Ye Yaodong only briefly told Director Chen about the few boats he currently owned, and that he had a fish sauce workshop, a dried fish workshop, a shop in the wholesale market, and a piece of vacant land he had just bought.
He didn't say much about other things. Director Chen knew most of these things, but he didn't think too much about them.
When you go to his house, you can see his fish sauce workshop and dried fish workshop, as well as a large row of fishing boats parked outside the pier.
It’s the Chinese New Year, and the fishing boats have all returned to the harbor. Outside the dock, there is a dense row of fishing boats of the same color and most of the same style. Now it is the most beautiful scenery of their village.
A casual inquiry will reveal that most of them belong to him. This cannot be concealed. Moreover, it is also his ability to rely on the sea to eat and book more ships. He also relies entirely on hard work to make a living.
Director Chen knew that he had many boats, but he was shocked when he actually said there were more than a dozen trawlers.
I thought it would be good to have a few lines to collect rent, but I didn’t expect there were more than a dozen…
It’s only been a few years, are you still a fisherman?
What ordinary fisherman can have so many boats?
Not only was he surprised, Jin Yuzhi was also shocked. How could any fisherman have such a rich net worth?
Who takes advantage of whom when they agree to be relatives?
Ye Yaodong knew they would be surprised, and that was all right.
After being surprised, I realized that he was not trying to get their money, so he had to pull them along, but it was impossible if he didn't want anything. The adult world can't be so pure.
However, despite his wealth, he is still willing to accept them as his godmother, which is somewhat sincere. After all, they have been dating for three years.
Ye Yaodong's net worth is also his bargaining chip.
This is not just to tell them, but also to use it as a bargaining chip when they go home to persuade their children. At least it shows that he is not a low-income person who has spent several years trying to deceive the elderly.
After saying a few words casually, he changed the subject and talked about his family's composition and personality. Of course, he always chose one aspect to talk about.
Director Chen also reciprocated the courtesy and talked about his family composition.
They chatted happily along the way.
The Chinese New Year is approaching, and despite the darkness, we encounter large vehicles on the road very frequently. Many of them are trucks rushing home to celebrate the New Year, or delivering goods before the new year.
It was already past 7pm when they arrived at the county seat. After Ye Yaodong unloaded the goods for them, he left directly and went back home.
Director Chen wanted to keep him overnight and at least have a snack before leaving, but Ye Yaodong refused.
He had just arrived home, and everything in the house had not been tidied up or tidied, and the house had not been cleaned. If he wanted to stay, it would only cause more trouble. It was better to go back early, and the couple could wait until tomorrow to clean up.
Ye Yaodong slowed down and drove slowly towards the village. However, he saw a few suspicious figures in front of him halfway along the road. He felt nervous, thinking that the year was approaching and the thieves like rats and dogs were rampant.
He kept his eyes on the front, braked suddenly, stood up quickly, and took out the gun from the iron box on the seat under his butt.
Seeing several people in front of him approaching slowly with sticks in their hands, he also checked the guns and ammunition in his hands.
After it was done, and seeing the person approaching, he stretched out his gun, and bang~
After firing a shot, he accelerated the tractor again and drove straight through the few people in front who were frozen and did not dare to move, frightening them so much that they could only retreat to both sides.
Little Yakuza, this kind of thing happens every year.
Don't say it's dark and windy at night, people can do it blatantly in broad daylight.
It was unlucky for him to encounter him today, but fortunately he had a gun in his hand. If he used it as a deterrent, he could drive away in a tractor.
But after this episode, he became more cautious on the rest of the way, keeping the gun jammed on his knee.
Fortunately, nothing happened in the second half of the trip and we got home safely.
Lin Xiuqing was shocked when she heard him talk about what happened on the road.
"This is too scary. Fortunately, you have a gun in the car. These people are so rampant that we can't even catch them all."
"The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and they have to work a few more votes to have a good New Year. Eat the popular ones and drink the spicy ones. Anyway, it's fine. It's normal to encounter them."
"Fortunately, I won't go out anymore. I'll lay down two poached eggs to calm your shock."
