sbdcsierra Chapter 1603 Marriage
Chapter 1603 Marriage
Chapter 1603 Marriage
Mr. Ye now has only one wish: to build a nice house for his retirement.
Now he has money, fame, and a successful son. He doesn't ask for anything more. The only drawback is that his old house is a bit dilapidated.
When we go back home for the Chinese New Year, Dongzi wants to build him a new house. Soon, this only wish of his will will come true.
He had no other desires but to return home comfortably to retire and live a peaceful life.
There is another regret, which is that I missed the opportunity to be featured in newspapers and on television.
That was such a pity. They just missed each other by a hair's breadth. Everyone else got it, but he didn't. It upset him a lot at the time, but he's gotten over it now. These are things you can't ask for anyway, so it's already good enough as it is.
This year, instead of accommodating the small boat's docking in Vancouver, the people on board, except for the boatman, had already discussed and boarded a boat with rest cabins, so they headed straight for their destination.
Ye Yaodong didn't linger; he had to make a trip to Wenzhou to settle accounts every year before the Lunar New Year anyway.
However, he plans to sell the shares directly at the end of this year, which is essentially a way to get something for nothing.
He doesn't need those dividends now. After all, the fishing boats and processing plants have earned tens of millions this year. Those are just icing on the cake. He'll leave once he's made enough. Leaving some face will be a favor in the future.
His main focus is still at sea, primarily on the fishing industry. Cutting off the lighter business wouldn't matter much; it would save him some energy and prevent him from having to make a trip here during the Lunar New Year to reconcile accounts and collect money.
The time saved allows him to rest at home or travel to town to build relationships with other factories, potentially generating more orders and earning more money.
Anyway, he was just a figurehead at the Wenzhou Fisheries Association, so they couldn't just kick him out for no reason. Even if he didn't go, he would still pay his membership fees honestly. Besides, he had the relationship with Fang Jingfu and Zeng Weimin.
Although he hasn't been to Vancouver much in recent years, he still goes there every year before the Lunar New Year to stay for a few days, giving gifts to everyone who needs them.
Besides, it doesn't matter if it's cut off, since there's a chamber of commerce in Zhou City, and he's a prominent figure with good relationships with the people in the chamber.
They get foot massages, meals, and karaoke together every few days; that's how simple and pure men's relationships are.
He had considered withdrawing his shares a couple of years ago, and he had gotten a good deal back then, so now it was time to take the profits.
The idea came to me last month when I sold my fishing boat at a discount to give as a favor.
Always leave room for maneuver, so you can meet again in the future. He's not short of that little bit of dividend money now.
If Fang Jingfu is redeemed, then Fang Jingfu will owe him a huge favor, making things much easier for him in the future.
I'll mention it to Aqing when I get back, and he can come over to check the accounts when he has some free time, and take care of this matter while he's at it. That way, we can put an end to it.
As for the fish cannery in town, there's no rush. We can deal with it after the millennium. It's just starting to make money now, and it's at its peak. Let's make money for a few years first.
It will take several more years after the millennium for the decline to gradually begin.
Keeping him around now provides another avenue for building connections. Knowing he's one of the owners of this processing plant will help you build relationships in town and make selling your fish easier.
He already has a great reputation, with connections and influence in the city. He's a party member, owns a boat, has money and connections. If he goes out for a meal with Hong Wenle, the business owners he knows will take the initiative to get closer to him.
You can tell just by looking at how he goes out every single day after he goes home. People who invite him for drinks have to tell him in advance because he has to rush from one event to another.
To accommodate the smaller boats, the larger boats slowed down, and it took them more than two days to get home.
We set off at noon on the 20th of the lunar calendar and didn't arrive until the evening of the 22nd.
He decided not to unload the cargo that was still full, since it was getting dark and unloading a full ship wouldn't be quick. Everyone was eager to get home.
Let's moor the boat in the harbor first. We can bring people over to unload the cargo tomorrow after we've had enough sleep. Anyway, it's just some dried fish and a machine that we took from the factory. It's not urgent.
