Chapter 1798

Ye Yaodong had been sipping tea and chatting with Lin Guang for nearly an hour when Lin Lin Dongxue passed by his door.

She exclaimed aloud, "Lin Guang! When did you get here?"

Both men were startled by her loud voice.

"Why so excited, so flustered," Lin Guang said with mock annoyance, but his face was beaming.

Lin Lin Dongxue rushed up to him, beaming, "Wow, nice! You've gotten handsomer and taller."

She happily patted his chest, "So solid—you've really come into your own, nothing like you were a few years ago."

"Of course, people grow."

"When did you arrive? Even Uncle Ye didn't come tell me—you're being unfair!"

Ye Yaodong said, "I was just about to tell him to go find you after we finished talking."

"I don't believe you. If I hadn't walked by here, I'd never have known you were here—you two could've sat there all day."

"Now you know, and it's not too late—he's got the whole day off, his leave's been approved."

Lin Lin Dongxue was overjoyed, "Really? No more rushing in and out? How many days off? When are you going home?"

Lin Guang repeated what he had just said.

"I was thinking of taking leave to go back with you, but now forget it—you'll be pressured to get married, so I won't go. One person getting scolded is enough; I won't let two of us get scolded."

"You're probably going to be disappointed—I won't get scolded, because I'm almost seeing someone. My superior introduced us. I'll file a romantic relationship report soon, and if things stabilize, I'll file a marriage report by year-end."

Lin Lin Dongxue widened her eyes, "Ah! So you're going to hit both career and love in one stroke?"

Lin Guang beamed proudly, "Pretty much. Now it's your turn to look up to me—I'm still your big brother!"

In front of strangers he was mature and composed, but now a touch of childishness showed through.

"Your superior introduced her? She must be good—who is she? Tell me."

"I won't say yet. I'll tell you once it's confirmed. It's not wise to spread around something uncertain."

"Pfft~ Then how come you were so smug and confident just now?"

"Honestly, it's not a big deal—I'm a one-in-a-hundred talent! She picked me out from a crowd and wanted to get to know me."

Lin Lin Dongxue was genuinely happy for him, "Then work hard and win her heart soon."

"I'll look around for someone suitable for you too—there are plenty of bachelors on the ship."

"Fine. When my parents pressure me, I'll say my marriage is already in your hands—make them nag you instead."

Lin Guang's expression turned utterly exasperated.

He was already being nagged daily; now he had to carry another burden.

Ye Yaodong sat on his chair, legs crossed, watching the siblings catch up in silence, offering them space without interrupting.

"Tell me about your studies these past few years—what did you learn? What did you do?"

"Alright, let's go for a walk. The sun isn't too strong yet—I'll tour Uncle Ye's factory. It's much bigger than before—did you expand again?"

Ye Yaodong stood up and walked with them, "We've expanded several times—basically every year. We've added multiple production lines. I'll show you around."

"Great. I heard you've hired nearly a thousand veterans—you're practically an invisible battalion commander. Impressive. Your invisible rank is several levels higher than mine."

"Hah~" Now it was Ye Yaodong's turn to be proud—he'd hit the mark.

"About half are assigned to fishing boats, and several hundred work here, but now we need more female workers—most of them have serious personal problems; 80% are bachelors."

"Men and women together make work easier—you can't let the ratio get too skewed…"

"Exactly. So from now on, we'll only hire women. We'll send those who applied from the military to Magu City—to the fish powder factory. In Magu, I plan to…"

Ye Yaodong explained his plans in detail. Lin Guang was now an official; understanding his situation better would help.

The three walked and talked, heading toward shaded areas out of the sun.

The morning sun wasn't that strong, but it was still summer—everywhere was hot.

After walking just a short distance, they were all sweating. He led them straight into the workshop.

Lin Guang's entrance drew everyone's attention. All eyes turned to him, envious of the single star and one stripe on his shoulder—though just a junior officer, it was a rank none here could reach.

