Chapter 1779: Relaxed

Ye Ye Chenghai agreed especially, "That's great, that's exactly how it should be. If you want to earn more money, you'll definitely have to work hard at the beginning. Once it stabilizes later, you can get a few more vehicles, hire a few more people, and you just need to set up an office to be the boss, taking orders and jobs, letting the employees do the work."

"Whether long-distance or short-distance, let the employees run the vehicles. You yourself won't necessarily be relaxed, but it will definitely be better than now, and only with more vehicles can you earn more and more."

Ye Yaodong looked at him approvingly, "You must have thoughts like this."

The prototype of logistics has already emerged.

In the previous life, the loss came from not stepping out of the countryside; vision is really important.

Look, he's only been out for a few years and already has ideas most people wouldn't think of.

In this era, as long as you have ideas, you can make money doing almost anything.

This single idea sees future development; in the future, it can be found as a typical example.

Starting now and working seriously, even if you don't become the top leader later, you can still get a huge bite of the meat.

Ye Ye Chenghai's eyes lit up, "Does Third Uncle also think my idea is feasible?"

"Of course it is."

"Then wait until we get back and tell Ye Chenghe about it, let him work hard to buy vehicles next, then hire people to drive and take jobs."

"He might have figured it out himself. He started driving big trucks this year, renting out the tractors, earning a hundred or so yuan a month. Plus, a couple of days ago he discussed it with Ajiang, saying to hire two people to drive the vehicles for them during their rest time, so they can earn a bit more."

Ye Ye Chenghai was excited, "Then I'll tell him too. When there's money, buy more vehicles, just like Third Uncle did before. When there was money, he bought boats, and now with more and more boats, he earns more and more."

"If he buys more vehicles, hires more people later, he won't be bullied at the dock either. It counts as a force. Moreover, there are hundreds of people in our village, and we are united outside."

Ye Yaodong said with a smile, "Our village has some reputation at the dock too. We fought with people a couple of years ago. My Dongsheng Fishery sign is recognized by many at the dock."

"So as long as he gets a few more vehicles, there's something to it. Anyway, we have many people; just don't be afraid to fight with others."

"Mm, take it slow. Places like the dock are a mix of good and bad. Before, I saw they were young, so I just let them take jobs from my factory. Even a little leakage was enough for them to earn. If they really have ambition to go big, they still need to integrate more people first before they can do it."

"That's for sure. Start small, take it slow."

After the two finished talking, that night Ye Chenghe and Ye Ye Chengjiang also came to find Ye Yaodong, but he had gone out for socializing again.

The two brothers could only wait until noon the next day when Ye Yaodong woke up to block him.

Ye Yaodong had just gotten up, stretching his arms while standing at his doorway, when he saw the two brothers sitting at the door turning to look at him. He was surprised and picked at his eye boogers.

"Why are you two sitting at my doorway?"

"Looking for you, Third Uncle."

"Borrowing money? Talk after the New Year, I'm not lending now!"

Seeing them blocking the door, his first reaction was that they had lost everything playing cards during the New Year and were coming to borrow money from him...

After all, there were still several days before departure; without money, it would definitely be hard to endure.

The two brothers were speechless for a moment.

"Although we are poor, we wouldn't come over early in the morning just to borrow money..."

"Exactly. If we were going to borrow, we would have borrowed before the New Year. Who comes to borrow money during the New Year? We are poor, but we have principles."

Ye Yaodong was amused by them, "Then what are you two here for?"

Ye Ye Chengjiang and Ye Chenghe exchanged glances and said, "We chatted with Brother Brother Ahai yesterday and thought what he said made so much sense. He said you also agreed. Then we thought, maybe we can buy a few sets of factory uniforms from you later, haha. Is that okay, Third Uncle?"

"Thinking quite well, trying to pull a big flag?"

"Of course. If there are resources, don't waste them."

Ye Chenghe also rushed to say, "Dongsheng Fishery's factory uniforms are deeply ingrained. Everyone knows the biggest boat in the whole port belongs to Third Uncle's family, to Dongsheng Fishery."