With over a hundred people on his three boats, it was difficult to transfer them to other people's fishing boats, as there were also many people on other boats, some of whom were transferred in small boats.
So after the people on his three boats docked at the town's safe harbor, they disembarked directly at the town's pier, while the other boats sailed back to the village on their own.
Ye Yaodong didn't make everyone walk back. After disembarking, he found a few tractors and had everyone stand on them. The tractors filled three or four trucks with people, and it only took about 10 minutes to get home.
They were faster than their fishing boats; they rode tractors into the village before those boats even reached the village dock.
Land travel is still faster than water travel.
The villagers already knew they had set off a couple of days ago, and judging by the time, they should arrive home today, though they didn't know if it would be at night or some other time.
The workshop was brightly lit, and a group of women were chatting happily together. Every now and then they would look out to sea and discuss why they hadn't returned yet.
"It might be midnight... The departure time for ships at sea is always unpredictable, who knows when we'll be back..."
"Since we're just killing time anyway, let's work until midnight. It's better to wait here than to just sit at home and not be able to sleep. We can see the sea right here."
"Yes, if we wait here, we can all chat together, and we'll know as soon as we get back..."
Little did they know that while they were discussing this, four tractors had already driven into the village.
Under normal circumstances, on a cold day, when it's dark, there's hardly anyone walking around in the village, and there aren't even many lights on.
But today is different. People of all ages are excitedly waiting for their family's pillar to return. Children are running and jumping on the village roads, while some elderly people sit by the window looking out, and others sit by the door chatting with their sleeves rolled up and necks hunched.
When they heard the clattering sound of tractors, which was getting closer and closer, and it seemed like there was more than one, everyone was puzzled. They all came out of the house and craned their necks to look.
"Oh, why is a tractor coming into the village so late?"
"Is that Qing's tractor?"
"Several vehicles, they probably don't belong to her family, right?"
"Huh? That driver looks unfamiliar; we can't let them into the village..."
"Quickly, stop them, old man... hurry, let's stop them, we can't let this strange car and people enter the village..."
"Help! Someone's in a car! Strangers have entered the village..."
"Help! There are several cars, and damn it, they're all full of people..."
A group of elderly men and women were shouting at the top of their lungs in the quiet village, and instantly a bunch of middle-aged and elderly people came running out from all directions with weapons to block the road.
The people on the tractor also saw the scene in the village; some laughed heartily, some were dumbfounded, and some were at a loss for words.
The tractor driver panicked and quickly stopped the vehicle, getting off as if afraid he wouldn't be able to leave the village.
"No... grandpa and grandma, I just take jobs, I transport people to the village..."
"Who are you, in the middle of the night..."
At this moment, people jumped out of the truck bed one by one, just like dumplings being dropped into a pot.
Everyone shone their flashlights on people, and only then did they realize they had made a blunder.
"Oh, my Dazhuang is back... it's my Dazhuang..."
"One of us? Hahaha, we're one of us, not outsiders, one of us... Quickly put your weapon away..."
Ye Yaodong got off the tractor at the back and joked with a smile, "What are you doing so late at night? Such a big commotion, and your own people don't even know?"
He was sitting with the driver, but there were four cars on the road, one in front of the other. His car was at the very back, otherwise the villagers wouldn't have been so nervous.
"Haha, isn't it worrying that a strange car would come into the village so late at night? Let's grab our weapons..."
A group of people, who were just moments ago on the verge of conflict, suddenly became lively and chatty.
"Why did you come back by tractor? Shouldn't you have taken a boat?" someone asked, looking around the crowd for their family.
Ye Yaodong explained, "My big ship can't get into the village port, so it's docked in the town's safe harbor. The others are sailing back, and they should be almost at the dock by now."
Ye's father also said, "Dongzi's workers are all here. People on the other ships, you'll have to wait at the dock."
"Let's go, let's go..."
