Back to the small fishing village in 1982

Chapter 1208 Joining the Party
Ye Yaodong thought about it for a while and felt that he had almost figured out his thoughts.

Now we are just waiting for the first batch of containers to be delivered, so that we can arrange for Wang Guangliang and his team to take the goods directly to the factory in the city.

This time when he goes back, he has to ask his mother to see which aunt in the family is willing to work in the city. She can give her a higher salary, and if she doesn't receive any goods, she can come back to rest.

Anyway, the tractor at home has to go back and forth to the city to deliver the dried fish, so it is very convenient to come back.

More and more people are leaving the village now. Everyone is less unfamiliar with the outside world and finds it less difficult to travel far away.

On the contrary, whenever a family member goes on a long trip, they always bring back all kinds of new and interesting things.

They had originally planned to stay at sea for another week, but after only five or six days, they felt the wind and waves were too strong, so after discussing with several ships, they decided to return home.

This trip lasted about 10 days. Although we stopped in the city to rest for a day, it was still longer than any other time before. We gained a lot and everyone was very satisfied.

But before going home, they would of course stop at the city again to sell their goods, and then return the next day after they had sold out.

Lin Xiuqing had received a call from Ye Yaodong before, so she wasn't too worried about the fact that their trip would take so long.

Of course, she conveyed messages to other people's families, so everyone felt at ease. As long as they could call back when they were away from home, there would be no problem.

When their four boats returned to the shore, the village naturally became more lively again.

Now their family's workshop is related to the village's economy. As long as a fishing boat comes back, the workshop immediately becomes bustling. Every woman has work to do, and there is also a better place for them to gather together and gossip.

They were not lonely, they could make money, and they no longer had to kill fish, which made them even happier.

Ye Yaodong stood on the tractor and looked at a group of women waiting at the door of the workshop. They all brought their own kitchen knives and chopping boards and were waiting in the workshop.

Everyone was sharpening their knives, eager to start working immediately. They were even happier than him, as if they had a great harvest at home.

"You guys have a great harvest this time. You brought back so many goods..."

"Oh, now you have four ships? That's great. We have work to do again."

"May your ships become more numerous, and your cargoes more abundant, so that everyone can have more work to do and earn more wages."

"Haha, I heard that Adong has been hired as the president of our city."

"Yes, there is a president who went out, and there is another president at home, it's amazing."

"If you ask me, it's still Adong's godfather who is capable. I heard that he is a big leader in the city, and he can promote him with just a few words."

"Yes, during the first month of the lunar year, the leader's family came over specially. How could someone come to your house to adopt a son? Everyone comes with their child."

"That's right. I just found a good godfather and was immediately promoted to president. What's going to happen in the future? I can join the party right away."

"Isn't it easy for President Ye to join the party?"

Lin Xiuqing looked at the tractor approaching and quickly asked everyone to move aside with a smile so that the tractor could drive directly into the workshop to unload the goods.

Everyone was happier than her. As soon as they saw them jump out of the car, they started talking a lot.

He is now closely related to the interests of the villagers, and most of them rely on him for their livelihood.

I can get some work from him, earn some money, and improve the living conditions at home.

Lin Xiuqing also smiled and greeted him, "You're back just in time. The winds have been strong these past two days, and the offshore fishing boats haven't been out for many days. Fortunately, Ah Cai was able to collect some goods at the dock in town, but it's not enough for these women to kill."

"Each night they bring back a load, but it's only enough for them to kill that night. Recently they have been idle during the day."

Ye Yaodong nodded, "No wonder as soon as our fishing boat landed, everyone was already standing by the roadside waiting with kitchen knives and cutting boards in hand."

"How many tons of cargo did you bring back this time?"

"I'll know after I weigh it. It's definitely more than before. After all, there's one more boat."

"That should be enough for them to kill for a few days. Luckily the weather is cold and there has been no sun recently, so three or four days should be enough."

The two men stood on the side of the road, talking as they watched baskets of fish being lifted off the tractor and put on the scale.

Just after they had weighed the two stacked baskets and the men had reported the numbers and lifted the scale, the women started moving, two of them carrying one basket each, and went off to work first.

Their work is timed, and Pei Dongqing keeps track of when they come and when they leave.

Pei Dongqing is now the one who records the weighing and counting, and then adds up the total. Lin Xiuqing just needs to look at the total when she finishes recording, check it, and do the accounting.

