Chapter 1212: Inquiring

Originally the road was small, and there were many people watching, so the road on the side was already blocked tightly.

Actually, it was just a motorcycle, a person, and a group of dogs, but people are just curious.

He hadn't been at the door of the post and telecommunications bureau for long when he unexpectedly ran into Hong Wenle passing by.

He was also looking at the many people surrounding here, thinking they were selling something, or looking at something rare, so he also squeezed in to take a look.

"Ah? Comrade Ye... Yaodong?"

Ye Yaodong also turned his head in surprise to look at him, "Young Master Hong?"

"Coincidence, didn't expect to run into you here. And I haven't congratulated you yet. You received an award a while ago and became a model for fishermen."

He got off the vehicle, stood up straight, and smiled, "You know about this too?"

"It's all in the newspaper, who doesn't know? You're famous nationwide, and you've won glory for our town. You're a celebrity now."

"Hehe, actually it's all luck. Long time no see."

"Long time no see. Seeing you again, you aren't the little fisherman you were before."

"Where, where, still a fisherman. No matter what I do, I'm still a fisherman in essence."

"I heard that the city is currently setting up a fishery association. Have you heard about it? You just went to the city to receive an award a while ago, have you heard anything?"

Ye Yaodong was surprised. He didn't even know the city had decided to set it up, how would he know?

"How do you know?"

"So you know?"

"Right, I proposed it, and then Director Chen felt it was feasible. It's been two months, and I can still provide a few development ideas from time to time. They are gradually holding meetings to discuss it, and now there should be a conclusion soon, right?"

He felt it should be soon. It had been two months, and the efficiency was already low enough. Maybe because Director Chen was new, his weight of speech wasn't that heavy yet, so it was dragging on.

This time it was Hong Wenle's turn to be surprised, "You proposed it? This fishery association was proposed by you?"

"Right, because I went to Zhejiang Province a few months ago and served as the vice president of the fishery association in Wenzhou, so I know a little bit about this association. I feel it's beneficial to the management and development of fishing boats by the sea."

"Vice president! You are the vice president over in Wenzhou?" His voice was raised, his face full of disbelief.

Ye Yaodong looked at his expression and felt very cool inside, but on the surface, he pretended to be very calm, as if it wasn't a big deal.

This wave really let him show off, so cool.

To be able to show off in front of Young Master Hong, this was something he never expected.

"Right, it's been a few months, but I've been busy coming and going, so I haven't managed things over there much. I've handed them over to others, and I just check in and show my face occasionally when I go."

He showed off again, cool.

This was cooler than showing off in front of people in the village.

People are different from people.

The coolness brought by showing off in front of different people is even more different.

This trip today wasn't in vain, the coolness was full.

"You often go back and forth between the two places now?"

"Right, getting busier and busier, can only run between the two places. Can't just hang a title and not report. It's also because the local leaders value me, so I have to be grateful and progressive, can't let the leaders down, and have to show my face often." Ye Yaodong smiled slightly.

He digested this news, re-examined Ye Yaodong, and then said.

"You're really capable. You can meet leaders everywhere you go? This fishery association in the city was actually proposed by you?"

"Just luck. How do you know the city is going to set up a fishery association? This shouldn't be confirmed yet, right?"

Hong Wenle smiled and said: "Don't forget, this port in our town has belonged to the five major fishing ports from the beginning. In our whole city, the port in our town was originally the largest."

"If it weren't for the wholesale market that appeared in the city in the past two years, and more fishing boats stopping to sell goods, how could it compare to our fame here."

"But we are one of the few deep-water ports here, and there are still quite a few medium-transfer rest supply fishing boats stopping here. Setting up a fishery association is not a small matter, and it also concerns our local fishery development, so of course I would know some news."

Ye Yaodong also felt it made sense after listening. Anyway, he was also a person with a face in the local area. Although they were a small town here, because there was a fishing port, they were more famous than the county seat.