"Normally, wearing the factory uniforms makes our backs straighter than others. When we drive out to take jobs, wearing the factory uniforms, people will give us a bit more face. It's equivalent to wearing a safety vest."

"Right. As long as everyone doesn't cause trouble and is polite and courteous to people when out, seeing that we are from Dongsheng Fishery can also reduce the chance of conflict."

"Many people even think Third Uncle has a military background. Wearing the factory uniforms to take jobs outside can also be safer."

The two brothers took turns flattering him, and Ye Yaodong waved his hand.

"Alright, wait until we go to the factory and get two more sets each from logistics. Since you're going to eat from this bowl, pay more attention to safety at the dock. Be polite when you should be, be tough when you should be, and build good relationships when you should."

Ye Ye Chengjiang agreed, "We understand that. When we first started driving tractors, we also dealt with those drivers at the dock."

"I'll bring all the little yellow books from Uncle Pang's stock later. When there's idle time waiting for cargo, we can share them. What conflicts could arise? We are all brothers!" Ye Chenghe smiled with a lecherous expression.

Ye Yaodong: "..."

Ye Ye Chengjiang laughed, "You understand harmony."

"That's right." Ye Chenghe was proud and self-satisfied.

"Third Uncle, when do we set off for Zhoushi?"

"When we go over for the meal later, I'll ask and see which day is a good day."

Ye Ye Chengjiang said, "We said this morning: the 13th and the 21st are suitable for travel; other times aren't as good."

Ye Yaodong frowned, "Is there nothing after the 15th for a day or two? The 21st is too late."

"There are no taboos against traveling, so it should just be an ordinary day."

"Then let's tentatively set the 13th. Starting the year and going out to make big money still requires picking a good day. We left on the 7th or 8th of last year's start; this year is considered late."

"Right. Like fishing boats, if they don't go out to sea for a day, the loss is huge. The factory's requirement for reporting time is also on the 10th."

"Mm, today is the 7th, so there are 5 days left."

"Then we'll spread it out: we set off on the 13th?"

"Okay. The village is repairing the road; has anyone said when construction starts?"

"They said they've already picked a day, posted an announcement, and ground-breaking will be on the 16th."

Ye Yaodong felt regretful, "Then we won't see the groundbreaking. Forget it."

Ye Chenghe said, "My grandpa said to see when you set off. If you can't see the groundbreaking, he'll stay behind to watch the groundbreaking for you."

"That works too. Then let him do whatever he wants. He can go to Zhoushi a few days later."

When he went over to the new house for the meal, Ye Father said the same thing.

They had already discussed it once in the morning; he was just the late one to know.

Ye Yaodong naturally had no objections; he certainly couldn't delay departure until the twenty-first, as that would be too late. Anyway, it wasn't a big matter, just the start of construction. When the time came, letting his father handle the groundbreaking ceremony would be the same.

Upon hearing this, Ye's father was also very happy. There was an opportunity to show his face, even though many villagers would be departing with Dongzi for Zhou City by then.

"Then I'll go out and look around in a bit to tell everyone we're leaving on the thirteenth? Today is already the seventh of the first lunar month, with six days left. I must notify them so they can prepare early."

"Alright. Just wait until the sixteenth passes, then follow the fresh catch transport ships coming back. Get on board early; the factory still needs you to drive. I almost forgot that detail."

"Didn't you train another driver?"

"That novice isn't as steady at driving as you. The new person still needs to learn more."

Ye's father felt proud. "That's right. My driving skills now aren't worse than a taxi driver's. If I'm not around, a novice can barely make do. But if I am here, I still have to be the one to do it."

Ye's mother and the old lady both rolled their eyes in unison from the side, but they didn't expose him. If they did, how could they expect him to go up and help?

After Ye's father went out happily to look around, the old lady said regretfully, "The thirteenth is when he leaves? How about the twenty-first? Your mother said the twenty-first is also a good day. A few days later shouldn't matter, right? With so many people working, you could just stay home, take phone calls, and give orders."

Actually, the elder was just speaking. Otherwise, she would have interrupted when the father and son were talking earlier, instead of muttering only after Ye's father went out to notify everyone.

