Chapter 1447: Arranging an Assistant

They set off early on the 17th of the lunar month and didn't arrive until the evening of the 18th; with so many boats, the journey was slow, taking a full two days and one night.

His legs were already weak, and after sitting on a boat for two days and one night, Ye Yaodong felt even more drained.

Still, he was at least better off than Fatty, who was practically a pile of rotting meat; while everyone else was carrying cargo off the boat, he was still lying down.

It was only when the workers inspected the fishing boat to see if anything had been left behind that they discovered he was still lying in the cabin.

When the workers came to report this, Ye Yaodong couldn't help but hold his forehead.

They went to the cabin and had someone drag him down; only then did he stand up, looking half-dead.

"Damn, it was too uncomfortable; two days on a boat."

"Then try riding in a carriage next time."

Fatty shook his head like a rattle drum. "No way, that would be even more deadly; my buttocks would split into eight pieces, and my whole body would fall apart."

"Work as a boatman for a few days, and I guarantee you'll get used to it immediately."

"Am I sick or something?"

"How can you say that about yourself? Hurry up and move; I need to lock the cabin."

"Got it. Making money is really hard, running around everywhere..."

Fatty sighed, tossed his luggage to a boatman to carry, and got off the boat with no strength, stumbling a bit.

Ye Yaodong saw that his legs were even weaker than his own.

"Try setting up the canteen in the next two days; otherwise, feeding so many workers will be troublesome."

"Understood. I've already found the equipment and the people to bring up. Your canteen is ready-made, so it's easy; just secure food sources and arrange for regular daily deliveries."

"Mm, then stay for a while longer and get the outside shops set up too."

"You've already made money from both: a profit from the contract and another from the rent."

"A win-win."

Ye Yaodong told him to get on the tractor first while he got on later; those who couldn't fit would walk.

There were many items brought up, so a tractor was needed to transport them.

Work at the base camp had continued even after they left; before departing, he had bought all the building materials he could, so if anything was temporarily short or insufficient, the foreman could order directly from various building material stores, and he would settle the bill once he returned.

The house was built as usual during the New Year, with only a few days of rest; the canteen and bathhouse were already finished, but the three-story building wouldn't be ready that quickly.

However, it didn't really affect the lower levels; after cleaning the first and second floors, they were already habitable.

Upon arriving at the base camp, they let the workers follow the pre-New Year arrangements and find their own beds to move in.

As for the new batch hired just before the New Year, they would be arranged after someone on his side tallied the headcount.

As for the organization of other items, he handed it directly to his father.

The canteen and bathhouse were contracted to Fatty, so he didn't need to worry at all; the matters inside were also left to Fatty.

As for tonight's dinner, they would have to make do by asking more people to cook, dividing into several groups, and boiling several pots, which would be a bit more laborious.

While everyone was packing their luggage and cooking, Ye Yaodong picked a slightly younger cousin who had studied to be his assistant; this was his uncle's grandson, also a newcomer before the New Year.

There were simply too many relatives on his mother's side, and cousins had given birth to a whole bunch; in recent years, many of the younger generation had grown up.

His mother definitely prioritized family members when hiring workers, so most of the people under his hand were relatives; among those called before the New Year, several even had to call him Uncle Dong.

Anyway, being his assistant was equivalent to being his runner; as long as one could read, remember things, and be smart and obedient, that was enough.

Among the younger generation, he had occasionally heard his mother mention a few names, some praised, and he picked one from memory that left a good impression.

Chen Baoxing originally didn't know why Ye Yaodong was calling him, but suddenly a pie seemed to smash onto his head, nearly knocking him silly.

"Assistant!?"

"Mm, how old are you this year? Can you read and write?"

He hurriedly said, "Yes, yes... I can write! I'll be eighteen after the New Year; I finished junior high last year and had nothing to do, so just before the New Year, Great-Aunt said Uncle Dong needed someone, and my mother begged Great-Aunt to include me so I could earn more money to get a wife. I can write! I haven't forgotten; I can write."

Chen Baoxing's eyes sparkled; being Uncle Dong's assistant was more comfortable and honorable than working directly on a boat, wasn't it?

