Chapter 1539: Receiving the Leader

Ye's father muttered softly, "One gets settled and another comes; it was hard enough to keep Ye Chenghe's side quiet, and now Ye Ye Huimei shows up..."

"It's fine, everyone gets a share; she lives there anyway watching the child, and we are busy every day with our feet not even touching the ground."

"Hmm, it's good she came; a couple staying apart forever isn't right; after all, where does it matter where you raise the child? We are here too; if she comes over, we can look after her."

"That's the idea; if it weren't for A Qing being unable to leave, I would have wanted to bring her over."

"You go back several times a year..."

"No, I only went back once this year."

"Once for a month."

"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and get on the vehicle..."

Ye Yaodong never found the time to tell his father his plan; the two of them were busy until late every night, and during the day he ran out again.

To make his processing factory more and more prosperous and expand its scale steadily, he ran around every day building connections and securing orders, taking advantage of his free time to get to know as many people as possible.

Otherwise, when he goes to the deep sea next year, what will happen to the factory? He definitely has to stabilize things now first.

Moreover, after the New Year, he will have to continue hiring, hiring sales staff; once orders are secured, production volume can rise, so whether he is there or not, it won't matter.

This isn't difficult; it's much simpler than recruiting technical management talent.

He also needs to print some flyers to distribute, and advertise in newspapers and such; he will leave that to the factory management; his main focus must still be on building connections and taking orders; only by taking more orders can the factory be revitalized.

Ye's mother returned after about a week in Shanghai, deliberately timing it to arrive the day before the return ferry.

With no phone, the father and son couldn't contact her these days and could only wait for her to arrive on schedule the day before.

Fortunately, the Shanghai ferry didn't stop that day, they didn't encounter bad weather, and transport was still possible.

Every day, Ye Yaodong had people stationed near the dock waiting for the fresh catch boats; recently, he also instructed them to help check if there were any signs of his mother returning at the cargo dock.

So, as soon as they saw her, they immediately went back to notify them to come and pick her up.

When Ye's father picked her up, he scolded Ye's mother, "You had to time it to the very second; how much stuff did you buy? You might as well just move Shanghai back home."

"Do you have that kind of money? If you have that kind of money, give it to me, and I'll move it back."

"Are you getting cocky? The ferry tickets for tomorrow's return were bought long ago; if you couldn't get back from Shanghai today, see what you would do."

"We asked long ago and listened to the weather forecast; we were supposed to return yesterday, but we couldn't buy tickets yesterday, so even if we wanted to, we couldn't return. Otherwise, could we have waited until today to time it perfectly? Am I such a person with no sense of propriety?"

"These sacks piled so high, one on top of another; what did you buy so much of? Moving it back as if it didn't cost money, stuffed to the brim..."

Ye's mother grabbed her flatbed cart and wouldn't let him touch it.

But without Ye Yaodong needing to direct, the two hangers-on helped Ye's mother pull the cart; Ye's mother was happy to be idle and could still argue a few points with Ye's father.

"Chattering endlessly without stopping; what does it matter to you? I didn't ask you to help; plenty of people are carrying things for me."

"Buying for this one, buying for that one; don't you find it troublesome?"

"Anyway, I didn't buy anything for you; rest assured, not a single thing of yours is in there."

"Can you even carry it back?"

"I managed to get it here, so of course I can get it home."

"Nonsense; you still have to rely on me..."

Ye Yaodong didn't say a word; the old couple could argue from the dock all the way to the processing factory.

By the time they got off the vehicle, they had already bickered about who did more work these past years, who suffered more hardships, and who was more hardworking and meritorious.

"Fine, fine, fine, you are the one suffering; you do all the work; so just keep doing it; anyway, you're used to working, you're used to suffering; give it all to you; if you don't suffer, you won't be used to it."

After the goods were unloaded, Ye's mother dropped that line, patted her backside, and left.

Ye Yaodong almost couldn't hold back his laughter.

Ye's father nearly couldn't catch his breath, "Tomorrow you take her back; I won't take her."

"We can rest for many days at home; you won't take her?"