"If we wait until the twenty-first, that's too long. We won't be around for the entire month before and after. If I don't go, the workers will all be at home. How will the fishing boats start work?"

Ye's mother also said, "We can't delay starting work for too long. The workers are paid even if they don't work during this Lunar New Year month. For every day they don't go to sea, Dongzi loses tens of thousands. In this one month alone, he's already lost hundreds of thousands in earnings. They left on the seventh or eighth day of the first lunar month last year. If we can stay until the thirteenth this year, that's not bad."

The old lady dared not make a sound. Hundreds of thousands? She couldn't even dream of having that much money in her entire life.

Ye Yaodong agreed, "Mm, let it be the thirteenth. By the time we get up there, it'll be the fifteenth."

"Then come back to visit more often when you have free time."

"I know."

"Sigh. Once the New Year is over, if everyone leaves at once, it will be completely empty. Today, Brother Ahai's family of three is leaving. In a few days, your big group will leave. The village will be empty too."

Ye Yaodong didn't respond. There was no choice; they had to go out to earn money.

Their village was just one step ahead of others in venturing out, one step ahead in the phenomenon of young adults leaving while the elderly, women, and children stayed behind.

Other villages would see this phenomenon one after another in just a few years. After all, staying in the village to farm couldn't earn money. Fishermen relying on small boats to fish along the coast couldn't earn much either. For large boats, they had to go far out.

Now there are still women staying at home. Later, even women won't stay at home. There will be plenty of elderly and children left behind.

Ye's mother added, "Your eldest sister-in-law is going up with you this year too. She said she wants to help Ye Chenghe take care of the children."

"Mm, Ah Qing told me. It's perfect anyway. The children are grown up now. They aren't raising pigs anymore. The eldest sister-in-law earning that small wage at home isn't as good as going to help take care of the grandchildren. The second sister-in-law wants to take care of grandchildren but has none to care for. Having the second sister-in-law at home to help you is enough."

"Your second sister-in-law actually wants to go too, but she worries about her two daughters not being watched. She's afraid someone will coax them away while they are at work."

"Have they passed their accounting certificate exams yet?"

"Not yet. They've only studied for two years. They said they aren't confident and want to wait until next year to take the exam."

"Oh, then she should just stay at home. She can still watch her two daughters, work at the workshop, and earn a wage. She has no grandchildren to take care of. Ajiang won't listen to her anyway. Your second brother is at sea every day; he might not return once in several months."

"Luckily, Ajiang told her a couple of days ago that he has a girlfriend. Recently, she's found him more agreeable and even smiles while asking about him a few times."

Ye Yaodong was surprised. "Ajiang has a girlfriend? When did he find one? From the village or nearby? He found one just after coming back for the New Year? That's really fast."

"She said she found her up there, a female textile factory worker. They only confirmed the relationship recently over the phone." As Ye's mother spoke, she was also happy, already imagining holding a grandchild next year.

"That's impressive. It didn't take long to win her over?"

He didn't doubt it. After all, Ye Ye Chengjiang's conditions were indeed not bad. He looked decent, fitting the typical square-faced aesthetic of people today. He had a big truck, land, and a boat at home.

He was also 1.73 meters tall, only two centimeters shorter than Brother Ahai, but a head taller than Ye Chenghe.

"Maybe his mother pressured him so much he had no choice. So, he directly chatted with that Miss and settled it."

The old lady said happily, "Next year, who knows? Our family might add new members again. Ye Chenghe and Brother Ahai might add one or two more. The little children at home will become more and more numerous, and more and more lively."

Thinking of that scene, Ye's mother couldn't stop smiling. "By then, during the New Year, they'll all be crawling all over the floor. In a few years, we'll need three tables for the New Year's Eve dinner just to fit everyone."

Ye Yaodong gave them a thumbs-up.

The fantasy was good. It seemed the New Year's Eve dinner with three tables could indeed be realized easily, as long as the grandchildren generation got married one by one.

"If each person has two more children, setting up four tables won't be a problem. Luckily, this house is built large and bright. Four tables can fit in the main hall."