Ye Ye Chengyang and Ye Ye Xiaoxi saw him at once, their eyes lighting up. They dropped their tasks and sprinted over, shouting as they ran.

"Big Cousin!"

Pei Yu followed them, dazed.

Lin Guang smiled broadly at them, "You still recognize me? Good memory."

Ye Ye Chengyang replied loudly, "Of course I recognize you! I'm grown now—I couldn't forget what you look like."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi looked at him curiously and nodded, "I remember too."

"You remember? Really? Don't just say that to make me happy. We haven't seen each other in years—you're almost a young lady now. I barely recognize you, and you remember me?"

"Of course! Big Cousin is tall and handsome—just a little less than my dad. How could I forget?"

That remark made both men's lips curl upward.

Lin Guang laughed heartily, patted his pocket, and pulled out ten yuan for each, "Since you're so good with words, here's your reward."

Pei Yu got one too, but she dared not take it—she didn't know this man at all.

Staring at the banknotes offered to her, she looked around helplessly, then turned to Ye Yaodong.

Ye Yaodong nodded to her, "Take it. He's your sister's big cousin. Accept it—it's a greeting gift."

She shyly took the money and exclaimed happily, "Thank you, Big Cousin! I'm Pei Yu, my sister's cousin."

Lin Guang nodded, not paying much attention. Someone so young working here alongside Ye Ye Chengyang and Ye Ye Xiaoxi must be a close family member.

Lin Lin Dongxue chimed in, "Why didn't I get one? I'm a sister too!"

"Forget it. You earn more than anyone else—do you really dare ask me for money? You should be giving me money."

"Have some dignity. You're the brother, I'm the sister. You used to pinch money from me as a kid, and now you're about to get married—do you even have a conscience?"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi tucked her money away, leaned against his arm, and looked up, "Big Cousin, you're so tall! When did you get here?"

Lin Lin Guangyuan couldn't be bothered to keep bickering with Lin Lin Dongxue. He lowered his head to look at her, smiling as he picked her up. "Whoa, getting too heavy to carry! She came over this morning. I'm going back to my old home in a few days — want to come with me to play?"

Her eyes immediately lit up, and she answered brightly, "Yes yes yes! I want to go back with you, I want to go to the old home to play!"

"Dad! I want to go back to the old home with Big Cousin, can I? Can I? Please?"

"What's there to follow? What's so good about following? He'll only be home for a week before he comes back anyway."

"Then I want to go too. I want to go back to the old home to play. I'll go back with Big Cousin for a few days and then come back with him."

"Pretty bold, aren't you? You're not even that close with Big Cousin, and you dare go back with him? Dare to go with him? Aren't you afraid he'll sell you off?"

Hearing that, Ye Ye Xiaoxi also got a little uncertain, and stole a glance at Lin Lin Guangyuan.

Then she patted his shoulder hard and said firmly, "No way! He's a soldier! Uncle PLA and Uncle Policeman both don't sell kids — he'll protect me."

Lin Lin Guangyuan set her down, fondly rubbed her head, and said, "How are you so good with words? That little mouth of yours just goes on and on, so eloquent."

She clung to Ye Yaodong's arm again, acting cute. "Dad, please? Is it okay? Big Cousin is only going back for a few days, I'll go back for a few days too, and we'll be back really soon."

"Stop making a fuss. Riding the train back and forth takes several days — half the time is spent on the road. What would you even go back for?"

She got even more excited. "I've never ridden a train before! I want to ride one. Is the train really that long…"

"There are tons of kidnappers on trains — they specialize in abducting children."

"I'll stick close to Big Cousin, I won't wander off at all. Wherever he is, I'm there. I'll hug his leg the whole way!" She tightened her grip on Ye Yaodong's arm.

"Big Cousin, you absolutely won't lose me, right?"

Lin Lin Guangyuan was starting to regret running his mouth. He'd only said it to tease her — he really hadn't thought about actually taking her back. The responsibility was huge.