With more fishing boats coming and going, it's normal to know more gossip.

"So that's how it is. I was wondering, it hasn't been announced, how did you already know."

Hong Wenle gave him a thumbs up.

"Originally, I just thought you went to the city to receive an award a few days ago, so you should know some news. Since I ran into you, I just wanted to ask, but I didn't expect it was actually proposed by you! You really surprised me."

"Where, where, I just thought we couldn't let our hometown fall behind other provinces and cities. Borrowing from others isn't bad, taking the strengths and making up for the weaknesses is the only way to develop rapidly."

"Well said. I think so too, there should be news after the New Year. Since this was proposed by you, will there be a place for you?"

The smile on Ye Yaodong's face deepened, "How dare I think so much? These are all assigned and arranged by the leaders. I don't understand much."

Hong Wenle patted his shoulder, "Amazing, you're President Ye again. How long has it been since we last met? You surprise me too much. You're on the newspaper and received commendations, and you've even made a name for yourself catching fish, and you've even become the president of a fishery association in another place."

"This is all luck."

"Luck is also part of strength. People who go to sea originally rely on luck."

He looked at the motorcycle behind Ye Yaodong again and touched the handlebar.

"The leaders were able to arrange a motorcycle for you before, it seems they value you very much. This fishery association was proposed by you, so there will definitely be a position for you. In the future, I'll have to rely on President Ye for support."

"Don't, don't, don't. There's not even a shadow of it yet. I don't know anything, so I don't dare to blow smoke with you."

"Hehe, since the leaders value you so much, it must be a sure thing, and there will be a shadow soon. What are you doing here? Want to go to my place for tea?"

"Here to exchange money at the post and telecommunications bureau. I've been busy there all year round, and only today do I have time. I brought a few big jars of small change to exchange."

"I heard that the bank has new banknotes to exchange recently. I don't know if the post and telecommunications bureau has any. You can ask later."

"Originally, it was to exchange for new banknotes."

"Then go to my place for tea, chat for a while?"

Ye Yaodong hesitated a bit.

"Who did you bring to exchange money?"

"My wife is inside."

"Then let your wife watch inside, tell her to exchange it directly for new banknotes after counting. No need for two people to guard it. Aren't you watching the vehicle outside now?"

"That's fine, I'll go in and tell her."

Ye Yaodong went in and told Lin Xiuqing to wait for him here after she finished exchanging money. He was going to have tea with Hong Wenle and would come to pick her up in two hours.

Lin Xiuqing calculated, it should take two hours to count, so she nodded, letting him do as he pleased, with her watching here, it was fine.

No matter what, it was the country's post and telecommunications bureau, so it wouldn't be the case that they would embezzle the money because she was a woman.

Ye Yaodong mounted the motorcycle and shouted a few times. The crowd automatically cleared a path. He drove slowly beside Hong Wenle's bicycle with a sidecar full of dogs.

The two vehicles were one after another. The speed of the motorcycle was too fast, rushing out a big chunk from time to time. Ye Yaodong's damn vanity exploded again.

Think about Young Master Hong from before, now riding a bicycle behind him, and he, who walked on two legs before, now riding a motorcycle.

Ye Yaodong's heart blossomed with joy.

Regardless of what he chats about when he goes home with him, anyway, the comparison between the two on this road was enough to make him happy.

He is just a small person, and being happy and joyful is also very simple.

He paused from time to time to wait, and seeing that they were approaching Hongsheng Hotel, he rode to the door first and stopped.

"Hello, boss..."

Ye Yaodong looked at Wang Maoquan, who pushed the door out to greet him, with a smile that wasn't a smile.

Wang Maoquan nodded and bowed with a smile, and for a moment didn't even recognize him. It wasn't until he smiled and looked at him without saying a word that Wang Maoquan felt he looked familiar.

"You... are you..."