"She's so capable; let her go back by herself."

Ye Yaodong ignored his father's angry words; saying this now, when the time came tomorrow, his father would still help carry the goods onto the ferry as usual.

Ye Chenghe leaned over and whispered slyly, "Third Uncle, how about I take Grandpa to send Grandma back? Then bring Third Aunt up?"

"I'm afraid you'll sell yourself."

"How could that happen?"

"Just honestly save up more for a wife fund; Ajiang's secret stash is definitely much bigger than yours."

"That's for sure; he doesn't have a wife; I have to spend money on my wife, buy her gifts."

Ye Ye Chengjiang said, "Luckily I don't have a wife; everything I earn I spend on myself."

Ye Yaodong smiled and said, "Then keep it up; best to remain a bachelor for life; then all your money is spent by you alone; no one spends your money."

Ye Chenghe mocked him, "Then it's over; when you die, no one will cry at your grave or burn incense."

Ye Ye Chengjiang flew into a rage, "Only you will die with no one to bury you."

"I have a wife who will help me bury me."

"Damn it; having a girlfriend makes you so proud? You haven't even married her yet, yet you shamelessly call her 'wife' over and over; do you have any shame..."

"At least I have someone to call; you don't even have anyone to call."

Ye Ye Chengjiang was so angry he didn't know how to reply and could only look at his smug, villainous face.

Ye Yaodong patted his shoulder, "Are you stupid? Can't you scold him? If he keeps nagging, tell Chen Xiuni that he runs off every day to sing, drink, and chase girls."

Ye Ye Chengjiang instantly brightened, "Right, why didn't I think of that? He has a girlfriend, I don't; I don't have a relationship, he does."

Ye Chenghe couldn't laugh anymore, "Third Uncle, why are you helping him set me up?"

"I just see that your heads aren't very smart; I'm anxious; at least when it's time to remind, I should remind you a few times so your heads can be a bit sharper."

"Is this the time to remind?"

"Of course."

Now Ye Ye Chengjiang was acting like a man who'd just found power; he patted Ye Chenghe's shoulder and said, "Keep it down, or if you keep strutting around like you're so important, I'll make sure you never get a wife."

"Brother, don't be like that. Didn't Third Uncle take us there?"

"Then tell me, did you go or not?"

"Since you went, I had to go too to see it for myself; otherwise, I'd have nothing in common with any of you."

"What common topics could I possibly have with you..."

Ye Yaodong ignored their chatter and went to the canteen to cook some snacks to eat.

Both brothers had returned driving tractors and were waiting; before long, the fresh-fish collection boat should be back too. Once this busy period started, he'd be working until midnight again, with no time even to eat dinner.

For now, he'd eat some snacks in advance to fill his stomach.

Later, when delivering the goods, he wouldn't assign his father to drive anymore; Lin Guangming and Lin Lin Guangwen, the two brothers, could just swap one of them to drive the tractor. After all, the big truck only needed one driver, he'd sit in the passenger seat, and the unloading workers would huddle in the back.

Tonight, he'd let his father rest; they still had to catch the early-morning boat tomorrow, and he could also keep his mother company. She'd been here for a week, yet his father hadn't spent even two days with her.

However, when someone notified them that the fresh-fish collection boat was returning, his father eagerly insisted on going with them.

"It's rare that I give you a night off to keep my mother company; won't you keep her company?"

"Keep her company for what? We're an old married couple; at our age, what's there to keep company about? I'll keep her company when we go back tomorrow. We'll be together for several days on the boat, and we'll still be facing each other for many more days at home."

Seeing his father already climbing onto the tractor, Ye Yaodong just let him be; if he wanted to do it, let him do it.

Was an elderly couple really that scary?

The night delivery lasted until midnight. Before 5 a. m., while the sky was still pitch black, he got up to send his mother off.

Since Ye's father had slept at the processing factory the night before, when he got up, he rode his motorcycle there alone.

At this moment, Ye's father was helping Ye's mother load a pile of items bought in Shanghai onto the tractor.

When they came, Ye's mother had only a small bundle; now, as they returned, there were many burlap sacks.