Those who were welcomed home by their own family members were overjoyed, while those who hadn't been welcomed yet headed to the dock in a large group.
Ye Yaodong and the others followed the villagers to the seaside.
The women in the workshop were chatting and looking outside when they suddenly heard a commotion, mixed with the barking of a pack of dogs, which sounded like men's voices, and they also heard someone calling for their father.
Just as he was wondering what was going on, he said a few words and tried to stand up to take a look. Suddenly, he saw a large group of men appear at the entrance of the workshop, and he was overjoyed.
"Mother, Father is back..."
"Oh, Qing, it's your man who's back."
"No wonder I heard a bunch of kids calling for their dad, he's back..."
Lin Xiuqing was overjoyed and quickly ran towards the door.
"You just got back? Where's the boat? Didn't you sail back?"
Ye Yaodong explained with a smile, "The other ships should be docking soon too..."
"They're here, they're back! There are lights on the sea..."
As soon as he finished speaking, some women around him pointed at the sea and exclaimed in surprise. After exchanging greetings, a group of people, including children, happily ran towards the pier.
Ye's mother said cheerfully, "You were just saying you were going to work until the wee hours and wait for us to come back, but now you can leave early."
Lin Xiuqing also said with a smile, "Everyone has run away now. We need to have them come over later to finish up before we can leave. Those who are still here can clean up first."
"You go home with them first, get them some food, and I'll organize them to clean up here."
The old lady slowly walked up, leaning on her cane, with a bunch of dogs surrounding her feet.
She grabbed Ye Yaodong's hand excitedly, "You're finally back."
"Let's go, it's cold outside, let's talk at home."
"Okay, okay, the sea breeze is strong here, let's hurry back."
The three siblings stayed close to Ye Yaodong. Upon hearing that they were going back, they immediately started howling and carrying their luggage, running home, with a bunch of dogs barking and running behind them.
The old lady walked happily beside him, saying, "Now we look forward to the New Year all year round so you can stay at home for a few more days. Now that you've made money, you hardly ever see anyone."
Ye's father retorted, "What's the point of staying at home all day without earning money? Earn as much as you can while you're young so you can enjoy life when you're old."
"But I haven't seen you enjoying any good fortune."
Mr. Ye was not annoyed by the retort, but instead smugly said, "Soon, I'll be able to enjoy my retirement. My three sons and one daughter are all successful. Who else is as lucky as me?"
The old lady rolled her eyes at him but didn't argue with him. It was a joyous occasion that everyone had returned, and she was happy about it.
Ye Yaopeng said with a smile, "Yes, nowadays, which old man in the whole village is as lucky as my father? Everyone praises him. Now, if my father says something in the village, even the village officials have to listen to him."
Ye's father's smile widened.
Ye Yaohua also said, "Dongzi said he would come back for the New Year and demolish the old house for his father and rebuild it into a small villa. We will contribute some money then."
Ye Yaopeng chimed in, "Yes, we'll all contribute something too."
The old lady exclaimed in surprise, "Build a Western-style house? How much would that cost? That house has been ruined by pig farming. It can be repaired. At your age, living in a Western-style house is such a waste! How many days can you even stay there?"
Mr. Ye said irritably, "If I can live to be 80, I'll still have 20 years of good living."
"That's not what I meant. I meant, you're away from home all year round, how many days do you actually stay?"
"I'll be able to come back and retire soon."
The old lady tapped him with her cane, saying, "You're so good at arguing. Dongzi learned all this from you."
Ye Yaodong nodded repeatedly, "That's right."
Lin Xiuqing chimed in to the old lady, "No, I think she's more like you. She just exploits her father, always calling him 'father' and leaving everything for him to do."
The old lady smiled happily.
Ye's father chimed in, "That's right, I even have to come back to collect the manure. If I don't come back, you'll all drown."
“This job is so dirty, if we don’t keep it for you, who else would we give it to? It’s dark now, and you’re back anyway, so you can choose one.”
Mr. Ye's face darkened instantly. He was just saying it casually, but it really happened?