"Um."
Ye Yaodong told her again that he might have to admit marriage to Director Chen, but the horoscope had only just been drawn, so it was hard to say whether it would be settled or not, and it would have to wait a few days.
"Why do we have to admit we are related? Wasn't it good like before? It's quite troublesome to have another relative for no reason."
"What's the trouble? We're going to interact with each other as usual, maybe a little more intimately, but when we say it, it's fair and square, it's a marriage. From now on, everything we do will be reasonable, and it's normal to behave intimately."
"You can see for yourself. Anyway, I think we ordinary people don't need to get involved with other officials. It's good like this now."
"Are you naive? If you tell people that we are just ordinary fishermen, who will believe it now?"
Lin Xiuqing was blocked for a moment and was speechless. It is true that their family is no ordinary fishermen now.
"Don't think too much, we are honest and do our duty and don't do anything inappropriate. But if the factory in the city starts operations in the future, it will be more secure if we have some background. Otherwise, we little people will be tortured to the bone by then.
I can’t say for sure what’s left.”
This is the experience he learned from Fang Jingfu.
No matter at any time, there are always people in the court who are easy to get things done, not to mention the officials who really have thousands of ways to torment people.
Lin Xiuqing didn't say anything more. She had always only thought about being a rich man and settling down. She couldn't think of getting that far, so now she could only listen to him in everything.
Whatever he says, that's what it is.
Ye Yaodong finished eating and took a shower before going to bed. He originally wanted to save it until New Year's Eve, but he was too dirty after running back and forth and moving around.
Lin Xiuqing also said that it would be better if he washed it a day earlier, and she would have less things to do tomorrow. She would still be busy on New Year's Eve tomorrow.
The children at home were already asleep when he came back.
In fact, apart from their house, there were only a few lights in the village that were still on at this point.
After Ye Yaodong lay down on the warm and soft quilt, he felt comfortable and relaxed.
A golden nest and a silver nest are not as good as your own doghouse.
He is now completely taking a break to celebrate the New Year. He said he was taking a break to celebrate the New Year a few days ago, but in fact he just didn't go to sea. He still had a lot of chores and he had to run around.
There is no shortage of things to do all day long, and New Year’s Eve is the real rest.
Of course, it was natural for him to do nothing and sleep until about three o'clock in the morning before he was woken up by the sweet smell outside.
Have a hearty breakfast as soon as you get up, and you can also add vegetable balls freshly fried from the hot pot.
Others have already been busy, so he just needs to pick up the ready-made food and eat it. No one dislikes him as before. Everyone now agrees that he should sleep until he wakes up naturally.
The chickens and ducks have all been killed and feathered, and they are laid out naked on the table, waiting to be stewed in the pot at noon.
"We've been working for half the morning, and you just got up. Hurry up, I'm waiting for you to post the couplets."
Lin Xiuqing wiped the oil stains on her hands before taking out the couplets and putting them on the table for him.
"You can just stick it on, why are you waiting for me?"
"Aren't you the head of the family? Of course you posted the couplets in our family."
"oh."
"You can wipe the rice paste on the windows outside by yourself, and remember to hang up the lanterns. I took them down yesterday and wiped them clean."
"knew."
When Ye Yaodong went out with the couplets after dinner, Ye Chengyang even fawningly moved a stool for him.
"what?"
"Dad, I'll give you a foothold."
"Do you think your dad needs me?"
Ye Yaodong took the rice milk bowl on the window, glued it with a brush, wiped it on the top and back of the couplet, then stood on tiptoes and put it against the wall.
Ye Chengyang then put down his stool and scratched his head, "Oh, Dad, you are taller than the first and second uncles, so there is no need for that."
Ye Yaodong ignored him, but he was waiting by the side with a bowl of rice milk. After pasting it on one side, he actively handed over another couplet, and then a banner.
Showing courtesy for nothing is either cheating or stealing.
He lowered his head and glanced sideways at the boy, saying nothing or asking anything.
After pasting the couplets and pasting the word "Fu" upside down on the door, I was satisfied with the work and went out to go for a walk in the sun, while watching the neighbors playing cards and gambling.
