Chapter 1604: Family Dispute

Not all factories pay upon delivery; some large-volume factories sign upon delivery and then wait a week or a few days before he has time to collect the payment.

After all, settling in cash is sometimes quite inconvenient; to get large factories to order more of his goods, he naturally has to let them owe him, but he won't indulge small factories—what if they go bankrupt before paying?

Moreover, the current norm is cash settlement; he only lets them owe money to secure orders from large factories, since his volume is simply too large.

So, after stamping a pile of private seals early this morning, he had just delivered them to Lin Lin Dongxue when she handed him a stack of forms she had prepared long ago.

"Uncle-in-law, these are collection notices; the paid and unpaid amounts are listed clearly above. You need to go collect the debts."

"So many?"

"It's been several days, plus some that General Ye didn't collect before; one or two accounts have been outstanding for nearly a month. Those are hard to collect; you'll have to go get them."

"Fine. Next time, if a salesperson's order hasn't been settled, tell them to collect it themselves. How much their year-end bonus is depends on how much debt they collect back."

Lin Lin Dongxue nodded. "The payment from last night hasn't arrived from Ajiang and Chenghe yet. Once I've collected all the funds, you'll need to send two people to take me to the bank; that's safer. Otherwise, I'm worried about being robbed on the road. I've wanted to tell you this for a long time, but you weren't here."

"Once it's all collected, I'll take you there, and we can go collect debts on the way."

"Okay."

"When I'm not around, have Ajiang or Chenghe, or ask your two brothers, to take you. Or you can ask my father to take you."

"How could I possibly ask your father?"

"It's no trouble; the safety of the money is most important."

"Okay."

"You can also ask the young men at the factory; just call whoever you like."

Lin Lin Dongxue couldn't help but laugh. "Did my parents ask you to introduce a match for me?"

"A while back, before I came up here, I heard them complaining in the city that you and Aiyuan's two oldest are the most troublesome."

"I know. I have my own ideas."

"Mm."

Ye Yaodong was too busy to worry about the marriages of these younger ones; mentioning it twice was enough. He wasn't their father, let alone a matchmaker.

Recently, he had gradually made all the necessary arrangements, and the factory was also expanding.

A few days ago in Shanghai, he had also reserved the large machinery needed after the expansion, which should arrive before the New Year.

Before he went, he had already contacted the machinery factory by phone, so the negotiations went very smoothly at the time.

Meanwhile, back home, he was also calling to arrange the next shipment of goods; another ship would be arranged to deliver goods back in the next couple of days.

Coincidentally, several ships should be docking soon to return for rest and repairs, so personnel could be reassigned, giving those originally at sea a chance to go home and visit their families.

As for the personnel arrangement for delivering the goods back, he planned to ask his father to go; after all, the processing plant was now under his supervision, and his father was idle anyway, so going home would let him brag for two days.

The only unresolved matter was the manpower issue; the army hadn't yet sent new retired soldiers to him.

A while back, the political commissar had brought people over to inquire about and visit the previous batch of retired soldiers; everyone knew he had settled them very well, so arranging more people to come later would definitely be no problem.

It was just unknown when it would be finalized; it had only been a week, so there was likely still some dragging on. It would be good enough if people could be arranged to come next month.

Just as he was thinking this, the office phone rang.

"Hello, Uncle-in-law?"

"Aiyuan? Good boy, you finally remembered to call. I've been waiting for this call for a full month."

"I went aboard the warship; there was no way to contact me, and I couldn't receive your letters. I just got off the warship this morning, received your letter, and immediately called you."

"How's the training going?"

"It's okay, just so-so; I'm used to it. I'll ask for leave tomorrow to come see you. Also, regarding that personnel arrangement you mentioned, I'll go see the political commissar this afternoon..."

"No need. Your political commissar came a while ago and has already started making arrangements."

"Ah, it's already arranged? That's good. Although arranging retired soldiers isn't a big deal, it actually gives these leaders quite a headache. Since you can accept and arrange them, they are very satisfied, and it even got my name on the list... My application to serve one more year has been approved..."