It also saves me a lot of trouble. I don’t have to stick to the workshop all day and be unable to get away.

Now she had time to stand beside Ye Yaodong and talk, instead of like before, when as soon as the fishing boat docked, she would be so busy that she couldn't even say a word and would be busy until dark.

In the days after the New Year, Lin Xiuqing also raised everyone's wages to 10 cents an hour. As long as you work hours, you can earn two dollars a day. Of course, if you work harder and work more than ten hours, you can earn more.

However, there weren't so many fish to catch these days, but today was different. Today they could not kill all the fish even if they spent a whole day and night.

They also plan to stock up more this year. As their store has been open in the city for longer and longer, sales have become more stable and are increasing year by year.

Similarly, more women were invited to work.

When Lin Xiuqing and Ye's mother hired people, they always made it clear in advance that those who were lazy would be fired directly, so they were not afraid of them slacking off.

Everyone supervises each other and works together. How well they do is basically visible to everyone. No one will waste this opportunity to make money. Who with an easy life would come out to earn this hard-earned money in the cold wind?
Looking at the quantity of goods being shipped in from the dock one after another, Lin Xiuqing began to feel a little impatient. With so many goods, there probably wouldn't be enough manpower.

The people currently in the workshop are those who have been helping with the work before the New Year. A few more women had been hired before the New Year, and now with the addition of Zhou Da and his brothers' boat going in and out, the amount of goods brought back is also greater.

"How many more are there? I think we don't have enough manpower to sort them, and..."

"No need to sort them, just ferment them all. How many miscellaneous fish can I buy with the wages of hiring a few more people to sort them?"

"Oh, that's right. Then I have to call a few more women to help me kill them, otherwise they will be killed until they stink."

"Go ahead." Ye Yaodong waved his hand, signaling her to go.

The goods have just arrived, and a few trucks carrying baskets have just been pulled back from the dock. There are still at least two ships with goods that have not been pulled in yet, so he has to watch here.

When he saw his mother coming, he told her to help him find out which aunt in the family was willing to go to the city to ferment fish sauce. He wanted her to pay him as a regular worker, and she would be paid every month regardless of whether he worked or not.

Instead of being like it is now, where you get money only if you work and get no money if you don’t.

He also took the opportunity to explain to his mother that the place was almost saturated and there was no place left for fermentation. It just so happened that he had bought 13 acres of land in the city, which had already been completed. The containers would arrive in a few days, and they could start working.

Ye's mother was well aware of the family's fish sauce production situation, and she knew that the containers freed up from filtering every day could hardly keep up with the large quantities of goods received, and soon there would be nothing left to hold the goods that were received.

They can reserve the containers, which is not a big problem. The main reason is that there is no large area in the village where they can buy more space for storage. Since they have bought the land in the city, they must make use of it.

"Okay, I'll ask later to see who's willing to go. How much salary are you willing to offer?"

"I think we should hire two people, 40 yuan a month for each, so they can have company. Besides, the people who collect the goods have to stay in the city and have to provide meals. I can let the aunties cook as well. After all, the work is not from morning to night."

"Okay, if you invite your aunt, you have to invite your uncle as well, otherwise all the guests will be men. Although they are a bit old, it is easy for them to spread gossip."

Ye Yaodong thought about it and felt that having two more people would not be a big deal. At most, he could transfer two of the people who were doing the receiving of the goods back and have them stay in the workshop to help.

"That's fine. Then ask them to watch over the factory. Once the fermentation really starts, someone will have to be there every day, taking turns."

"Then I'll ask later. It's easier for a couple to go together."

"it is good."

After Lin Xiuqing called a few more women to come with knives and chopping boards to work, Ye Yaodong also gave her a few words of advice.

"Got it. You should go back and eat. They should have almost finished unloading the goods here. I see they are all coming in from the dock."

"I've already eaten." Ye Yaodong pointed to the soup bowl on the stool next to him. There was no soup left in it. It was all eaten up.

Not far away, Ye's father was also holding a bowl of noodles, walking back and forth, slurping it and looking everywhere.

"Oh, I've already eaten it."

"The old lady just cooked it and brought it out."

Lin Xiuqing knew that he had eaten first, and the old lady went back to bring another bowl to Ye's father, so Ye's father was still slurping the noodles.

Ye Yaodong felt in his pocket and took out the envelope and handed it to her. "Take this first and put it away at home. I have the other money hidden close to my body. You have to go home and take off your clothes before you can take it."