Ye Chengyang followed him forward and backward, but from time to time he would play with the children next to him. If he walked away, this kid would immediately follow him.
He sat down to play cards, and he stood behind him like a bodyguard.
"What are you doing?"
Ye Chengyang said weakly: "Dad...can you give me money to buy firecrackers..."
"Ask your mother for it."
He closed his mouth and stood motionless on the edge. Ye Yaodong played two games and looked at him like a wooden stake. He was annoyed and quickly sent him away with 5 cents.
Ye Chengyang excitedly took the money and ran away.
I knew that there must be a purpose for wandering around him early in the morning.
On New Year's Eve, the most relaxed ones are the children. They don't have to worry about anything and just have to play.
They were also the happiest. They kept talking all day long, smelling the fragrance of the house, and would run home from time to time to steal a bite before going out to play. There was no shortage of snacks in their pockets, and they still had money to buy firecrackers.
This kid must have failed to get any favors from Lin Xiuqing all morning, so when he saw him getting up, he started to circle around him.
It’s just that he was too good at collecting wool, so he came over and asked me to buy candy after a while.
After a while I had to buy candied haws again.
Immediately afterwards, Ye Chenghu and Ye Xiaoxi were also attracted.
The three brothers and sisters came in turn, and he was so angry that he even wanted to whip him.
Seeing that he was angry, the three of them dispersed.
It was only after lunch that he found out that Lin Xiuqing had refused their request for money early in the morning. She also made it clear that she didn't have any new year's money for them this year, and asked them if they were still afraid of the beating they received a few days ago.
That's why Ye Chengyang decided to target him, taking advantage of the opportunity to ask for more money.
"Are you still very clever?"
Ye Chengyang lowered his head even lower and ate from the bowl as if he didn't hear anything.
"Yangyang said, if we don't have the New Year's money, we can have some change. Anyway, my mother takes away the New Year's money every year, leaving only twenty cents." Ye Chenghu betrayed his brother without any burden.
"Brother said he has a lot of private money, it doesn't matter, he doesn't want it."
"You're talking nonsense! You have a lot of private money, I saw it."
"Tomorrow is the first day of junior high school. Do you want to be beaten tonight or on the first day of junior high school?"
The two brothers immediately shut their mouths.
Although Lin Xiuqing said that in the morning, after the New Year's Eve dinner, she still put a red envelope in the pocket of each of the three children's new clothes.
After they finished the New Year's Eve dinner, they went to take a shower, put on new clothes, and were pleasantly surprised when they touched the red envelopes in their pockets.
"Mom, didn't you say there won't be any this year?"
"You don't want it, do you? Then give it back to me."
"Yes, yes." Ye Chenghu shouted extremely loudly, squeezed the red envelope tightly, and ran out happily.
"Come back to me."
"What's wrong."
He also stood at the door vigilantly, refusing to come in, for fear that his mother would regret it.
"Don't lose it, put it in the piggy bank for me."
"Hey, you won't lose it."
He ran away immediately.
Ye Chengyang also quickly followed behind.
Ye Xiaoxi was a little reluctant to part with it, but thinking that she had just lost the red envelope a few days ago, she moved to Lin Xiuqing's side with small steps and handed the red envelope to her.
"Mom, please keep it for me, I will get rid of it."
"Well, you'd better be good."
Lin Xiuqing put the red envelope back into her pocket with a smile, then took out a two-cent coin and handed it to her.
"I'll keep the red envelope for you and buy you something to eat."
"Okay, okay."
She will also run outside when she is happy.
"Slow down, if your new clothes get stained or damaged by me, I will beat you if you are celebrating the New Year."
She shouted loudly as she ran, "Got it."
Ye Yaodong smiled and said: "I know how to lie to children."
"Feel the pockets of your new clothes, the inner pockets."
Ye Yaodong was surprised. He reached into his inner pocket and took out a thick red envelope, "I have one too?"
