Chapter 1742: Devil's Metropolis

Ye Ye Chengyang was overjoyed to see Ye Yaodong come to pick him up, forcing his way through the crowd to get right up to him.

"Dad, why did you come?"

"I just found some free time, so I came to check on you. Hmm... you've grown taller too."

"Yes, Mom even said my feet got bigger. The shoes I bought for the New Year are squeezing my feet again." He spread his feet outward, standing sideways.

"That's perfect. In a couple of days, I'm taking your sister to buy a birthday gift; I'll take you to buy new shoes too."

"Really? That's great! Dad, how many days will you stay here?"

"I originally planned to stay only two days, but isn't your sister's birthday in a few days? Then I'll stay a few more days and leave after her birthday."

Ye Ye Chengyang patted Ye Ye Xiaoxi's head. "You were born at just the right time."

"That's right. I knew how to pick a birth date."

"Dad, Mom said Brother Chenghe became a father. His wife gave birth to a boy."

"I know."

"Then should we go home?"

"You two are in high school and junior high respectively; it's not easy to take too much leave without falling behind in your courses. Your sister can go back with us though; missing a few days of elementary school is fine, no big problem."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi got excited. "Great! We're going home to see the little nephew."

Ye Ye Chengyang became unhappy.

"Dad, when are we going back?"

"In half a month. We'll go back then, stay for a few days, attend the full-month celebration, and come back."

"Okay, we can play for a few more days."

Ye Ye Chengyang said, "I want to go back too!"

"You'd have to take ten days off. Can you do that?"

"Sure! I'll ask the teacher for leave to go back to our hometown, and I'll catch up by studying on my own when I return, right?"

"Then wait until we get back and ask your mom if it's okay."

"As long as the teacher agrees!"

"If you fail to get into high school, you better keep your skin tight."

"I won't."

Ye Yaodong led the three of them, plus several bodyguards, to pick up Ye Chenghu.

Lin Lin Xiuqing had already prepared a table of dishes at home earlier, waiting for them to return for the meal.

"Mom, Dad said we're going home in half a month for the full-month celebration. As long as I can get ten days off from the teacher, I can go back with everyone."

"Sure, as long as you can keep up with the coursework, getting ten days off is fine." Lin Lin Xiuqing was setting out bowls and chopsticks, didn't even look up, and replied casually.

Ye Yaodong glanced at him and said, "You're good at changing your wording. I said your mom's approval was required, but you turned it into me saying only the teacher's approval is needed to go back together."

"Hehe, anyway, Mom agreed."

Ye Chenghu couldn't wait to ask, "What about me? If I get leave approved, I can go too!"

"You can't. You're in high school; missing even one class means you'll fall behind. Don't talk about ten days."

"Even if I don't miss a single class, I might not necessarily pass the exam."

"You don't want your little car anymore?"

"I do!"

"If you want it, study hard and put in the effort!"

"Dad..." Ye Chenghu approached with a smile, speaking softly, "If I find a college student as a partner, does that count the same as me passing? Can I still get the little car as a reward?"

Ye Yaodong turned his head in surprise to look at him. "You're dating early?"

"Not really. I just thought of it suddenly. If I can't pass, would finding a college student as a wife count the same?"

"Heh, then it depends on your ability."

"So it's settled. Even if I don't pass, if I can find a college student as a partner, you'll reward me with a little car."

"That won't work. That would lower the standard; I'd only reward a motorcycle. You should still focus on trying hard and passing on your own. Even a junior college is fine."

"If I can get into junior college, you'll have to honor the ancestors and set up a banquet line."

Lin Lin Xiuqing rolled her eyes at the father and son. "Why are you encouraging him to date early?"

"I'm not. Didn't he say finding a college student as a partner? That would happen after he graduates high school, so it wouldn't be called early dating. If he really has the ability to find a college student as a partner, he deserves a reward."

"Then reward me with a little car!"

"A motorcycle. Only if you pass on your own do you get a little car!"

"Then if I find a college student as a partner, reward me with a motorcycle. If I find a college student as a wife, reward me with a little car!"

Ye Yaodong was amused by him. "You're quite the thinker, aren't you? Putting all your wits into this?"

"Who said that? I have plenty of wits right now!"

"Looks like you've improved a bit."

"So is it okay? I might not pass, but you'll have a college student daughter-in-law! That still gives you face! I call this taking a shortcut!"

"You call it overtaking on a curve, heading straight to the destination. You're quite the thinker."

"That's right. I dream about having a little car every day; I have to put in some effort!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing glared at him. "Your effort is just daydreaming! Sit down and eat now."

After speaking, she glared at Ye Yaodong. "It's all your fault. You told him about rewarding a little car. Now his mind is all on this, thinking about these things all day. How can he study properly?"

Ye Chenghu protested. "How am I not studying properly? I've improved this semester. You just need to put a carrot in front of me, and I'll work even harder. Right now, I just want one more chance to own a little car."

"Approved!"

"Really? Hahaha..."

Lin Lin Xiuqing shot Ye Yaodong a withering glance before turning to her eldest son: "You are studying now; do not ruin good girls or affect others' chances in the college entrance exam. The Gaokao is a girl's opportunity to change her fate."