Suddenly he had a brainwave. "I've already bought my ticket. You don't have a ticket, so you can't come back with me. I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning. There's no way to buy yours last minute — next time."

"You've already bought your ticket?"

"Yep, I had someone buy a sleeper berth for me yesterday. Sleepers are really hard to get, you know? The train leaves tomorrow — definitely can't get one today."

Ye Yaodong breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that.

Trains are so chaotic these days, with so many child abductors. He really didn't feel comfortable entrusting his child to anyone else — not even Lin Lin Guangyuan.

So many parents manage to lose their own kids, let alone outsiders.

Ye Ye Xiaoxi's shoulders slumped. "Can't get one? Alright then, I can only keep working for my dad. Sigh, my summer vacation… endless work, endless shifts."

"Why do you need to work at such a young age? You don't have to." Lin Lin Guangyuan asked curiously.

"If I don't work, there's no pay. I only get paid if I work."

"What do you need so much pay for? You're so little, you don't have anywhere to spend money."

"I want to save it up!"

"Save it up for what?"

"Save it up to spend when I grow up! That way when I'm big I'll have lots of money to spend."

"You've got your dad here — are you still afraid you won't have money to spend?"

Ye Ye Xiaoxi froze, stunned for a moment, then looked at Ye Yaodong.

Ye Yaodong, afraid she'd take that to heart, quickly said, "You've got to do it yourself — dress well and eat well through your own labor. How can you rely on me? If I kick the bucket one day, who would she rely on? Earning your own money and spending it yourself — isn't that more fulfilling? Don't I have to work too? That Laozi works every day, so shouldn't the kid work too?"

"Right, my dad's right. He works every day to earn money, and I'll have to do the same when I grow up. I have to work sooner or later anyway. If I start working early, I can earn a bit more — that way I'll have more money to spend later." Ye Ye Xiaoxi felt her dad made sense too.

Lin Lin Guangyuan stared at the father-and-daughter pair's logic, dumbfounded.

Lin Lin Dongxue snickered on the side.

Hoodwinking a little kid — Ye Yaodong also felt a bit awkward. He waved his hand at the three of them.

"You three go back to your shifts. I'll take your cousin for another walk, and we'll all go to the cafeteria together at noon."

"Oh."

Ye Yaodong continued to lead Lin Lin Guangyuan around.

"Making her earn her own money at such a young age — starting work ten years early. Nice one, little uncle-in-law."

"Of course. You have to build the habit from childhood. It's our family's factory — if they don't come to work, who will? Once they're used to it, by the time they grow up they can handle everything inside and out, know everything."

"Train them young, use them straight away when they're grown."

"The sooner they learn, the sooner I can take it easy, and the sooner I can retire."

In this life, up to now, he's had more than enough.

"That's actually pretty good."

"Ye Chenghu is going into his senior year of high school in the second half of the year. He needs a month of tutoring this summer, and in August we still need to hire a teacher to come home and tutor him in English. Otherwise he'd have to go out to sea with me every summer — he's already pretty used to it."

"You're really good at training them — grab them from when they're little, throw them out to sea when they're old enough. When the time comes, are you going to throw Yangyang out to sea too?"

"He's still young. Wait until he's in high school. Anyway, when the time comes he'll just follow his brother — whatever his brother does, he has to do too? Fairer that way for the two brothers."

"That is pretty fair. The little one is also working — all three are fair."

"Come on, let me take you to the dormitory to have a look. They're probably still sleeping. We can wake them up — it's already past ten. Chat for a bit and it'll probably be about time for lunch."

"What time do they usually sleep until?"

"That varies. Sometimes they come back early, sometimes late. We're in the fishing moratorium now — the near-shore boats have all been sent back by me. The deep-sea boats only dock once every three or four days, which means they only go out once every three or four days. They're pretty relaxed."

"That's awesome! That's like only working two days a week — only eight days a month!"