She smiled and nodded, "Didn't you give me all your money? It's Chinese New Year, what should you do if you don't have money to play cards? You have worked hard this year, so of course I have to give you a lucky gift."
He took the red envelope in his hand and kissed it, "Good wife."
"Grandma also touched her pockets."
The old lady was also stunned, "Ah? Me too?"
Lin Xiuqing smiled and nodded.
"Have I touched my pocket? What are you doing for me?" She touched both sides of her coat pocket and found nothing. Then she imitated Ye Yaodong and opened her clothes, reached inside and touched one. She actually touched one.
It's not very bulging. No wonder she didn't notice it when she just put on new clothes.
Lin Xiuqing also explained, "I'm used to making clothes for A Dong, and I make a big, deep pocket on the inside."
"Just make me new clothes, why do you give me red envelopes? I have no place to spend money. I eat and drink at home, so why give me money?"
"I told you not to do the new clothes and trousers. If you insist on doing it, I won't take the red envelope. I'll give it to you..."
"I'm supposed to give you lucky money, why do you have to give it to me?"
The old lady handed the red envelope to Lin Xiuqing without even looking at it.
"I bought you some candy, don't think I didn't see it, you also like candy."
Lin Xiuqing noticed that after the sacrifice to the stove was finished, the old lady also ate several candies.
Before I put it away, I would never bear to eat it, and would only leave it to my children. It is probably because life has become better and better in the past two years that I am willing to eat two.
Ye Yaodong also said: "Take it, I have been suffering for half my life. I endured hardships when I was young. Of course I have to eat sweets when I am old."
The old lady smiled broadly, tears flashed in her eyes, she wiped them away quietly and agreed happily.
"Hey, I have to eat something sweet. This means that the hard days are over."
Lin Xiuqing said to Father Ye and Mother Ye again: "Yesterday I gave red envelopes to my parents in advance."
Mother Ye smiled and said, "I know."
Father Ye just turned to Ye Yaodong and said: "Remember to go to the Tianhou Palace to offer incense at night, don't sleep to death."
"How is that possible? Who slept on New Year's Eve?"
"Um."
The father and son went out one after another. The Spring Festival Gala did not appeal to them, so they might as well play cards.
Father Ye is very tight on daily life and has little opportunity to play cards. It is rare that he can play happily during the New Year without anyone taking care of him.
Ye Yaodong has simply watched too many Spring Festival Galas, and there is nothing new at all, only a retro feel.
Of course, the job of cleaning up fell on Ye Mu and Lin Xiuqing.
They are also the only ones who haven't put on new clothes yet. After all, there is still cleanup work to do after the New Year's Eve dinner, so putting on new clothes will only make them dirty.
It's not like their elders. After dinner, they pat their butts and then go gambling. They won't go home until midnight after finishing their incense burning.
After Ye Yaodong went out after the New Year's Eve dinner, it was already after 0 o'clock in the morning when he came back. Lin Xiuqing got up specially and cooked another bowl of dumplings for him.
As a result, after eating, he ran next door to play cards with his eldest brother, second brother and Ye Chenghai.
That's right, Ye Chenghai is 16 years old now, so he is considered an adult. It's normal for him to go to the table and play cards with them.
For such a big man, he does have some personal money in his hands.
Lin Xiuqing was also depressed when she saw him go out after eating a dumpling. In the past, he would only come back after finishing the dumplings at 12 o'clock.
This year has expanded, I have money in my pocket, and now I still want to go out and play cards.
It wasn't until 3 a.m. that he came back and lay down, yawning.
Lin Xiuqing was also awakened by the sound of him lying down. She moved inside to make room for him and muttered a few words.
Ye Yaodong was still very sleepy at this point. He closed his eyes and fell asleep directly, forgetting to use his old rules.
When I got up the next day, I remembered that I had not done anything I should have done last night, but the building around me was already empty, not even Ye Xiaoxi could be seen.
He rolled over in his arms and stuffed his clothes under the quilt to warm them up before putting them on.
When I went out to the main room, there was no one there, only the leftovers from last night, the still-warm porridge, and the sounds of voices and firecrackers outside.
