sbdcsierra Chapter 1871 Preparations
Chapter 1871 Preparations
Chapter 1871 Preparing to Go Back
"Is Dongzi coming back soon? Give me his phone."
The old lady was just slow on her feet, so the phone was answered by Ye's mother. She craned her neck, standing to the left and then to the right.
"What's the rush? I'll give it to you after I finish the call."
After finishing her sentence, Ye's mother continued into the phone, "Dongzi, since you're back so early this year, is the factory giving you an early holiday too?"
"No, the factory is operating on a 24-hour, three-shift system, following the rules and regulations of previous years. The machines never stop even when people are resting. My dad will stay there for a few more days. I'm going back now."
"Your dad is keeping an eye on things for you? That explains why you came back early."
The old lady chimed in from the side, "Then let your dad keep an eye on things. You should come back early anyway. When he does come back, he'll just be bragging, playing cards, chatting, and drinking all day."
Ye Yaodong said on the phone, "I've made all the arrangements. I'll call you again when we're ready to leave."
"Okay, the house at home has been cleaned and tidy, and your house over there has also been cleaned and tidyed. The quilts have been washed and dried until they smell nice, and they've been laid out for you so you can lie down as soon as you get back."
When the old lady saw that Ye's mother was holding the phone to her left ear, she would walk to the left; when she held it to her right ear, she would walk to the right.
"Have you finished talking? Give me the phone..."
"Here you go, like a headless fly, wandering around to the left and to the right..."
Mother Ye complained irritably as she handed the phone to the old lady.
The old lady took the phone and beamed, "Dongzi, you're coming back! I knitted you a scarf and crocheted a pair of gloves when I got back. It's getting cold, don't catch a cold outside."
“That’s great! I’m in need of scarves and gloves.”
"Really? Then I knitted it correctly. I'll knit you another one another day, so you can alternate between two..."
Ye's mother sat at the table listening to her on the phone, while she was also knitting a sweater.
This was knitted for Ye Chenghai and Ye Chenghe's children. Sometimes she felt restless when she had nothing to do, so she specially weighed out a few kilograms of yarn, intending to knit a sweater for each of her great-grandchildren.
It's Chinese New Year, and all the children are coming back, so the great-grandchildren can each have a piece of clothing.
Nowadays, sweaters are all hand-knitted. Every woman knows how to do it. Even in the dead of winter, while basking in the sun at the door, they all have something to do with their hands.
The old lady saw that the yarn in her hands had been knitted into beautiful patterns, and she also thought of knitting one for Ye Yaodong. However, the sweater was too big, and she couldn't take his size, so she knitted a scarf instead.
Ye's mother didn't just knit sweaters; she also crocheted woolen hats, scarves, and little shoes—things for children, small and exquisite, looking exceptionally cute.
She had already crocheted a whole bunch and kept them at home, waiting for her great-grandchildren to come back for the Lunar New Year so she could distribute them all together.
Ye Yaodong talked on the phone for a while before hanging up. He had a scarf, gloves, and a hat; he wouldn't be short of anything. He would freeze to death at sea without these. He was just trying to make the old man happy.
Older people like to feel needed.
Over the next few days, fishing boats from the nearshore waters and the DYD fishing grounds returned one after another, making the factory exceptionally lively with people everywhere.
At this time of year, the crew is at its most complete, with crew members coming and going.
Everyone was preparing to return to their hometown, some buying tickets, some buying local specialties, and everyone was beaming with joy.
The crew members' wages and year-end bonuses are not calculated together with those of the factory workers, and they are not received regularly. After all, everyone is usually at sea and cannot receive their money on time at the end of the month like the factory workers.
Most people accumulate their earnings over several months, then collect a lump sum upon returning.
Wages are usually calculated up to the end of the previous month, so when the crew members return from sea and are ready to collect their wages, they can go directly to the finance department to receive their wages up to the end of the previous month.
As for the year-end bonus, Ye Yaodong had the finance department arrange it after he returned to the factory. Half a month was enough time for the finance department to arrange the cash to cope with the situation.
This is the only time of year when people have both money and free time, and with the year-end approaching, the streets are especially lively. People don't spend every day out and about.
Lin Xiuqing would take Ye Xiaoxi with her and Ye Huimei around, buying loads of things every day. Ye Xiaoxi was so happy that she didn't want to go home.
Ye Chenghu and Ye Chengyang continued to take turns going out with Ye Yaodong for social engagements.
However, after only a few days, it was time for them to go home.
Ye Chengyang was very disappointed that his holiday started three or four days later, which meant he earned a lot less than Ye Chenghu. However, he was content because he didn't have a girlfriend to spend money on him, and all the money he earned was his own.
Ye Yaodong turned a blind eye, secretly giving the two brothers a little money. The boys had grown up and couldn't be without money.
Ye Chenghu, in particular, spent the most money on dating, but thankfully he didn't date too many.
Lin Xiuqing had a headache while packing her things; she had no idea she had bought so many things over the past two days.
Thinking about giving New Year's gifts, I would buy several of the same thing whenever I saw something suitable.
Ye Xiaoxi packed her things herself, took a burlap sack, and dragged the sack to Ye Yaodong as a sign of filial piety.
