Chapter 1544: Found It

Ye's father whispered furtively, "How much have you earned in this month and change since work started?"

Ye Yaodong lifted his upper eyelid and let it drop again. "Why do you want to know everything? I won't tell you. Have you packed your things?"

"What is there for me to pack? Just those two ragged clothes. The money is in the bankbook; I specifically gave it to Ah Qing to keep for me yesterday."

"Mm. I'll handle the finishing touches this afternoon. You have the workers move the warehouse goods onto the ship this afternoon too, so we can leave as soon as night falls, saving the trouble of moving cargo for hours. The holds of several ships can take it; don't pile it on the deck."

"And my ring..."

"Oh, I almost forgot... Then this afternoon, call a few idle workers to move the goods out sack by sack so you can identify your sesame-seed-sized mark."

Ye's father was depressed. "Now there's even more cargo."

"Who told you to hide it inside, and not even make a proper mark? With a mark that small as a sesame seed, I couldn't find it even with a magnifying glass."

He was truly at his wit's end.

His father was overly cautious; even making a mark, he feared others would notice. There were plenty of smudges and alterations on the sacks. Even if someone saw them, they wouldn't think much of it; it was perfectly normal. As long as he remembered the mark he made and could recognize it, that was enough.

"It's not that exaggerated. It was quite clear right after I marked it..."

"The sack mouth is tied tight; the wrinkles can hide it. You call that clear?"

"It must be found; we paid for it. If it can't be found, someone will get a huge bargain."

"Drag them out sack by sack and check. Only you can recognize the mark you made. I don't have time to accompany you on this search."

Ye's father frowned. "In a moment, I'll go back and have people move them out sack by sack first."

"Have Lin Guangming and Lin Lin Guangwen drive the big carts back too; load the cargo onto the ship in advance."

"Mm, I'll go handle it now, so people don't run around in vain later."

After speaking, Ye's father hurriedly left in a rush, truly anxious about his gold ring.

Ye Yaodong went out in the afternoon to collect debts. Lin Lin Xiuqing, having nothing to do, took the three children back to the main base to watch them load the cargo.

Most people had gone out to stroll; today was the only day they could wander freely, as they would be returning at night.

Fortunately, the logistics and daily delivery personnel were mostly present, so Ye's father could call on people to help move the cargo. After all, they usually had plenty of time during the day and didn't need to rush to purchase things today.

The three children watched as, whenever someone carried a sack out and placed it on the cart, Ye's father had to step forward, untie the sack mouth, rummage through it for ages, and only then retie it for someone to stack neatly on the cart.

The three curiously stuck their heads out, and Ye Chenghu even reached out to tug at the sack.

"Why untie it to look, then stack it up again?"

"To check if it's damp or if it's gone moldy."

"If it's damp, can you tell just by glancing twice like that?"

"Don't get in the way here; go aside."

Lin Lin Xiuqing came over and pulled him away. "If you're idle, go inside and help carry."

"Okay."

Ye Chenghu excitedly took off his cotton jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and went to work, even calling Yangyang to join him.

Ye Ye Chengyang ignored him completely, walked over to sit on a stool in the sun, and played with his Transformer.

Ye Chenghu failed to get a partner, but his enthusiasm remained undiminished. However, he had only dragged one down from the mountain-like pile of sacks and couldn't lift it onto his shoulder, so he could only drag it along the ground.

A faint sound of the cloth bag tearing rang out; he stood still, then watched as the bottom of the sack wore a large hole against the Shi Zilu, and the dried fish fell straight out through the hole.

Just as Lin Lin Xiuqing stepped forward to look, she heard him say, "Luckily it wasn't rice... otherwise I'd be dead..."

She poked his head hard. "You're good for nothing but causing trouble. Look at the mess you've made. You might as well sit there and watch like Yangyang."

"I was trying to help."

"You're just making things worse."

"What do we do?"

"Stay put and sunbathe honestly; you don't need to do anything."

Lin Lin Xiuqing went to get needle and thread from Ye's father and asked for a piece of scrap cloth to sew up the torn sack mouth.

Ye Chenghu moved a stool to sit beside her and watch her sew; the fallen dried fish had already been picked up by him.

If Lin Lin Xiuqing hadn't been scolding him while she sewed, making him dare not act rashly, he would have already untied the mouth and put the dried fish back. Only after his mother had scolded enough and finished sewing did he speak softly.

"Mom, I'll untie the strap and put the dried fish back."

"Mm."

Ye Chenghu quickly untied the bag, muttering, "I'll check for mold for Grandpa while I'm at it."

"Can you really not stay idle? I never saw you this eager when working normally; you wouldn't even pick up a fallen broom."

"I just can't stay idle... Eh, what is this? Why is there a handkerchief..." Ye Chenghu mimicked Ye's father rummaging through the dried fish in the sack, but instead discovered a white, fluffy piece of cloth.

Lin Lin Xiuqing looked over curiously and saw him unfold the cloth.

"Ah?"

"Ah! Holy crap! A gold ring! We're rich!" Ye Chenghu's eyes sparkled.

