Chapter 1669: Money So Abundant It Can

Although Ye's father had regrets, he had gained much already; as soon as they returned to the factory, he urgently urged Ye Yaodong to call home and tell them the news.

Such a big matter must be told to the family; once the newspaper comes out, he'll send several copies back and have the village cadres post them on the village bulletin board!

If possible, he'd even send a copy to every relative and friend, and send one to the ancestral hall in the provincial capital to be enshrined!

Burn one for his own father underground too!

Ye Yaodong naturally obeyed and called home to inform them.

Ye's mother was overwhelmed with excitement, "So you've become a hero again? The state will thank you—otherwise, wouldn't the island have been seized by the Japanese? Even the sea outside our town has military bases guarding it; if they took it, wouldn't they station troops there?"

"Yeah, anyway, it's already destroyed—just wait for the recognition and rewards, and I'll send you the newspaper when it comes out."

The old lady kept asking nearby, "Dongzi, are you alright? The Japanese are insane—you must be careful. Before becoming a national hero, you must protect yourself first."

Lin Lin Xiuqing chimed in, "Yes, be careful—I don't want you to become a martyr."

"Don't worry, I won't be that reckless. I gathered nearby fishing boats to go together."

"Exactly, exactly—better to share the glory with others and keep yourself safe."

After confirming he was unharmed, the old lady said, "Next time, send the newspaper back—I'll have your mother burn one copy at your grandfather's grave. I'll also light incense for him and tell him about it."

Ye's mother interrupted, "What about your father? Will he get any credit?"

Ye Yaodong glanced at his father, who was waving frantically at him, making shushing gestures, and clutching his own mouth.

"My father didn't go—he doesn't get any credit. He refuses to go to sea, even though he's always yelling at me to have him watch over me or go out fishing for me. Now he's got nothing."

Ye's father shot him a glare, slumped his shoulders, and hurried out, pretending not to hear or see.

"I knew good things never come his way—only bad ones. Look how unlucky he is—he won't sleep a wink tonight."

"Not necessarily," Ye Yaodong said, mentioning he'd arranged for his father to take his driver's license test; after passing, he'd buy him a small car.

"A small car? That costs a fortune! He's that old—can he even drive one? A tractor's enough for him! A small car? You might as well send him to learn to fly a plane or drive a tank!"

"Don't talk like that—it's such a good thing, and you make it sound so unpleasant."

Ye's mother muttered, "I'm just stating facts—he's over sixty! Why learn to drive a car? How many years will he even use it? Waste of money. You should learn instead—he doesn't need to."

"If he can drive for even a few years, it's not a waste. I don't have time now—learning would take at least one or two months. I can't spare it. He's the one who should go."

Once his father learns, he'll be his personal driver—his father will be proud, and he'll have it easy!

"How much does it cost to learn?"

"I don't know yet—I'll find out and tell you."

"He'll be so proud—he'll be walking around with his chin in the air once he can drive a car!"

"He'll be proud, but you'll look good too—then let him drive you around for a spin!"

"What's the point? My butt won't survive it."

"No, it's nothing like a tractor—the seats are real leather, soft and comfortable, no wind or rain gets in, and you won't get covered in dust."

"Let's wait until he learns—if he can even learn at his age, no one knows."

"Once he learns and can drive, I can buy one back—otherwise, I'd buy one and no one could drive it. If I bring back a car and drive it myself, won't you be proud too?"

"Let's wait until he learns—he's that old, I don't even know if they'll accept him or let him learn."

"Don't worry about that—pay the tuition and you'll learn. I heard it's not hard."

The old lady chimed in, "He won't even go to sea, won't lift a finger—now you're sending him to learn to drive a car? He'll hate working even more."

"No, he regrets it terribly—he's desperate to go to sea now."

"See if he dares to slack off again… good things never come his way—this time, your older and younger brothers both got recognition."

"Yes, we stood in the front row for the photos—I'll send them back to you."

"Oh good, good, good—let me see how heroic my darling grandson is."

Ye Yaodong took turns chatting with the three women, only hanging up after finishing them all, wiping sweat from his brow.

Even dealing with his three women at home was exhausting—how do people have the energy to handle outsiders?

Can't take it. Can't take it.

"Dad… Dad…"

Oh no—another one.

"Dad, you're back—I missed you so much… Dad…"

"It's work hours…"

"Boss~ You're back—I missed you so much," Ye Ye Xiaoxi clung to his arm, pouting.

Ye Yaodong: "..."

No, that's not what he meant.

She swayed against his arm, rubbing her head against him, "Boss~"

"What are you doing? Why aren't you calling me Dad? Why call me Boss?"

"Ajiang said I shouldn't call you Dad or Grandpa during work hours—I should use your title! He says I'm an employee now!"

"That brat's just teasing you."

"Hehe, I call 'Ye Zong' all day—he always smiles."

Ye Yaodong smiled, "Fine—during work hours, call me Boss. Only after work can you call me Dad."

"Great, Boss~ Why did you come back so late? I haven't seen you in ages—I've been looking for you for days, everyone said you went to sea."

