Chapter 1543: Preparing to Return

Going to Magic City again, everyone except Ye Yaodong was bursting with enthusiasm.

How is one or two visits enough?

The three children wished they could just move in and never go home.

Even though it was their second time, their eyes still couldn't take it all in; after just a short while, the small schoolbags were already full.

Just as the two brothers regretted that the bags couldn't hold any more, Ye Ye Xiaoxi pulled a snake-skin sack from the side pocket of her bag, shook it out, and wore a face full of pride.

"Ah, damn, how did you even bring a sack?"

She was smug. "Hmph, I'm smart."

Lin Lin Xiuqing was stunned. "You brought a sack? How much stuff are you planning to stuff back?"

"Stuff it full and take it back!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing laughed and took the sack from her. "Can you even take it back? Can you carry it? You're not even as tall as the sack."

"There's Second Uncle!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing lifted her small schoolbag. "Nothing in here belongs to me; why should I help you carry it?"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi immediately hugged his waist, pressing her face against his stomach. "Second Uncle, you're the best, Second Uncle, help me carry it, and I'll bring you here again next time."

Ye Yaodong chuckled, tugging on the two small braids on her head. "Who brought you here? Don't you have any idea in your heart? And you still have the nerve to make big promises."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi hugged Lin Lin Xiuqing's waist. "When I grow up, I'll bring you here."

"You might as well wait until I'm old and carry me here on your back."

"No problem."

Ye Chenghu snorted lightly from the side. "Blowing smoke."

Ye Ye Chengyang chimed in from the side as well. "Just good at coaxing people to be happy."

Lin Lin Xiuqing took the sack from her hand. "Perfect, I'll use it to pack my stuff later."

"Mine..."

"Do you have money? Be good, and I'll bring you out to shop again tomorrow; otherwise, tomorrow you'll go back to the factory with your dad."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi pouted, then dug into her schoolbag again and pulled out another one.

"Hmph, I have more..."

Ye Yaodong casually took it away. "Perfect for packing New Year gifts. We're going home soon; we need to grease palms everywhere. Packing a whole sack to take back to Zhou City for early gift-giving is just right."

Actually, he had brought a sack; since they were already here, how could they buy things without something to carry them in?

Moreover, he planned to use this trip to buy all the necessary New Year gifts, not just for home, but also to strengthen relationships with the bosses of various factories in Zhou City.

This trip was purely for him and Ah Qing to go on a massive shopping spree.

First, they would buy everything the three children liked to satisfy them, so the couple could then shop around with peace of mind.

Ye Yaodong also brought the flatbed cart his father made, so that when they bought a lot of things, they could pull the load with less effort.

Naturally, this flatbed cart was handed over to his little assistant, Chen Baoguo, to drag along at the very back.

As a result, no goods were loaded, but three lazybones were loaded instead.

After the three children's schoolbags were stuffed to the brim, they didn't want to leave or shop anymore; today's goal had been achieved.

So, once one climbed onto the flatbed cart, the other two quickly followed, so they wouldn't have to waste their legs, though it would be quite taxing on the person pulling.

The couple saw their lazy behavior but said nothing, only praising them for being clever; this was better than them making a fuss about wanting to go home.

The two of them hadn't bought anything yet, hadn't even started their shopping spree, and going home was impossible; they needed at least a full day of good shopping.

Dragging them along on top of the flatbed cart was also convenient.

However, once the pile of goods grew too large, they would have to get down and walk; fortunately, they were all big enough now and didn't need to be carried.

Ye Yaodong stayed for only two nights; after buying everything, he went back alone first, carrying the purchased goods. With the return date approaching, he was even busier.

For the remaining few days, he let Chen Baoguo lead them around Magic City to play; this young man had been supervising construction in Magic City for over half a year, so there wasn't a corner of the city he wasn't familiar with.

Wherever there was good food, fun things to do, or new attractions, he would just ride his bicycle during his spare time and find out everything.

With someone who knew the ropes leading the way, Ye Yaodong could safely head straight back.

Besides handling the factory's pre-New Year deliveries, he also had to keep an eye on the fishing boat to ensure it didn't delay his departure time for the journey home.

The closer the date got, the busier he was, with his feet barely touching the ground; all day long, he was either out collecting payments or delivering New Year gifts to build relationships, so that once the start date for next year was set, deliveries could be arranged.

Even when Lin Lin Xiuqing specifically calculated the time to call him in the morning, he didn't answer; he could only listen to the relayed date of the return ferry and arrange for a tractor to pick them up in advance.

The three children were so happy they forgot to think of home; just after returning from Magic City, they were already thinking about coming again next year.

Lin Lin Xiuqing was also exhausted after taking the kids shopping for a few days, and upon returning, she didn't even run into Ye Yaodong.

It wasn't until the middle of the night that she saw him return.

"Have you been very busy these two days? I haven't seen you since you came back this afternoon until now, and the last couple of days when I called, they said you weren't there."

"Busy, incredibly busy. I've been greasing palms everywhere; today I even took the time before dawn to lead people to inspect and bring back the fishing boat. Every day I can only sleep three or four hours before I have to get up."

