Chapter 1757: Opening the Sea

Ye Yaodong came back from the sea, took the kids out to play for another round, then started a new round of busy days, and went through the routine of socializing and chasing down payments again.

Ye Ye Chengyang and Ye Ye Xiaoxi, the two siblings, stayed at the factory every day. For over half a month, they only caught a few glimpses of their father, and that was either at lunchtime or when their father had just woken up and went to check on them.

But it was just a quick word or two, a glance, a reminder to be good and listen, and then he left them be.

They were old enough anyway, and there were so many people at the factory—they weren't three-year-olds.

The closed fishing season was almost over, and fishing boats at the harbor were visibly multiplying, returning from all directions.

No one could bear to leave this fertile fishing ground. If not for the policy, plus a few boats being seized as a warning to others, no one would dare run afoul of the rules, let alone go elsewhere.

Those boats that defied the ban had all been detained, their vessels confiscated—just hearing about it was enough to make one's heart ache.

For fishermen, their entire livelihood is tied up in their boats. With a few boats seized like that, which boat would dare act rashly?

Ye Yaodong had only heard it from everyone else; he had been out at sea during the closed season.

So it was only chaotic for the first few days, then everyone fell back in line. Now things were gradually returning to their busiest, most bustling state.

He also contacted his father, arranging for the Dongsheng boats to return. The village boats would naturally follow suit and come back as well.

While they could still fish, they should fish as much as possible. There were still several months until next year's closed season. Whether outside boats would be allowed to fish next year was next year's problem—if they could still fish this year, they should hurry up and do it.

Fish while you can, and cherish it.

There won't be such easy money again in the future.

Ye Fu had been watching over their fishing boat at home for so long, so he came back with the boat this trip.

He also brought back a whole basket of chicken and duck eggs that the old lady had been saving, complaining the whole way. As soon as he got back to the factory, he carried them over to Ye Yaodong and started grumbling.

"Acting as if you can't buy eggs here—still had to bring them all the way from home? Too full, making me carry them."

"These are so small—like turtle eggs. First-laid eggs?"

"These few small ones are first-laid eggs. She said Ye Chenghe's baby can't eat eggs yet, so she told me to bring them over for your little ones to eat. Said they're studying and need to nourish their brains."

"Then I'll boil them for them tomorrow morning."

"Back in the old days there was nothing to eat, so we ate eggs to supplement our diet. Now you're afraid there's nothing to eat? Better eat them quick, it's hot weather, eggs won't keep."

"Two people, one a day—won't even last a month."

Ye Fu handed the eggs off to him to deal with, then changed the subject: "The sea opens on August 1st, right?"

"That's right. Just in time to let the workers rest for two or three days, then set off again."

"If we have to wait until the 1st to open the sea, how lively will it be? I'm guessing by midnight there'll already be a pile of boats waiting?"

"Probably. They've waited two months, finally back. They should've already fueled up and stocked ice long ago. Our boats just got back today, so forget it—tomorrow arrange for the fishing boats to line up for fuel and ice, so we don't get caught in the last-minute rush."

"Got it."

That was their plan, and everyone else had the same plan. The next morning, when they went to fuel up and stock ice, they still had to wait in a long line and spent the whole day before it was their turn—showing just how many boats there were.

While waiting in line, they heard that starting from the 20th, the line had been long every day.

By the day the sea opened, the dock was a sea of people—more than the past two months, they heard. Boats had been taking turns going out since the middle of the night.

Now, one whole night later, the fishing boats still hadn't all left. Overnight, due to various reasons or disputes in line, the sea traffic was jammed up.

They went to the dock for a look and then headed straight back—who knew how long it would take to clear up.

They hadn't fished for two months; one more day wouldn't hurt. They'd come back tomorrow to check.

Just as they got back to the factory and barely had time to sit down, Ye Yaodong had just brewed tea for his father when the phone rang.

He had just picked up and said hello when the voice on the other end excitedly said: "Good, good, very good! Brother Brother Ahai's wife gave birth—a boy too, hehehe, our family has more mouths to feed again."

"Huh? Brother Brother Ahai's wife gave birth? That fast?"

"About right. Half a month earlier or half a month later is perfectly normal—how can you calculate things so precisely, down to the exact day? Good that the baby's born, good that the baby's born. The 2nd of the month is an auspicious day."

Ye Fu stood up happily the moment he heard Brother Brother Ahai's wife had given birth. "She gave birth? When? Boy or girl?"

Ye Yaodong looked at his father. "Just as dawn was breaking. A boy. She just got a moment free and called to notify the family. Mother also rushed to call over right away."

"A boy! Hahaha, a boy's great! Both brothers have boys—our family just gained two grandsons at once."

Ye Fu was overjoyed, beaming—he'd been promoted another rank.

Ye Mu, on the other end of the line, happily continued: "Your sister-in-law got the call and immediately packed her bags. She's about to head off to the provincial city to help with the month of confinement too, hehehe…"

"Brother Brother Ahai's wife hasn't been home—she's been staying in the provincial city with Brother Brother Ahai, hasn't eaten any of our home-cooked food. I've tied up a chicken for her to take, and all the eggs we've saved these past two months are for her."

"Ye Chenghe's wife is at home, and all the good stuff at home goes to her first. Now we have to give Brother Brother Ahai's wife priority…"

"I won't talk to you anymore—I need to go check if your sister-in-law has packed everything, and that we haven't left behind any of the baby clothes and diapers we prepared. If the in-laws see, they'll think we don't know our manners…"

Ye Mu hung up without even waiting for him to speak.

The whole time, he'd only heard his mother rattle on and on; he hadn't gotten two words in before the phone was hung up.

He brought the phone up to look at it, then hung up as well.

Ye Fu looked at him in surprise. "I haven't even picked up yet, and you hung up?"

"It wasn't me who hung up—my mother did. She was in a panic, rushing off to check sister-in-law's luggage, didn't let me get two words in."

"Then what did she just say? You didn't say a word the whole time."

Ye Yaodong roughly repeated for him what his mother had said on the phone.

Ye Fu became happy again. "Then around the 2nd of next month, we can go to the provincial city to see the baby."

"We need to go a bit earlier—I still have to pass through home."

"What for at home? I already brought the money back for you."

"To go back and see the elders. He called ages ago asking—when Brother Brother Ahai's baby is born, will I be back for the one-month celebration?"

The baby hadn't been back home yet, so before school started, he'd take them to the provincial city for a trip, attend the celebration feast, then go back to the hometown, visit the elders, and see old friends.

If it ran past September 1st, he'd just take a few days off—school had just started, they wouldn't have classes right away, so a few days off wouldn't be a big deal.

PS: Too sleepy. Took a bath in the evening and went to sleep, woke up in the middle of the night, hurriedly typed a bit. Going to sleep first, will make up for it tomorrow.