Chapter 1835: Year

"I always keep my word. When the time comes for the wedding, tell me in advance so I can prepare."

"Haha, it won't be that soon. I'm not in a rush."

"You may not be in a rush, but their family might be dying of anxiety. Otherwise, they wouldn't say they only care if the partner is liked. A local from the Magic Capital with such a good job—how could they have no requirements or conditions? I bet they'd frown the moment they hear the person is from out of town."

"That doesn't matter. If he wants to marry, he must show sincerity. If anyone wanted to marry me, I'd marry them. I don't even know how many times I've said I'd marry myself off."

Lin Lin Xiuqing nodded in agreement. "Exactly. If he is anxious to marry, he must show sincerity. We shouldn't rush either. We need to see if his parents are easy to get along with. If they aren't, life together will be difficult."

Ye Yaodong chimed in, "Right, right, right. Otherwise, why do people always say they want to find a 'good in-law family'? Do you know what 'good in-law family' means? It means the mother-in-law must be good!"

Lin Lin Dongxue gave him a thumbs-up. "Uncle-in-law makes a good point. So that's what a good in-law family means. Indeed, if the mother-in-law isn't good, there's no point in living."

Lin Lin Xiuqing added, "So get to know them first, spend more time together. Some people pretend to be enthusiastic and kind on the surface but slander you behind your back with two faces."

"Mm-hmm."

Ye Yaodong said, "Anyway, you can marry whenever you want. Don't rush into marriage just for the dowry. No need to hurry. The dowry promised to you won't be short."

"Hehe, thank you, Auntie and Uncle-in-law. I'll work for you for a lifetime. If you still need people, when I go to the Magic Capital, I'll continue working at Auntie's place."

Lin Lin Dongxue truly didn't expect such a good thing!

She was already earning a high salary every month, and she never thought that when it came time to marry, she would even receive a dowry!

Uncle-in-law is amazing!

Lin Lin Xiuqing smiled and said, "That's the best. Now I have a pile of accounts over there, and sometimes I even have to help check them. There are various rents every month, and now there's a freight department. Although a finance officer is assigned there, we still need to check the accounts from time to time. If you are still willing to work for me, that couldn't be better."

"How could I not be willing? Of course I am. The benefits and treatment are great, and I'm related to royalty. I was actually worried that you had enough staff in the Magic Capital and wouldn't need me."

"How could that be? We need college graduates like you."

"Then when I really marry into the Magic Capital, I'll shamelessly continue working for you. Hehe."

"Then it's settled."

Ye Yaodong was satisfied. Jumping from his pot to A-Qing's pot was just right.

Lin Lin Xiuqing whispered to her, "Don't mention buying a car as a dowry for now. Just tell the in-laws. Don't tell anyone in our own family. When the wedding comes, try not to mention it either, to avoid people saying we are biased. Having the benefits in hand is what matters most."

"Understood. I get it. It's not about having little, but about inequality. If I have it and others don't, people won't feel balanced in their hearts."

"Exactly."

"I know. I'll keep it quiet. This is about saving face for the in-laws, so it doesn't matter for family."

"As long as you know."

"Then I'll go back to my seat."

The couple nodded.

Lin Lin Xiuqing watched her sit down, then whispered to Ye Yaodong, "Why buy her another car? Just give her one of our rental apartments. She can collect rent every month. Isn't that better?"

"That might not be good. Our rental apartments were built waiting for demolition. Who knows how long they can be rented? If they are demolished in three or five years, how do we calculate the compensation? Wouldn't that be more troublesome?"

While she was thinking, Ye Yaodong added, "Here's what I'm thinking. Although I have quite a few properties, except for two western-style houses, the rest aren't very presentable. The two plots of land in the Magic Capital: one is built into a rental complex, and the other is used as a freight station. There aren't many other houses, just two storefronts. Storefronts definitely can't be given away."

"I was thinking we go to the Magic Capital later to look around. If we find suitable houses, we can buy several more to keep. These are presentable properties. We could even buy ten or more."