"Yes, yes, yes. This house is built well. By then, we won't even need to set up four tables in the yard. Setting them in the main hall won't be cold, and it will be lively."

After finishing his meal, Ye Yaodong went back to his own house first, leaving his mother and the old lady to imagine the family New Year's Eve dinner with four tables.

Two card tables were also set up at the entrance of the house at this moment.

When he ran over to eat, Ye Ye Chengjiang and Ye Chenghe, having achieved their goal, called out to friends and gathered a group to set up a game at the entrance. It was very lively.

Ye Ye Xiaoxi saw him and immediately ran over to hold his arm. "Dad, I haven't seen you for several days!"

"Have I?"

"Yes! I can't see you every day at mealtime, and I can't see you when sleeping. I asked Mom, and she said you went out drinking. Why don't you play cards? Today, I finally caught you."

Ye Yaodong was confused. "Why should I play cards?"

"Doesn't playing cards count as socializing?"

"If I play cards and win all the money from others, they'll get angry and stop doing business with me. What then? If I lose money to others, I'm not willing either!"

Treating people to meals is fine; losing money is not!

"Then play here. Play with your uncle-in-law and your friends. They come to find you every day."

"You're strange. Why do you want me to play cards?"

"Because drinking is bad. Drinking hurts the body, and you feel terrible when you wake up. Drink a little less."

Ye Yaodong felt deeply gratified. "I know."

Lin Lin Xiuqing said with a smile, "Don't listen to her coaxing. She plans to wait until you play cards, then take a cut of your winnings."

"It's not that at all. It's because I can't see Dad, so I miss him. You also keep nagging that Dad gets talky after drinking late at night and feels terrible the next day."

"Really? Or are you making excuses?"

"Of course it's true."

Ye Yaodong flicked her nose hard, "Then I'll trust you once."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi covered her nose, tears welling up from the pain, "It hurts so much, my nose bridge is about to be flicked flat by you."

"You play the nose-flicking game with them every day, flicking noses, aren't you afraid of flicking them flat? One flick from me and it's flat?"

"Mother already forbade us from playing the nose-flicking game."

"Go call your little uncle-in-law and my other friends over, tell them I'm summoning them to play cards, I won't go out drinking today, just stay home to play cards and recover, and buy a deck of playing cards back for me."

Money was coming, Ye Ye Xiaoxi cheerfully agreed, took a one-yuan note, then rushed off to call people and buy the cards.

Waking up in the morning, Ye Yaodong felt his belly was a bit bigger, as if he was getting a beer belly!

Eating and drinking every day during the New Year, the weight gain was quite severe, he needed to take it easy.

While the others hadn't arrived yet, he called Ah Qing to help him carry the house tables out, playing cards while basking in the sun, just to clear his mind.

"That girl is just eyeing your water money, just wait and see."

"Can't it be genuine concern for me, missing me?"

"Bet 100 yuan?"

Ye Yaodong refused!

"Just fooling yourself is enough, don't actually believe it."

Ah Guang arrived the fastest, seeing him he joked with a smile, "Rare indeed, the sun rising from the west, finally seeing Boss Ye after the whole New Year."

"Didn't we see you enough every day normally? Still have to see you every day during the New Year, might as well live with you?"

"I go to my mother-in-law's for meals now and then, yet I still can't see you, others ask me every day where you are, I can't answer."

"Isn't this calling you over to play cards?"

"When do we set off?"

"Thirteen, my mother just checked an auspicious day this morning."

"Why not leave after the fifteenth? The lantern festival in town is very lively too."

"No good days after the fifteenth, have to drag it until the twenty-first, too late."

"That is indeed too late, thirteen it is, setting off early means earning money early."

"Mm."

While they chatted, the others arrived one by one, exaggerating the jokes too.

"Oh my, the sun rising from the west..."

"Stop stop stop, can you change the phrase? He just said the sun rising from the west, and you say it too as soon as you arrive."

"It's the truth."

Fatty arrived last, and also said this sentence, everyone laughed to death.

The difference was only that one started with: Rare indeed, another started with: Oh my, Fatty's started with: Amazing..."

