Chapter 170: Many hands make light work

After Ye Ersao finished speaking, she didn't weave nets anymore, but went straight to the room, then excitedly held a handful of money wrapped in a handkerchief, and ran away quickly.

Ye Yaodong watched her running away, withdrew his gaze, and looked at Lin Xiuqing who was working seriously. He felt that a wife didn't need to be too smart, nor too shrewd, as long as she wasn't stupid or greedy at critical moments.

"Tired? Is your waist and back sore from sitting for so long? Do you want to stand up and walk around?"

Lin Xiuqing looked at him with a smile. "How long have I been working? Why would I be tired? There's still so much quantity."

"With so many child laborers helping, if you're tired, stand up and walk around, drink some water."

"Mm."

Ye Dasao teased on the side, "Adong is becoming more and more caring."

"Mm, my own wife."

Actually, the shrewdest one was his eldest sister-in-law. She didn't offend anyone, got along well with everyone, could say a few words to anyone, didn't get involved in bad things, and good things never missed her.

"Dongzi..."

Ye Yaodong turned his head to look. "Is there any good news? So happy."

"You could see that?" Azheng said happily.

"Even a blind man could see it. What good news? Are you coming over to take your brothers to make a fortune?"

"Cut~ it's more like you taking me to make a fortune," Azheng rolled his eyes, then squatted beside him and said excitedly, "Didn't we dig out five pearls yesterday? Hearing Xiao Xiao and I went to the jewelry store in town to sell them this morning. Guess how much we sold them for?"

Ye Yaodong raised his eyebrows. "One or two hundred? Two or three hundred?"

"Damn, do you have to guess so accurately? You didn't give me any sense of accomplishment."

"Seeing you so happy, it must be more than those tens of yuan. You guys sold them for one or two hundred?"

"It's two or three hundred. Hearing Xiao Xiao sold all five for 280, and I sold three for 300."

Everyone was surprised. Such a high price!

Ye Yaodong was also interested. Originally, he just let them go ask casually. He didn't expect it to be so valuable now?

Forgive him for his lack of knowledge.

"You sold three, he sold five, the gap is so big?"

"The shop said so. They said the value of seawater pearls is determined by size. Generally, those with a diameter of 3-5 millimeters and average luster are a few cents each. If the luster and color are charming, they are worth tens of yuan. If the size is larger, they are even more valuable."

Azheng continued happily, "The three I sold were all 8 millimeters in diameter, and the shop bought them for 100 yuan each! The other two that were slightly smaller were also said to be worth twenty or thirty yuan. I thought my wife seemed to like them, so I kept them first. Hearing Xiao Xiao sold all of them, not keeping a single one."

His wife had just been married home, and she was still in his heart, fresh, so he must be thinking about her.

Ye Dasao was stunned. "My goodness, then are you guys going to make a fortune, Aqing? You have 13 of them, and I see they aren't small. Won't yours sell for thousands of yuan?"

She was so envious that her words were almost numb. Why didn't their family have this financial luck?

Lin Xiuqing was also surprised. Are they so valuable? Instantly, her heart was burning.

"The shop owner also asked me if I had any more? I heard there are many rich people in Hong Kong, they aren't short of money, they just want good things. Why don't you take your pearls to sell too?"

Ye Yaodong thought for a moment. "Forget it..."

"Forget what," Lin Xiuqing glared at him. "They're so valuable, are you really keeping them for me to wear? Where can I wear them? I'm busy around the stove all day long. Am I wearing them for the Kitchen God to see? Don't be stupid."

Ye Yaodong touched his nose. "Isn't it because I thought we weren't in urgent need of money, and the price would definitely be higher in a few years? And no woman doesn't like jewelry..."

"Then just keep two worthless ones."

"Right, Dongzi, aren't you always wanting to change to a bigger boat? Just sell them, change to a new boat, you can sail to farther places and earn more money."

"That's what I'm thinking, but I have to take it step by step." He couldn't exhaust the family fortune. He must keep a portion of the money in his hands to prevent any accidents with the child in his wife's belly.

Selling the pearls might just be enough to barely change to a second-hand iron boat. If something happens, he would have to beg others.

"You can take them to the shop to ask first, see how much they're worth, and then decide?" Ye Dasao looked more anxious than her own.

Lin Xiuqing nodded, her eyes bright. "Shall we take them to town tomorrow to ask?"

"Are you sure you don't want them?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Wait until you make a fortune. If I have the opportunity to become a rich lady, how many jewels can't I buy? Wearing them now is just for the Kitchen God and Goddess to see. Don't be stupid."

"Alright then, let's take them to the shop tomorrow to see how much they're worth."

He had originally wanted to keep them for her. Since she insisted, he had no choice but to follow her, so as not to be scolded for loving her.

She nodded happily.

Ye Yaodong looked at Azheng again. "How is the longline you asked someone to make? Did you make a few hundred more? When do you plan to set them?"

"Preparing to make 300 more, totaling 500 to set. It should be ready tomorrow."

