Chapter 1839: Settling It

Lin Lin Xiuqing, while cleaning up the mess, said to Ye Yaodong, "I think this young man is pretty good. He has a good job, he looks refined, his parents sound reliable too. I don't know about his siblings, but they won't be living together anyway. From every angle, he looks quite suitable."

Ye Yaodong nodded, "He is pretty good. Mainly, he has plans and a sense of direction. His family looks decent too — they're all employees, his parents will both have pensions when they're old, so they won't be a burden."

"What pension?"

"You don't know?"

"What should I know?"

"It was published in the newspaper. All units and employed personnel in this city will start implementing pension insurance from June 1st. The individual pays a portion, and the unit helps pay a portion. Once you reach retirement age and can't work, you can receive a monthly pension."

Lin Lin Xiuqing and Ye Ye Huimei were extremely surprised.

"You mean you pay a portion in advance now, and the state will provide for your old age later?"

"Right. You pay a portion every month now, for 15 years. Once you reach retirement age, you can start receiving the pension, until you die. Lin Lin Dongxue's partner's family are all employees, so when they're old they won't have to worry — the state will be responsible for their retirement."

Ye Yaodong knew how wonderful retirement would be for these middle-aged and elderly folks in the future.

In their fifties and sixties, still in their prime, yet retired — traveling all over the country, with more pension money than they could spend. Many young people had to rely on the pensions of the middle-aged and elderly for support.

Ye Ye Huimei's face was full of astonishment. "Then they don't need their children to support them in old age?"

"Of course. It might even be the other way around — the elderly supporting the young."

Lin Lin Xiuqing was skeptical. "That sounds pretty good. In the past, people always said raising sons was a safeguard against old age. But now you don't need your children to support you, and you get a monthly salary without even working — isn't that wonderful? Why is it so good? The state really provides for the elderly?"

"Isn't it because a lot of state cadres are getting old? Everyone needs to look out for their own benefits and security, right? That's my guess."

"Then can we also pay a little every month and receive it when we're old? How much would we have to pay each month?"

"3%, I think? It hasn't been widely implemented yet. Even Modu here only starts on June 1st. When I wake up, I'll check how much tax is being paid then. It'll be another year or two before it reaches Zhou City."

"3% isn't much either. 500 yuan only costs 15 yuan…"

"The unit pays more. The unit pays more than the individual, and the unit pays it for the individual free of charge."

"Then… then those who have a unit are set for life?"

"Right, exactly. Wei Songyuan's parents might just catch the first batch to receive pensions."

Ye Ye Huimei asked, "Third Brother, do you definitely need to be with a unit to pay?"

"Seems like it. I think individuals can pay later too, but right now it seems you need a unit."

"Alright then."

"Don't worry. Technically you also work for me. When my unit starts paying, I'll just put your name on it. Pay for 15 years, and by the time you're 50, you can start receiving it."

"That would be wonderful."

Lin Lin Xiuqing thought for a moment. "This new policy is actually pretty good. By that calculation, isn't Lin Lin Dongxue the one marrying up? Even though her family runs a small business, you can't tell about the future. His family is an employee's family — when they're old, the state takes care of their retirement."

"Don't compare it like that. Now we believe in freedom in love. As long as they like each other, that's enough. They're both college students, a good match, classmates too, with common topics. Besides, who says a private business is worse than a unit? Unit salaries aren't high at all."

"I'll go call my brother and sister-in-law and tell them the situation. In a couple of days, after Lin Lin Dongxue meets his parents, if there are no big problems, we can settle it."

"Go make the call. After you're done, we'll continue looking at houses."

"Okay."

Ye Ye Huimei said, "I don't have anything this afternoon either. Can I come with you to look at houses too? Broaden my horizons?"

"Sure."

So now only the Pudong side was left to look at.

In the afternoon, after picking up Director Zhang, they went to look at Changqi Residential Compound, Jinpu Residential Compound, Xinshun Residential Compound, and so on.

The "Sanlin Garden" advertised in the newspaper was the most well-known, but they heard it had just broken ground and wasn't on sale yet.

Pudong was currently in the early stages of vigorous construction. Lujiazui, Jinqiao, Waigaoqiao, and Zhangjiang were the main concentrated development zones at that time.