"Alright, try it for two days first; if it doesn't work, I'll change the person."

"I'll definitely make it..."

"Don't talk big yet; there's a task to give you right now. The old workers each have their own beds, but this new batch of yours who came before the New Year don't yet; you figure it out and arrange them. The rooms will be on the third floor. Get the roster from Old You; if there are people you don't know, ask your father directly, match the people to the names yourself, and get to know them first."

Old You was the old accountant he had hired specifically to keep accounts and settle wages.

On the way here, while he had free time, he had handed his several account books and wage ledgers to Old You, telling him to take a look casually and reference what work needed to be done and what things needed to be recorded.

Last year's accounts had already been settled; he had recorded them himself in a rough way, understandable only to himself; tomorrow he would buy new account books and start recording this year's again.

He had also handed the personnel list to Old You; from now on, whether recording daily cargo manifests or wage slips, he wouldn't need to do it himself, leaving him completely free.

Right now, Old You was also there recording who still wanted to rent a room.

Before the New Year, when Ah Guang and Ah Zheng's boat returned, the hired workers had to squeeze in together and still had nowhere to live.

Now that more rooms were added, they would each have to rent another room.

And for this trip after the New Year, several boats from nearby areas followed them up; they were basically various relatives from their village, connected through roundabout relations.

They all heard that coming out here could make one rich, so every time they set off, their team would earn, and most of the time, a few extra boats would join.

Anyway, it made no difference to him; he was just a rent collector, and for large boats, they could even collect cargo for him.

Chen Baoxing nodded repeatedly and excitedly said, "I'll go do it right away."

"Wait, let's clarify first: your wage won't be raised; it stays the same. The work won't necessarily be easy; you'll have to run around with me everywhere, or run around for me everywhere."

"Understood. I can do it; Uncle Dong, just call me whenever you need something."

"Go then; while dinner is still being cooked, arrange the personnel beds first, coordinate well, and preferably put familiar people in the same room."

"Understood, I get it."

He ran off excitedly to find Old You.

Ye Yaodong crossed his legs, leisurely lit a cigarette, and watched people coming and going in the empty space before him; some were carrying things, others were tidying up.

Just as I said, once you've made money, you shouldn't be doing these trivial tasks yourself; if you need to hire someone, you should hire someone.

Why use an ox to kill a chicken?

Besides, what I do myself isn't professional anyway.

Hiring another assistant would also help him run errands and handle things, saving him from having to do everything personally.

Younger people are easier to train and are also diligent; old rogues are already set in their ways and aren't as easy to command as the young.

Ye Yaodong sat and rested for a while before wandering around again.

The three-story building being constructed only lacks the roof tiles on top; have the tiles delivered tomorrow with urgency, and it will be done in just two or three days.

Before this house is even finished, a third of it has already been rented out, and his own workers have also taken up several extra rooms.

Ye Yaodong was extremely satisfied; collecting rent alone could last for twenty years before he even considered whether to rebuild or renovate.

Buying land is truly the best; it's a business that guarantees profit with no loss.

He was thinking that once the fishing boats set sail and he earned his first pot of gold this year, he would travel around.

Tomorrow's priority is to first visit the various factories to confirm the daily quotas for the coming days, and he must also invite those bosses for massages to strengthen their bonds.

Ye Yaodong now has a bookkeeper and an assistant; with a bunch of trivial matters just coming in, he doesn't even need to arrange them himself.

Those who don't know things will first go ask his father, and only if it involves something his father doesn't know will they come ask him, making things much easier and saving him trouble; he can lie down right after eating.

"Dongzi, let everyone rest tomorrow; you can also take the opportunity to visit those clients of yours?"

"Yes, just in time to finalize the shipment volume so you can set sail."

"That's exactly what I was thinking."

"Try to hand over the work in your hand over these two months; anyway, the few boats are fishing not far away, so there can be mutual support, the danger is greatly reduced, and it will be relatively convenient for you to step away."

"I know; who doesn't know that staying at home is more comfortable? Are you going to invite those people for a back massage tomorrow?" His father laughed, rubbing his hands together awkwardly.

Ye Yaodong looked at his father suspiciously. "What are you doing? Are you going?"

