Chapter 1836: The Magic Capital

After finishing up the work on hand, Ye Yaodong headed to the Magic Capital, bringing Lin Lin Dongxue along as well.

Coming back after the New Year, the finances were busy too. Now that the busiest stretch at the end of the month had just passed, the beginning of the month was a good time to meet the person she was seeing, so she took leave and traveled with him.

As for Lin Lin Dongxue's job, it was temporarily handed over to Ye Ye Xiuxiu to take over.

Before setting off, Ye Yaodong asked the three nieces at home who was willing to go to the factory with him to handle the finances. All three scrambled for it—after all, the wages he offered were much higher than those at the family fish-canning factory.

However, he directly eliminated the youngest, Ye Ye Tingting—she hadn't even passed her accounting qualification exam yet. The other two had both passed it last year.

He thought it over: the one in the city could have Ye Ye Tingting go learn from the original accountant. The workload there wasn't heavy, and she could study and sit for the exam at the same time.

The other two might as well both be taken along and handed to Lin Lin Dongxue to train. Having more people on the finances side was a good thing.

Once they were trained, one of them could be sent to the fishmeal processing plant to keep an eye on the books over there.

It happened that the period after the New Year holiday fell in the second half of the month, which was pretty much the busiest stretch for the finances. Once the busiest period was past, the work that followed was simpler and easier to pick up.

With someone to take over, Lin Lin Dongxue only then dared to take a few days off—otherwise she wouldn't have dared to ask for more than a day.

"Is this trip also to meet the parents while you're at it?"

"Yes, that's what we said on the phone. Meet face to face first, and we'll talk about the rest later."

"Mm, an ugly daughter-in-law has to face her in-laws sooner or later—it's the same either way. Meet early, understand early."

Lin Lin Dongxue stifled a laugh. "Well, I'm not ugly. We'll see how it goes. We could also have him come to the house first and meet your aunt and uncle."

"That works. Bring him home first, I'll have a good chat with him, then you two can set a time and buy some things to visit his parents."

"Mm, my parents aren't here. I'm counting on you, aunt and uncle."

"Don't worry. I definitely won't let you lose face—I'll make sure you have plenty of it."

She kept smiling happily.

Ye Yaodong brought his mobile phone and called ahead before docking. Lin Lin Xiuqing was already waiting near the restaurant they'd arranged around the dock area.

After picking them up, they drove home first, chatting about Lin Lin Dongxue meeting the parents all the way.

They all agreed: invite the man to their home first, let them take a look, and then talk. If the person was acceptable, they could let Lin Lin Dongxue go with him to visit his parents.

If the person wasn't up to scratch, they could only offer an opinion—they couldn't make the call or say too much else.

Lin Lin Xiuqing also casually asked a couple of concerned questions about how the two new nieces were getting on with their learning.

"They both have their certificates and have worked a few years. They picked it up easily—basically no problems. They got through the busiest stretch at the end of the month just fine. What's left isn't a big deal. The finances job is the same old stuff no matter where you do it."

"As long as they can adapt, that's good."

"They adapted really well. Within two days of arriving at the factory, people were already chasing after them. I told them to keep their eyes open. Our factory is never short on men—strong, strapping men at that, ha ha."

"Ha ha ha… you say that without a shred of shyness."

"There's nothing to it. The office is full of women."

Ye Yaodong laughed and shook his head. "But I'm a man. Saying it right in front of me—is that really appropriate?"

"Don't read it the wrong way, uncle. When I said they're strong and strapping, I meant they're quick to fight. If several guys chase them at the same time and one of them gets together with one, rejecting the others could easily lead to a brawl."

He'd take it at face value for now.

Lin Lin Dongxue looked at Lin Lin Xiuqing enviously. "Auntie, you drive so smoothly, so coolly. A woman behind the wheel is really a sight for sore eyes. When I quit someday and come to the Magic Capital, the first thing I'll do is get my driver's license."

"I haven't even taken my driver's test yet."

"Huh? You haven't?"

"That's right. Do you think I have that kind of spare time?"

"Fair enough. You're the big boss, busy from dawn to dusk. It doesn't matter anyway—with my auntie as your driver, whether you can drive or not is irrelevant."

"I'll take the test whenever I'm free. In Zhoushi, the motorcycle is enough. After coming to the Magic Capital, there's your auntie's car to drive you around."