"I also asked someone to make them. I don't know if they can be ready tomorrow."

Azheng was surprised. "Not setting ground cages anymore?"

"Setting them, of course. These two don't conflict. Check the ground cage cargo every other day, and I didn't set many. Longline fishing can be arranged every day."

"That works too. Shall we go together tomorrow afternoon?"

"Sure, we'll see how many we set then."

"Then I'm going back."

He stood up and wanted to walk out, but Ye Yaodong grabbed his pants. "Don't go, since you're here, help do some work."

"No, I don't even want to do my own family's work. My dad, mom, and wife are doing it, and you still want me to help you? Dream on." He pulled his waistband and wanted to pull his pants out of his hand.

Ye Yaodong held on tightly and wouldn't let go. "Finish the work before you go."

"No."

"Then should I pull your pants down?"

Azheng grabbed his waistband in a panic. "Can you have some face?"

"Then are you doing it or not."

"Do it, do it, I'll do it to death!"

Ye Yaodong let go with satisfaction. "Who can make room? Give this uncle a seat."

"Here, here," Ye Chenghai stood up actively to give up his seat. "Third Uncle, I'll watch Uncle Azheng for you, and won't let him run away. Can you reward me with a double portion?"

"Sure! Very clever!"

Ye Chenghai was very proud~

"Uncle Azheng, you don't want me to chase you to your house, do you?"

Azheng looked at this pair of uncle and nephew with black lines all over his head, and had to pull up his pants and resign himself to working.

Ye Yaodong looked at Ye Chenghai with appreciation, making Ye Chenghai's tail almost go up to the sky.

Many hands make light work. With maltose hanging in front, a group of children didn't even move their butts, and seriously worked from beginning to end. Five or six baskets of shelled ones, but in two hours, all the meat was dug out.

Ye Yaodong went to the old house to get a few long bamboo flats, stood them obliquely at the door, and spread out various shellfish meat to dry. The weather was cool during this period, and the northwest wind made it easy to dry.

His dad could weave bamboo flats, and their house had plenty of this stuff, so he didn't need to buy it, and he took it without any burden.

After he finished drying and cleaning, and sent the children out to play, the couple returned to the room.

Lin Xiuqing excitedly took the key to open the drawer and took out the pearls wrapped in a handkerchief.

"These dozen pearls of ours don't seem small, it seems only these two are slightly smaller."

"Mm, the diameter should be 8 millimeters. These two might be around 6 millimeters. The color and luster are all quite good. It feels a pity to sell them."

Lin Xiuqing rolled her eyes at him. "What's a pity? Good color and luster are good, so they can sell for a good price."

Just as she finished speaking, her heart moved. "Shall we take that Melo pearl to the jewelry store for appraisal too?"

Ye Yaodong stared. "No, this can't be sold, and it can't be shown! With the level of a small shop in our town, it can't be appraised. Taking it out will only be an eyesore."

Although he didn't know the value of this pearl now, it definitely wouldn't be bad. And in the future, it would be in units of ten thousand US dollars. He had this one in his hand, and he was sure that as long as it entered the auction house, it would definitely be in units of millions of US dollars.

At this time, he had to cover it up first.

This era is chaotic. Without power or influence, if you show your face, you have nowhere to reason if you are forced to buy or sell.

If she really wanted to sell those few pearls for money, then sell them, but the Melo pearl absolutely couldn't.

Seeing that his attitude was so firm that he wouldn't even let her take it out for appraisal, Lin Xiuqing had to give up.

"Then let's just cover it up as a lucky pearl. Maybe the good luck of our family during this period was brought by it."

"That's the right way to think."

People by the sea are very superstitious.

"Then sell all these thirteen pearls?"

Ye Yaodong looked at her greedy appearance, and she didn't want to keep them at all, and he couldn't help but feel a bit depressed. Could it be that it was all his wishful thinking?

He picked out the largest one and two smallest ones. "Don't sell these three? In the future, take the largest one to make a necklace, and the two small ones to make earrings. You can sell the ten if you want!"

Seeing her frowning and unhappy, he hurriedly added, "Keep them first. If you're really short of money, it's not too late to sell them. Those ten can also sell for a lot of money."

She nodded reluctantly. "Alright then."

"Then let's just keep it as a lucky charm; perhaps the good fortune our family has had lately was brought by it."

"Thinking that way is right."

People by the sea are very superstitious.

"Then should we sell all thirteen pearls?"

Ye Yaodong looked at her money-grubbing appearance, seeing she had no intention of keeping any, and couldn't help but feel a bit depressed; was it all just his own wishful thinking?

He picked out the largest one and the two smallest ones from the pile. "Let's not sell these three, okay? Later, we can use the largest one to set in a necklace, and the two small ones to make earrings. You can sell the other ten if you want!"

Seeing her frowning and looking unwilling, he hurriedly added, "Keep them for now. If we're really short on money, it won't be too late to sell them then. Those ten alone can still fetch quite a bit of money."

She nodded reluctantly. "Alright then."