"Manager Wang has a short memory. Haven't seen each other for a year or two, you look more prosperous. It can be seen that Young Master Hong hasn't treated you badly."

Wang Maoquan widened his eyes in surprise and looked at him, feeling that he seemed to have recognized him, but also seemed not to have recognized him, and looked at the motorcycle parked beside him again.

"Are you that fish seller from before?"

"That's me."

"You got rich?!"

"Rich isn't quite it, just making a living. People are all looking forward, how can it be a little bit stronger than before."

Hong Wenle's bicycle happened to stop beside them. Hearing this, he smiled and said: "More than a little bit stronger than before. I have to call him President Ye."

"You be smarter in the future. When you see Comrade Ye Yaodong, you have to call him President Ye. He is my brother. Keep your eyes bright. You have to treat him well when he comes."

Wang Maoquan opened his mouth wide in surprise, looking at Ye Yaodong, opening and closing it a few times, but no sound came out.

It was too unexpected. How did it seem like he hadn't seen him for two years, and he became President Ye?

What kind of president is President Ye?

However, since the young master said he was President Ye, it must be correct!

Good boy, haven't seen him for a few years and he actually turned over? Became a big boss, and what kind of President Ye, and became brothers with their young master?

Ye Yaodong was a bit embarrassed. He knew how many pounds he had. Occasionally showing off was fine, but being called President Ye left and right really made him feel guilty.

The name doesn't match the reality.

This President Ye is really quite good at bluffing...

"Young Master Hong is too polite. It's awkward to be called that." Ye Yaodong smiled, rubbed his nose, and said truthfully.

"What's awkward? Isn't this a fact? You'll get used to it after listening to it."

That's true, maybe he just hasn't gotten used to it yet.

"Then I'll have to ask people to call more when I go back, to get me used to it."

"Hahaha..."

Hong Wenle smiled and hooked his shoulder to walk inside, "Let's go, go inside and have tea. It's not good to drink alcohol early in the morning..."

"Just drink tea and chat, who drinks alcohol early in the morning."

"Right, we are good people, can't drink alcohol early in the morning like a mess."

Ye Yaodong followed him into the living room on the second floor. This was his first time on the second floor. It was very foreign-style. He didn't expect that there was a set of mahogany furniture in the corner, a tea table, and a huge landscape painting hanging on the background wall.

It was an old tradition for their local people to love drinking tea.

Hanging landscape paintings on the background wall was also a convention.

Ye Yaodong was idle anyway, so he sat down to drink tea with him, chat, brag, and pass the time.

The fishery association can condense industry strength and help the high-quality development of the fishery. It's normal for Hong Wenle to pay attention to this. After all, he also made his fortune by relying on the port and has an overseas Chinese background.

During the tea drinking, they also kept chatting about this aspect.

Ye Yaodong also knew everything and said everything, simply telling him all the information he knew, which could be considered an invisible showing off again.

After eating and drinking well, it was close to 11 o'clock in the morning, and he stood up to say goodbye.

"Let me know when you become president, and I'll host a few tables for you to celebrate."

"Ah, no need, no need. What's that worth? Just a false name."

"Some people want a false name but can't get it. You are now a famous celebrity here. In the surrounding area, as long as it's a boat boss, there's no one who doesn't know your name, Ye Yaodong. You probably haven't realized how famous you are now."

Ye Yaodong was stunned. He really hadn't realized how famous he was.

His concept of himself was still stuck at being a boat boss with a few boats and a small boss who had saved a little money.

This was already a success he couldn't imagine, and he didn't think much about the flattery of the people around him, just smiling and listening to it as a joke.

After all, most of the people around him were acquaintances. Their attitude towards him, at most because he had money, gave him a few more flatteries, but basically it was still teasing, and daily life was how it should be.

"Am I very famous? Even spread to the town? I thought it was just famous in the vicinity of our village, ten miles and eight villages."

