Chapter 1451: Going Back

The next day, Ye Yaodong began supplying a portion of goods to the Chen family, not too much at first, just five tons.

You have to know, with his dozen or so boats working there, the 40-meter and 30-meter fresh catch collection ships going out every other day to collect a batch could gather three or four hundred tons; five tons really wasn't anything.

So, him running around everywhere now was also to find buyers; with such a large volume, only factories could digest it quickly and stably.

And this was just his dozen or so boats; with tens of thousands of fishing boats locally, just how staggering would the daily catch be? Trading was happening constantly, and the daily transaction volume alone was an astronomical number.

No wonder that entering the 1990s, fishery resources rapidly depleted; by 1995, the Bohai Sea and the East Sea began implementing the summer fishing moratorium system.

With such rampant fishing, coastal fishing boats all concentrated on a few fishing grounds; how could they not deplete? No matter how many resources there were, they weren't enough for long-term destruction.

He planned to supply Chen Jiannian a small amount first to try it out, then gradually increase the volume to let the factory get used to it, and at the same time let Chen Jiannian act as an intermediary for him, helping to run business for other factories, also letting him earn some price difference.

This person started from scratch and still managed to secure such a large order from a processing factory; the fact that the factory could owe so much also showed he had some capability and connections.

However, he figured it would be best to have his own processing factory too; this way, the catch he fished himself could be digested by himself, avoiding relying on others, and he could have a full chain. He heard that currently, any industry was easy to do.

Originally, his investment in the factory in his town was also to digest his own goods, but before the factory even opened, he had run further and further away.

Now, his background here wasn't great, he had no channels, the competition here was fierce, and there were no professionals to help him, so he didn't dare to go all out and make a fuss.

Last year and these past two months, he had made enough of a fuss; let's take a buffer first.

Ye Yaodong flipped through the calendar, looking at today's date, April 5th; it was a coincidence, just starting to supply goods from the beginning of the Qingming Festival.

When he came up last month, it was the 17th of the lunar month, March 3rd; from then until now, it had been exactly a little over a month.

According to the continuously increasing supply volume later, he planned to finish the advance payment within a month, around May 1st, Labor Day.

That meant advancing about 1,000 yuan per day on average; now delivering five tons a day was about five or six hundred yuan, and as it gradually increased later, it could reach the figure of 1,000 yuan.

The more goods there were, the less valuable they became, especially when selling to factories for purchase, and in such a major local port, the price of goods was also fiercely competitive.

But at least the volume was large, and purchasing was also trouble-free.

By then, starting from May 1st, Chen Jiannian would have money to pay him, and he estimated that in another two months, he could repay the factory's payment, leaving only the debt owed to him.

Ye Yaodong scribbled and calculated on paper, feeling that the more he calculated, the more confused he became.

It meant that later, when supply stabilized without increasing the quantity, he would have to supply Chen Jiannian for three months before Chen Jiannian could repay the factory's debt.

And once he started supplying the factory, he could receive the full payment for the goods, no longer needing to advance money for Chen Jiannian.

However, once he started receiving the full payment from the factory, he would also have to pay Chen Jiannian a sum as an intermediary fee.

This was what they had agreed on; after all, this factory was also Chen Jiannian's connection, and he couldn't leave the person out when supplying the factory later.

By then, if Chen Jiannian had the ability to sell more of his goods to the factory, he could earn more and repay his debt to him earlier.

Ye Yaodong went out again to call the accountant, Old You, over, asking Old You to calculate how long it would take to break even.

However, since the money hadn't been earned yet, he could only estimate a rough figure.

Chen Jiannian's goods payment of seventy or eighty thousand yuan wasn't going to be repaid that easily; it wasn't that simple. He figured that relying on the intermediary fee, it would still take a few years to repay the money he advanced; that was already a blessing.

Most likely, he would still need to develop other businesses and do other work.

But with him agreeing to let the debt remain, there would still be a steady stream of intermediary fees, which would definitely be much easier and give something to look forward to.

At the very least, relying on the intermediary fee, he could repay it over a few more years; it wouldn't be a bleak future with no hope in sight.

"Boss, I think this is also cost-effective; you can have another factory supplying goods stably. Later, if we supply a bit more goods, we can also get more money."

"Is it cost-effective to let someone owe seventy or eighty thousand? Relying on the intermediary fee, it's estimated to take a few years to repay. With such a few years, I could easily multiply it several times over."

Old You smiled awkwardly, "It seems so."