"It's work hours—why are you running into my office? Go do your job, or I'll dock your pay!"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi panicked, "Don't dock my pay—I have something important to tell you!"

"What? Don't want to work anymore? Want to play?"

"No way! I want to ask if my little sister can come work too—work with me? I want to work with my sister—I'm so bored without her! She wants to come too—can she? Dad? I don't want to talk to Ye Erge—I want to talk to my sister."

Ye Yaodong listened to her ramble on, tangled and roundabout, but he caught the general meaning.

"Ask your sister to come to work with you?"

"Yes, she really wants to work with me. Can't we work together? It's easy—I can do it, and she can too."

"Then give her half your wage, let her come work with you—deal?"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi frowned, her features scrunching into a knot, clearly troubled.

"No way. I earn what's mine, she earns what's hers. Why not just pay her the same as me? She works for you, not for me—why should I give her half? You're the one who should give her half."

"If I give her half, all three of you siblings will cry."

"Dad~ Please, please, let my sister work with me, okay? We'll work hard, I promise!"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi tugged at his arm, shaking it harder and harder.

"Stop shaking—I'm gonna dislocate my arm."

"Just say yes! Please, please! Or else I'll give her half, and you give her half too!"

"Are you stupid? Then you two each get only half of what she gets—she ends up with as much as both of you combined."

"Then just give her the same as us!"

Ye Yaodong yanked his arm free, his hand nearly cramping from the shaking.

"Fine, fine, fine! Tomorrow she can work with you. I'm filthy—don't touch me."

"Yay! Dad, you're the best! I knew you'd say yes—I don't mind you being dirty at all!"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi hugged his neck and rubbed against him, then grabbed his hand again.

"Come on, Dad, let's go find Cousin. You tell her—otherwise she's strict."

"You're so annoying. I'll tell her. Go do your own thing. If you keep hanging around me, I'll dock your wage!"

"Don't forget! When I get off work, I'll tell my sister—we can start together tomorrow!"

"Go, go, go—get to work!"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi, having achieved her goal, ran off happily.

Ye Yaodong locked his office door and went to the finance office to tell Lin Lin Dongxue to check the accounts—the 6 million in savings was on him, while the factory's account book was with finance.

Lin Lin Dongxue needed to sort it out, then at least add 2 million to his account—he needed cash to take to Magu City tomorrow.

His monthly fish boat sales had been over 600,000 to 700,000 recently, not even counting factory profits. Though some money was still owed, his liquid cash was substantial.

Pulling 2 million from finance for him to take to Magu City would be easy.

Spending 8 million on property would put his mind at ease; the remaining liquid cash would cover the fish boat's final payment, plus factory expansion and worker wages—plenty left over, since income kept flowing in.

For the next two or three months, income would visibly drop due to typhoons, but would rise again in winter.

This year's profits will definitely double—he needs to spend more now.

After giving clear instructions to finance, Ye Yaodong headed toward the dormitory building.

"Uncle~"

He turned—twin siblings stood in a horse stance, holding rubber bands; Pei Yu, mid-jump, dashed over to him.

"Uncle~ You're back~"

"Mm, back."

Pei Yu stood beside him, fidgeting, lips parted but silent, then lowered her head and whispered carefully: "Uncle, you've worked hard~"

"Mm. And?"

She glanced at Ye Yaodong, then lowered her head again, twisting her fingers.

She wore sandals; her ten toes kept shifting, each one contorting in its own way.

Ye Yaodong found it amusing—she seemed shy, yet her inner drama was intense? How could her fingers and toes move so much?

The twins also ran over, looking up at him, drenched in sweat: "Uncle~"

"Mm, good. Don't stay out in the sun so long—you two are as black as charcoal."

"Hehe~"

Ye Yaodong noticed their fingers and toes were equally dark, evenly sunburned.

"How are you two wearing your shoes?"

Other kids might wear shoes on the wrong feet—but these two? One wore only the left shoe, the other only the right?

What kind of nonsense is this?

Hearing him, both looked down at their feet, then instinctively turned their toes inward.

"I like wearing them this way!"

"I like it too—I'm Little Right, so I wear the right shoe; he's Little Left, so he wears the left shoe. Lucky our shoes are identical."

Ye Yaodong shook his head, smiling. "Actually, that makes sense—you can tell who's who just by the shoes."

Both nodded in unison: "Exactly!"

"Alright, go play. I'm leaving."

Pei Yu saw him step away and quickly called out again, twisting her fingers even more frantically.

"Uncle~ I…"

"What? Spit it out, or I'm gone."

She gathered courage: "Can I go to work with Sister too? I don't want a wage—I just want to tag along and have fun, okay?"

"No."

The light in her eyes vanished instantly; she slumped, shoulders drooping, head bowed.

"Xiao Jiu just came by, begged me nonstop to let you work—you already got your way. You'll get the same wage as her. When school starts, use it to buy a new backpack, new stationery, new clothes, new shoes—got it?"

The little girl shot her head up, eyes blazing with sudden joy: "Really? I can work with Sister—and get paid?"

"Mm. Go with your sister tomorrow morning. Don't misbehave. Listen to your cousin—understood?"