Lin Xiuqing recognized the words on it and was pleasantly surprised. "How much is the reward? Why is there the godfather's signature and private seal?"

"50 bucks, just two whales, it's impossible to get a big reward, 50 bucks for each of the three boats would be great."

"The godfather's signature and seal were requested by everyone. I mentioned it to them. They all wanted to have a proof of it so they could keep it as a souvenir. Otherwise, they would spend the 50 yuan in no time."

"Oh, that's great. It can be used as a souvenir later."

"They originally wanted to ask the godfather to sign the banknotes, but the godfather said no, it was illegal, and people who didn't know how to write would not be held accountable. He was a cadre and couldn't do such a thing."

Lin Xiuqing didn't know much about the law. "This is the first time I've heard of this. I've seen a lot of people drawing on banknotes. I've also seen many banknotes with patterns and names on them in the past two years."

"Well, as a cadre, you must set an example. You keep it first. I'm wet and smelly. Don't dirty the envelope."

"When are you going to take the appointment letter at home to the city to report for work?"

"Let's do it in the next two days. Take a rest tomorrow and go the day after tomorrow. Once it's confirmed, I'll also take the time to carve a private seal."

"You want to carve a private seal too?"

Ye Yaodong said confidently, "You are President Ye after all, so what's wrong with having a private seal? There may be many places where you need to sign documents in the future, so it would be great if you can just print a private seal."

In fact, I saw Director Chen’s private seal a few days ago, and I suddenly felt like carving one.

He felt it would be reasonable for him to carve a private seal now.

"Okay, whatever President Ye says is fine. If you want to carve one, I'll carve one when I go to the city in a couple of days."

"Well, is there any trace of me in the newspapers these past two days?"

"Oh, yes. It's been so many days since I last received it. I was so busy that I almost forgot. It arrived with the envelope. I was busy in the workshop and only glanced at the letter. I was so happy that I didn't read the newspaper. When I had some free time in the evening, I flipped through the newspaper of the day and found that you were in the newspaper again."

"I told you, these are all things that happened before the Lunar New Year. Even though we have holidays during the Lunar New Year, we should have started to make arrangements after the Lunar New Year. It's already the 22nd day of the lunar calendar, how could it not have been published yet?"

"You were gone for too many days this time, so you didn't see it. I put it away for you. You will be able to see it when you get home."

"Well, wait until the goods here are unloaded. Everyone is still waiting here. I don't mind a little more time. Anyway, two or three baskets stacked together can be weighed quickly."

Lin Xiuqing also walked to Pei Dongqing's side and looked at the weighing data she had recorded.

There were several cargo manifests, each corresponding to one of those ships.

Each truckload of goods has its own people following it. They will not move on to the next one until the goods of one ship are weighed. One of their people also stands next to Pei Dongqing, watching and recording the data to ensure that there will be no mistakes.

If there were any mistakes, they would point them out first.

So after Lin Xiuqing and the others had weighed everything and calculated the results, they just took a quick look at them, tore off a piece of the receipt and gave it to them. They took the original receipt and went home with Ye Yaodong first.

"Finally the weighing is done. Let's go home quickly. There are too many goods on this trip, and it will take a long time to weigh them. I see you have a runny nose, don't catch a cold."

Ye's mother added, "It seems that the old lady just went home to make ginger tea. You and your father should go back and drink a bowl to get rid of the cold. I'll watch over here. Everyone is already familiar with the work, so no one needs to tell them what to do. Ah Qing should go back first."

"Ah."

Ye Yaodong greeted everyone else with a smile and asked them to go back and rest. He would send the money to them later. He focused these words on Zhou Da and his brothers.

After all, it was the first time I followed him, and also the first time I left some goods for him.

He also told the boatmen to go back and rest first, and he would notify them in advance of the next voyage.

"Are you tired? This trip took a long time. And the wind and waves are strong these days. You should rest at home for a few days." Lin Xiuqing said with concern.

"How many days have the boats at home not been out to sea?"

"For six or seven days, there has been a cold wind every day, plus there was a high tide on the 15th a few days ago, so the waves were big."

"Oh, then it seems that the fishing boats in the village have not been out to sea for a few days."

"Yes, the wind and waves were strong, and only your fishing boats were big enough to withstand it. It happened to be the Lantern Festival that day, and many villagers went to the town to watch the fun. There were dragon and lion dances, and a bunch of children parading with lanterns. I heard that some places had started parades of gods."

