Chapter 1482: The Unheaded Flies

After the few of them filled their stomachs, they went to look for a guesthouse first.

This was also the result of them discussing it while they ate.

It was truly too hot at high noon; just from walking over from the shore, everyone was already drenched in sweat.

Added to that was a bowl of hot noodle soup, and the sweat poured down like rain; one by one, they took off their clothes again, going shirtless.

Only Ye Yaodong remained properly dressed, occasionally lifting his hem to wipe his face; he was worried about getting sunburned and peeling from this venomous sun.

After they inquired about the location of a guesthouse from the shop owner, they went straight to find it.

It wasn't far away; there was one nearby. This place was close to the pier, making it convenient for travel and shipping, with easy coming and going.

"Dongzi, after we find a guesthouse, where should we go?" Aguang felt a bit uncertain.

The few of them had followed Ye Yaodong here purely on a whim, and for the past few years, they had mostly just followed whatever Ye Yaodong said to do.

Especially Aguang, who had followed him and earned quite a bit over these years.

Fatty had also started his own business under Ye Yaodong's instigation, and now he was doing quite well, having earned a lot of money.

They had already developed a habitual way of thinking, accustomed to listening to him for everything and taking his opinions as the priority.

That was why, as soon as they heard Ye Yaodong was coming to the Magic City, everyone followed along. It just so happened that they had hired workers to work on their boats, so they were currently free and had money. Mainly, they were also the type who couldn't sit still, so of course, they followed.

Now that they had arrived in a place where they were unfamiliar with the people and the land, the few of them were like headless flies, feeling uncertain, and all of them looked toward him in unison.

"After finding a guesthouse, go and give a heads-up to Ashang, tell him our base of operations, and then it's already 3 o'clock. Do you plan to wander around the Huangpu River, or take a bus directly to the city to look around?"

"Ah?"

They didn't know.

The few of them looked at each other, and not one of them spoke up.

Ye Yaodong supported his forehead; they really were all headless flies.

"Hehe, Dongzi, what do you think?"

"Dongzi, you decide; we are all fine with it."

"We'll listen to you."

Ye Yaodong said helplessly: "Once settled, we'll tell Ashang our base, and then we'll ask the people around here where the Jiangnan Shipyard is located, and how far the city center is from here. We should ask what needs to be asked first; otherwise, we don't know anything, and like headless flies, where can we go?"

"Hehe, you're right."

"Hehe, whatever you say, we'll do. Wherever you go, we'll go. You just handle it; no need to ask us."

"That's right, you just make the decision. We followed you here in the first place, so we'll listen to you."

"Fine then."

That was also fine; it saved everyone from having their own ideas—a bunch of people with a bunch of ideas, and not knowing whose to listen to.

Having them all listen to him also saved trouble; just consider it bringing a group of obedient bodyguards out.

After agreeing, they continued forward to the guesthouse, each opening rooms as needed. Ye Yaodong took his two nephews in one room, and the other 4 people in another.

He didn't need to worry about the rooms for Lin Ji; he didn't know how they arranged it, but after all, he still had workers on his boat.

"It's still convenient now; you don't need introduction letters to go anywhere anymore."

"We said it doesn't matter if we don't have introduction letters."

"Why don't we have those ID cards they talk about?"

"Do only they, the Magic City people, have them?"

"Dongzi, how do you know it hasn't spread to our place yet?"

When they were opening rooms just now, the front desk asked them to produce ID cards, and they were all stunned; they had no idea what an ID card was.

Only Ye Yaodong reacted, saying that they hadn't collected them in their hometown yet, and only then did they discuss paying a bit more to get the rooms opened for them first.

In 1984, the capital first launched the pilot work for issuing certificates, and subsequently, nine major cities including the Magic City and Tianjin also carried out pilots one after another.

By September of the following year, there were already resident ID card regulations, providing a legal basis for the comprehensive issuance of ID cards.

