Chapter 1617: Mutual Defeat

Ye Yaodong didn't pay much attention and lifted his leg to leave.

Ye's father pulled him again, "You're just leaving like this?"

"Huh?"

"After you've made inquiries, then what?"

"What else is there after that? Just check if he's getting released soon, if there's any sentence reduction, or if he'll be released early too? If there's no early release, then just ignore it for now; after all, he hasn't even gotten out yet, so what's there to fear?"

"But what if he is released early?"

"If he gets released early, what's so hard about sending him back in? If we could send him in once, we can certainly send him in a second time."

Ye's father widened his eyes in surprise, "What do you mean 'if we could send him in once, we can send him in a second time'? Did you send him in?"

"Obviously, otherwise how could it be such a coincidence? When someone threatens you at your doorstep, do you think you'd let that kind of person use you as a money bag?"

"I was wondering why it was such a coincidence; back then your mother said the threat came to the door, and the very next step he was arrested."

"Isn't it good that he was arrested? The whole family can live peaceful and worry-free days. His wife only needs to handle three meals a day, doesn't have to take beatings, doesn't have to live in constant fear, and doesn't have to be forced to borrow money everywhere. The debt can be settled by saying we'll work and repay it slowly; that's far better than a gambling dog who keeps owing more and more."

"That's true..."

"Being locked up means they provide food and lodging, you don't have to worry about debts, and you don't have to support a family. One person eats full, and the whole family isn't hungry. You can sleep early and rise early every day, maintaining a healthy routine, quitting smoking and drinking, staying in great shape, and having a group of like-minded people to keep you company. How refreshing."

"Uh... you make prison sound like going in to retire."

"There's no difference."

After Ye Yaodong finished speaking, he lifted his foot and left; this time, Ye's father didn't stop him.

What he said made perfect sense: send him in once, and when he gets out, send him in again.

If someone is capable of threatening people, even threatening an unborn child, then they aren't human; they deserve to rot in prison for life, and it's just right so the family can live in peace.

On the way back, Ye's father's steps were lighter; he wasn't worried anymore. Who could blame Dongzi for being too rich now?

He called Ye's mother to tell her; Ye's mother was surprised at first, then found it reasonable.

"Then what about your eldest nephew..."

"Pah! What does Ah Hong have to do with it? He never came to our door to threaten our family. Didn't you say he brought gifts to the door? He's a blood nephew; it's not the same."

Ye's mother pouted, "If he does something illegal, he'll get arrested and locked up just the same."

"That's only after someone actually does it. Since he hasn't done anything, we can't act recklessly."

"I didn't say anything!"

"Then why did you bring up my eldest nephew again..."

"I'm saying your eldest nephew needs to behave properly, or we'll just send him back in to save trouble."

"Insiders and outsiders are different; we can't act recklessly..."

"Tch~"

Ye's mother slammed the phone down immediately, not giving Ye's father a chance to respond.

Her eldest nephew is an insider, but her nephew-in-law isn't?

Double standards! If you don't bear the Ye surname, you're not an insider!

Hmph, anyone who commits crimes gets sent in.

Ye's mother turned around and went to wander around the workshop. It was midday, and the sun was scorching. Even though it was September, the sun was still fierce; it would have to wait until October to cool down.

At this time, their family's workshop was the liveliest in the entire village. It was too hot for anyone to come out and walk around; only the workers stayed inside the workshop.

Everyone gathered together to chat and cool off; time passed faster, and working became just a side activity.

When Ye's mother arrived at the workshop, she chatted casually with a few people, and she had all the information.

Ye Yaodong hadn't even left the house yet when his father eagerly ran over to report, "Your mother said your aunt said the family hasn't received any notice about Lin Lin Jianqiang being released early; we guess he'll have to wait until next year."

"Then we'll deal with it next year."

"Do you remember when you sent him in?"

"In autumn or winter, I think? A bit earlier than Ah Hong."

Ye Yaodong calculated in his mind, "That means there are still two years left? If it was autumn or winter of 1982, he won't be back until 1992; exactly two years remain."

"So there are still two years. Ah Hong didn't serve eight years in prison either; it was only seven and a half years, yet everyone says he served eight."

"About the same; rounding up makes it eight years. Let him profit; he saved eight years of living expenses."

Ye's father: "..."

Seeing his father's expression that was hard to describe, Ye Yaodong added, "Since the release date hasn't arrived yet, you don't need to worry unnecessarily. Just pay more attention when he's about to get out. However, having Ah Qing hire more people is a good thing; there are too few able-bodied laborers in the village."

"Right."

"Now there are more than ten extra people, and the family has dozens of dogs, so it looks much safer."

"That's right; we need more men at home to feel secure."

"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'm going out to buy a ticket. I'm heading to Shanghai tomorrow; I'll leave the factory in your care."