"Then, later, we can give away properties depending on the situation. For now, let's not give any away. Property prices in the Magic Capital aren't cheap either; one house costs several hundred thousand."

"I asked Director Zhang. In Fengxian, an 89-square-meter house costs 120,000. That's an old one allocated to employees. Now, even one square meter costs over 1,000. In slightly more expensive areas, 2,000 or 3,000, even 4,000, is normal."

"Our small western-style house in Jing'an, ten years have passed, and I don't know how many times its value has multiplied."

"How much does a car cost? Not even talking about an Alto; even a Chariot is only over 70,000, which is already very impressive. Saving the house for the bottom of the trunk is definitely for later."

"Also, I just assumed she wouldn't work here after getting married. Giving a car was more than enough. Having a car would also be convenient for her commute. That's what I was thinking just now."

"Since she will continue working, we'll see the situation later. Giving a house to a meritorious contributor later isn't a problem. The main thing is we buy several more now and keep them in hand first."

Lin Lin Xiuqing hesitated. "Giving a car now and a house later... is that giving too much?"

"Giving a house directly now would be too much. Keep the houses for later. We buy them and keep them in hand first. Later, as our company grows bigger, we must give some benefits to these veterans accordingly. Giving a house then would be best."

By then, house prices will have skyrocketed. Giving them then would be truly shocking, making them even more loyal.

"Then when we return to the Magic Capital after the New Year, we'll inquire and buy several more houses. I heard Sanlin Yuan in Pudong is under construction and should be finished soon."

Most properties now are old, dilapidated small units allocated to employees after a certain number of years. They are usually six or seven-story stair buildings, with three or four rooms per floor, and each room might be only thirty or fifty square meters.

True commercial housing exists, but it hasn't hit the market on a large scale yet. That's why Ye Yaodong hasn't bought any. He roughly knows that house prices won't skyrocket before the year 2000, so he isn't in a rush.

"After we return after the New Year, I'll finish my current tasks first before going to the Magic Capital to find you. Then we can look carefully, or you can inquire in advance."

"Okay. I'll inquire in advance. Anyway, we have plenty of spare cash now. Buying houses to collect rent is good; it brings in money continuously."

She thought of buying houses to collect rent for sustainable development, while he thought of buying houses to wait for price increases. Different paths, same destination.

The couple lowered their voices and whispered to each other, while Ye Ye Xiaoxi beside them kept her ears perked up, listening quietly.

After they finished talking, she spoke softly, "Dad, you gave your cousin a dowry car for her wedding, and you plan to give a house later. Will I get even more when I get married? I am your biological daughter!"

"You're thinking too far ahead. How old are you, thinking about getting married? Wait another ten or twenty years."

"So do I have one?"

Ye Yaodong said grumpily, "Yes, yes, yes."

"That's good."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi was happy, but the old father felt a bit bitter.

Lin Lin Xiuqing urged them to eat quickly. "Everyone at our table is seated. We can start eating."

"I want crab!"

"Why are you so troublesome? Eating such laborious things every day. Peel it yourself."

"Hmph. Just a few dowries and you're already impatient. If I have to peel it myself, I'll peel it myself."

Ye Yaodong shut her down, making him even more annoyed.

"Hey, Mom, two brides have arrived. They are seated. When will they come to our table?"

"Not that soon. The firecrackers haven't gone off yet, and the hot dishes haven't been served. We need to eat something first."

"Oh."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi ate while staring straight at the bride's table.

Ye Yaodong tapped the table in front of her. "Why keep staring at the bride's side? They'll come over later, what's the rush? When they arrive, you'll have to hand out red envelopes anyway."

Her eyes suddenly widened in disbelief. "Ah, I still have to give red envelopes? Why? Isn't it the bride who gives me red envelopes?"

"If the bride comes over later to serve tea to everyone one by one, after you finish your tea, you must give her red envelopes, and you have to give two."

She waved her hands repeatedly. "No need, no need, I won't drink."

"Didn't you keep asking? Didn't you look forward to them coming over?"

She shook her head vigorously. "I don't look forward to it anymore, I don't look forward to it at all, don't come over, I didn't bring any money."