By 1986, ID cards began to be officially issued nationwide. Various places, in accordance with the State Council's five-year centralized issuance plan, carried out the issuance work in stages and batches, from cities to rural areas.

Their place was the most rural of rural areas, and it hadn't been their turn to collect them yet, but they had heard about it in the city.

With the village as a unit, they began collecting photos and information, gradually completing the popularization of ID card processing.

Village by village, it probably wouldn't be long before it was their village's turn.

Ye Yaodong remembered that in his previous life, it seemed it was also near the end of the year when village cadres went door-to-door to notify them to prepare photos in advance, waiting for the police to come and register the information.

He estimated that if it wasn't this year, it would probably be the end of next year, and at the latest, it wouldn't exceed 1990.

"I heard it from my mother; the towns already have police and neighborhood committee staff going door-to-door to promote personal ID cards. With the village as a unit, it probably won't be long before it's our turn."

"I saw their little card just now; it's actually quite convenient, just a tiny card, soft."

"This is much better than paper introduction letters; no need to fold and unfold, just take it out and show it."

"Once they issue us personal ID cards back home, it will be convenient to go out in the future."

"Mm."

"This Magic City is indeed the Magic City; just arrived and already saw things we haven't seen before."

"There are plenty of things we haven't seen. Once we go to the city center, I guarantee everyone's eyes will be dazzled. Shall we go back to our rooms first, put our things down, and then gather in the lobby? Then go out together?"

"Sure, we'll listen to you."

Everyone was even more obedient; they encountered a problem as soon as they came out, and fortunately, Dongzi handled it.

They went to their rooms, put down their luggage, sat for a little while, and then went down.

According to what Ye Yaodong said, they went to the pier first; it was also convenient to ask about things at the pier.

Zhanghuabang Pier was twenty or thirty kilometers away from the Jiangnan Shipyard, and taking a bus would take over an hour, having to go around half of the Shanghai Bund.

It was no longer suitable to go at this time of day; they could only wait for the next day.

And if they went to the city center, it was also twenty or thirty kilometers, and taking a bus would take one or two hours. The city center at this time was not Lujiazui, but Huangpu District.

Shopping was mainly concentrated in the traditional commercial areas of Puxi, such as the Magic City No. 1 Department Store, or Hualian Commercial Building, City God Temple, such as Nanjing Road, Huaihai Road, North Sichuan Road, Yuyuan Mall, Xujiahui, etc.

When they asked the old men sitting at the door enjoying the cool air nearby, they were almost stunned, with a pile of place names.

Fortunately, Ye Yaodong was prepared, brought paper and pen, took them out directly to record, and asked people to repeat them again, speaking a little slower.

A good memory is not as good as a bad pen.

What's more, they were a bunch of country bumpkins from the countryside, not even knowing the roads, and not knowing where to go. Ye Yaodong was the same, so he could only ask and record well, and then wander everywhere when there was free time.

They came to broaden their horizons in the first place, so it was best to look everywhere, record all the place names that should be recorded, and if there was anything they didn't know later, ask others to supplement it, and by the way, they could also make comparisons.

Ye Yaodong took out two cigarettes, and asked for a pile of useful information; it was still very effective.

By the time they finished asking, half an hour had passed, and they didn't need to go anywhere else; it was almost 5 o'clock, and the sun outside was still very fierce. He simply continued to sit and chat with the old men, to understand more about the Magic City of this era, to avoid being in the sun.

Others who couldn't sit still could wander around nearby along the Huangpu River.

As soon as he finished speaking, they immediately walked out.

Anyway, with him arranging things, everyone didn't need to use their brains, leaving him here was fine.

Ye Yaodong watched them walk into the sun one by one, shook his head, let them get sun-baked to death; anyway, he didn't want to be in the sun, the sun was still very venomous at this time.

By six o'clock, when the sun was about to set, it would be about right to wander along the Huangpu River then, just right for a walk and to blow in the breeze.