Ye Yaodong waved his hand, "Let him owe it; just consider it helping him out. It can also be considered saying goodbye to the previous unpleasantness. With his studious spirit, he should be able to recover, and he can also do other things to make money; it won't take a few years to repay."

He nodded.

"Go get busy."

Ye Yaodong continued flipping through the calendar; it wouldn't be long before the kelp could be harvested, and he had to instruct the fresh catch collection ship going out tomorrow to tell his father to come back.

He had to let his father stay on shore to help him deliver the goods; after delivering for ten days or half a month, he would have to go home once. He would hand this work over to his father, let Chen Baoxing assist his father in counting, and have the accountant, Old You, keep the accounts.

Last year, his father had also delivered goods with him for a period, so they both knew how to do it; these two people would just have one help him record the goods for each family, and the other help him record the payment for the goods; he would just go along to collect the money.

In this month or so, the two of them had both gotten used to the work.

Knowing he was going home once, when his father was called back the next day, he was actually a bit apprehensive and asked without even resting.

"How long will you be back? When will you come up again?"

"If it's fast, half a month? If it's slow, maybe a month? I don't know; since I haven't been back, how can I say? Anyway, once the matter is done, I'll come up. It's not a very difficult job; didn't you follow along last year? It's simple."

Now, basically, only the fresh catch collection ships were returning soon, then he would go to the dock to receive the goods, arrange delivery, and after delivering all the goods, handle the remainder, working through the night.

It meant that as long as he worked every other day, the rest of the time he could just wander around himself.

The quantity delivered to the factory had a daily quota; for the merchants, anyway, just take Chen Baoxing over to talk, and since his father was familiar with everyone, Chen Baoxing would naturally help record it.

"No... I was thinking, will I also take them for massages like you do later?"

Ye Yaodong raised an eyebrow, "Our points of focus are quite different."

He thought his father was worried he couldn't handle it.

But his father was thinking whether he also needed to take the bosses for massages like him?

"Didn't I see you taking them there quite frequently?"

"Then why don't you ask yourself if you also need to accompany them to play cards?"

"This... playing cards isn't that important."

"You do as you please, handle it yourself. Sometimes I invite them a few extra times; after all, I'm making money from them, and they are basically conscientious and take turns. We don't go there every three days or two days; it's occasional."

"Then I'll see when the time comes. You leave a bit later and come up earlier."

"Understood."

Ye Yaodong took out the calendar again to flip through it; his father also stretched his head over to flip through it with him, then pointed with a finger.

"The 17th, 18th, and 19th are all suitable for travel; they are also the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of the third lunar month. The timing is just right; go back at this point and come back during the May 1st Labor Day."

He flipped back and forth, "The date is no problem, but if I go back, since I won't be sailing the boat myself, I'll have to take a cargo ship. Who knows if the sailing time passing through our area will be that coincidental?"

"Go back on a cargo ship? Yeah, that's true—since you didn't bring your own boat, taking a cargo ship isn't that convenient."

"Tomorrow, go ask at a few cargo ship offices near the dock."

Taking a vehicle is impossible—you'd have to transfer so many times you couldn't even count it on your fingers; nothing's as convenient as a direct boat ride.

Speaking of this, he thought of Lin Ji.

That guy said he was coming up to set up an office branch here and launch a shipping route.

They'd agreed he'd come up with him after the New Year, but when he left, no one showed up; when he asked his wife, she just said something came up and he couldn't leave.

These days, it's not easy to contact someone unilaterally, especially when they're away.

Later, he got a message from the merchants' association—it was left by Lin Ji, saying he had urgent business and couldn't leave then, but would come along next time he returned.

If he sets up a shipping branch here, he'll definitely pass through our city.

If they're coming back, we just need to confirm the schedule ahead of time, make plans, and it'll be incredibly convenient—and we can feel more at ease.

In the future, our round trips will be much simpler.

He didn't really care whether Lin Ji would set up a sea shipping branch here, but now he wanted him to do it ASAP.

When I go back this trip, I'll definitely call him, urge him to come up quickly—there'll be plenty of chances to travel back and forth later.

Ye's father frowned. "That's quite a hassle."

"When transportation's inconvenient, that's why people who travel far can't return more than a few times a year. It's not that they don't want to come back—they just can't afford to come often. In villages without phones, once you leave, you're effectively cut off."

"Then let's leave it like this for now. Ask again tomorrow. It's only the 5th anyway."

"Go take a bath and rest."