"More than that, recently everyone knows you, Ye Yaodong. Everywhere is discussing you, Ye Yaodong, for catching an unmanned underwater vehicle, being heavily rewarded by the city, and winning glory for all the fishermen in our town. Everyone wants to take you as an example and also catch an overseas spy device, so they can be cool for a while."

"So that's how it is..."

He said why Hong Wenle was so enthusiastic when he saw him and wanted to pull him over for tea. It turned out it wasn't just because of the title of president, but also because he had become famous in the newspaper recently.

"Some people have heard the wind, saying that a fishery association is going to be established, and they all want to know if they can vote. If they can vote, they all want to vote for you. You are the example for our town and all the fishermen in our county."

"Oh~ understood, it turns out I'm still quite popular?"

"Haha, that's right."

Ye Yaodong didn't expect to have such a harvest. He had a clear understanding of his status again.

"Thank you very much. It's a pity my skin is too thin, otherwise, I would have to ask my wife to embroider a name tag of Ye Yaodong and stick it on my chest to go out on the street, and I would have to let everyone know me."

"Hahaha..."

"Thanks for the hospitality, I have to go pick up my wife, she should be almost done over there."

"Fine, you go ahead if you have things to do, come over for tea when you're free."

"Alright."

"Take two packs of tea leaves back..."

"No need, no need, it's a waste for me. I just drink coarse tea to quench my thirst, where is there any tea table to brew tea? Leave it here, come drink next time."

"Fine."

Ye Yaodong talked happily with Hong Wenle, walking and laughing downstairs.

Wang Maoquan saw them come down and immediately leaned forward, "President Ye is leaving?"

"Still have things to do, have to leave first. Manager Wang, why call me President Ye? Just call me Adong, calling me that is too distant."

"Oh my, President Ye is President Ye, how can I call you Adong."

"There's a reason you became a manager. Leaving first."

As soon as Ye Yaodong walked out the door, the dogs squatting at the door immediately stood up, wagging their tails around him.

"I wanted to ask just now, are these dogs all raised by you? Why so many?"

"Giving birth to a litter at a time makes it look like a lot. I don't let them follow, but they insist on following. I'm afraid they'll be stolen and eaten as dog meat when they go out, adding a meal for the New Year."

"Hehe..."

"Goodbye."

Ye Yaodong mounted the motorcycle, waved his hand, and finally greeted them before leaving first.

Lin Xiuqing's legs were numb from sitting at the post and telecommunications bureau, and the two staff members hadn't finished counting yet.

She heard the sound of the motorcycle at the door and knew Ye Yaodong was back, so she hurriedly stood at the door.

"Came back quite on time."

"Finished counting?"

"Not yet, almost, should be another ten or twenty minutes."

"Then that can just let them get off work right on time."

Lin Xiuqing smiled, signaling him to be quiet.

So many coins, counting them is also a big project.

After Ye Yaodong went in and sat for a good while, the two staff members let out a long sigh of relief, straightened their waists and backs, and finally recorded the numbers before helping each other stand up.

"Finished counting? Sorry to trouble you, sorry to trouble you."

"Finished counting, just calculate the total at the end."

The two calculated the total at the end, "This one cent per bucket, one bucket has 1667, 1683, two cents has 1556, 1605, five cents has 1702... and several bundles of small notes, your total quantity here is 2645 yuan 3 mao 3 fen."

"Good, then sorry to trouble the comrades to exchange them into new banknotes for me. I want 260 big bills, and the other 45 yuan of small change, exchange them into various new banknotes for me? There are new banknotes, right? I heard other banks have them."

Both nodded. They had counted to this point, so hurry up and exchange according to the requirements and send this ancestor away.

Hope there won't be a next time, never see again.

After Ye Yaodong exchanged a stack of all new banknotes, he felt the small change in his pockets again, took them all out, and let them exchange them into new small notes.