He took the cup and toothbrush and went out to wash up. He looked at the dogs at home, all of whom had colorful hairpins on their heads.
Some even had two red rubber bands on their ears...
"Who did this..."
No one answered him. Everyone was talking outside or at the next door.
After several dogs saw him, they all ran over and surrounded him in aggrieved manner, and then kept rubbing their heads on him. These dogs had rubber bands on their ears.
"Are the rubber bands on your ears uncomfortable?"
"Woo..." The dogs whimpered a few times.
"But it still looks pretty and festive. How about you just bear with it and take it off tomorrow?"
"Woof woof..."
"Who did this? He's quite smart and knows how to dress you up to celebrate the New Year."
"Woof woof..."
The dogs barked a few more times, circled around his feet, and then lay down again, clinging to the ground helplessly.
Ye Yaodong smiled and touched their heads and ears, brushed their teeth and then went into the house to eat first.
After dinner, I went out to catch Ye Xiaoxi and asked her if she did it.
She was shaking her head very proudly, "I caught them for a long time in the morning, but luckily my sister came."
"I'm going to my sister's house. There are dogs at my sister's house..."
"If your own dog causes trouble, don't forget to cause trouble to other people's dogs. Be careful that the hairpin is stolen by other children."
"No problem, I'll let the dog bite the child."
"Where's your mother?"
"She's playing cards over there!"
"Huh? Playing cards?! She can also play cards? Who taught her bad things?" Ye Yaodong hurriedly went to Zhou Da's house next door.
I actually saw Lin Xiuqing sitting at the door, basking in the sun, playing cards with a group of women, but they were playing 7, relying on luck rather than skill.
"Damn, you can also play cards?"
Lin Xiuqing turned to look at him with a smile, "Learn, this is very simple. If you can play cards, of course I can play cards too."
Damn, is this resentment?
Do you blame him for not making a New Year's Eve fire packet last night?
"Then you play cards here and I'll go home and look after the house?"
"Well, go ahead."
Ye Yaodong was a little depressed when he saw her waving her hands like she was shooing away flies. His wife was a bit bad and she was led to play cards by others.
Originally she didn't know how to play cards.
I can play cards now, and I can play mahjong in the future.
You have to tell her that it’s okay to have fun during the Chinese New Year, but not to indulge in it.
During the Chinese New Year, there are really gambling tables, card tables, mahjong tables, and dice tables everywhere in the village. As long as it doesn't rain, they are always placed on the road. No matter how cold it is, there are people gambling.
Ye Yaodong saw that they were playing very little, and one point was deducted for one penny, so he let her go. When he got home, he invited a few people to sit in front of his house to play cards and look after the house.
These days during the Chinese New Year are just for fun. You don’t have to do anything at home. You go out to visit relatives and play cards.
His family didn't have many relatives to visit. All the close relatives were in this village. When my aunt married in the town, she basically came back to visit relatives.
As for my family over there in the provincial capital, I don’t even know him, so there’s no need to travel all the way.
As for Ah Qing, she will wait until she returns to her parents' home on the second day of junior high school. This is also the usual practice.
When I returned to Ah Qing's parents' house, I didn't have to do anything. I just played cards and crossed my legs, waiting for food.
Ye Yaodong has been wondering whether Director Chen, the third grader of junior high school, will come over?
On the night of the 29th, he said that he could not recognize her as a godfather. On the third day of the Lunar New Year, he also went to Director Chen's house to pay New Year's greetings.
Are you going now or not?
Will he come?
If he had come over and went to the county seat, wouldn't that be a mistake?
When Ye Yaodong went to bed at night, he was still struggling with whether to go or not, tossing and turning.
"What are you doing? What are you thinking about? Why don't you fall asleep?"
"I was wondering, should I go to the county seat early tomorrow morning? Or should I wait until the day after tomorrow?"
"Is this what bothers you?"
"Yes, after all, proposing a marriage is a big deal. I don't know the outcome. I wonder if he will come over tomorrow? If he comes by mistake, wouldn't it be in vain?"