After looking around, Ye Yaodong felt there was no rush to buy here. He'd wait another two years, until the development took more shape, then come back to buy. There weren't many good properties yet.

After looking around all day, the couple's internal balance tilted back toward Xuhui, but the various supporting facilities and surroundings on the Puxi side were already relatively well-developed.

"Director Zhang, we're leaning toward that new compound we saw in Xuhui yesterday. Can you help ask — if we buy the whole building, how big a discount can you get us?"

Director Zhang's eyes went wide, his pupils contracting. "The… the whole whololololing?"

He couldn't help but stumble over his words, his face full of disbelief, unable to accept it.

Ye Ye Huimei beside him also widened her eyes, her mouth forming an O. "Third Brother, did you say that right? The whole building?"

She had followed along today and seen for herself that a whole building had several dozen units — some eighty or ninety, at least forty or fifty.

Oh my, how much money would that cost?

Her eyes had already turned into the shape of money…

"If I remember correctly, that compound in Xuhui yesterday only had 52 units per building. Director Zhang, help me ask what the lowest discount is. I'm buying wholesale here."

Director Zhang swallowed and asked carefully, "Are you serious?"

"Nonsense. Who jokes with you?"

"With that many, a loan might be hard to arrange…"

"I'm paying in full."

"!!!"

Full… fufufufull payment…

Director Zhang clutched his chest with both hands, feeling his poor heart couldn't take it.

He looked at Director Zhang's comical appearance and found it a bit funny. "Help me ask what the lowest is. And remember to give me a discount on the agency fee too, since I'm buying so much."

He nodded like a pestle pounding, so excited he was incoherent. "Definitely, definitely. Oh my heavens. I'll go back and ask right away, immediately. I'll definitely get you the lowest discount. The agency fee is easy, that's too easy. I'll go back and call to ask about the discount right away. No wait, I'll run over myself and ask more clearly, pull some more strings. I'll definitely get you the lowest…"

If this deal went through, he wouldn't need to worry even if he didn't get a single client for three years.

Rental commissions were small. The real money was in sales commissions, taking a cut from both sides.

When Director Zhang returned to the agency, he felt like he was floating. He'd really run into a nouveau riche. He was still muttering to himself: How can someone be so rich.

When Ye Yaodong and the others got home, they felt exhausted again. Luckily commercial housing hadn't flooded the market in these days, otherwise their eyes would have glazed over from the choices.

Ye Ye Huimei was in a dazed and incredulous state the whole time she was in the car.

"Third Brother, you're actually this rich now?"

"Isn't that perfectly normal? All my businesses are making money, and I'm still supporting over a thousand people."

"No, the point is you have so much cash on hand. I thought everything you earned had been reinvested."

"Pretty much. Buy one batch of property and it's nearly gone again, then I have to work hard all over to save up money."

In reality, no — by his estimate, he'd only spend about half, or maybe a little more than half, and the remaining money would be more than enough to keep things going.

Now the factories and fishing boats were still continuously creating value, and once the operation was spread out, the speed of wealth accumulation was no longer 1-1-1 like that, but multiplied several times over.

These days, cash flow is king — no, now it's industry, land, property and the like that are king.

"But you're rich, why would you buy so many houses all at once? You definitely can't live in all of them!"

"Buy them to rent out — it's a steady income. Later, if the price is right, I can sell some too. No loss; whether I make a lot or a little depends on how fast housing prices rise later."

"Can they really go up in price?"

"Of course. If they couldn't go up, would I buy so many? Besides, even if they don't go up, collecting rent is pretty good too."

Ye Ye Huimei twisted her fingers as she thought. Her little family had also saved quite a lot these past few years. All the money Aguang earned was handed to her, and she had a hefty sum tucked away.

Bank interest was high now, and the annual interest from fixed deposits was also considerable, but she only put part of it in fixed deposits and kept part in current accounts, in case she needed money.

"Third Brother, what do you think — should I follow you and buy one?"

"That's a good thing, but you can't decide on your own. You have to wait for Aguang to come back and discuss it with him. Buying a house is a big deal. You two as a couple need to talk it over and can't just decide on the spur of the moment. After all, the money is what he earned too, so you should respect him a bit."