Ye Yaodong nodded. The customs around them were quite old. If they hadn't dared to do anything during those years, they wouldn't have to pick them up again.

"If the parade starts this year, there will definitely be one next year. I'll take you to see it on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month next year."

"Okay, the kids at home have been chanting in there for the past few days, saying that other people went to see the parade, so why can't they go? They have been chanting for many days, and it's really annoying them."

"Well, go back and tell them that next year will be even hotter than this year, and ask them to wait until next year. I will definitely take them to see the fun next year."

Ye Yaodong liked to listen to her chattering around him about family matters and interesting things that happened to the children.

This allows him to indirectly participate in his child's growth even when he is not at home.

"Has the older one started school?"

"School has started. This year, it's rare that I didn't cram for the exam. I forced him to do calligraphy every day and he also completed some homework every day."

"The sun is rising from the west?" Ye Yaodong looked up and saw that the sun was indeed setting.

It was already past one o'clock when they got home. They moved things around and weighed the goods. It was now past three o'clock.

"Haha, it shows that forcing him is still useful. He was so arrogant during the first few days of registration. He hung out next door every day, was annoying, and even had a fight with Chenghe."

"Deserved it."

Lin Xiuqing smiled brightly.

"Where are Yangyang and Xiaojiu?"

"Yangyang just came back and went out to play. Xiaojiu is playing at Huimei's place. Guang is back too, so she will probably come running back soon."

After Ye Yaodong entered the house, he drank a bowl of ginger tea. Since there was no wind, he felt a little warmer.

After taking a hot shower and lying down in bed, I felt extremely comfortable.

In winter, there is no place more comfortable than bed.

He gave all the money he brought back to Lin Xiuqing for counting. He only mentioned the profit of the shop. In the past half month, he used part of it to pay the deposit for the large jars and wooden barrels.

He deliberately did not bring back all the money from the store today, because he had to pay the balance in a few days, so the money he brought back today was only what he earned in the past 10 days at sea.

He lay there comfortably, just moving his lips, not wanting to do anything else, and he felt drowsy after he finished talking. He listened to her sporadic words in his ears, closed his eyes and fell asleep, without getting up for dinner.

No one knew when Lin Xiuqing stopped counting the money. He only sat up when he was woken up by hunger in the middle of the night.

Lin Xiuqing was also awakened by his noise and could only sit up and cook him a midnight snack.

"I don't have time to talk to you during the day. Fatty came to see you two days ago, and I told him that you hadn't come back from the sea. He told me that he wanted to rent a store in our city. Our stores are scattered, one here and one there. He asked you to come back and tell him, and he would go to the city with you."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"You were busy as soon as you came back. You only asked about a few children. When you got home, you took a bath and lay down to sleep. You didn't even get up to eat. I could only explain the household affairs to you first."

"He probably won't go out today. I'll leave a message at his house after daybreak, and bring him with me when I go to the city the day after tomorrow. I'll take him to see some shops and let him choose any one. By the way, he should also be thinking about buying up the shops nearby and connecting them up."

"I don't know. He didn't tell me much. He just said he wanted to rent our shop. When you come back, we can go to the city to take a look."

"Ah."

"Can he handle it? I heard that the store in town is doing very good business."

"Just hire someone. Doesn't his family have several brothers? You don't have to do everything by yourself. You can ask your brothers to join you and work together."

"It seems that he has made a lot of money in the past two years. By the way, your friends seem to have become much more presentable in the past two years."

"That's true. I've taken the lead well. I can pull others along and bring them all along. Look, my personal prosperity has brought about collective prosperity. No, I have to go to the village committee when it gets light and ask them to approve my application to join the party and give me a place."

Ye Yaodong sat at the table waiting for his meal, tapping his fingers on the table.

He is already a celebrity and has been mentioned in newspapers several times, but the village didn't even reserve a spot for him to join the party. That's too much.

"I'll go ask for it tomorrow! It's too much. They didn't even give it to me on their own initiative. I still have to ask for it."

Lin Xiuqing asked curiously, "What's the point of joining the party?"

"It's glorious."

"anything else?"

"Can my work be rated as advanced? Can I be promoted first? Can I get a promotion and a raise?"

"Can you still be promoted? You don't need to be evaluated as an advanced worker, nor do you need a promotion or a raise."