"Some things can be left to others; haven't you hired people?"

"But many things still have to be handled personally. Can gift-giving be left to others? Of course, I have to deliver them myself. People recognize my face, not the faces of others in the factory; if I step in and chat a few words, any deal can be sealed."

"Alright, so we're going back the day after tomorrow?"

"Yes, the fishing boats will all be back by the afternoon; the workers will have the day off tomorrow, and the factory workers will be on holiday too. The cargo arrangements are nearly complete; we'll do some finishing work tomorrow daytime, and we can set off for the return journey the day after tomorrow at dawn."

"That's good."

"Next year, we'll hire more people; then the factory will be handed over to others to manage, and I won't be involved, just checking in occasionally. Next year, we'll call Lin Dongxue over to work; she's studying accounting, so when we go back for the New Year, you can discuss it properly with your maiden family."

During their chats with Lin Lin Xiuqing these past few days, they had touched upon the situation with the children at home, and Ye Yaodong also knew that Lin Lin Dongxue would graduate next year.

He planned to offer a higher salary to get someone to come here to help; the finances must be kept in his own hands, otherwise he wouldn't feel at ease letting go of control.

However, Lin Lin Xiuqing is just his cousin, and Lin Lin Dongxue belongs to Lin Lin Xiangyang's family; he planned to mention it to Lin Lin Dongxue after they returned.

For now, he was just telling Lin Lin Xiuqing in advance to keep her in the loop.

Lin Lin Xiuqing had already known the answer a few days ago; hearing him bring it up again, she nodded.

"Mm, tell her when we go back for the New Year. Although it's a bit far from home, it's still work at our own factory, which is better than working for someone else."

"That's for sure. I'll pay her a higher wage too. When we go back for the New Year, I'll also tell Ye Ye Dasao and Ye Ye Ersao. Ye Jingjing and Ye Xiuxiu are about to finish junior high. If they really don't get into high school, let them learn accounting."

"Both sisters-in-law are dead set on getting them to start working at the factory right away to earn money. They'd rather they stop studying now and go straight to work to make money."

"They really don't know how to plan. What use is a junior high diploma? Of course, they need a skill. After graduation, they can work at the factory during the day and attend night school in the evening; it won't get in the way."

"Mm, learning more is definitely no bad thing."

"Of course. I'm short-staffed everywhere. Working for your own uncle, how could I shortchange them?"

"We'll talk about it when we get back."

"Pack your bags tomorrow too, check them, see if you've forgotten to buy anything. If you spot something missing, you can still go buy it tomorrow. We set off early the day after."

"I know that."

Ye Yaodong, exhausted after a whole day, came back with his eyelids fighting to stay open. While speaking, he stripped off his clothes, and even as he lay in bed, he forced himself to stay awake just to finish his words.

Lin Lin Xiuqing had barely replied when she heard his snoring start; it showed just how tired he had been these past few days.

She had been tired during her few days in Shanghai too, but she had already slept through the fatigue upon returning today, so she wasn't that sleepy and felt quite alert.

Hearing him asleep, could she not get up to check next door on how the children were sleeping? She could even tuck a blanket over them before returning to sleep again.

With her getting up and lying back down, there was not a single reaction from the person beside her, only the snoring growing louder and louder.

The next day, when Lin Lin Xiuqing woke up, the person beside her was still fast asleep; it was only when she moved that his arm tightened around her waist.

Ye Yaodong held her, his head resting in the crook of her shoulder. "What time is it?"

"It's 8:30."

"Then let's sleep a bit longer."

"Aren't you busy? It's already 8:30. Don't you need to work? Didn't you say you were so busy you didn't even have time to sleep?"

"Yesterday, I handled most of it; there's nothing too urgent left. Today is just wrapping up. No need to get up so early. It's rare to get to sleep in. Let's get up a bit later and lie here a while longer."

"Okay."

If he wasn't busy, then she was even less busy; she was a free person and could lie there as long as she wanted.

As for the three children, Ye's father had brought them breakfast, so they didn't care at all; they could stay in the room all day.

After all, they had bought a lot of new toys, stationery, and children's storybooks. The novelty was strong, so they wouldn't even think of coming over to wake their parents.

The couple also lay there comfortably and leisurely until 10 o'clock before slowly getting up.

The next room was already empty. The three children had played in the room for half the morning, and only before they got up did Ye's father take them out to play.

Knowing this, Lin Lin Xiuqing exclaimed, "It's so refreshing! Rarely do we have a day without having to look after the three children, and we can sleep until now."

"They've grown up, haven't they? No need to look after them; just give them something to eat."

"Nonsense. Raising a child for a hundred years, you worry for ninety-nine."

Ye Yaodong did not refute.

The factory already looked empty today, with hardly anyone around. Yesterday, the workers had collected their wages and gone on holiday when they got off work.

The only ones left were the boatmen on the fishing vessels, part of the logistics team, who were occasionally called over by him to help.

"It's suddenly so quiet..."