"Mom, I found a gold ring!"

"Yangyang, Xiao Jiu, I found a gold ring!"

"We're rich, hahaha..."

The workers heard it too, quickly put down the cargo, and gathered around.

"Ah, you can even find a gold ring like this?"

"Wow, it really is a gold ring?"

"Why is there a gold ring in here? We're really rich; you can even find things in these dried fish sacks?"

"Someone must have put it in there, right? Otherwise, how could it be possible?"

Ye Chenghu bit the ring with his teeth. "It's soft, it's real, hahaha. What I find is mine."

As he spoke, he slipped the ring onto his own thumb, overjoyed.

Ye's father heard the gold ring and rushed over, "That's mine..."

Ye Chenghu quickly hid his hand behind his back, "Don't talk nonsense, I picked it up—it's mine."

"Hahaha, I thought this ring looked familiar—turns out it's Ye Lao San's! You hid it in the dried fish sack on purpose, didn't you?"

"I wondered why he suddenly started sleeping in the warehouse—turns out he stashed his treasures there?"

"Chenghu, you should flip through it again—maybe your grandfather's secret stash is in there too."

"Hahaha, I knew why Ye Lao San spent the whole afternoon untying those sacks—never saw him inspect cargo like this before, claiming it was to prevent mold—turns out he forgot where he hid the ring."

"This is hilarious—if he hadn't found it, who knows who'd have gotten lucky."

Ye's father chuckled, "I just forgot which sack I put it in, that's why I'm searching—never again will I hide things like this."

"You brothers keep looking—maybe you'll dig up more secret cash."

The people around them laughed and teased the two brothers, Ye Chenghu and Ye Ye Chengyang.

But the two brothers took it seriously—Ye Ye Chengyang stopped playing with his Transformers and they kept rummaging through the sacks.

"Stop digging—there's nothing left, just one gold ring, nothing else inside."

But they ignored him; they hadn't heard Ye's father say anything either before.

"Really, there's nothing—otherwise I'd be more anxious than you."

"What about the other sacks? Hahaha, say the word—we'll help you flip through them. This pile's like a mountain—you won't find it by nightfall."

"Really, there's nothing— I hid the ring and dared not hide any money."

"Who knows? Maybe when your wife came recently, you feared she'd take it all, so you secretly stashed some away."

"No, I gave it all to her."

Ye Chenghu bent down and searched for a long time, but found nothing among the dried fish—"Really gone?"

Ye's father frowned, "I told you it's gone—gone! Don't you think I'd know if I'd lost it?"

"Fine."

"Give me the ring."

"I found it." Ye Chenghu tucked his thumb into his palm, gripping it tightly with his four fingers.

Lin Lin Xiuqing slapped him, "Show it—how can you refuse to return your grandfather's gold ring?"

Ye Chenghu grumbled, "Isn't it finders keepers?"

"I'll take you out to buy something to eat."

"No, I already bought a bunch from Magu."

"Then give it to me—I'll give you two yuan, you can buy whatever you want."

Ye Chenghu silently calculated how much two yuan could buy, then reluctantly returned the ring.

But no one expected that he wasn't the only one with two yuan—Ye Ye Chengyang and Ye Ye Xiaoxi each got two yuan too.

So he'd searched for nothing? He didn't even get more than them.

"Why give them two yuan too? This was clearly my find!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing glared at him, "If you don't give them two yuan, will you use your two yuan to buy them food?"

"No way." Ye Chenghu shoved the money straight back into his pocket and clutched it.

The other two were delighted—this unexpected bonus was a pleasant surprise.

After everyone else left, Ye's father resumed loading cargo as usual, then whispered to the three: "Don't tell anyone, understood? Especially your grandma."

The three suddenly realized—it wasn't equal treatment, it was hush money.

Ye Ye Chengyang nodded knowingly, "So that's why you were so generous!"

"Nonsense, when have I ever been stingy? Don't I buy you snacks and give you money every day?"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi beamed, "I promise I won't tell anyone."

Ye Chenghu was dissatisfied. "I found it—why do they get the same as me? I should get more!"

Ye's father reached into his pocket again, pulled out a handful of small bills, and counted: one yuan, thirty-five fen.

"All yours—mixed change, my pockets are empty now, not a single fen left."

"Hehe, that's more like it." Ye Chenghu greedily emptied his father's pockets and stuffed the money into his own.

Lin Lin Xiuqing scolded, "Don't spoil him—what kid acts like this? When we get home, I'll beat you..."

"No need to beat, no need to beat—just buy them food. Put it in the savings jar, don't spend it all at once, understood?"

Ye's father was glad the ring was recovered—out of others' hands—and happily gave his grandchildren a few yuan.

"Understood."

With the ring found, Ye's father no longer bothered sorting through the cargo—he told everyone to just load it onto the cart.

"Hahaha, really nothing left?"

"Really nothing—just hid the ring. Found it, that's enough."

?? This page makes up for last night's update of only 4400—combined, this and the previous total 7400. A new chapter will update as usual before midnight.

? (End of Chapter)