They chatted all the way home.

Once they got home, Lin Lin Dongxue called her boyfriend right away—naturally dialing the phone at his office. The two first set a time and place to meet.

Lin Lin Xiuqing stood by teasing her for being so impatient.

"My time is limited. I have to wrap this up quick. The boat ride wasn't that long anyway, and I'm not tired."

"Your uncle is right here anyway. If you don't have enough time later, just take a few more days off. Would he really say no?"

Ye Yaodong quickly said, "Of course I agree, I'm fine with it. It won't hold up the work. Even when she takes leave, there's still someone to do the job."

"I'll see how it goes when the time comes."

"It's already past mealtime now. I just threw together some instant noodles, added a few shrimp, and fried a couple of eggs. Come eat, all of you."

Lin Lin Dongxue gasped. "Isn't that a bit extravagant? Instant noodles with shrimp and fried eggs!"

"What's that? When your uncle cooks it himself, he even throws in crab, mantis shrimp, and razor clams."

She gave Ye Yaodong a thumbs-up. "You really know how to eat!"

"What's that? On the boat, a big mishmash in one pot—the seafood could outnumber the noodles, and it was all the freshest stuff. Pulled straight from the sea, still jumping around, and straight into the pot."

"I'm jealous. In this lifetime I'll never get to eat something that was in the sea one second and in my mouth the next."

Lin Lin Xiuqing laughed and said, "Then you can forget about it. I don't even get to eat it."

"You two can both forget it. Neither of you can eat it—only the man can."

"By the way, uncle, are you not going out to sea anymore from now on? I notice you haven't gone much these past two years."

"Who says so? Didn't I go out to sea in the first half of the year before last? It's just that I didn't go last year. What's that saying? Eating hardship for no reason, or how does it go?"

"A child worth a thousand gold pieces does not sit beneath the eaves?"

Ye Yaodong was baffled for a moment. "What does that mean?"

"Uh… it means a wealthy man with a fortune of a thousand gold pieces does not sit or lie beneath the eaves of the main hall, for fear of being struck by falling roof tiles. It's a metaphor that a person from a wealthy family should avoid putting himself in danger."

"Ah, right, right, right, that's exactly what I meant. See, you already knew it, yet you still had to ask me."

Both women just laughed and giggled.

"Wasn't I just curious? So you're not going out to sea anymore from now on? Thinking about it, it makes sense. You've hired so many people, and the few boats out at sea—they all know the ropes well. Naturally you don't need to go out yourself."

"That's true, but we're not at a truly comfortable stage yet."

"Isn't this comfortable enough?"

"Where are we even at? Fishing moratoriums have already started as pilot programs these past two years; they'll soon be rolled out nationwide with extended durations. By then, even deep-sea fishing might be banned, forcing a complete halt. If that happens, my dozens of fishing boats and hundreds of crewmen will all have to rest."

"That can't be right? If near-shore fishing is banned, surely deep-sea fishing won't be?"

"They'll definitely ban both eventually; I just don't know when the policy will take effect. I'm thinking of taking a few Dongyu Hao vessels and one Xianfeng Hao to the high seas this year or next to test the waters and clear a path."

He hadn't originally considered this; the idea came to him only because the conversation led there.

Perhaps he could go ahead and scout it out early. He had run those routes in his past life, so he was familiar with them. When the time came, he wouldn't bring the Yuan Yang Hao or anyone else's boats; he'd take only the most advanced Dongyu Hao and Xianfeng Hao.

The captains and crew on board also need to broaden their horizons. By accompanying him to gain experience, they'll be able to stand on their own feet later and command new vessels.

Otherwise, if a policy suddenly emerges banning fishing, they'd be scrambling to find alternatives in a panic.

However, before heading to the high seas, he definitely needs to improve his own capabilities and systematically learn how to handle risks.

At the same time, shipbuilding must continue. From now on, they'll build even larger vessels, using the best current technology.

His Xianfeng Hao is already 71 meters long and weighs 1,800 tons. Naturally, the new Dongyu Hao being built will follow the Xianfeng Hao's construction standards, with the addition of the latest electronic equipment.

Common equipment and machinery are updated and replaced rapidly. The state develops and creates new things every year, with technology constantly innovating.

Originally, 1994 was also a year of rapid development, and it would achieve full-function connection to the international internet.

Meaning they'd be online!