"It's fine. It's still lively outside. Once we leave, it will be lively as usual."

"We're not driving this big truck back, are we?" Lin Lin Xiuqing pointed to the Dongfeng parked in the courtyard.

"No. With the New Year approaching, the roads are even less safe. It's safer to go back by boat. Just leave this truck here; it won't disappear. The security guard will be on duty as usual every day."

"Have the duty rosters been arranged?"

"Yes. Everyone wants to earn triple wages. Last year, many signed up, but few stayed. This year, we need more people; both the main base over there and this processing plant here need people to watch them."

"Oh. Is there anything else you haven't done?"

"There are the accounts. I'll reconcile them today, and we can head back early tomorrow morning."

"Then you go get busy with that. I'll call home to notify them that we're returning tomorrow."

"Mm."

No one knew where Ye's father had taken the three little ones. After Lin Lin Xiuqing finished her call, bored and not daring to disturb Ye Yaodong, she could only wander around.

But before that, she had confirmed with the security guard again and again that it was Ye's father and her eldest brother who had taken them out. Only then could she feel slightly relieved. Wandering around outside would also help her look for them.

When Ye Yaodong finished his work and asked, he learned she had been looking for the children the whole time; he was speechless.

"When did you become so stupid? Just make a phone call, that's all."

After speaking, he directly led her to the office to make a call. A simple inquiry revealed that Ye's father had taken them to play over there that morning.

Just as the workers were on holiday, with many people coming in and out, it was lively. They even had lunch there and had long since finished and left; by now, they were probably almost back.

"I was foolish."

"Pregnancy makes you stupid for three years. You've been stupid for six years. With three children, that's eighteen years of stupidity."

Lin Lin Xiuqing glared at him in mock anger. "Don't talk nonsense. Who in the village doesn't praise me for being smart and good at making money?"

"I haven't heard that. I only hear people say you know how to choose, marrying such a good husband."

"I won't argue with you. Let's go. We need to eat lunch too. We only had some pastries with water this morning; I've been hungry for ages."

Seeing her rosy complexion, wearing a red down jacket with her hair in a ponytail, looking fresh and beautiful, Ye Yaodong felt a sudden itch in his heart. He reached out and lifted her onto the office desk.

Lin Lin Xiuqing was startled. "What are you doing? It's broad daylight... This is an office... The windows are still open..."

Panicked, she kept looking behind her. Seeing the open door and the wide-open windows made her even more anxious, fearing someone might see.

Seeing her panicked state, Ye Yaodong felt even more like teasing her.

Actually, he hadn't intended to do anything much; he just wanted to hug and kiss her. After all, she had no makeup on her face, having only applied some cold cream when she got up early. Her clean, fresh face was perfect for a kiss.

If her face were full of makeup, he wouldn't even want to bite; there would be nowhere to put his mouth.

Clean and tidy, it looked refreshing.

And he did exactly as he thought, leaning over to kiss and lick her face.

"Stop fooling around. Why are you like a dog, licking? It's all your saliva..."

"Mom... Mom... where are you..."

The couple was still flirting when they heard the child's cry; Lin Lin Xiuqing quickly pushed him away, climbed down from the table, wiped her face, and then walked out.

"Hey, I'm here."

The three of them jogged toward the office.

"I've been calling for so long, why didn't you answer me?"

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"We looked everywhere for you, ran upstairs to the room to find you, didn't see you, then went to the processing factory, didn't see you either; turns out you were hiding in Dad's office."

"Right, your dad is reconciling the accounts; I'm just waiting for him so we can go eat together. Have you eaten?"

"We have, we're all full. You big lazy bug, sleeping all day and not getting up."

"I'm too tired. Do you think following your heels all day isn't tiring?"

Ye Yaodong then locked the office window and door and came out. "We're going to eat; do you want to come?"

"No, we're full."

"Then go play in your room and pack up your own things. We're leaving in the middle of the night before dawn. If you leave anything behind, you'll have to wait until next year to get it."

"Oh." The three spoke in unison, then ran upstairs together.

Ye's father asked, "Are the accounts all reconciled?"

"More or less. I'll go collect the outstanding payments this afternoon."

Seafood deliveries to other people's processing factories were all cash transactions; no one was owed money, but his own processing factory had outstanding payments owed to him.

After all, this wasn't a case of money for goods on the spot; it involved paying a deposit for production, then delivering the goods later.

When coming to pick up or deliver goods, some would settle the payment immediately; other times, if people weren't quite flush with cash, they would owe a portion, and the balance would be settled only after everything was converted to cash.

But most transactions were still cash-based: pay first, then get the goods; if you have no money, I'll sell the goods to someone else.

Right now, it was still a seller's market; with goods in hand, there was no worry about selling them, as there were plenty of buyers.

The accounts he reconciled this morning were mainly to verify whether the profits since work began were correct; the outstanding debts outside were secondary, since not much was owed and could easily be collected with a simple request.

?? Too sleepy, I'll make up a chapter tomorrow. I have to get up early to work tomorrow, so I'll sleep first.

? (End of this chapter)