Lin Xiuqing also hurriedly felt the pockets on her body, exchanging them if she could.

There were many old banknotes at home, they just cherished the new ones.

Waiting for a few days to give new ones as New Year's money to the children, it's estimated they can be happy for several days and show off for a whole circle.

Ye Yaodong continued to put the new banknotes he exchanged into the malted milk jar, and the jar was put back into the sack.

This has to be brought home for reuse, can't be wasted, there will be many small changes in the future.

Lin Xiuqing was happy to death holding a pile of new small notes in her hand.

"They are all consecutive numbers, Adong, look, the numbers on this are all consecutive..."

"The ones just out of the bank must be consecutive."

"We can't use this new money, save it."

"That's okay. When you get home, take them out and check them. Take out the ones that aren't consecutive, and save the consecutive ones."

She nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, extremely happy.

"Shall we come again tomorrow? There are also many 1 yuan and 2 yuan at home, let's bring them over and exchange them all for new banknotes?"

"After exchanging for new banknotes, you won't spend them anymore, right?"

"After exchanging for new banknotes, they can all be saved, and I'll be reluctant to spend them."

"It's about the same to exchange for the two sons, let them take out their private money and exchange for new banknotes with you, this way you won't be afraid of them spending money randomly."

"I'll exchange them when I go back. Then are we still coming tomorrow?"

"More than 2000 yuan have already been exchanged here. If we exchange several thousand more tomorrow, that's too much. It's okay to exchange a small amount to save as a souvenir, otherwise look at the faces of the two staff members just now, they were green."

It's not necessary to have all new banknotes at home. In the future, they have to be spent or deposited in the bank. It's good to exchange a little appropriately to keep, preferably exchanging a little every year.

This way he has new banknotes issued every year.

No need to die trying to exchange them in one year.

"That's fine, I'll take 100 yuan of each denomination to exchange tomorrow, just as a souvenir."

"Um, come to exchange different denominations every year, collect the currency of every year."

"This is good."

"Get on the vehicle and go home."

"Count money when we get home."

Lin Xiuqing held the sack in her hand, smiling until she saw her teeth and didn't see her eyes.

Approaching the New Year, the town had an extra New Year atmosphere, and ladders were starting to be set up on the streets to decorate with lanterns and colored streamers, full of New Year flavor.

There were also many more peddlers. Approaching noon, the flow of people didn't decrease at all.

One stall after another, one after another carrying poles walking through the streets and alleys, could see all kinds of red: couplets, window flowers, socks, shoe insoles, towels, big and small, all kinds of Chinese red.

There is no more red to be seen than during the New Year. The whole street is full of it, looking festive, and the closer to the date, the richer the New Year flavor.

Ye Yaodong didn't rush for time when he went back like when he came, taking the small road, riding slowly, watching the people coming and going happily preparing New Year goods, feeling the rich New Year flavor.

This is a New Year atmosphere that can't be exchanged for more money later.

Although the streets are still decorated with lanterns and colored streamers, the New Year flavor will fade more and more with time.

"It's too lively, do you want me to buy a movie ticket and bring you to watch a movie tomorrow?"

"Forget it, where can you still buy tomorrow's? If you buy it now, it's at least ten days later."

"That's true, then take the money home first, there are a lot of people on the street now."

"Take the small road, don't go on the street, can't move a few steps in half a day, I'm worried about the sack I'm holding."

"Good."

Ye Yaodong broke through the crowd and walked into the alley. Although the road was narrow and not easy to drive, at least it moved faster than on the street.

After getting out of the main street and onto the main road, there were fewer people.

However, on both sides of the road, basically, they were all carrying poles. Some were empty, having sold their goods and going home, some had prepared a pile of New Year goods, happily rushing back to eat.

There were also some children following to join the fair, jumping and jumping, incomparably happy.

When Ye Yaodong rode the motorcycle past quickly, he could hear the children excitedly clapping their hands and shouting.