Lin Lin Guangyuan chattered on about his own affairs; because of wiretapping, he only spoke about what he could say.

Ye Yaodong didn't quite understand some of it, but he listened carefully.

"... Lin Lin Dongxue will be working here after the New Year, right? I haven't come to see her yet; I'll come by tomorrow to take a look."

"Sure. Since you just got off the warship, go rest first. We can talk tomorrow when you arrive. Aiming and Awen are here too."

"Okay. It's been a long time since we met. Uncle-in-law, you really make it convenient here to get them all over."

"They also have to be willing to come."

"That's great; having someone to look out for each other here. I'll hang up first; I need to hurry and submit a report to apply."

"Okay."

After hanging up, Ye Yaodong told Lin Lin Dongxue that Lin Lin Guangyuan had just called, saying he would ask for leave to come tomorrow.

Lin Guangming and Lin Lin Guangwen happened to be in the finance office counting money and checking the order forms; hearing this, they were especially happy and thought about getting up early tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Ye's father and mother, under the scorching sun, were driving a tractor outside; by 11 o'clock, the two were too hot to bear and returned.

Even after returning, Ye's father was still scolding loudly with an air of superiority, while Ye's mother, unusually, didn't talk back, giving Ye's father a real boost of authority.

Hearing the familiar dialect scolding from outside, Ye Yaodong got up to look at the door, surprised enough to think his eyes were deceiving him.

His father rarely had such confidence; could he actually scold his mother?

His mother usually stood her ground even when wrong; had she swallowed a mute pill today?

"... Do you know how hard it is for me to earn money? I told you not to follow, but you insisted on following..."

"Put it there, put it there. Look, look, how much sweat I've shed this morning..."

"Completely unreliable. When you're out and about, how many times have I told you?"

"Normally I thought you were so sharp, but out here you're just a useless bumpkin, only good for bullying people at home..."

Ye's mother seemed on the verge of exploding; seeing that they had already entered the factory and that everyone around was curiously peeking at them, her face immediately felt a bit embarrassed.

Although everyone couldn't understand what they were saying, their expressions made it clear what was happening.

"You still dare to glare at me?" Ye's father glared back.

Ye Yaodong spoke up, "What are you two doing? Arguing under the sun? Come over here. Isn't it hot? You're so fiery. The cafeteria seems to have mung bean soup; go get a bowl each in a bit and drink it to cool down."

Before walking toward Ye Yaodong, Ye's father turned his head again to glare at Ye's mother.

Once he reached them, he couldn't wait to say, "As soon as we got up this morning, your mother urged me to drive the tractor to earn money. Fine, I told her not to follow, but she insisted. Then, after following us, she said the money should be kept by her, claiming it wouldn't get lost. She said my money belt hanging at my waist was easy for people to steal, so she sat in the vehicle, saying she'd hide the money inside her clothes so it wouldn't disappear."

"As a result, while I was helping someone move goods, she got on and off the vehicle to check the rear cargo bed, and the money inside was picked up by someone."

"She didn't even know how the money was picked up or when it was taken; she knew nothing at all. It wasn't until I finished delivering this load, handed the money to her, and she put it in her bag that she discovered the zipper was open, with only a few cents in coins left, and only then did she realize the money was gone."

"Usually, she's so sharp, but the moment we go out, she turns into a fool, and she still insisted on meddling, making me give her the money belt."

"Those habitual criminals specifically target useless women like you. I've been working for over a year and have never been stolen from once. But you, as soon as you followed, wasted an entire morning's work."

"All the sweat I shed this morning was for nothing. It's such a hot day, and I still have to earn money outside..."

After closing the door, Ye's mother also exploded, "Was it my choice? You shed sweat outside for an entire morning, and I shed sweat outside for an entire morning too; it's not just you who worked hard."

"You scolded and scolded all the way, never stopping, and now you're still scolding after coming back. Have you gained some skills? You won't let go of a single mistake."

