After waiting for almost an hour, there was still no sign of the boat, and a small commotion began to rise in the crowd.
The people whispered among themselves, discussing the matter, worried that something might have happened at sea.
Xiao Chunxiu muttered to herself, "Didn't you say you'd be back before one o'clock? It's already past one o'clock, why haven't you come back yet? Did something happen?"
Feng Jiaqing glared at her: "You're just overthinking things. The waves aren't big today, what could possibly happen? Something's probably just delayed at the shipyard."
Du Guilan also said, "Mother, don't think too much. We'll be back soon."
Aunt Ling chimed in, "Yes, let's wait and see..."
Before the words were even finished, two large ships with colorful flags appeared on the distant sea, one blue and white and the other orange and yellow.
Behind them followed an inconspicuous little boat.
"They're back! They're back!"
The crowd erupted in cheers and shouts.
"Oh, I'm finally back..."
Xiao Chunxiu's face flushed with excitement, all traces of her previous worry vanishing.
Feng Jiaqing glanced at his watch: "1:10, only ten minutes late, it's not that late."
"Quickly, quickly, go light the firecrackers."
"What's the rush? We're still far off. Let's order after the ship stops."
A few minutes later, the two large ships slowly approached the several large ships moored in the deep water area and came to a steady stop next to the Donglai.
Feng Jiaqing then leisurely lit a cigarette and used the cigarette butt to ignite the firecracker fuse.
The crackling sound of firecrackers instantly resounded through the sky, and the smoke filled the air, carrying a festive atmosphere.
After lighting the firecrackers, Feng Jiaqing jumped onto Xiao Guowen's small boat, started the engine, and sailed away carrying several buckets of fireworks.
Fireworks are not allowed on the boat; only fireworks are permitted.
At the same time, Xiao Chunxiu, Du Guilan, Aunt Ling and other women chattered as they carried baskets filled with food and shared it with everyone.
There were just too many people, so each person only got a tiny bit, just enough to taste.
After Feng Ye moored the small boat, he boarded the Ziqi ship to wait for his father to bring fireworks.
Eight-tube fireworks were set off, with four tubes each for the "Purple Qi" and "Full Warehouse" models.
With a sharp "whoosh" sound, eight fireworks soared into the air one after another, blooming into colorful flowers in the sky.
The only downside was that it was daytime, so the fireworks weren't as spectacular as they would be at night, but that didn't dampen anyone's spirits.
Exclamations and cheers frequently erupted from the crowd on the shore, and even from a distance, one could feel the fervor and jubilation.
After the fireworks were finished, everyone took two small boats back to shore.
Only then did Feng Jiaqing notice that there were more than a dozen baskets of mantis shrimp piled on the deck of his small boat.
He exclaimed in surprise, "Ah Ye, were these mantis shrimp caught during a trial catch?"
"Of course, you don't mean you bought it, do you?"
"We're so lucky to have caught so many mantis shrimp. They're so fresh and big, they're sure to fetch a good price."
Feng Jiaqing smiled broadly, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Hey, why didn't you sell them? What are you bringing them back for?"
"There's no time for that. We sailed at full speed the whole way back, not daring to waste a single moment."
"When we dock, tell Ah Fa to come and collect it..."
"No, take them all back. Let the chefs work hard and we'll add an extra dish at lunch."
"Isn't that unnecessary? There are already so many dishes, and it's too extravagant. It would be better to sell such expensive things for money."
"Dad, don't worry about it. It's a rare occasion with all our relatives and friends here today, and it's a double celebration, so it's okay to splurge a little."
"But we don't need that many, a hundred or so pounds at most will be enough."
"The Little New Year is just around the corner. I'll give some of the rest to my sister, uncle, father-in-law, and uncle-in-law, and keep some at home. Any left over will be given to Uncle Fa."
"Fine, you figure it out yourself, I'm not going to interfere anymore."
The two small boats quickly reached the shore.
Before he even got off the boat, his relatives and friends on the dock surrounded him, offering their congratulations all at once.
Feng Ye was really afraid that their shoving and pushing would cause an accident and push someone into the water.
It's the dead of winter, freezing cold. Falling into the water is no joke. Many people live far away and have no clothes to change into.
Besides, he couldn't respond to them all; it felt like thousands of ducks were quacking in his ears, making his head feel like it was going to explode.
He could only raise his voice and shout, "Everyone, stop pushing forward! Be careful not to fall into the water! It's getting late, the banquet will start soon, everyone go back and find a seat..."
After shouting, he jumped off the boat, squeezed into the crowd, and went straight home.
His father and a few others carried the mantis shrimp and other fish from the boat back home.
He really didn't want to deal with the cacophony of congratulations; he just wanted to find some peace and quiet.
Therefore, after returning home, he went straight into his room and closed the door.
The room was extremely quiet, a stark contrast to the bustling and noisy scene outside.
Feng Ye sat on the edge of the bed and let out a long sigh of relief.
"Ah Ye, why did you hide in your room as soon as you got back?"
Ye Qingling pushed open the door and walked in.
"Close it, close the door quickly."
"What's wrong?"
Feng Ye said with a wry smile, "There are too many people, and they're all too enthusiastic. I can't handle them at all. It's giving me a headache. It's better to stay in my room for some peace and quiet."
Ye Qingling smiled softly, closed the door behind her, and sat down on the bed.
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