"No, I want to get a foot soak; my toenail has grown into the flesh, and I can't get it out myself. It was pressed by something two days ago and bled, and the blood clot inside hurts again; I want to cut it out and get that toenail removed."

He breathed a sigh of relief, almost thinking his father had been there a few times and found a lover.

Then his sin would be huge; if his mother found out, wouldn't she skin him alive first?

"Just in time; I definitely have to invite them for a foot soak tomorrow to discuss the next day's cargo, so you can come along."

His father nodded.

"Do you want to get a back massage too?"

"Cough, you decide; if you get one, then waiting idly would be boring for me."

Ye Yaodong chuckled.

His father's old face turned red. "Go to sleep quickly; you have a bunch of things to do tomorrow."

After speaking, he hurried to turn off the lights.

There was no noise outside at this moment; after sitting on the boat for two days and a night, some even had to cook, everyone was very tired, and the weather was cold now; the night sea breeze could blow into the cracks of their bones, so everyone had long since returned to their own rooms.

As for whether there were other activities inside the rooms, he didn't care about them; anyway, they weren't setting sail tomorrow, so he could let them rest.

Early the next morning, Ye Yaodong took his father and the little assistant Chen Baoxing, bought a few cartons of cigarettes and some local specialties he had brought, and went around visiting to confirm the next day's cargo.

Then after lunch, he went to confirm some building materials, settled the accounts that needed settling, and bought a batch of what needed to be ordered.

It wasn't until almost dusk that he headed to the Chamber of Commerce.

The bosses in the Chamber of Commerce were relatively concentrated; they basically played cards in the afternoon, and when he arrived, there was already a game going on; those with good relationships and who were familiar were basically all there.

"Oh, you're back after the New Year?"

"Boss Dong spent the New Year and even got a bodyguard?"

"When did you arrive?"

Ye Yaodong smiled and said, "I just arrived yesterday; see, I immediately came to report. You guys arrived quite early?"

"We've also been arriving successively these past two days; a few came as early as the seventh or eighth."

"Stop playing; I'm treating you all to a meal and a back massage."

"Oh, that's great! Let's go, let's go, stop playing; the last four cards were a bomb, so I won't take your money; let's go."

They were all regulars, old rogues, walking out with arms around each other's shoulders, talking animatedly.

Ye Yaodong discussed business while walking and had Chen Baoxing take notes.

Chen Baoxing was a bit confused; did he really have to take notes while walking?

He quickly opened his notebook, bit the cap of his pen with his mouth, and hurriedly wrote it down.

"So it's not that you got a bodyguard, but that you got a secretary? Why not find a female secretary?" Jin Laixi teased.

"I have a nest of big men; why would I look for a female secretary?"

"What's so hard about that? Just rent a room outside, that's all."

"No, I can't handle it; women are very troublesome and have too many issues."

"You just haven't tried it..."

"Big brother, one is my father and the other is my great-nephew; you're urging me to find a female secretary in front of them..."

"What's wrong with that? Find one for your father and your great-nephew too; show filial piety to your father and let your great-nephew lose his innocence."

After speaking, Jin Laixi looked at Chen Baoxing's shocked expression. "Young man, you haven't lost your innocence yet, have you?"

Chen Baoxing shook his head like a rattle drum, and the pen in his hand almost poked a hole through the notebook.

Ye Yaodong had a headache. "Don't corrupt the child."

"Everyone is out here working to earn money; what child or not child? He looks like he's fully grown."

He changed the subject. "You need 1,000 jin of pomfret, right? What about hairtail? How about 5,000 jin?"

"Sure; since you're treating us to a meal and a back massage, what's not to agree to..."

Chen Baoxing retracted his darting eyes and quickly wrote it down again.

What an eye-opener!

So this is how Uncle Dong does business…

After they finished eating and returned to the alley, Chen Baoxing's eyes widened wider than copper bells, scanning everywhere like searchlights.

Every time they passed a shop, his neck stretched out long.

Only when he followed them inside and saw Ye Yaodong confidently order for his father did he become even more stunned.

Uncle Dong is so filial…

The key is, Ye's father also knew the place well—he sat on the bed and started taking off his shoes.