"Of course. I just saw you being so flush with cash today and got a shock, wondering if I should buy one too."

Ye Ye Huimei had been truly stunned by that "a whole building" and "paid in full" from the afternoon — her heart had taken a real hit.

"Buying a house now is definitely a good thing; it'll definitely bring big returns later. You two just need to discuss it properly."

"Okay. He just went out to sea after the New Year, so he probably won't be back that soon. Can you have the fresh-fish boat pass a message to him, asking him to come back for a few days? Anyway, there are people on the boat who can cover for him, so being back for a few days won't affect him much."

"Sure, I'll pass along the message. I figure by the time he gets back and comes to the Magic City, it'll be another week."

"No rush. There are so many houses — they won't all sell out at once."

Lin Lin Xiuqing waited until they finished talking, then said, "Should we just wait for Director Zhang to notify us now?"

"Right, wait for his notice. If there's news, he'll call my mobile. No rush. Tomorrow I need to go to the shipyard to check things out — the things that need doing, I'll do as usual. I also need to check when the First Auto Works can deliver my ten cargo trucks. It's already been several months since the New Year, time to go knock on their door and push them."

"Want me to drive you?"

"You go do your thing. I'll ride my bike or take a taxi."

"Okay."

Ye Ye Huimei was already looking adoring. "Third Brother, you bought ten big Jiefangs again?"

"What's there to be surprised about?"

"There's nothing to be surprised about anymore. I'm numb."

"Going to make dinner. I'm starving."

"Okay."

Lin Lin Xiuqing also helped Ye Ye Huimei prepare dinner, the two of them chatting in whispers.

Ye Yaodong sat with his legs crossed, continuing to flip through back issues of the newspaper in the living room. There was a daily paper every day, and he couldn't possibly read them all — he could only roughly skim the important parts.

Unless it was information or policies issued from above, the major news published in each local newspaper was naturally different, all focused on local news and policies.

Anyway, wherever he went, he read there. Back in his old hometown, he read the hometown paper every day too.

He felt quite fortunate in his heart that he had signed up for a literacy class early on and practiced some copybooks — at least now he could write a few characters and they'd be legible.

Lin Lin Dongxue came back after dinner, looking radiant when she returned. One could tell at a glance that good news was near, and she was once again carrying an armful of big and small packages.

Ye Yaodong looked up. "A grown daughter can't be kept at home — looks like we'll be eating wedding candy soon."

"Auntie, Uncle, Auntie Ye Huimei, it's settled. Tomorrow I'm going to his house to meet his parents."

Lin Lin Xiuqing said, "Then call your parents. If you're going to his house, they need to know. While you're at it, ask your parents if they have any requirements for the man — how much bride price they want, and what they'll prepare for you in return."

"I was planning to call them too. When I saw Wei Songyuan off this afternoon, we walked and talked, and planned out the future a bit."

"My parents talked to me about it during the New Year too. They said to follow the local customs here — every place is different. Since I'm marrying into this place, I naturally have to fit in here. They don't ask anything of his family either."

"But there's one thing — the proposal has to come to our house. They can't just let me be quietly engaged without any ceremony. There has to be sincerity. When they came to take their daughter-in-law, they traveled all the way to Zhou City too."

"As for the dowry, they'll just give me some pin money at the bottom of the trunk. They don't have much else to give. And whatever the groom's family gives, no matter how much, they'll let me take it all with me — they don't want any of it."

Ye Yaodong nodded as he listened. "Your parents are even giving you pin money for the dowry — not bad. You're going to get rich with this marriage. Having his parents come to your house to propose is only right. When you take a wife, you have to show some sincerity."

"Right. I hinted at it to Wei Songyuan today too, and he said he'd find a holiday to go together, and it'd be best to bring my parents along at that time, settle on the wedding date, and since both sets of parents would be there, just hold it then."

"That works too. You're marrying far away in the Magic City — they definitely won't feel at ease. Coming to take a look will put their minds at rest."

Ye Ye Huimei said with a smile, "With a comfortable family foundation, everything is much simpler to handle."

