Chapter 1763: Gone

Ye Mu looked at the sofa crammed full of kids, big and small, and her head started to throb.

She thought, just got back, the seat not even warm yet, and she had to keep busy feeding all these mouths again, she'd have to cook two big tables' worth.

Then she saw that each of them had just agreed on what to watch on TV, so they hauled the souvenirs brought back from the provincial capital—peanuts, melon seeds, and so on—onto the coffee table, sat on the sofa cracking shells and eating, and watching the shells and crumbs falling on it, her face darkened even more.

"Be careful, don't drop things on the sofa, how would I clean it later? Disgusting, look at your feet, go wash your feet before coming over, feet in sandals are all so dirty, how do you even wear them."

"Pay more attention at home, such a bright and clean house, don't make it dirty."

"The moment you all come back, I have to run around you all day long…"

"What do you want for dinner? I have to cook for you all again, what dishes do you want?"

"I want braised pork…"

"I want the steamed crab with sticky rice we had at noon…"

"I want beef stewed with radish, and vegetable rice."

"I want sea bass…"

"I want potato soup…"

Every person ordered a different dish, some normal, some not, Ye Mu listened until the veins at her temples were jumping—she shouldn't have asked.

"Such experts at ordering dishes, you think this is a restaurant? Whatever I cook is what you eat!"

A few muttered softly, "Then why even ask…"

Ye Mu took a rag and shooed them all off the sofa, drove them off to wash their feet, so she could wipe down the sofa and the dirty floor.

Father Ye saw her on the floor busy at work and urged her again, "Hurry up and cook first, what are you fussing around here for? It'll just get dirty again later, wiping is pointless, might as well leave it and mop everything after dinner."

"I can't stand watching a perfectly good sofa being ruined like this. If you're free, go catch a duck and kill it, then go to the dock and see if there's any fish or shrimp to buy some, stir-fry it for me later."

"These dozen-plus mouths, whatever they eat, nothing's left. Later I'll have to dig around everywhere to see what vegetables are still in the house."

"Half-grown boys eat their old man into poverty. If these dozen-plus stay two more days, there won't even be a scrap of year-old pickled vegetable left in this house."

"Day after day, never a moment to catch my breath…"

Ye Mu got down on the floor and wiped it all clean before standing up.

The sofa was crammed full of people again, she shook her head helplessly and hurried to cook first, otherwise those dozen-plus mouths would start wailing again.

The daughters-in-law went home to put their things away, used the restroom, and came over to help shortly after; she rinsed the rice and started it cooking first.

Luckily it was only two more days of busyness, then one by one they'd have to go out and earn money again.

But once they were all gone, she was sure she'd miss the days they were home.

People are just this contradictory.

Seeing them at home every day is annoying, having to run around them; when they're not home, you miss having the kids around, miss them terribly.

After finally putting together two big tables of food, those dozen-plus had already split into three groups—some playing cards, some watching TV, some playing games.

"Time to eat!"

"Coming…"

Mouths saying "coming," butts not moving an inch—only the few little ones playing games came running.

"Let me finish this episode…"

"Let me finish this round…"

"Every meal I have to call you forever…"

But it was just one more day of busyness tomorrow, then they'd have to leave, leaving only three granddaughters at home to keep the old folks company.

When it was time to depart, Ye Mu suddenly couldn't bear to let them go.

The old lady too—on the morning of departure, she got up early to prepare food for them, and at the door, her eyes red, grabbed Ye Yaodong.

"It feels like you just came back a few days ago and now you're leaving again. The next time you come back will be New Year, right?"

Ye Yaodong put his arm around her bony shoulders and said, "Pretty much, and it'll come quick. New Year is early this year—January 22 on the solar calendar is New Year. We'll come back early then."

"That's still three and a half months from start to finish."

"Right, it'll come pretty fast. In the blink of an eye it'll be New Year again. When we come back for New Year, Ye Chenghe's son will probably be able to walk, right?"

Ye Mu said with a not-so-good expression, "Ye Chenghe and his wife want to take the child up with them."

"The child is so small and they're taking him up to travel with them?"

"We told them not to take him, just leave the child at home, with me and Ye Ye Dasao and the others helping to watch him, that's fine. The two of them can go on their own, and they can take the chance to have another one out there, that way no one will know."

Ye Ye Dasao added, "Xiuni can't bear to part with the child, says he hasn't been weaned yet, wants to bring him, and bring him back after New Year."

Ye Chenghe said, "The child is too young, of course he has to stay with his mother. Don't worry about it, I'll take them up with me, we'll be back in a few months anyway."

Ye Mu wasn't reassured at all. "The weather's already turning cold now, it's much colder up there than at home, having a child out there, how can I not worry."

"He hasn't even been weaned yet, of course a child this small has to drink milk."

Ye Ye Dasao also couldn't bear to part with the child and said, "How about Xiuni doesn't go for now, wait until after New Year to go up with you?"