The couple chuckled.

She continued eating while watching even more intently. As soon as the bride stood up, preparing to serve wine to everyone one by one, she went straight down to the next table to find Ye Chenghu and Ye Ye Chengyang, asking if they had prepared red envelopes.

Both of them promptly took out the red envelopes from their pockets to show her, and her eyes widened again.

"When did you prepare the red envelopes? Why didn't I know?"

Ye Chenghu was surprised. "Ah? Didn't Mother give them to us, telling us to give them to the bride when we serve wine later?"

"Ah, but Mother didn't give me any, why don't I have any?"

Ye Ye Chengyang said somewhat teasingly, "Maybe Mother thought you had money and wanted you to pay for it yourself."

She immediately rushed back to her own seat, grabbed Lin Lin Xiuqing, and asked, "Mother, Brother said the red envelopes in his pocket for serving wine were given by you? Why don't I have any?"

"Because you are still young, the bride doesn't need to serve you wine, so she will skip you directly."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi glared at Ye Yaodong. "Then why did you tell me to hand out red envelopes?"

"The bride can serve you wine or not serve you wine. Do you want to drink the tea the bride hands you?"

"I didn't bring any money."

Seeing the bride walking over to their side, Ye Ye Xiaoxi, just in case, hid at another table.

Then, after the serving was finished, she returned to her own table, patted her chest, feeling it was so close; she almost couldn't produce the money and would have lost face.

"Mother, you must prepare red envelopes for me next time too."

"I already said you don't need to."

"But I want to drink the bride's tea, it looks like it tastes very good. They all put red envelopes into the cups after finishing the tea, it feels like the bride is having a great time collecting red envelopes, just like when Big Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law got married."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Ye Dasao and Lin Ye Ersao came over with a dozen red envelopes to distribute, and she even received two, overjoyed!

"Mother, I really have red envelopes?"

"Yes, you are still young, so you still get red envelopes; those who are grown up don't anymore, your two brothers certainly don't have any."

She happily put them away quickly.

"It would have been better if you gave them to me earlier; if you had given them to me earlier, I would have used them to drink the bride's tea."

"Don't you feel bad about it?"

"It is quite heartbreaking, so I won't drink it, I'll put it in the savings jar to save."

Having received the red envelopes, she felt fulfilled and full, so she got down from the table to go play with the children.

Ye Yaodong and Lin Lin Xiuqing naturally stayed at the banquet until the very end.

After the guests dispersed, Lin Lin Xiuqing still had to help clean up; he didn't need to, as he was the son-in-law and a guest, he just had to sit aside and play cards with people, and then wait for the evening banquet.

The evening banquet was of the same scale and style, except there was no need to give red envelopes anymore, and it wasn't serving wine one by one, but the groom and bride together, going table by table to serve wine.

Winter days get dark easily; towards the end of the meal, they were eating by lamplight, and while eating, the Lin family also set off fireworks.

That night, they made do with staying at the Lin family's house for one night; Ye Yaodong also drank alcohol, so it wasn't good to drive away.

The family of five could only squeeze onto one large bed, two at one end and three at the other, feet facing heads, sleeping in this interleaved manner.

After all, it was an old house with limited rooms, plus there were two new couples added, so the living space was quite cramped.

The Lin family has settled in the city now, so the old house at home hasn't been touched much these past few years; anyway, in the future, only Lin Fu and Lin Mu will be living there for retirement.

They thought that when the time comes to return for retirement, a little tidying up would be enough.

Also because they didn't sleep well, early the next morning when it was just getting light, they all got up.

The Lin family also cooked a large pot of sweet potato porridge; yesterday they ate too much greasy food all day, and this morning's porridge, before even eating it, looked very refreshing to him, especially when paired with pickled vegetables.

A pile of leftover dishes from yesterday's banquet were all reheated, but no one ate them; pickled vegetables, pickled radishes, and salted duck eggs were more popular.

"Mother, we will leave early after we finish eating," Lin Lin Xiuqing said to Lin Mu.

"Why are you in such a hurry to go back? There is still a table full of uneaten food; wait until after lunch and then go back?"