He just didn't know which month. Newspapers published all sorts of international events and news daily; he hadn't missed a single one, and now he had developed a bit of a nose for things.

He felt the 2G network wasn't far off either.

The internet age was about to arrive.

Once he had some free time these next few days, he would go to the shipyard to check the construction progress of the two Dongyu Hao vessels he had ordered last year.

To roam the high seas, he would rely on the Dongyu Hao, supplemented by the Xianfeng Hao for supplies.

Regarding the Xianfeng Hao, he had visited the Donghai Shipyard in the second half of last year and placed two orders for the same specifications and configuration to avoid repeating previous mistakes. With more fishing boats, the fresh-fish transport vessels couldn't keep up.

All orders went to the Jiangnan Shipyard, though he worried they might not be able to produce them, as the yard couldn't possibly accept only his orders and build only his cargo.

So currently, two Dongyu Hao vessels were under construction at the Jiangnan Shipyard, while two Xianfeng Hao vessels were being built at the Donghai Shipyard.

He currently had four Dongyu Hao and two Xianfeng Hao on hand. If he were to go to the high seas, four Dongyu Hao would still feel insufficient; he'd have to wait until the two Dongyu Hao at the Jiangnan Shipyard were delivered before making plans.

Ye Yaodong calculated in his mind, his expression becoming absent-minded.

Lin Lin Xiuqing waved her hand in front of him, and he finally came to his senses.

"Huh? What? What did you just say?"

"I said you want to go to the high seas. Is it absolutely necessary? Isn't the current situation good enough?"

"The current situation is indeed good, but more and more people depend on me for their livelihood, and that number will grow in the future. I need to widen my path and get ahead of things. In any money-making venture or industry, only the first few to eat the crab make a profit; those who come later might only get the soup, and that's the best-case scenario. The fear is becoming the one left holding the bag."

Once money reaches a certain level, it's no longer just a personal issue. You can't just decide not to work or choose to slack off whenever you want.

The social responsibility shouldered at this point, along with various relationships, the employees under the enterprise, and the expectations of the families behind them, all force one to move forward. You can't stop even if you want to.

He started out just wanting modest wealth and peace, but now, having reached this scale, there are over a thousand people behind him, which means over a thousand families.

If you don't move forward proactively, you'll be pushed forward anyway. So, it's better to take the initiative; being pushed forward isn't nearly as smooth.

Taking initiative might allow you to take a huge leap, even getting far ahead, whereas being pushed results in small steps. The two aren't comparable.

Lin Lin Xiuqing also looked helpless. Although they had plenty of money and had earned enough, there were indeed a thousand families behind them. Everyone was striving hard, so naturally, they had to create jobs for everyone to strive in.

"Alright, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Your decisions all have their reasoning. Whatever you say, I can only support you. I can't help you with matters at sea, only with things on land."

"Just help me stabilize things here in Shanghai. Also, check in on the Freight Department more often and have the finance team and the person in charge report to you regularly."

"I know."

Lin Lin Dongxue, having finished her instant noodles, propped her chin on her hand and listened to them talk, thinking that earning so much money was quite tiring.

"Uncle-in-law, you earn so much money, yet it seems you haven't really enjoyed life?"

"Who said I haven't enjoyed it?" He pointed to the brick-sized mobile phone on the living room coffee table. "That brick phone is a luxury item, doesn't that count as enjoyment? The small car at the door doesn't count? And this house?"

"Oh, right, I was worrying for nothing. I thought working every day wasn't easy for you and was quite hard, but it turns out I'm the one suffering, working while poor." She feigned a look of distress.

"You're working while poor? Your salary has increased these past few years; you have tens of thousands now. You're a proper rich lady."

"That's nothing compared to yours."

"Since we're on the topic, let me say a couple of things. You definitely need to understand the male side's family conditions in advance. I suggest you two buy a house yourselves and move out. Future property prices in Shanghai will rise to unimaginable levels. If you have spare cash, you should buy a unit yourself."

Lin Lin Dongxue widened her eyes and bared her teeth. "Don't joke. How expensive are houses here? I saw in the newspaper that it's over 1,000 per square meter."

"Can't you afford it?"

"If I bought one, I'd be broke too. I could only afford a small apartment. Right now, I keep my money in the bank earning interest; the interest rate is so high."