Lin Lin Xiuqing countered her, "That's not right. Whether the family is well-off or not is secondary — the main thing is having good parents who care about their children. Even if parents are well-off, if they don't care about their kids, no matter how much bride price the other side gives, they'll pocket it — let alone giving pin money."

"Mm, Sister-in-law is right."

"If the family is poor but the parents are good, the parents won't ask the child for more — they'll be afraid of holding the child back and causing trouble."

"Auntie's right. My parents care about every one of us."

"Go call them quickly."

"Okay."

Ye Yaodong gave up the seat by the phone to her and moved to the single armchair on the sofa.

Lin Lin Dongxue's eyes and nose turned red as she talked on the phone, and she sniffled. After she hung up, Lin Lin Xiuqing patted her shoulder and comforted her for a bit.

They had probably overheard a little and knew she had been moved by her parents.

The next day, going to the man's house was naturally smooth as well — after all, she had the status of a college student, and they were classmates.

All that was left was to wait for the man's parents to find a holiday, then take the train to their city, and she would accompany them back together.

With the major matter mostly resolved, only the final details remained to be settled. Now he just had to wait. Lin Lin Dongxue naturally returned to Zhou City first.

Ye Yaodong's business wasn't finished yet — there was still no response from the housing side. He figured Director Zhang was still working his connections. He wasn't in any rush.

Besides going to Jiangnan Shipyard and Donghai Shipyard, he still had to go to the Machinery Factory, the First Automobile Factory, the Freight Department, and also drop by Lin Lin Xiuqing's office. He was plenty busy — two days hadn't been enough to finish it all.

However, when he went to the Freight Department, he received a call from Lin Ji — they were already cooperating on freight transport.

After Lin Ji finished clearing the cargo at the Modu port, he would transport it by truck to the destination, and they had agreed on monthly settlement of the bills.

"…By the way, do you want a 'Big Brother' phone? I've got a batch of them…"

"A 'Big Brother'? I already have one. I just bought it before New Year's last year."

"Already bought one? I was going to tell you the price has dropped like crazy lately — really cheap. Wanted to ask if you wanted one."

"What do you mean the price dropped? I only just bought mine last year!"

"Then forget it. Buy early, enjoy early. You bought it, took it home for New Year's, showed off a bit, bragged a little — it was worth it."

"I showed off in front of my old man. Where did I show off?"

"That's good. Old people need face. You brought honor to your dad — you showed off for him, and that brings glory to your own face too."

"Forget the 'Big Brother.' I figure this year or next year there'll be small mobile phones. If there are small mobile phones, save one for me. And if there are computers, and the price is right, save one for me too."

"I can understand you wanting a small mobile phone, but what do you need a computer for? Those computers have huge heads, can't really do anything, and they're ridiculously expensive."

"I roughly know — in a couple of months it might get networked."

"What's 'networked'?"

"You'll probably see it in the papers next month."

Lin Ji chuckled. "You're keeping me in suspense now? Is it some policy news? If there's a get-rich opportunity, don't forget me."

"This counts as a windfall opportunity, but an uneducated guy like me can't make money off it. But I do actually know of a get-rich opportunity."

"What opportunity? Tell me. I listened to you and bought land, bought factory buildings — now I feel like I'm about to get rich. Pudong really is being developed big-time."

"It's pretty much tied to that. I'm going to buy a whole building."

"Huh?" Lin Ji was startled by that too.

Ye Yaodong hadn't originally planned to bring it up on purpose. Since it was asked, he'd give a rough rundown.

"Anyway, I'm pretty optimistic about it. See for yourself. Once Pudong over here shapes up in a couple of years, I'll buy more property there then."

"You're something. Let me think it over. A lot of my money is tied up in goods — going in and out. Also, my uncle keeps getting his sentence reduced, and he's getting old — he might be getting out in the next year or two."

"Uncle? The one who got arrested a few years back?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, once he's out, you'll be even richer?"

"No idea. Give me your 'Big Brother' phone number — it'll be easier to reach you next time."

"Haven't I given it to you before? Too many friends, I forgot. Take this down…"

"Since you're not in a rush for the computer, I'll keep looking. Who's telling you about this networking stuff? Once that 'networking' you mentioned happens, we'll talk then."

"Alright."