These idiots.

The location where Lin Ji unloaded cargo was not far from where he was enjoying the cool air. When he led a boatload of workers and walked over slowly, Ye Yaodong was the first to wave at him.

"Are you going to eat first, or go to the guesthouse to arrange accommodation first?"

"Go and settle on a place to stay first; otherwise, there won't be any rooms if it gets late."

"Fine, it just so happens I'm free, I'll lead you there."

Lin Ji looked around, "Where are the others?"

"Went to sunbathe."

"???"

"Sunbathe for a while along the Huangpu River, and see what's different about the sun here compared to the sun at home."

"The difference is huge; here it's scorching, at home it's both sunny and cool."

The two walked and chatted, and Ye Yaodong also took the opportunity to ask him what plans he had for the next few days, and when his return boat was leaving.

"In 7 days, I can only set off after collecting a batch of goods these few days. Why were you sitting there just now? Why didn't you go with your friends?"

"Didn't I say it? They went to sunbathe, I didn't want to be in the sun, so I sat there chatting with the old man, and by the way, learned about the Magic City."

He also took the opportunity to show his manuscript, but the other person didn't understand it.

Lin Ji took a look and even leaned in closer, but still didn't understand what was written.

"Since you have already asked clearly and understood, then I will follow you."

"Have you been here before?"

"I've been here a few times."

Ye Yaodong slapped his thigh, "Should have said so earlier! Those guys are all pigs, don't know anything, and when I ask them, they all look at me."

"It's fine, it's lively with many people and there's company."

"Then wouldn't it be fine if I just follow you?"

"Let's discuss it together. I don't know where everything is, nor do I know everything. What's more, things are changing with each passing day now; even if I haven't been here for a few months, I can see different places."

"Fine, then let's explore together. I plan to go to the Jiangnan Shipyard tomorrow. Are you going? Then who will arrange your cargo?"

"I have an assistant. I plan to leave people here to receive cargo, and by the way, rent a network point nearby. In the future, long-term transportation will definitely be needed, and a decent network point is a must. If I arrange cargo transportation now, it's still for transporting for friends."

"Then you won't be with us tomorrow, right?"

"Mm, rent a house first tomorrow. Once rented, I'll go apply for a telephone installation, and then I'll be with you the day after tomorrow."

"Fine, I advise you not to rent a house; if you can buy, buy it yourself."

"That's what I hope too, it's just not very easy."

"Then just buy a piece of land and build a network point yourself. It's best if the area is a bit larger so you can build a warehouse again."

"You're right, but it depends on luck; it's not certain that someone will sell."

When Ye Yaodong returned to the guesthouse, the few of them hadn't returned yet, and he didn't care about them; anyway, if they couldn't find him, they knew to return to the guesthouse.

Taking advantage of being at the guesthouse, he asked the front desk carefully about the place names he had just recorded.

The front desk originally had a bit more patience because he looked handsome, but later she was annoyed by his questioning and threw him a map of the Magic City directly.

This made Ye Yaodong excited; this was exactly what he was missing now!

He asked for a pile of place names, but he didn't have a concept in his mind, nor a specific orientation.

With a map, he could find them by matching them, and then study the routes well, and how to go in the next few days.

This map was quite comprehensive, with both Pudong and Puxi marked out. Ye Yaodong looked at it with an excited face; then he could just look at the map and find Pudong directly.

The Oriental Pearl Tower and Lujiazui all belonged to Pudong, just on the east bank of the Huangpu River, facing the Bund across the river. He saw the Huangpu River on the map at a glance.

However, there was no Oriental Pearl at this time. At this time, Lujiazui was an area dominated by farmland, factories, and low-rise residential areas.

Ye Yaodong looked at the map, his mouth crooked with a smile, and immediately took out money to buy the map from the front desk.

?? Too sleepy, my brain is like paste, my eyelids keep fighting, going to sleep first, will write a chapter during the day.

? (End of chapter)