"It's just a few yuan missing. I'll give it to you in a bit. What's the big deal? You keep talking endlessly, making a mountain out of a molehill."

Ye's father got angry. "Is this about a few yuan? This is about me working an entire morning for nothing. You think you're right, and you dare to speak so loudly."

"Why can't I speak loudly? You worked an entire morning for nothing; does that mean I was enjoying myself all morning? I already said I'd make up the money you earned; what more do you want?"

"The money I've earned isn't just for this one morning; I've earned a lot over these past few years!"

Ye's mother put her hands on her hips, her eyes wide open, and her momentum immediately surged.

"Oh, so that's why you were making such a big deal out of nothing this morning. Losing a few yuan and you keep chanting endlessly, scolding all the way to the factory without stopping!"

"So you were waiting for this, thinking to get back the money you've earned over these years. How about you fly to the sky?"

"Just let me fly to the sky then, and it'll be over once and for all!"

Ye's father, agitated, pointed his index finger at Ye's mother, then turned to Ye Yaodong and said, "Look at your mother. Now that she's in front of you, feeling you're backing her up, she speaks so loudly. She's in the wrong and feels guilty, yet she dares to be so tough!"

Ye's mother also tugged on Ye Yaodong's other arm, "Well, let Dongzi judge. I was wrong, but it wasn't intentional. I already said I'd compensate you; what more do you want? Do you want to take my money bag too?"

"They say men turn bad once they have money. Look at you; you never cared about money before, but now that you're out here, seeing this Flower-filled world, you've immediately lost your mind."

"You even want all my money. Just cut me down and find someone else; you can still give birth to two more big, fat sons for you."

Ye's father's face was already flushed red with anger, and his fingers were trembling.

"Listen to her; is that even human speech? I think you're the one trying to anger me to death so you can find a younger one yourself."

"Pah! Am I as shameless as you?"

"Where am I shameless? What shameless thing have I done?"

"Don't think I don't know. You old rascal, whenever you have a bit of time, you go for massages. You thought you could hide it from me? Sun Sun Wukong's Fiery Golden Eyes are right in my eyelids."

Ye's father's confidence instantly and visibly wavered.

Ye Yaodong quickly tugged his mother, shifting her attention to himself.

"Mother, that's not right. Fabricating something out of thin air and pinning it on my father hurts our feelings."

Ye's father's back instantly straightened again.

Ye Yaodong, not waiting for his mother to speak, continued, "Earlier, when father pointed at your nose and scolded you like that, he was indeed wrong."

Ye's mother, originally angry that he was siding with his father, instantly became spirited again.

"See? I accidentally lost it; that's my fault, and I admit it. He scolded me all the way back, and I didn't hold it against him; so I was indeed in the wrong."

"But when he came back, with so many people around, he continued to berate me; then he was wrong. Don't I have a face? He shamelessly thinks about taking all my money..."

"I didn't..." Ye's father just started to protest when Ye Yaodong tugged him, then looked at Ye's mother.

"Mother, my father certainly didn't mean that. With the money in your care, he absolutely trusts you. You two have spent half your lives together; who doesn't know who? Would he really not trust you?"

"He mainly feels it's not about those few yuan, but that his hard work was in vain."

Ye's father nodded in strong agreement. "Yes, exactly. I just feel my hard work was in vain."

"Then if your hard work was in vain, I didn't enjoy myself either; didn't I suffer and work hard with you?"

Ye Yaodong also agreed with his mother, "My mother is right; this morning, she shed sweat with you."

"I told her not to go, but she insisted on going..."

"Don't keep harping on that..."

Ye Yaodong, with a headache, quickly tugged one of them on each side. "Alright, alright. Regarding this matter today, my mother was in the wrong first. She made a mistake, but she admitted it and is willing to compensate you for the lost money."

"Is this about compensation..."

"Listen to me first. You scolding all the way back is one thing; after all, my mother was wrong, lost the money, and made you work an entire morning for nothing, shedding sweat for nothing."