After returning to the village, his own children surrounded him, thinking he went to prepare some New Year goods and bought things back.

Lin Xiuqing casually took out a handful of new banknotes she temporarily exchanged from her pocket. Without her saying anything, a bunch of people's eyes released wolf light, shouting to exchange for new banknotes.

She handed the sack to Ye Yaodong to handle, and sat at the door to exchange banknotes for the children first.

One by one, they hurriedly ran home to take out their private money, and even the children of nearby neighbors ran over to ask if they could exchange.

She nodded with a smile.

The two sisters-in-law saw it and were also very moved. Lin Xiuqing told them they could go directly to the bank to exchange. They just went to exchange the small change of a few cents and a few mao at home today.

"Then we'll go in the afternoon, just in time to buy some New Year things, have a bumper year this year."

"Right, this year is a good year, can prepare more New Year goods."

Her matter of going to the bank to exchange new banknotes also spread throughout most of the village before long. Many people were moved, and by the afternoon, one by one, they called friends and companions, forming a group and running to the bank.

Lin Xiuqing instantly regretted that her mouth was too fast.

When entering the house, she was full of regret when talking to Ye Yaodong, "If I had known, I wouldn't have said it. In case they exchange them all, we won't have new money to exchange."

"What are you afraid of? If you want to exchange, I'll ride the motorcycle and take you to the county seat to exchange, it's the same."

"That's too far, a bit troublesome."

"Who told you your mouth was fast."

"I thought it wasn't a big deal. Is the money organized?"

"Most of them are in sequential order, only a few are not; I've picked those out. You can handle it in a couple of days. Take the new banknotes and give the boatmen and the workshop employees a New Year red envelope; it's a way to share in the festive spirit of the New Year."

"Alright."

Lin Xiuqing looked at the stacks of new banknotes neatly placed on the bed, feeling that she couldn't just stuff them into the wardrobe like that.

Seeing a stack of old newspapers on the table, she took out a large sheet, measured it, then folded and cut it into small pieces.

She used the cut-up old newspapers to fold and wrap the new money into bundles, then used a pen to write the amount on top to keep track of how much money was in each.

Ye Yaodong watched her actions with a smile, "Is that really necessary? Wrapping them in newspaper?"

"It is. This way, the edges won't get curled from being handled."

"Then you might as well write the year on them. Next year, when you swap them for new ones, you can write next year's date and stack them up one by one."

"That makes sense."

She picked up the pen and made a note of it.

"Help me cut the newspaper."

"Alright."

Ye Yaodong felt this was also a somewhat meaningful task, so he helped do it together.

Then he added, "I'm thinking of going to the city again tomorrow."

"Why go again? You've been running back and forth these past few days. It's rare to have a break today, why run off to the city tomorrow? Worried about the warehouse? My eldest brother and second brother are both over there and haven't come back yet; they'll look after it for us. Why don't you just give them a call and ask?"

"It's not that. With your brothers there, I'm not that worried. I want to go pay a New Year's visit to Director Chen."

He mentioned going to have tea at Hong Wenle's house earlier, and also talked about the Fisheries Association, wanting to inquire about things.

After all, having the title of 'President Ye' in another province isn't as good as having one locally; it really does sound embarrassing, so it's fine to just listen to it as a joke.

Plus, after the gray whale was taken away a few days ago, he hadn't been in touch to ask about it, so he wanted to ask by the way if it was still alive.

His father was still hoping for some kind of reward for this, and so were the boatmen.

However, having received a big award once, he wasn't as concerned about it as his father.

He felt quite helpless regarding his father.

PS: Staying up late for a long time isn't good; I need to slow down, take an occasional break, and then continue staying up late.

Goodnight everyone! Happy Qixi Festival!

It's just that I'm not happy at all; I haven't even stepped out the door, a miserable word-grinder! I can only order some barbecue to comfort myself!