Ye Chenghe looked at Chen Xiuni holding the child. "She has nothing going on at home anyway, if she wants to come with me, let her. The family quarters at Third Uncle's place are ready, I've already picked one. The child won't freeze staying at home anyway, let him come with us. He's so small, how could we bear to wean him."

Ye Mu and Ye Ye Dasao naturally couldn't bear to let the child go without milk either, so they had to let them decide.

"Then you have to take good care of the child. The weather up there is cold, don't carry him out often."

"Got it."

Once they left, the house was instantly empty again, and the once-bustling village fell quiet.

The village kids happened to start school on September 1st too, so they went off to class. They got on the tractor heading to the town's dock, and along the way the only ones in the village were children under school age running and jumping about, curiously watching their vehicle full of people.

Ye Ye Chengyang propped his chin and watched the village grow farther away, sighing, "We're leaving already, feels like we just got back."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi rested her chin on his shoulder. "Yeah, I haven't even played enough, and we're leaving. Then once we're back in Modu, school starts right away. We barely got to play a few days."

"We haven't even gotten this month's wages yet!" Ye Chenghu suddenly realized, said loudly, then looked at Ye Yaodong.

The other two realized it too, and all looked at Ye Yaodong together.

"Why are you all staring at me? If you want your wages, wait till we get back to the factory and collect them from your cousin."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi said happily, "Then we'll wait until we get our wages before heading to Magu."

Ye Yaodong chuckled, "Perfect—school's starting, use it for tuition."

"Hmph, if I pay for it myself, then I pay for it myself—I've got money! Brother Brother Ahai bought me a new backpack and new stationery in the provincial capital!"

"You kids still in school are lucky—you get the bargain, someone even buys you backpacks and stationery."

"Of course."

She swung her backpack behind her; it wasn't empty—it held new stationery and newly bought toys.

This trip home, she'd returned fully loaded.

Pei Yu had the same treatment; the two sat side by side, each with an identical backpack, just different colors.

They wanted everything to match, only differentiated by color.

Ye Chenghu still cared about his wages: "Dad, we left on the 19th and came back—can I get a full month's wage?"

"Dream on."

"But workers get paid during their rest days, don't they?"

"That's only because of typhoons—we had no choice, and life at sea is hard, so a proper rest is needed."

"Right, you know how hard it is at sea—so why deduct ten days' pay? Don't all our workers get paid for the whole year?"

"You're a temporary worker—you think you can work two months and get a full year's pay?"

"Hehe… I didn't really think that, but if Dad says so, then fine…"

Ye Yaodong shot him a sidelong glance—a look that said, figure it out yourself.

"Study hard when you get back to school. Don't get obsessed with money. When you graduate, there'll be plenty of chances to earn—every day you'll be out at sea, living on the water, and I'll pay you a full year's wage."

Ye Chenghu shook his head violently, "I don't want to go out to sea every day! Everyone else avoids it, but you're pushing me into the fire! I won't do it—you're just fooling me. Want me to work a whole year? Am I even your son? You're killing me!"

"How's that fooling you? They don't have many boats—it doesn't matter. I have dozens, and they'll all be yours two brothers one day. If you don't know how to sail, how to handle these boats, or even get to know the workers, how will you manage later?"

"So if I get familiar now, after graduation I won't have to go to sea—I'll sit in the office, and it'll be Yangyang's turn."

"Fine. The two of you can take turns going out to sea to learn."

Ye Ye Chengyang, knowing he'd have to go to sea once he entered high school, asked curiously, "Is the deep sea the same as the near shore?"

"No, the seawater's different. I'll tell you—the deep sea water is beautiful, blue like a foreigner's eyes. When you go see it, you'll understand."

"Forget it—I'm still young. You just work harder."

"Pfft—I've always been working hard!"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi said, "Big brother, keep working hard—find me a college student big sister! You can take a shortcut."

"Keep your voice down—there are so many people on the bus. Don't chatter."

"Hey? Big brother, if you don't want one, how about finding one for Ajiang? Introduce one of your classmates to him!"

Ye Chenghu's face twisted, "Are you out of your mind? Playing matchmaker everywhere? Nobody thinks you're mute if you shut up—Ajiang's already so old, and your classmates are how young?"

Ye Ye Chengjiang protested, "What the hell? Where am I old? I'm only six or seven years older than you—I'm already old?"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi also protested, "I'm not playing matchmaker! Ajiang's got no girlfriend at all—help him find one!"

"Find a ghost—let him stay single his whole life."

"Fucking…"

Ps: Stuck on writing, updates after midnight make me slack off—I'll make up a chapter tomorrow daytime.

Lin Lin Xiuqing smiled and tapped Ye Ye Chengjiang lightly, "Don't swear—there are so many younger siblings here—you'll corrupt them."

"They're no better—they swear more than I do every day."

"I never swore. Ajiang, if you talk like that, I won't let Big Brother introduce you to a college student girlfriend."