Everyone else burst into laughter, chatting and laughing all the way home.
The dock not far away was also bustling with people.
Ye Chenghu was playing on the sack when he saw them come in. He quickly called out, "Dad, your luggage is so heavy! I could hardly carry it."
"You're so useless. You're already a teenager, and you can't even carry a bag of luggage. What's the point of raising you?"
"I'll take care of you in your old age."
"Bullshit, what can I expect from you? You can't even carry a bag of luggage, how can I expect you to support me in my old age?"
"Why can't I? You used to be able to carry grain all the way down to the ditch, so what can't I do?"
The room erupted in laughter.
At the same time, Ye Yaodong's face darkened, and he immediately took off his liberation shoes, grabbed him, and slapped his buttocks hard.
"Oh... I'm telling the truth... My grandpa says it all the time..."
Mr. Ye poured himself a cup of tea. “I’m just saying what I’m saying. If you still follow my example, you deserve to be beaten.”
Ye Xiaoxi added insult to injury: "Big brother, you're definitely not getting any New Year's money this year."
Upon hearing the reminder, Ye Yaodong quickly replied, "That's right, you've lost your New Year's money this year, so give your share to the two of them."
Two cheers and one wail instantly echoed in my mind.
Lin Xiuqing laughed and said, "That's terrible, your daughter has made all the money. His final exam results were pretty good a while ago, and he just returned the piggy bank to his father, but your daughter ripped him off. Now the two of them have divided up his New Year's money."
"I'm so miserable..."
Ye Chengyang gloated, "Serves him right."
“My money…you two heartless bastards, if I hadn’t reminded you, Dad definitely wouldn’t have deducted my New Year’s money.”
"Who told you to be so foul-mouthed?" Ye Yaodong threw his shoe aside and simply took off the other shoe as well.
Ye Chenghu quickly scrambled to his feet, fawningly saying, "Father, I'll atone for my sins by fetching you water to wash your feet."
After saying that, he quickly went to perform, afraid that his New Year's money would really be deducted.
"Wash my feet while you're at it, and I'll think about whether I should forgive you."
Ye Chenghu had a bitter look on his face. After fetching the water, he picked up a handkerchief and stuffed it into both nostrils before squatting down.
Ye Xiaoxi burst into laughter when she saw the handkerchief in his nostril. "Dad, he's disgusted with you!"
Ye Chenghu turned his head and glared at her, and Ye Yaodong ripped the handkerchief out of his nostril.
Be sincere.
"Oh……"
Mr. Ye felt in his pocket, pulled out a one-yuan bill, and waved it at the other two, "Who wants to wash my feet?"
"I~"
"I~"
Ye Chengyang and Ye Xiaoxi quickly rushed to grab the foot basin. There were only two foot basins in the house, and Ye Yaodong had taken one, so there was only one left.
The brother and sister were both unwilling to give in, and they fought over the basin.
Ye Chenghu was extremely envious. How did he become the one who worked but didn't get paid again?
Ye Chengyang looked at Ye Xiaoxi and said, "Let's each take one foot and split it 50/50?"
"Okay~"
The brother and sister happily reached an agreement: they would fill the water containers together, carry them across together, and then each take one leg, happily earning money.
Ye Chenghu pouted, feeling depressed, but still thinking about the New Year's money, and obediently washed his father's clothes.
The old lady sat in front of the stove, tending the fire, watching the father and son being served by their three children, her face beaming with joy.
Lin Xiuqing was chopping vegetables, her face beaming with smiles.
The house was bustling with activity, a warm and cozy scene.
Ye Yaodong said, "I'll slaughter the pigs in the next couple of days, clean the pigsty, and then start some initial work on a chosen date. Once I have some free time, I'll hire someone to draw up some blueprints before we begin construction."
"Okay, it's up to you."
"How big do you want to build?" Lin Xiuqing asked.
"Let's look at the foundation, and then see how the design drawings are done. There will definitely be a yard, Dad wants to grow vegetables."