"But there must be a limit; know when to stop. My mother is of an age now; she is a person of standing and reputation, and naturally, she needs to save face. You must give her face in front of outsiders."

"Father, if you go out and Mother treats you like a servant, commanding you around, wouldn't you feel you've lost face? Wouldn't you get angry?"

Ye's father fell silent.

"See? Everyone needs to save face. When I go out, I need to save face too. If you scold me harshly in public, I will definitely give you a cold shoulder in return."

"If you scold Chenghe and Yangyang's friends harshly in front of them, they will get angry too and feel they've lost face."

Ye's mother lifted her chin and agreed, "Exactly."

"So, both of you were wrong today. There wasn't much money to begin with; let this matter pass."

"Mother, you shouldn't guess blindly, hurting feelings, saying Father wants all your money, or claiming he went off to do this or that with others."

"Things can be eaten carelessly, but words cannot be spoken carelessly; it hurts feelings too much. My father is such a good old man, working tirelessly day after day."

Hearing this, Ye's mother's mouth puckered.

"In the future, for things like driving the tractor out, just let my father arrange it himself. Anyway, no matter what, he's the one doing the work there."

"If he doesn't want to do it, it doesn't matter. It's such a hot day; why work so hard? It's not like others are short of money and need to support a whole family."

"Let's just live our lives a bit more easily now. Do it if you want, don't if you don't; we're not short of those few yuan."

Ye's father listened and only nodded. "That's right. Dongzi is absolutely right. Are we people who are short of those few yuan now? Dongzi even said he'll build us a Western-style house in the second half of the year, tear down the old house, and build a prettier one for us to retire in. Why would we still need to work so hard?"

"I'm not short on those few yuan, yet you kept cursing me all the way back? You come back here and still won't let up, acting all snooty, nose not a nose, eyes not eyes, as if you'd glare a hole right through me and make me ascend to heaven on the spot."

"It's not about those few yuan..."

Ye Yaodong quickly tugged his father, afraid of getting dragged into it again.

These two living ancestors.

"Alright, let's drop this matter right now. If you keep bickering, we won't build the Western-style house; you'll just go home and sleep with the pigs."

Both of them immediately shut up.

"Good, this matter is settled. You two go about your business. From now on, my father drives the tractor, and my mother won't follow; let him arrange things himself."

"Whatever it was before, it stays the same now: my mother manages the money, and my father manages the work."

Ye's mother shot a glare at Ye's father, walked out the door directly, and muttered under her breath, "Luckily everyone here is from out of town; otherwise, I'd have you."

Ye's father stared at her retreating figure, wanting to glare a hole right through her until she smoked.

"Alright, stop looking; I just saved your life!"

"What?"

"Looking at how guilty you just acted, my mother was just bluffing you, and you almost gave yourself away. Truly useless."

Ye's father turned his head with a lack of confidence, "How was I supposed to know she'd twist everything and cling to every word, that hysterical shrew?"

"You need to be more confident. Next time she tries to bluff you like that, just curse her back. Without evidence, without catching her in the act, it's just nonsense!"

Ye's father nodded straight up, "I understand. I just suffered because I'm an honest man. If I could argue like you, I wouldn't have almost given myself away."

"It's fine if you give yourself away, but don't drag me into it."

"I will! If I give myself away, I'll say you took me there!"

"You're repaying kindness with enmity."

"When your mother hates us both and kicks us both out, I'll just live with you; you'll support me in my old age."

"That works. You live with me and work for me until you die. Perfect, no need to go home for retirement. The Western-style house at home goes to my mother, and you'll just guard the gate at my factory here."

Ye Yaodong pulled him to the doorway and pointed at the guardhouse.

"See, that one, that tiny little room is enough; you can live there until you die!"

"My mother lives in a three-story Western-style house with beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows, and you'll just live in that tiny room for your retirement. It's simpler too; just go to the cafeteria for meals. Consider it room and board provided."