"I know. I definitely won't date early. Brother Chenghe was too silly when he dated early, acting like a little shadow. I don't want to learn from him. If anyone follows, they should be the shadow following me!"

Ye Yaodong gave him a thumbs-up. "Ambitious! If you can make girls follow you like shadows, chasing after you, then you've truly made something of yourself!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing slapped his hand away. "Made something of yourself? Focus on your studies."

"Dad, if you buy me a motorcycle so I can ride to school every day, I guarantee a bunch of female classmates will have a secret crush on me!"

"Don't even think about it. Just ride your bicycle properly." Lin Lin Xiuqing glared at him.

Ye Yaodong added, "You're getting more and more audacious. Earlier you said you'd get a motorcycle if you dated a college student, and now you're thinking of skipping straight to the finish line and buying one? Testing my bottom line now?"

"Hehe... then let's go with what was just said. It's settled!"

"Hurry up and eat. By the time you get back, the dishes will be cold. So many words to say."

Ye Chenghu asked again, "Mom, did you know Dad was coming today all along?"

"Yes. Your dad called yesterday saying he was coming today. I thought I'd give you a surprise, so I didn't tell you. Was it a surprise today? Are you happy?"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi played along: "So happy! Seeing Dad was such a surprise! Dad even said he'd wait until after my birthday to leave, take me to buy a birthday cake, buy birthday gifts, and buy new clothes and new shoes! I can buy whatever I want!"

"I didn't say the last two sentences; you said them yourself."

"Hehe, it's the same thing!"

"Let's go together this weekend. Those two need new sneakers too; their feet grow so fast. We bought shoes for them only two months ago, and they need replacing again. Same with clothes. With spring coming and the season changing, we need to buy them two extra outfits to keep on hand. Last year's are unwearable now. The older ones' clothes can go to the younger ones."

"They are all growing bodies; growing feet means growing tall."

Ye Ye Chengyang protested quietly, "It's always wearing what Big Brother left behind. I want to wear new clothes too."

"Buy new ones for everyone. Keep your brother's for changing clothes."

"That's more like it."

Ye Chenghu rolled his eyes. "Didn't I always wear what Brother Brother Ahai and the others left behind? I even wore what was left after those three cycled through. I didn't even get a turn before it was falling apart. You only pick up what I left behind; you should be secretly laughing. By my count, you're only picking up second-hand, while I'm picking up fourth or fifth-hand."

"But I also picked up what they left behind to wear! By my count, you only wear what three people left behind, while I wear what four people left behind!"

"Then you got the better deal; you get a few more clothes to wear."

"Damn!"

For the first time ever, Ye Ye Chengyang couldn't argue with Ye Chenghu and was left speechless.

Ye Ye Xiaoxi said, "Stop arguing. You two have two younger male cousins behind you; they are waiting to pick up what you leave behind."

Lin Lin Xiuqing changed the subject and asked Ye Yaodong, "Did you send Pei Yu back?"

"Yes. I sent her back first. I originally wanted to ask if they wanted to come over for a meal, but Ye Ye Huimei said she had already cooked, so I let it go. Tomorrow, if you two are free, cook a couple more dishes together and call all the children over to eat."

"Okay. I just have to work; I have to go to driving school this afternoon. I'll have to let her buy groceries and do the extra work, and I'll help after I get off work."

"It's fine. Anyway, the children are at school, so she's idle even if she's idle."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi asked, "Then will Auntie and the younger male and female cousins go back to our hometown with us in a few days?"

"Definitely. Since everyone else is going back, they certainly will too."

"Then Big Brother can't go back."

Ye Chenghu's face, which had been happy just moments ago, fell again. "No need to remind me; I am someone who is going to take the college entrance exam!"

Ye Ye Chengyang added, "You are also someone who is going to marry a college student wife!"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi laughed heartily without holding back.

Ye Yaodong and Lin Lin Xiuqing also couldn't help but chuckle.

The meal was finished amidst everyone's laughter and joy. Although this place didn't have the spaciousness and brightness of a Western-style house, a small family still had its own warmth.

The three finished eating and went off to do their homework separately.

Ye Yaodong helped Lin Lin Xiuqing clean up and, in passing, asked about the demolition and rebuilding of the other small courtyard.

"In this month or so, the house has already been demolished, and the foundation has been laid. Now they have started laying bricks and building. It's just that there will be a lot of rain coming up, so progress might not be that fast."

"Let's go check the progress tomorrow when we are free."

"Won't you be going to the shipyard and the machinery factory tomorrow?"

"I'll go after I come back. Anyway, I'll be staying for a few more days; the time is sufficient."

"Stay for five days. Leave after your daughter's birthday on the fifth."

"Mm, just in time for her. The day after tomorrow is Sunday, and I should be about done with work by then. We'll take the whole family out to stroll together and buy everyone a gift. Even those who haven't had their birthdays yet will get one, so no one feels unbalanced."

"Unbalanced about what? Before, we didn't have the means. Now that we are in Shanghai, buying cakes is convenient. When it's their birthdays, we'll buy each of them a cake and a gift too."

"Ye Chenghe's son is having his full-month celebration. When we go out to stroll the day after tomorrow, let's also buy the child a gold lock and gold bracelets."

"Alright."

PS: I'm going to Wuhan on the 15th; I need to start working hard to build up my manuscript backlog.