Father Ye said, "It's just the two of us, your mother and I, so we don't need to build a big house or have too many rooms."
"I know, let's see how others design it first, we definitely want it to look good."
Mr. Ye nodded with a satisfied smile.
Ye Chengyang asked, "Is my grandfather going to build a new house?"
"Yes, build a Western-style house for your grandfather to live in."
Ye Chenghu quickly asked, "Should we build one for our house?"
"Let me discuss this with your mother first."
He was actually a little hesitant about this, because the house was prone to deterioration if no one lived there, and he also wanted to take Aqing with him.
If Aqing takes him away, then these three children must go with her. Whether they go to Zhoushan or Shanghai, the educational conditions there will be much better than in the countryside.
If he rebuilds the house now, it feels like it will just be empty and a waste.
The old lady can live in the Western-style house with her parents then, and she'll have company.
Ye Xiaoxi asked, "Dad, can I live in the new villa then?"
"Sure, you can stay wherever you like."
"Yay! Great! I have a new house to live in."
Father Ye said with a smile, "Your eldest and second eldest brothers are also very thoughtful. They just said they would also contribute some money."
Ye Yaodong nodded. "I said I'd pay for the construction, so let them buy the furniture and appliances."
"That's good. They've earned quite a bit over the years. Although they can't compare to you, no one else can."
"I just don't know how the ship orders from the shipyard in Ahai last year are going? Are they ready for delivery? Delivery will cost a lot of money. Then they'll have to ask for money here and there."
Ye's father thought about it and agreed. "It's too late now. Let's ask them again tomorrow. Since they're back, we definitely have to go and see them. Also, we need to pay a visit to Ah Hai's father-in-law. We should take advantage of the New Year holiday to settle the marriage as soon as possible."
"Yes, so this year for the New Year, they're asking for money here and money there, and my eldest brother also has to marry two daughters-in-law."
"I'll ask tomorrow what they have to say about Ah Hai and Cheng He's marriage. Cheng He's wife lives nearby, so it'll be convenient. We need to pick a time for Ah Hai to go together, so we can all make it a more important occasion."
"Let me know in advance so I can set aside time."
"I just got back, and you're busy too, so you can see."
"No matter how busy I am, I have to make time for it. After all, Ah Hai's marriage to Cheng He is a big deal."
Mr. Ye was very pleased, as his sons got along well and treated the next generation well.
Lin Xiuqing interjected, "Chenghe's wife's family is easy to talk to. They said a while ago that when you come back, you can visit them at a certain time so that everyone can discuss it together and set a date. Anyway, the bride price was already agreed upon when we got engaged, and they have no objections."
Father Ye shook his head, "What we said before is what we said before. The market has changed in the last two years. Besides, Ah Hai's wife is from the provincial capital, so her requirements are definitely different from those in our rural area. They must have higher requirements over there."
“It looks like the two brothers will get married around the same time. If the dowry items given by the two families are different and not equal, there might be trouble later.”
"If there's a thorn in my heart, we definitely won't get along well in the future. If we had gotten married two years earlier, things would be completely different now."
"Now that we're all together, we still have to treat everyone equally, so that Chenghe's wife's family doesn't feel that we look down on them."
Ye Yaodong wholeheartedly agreed, “Dad is right. If they are not the same, the two sisters-in-law will definitely compare themselves in the future, and then they will whisper in each other’s ears, which will affect the relationship between the brothers.”
The old lady said, "That's right. Ah Hai is the eldest. From the eldest to the youngest, his marriage should be discussed first, and his wedding date should be listed first."
Lin Xiuqing continued, "That's right, so we've been waiting for you to come back. After we finish talking with Ahai's partner, we'll talk about Chenghe's partner. Anyway, Chenghe's partner is nearby, so we can go anytime. The dowry we agreed on before might be increased by my brother's family, so how could we disagree?"
"We'll talk about it tomorrow. These two kids getting married is a big deal."