"Then you wait until the afternoon to go. You only said that you are going to pay New Year greetings on the third day of the Lunar New Year, and you didn't say whether it was morning or afternoon. You just wait and see in the morning to see if they come. If they don't come, then you go in the afternoon. The reason is also very good.
I was looking for him, but he said he didn’t know if anyone would come to visit him in the morning to pay New Year greetings, and he was afraid of causing trouble to others, so he went in the afternoon.”
"That's right. Then prepare your things in advance and go there tomorrow afternoon."
"Go to bed early. It's not a loss for us if we don't recognize our marriage. It's just the icing on the cake."
"Well, you better think about it."
"That's right. The money we make now can't be spent in a lifetime."
Ye Yaodong chuckled, "Then you have to be more relaxed and don't get involved in pornography and gambling, otherwise no amount of wealth will be enough to defeat you."
"Get out of here, how could I possibly do that? You have to take it easy and don't get involved in pornography, gambling, and drugs. If you get into it even a little bit, your family will be broken up."
"Uh...Huang...should be fine?"
Lin Xiuqing pinched the soft flesh on his waist and asked, "What did you say?"
"You're celebrating Chinese New Year, what are you doing? When did you develop this bad habit? You always like to pinch my waist."
"I'm asking you to talk nonsense, but I don't know how to smoke, drink or gamble, so you have the nerve to talk to me."
"Your playing cards today is also gambling."
"That can't be counted. It's just for fun. It's a Chinese New Year. If there are three short of one, let me join in and make everyone happy."
"That's good, go to sleep."
"Humph, you are only allowed to play cards by yourself, why don't I play for a while?"
"No, it's okay to play for a while, because I also play for a while. I just gamble for fun and entertainment. Some women in the village are just like the men and join the gambling table. It's too ugly."
Not only gambling, but also addiction to playing mahjong is fatal.
He had seen many women in his previous life who were addicted to playing mahjong and could play all night without caring about their children or their families.
It is also common for women to be as addicted to gambling as men.
Men and women are alike, and everyone who gambles on dogs deserves to die.
"I've also seen it. It's really ugly. Some people even moved stools to stand on it and pay money. Some people are not from our village, and they even came to our village to gamble."
"Well, go to sleep."
It’s good to know.
His wife is very good even if she doesn't know how to do those things. You can't blame him for being chauvinistic. If he's not good at it, he just doesn't want to learn from it.
Women must also look like women, and men and women are equal, but women must imitate whatever men do.
Ye Yaodong hugged Lin Xiuqing with peace of mind, letting her find a comfortable position in his arms, and then the two of them closed their eyes and fell asleep.
On the early morning of the third day of junior high school, Lin Xiuqing was still cleaning the yard at the door, when she saw several bicycles riding to the door of her yard.
She didn't notice it at first, but it was the dogs at home barking that made her look over.
"Director Chen? Ah...Happy New Year, come in and sit down..."
Lin Xiuqing quickly threw the broom aside and hurried to the door to invite people in.
"Is your dog also so festive? Hahaha, it is also tied with a red headband and a hairpin. It looks pretty good. The dog also celebrates the New Year happily."
Jin Yuzhi also smiled and said: "Don't tell me, even the dogs are indeed in the New Year atmosphere. They are red and green, and they look festive."
"The little girl at home is naughty and likes to bully those dogs. She caught those dogs Huo Huo the morning before yesterday. We also saw the joy and did not stop her."
"Then your girl must be very cute."
"Where, so naughty..."
Director Chen smiled and praised: "I saw that little girl from his family two years ago. Her arms were like lotus joints, and the flesh on her face was hanging down. Not to mention how good-looking she was, she was even longer than our granddaughter.
Well, it looks like I’m full of blessings.”
Can you please stop waiting for me to update in the middle of the night? Can you wait until the morning to read it? I am stressed while you are waiting, and sometimes I really can’t write.
It's normal to be stuck. I can't hold it back. Now I'm in the final stage of writing. I have to think about the excessive plot to avoid unfinished work. You really shouldn't wait for me to update in the middle of the night every day, just read it in the morning.
Chapter completed!