boiling water for a few seconds, it was delicious.
"Hey, there's nothing inside my abalone!"
Ye Lin had already cut open the abalone in his hand, and there was nothing inside except for the abalone meat.
"Mine is the same."
Fu Ming put the abalone meat in his hand aside. "Forget it, we can't always have such good luck. Let's just stick to prying open the abalone!"
Fu Liang quickly brought over the steel pot from the ship. Fu Wan and Ye Xiaocui picked up some dry grass and twigs from the side, found two large stones to use as a stove, and finally placed the steel pot filled with fresh water on it and started to light it with matches.
Matches are just that—matches. A box costs only one cent. Fu Wan took two boxes with her when she went out, wrapped them in oil paper, and left them on the boat.
The dead branches on the island were very dry, and the water in the stainless steel pot boiled quickly. Fu Wan took a few abalone, washed them clean in the nearby trench, and then pried out the meat and threw it into the pot.
Fu Ling noticed that she had forgotten about the abalone she had been eating earlier, so she picked it up and ran over.
"Mom, my abalone! Put it in!"
"I'm sorry, Mom forgot."
Fu Wan took the abalone without any remorse, cut it open with a knife, and prepared to wash it.
As a result, the knife touched a hard object the next second, even through the abalone meat.
Suppressing her excitement, Fu Wan used her hands to pry the abalone meat off, revealing a blue bead that shimmered in the sunlight, becoming one with the abalone shell.
"Ah Wan, this...this...this is an abalone pearl?!"
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