"It's only this relaxed for these two months — consider it their vacation. The rest of the year isn't this easy. Apart from resting on typhoon days, they have to deliver goods every day, every day until the wee hours of the morning. When there's a lot of cargo, sometimes they don't come back to sleep until dawn."

Ye Yaodong led them to the dormitory, and Lin Lin Dongxue followed along. The two walked and introduced things to Lin Lin Guangyuan as they went.

The people in the dormitory were still fast asleep — it was very quiet. They hadn't heard any movement inside even when they reached the door.

Lin Lin Guangyuan said, "Let them sleep, no need to wake them up."

"What sleep do young people need? They wouldn't feel anything even if they didn't sleep all night. They don't need to go out for the next three days, no work — they can sleep as long as they want. I'll go wake them up." Lin Lin Dongxue finished speaking and pushed the door open.

She deliberately avoided Ye Ye Chengjiang, only shaking the other two awake, saying there was something going on, and calling them out.

The two brothers sleepily sat up on the bed, then fumbled around at the foot of the bed for a pair of shorts, pulled them on, and walked out — not even wearing a shirt.

"What? You haven't even woken up yet and you're already coming to call me—what's so urgent?" Lin Guangming walked in front, speaking up the moment he came out.

But just as he finished speaking, his eyes fixed straight ahead on the two people standing with their backs to them smoking, his face full of surprise.

Lin Lin Guangwen behind him crashed straight into his back without warning. "What are you doing? Get out, don't block the doorway."

He pushed Lin Guangming aside, and also saw the person ahead turn around, and was delighted too.

"Brother?"

"Still not awake?"

"When did you get here?"

"Just arrived, just finished the paperwork and came out. Put your clothes on, let's walk and talk downstairs. Ajiang inside is still sleeping, right?"

The two answered, then hurried inside to grab their clothes.

Ye Ye Chengjiang felt it was a bit noisy, turned over, and went back to sleep.

The two brothers Lin Guangming and Lin Lin Guangwen casually grabbed a short-sleeved shirt and slung it over their shoulders, then came right out.

"Brother, why did you only come now?"

"Yeah, half a month ago we heard from our little aunt that you were back, she even went to pick you up."

The two brothers fired off questions one after another, unable to hold back.

"Just got back, had to report in and arrange some work, plus a few other things. Just finished and applied for leave."

"How long is your leave? Going home? Dad and Mom keep asking when you'll be back." Lin Lin Guangwen asked.

"I took half a month off, going back tomorrow, train ticket's already bought."

Lin Lin Guangwen was getting restless. "I want to go back with you too."

"Can you get away?"

"There's a deputy who can drive, and it's not been busy lately—maybe only one trip every three or four days." He looked at Ye Yaodong. "Uncle-in-law, can I take half a month off?"

"Sure, of course, but this leave of yours is going to cost you. It's the off-season for fishing now, half a month only needs four trips, and you get half a month's wages. If you take leave like this, you'll lose two or three hundred yuan over half a month." Ye Yaodong saw how willing he was and said half-jokingly.

"It's fine, let them deduct it. Rare to take leave once, going back with my big brother to stay a few days—it's been exactly half a year since I came out."

"Then in that case, I'll just approve half a month off for you directly, no need to register it with finance."

Lin Lin Guangwen was overjoyed. "That's great, saves money."

Lin Guangming was getting restless too…

Ye Yaodong looked at him and said, "Don't even think about it. He's not your own big brother; just take a look and that'll do. Drive properly, and when the time comes that you get married, I'll approve a month off for you."

"It's a deal then—when I get married, give me a month off, paid!"

"Mm."

Lin Guangming was thoroughly satisfied.

"Ah Ming has a girlfriend?" Lin Lin Guangyuan asked in surprise.

"Pretty much—who knows, I might be the first among our generation to get married?" He was extremely pleased with himself.

"Fine, you get married first, then we can eat the wedding banquet for free. When I get married, remember to give me a big red envelope."