Lin Lin Xiuqing couldn't help but laugh, "Those who don't know might think you all planned it, saying the sun rising from the west as soon as you arrive."

Fatty: "This just shows how rare it is to see him."

"Stop wasting words, those who came late stand aside, save them for substitutes later."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi brought over a stool, "Uncle Fatty, you sit here."

"Ai, good girl, Dongzi, your daughter is really good, really sensible, how about she becomes my daughter-in-law."

"Slap you across the face, the sun hasn't even set yet, and you're already dreaming."

"Really, this chubby one looks like my family too."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi was originally very happy, instantly got angry and stamped her foot, "Ah, I shouldn't have moved the stool for you to sit, give the stool back to me!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing patted her shoulder with a smile, "Who is so rude? Uncle is joking, go play by yourself."

She stamped her feet, humming and hawing, and went to play aside.

Fatty was puzzled, "What did I offend her? Wasn't I praising her?"

"She got a bit fat during the New Year, was just saying she wanted to lose weight, I told her she'll naturally get thin again when school starts."

"So she's unhappy people said she's fat, isn't she just a little girl? She's not fat, isn't this cute baby fat? Compared to when she was small she's already lost a lot, other people's kids are the ones called skinny bones."

"Anyway, don't say she's fat, she's bigger now, say she's fat and she gets angry."

Ye Yaodong interjected, "Sign her up for a dance class when school starts, jumping around will make her thin."

"That's what I was thinking too." Lin Lin Xiuqing agreed.

Ah Guang said: "This one who can play the erhu and dance, won't she make boys dizzy later, chasing her in a line to the Great Wall?"

"Come one, beat one, come two, beat a pair, three of a kind." Ye Yaodong aggressively threw out a pair of threes.

"Heh..."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi played around a bit then ran back to peek a few times, seeing her dad's table piled with money made her happy, she wouldn't leave!

Lin Lin Xiuqing flicked her forehead, "Go play by yourself, children shouldn't stare at the cards."

"I want to watch how my dad wins money, killing everywhere, winning all of Uncle Fatty's money clean."

"So vindictive, even cursing me to lose it all?" Fatty emphasized the three words "lose it all".

Ah Guang couldn't help but throw a knife-like glare over.

"Just want you to lose it all!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing held back laughter on the side, but also symbolically said "Ai", stopping Ye Ye Xiaoxi from saying more.

"That won't do, let them three lose left and right, lose it all, I want to win it all!"

"My dad will definitely win, win all of you clean."

Ye Yaodong smiled and pulled out a five-yuan note for her, "Can't be disrespectful, go play."

"Thank you dad! Dad makes big money!"

She ran off happily.

"I told you—your daughter egged you into playing cards just so she could come over and skim some of your winnings."

"It's fine, I won. The skim came out of their pockets—made them pay left and right till they lost every last coin."

Ah Guang could stand it no longer. "Pair of 2s! I'll make you lot lose every last coin in a bit!"

Lin Lin Xiuqing stood off to the side laughing nonstop as she watched the twins come running over.

"Pay left, pay right—they really came!"

The twins ran over, took a curious glance at Lin Lin Xiuqing, and called out, "Third Aunt."

"Oh, come quick and be your daddy's bodyguards—your daddy's already losing money."

The two of them flanked Ah Guang, one on each side.

The others looked on and couldn't help laughing too.

"They really came the moment you finished talking about it?"

"Perfect timing—father and sons all gathered in one spot."

Ah Guang glared at Ye Yaodong, who had spoken. "Just watch me win it all back in a bit."

"That's still going to be pretty hard. All three of you are bunched together now—you'll definitely have to lose double. No wait—triple."

"Nonsense, you jinx."

"Put more money out, or there won't be enough for me to win."

Ah Guang fished around in his pocket, took out two coins and gave one to each child—get them out of the way first.

"Go play on your own. Don't get in the way here, and don't come running back. If you need something, go find your mother."

"Oh."

The two of them happily took the money and ran off.

Fortunately, from then on Ye Ye Xiaoxi and the others showed some restraint and didn't come back over.

PS: Today I didn't really dawdle, and I didn't short the word count either! I'll keep working hard to keep it up!