"Mm."

After Ye Yaodong fixed the approximate time for his return, he started looking for cargo ships the next day.

But luck wasn't on his side—he ran around all day, compared options, and found that a cargo ship passed through their provincial capital only once every ten days or so, and none went all the way to their city.

He could only pick one that fit: one departing early on April 20th.

He'd first arrive at the provincial capital, then track down Lin Ji and hitch a ride on his shipping route back to the city.

As far as he knew, Lin Ji's cargo ships ran one or two trips per week; if it was inconvenient, he could just call ahead and have his family send a tractor to pick him up.

Even with all this hassle, this was still the most convenient option—just one transfer and he'd be home.

After setting his homecoming date, he prepared to pick two logistics workers to return with him.

It'd give them company, and also serve as a benefit—giving everyone a chance to go home, so they wouldn't have to spend a whole year without seeing their families.

When they heard, everyone eagerly gathered around, wanting to go back with him.

There weren't many left behind in logistics—only five or six—so he prioritized two whose families had urgent matters, or who had wives and children they needed to see.

He also said they could take turns; next time he returned, he'd bring others.

No one objected—those with wives and children needed to go home more than bachelors.

He also called home ahead of time to tell Lin Lin Xiuqing he'd depart around the 20th; the cargo ship would make multiple stops, arriving at the provincial capital around the 23rd, and he'd be home by the 24th at the latest.

Lin Lin Xiuqing was thrilled.

"That's wonderful! You never gave a fixed date—I thought you wouldn't make it back this month."

"Of course I'm coming back. Before, Chen Shuji told me I had to be home by the end of this month or next. I just got his call two days ago."

"Chen Shuji called you?" she was surprised.

"Yeah, I didn't answer, so he left a message—I called him back."

"Then when you get back, we really should do an interview with you? Make you a model of how the rich help the poor?"

She was getting excited just saying it.

Her husband was going to be in the newspaper again—this time, all the people in the province would see him.

"He said exactly that—said at the May 4 Youth Day meeting in the county, I absolutely had to be there. He said this year's seaweed grew exceptionally well, and this year's aquaculture area expanded threefold over last year, so I had to arrange to get home before month's end."

He only received Chen Shuji's message after setting his approximate return date.

After calling her, he still needed to call Chen Shuji to confirm his return time.

Chen Shuji had said that even without exact seaweed harvest figures, he could estimate roughly and report a higher number—it was collective income, after all, and whatever the number was, it belonged to the village; overreporting didn't matter, just say it was an estimate.

With so many ships under his control, creating hundreds of jobs for the whole village, leading everyone to strive upward, and raising the average annual household income to over 2,000, making their village famous throughout the county, he already deserved that honor.

In 1988, if a rural household earned 500 yuan a year, that was already excellent—equivalent to a steady 40 to 50 yuan per month; earning 1,000 yuan meant they were wealthy.

In rural areas, food and drink barely cost anything—most of it was saved.

In their village, every household earned over 2,000 yuan annually.

After all, the men worked with Ye Yaodong to earn money, the elderly raised seaweed at home, the women filleted fish—everyone in the family labored to generate income.

Even if a few households lagged behind, Ye Yaodong's personal wealth alone would raise the village's average.

Chen Shuji's report was conservative—he feared reporting too much might harm Ye Yaodong.

"That's definitely settled then. This year's harvest is huge, and they'll start gathering seaweed around mid-month, finishing by month's end. The past few days, the village has been bustling—everyone's cheerful, already planting bamboo poles and cleaning open spaces; preparations are nearly complete, so they can dry the seaweed quickly while the weather's good."

"Mm."

For the next few days, he accompanied his father delivering goods, traveling around and informing all his clients that he'd be returning home for a few days, and his father would handle deliveries in his absence.

It was busy, yet also empty.

?? Spent the day at the hospital visiting, got back at 9 p. m. —old people are truly fragile; one child simply can't manage alone, what if the children are unavailable? My family has three siblings—my sister's in Hangzhou and can't come, but I can take turns with my mom and brother to care for her.

?? Under general anesthesia, entered surgery at 8 a. m., came out at 12 p. m. —they said it was serious; the nasal cavity was completely filled with sinus polyps, pus and inflammation, and a cartilage in the middle of the nose had been pressed into a hole—it was terrifying.

?? From 10 p. m. the previous night, no food or water allowed—only family could moisten his lips with warm water, and he couldn't eat until after 5:30 p. m.

?? (End of chapter)