"I don't know how many things she bought; she carried them up and down the stairs several times..." Ye's father muttered to himself.

Ye's mother, however, was very happy. "These are all money. Once I move them back, I'll earn at least several hundred, maybe even over a thousand."

"Blowing smoke. Where's it that easy to earn money?"

"What do you know? I even turned down many orders; otherwise, I'd have earned even more. Just the wool coats I've been wearing these past few days, everyone's fighting to buy them. Taking one wool coat back and selling it earns twenty or thirty. I heard if you go to Guangzhou to wholesale, it's even cheaper, earning at least half again as much; Shanghai just has newer styles than our place."

"You already know all that?" Ye Yaodong asked, curious.

"Of course. Let me tell you, these weren't bought in the department store; I bought them from roadside stalls. I heard they got their stock from Guangzhou. If it weren't so far away, I could do this business myself."

Ye's father habitually teased, "Look at you, so capable."

"Anyway, since I'm already here, of course I'd bring some things for the villagers on the way; I can earn a little for myself too. If they hadn't asked me to bring so many things, I'd have just thought about bringing a few things along as a favor."

"Say less and hurry up to think if anything's been left behind; otherwise, once we leave, we can't come back to get it."

"Nothing's left; everything's been brought. When I came, I only brought a set of clothes and money; nothing will be left behind."

"That makes sense. People might get lost here, but money won't."

Ye Yaodong said, "When you board the boat later, ask what time that boat returns. I asked, and they said after arriving at the destination, they'd rest for about three to five days, then load another full cargo and head back."

"I know. Once I'm on the boat, I'll buy the return ticket along with the one we came on."

"Then once the goods here are loaded, let's go. I'll take you to the boat, and afterward, the tractor can be driven back by me."

"Okay, let's go."

The sky wasn't even bright yet; the road was still pitch black, but there were many vehicles, all delivering goods. Along the way, the air smelled only of gasoline and fresh seafood.

The scent of seafood just landed on shore was still quite fresh and wouldn't smell bad yet, especially since it was winter.

The pier was, as usual, packed with people; everywhere, goods and seafood were being moved. The streetlights shone as bright as day, and despite the bitter cold, everyone was bustling with energy.

Ye Yaodong parked the tractor at the docking spot first, then went to find the cargo ship. Only after locating it did he come back to call his parents to bring the goods over.

After both of them boarded the ship, he continued waiting on the shore as usual.

The boat hadn't reached its departure time yet. Although it was already fully loaded with cargo, he worried something might change, so he kept waiting on the shore until the ship departed.

Ye's father kept waving from the ship for him to go back, but he only waved back; he didn't move until the ship was moving, only then could he return with peace of mind.

The cold wind howled, and the wind on the pier was even stronger, blowing so hard it made his scalp tingle. Fortunately, he was fully equipped: wearing a hat, a scarf, gloves, and a mask, wrapped up tightly. Standing in the cold wind for an hour or so was no problem.

"Why are you here?"

Ye Yaodong turned and saw it was Lin Ji.

"I'm wrapped up like this; you can still recognize me?"

"With your build and those two eyes showing, how could I not recognize you?"

"Is the boat about to leave?"

"Not yet. I came to check if all the cargo is loaded and to verify everything carefully before letting the ship depart."

"So you're waiting for the next boat to go home for the New Year?"

"Yes. Only after all the goods that need to be shipped before the New Year are shipped can I go home peacefully for the New Year." Lin Ji asked him in return, "When do you plan to go back?"

"Around the twentieth? It depends on the weather and the production situation at the processing factory."

Those fishing boats at sea were very convenient; they could be recalled at any time.

But the processing factory wasn't that convenient; they had to check the rush-production progress, finish the goods in advance, and arrange the outgoing shipments so they could take their holiday on schedule.

"When can I come take a look at your processing factory? I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to visit."

"You're welcome anytime. If you need goods, just contact me directly; I'll give you a good price."

"Heh, okay. Has your mother boarded the ship?"

"She went up with my father. I'm worried something might happen to them, so I'm waiting here first. Once the ship leaves, I'll go."