Ye's father looked at the tiny guardhouse, and his face turned black.

"Do you want to go check out the room you'll be living in for at least the next twenty years right now?"

Ye's father glared at him and walked away silently without a word.

Ye Yaodong leaned against the doorframe, lit a cigarette for himself, and rewarded himself for his hard work.

"Annoying, looking for trouble when there's none."

He didn't even know he had to double as a mediator to handle disputes between old men and old women; luckily, he was free at the moment.

After finishing his cigarette and seeing it was mealtime, he walked over to Ye Ye Huimei's place to mooch a meal.

He usually ate at the cafeteria, but since his mother had arrived, being frugal by habit and wanting to save money by cooking herself, he took his three children to eat at Ye Ye Huimei's place too.

Only Ye Ye Huimei's place had stoves, kitchenware, bowls, and chopsticks; once his mother arrived, she took over Ye Ye Huimei's kitchen, which saved her a lot of trouble too.

It was just unknown whether there would be food today.

If there was no food, he'd have to take the three children to the cafeteria.

As soon as Ye Ye Huimei saw him, she asked quietly, "What's wrong with mother? She just moved her bedding into my room as soon as she arrived, saying she'd watch the kids tonight and sleep here, and only move to another room once Ah Guang returns."

"They had a fight with father, that's all."

"Why fight?"

"No reason at all; purely bored and looking for trouble. Haven't been together for too long, so they put on a show of loving and killing each other."

"Then why didn't they throw father's bedding out?"

Ye's mother was stir-frying in the hallway, turned around, and glared at her, thinking she hadn't heard.

Ye Yaodong wasn't afraid, "Maybe mother herself feels she's in the wrong..."

"Do you want to eat lunch or not? If you don't want to eat, go to the cafeteria."

"I just told father earlier that if he didn't want to live with you, he should live with me, work for me until he dies, and I'd keep the guardhouse downstairs for him forever, leaving you alone to live in the big Western-style house back home and die of loneliness."

Ye's mother almost lost her composure, her features twisting as she held it in, then glanced at him sideways without speaking and continued stir-frying.

Ye Ye Huimei secretly gave him a thumbs-up and whispered, "Third Brother, I'm in awe of that mouth of yours."

"Learn from this; later you can control your man and make him work for you for a lifetime."

Ye Ye Huimei nodded while laughing.

"Where's my daughter?"

"They're all in your room watching TV."

"No wonder there was no sound at your door for so long."

"Have Yangyang and Ye Chenghu gotten off work yet? Call them over for a meal."

"They probably ate their fill at the factory already; don't worry about them, they'll come naturally after work. When working, act like you're working; no being late or leaving early."

"What exactly did mother and father do just now? When they came back, I heard them muttering downstairs, but then I couldn't hear anymore."

Ye Ye Huimei was extremely curious; her mother actually had a moment of feeling in the wrong? Normally, she'd stir up trouble even when she wasn't.

If they were fighting, they should have thrown father's bedding out, not cleared space for him and moved out themselves.

Truly unprecedented.

Ye Yaodong took the chance before mealtime to briefly explain it to her.

She also commented, "Bored and looking for trouble; life is too peaceful."

When mealtime arrived, Ye's mother added another line, "When will you arrange a boat to send goods back? I'll go back with it; I'm not staying here anymore."

"Fine, this trip still requires my father to deliver the goods back; he certainly won't be in a hurry to come up this time. When he arrives, you'll do his laundry, cook for him, and serve him for a few days."

Ye's mother immediately raised her voice, "Dream on. Serve him? Let him sleep in the pigsty."

Ye Yaodong said nothing.

After a while, Ye's mother added, "Never mind, we'll go back later. We came out this time and bought nothing."

Ye Ye Huimei immediately said, "Wait until Ah Guang comes up in a couple of days; I'll take you to Shanghai to shop. We'll really go shopping, and I need to stock up for Dongqing too."

Ye's mother happily said, "Fine."

(End of this chapter)