"Oh, so urgent?"

"How could it not be urgent? The sooner we get it, the more money it is. Don't you know how much money we can make in a day right now?"

"Alright, alright, alright. Then hurry up and go. When you come back, tell me what needs to be done these next two days."

Ye Yaodong acknowledged with a sound, planning to finish his current tasks before going out to buy the boat ticket; he could also check on the cargo situation at the dock at the same time.

He didn't go to the dock to check and deliver cargo every day anymore. He only checked the order volume daily, then collected the goods, and reviewed the total harvest for the day; he no longer did everything personally.

Most tasks had been delegated; many of the people under him had worked with him for several years, building things from nothing, so they were very familiar with many things.

He had plenty of capable people under him now, but the small assistants he had trained had all been assigned elsewhere; he had become a lone commander again, going out alone as before.

He was thinking he needed to promote two new small assistants again to continue training them, to help him handle trivial little tasks, such as buying the boat ticket today.

Actually, sending someone out to buy it would work too; he had plenty of people under him now. He just wanted to stop by the dock to take a look, since he would be going out for a few days tomorrow anyway.

He could also have a small assistant accompany him to social events, block the alcohol for him, and drive him home if he got drunk; that was very necessary.

After finishing his talk with Ye Yaodong, Ye's father strolled around the factory building, smiling as everyone greeted him and asked if he had returned.

Only after chatting enough did he return to the dormitory to rest his feet, drink some tea, and wait for Ye Yaodong to come back so he could instruct him on the tasks to be done.

However, he found the wait somewhat boring; the sun outside was too bright, and he was too lazy to wander around, so he simply went to check on his grandson's dormitory.

The fresh-fish collection boats hadn't returned yet, so it wasn't time for them to go out and receive the cargo; even if the boats did return, it wouldn't matter if those of them who drove the trucks arrived half an hour to an hour later.

After all, once the boats docked, the cargo still had to be sorted and weighed first, and only then loaded onto trucks; afterward, they would use the delivery slips given during loading to deliver the goods and collect payment.

So, once the boats docked, the ones rushing over were Chen Baoxing and the others responsible for weighing and distributing the cargo, while the trucks arriving later was perfectly fine.

When Ye's father went over at this moment, the dormitory door was wide open; inside, they had installed a large iron ceiling fan, which was currently swaying and creaking groan by groan.

On several beds lay a few shirtless boys wearing only boxer shorts, sprawled out in disarray.

As Ye's father approached and took a closer look, he was surprised; clearly, when he had left, each of them had only a "red-belt fish" mark on their legs, but now, upon his return, two of them had them on their backs as well.

"Oh my, how did they get marks on their backs too? What happened? Were they beaten again?"

His footsteps as he entered were relatively light, making no sound, and they were all sleeping so soundly that none of them knew someone had come in.

Only when he muttered aloud did someone on the top bunk wake up and poke their head out.

"Grandpa is back?"

"Hey, Ajiang, Chenghe, your grandpa is back."

The two lying on the lower bunk were half-dead; one had his head tilted outside the bed, nearly dangling to the floor, while the other lay face down like a dead fish.

Hearing Lin Lin Guangwen's voice, the two merely responded with a sound; the one whose head was hanging down kept it hanging down, and the one lying face down kept lying face down; nothing could make them move.

Ye's father was puzzled. "What's wrong? Did you apply the tea oil?"

Lin Lin Guangwen answered on their behalf. "We applied it; it's been two days. Their own father beat them, so don't worry; their skin is thick and tough, and it will fade in a couple of days."

Ye's father instantly understood why they had been beaten.

He had been back and forth staying at home for two or three days, meaning he had been away for about a week; during his absence, the fishing boats had returned.

Then Dongzi complained, and these two brothers got beaten again.

The marks were identical; they had been whipped with a belt again.

No wonder they looked half-dead lying there, ignoring everyone.

"Why did your father hit so hard? He hit their bodies, and their backs too; that belt was used very viciously. None of them held back; what if they broke something?"

"Let me see? Oh my, these stripes, so wide..."

"You need to apply tea oil several times a day; did you apply it today? Shall I apply some for you?"

"Dongzi has already been disciplined; why did your father still beat them? He's never beaten them this hard before. They are still growing; don't beat them until they break."

The two brothers continued lying face down like dead fish, making no sound and moving not a bit, letting Ye's father chant like Tang Seng.

Lin Lin Guangwen kindly leaned over the top bunk to respond. "We already applied tea oil; after lunch today, I applied it for all of them, so they have been lying face down to sleep this afternoon."

"Then you still have to go out driving to deliver goods later?"

"Yes; except for the two days right after they were beaten, they actually got to rest, lying down for two days. The fishing boat only set sail again yesterday, and Ye Ye Dabo and Ye Ye Erbo only left; today, they have to get up to deliver goods."