"No, we have to set off for Shanghai in a few days, and there are still things to handle at home."

"Alright then, I'll pack a few bowls of better dishes for you to take back."

"No need to make it so much trouble..."

"What trouble? No trouble at all." Lin Mu wouldn't listen to any refusal and had already started rummaging through the house for plastic bags.

In the past two years, plastic bags have also started to be implemented; this didn't happen overnight, but gradually became fashionable. Although not fully widespread, a few could still be found at home.

Especially housewives loved hiding clean plastic bags, to be used in case of need.

When they left, Ye Yaodong's hands were full of leftover food, soups and sauces, making his scalp tingle.

He handed all the bags in his hands to Lin Lin Xiuqing. "You carry them, I'll drive."

"I already said we don't need them, but Mother insisted on stuffing them to us. We've been eating the leftovers from our New Year's Eve dinner for several days already, and now we have to continue eating leftovers."

"Eating so much fish and meat, I feel I've definitely gained five jin this New Year."

"I'm the same, a whole circle of fat on my belly, and still eating like this."

Ye Ye Xiaoxi also reached out to pinch the flesh on her cheek, pulling it, "I also feel I've gained weight."

"Let's go, hurry home to catch up on some sleep."

Ye Yaodong started up his motorcycle, waited for everyone to get on in turn, then waved goodbye to the Lin family members who had seen them off, and drove off.

He still had to leave early this year for Zhou City; regardless of other matters, Ye Chenghu had already registered for senior high on the twelfth day of the first lunar month, because the twelfth fell on a Monday, and he would start school the very next day.

His mother checked the almanac and found the ninth and tenth days auspicious for travel; they tentatively chose the ninth, so as not to delay the child's schooling—senior high was after all crucial.

There was nothing left to do after the New Year—all necessary tasks had been settled before the holiday—and now they had three days left to pack.

In these final days, Ye Chenghu locked himself in his room and frantically caught up on homework—he was the only one suffering.

The happier the winter break, the more painful the homework catch-up, especially with the loud cries of video games echoing from downstairs.

He could only stuff two balls of cotton into his ears to barely achieve focused concentration on his homework.

They would depart on the ninth and not arrive until the eleventh, then rest one night before setting out for Shanghai on the morning of the twelfth.

The schedule was extremely tight—they would have to rush to register again on the twelfth afternoon, as senior high allowed only one day for registration.

After the eldest registered, the next day came the two younger ones, who were granted two extra days to register.

Lin Lin Xiuqing had been busy since the New Year—organizing meals for the family, taking the children to visit relatives, attending weddings, and then immediately rushing to prepare for the journey.

The only time she had any rest was the two days on the boat; once they docked, she was back on her feet, constantly on the move.

Only after she had personally delivered each of the three children to school could she finally take a deep breath.

Ye Yaodong was much the same—after returning to the factory, he worked nonstop handling affairs left over from the New Year.

By the time he finally found a moment's respite, it was already the end of the first lunar month; the Gregorian calendar had already reached early March.

In terms of the Gregorian calendar, time felt especially fast—but by the lunar reckoning, it was already February 9th.

A new year, new atmosphere, new development, new future.

He had been thinking constantly about visiting Shanghai to see if any commercial housing was available for purchase, and he handled matters with remarkable efficiency, delegating everything he could to others.

Before going to Shanghai, he called Director Zhang first—Director Zhang, whom he had met at the Jiangnan Shipyard, had later followed his advice to start a real estate agency, leveraging his wide network; over the past few years, he had made plenty, and their relationship remained strong.

He called Director Zhang ahead of time to have him scout out good properties, so that when he arrived, he could go straight to view them and save time.

He also mentioned his requirements: he wanted only newly built commercial housing; employee housing was not on his list—such units were too small in floor area.

Although employee housing had better locations, the city was currently in a phase of rapid development and expansion, so no housing available now had a poor location—most were in good areas.

Only later would development spread further outward, with houses built increasingly farther out, as more suburban wastelands and farmland were incorporated into residential land development.