She nodded happily, her smile full of delicacy. "Mm, I know. I'll be good, I'll be obedient. Thank you, Uncle."

Ye Yaodong waved his hand. "Go play."

She was overjoyed. "I'm a worker too!"

Ye Yaodong was exhausted. He took a shower, ate something casually, and then rested.

The next day, he went with the finance officer to the bank to handle the transfer procedures, then took his 8 million yuan passbook and personal ID card to the Magic Capital.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Pudong was changing with each passing day. The major development announced at the beginning of the year had already resulted in a cluster of high-rises along the Huangpu River, though none were finished with interior decoration.

It couldn't compare to the future, but compared to last year, it was like two different pictures.

Ye Yaodong went to the Jiangnan Shipyard not only to urge the fishing boat construction but also to find Director Zhang; he wanted to buy a building!

Asking and inquiring on his own was too much trouble; leaving it to Director Zhang was fine. It seemed he had already recruited quite a few real estate agents, and this year the trend was getting better and better, with commercial housing being built one after another.

If his current job wasn't an iron rice bowl and a prestigious public position, he probably would have resigned long ago to become a boss.

Although the economy was developing now and the status of individuals wasn't as low, it still couldn't compare to the iron rice bowl of a public post; even more money couldn't match the reputation.

Director Zhang's success today was entirely because Ye Yaodong had suggested two things back then, prompting Director Zhang to set up an agency, which earned him a fortune, and the momentum of his development was now fierce.

Leaving the work for Director Zhang to arrange was perfect; he just had to wait for the results.

While waiting for the results, he could still wander around other factories.

However, ideals were full, but reality was lean.

He had thought it through well, but after checking the progress of the fishing boats and asking, he learned that in the initial construction phase, there were no commercial housing units; only resettlement housing for relocated residents existed.

To accommodate resident relocation and talent introduction, residential communities like "Chrysanthemum Garden" and "Peach Forest" had been built, but most were welfare housing in nature, not market-oriented commercial housing.

Of course, there were many who received housing quotas but didn't live in them, instead selling or renting them out to others.

He could only buy these now, but they were too fragmented for him; one room here, one room there, making rent collection a struggle.

Ye Yaodong's head ached; having money but being unable to buy what he wanted was truly a worry. Did he have to wait another two years for the policy to come out?

He thought carefully again; it seemed commercial housing hadn't started construction in the Magic Capital yet, and it certainly hadn't started elsewhere either.

In which year would the policy come out?

The 1992 Southern Tour Talks...

His eyes lit up; he finally remembered. It was next year; next year was an important milestone.

Director Zhang revealed, "Actually, there are large buildings available for purchase, specifically office floors, but they are limited to foreign capital, or collective and state-owned units. Individuals cannot buy them."

Ye Yaodong listened and kept rubbing his forehead. "I can't order the boats, and I can't buy the houses. I really want to spend money but have nowhere to spend it."

"Mm... As for the boats, I heard that the East Sea Shipyard has also introduced new equipment and returning technical personnel. It seems they can also build large fishing boats with production lines. You can ask about it."

"Really? Then I'll go ask a bit later."

Having money but being unable to spend it was truly frustrating and depressing.

Since commercial housing couldn't be bought, he pondered whether to go to BJ to buy a courtyard house?

But now, it seemed individuals still couldn't buy plane tickets? They needed proof from a public institution, or they had to be foreigners or overseas Chinese?

Since commercial housing wasn't open for trading yet, he guessed courtyard houses weren't open either. These were special properties, and property rights seemed very troublesome in the future.

After talking with Director Zhang, Ye Yaodong could only leave in dejection. To avoid making a wasted trip, he went to the East Sea Shipyard again.

After verifying that they could indeed build large fishing boats with fish meal production lines, he immediately and decisively ordered two.

At the East Sea Shipyard, he already had two 45-meter boats that hadn't been delivered yet; he had to count on the end of the year or early next year.

The deposits for these two boats wouldn't cost him much, after all, he had brought 8 million yuan with him.

Thinking about it, he felt unwilling to give up. He took out his phone book and flipped to Zeng Zhao Weimin's number...

This was the "Beijing Gentleman" he had saved in Wenzhou City back then. The man was the director of the Coast Guard Bureau and had been stationed in Wenzhou for five or six years, still in the same post.

Every year when he went to Wenzhou, he would bring a New Year's gift and local specialties, so he hadn't let the relationship lapse.

He opened the phone book, looked at the name and the number, hesitated for a long time, and finally closed it.

Forget it. It was too abrupt, and the man wasn't in the Capital anyway.

This wasn't a troublesome matter that absolutely had to be done. Waiting another year wasn't a big problem; it wasn't worth wasting social credit on this.

He thought about the policy again and confirmed the turning point was indeed the Southern Tour Talks next year. At most, he just had to wait another year.

After he found the right path, his accumulation over these few years had been too fast; it all relied on shipbuilding to develop the fishing industry and accumulate wealth.

The policies were left behind by him; he developed faster than the policies moved.

With this money, he might as well go back and expand the scale of the processing plant again, or go check out the machinery factory.

The trouble of having too much money. No, the trouble of having too much money and nowhere to spend it.