"Very filial."

"Of course. How could I feel at ease letting those two elderly people take the boat by themselves? Only when the ship departs can I relax a little, and only when I receive a call after they arrive home can I be truly at ease. It's only because this boat goes directly to the town that I can let them go back by themselves; otherwise, I couldn't allow it."

"Then you wait here slowly; I'll go get busy first."

"Good."

Ye Yaodong smoked while glancing at the boat from time to time; the sky gradually brightened, for dawn wouldn't break until 6:30 now.

Once the boat started, he pinched out the cigarette butt, and Lin Ji also disembarked.

The two continued chatting idly, waited another half hour, and it was 7:30; only after the boat set sail did they leave together.

Thinking that since they had met, picking a day was no better than seizing the day, Lin Ji decided to simply follow him to the processing plant to take a look.

Coincidentally, while he was drinking tea in the office, the phone rang.

It was a call from Lin Guang, notifying him that a leader would visit tomorrow morning, telling him to prepare but to keep a low profile.

After Ye Yaodong hung up, Lin Ji asked, "A leader is coming? Where did you get such connections to expand so quickly?"

"A Qing's nephew is serving in the army here; he asked if I could arrange jobs for his discharged comrades, and that's how I connected with the leader. After the New Year, some discharged soldiers will be arranged to work here."

Lin Ji was extremely surprised. "You can pull off something like this? If you get this going, won't you become a designated reception factory for discharged soldiers?"

"That is the idea; having a big mountain to lean on makes work easier, but orders and production capacity must keep up. So help me out, brother; bring more orders, and I can add machines and people."

"You pulling this off is incredible."

"Who knows what will happen? The military doesn't just release discharged soldiers here willy-nilly; they must come and inspect first."

"That is still good news."

"Let's just entertain them tomorrow; nothing is settled yet."

He dared not speak too confidently; who knew if there would be changes? Until it was settled, nothing counted.

"I'll make some contacts to see how much cargo we can get; conveniently, there's a ship available before the New Year to arrange transport back."

Ye Yaodong clasped his fists toward him. "Many thanks."

"It's a pity; I'm short on people too, but I dare not accept them."

"Forget it; yours is clearly turning something covert into something overt."

"I'll go first; I have a pile of things to busy myself with. I'll tell you once it's settled."

"Alright."

After seeing the person off, he returned to the office, propped his feet up, and began assigning work, notifying them to arrange for people to clean the factory.

Before getting off work this afternoon, the factory's domestic waste and fish waste must be cleaned up thoroughly; the ground must be washed clean to avoid seafood piling up and smelling too foul.

Also notify the workers that equipment will be inspected tomorrow; headgear, gloves, and sleeve covers that should be worn must be fully prepared. Although requirements are given daily, occasionally someone forgets to wear them or does something else, and we usually turn a blind eye.

"Starting tomorrow, whoever fails to wear proper hygiene equipment will have money deducted directly; we cannot turn a blind eye. For something we eat, hygiene must be guaranteed."

"Understood."

"Management has been a bit loose so far; it should have been strictly enforced when work began. Starting tomorrow, strict requirements must be enforced."

"Alright, I'll write this into the factory's rules and regulations today."

"Mm, the workers must also be notified that a leader is coming to inspect tomorrow. This concerns the factory's future development; everyone must perk up. If the factory does well, you all will do well too."

"We understand this. During lunch break, I'll hold a general meeting, and another general meeting will be held when the night shift starts."

"Mm."

After Ye Yaodong gave his instructions, he felt relieved; these trivial tasks didn't require his worry in the first place.

Taking advantage of the early hour, he rode his bike out again, planning to buy some good tea and tea snacks to entertain the leader tomorrow.

Once tomorrow passes, this matter can be finalized; he can also rest his heart, for at least the factory's future is guaranteed.

All day, Ye Yaodong kept this matter on his mind; in the afternoon, he stayed at the processing plant, wandering everywhere, even the dormitories, checking where cleaning or improvements were needed, striving to leave a good first impression on the leader.

The factory workers, while working, also chattered and speculated, guessing what big shot was coming tomorrow?