Ye's father looked at the wounds on their backs with heartache. "When your father returns, I must scold him; he actually beat them like this. Didn't your third uncle know to stop him?"

Ye Chenghe said weakly, "Isn't my father just venting your anger for you?"

"How is that venting anger? I never asked them to vent anger for me; what a bother. That day, when your third uncle beat them, that was enough; why beat them like this? The old wounds haven't even healed, and new ones have been added."

"Then you help me beat him back!"

"What nonsense are you saying, you unlucky child? Why would I beat your father for no reason?"

"You already complained they were being bothersome; then wasn't this beating I took in vain?"

"If it was in vain, didn't you still take it?"

Ye Chenghe lifted his head in shock. "Ah, are you still my grandpa? Just now you were heartbroken, but now you say this; my heart has turned cold."

"Well, the beating has already happened; what else can be done? I wasn't there when it happened; otherwise, I could have stopped it."

Seeing the wounds on their backs, Ye's father also felt guilty and went to get the tea oil sitting on the table.

"Come, let me apply some more for you; you still have to go out delivering goods later. Once you go out, you won't be back until night, so apply a bit more now."

"Sigh." (Ye Chenghe)

"Sigh." (Ye Ye Chengjiang)

"Sigh." (Lin Guangming)

Hearing these sighs, Ye's father also looked up, searching for the source of the sound.

"What are you doing? You lot, sighing one after another; what are you sighing about? What is there to sigh about? The beating has already happened; it will heal in a few days."

Ye Ye Chengjiang was speechless. "Just now you were saying what if they broke something, and how viciously they were beaten, but now you're saying the beating has already happened."

"Well, I was just too shocked when I saw it; now that I see you are fine, able to talk back, and able to ask me to beat him back for you, it seems there's nothing wrong."

"We are about to die."

"What ill-omened words are you speaking?"

At this moment, Lin Guangming spoke from the corner of the top bunk. "There is no justice! There is no justice in this world! Two beating one, the heart is too black; what kind of people..."

"How can there be all kinds of people? Those who have lost their conscience; why is my fate so bitter? No one lends a hand; they just watch two people gang up on one with their eyes wide open. Oh my heavens..."

Hearing this, Ye's father walked over curiously, stood on tiptoe, and looked at Lin Guangming on the top bunk.

He saw him lying there, eyes closed, wailing loudly.

His eyes were already bruised black and blue, and there were several red marks on his body, though the color wasn't that deep, looking as if they hadn't been slapped down with much force.

Ye's father spoke in shock. "Oh my, why were you beaten too? Who beat you? Those two sons of mine are so deadly; how could they even beat you?"

"Awen, are you okay? Those two deadly ones came back and beat me; beating their own sons is one thing, but why beat you?"

"Why did Dongzi just watch you get beaten? Did they eat shit? Their brains are so unclear..."

Lin Guangming, with his eyes closed, agreed. "Yes, the two who beat me ate shit; they are insane..."

Lin Lin Guangwen quickly explained, "No, no, it wasn't Ye Ye Dabo or Ye Ye Erbo who beat him—it was those two down there. While I was bathing, they locked my brother in the room and gave him a thorough beating."

Ye's father looked again at his two grandsons in confusion. "They're both beaten to this state—how could they still beat someone? Why did they beat Ah Ming?"

"It's a bit contradictory—they caught him while he was climbing up to the top bunk, tied him up, and beat him."

"Such unruly brats deserve to be beaten. Their whole bodies are covered in stripes, and they still have the energy to fight—look how fierce they are! Why even bother with tea oil?"

Ye Ye Chengjiang rotated his body, shifting his head and feet to a new position, then spoke slowly.

"You wouldn't understand. This is called sharing hardship together. We only let him share the burden because we treat him as one of us."

"Being treated as one of you is really bad luck."

"It's his honor—and what he deserves! We're all brothers!"

Ye's father had no patience for his nonsense and quickly rubbed tea oil onto them.

After finishing, he didn't forget to tell Lin Lin Guangwen to apply tea oil to Lin Guangming as well.

"No more fighting from now on. You're all family, sharing the same dorm, calling each other brothers—why fight at all?"

"You don't understand. Don't meddle."

"It's not fair～ I'm gonna die～"

Ye Chenghe replied, "Then go ahead and die."

"Grandpa, they always treat me like this—ganging up on one person, bullying me every day. I'm going to die."

Ye's father didn't know how to respond. Listening to their commotion gave him a headache.

"Aren't you two too?"

"I still have one more—but he's just a prop. We need him to apply the medicine for us."

Ye's father glanced at the quiet Lin Lin Guangwen and had nothing to say.

"You've arranged it well. Let him apply the medicine for you. I'll go attend to other matters. Just lie down."

"Ah…"

"Ah…"

"Ah…"

ps: One more chapter left