"Father, I'm entrusting these to you."
What did you buy this time?
"So many fluffy little bear dolls, all different sizes, they're so cute, I want to take them home to sleep with."
"Did I throw away that doll at home?" Lin Xiuqing asked.
"No."
"Don't you have a new one? You can throw away the old one; it's over ten years old and faded."
"I can't throw it away. I'm going to sleep with that doll when I get home, and I'm going to take the new doll I bought to Shanghai to sleep with."
Lin Xiuqing was speechless. There was a baby-sized doll at home. The original bright red swaddling clothes had long since faded, and it was old and ugly, with some dirt that couldn't be washed off.
Even in this state, you're still not allowed to throw it away. When you get back, you have to put it in your bed and sleep with it.
She tried to get rid of the child several times, but he kept coming back every night.
After finally moving in with Ye's mother, Lin Xiuqing hid the doll, thinking she would throw it away when Ye forgot about it. But after only two days, Ye came looking for the doll again.
Luckily it wasn't lost, so I was able to find it for her.
After going to Shanghai, she didn't bring the doll with her. Lin Xiuqing slept with her for a few nights before she finally stopped sleeping with the doll.
However, after returning to her hometown, she took the doll out again and slept with it.
Even Ye's mother was speechless. Usually, she could only wash it clean and put it in the cupboard, then take it out for her when she came back.
Ye Yaodong couldn't help but say, "That doll is over ten years old, it's broken, old, and dirty, and you can't wash it clean. Why are you still keeping it?"
"Keep it, don't throw it away. Putting it in my room won't bother you."
“You already have new ones. This one is bigger and prettier, and it's fluffy too. You can also have a bunch of smaller ones underneath.”
"I want the new, and I also want the old; I can't be fickle and abandon the old for the new."
"You can't be fickle, and I haven't seen you take it to Shanghai."
"Is it that I don't want to bring it? It was clearly my mother who wouldn't let me bring it, saying it was too dirty and ugly, so I had no choice but to leave it at home. But you can't throw it away, you can leave it there, please don't throw it away."
Lin Xiuqing said irritably, "I'll keep you alive until you're old, until you're 80 and then I'll take you to your coffin."
"Yes, I'll take them with me in my grave."
Ye Yaodong flicked her forehead, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
He then looked at Lin Xiuqing and said, "Once you've packed it up, just pile it to one side. Have someone move it onto the boat first thing tomorrow morning."
"Dad, did you call home?"
"I've already called and said I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Okay, Sister-in-law Xiuni said she'll take the child and go back with us first. Brother Chenghe will stay here for a few more days and then go back with Grandpa."
"I know, your grandpa already said so."
Taking advantage of the high volume of shipments and good business at the end of the year, Ye Chenghe wanted to stay here for a few more days, while Ye Chengjiang went back with them ahead of time.
Ye Chengjiang is going back to get married, so he needs to go back in advance to prepare.
The two have had a very successful freight business this year and have made a lot of money. They are said to be planning to add a few more trucks and hire more drivers next year.
Lin Xiuqing said, "I went shopping a couple of days ago and bought a small gold lock necklace to give to Ahai's daughter."
"Okay, you can handle it as you see fit."
Ye Chenghai had a second daughter this year. Since he had already celebrated the first child's one-month and one-year birthdays, he didn't want to have a special celebration for the second one. After all, his family lived far away, and it was inconvenient to travel back and forth. The first one had already been celebrated in a big way, which was enough.
So when their second child was born, none of their relatives or friends went to the hospital; they only heard about it from Sister-in-law Ye over the phone.
The child must be brought back for the Lunar New Year, and a gift must be given as a token of respect.
They give gifts to almost every child of the younger generation when they are born.
She also secretly bought some small gold jewelry.
Ye Chenghai now has both a son and a daughter, Ye Chenghe has two sons, and even Ye Chengjiang, who was disliked and scolded every year, is now settled and will get married when he goes back home for the Chinese New Year this year.
Ye Jingjing got pregnant after marrying Lin Guangwen; her belly was already quite big.
She felt that Lin Huixin should be pregnant soon, since they slept together every day.
It's hard to believe how quickly things have changed. In recent years, our family has been growing larger every year, and we've even had four more children in the next generation. Soon we'll have five or six.
She laughed and said, "When we get back, Mom will have a headache again. She'll have to cook three or four tables of food every day, like a feast every day, and there will be a house full of kids running around. She'll have to call them again."
Ye Yaodong couldn't help but laugh. He thought of how last year, his mother had barely cooked for two days before she started groaning and clutching her back, wishing she could kick them all out as soon as possible.
"When I called home today, she was so happy. She had already prepared a ton of food, but I don't know how many days that will last."
"They'll start to dislike it after two days at most."
"We can just cook at home and eat at their place during the Chinese New Year. It's really not easy to feed so many people in this house."
“All the unmarried ones are just hanging around there, we can’t even call them back for meals, that’s why they’re eating there. We’ll see, then our daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law can do the work, and she can rest and take care of her great-grandchildren.”
"Okay, we'll talk about it when we get back."
P.S.: The next chapter will be updated the following afternoon.
(End of this chapter)