Everyone still thought this newly opened factory had no background and was run by an outsider; they didn't expect a leader to come inspect, so they speculated all day.

Starting from noon, the processing plant also switched to cleaning mode; cleaning and tidying were happening everywhere.

It was a newly operating processing plant, open for less than a month; everything still looked brand new. Compared to some small workshops, it already looked quite grand; at least the area was large, with dormitory buildings and an office.

With his father gone and friends out at sea, Ye Yaodong had no one to talk to, so he could only keep this matter to himself, looking forward to the next day's arrival.

The next day, he woke before dawn, tidied and groomed himself until clean and neat, put on a formal Zhongshan suit and small leather shoes, ate breakfast, and went to the processing plant to wait.

They only said they would come in the morning; he didn't know what time. He estimated they would arrive around work start time, after all, leaders aren't that idle.

Just as he guessed, around 8:30, the gate guard ran over hurriedly, saying the leader had arrived.

Ye Yaodong was puzzled; he hadn't heard a sound. He went out to look and saw them pedaling several bicycles; that was too simple.

"Little Uncle, the leader has arrived..."

He stepped forward with a full face of smiles. "Good morning! Ah Yuan didn't tell me what time yesterday; otherwise, I would have sent a car directly to the pier to pick you up."

Four people had come: two middle-aged men with square faces and upright expressions, and two young men, one of whom was Lin Guang. Not many people had come.

The middle-aged leader in the navy uniform said, "No trouble; bicycles are very fast and convenient. The pier is full of vehicles; driving a tractor over isn't as convenient for navigating as a bicycle."

Ye Yaodong couldn't make out what the stripes and stars on the shoulders meant; he didn't know how to judge rank by shoulder bars. He felt some regret in his heart; how could he have forgotten such an important thing? He should have asked Lin Guang what rank and position his leader held.

Yesterday, when he asked how many people, he said he didn't know yet; when asked what time they would come, he also said he didn't know. He knew nothing about anything. Plus, with Lin Ji present, he didn't ask further.

"Little Uncle, this is the leader, this is the Political Commissar, and this is Hu Yizhou, the squad leader of my engine room class."

After Lin Guang introduced the three to Ye Yaodong, he introduced Ye Yaodong to them.

"This is my uncle. My uncle is only about ten years older than me; he has loved us the most since childhood. Many times, he grants every request; he is much easier to talk to than my parents. Since childhood, he has bought toys for us siblings."

"So I thought that since others in the class will be discharged next year, and I learned some have families with poor conditions, perhaps I could ask my uncle to arrange jobs for a few of them."

"My uncle agreed immediately, saying that hiring anyone is hiring, but hiring discharged soldiers is better. His fishing boats also need experienced people; those trained in the army give him more peace of mind."

While listening to Lin Guang speak, Ye Yaodong smiled and shook hands with them one by one, then invited them inside first.

"Yes, at that time the factory hadn't started operations yet; it was just under construction. When Ah Yuan mentioned it, I thought since we were hiring anyway, we might as well help soldiers in difficulty."

"They are heroes who protect the country and defend the homeland. Being able to settle them here to work is also my honor. Let's go inside first."

The square-faced leader also smiled and said, "We should be the ones thanking you. Settling discharged soldiers has always been a major issue. Let's not mention the massive demobilization in previous years; now, every year there is a batch of discharged soldiers, and some situations are very special."

"Hehe, I'll first show the leaders around the factory. It only started operations at the beginning of this month, so the scale isn't large yet, but with order volumes growing, we'll also expand hiring after the New Year. Let's go see the workshop first, and later we'll head to the dormitory building..."

Ye Yaodong led them, chatting as they looked around, explaining the work the workers were doing and the machinery in operation, letting them understand the job positions.

At the same time, he called over the two people in charge of the factory to inform the leaders about the current welfare and benefits.

Everything that needs to be said and discussed must be made clear to the leaders.

The lucky draw on the night of the 30th will proceed as usual; I'm just worried the monthly votes will explode, so I'll delete this single chapter first and post it again on the 1st.

? (End of chapter)