Chapter 1547: Discussion

Ye Yaodong paid no mind to how the two little girls were discussing things; he picked up the basket and headed out, spending the entire morning shuttling back and forth delivering gifts.

By afternoon, he went to the town, but once there, Hong Hong Wenle kept him until the third watch of the night before he returned.

The next day, he rushed straight to the city without stopping, working non-stop for seven or eight days before finishing all his business, even making a trip to Wenzhou.

All accounts were settled, wages were fully paid out, workers were brought back, and even the New Year gifts for the workers were all distributed.

He was nearly exhausted; having returned for so many days, he hadn't had two good nights of sleep, constantly on the road rushing about.

With his eyes closed, all he saw were the day's accounts, all money.

If he hadn't been determined to return before the thirtieth of the lunar month, he might still have been out there.

And after rushing about for so many days, he hadn't even taken a bath, always hurrying back and forth.

Only after collapsing into a chair at home, surrounded by his wife's care, did his heart feel relieved; only after washing clean did he feel both body and mind comfortable.

"Sigh, a golden nest or silver nest is not as good as one's own dog kennel."

Lin Lin Xiuqing poured out his bathwater, and coming in, collected his dirty clothes as well. "Making money leaves no choice; luckily, it's all over now."

"Yes, it's all over; busy from the fifteenth of the first lunar month straight to the thirtieth of the twelfth."

Ye Yaodong picked up the watch he had just taken off by the bedside and glanced at it. "Oh, not quite precise; there's still half an hour until the thirtieth of the twelfth."

"Once the busy period passes, it'll be fine."

"When will the three children grow up? Damn, I'm exhausted; I had children too late; I should have married at seventeen or eighteen."

"Then the wife probably wouldn't have been me, nor would there be these three at home; it might have been some woman of the same age in the village."

"That's true; don't bother anymore, tidy up the things you brought back tomorrow; it's already late at night, and early tomorrow morning you'll be busy killing chickens and ducks for the New Year's Eve dinner."

"Mm, I'll just take your dirty clothes and shoes out to wash tomorrow."

"Is the old lady's birthday set for the fifth?"

He had been busy outside; this was what Aqing told him over the phone when he called back, setting it for the fifth.

"Yes, the tables, chairs, benches, bowls, chopsticks, and everything else that needs renting have already been arranged; we'll move them over a day in advance. Dad has contacted the chef with First Uncle and Ye Erbo to finalize the menu; we just need to reserve the seafood and meat in advance and have the tractor pick them up on the morning of the day."

"In a couple of days, when someone goes to the city, order a few big cakes in advance and have someone pick them up ahead of time on the day."

"You want cakes too?"

"Of course; anyway, the children like to eat them, you like to eat them, and the old lady hasn't had any yet. They're soft and sweet, suitable for an elder to eat."

"Alright, you handle it; ask tomorrow who is still in the city and order early, or they might not be open on the fifth."

"Mm, have the invitations all been sent out?"

"All sent; relatives and friends have all received them, Hong Hong Wenle has been given one, and the godfather in the city has received one too. Check if there's anyone else who needs notifying."

Lin Lin Xiuqing simply tidied up a bit and lay down again.

These past few days, the couple had each been busy with their own things; Ye Yaodong had been outside and not at home, yet they still had quite a bit to talk about.

They chatted first, cross-checking the list of people to invite, only feeling relieved once they confirmed no one was missed.

Just for them, a conservative rough estimate came to dozens of tables; adding neighbors and friends, it would reach over a hundred tables.

After all, the old lady was eighty-eight years old, with descendants filling the hall.

In Ye Yaodong's father's generation, three brothers plus their wives, plus one sister, meant a whole bunch of relatives.

And in Ye Yaodong's generation, there were even more; at least a dozen cousins, and the next generation of those cousins was even more incredible in number.

The old lady had quite a few great-great-grandchildren, but they weren't around; she didn't even recognize them herself, recognizing at most a few great-grandchildren.

Mostly, she only recognized the grandchildren; when others told her, she had to be told which grandson's son or daughter, which grandson's grandson...

It was no exaggeration; people married early back then, and at eighty-eight, the old lady had branched out into five generations.

Ye Yaodong's father was the youngest; even the eldest grandson, Ye Ye Chenghai, was only twenty, but if they had married early, Ye Yaodong's father would already be holding a great-grandchild by now.

And if the old lady celebrated her birthday, friends with social obligations would certainly attend; speaking conservatively, more than half the village would come.

Ye Yaodong was a bit dazed by her calculations.

"Then that's at least fifty or sixty tables?"

"Of course; probably sixty-something tables in total. Dad said he would cover the cost for the old lady's birthday celebration; we don't need to pay. He, First Uncle, and Ye Erbo will split it according to their respective relatives; however many tables there are will be allocated then, split proportionally. Social gifts will be collected individually; shared relatives' gifts go into the common fund, and a bookkeeper, Mr., has been hired specifically to collect social gifts and keep accounts."

"Didn't I say I'd handle it? Would First Uncle and Ye Erbo be willing to pay?"