Lin Lin Dongxue said with a smile: "Then I'll have to line up at the back, get married a bit later, that way when you all get married I won't have to give gifts, and when I get married, you all give me a big red envelope."

Lin Lin Guangwen laughed heartily. "I'm not in a rush, I'll be last—you're all older than me! Remember, each of you gives me a big red envelope then."

"How about I give you a fart instead, want it?" Lin Guangming said irritably, no longer able to feel pleased with himself now.

The siblings chatted away catching up, and Ye Yaodong didn't join in, just stood aside listening to them talk and joke, then listened to them chat about Lin Guangming's girlfriend.

Lin Lin Guangwen suddenly slapped his thigh. "Oh no, you're leaving early tomorrow morning, I have to hurry and buy a ticket—wonder if I can still get one now."

"I'll make a call in a bit, get a friend to help you get one."

"That's great, saves trouble, don't have to go line up myself. Gave me a scare there, thought the timing was so tight I wouldn't be able to get a ticket. At the factory I heard other people say buying tickets for New Year is so tense, you have to bring bedding and sleep on the ground, lining up for a whole day doesn't guarantee getting one, takes several people taking turns to line up, and sometimes when you finally get to the front all that's left is standing tickets—scary just hearing about it."

"That's New Year, the station really is packed during New Year, tickets are hard to get. It's not a festival now, buying tickets is still pretty easy."

Lin Guangming said enviously: "Brother Ayuan, you've really made something of yourself now, one phone call solves everything."

"Bullshit, you think I can cover the sky with one hand? I just happened to know a few friends, getting a sleeper ticket is all."

Lin Lin Guangwen said happily: "I've never taken a train before, this time I can finally try it. Every time I go home it's been on uncle-in-law's boat, only took the bus twice at the very beginning."

"Have you called home to tell them?" Lin Lin Dongxue reminded them.

"Not yet, the ticket was only just decided this morning. We'll go to uncle-in-law's office later to make a call back and let them know—Ah Wen is going back too, so we can tell them together and make them happy."

Lin Lin Dongxue: "If you could bring your girlfriend back with you, they'd be even happier."

"Can't talk about things that aren't settled yet, don't want them to be happy for nothing."

Lin Guangming and Lin Lin Guangwen looked at him in surprise, in unison: "You have a girlfriend?"

"Not really yet…"

Lin Lin Guangyuan had to tell them about his matchmaking experience again.

Ye Yaodong let them chat, went down the stairs and headed back to his office to sit in front of the fan. After walking around, he was already drenched in sweat.

It was just right that the siblings hadn't seen each other in too long, they had a bellyful of things to say.

The moment his backside hit the chair, three more little heads popped in at the doorway, peeking around.

"Shouldn't you be working properly? What are you running over here for? Slacking off at work, running around everywhere—I'll dock your pay."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi stopped peeking around and walked in openly. "I came to see where you all went. Dad, where did you all just go? How come I didn't see you."

"How many times have you come over to look?"

"Hehe… where's Big Cousin? Why is it only you alone, did Big Cousin leave?"

"Not yet, they probably went to the cafeteria to talk."

He had just seen them heading toward the cafeteria. The cafeteria was a public area, with seats and a fan to cool off, plus a TV to watch. Sitting there chatting wouldn't affect anyone else's work, and they could wait for mealtime first thing.

"Dad, why don't I have much impression of Big Cousin?"

"Heh, that wasn't what you were saying when you just collected the money."

"Hehe, I knew there was a big older cousin who went off to join the army, because you guys talk about him all the time."

"He was already gone to join the army when you were only three years old — it'd be strange if you recognized him."

"That's why I said I had no impression of him. I know all my older cousins, just not him."

"Not knowing him doesn't stop you from flattering people."

"It's not flattery either — he really is tall and handsome, only just a tiny bit worse than Dad."

"Cut the bootlicking, all of you get back to work, or I'll really dock your pay."

"No way."