At this time of year, the sun still favored the Tropic of Capricorn, so night fell exceptionally early in the Northeast.
The Huang family finished dinner early and went to their respective rooms, settling onto the heated *kang* beds.
The old couple lived in the east room. At that moment, one was smoking a long-stemmed pipe while the other sat cross-legged, leaning against the low *kang* table and counting money.
Old Huang was a well-known fishing crew leader in the area. Every winter fishing season, he would lead his team out onto the lake. After the fish were sold, everyone would split the money.
This was his share, which he had just received today.
"The catch wasn't as good as last year. We're short several thousand."
Old Huang's wife sighed as she counted.
To a thrifty homemaker, several thousand was a huge sum of money—enough to buy more cabbage than they could eat all winter.