"Willing? Of course they are; after all, they can collect a sum in social gifts too; deducting expenses, they might even make a profit. Besides, these past few years, several older male cousins and brothers-in-law have earned quite a bit following you up there; splitting a little bit casually puts no pressure on them. Moreover, since we all agreed to hold a birthday celebration for the old lady, would they dare say no?"

"That's true."

Ye Yaodong was satisfied.

"So once Dad spoke, they agreed; it's rare to be so harmonious, with no disagreement."

"Then forget it; since I haven't been home these past few days and haven't had time to manage it, let Dad and the others handle it. Since it's already been discussed and settled, let it be; next time for the hundredth birthday celebration, we'll spend our own money to hold it for the old lady."

"That works too."

No wonder having money makes things easy; Lin Lin Xiuqing agreed without a shred of hesitation; this was the confidence money gave.

"Since there are sixty-something tables, the cakes..."

"Ordering three or four big ones is enough; how can the shop make them for sixty-something tables? It's enough if the main tables have them."

"Alright then; tomorrow ask who is still in the city and see how many they can make."

"Ah Cai seems to be in the city; I heard today he's coming back tomorrow."

"Then ask his wife tomorrow, give him a call, and have him run the errand."

"Mm."

"Is there anything else happening at home these past few days?"

"What? Dad secretly hid a ring, the twins found out and told, and then Mom gave him a beating; does that count?" Lin Lin Xiuqing found this funny too, smiling as she told him the story in detail.

"Your daughter whispered to the wolf dog, and Little Yu overheard; then when Dad came over, Little Yu asked Dad for it, and Dad gave it. Then, in the time it took to eat a meal, the twins came over asking for it too, just as the whole family was eating... hehe..."

Ye Yaodong laughed too; he could imagine his father's speechless expression at the dinner table.

"Dad explained that you bought him a gift before the New Year to reward him for his hard work this year, but when he returned, he forgot where he put it on the boat, couldn't find it, so he dared not tell her and had the children keep it secret."

"It was just the day after you left; Mom glared at Dad several times right then. If we hadn't been there, she probably would have beaten him."

"After explaining to Mom, Dad saw the twins pulling at his clothes, so he had to take out money to soothe them and let them go play outside."

"After eating, Mom told Dad to go find it on the boat; if he couldn't find it, he wasn't allowed to come back."

Ye Yaodong complained, "My mother is too strict, isn't she?"

"Men turn bad when they have money! Especially since you are out all year round; how can we not keep a tight watch? If there is money in the pocket, they will go to those shady places. Don't think we know nothing just because we are at home."

"Innocent! Others are others; Dad and I are completely clean."

"Mom did it to be safe! Old Pei could produce a son, so it's even harder to say with you lot who are out all day, especially with money in your pockets. Mom said men with money think about having more children."

Couldn't refute a thing. What to do...

"Uh... you can't knock over an entire boat with one pole."

"It's just that I can't go with you; otherwise, I'd have to go watch just like Ye Huimei. It's good that she goes next year; she can help out."

"That's good too. If the top beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked. Old Pei is old and still not honest; Ah Guang must be dishonest too. Only because I watch him from above does he behave and not do anything out of line. It's good to let Ye Huimei go watch him next year."

Save the fellow Daoist, not the poor Daoist. Pull someone out to block the hit first.

"Pah, you watch him? Who knows if you're conspiring together."

"How is that possible? I live with Dad. I'm so busy my feet never touch the ground. You saw it when you stayed up there for a few days; I'm busy until the third watch every night, sleeping only a few hours."

"Mm, so I believe you. But Mom isn't wrong; men with money just want to have more children..."

"Don't listen to her. She chatters all day with a bunch of aunts and gossipers. All those lies are made up by them. Don't let them corrupt you. Go to sleep quickly."

His mother didn't help him soothe the rear, but instead said all these things, corrupting his wife.

Blame his father for spoiling his mother. The husband's authority is weak; for decades, she has listened to everything his mother says.

"Sleep what? The words aren't finished yet..."

"You want to have more children, right? Then have a few more..."

Ye Yaodong rolled over and pressed down, no longer sleepy, preparing to prove himself with his body.

"What more can I have..."

"Even if you're tied up, you can still have children; just reconnect them. I'll give you five, six, seven, eight more. Your belly won't be empty; I'll make you give birth until menopause, and then you'll be at ease..."

Lin Lin Xiuqing was amused by his nonsense, "If they were really born, the fines would kill us."

"It's fine. It gives us motivation to make money, to create revenue and contribute to the country. Best to have a whole soccer team and kick them out of Asia."

"Stop fooling around..."

"Who is fooling around with you? I'm serious. You said men with money want to have more children, so let you have them. Have them until menopause, and you'll know my heart is on you."

"Haha, are you trying to laugh me to death?"

"What's so funny? I'm fulfilling your wish."

"Mom said it, not me."

"I think you think so too. Blame my unreliable father; others can have so many children..."

Lin Lin Xiuqing laughed uncontrollably.

In the end, the matter was dropped. She didn't keep bringing it up again and again. Otherwise, if she really had to have a few more children, how would she give birth?

?? This is an extra update. There is another chapter before 12 AM tonight.

? (End of this chapter)