"I don't care. I'll go ask for a spot tomorrow and then I'll ask what the benefits are. Anyway, it's an honor to be a party member. Even if they commit crimes, they still emphasize expulsion from the party when announcing them."

Ye Yaodong really doesn't know much about these political things.

I am an old illiterate.

"What a mess. Why do you want everything? You didn't even ask what it's for. You want to make a seal for others, and you want to join the party too."

"Alas, I went to my godfather's house for dinner on the Lantern Festival and met some of his neighbors. Only then did I understand what it meant to cross the class barrier. Some people are truly beyond your reach in your entire life. Sometimes, ordinary people can never get close to them even if they work hard all their lives."

"Who is it?"

Ye Yaodong mentioned a few words and expressed his feelings.

Lin Xiuqing didn't understand what he was sighing about. "That doesn't have much to do with us, right? We don't need to curry favor with them. We don't need anything from them."

"Some things can't be said too confidently. Now doesn't mean the future. Just like my godmother said, some relationships can't be used at the last minute. Besides, it's good to know a doctor when we are born, grow old, get sick and die."

"Oh."

"We are really getting a great deal by having a godparent. When we go to the city the day after tomorrow, I will go to your house and stay for a while."

"Of course, since you're going, you should go home and sit for a while. After all, you're out at sea for several days, and you have other things to do when you go home to rest for a few days. You don't have to go to the city every few days."

Anyway, he knows what is best to do.

A few days ago, when Ye Yaodong heard Jin Yuzhi say that the bald, kind old man with a dimple was the vice president of the Jiefang Hospital, he already thought of how Lin Xiuqing died in her previous life.

No matter what, we have to coax this vice president into doing a better job. If he is sick, he can get treatment; if he is not sick, there will be a way out.

The old lady is over 80 years old.

The old man looked quite amiable, so it would be a good idea to get to know him.

"Tomorrow prepare some local specialties and buy two cans of tea for me to take to the day after tomorrow morning. You don't have to buy anything expensive. It's not a festival, so just be casual."

"it is good."

After Ye Yaodong waited for the noodles to be cooked, he ate them quickly, and the two lay back in bed and continued talking.

The next morning, Ye Yaodong got up and went straight to the village committee.

It just so happened that several old men from the village committee were sitting at the door basking in the sun and eating melon seeds. They looked so comfortable, which made people jealous.

"Hey, what brings our President Ye here?"

"Sit down and bask in the sun. There has been no sun for several days. I am going to get moldy."

"You just came back from the sea yesterday? I heard that most of the women in the village went to work for you."

Ye Yaodong sat down and asked casually, "Ah, really? It's not that exaggerated, right?"

"Come here to ask about the progress of the kelp?"

"This is only part of it. I want to ask you, am I qualified to join the party?"

The village chief asked in surprise: "Ah? Do you want to join the party?"

“What are the benefits of joining the party?”

"There are benefits, and for some promotions, party members will definitely be given priority, but for you... it's also okay, and it's useful..."

Secretary Chen added: "It can improve political status and get in touch with more policy information and development directions. Party members have advantages in promotion and transfer, especially in government agencies, public institutions, and state-owned enterprises. Maybe some organizations can also participate in some meetings. That's about it. Some are hard to say."

"Why are you thinking about joining the party?"

Ye Yaodong spoke frankly, "I think it is an honor to join the party, and now I have been specially appointed as the vice president of the Fisheries Association. I didn't have this awareness before. Recently, I think it would be better to have the identity of a party member?"

The village chief said, "Yes, it is an officially recognized association, and you were specially appointed as the vice president of the Fishery Association. It is indeed better for you to have a party membership, so that others will not really regard you as an ordinary fisherman and look down upon you."

"Why didn't you mention asking me to join the party last year?"

"Then I thought you were busy, didn't I? And you didn't mention it, did you? Party members need to participate in a series of learning activities. It's not like you can just fill out an application form. You have to become a probationary party member first, and then you can become a formal party member after the term expires."

Ye Yaodong frowned, "Is it so complicated?"

"Do you think anyone can join the party? You have to constantly participate in theoretical studies, policy studies, etc., and then become an active member of the party. You also have to accept the organization's assessment before you can become a probationary member."

His frown deepened as he listened.

It’s so difficult, I feel a little unworthy.

I found that no matter whether I wrote 1 or 4 words, I would have to drag it out until 7000 a.m. to finish.