"Interest rates are high now, but they will keep dropping. You work in finance; you understand bank rates better. Property in Shanghai has been okay these past few years, and Pudong is still in the development stage. I estimate that after the millennium, prices will rise until you're dumbfounded."

Lin Lin Xiuqing added, "Even if you buy and don't live there, you can just hold it and collect rent. That's quite good; you get steady income. The rent should surely be higher than bank interest, right? Besides, it's real estate. Owning a house yourself gives you confidence in the future."

Lin Lin Dongxue pondered, "Let me think about it."

"Mm, think it over. Tomorrow I'm going to look at houses with your little aunt. If we find something suitable, we might buy a few more to hold and collect rent."

"Collecting rent does seem quite satisfying."

"Absolutely. If you have children in the future, having a house to collect rent from means your kids won't worry about milk powder costs from birth. When they grow up, they won't even need to work, and you'll still have monthly income. It's simply too good."

"Haha, that is indeed quite satisfying. Living off rent for food, drink, and fun."

Ye Yaodong stopped speaking there, having said all he intended.

He finished eating, put down his chopsticks, and changed the subject, saying, "I'll call Director Zhang first to schedule an appointment for tomorrow, and then we'll drive over directly."

"Okay. I'll go to work in a bit to see if there's anything urgent, finish my current tasks, and then I won't need to go tomorrow."

Ye Yaodong nodded.

"Then, Little Aunt, if you're going out to work, I'll go with you. Later, we can just go directly to Wei Songyuan's workplace to find him."

"A medic? No wonder I never heard you call him by name..."

"It's Wei Songyuan!" Lin Lin Dongxue stressed his name.

Well, it did have a bit of a pun to it, which was why she had never made a point of saying his name.

"Got it, pretty easy to remember too. If I just remember him as 'medic,' I'll never forget his name."

"Well, his college nickname really was that, and he said people have been calling him 'medic' his whole life."

Ye Yaodong and Lin Lin Dongxue laughed and laughed.

Ye Yaodong felt relieved that none of his three children's names had any puns in them. A child's name with even a slight pun would be too easy to turn into a nickname—one that might stick with them for life.

Fortunately, he himself didn't have any ridiculous, headache-inducing nicknames either.

"Auntie, when are you heading out? Is there time for me to freshen up?"

"No rush. Go tidy yourself up a bit—after all, you're going to meet your match."

"Alright, wait for me a moment. I'll go wash my face and redo my makeup. I got up way too early this morning—before dawn, just to catch the boat—and I didn't even put on any makeup."

"Pick a room upstairs yourself. There are still empty rooms on the second floor, all cleaned up. The bedding was just replaced before the New Year and no one's slept in them yet."

"Got it, I'll just get ready in the bathroom downstairs." Lin Lin Dongxue grabbed her backpack and ran to the bathroom first.

Lin Lin Xiuqing sat down to rest for a bit as well.

"I'm going to work this afternoon, and Lin Dongxue is going to meet her match. Will you be home alone? Or do you have something to do this afternoon?"

"I'll stop by the freight department this afternoon. I haven't checked it since the New Year. I want to go see how the post-holiday dispatch situation looks. Have you gone to check since the New Year?"

"Of course. I go twice a week, and every Monday the person in charge over there has to come to my office to report to me."

"That's good then."

"Then I'll drive you over first in a bit, and then take Lin Dongxue to meet her match."

"Don't bother driving me. It's fine—riding a bike is fast enough. Otherwise, if you drive me over, when I leave I won't have a vehicle and I'll have to walk on my own two legs, which is inconvenient. I just have one bicycle; I'll ride it slowly, that's all."

"Suit yourself. The weather today is so-so anyway."

If it weren't for worrying about Ye Chenghu, he'd probably have bought a motorcycle to keep at the Magic City house too. A motorcycle was much faster than a bicycle, but he was afraid that when he wasn't around, Ye Chenghu would ride it out to play, which would be too dangerous.

"Mm, today I'll check the freight department, tomorrow I'll spend the whole day looking at houses, and the day after that depends on the situation—probably I'll either be on the way to look at houses or on the way to buy one. Once I'm done with all this, I'll find time to stop by the shipyard."

"Do as you see fit. Anyway, every single day you come to Magic City, you're running around handling things."

"Well, I only come here because I have things to do."

"Mm."

They waited a moment, and as soon as Lin Lin Dongxue came out, everyone got up together, locked the door, and headed out.