He's been here plenty of times, hasn't he?

It shocked the boy's young heart.

"What are you gawking at? Order one for yourself," Ye Yaodong said casually.

"Huh? Me? Order one?" He pointed at himself with his index finger, then shook his head like a rattle drum.

"Don't want? Then sit and watch."

"Ah… okay…" He obediently went to sit on the stool by the wall.

Everyone laughed.

Jin Laixi chuckled, "You're not being fair, nephew—don't you treat your cousin?"

Ye Yaodong asked Chen Baoxing again, "Want one?"

Chen Baoxing instinctively shook his head, but after glancing at them, he hesitantly nodded.

"Hahaha…"

"You're dragging an innocent kid into this!"

"We're teaching him how to be a man!" Jin Laixi declared confidently.

Ye Yaodong knew their nature and didn't argue—he'd already noted down most of the goods he needed to remember.

When they stepped out the front gate, Chen Baoxing still felt a little dazed.

"Uncle Dong… you're a regular here?"

"What do you think?"

He gave a thumbs-up. "Eye-opener."

"Don't pick up bad habits—this is just for show, just to broaden your horizons. You'll see plenty more later."

He nodded. "I know. I won't tell anyone."

Ye Yaodong: "… "

He turned to Ye's father. "Uncle, I won't tell anyone either."

Ye's father: "… "

Ye's father glanced at him, ignored him, and turned to Ye Yaodong. "I wonder if it'll be windy tomorrow. When we get back, ask the others whether we leave tonight or early tomorrow."

Ye Yaodong nodded. "You decide. We don't wait for anyone—others wait for us."

"Yeah, I heard the weather forecast yesterday—tomorrow's wind will only be force 3 on the sea. We can go out. Go ask tonight—if there's no problem, we leave at night."

"Alright."

"We've rested a month and paid out thousands in wages for nothing. With so many mouths to feed, we need to get out to sea and earn money fast."

"Mm."

As he walked, Ye Yaodong pondered: tomorrow he'd buy two tractors, then check on the shipyard's progress.

In his spare time later, he'd also tour more land—inspect it ahead of time so he could act the moment he earned his first bucket of gold, and also check on his other plot.

Su Ren wasn't home—he'd gone out earlier and found no one. He heard Su had taken his big truck out after the New Year.

He'd assumed Su planned to open a big massage parlor and wouldn't drive trucks anymore, but Su's wife said construction was one thing—he still drove his truck as usual.

He'd wanted to ask about the International Seafood Wholesale Market, but now he'd have to go see for himself, tour around, then ask again later when Su returned—his wife knew nothing either.

Just getting started, there were already so many small errands.

Good thing he didn't need to go to sea—he just had to manage things on land. The sea operations were now delegated to others, leaving him free time for other matters.

"Want me to go with you to buy tractors?" Ye's father asked.

Ye Yaodong snapped out of his thoughts. "No. I bought my Da Da Jiefang without calling you."

Ye's father grumbled, "Fine, you've grown wings."

"I haven't grown wings—could I have brought you to a massage parlor if I had?"

Chen Baoxing chuckled beside them.

Ye's father shot him a glare—he quickly lowered his head.

"I don't care."

Ye Yaodong stretched. "Now there's an extra person, we all have to walk home—bicycles won't work. Good thing you're going to sea tomorrow."

Ye's father was annoyed—he was being treated like an extra burden.

Chen Baoxing comforted him. "Uncle, when you get back ashore, let Uncle Dong take you again to relax."

Ye Yaodong snorted. "You're good at comforting people, huh? Bright future ahead?"

He scratched his head. "I think Uncle really likes it."

Ye's father slapped the back of his head. "What are you saying?"

He rubbed his head, slightly aggrieved.

What did he say wrong?

Ye Yaodong laughed outright.

Ye's father glared at the two of them, "I only came along because I had no choice—have you seen his friends? They're all the same."

"Oh… then maybe next time let me come with Uncle Dong? I like…" Chen Baoxing said softly, blushing.

Ye Yaodong laughed even louder.

Ye's father looked at him with disdain, "This fool of a boy…"

…I'll make up for it with another one tonight

(End of Chapter)