Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

On the afternoon of the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, Ye Fan took a handful of noodles to the home of the captain of the Shanxi Brigade to exchange for a bowl of glutinous rice balls.

Ye Fan originally planned to go to the market to buy glutinous rice balls. When he went to the market in the morning, he found out that there was no wholesale of glutinous rice balls this year, just like in the past, because the wholesale price of the food factory on the shore was at least ten kilograms. However, the fishermen knew how to make glutinous rice balls, and there were dozens of military wives from all over the country in the military family area, but only a few people ate glutinous rice balls during the Lantern Festival. In short, even if he bought ten kilograms, he would not be able to sell them all.

This is just like rice noodles and rice cakes. Fishermen can make them themselves, but there are few people eating them in the family quarters. If they are not easy to sell in the vegetable market, they simply don't go to the market. Otherwise, the director will not be able to explain the monthly losses to the commune leadership. If it is serious, he may be transferred to another position.

Ye Fan had been on the island for four years and had long noticed that fishermen attached great importance to traditional festivals. He expected that every household would make dumplings today, so Ye Fan planned to exchange for half a pound.

When she arrived at the intersection of Shanxi Brigade, she met the brigade leader. Hearing that she had exchanged glutinous rice balls, he asked Ye Fan to go to his house. Ye Fan said half a catty would be enough. The brigade leader gave her more than a catty and said that she didn't need to worry about not being able to finish the food since Captain Geng was not at home. She could have one meal tonight and another meal tomorrow night.

Ye Fan said that tomorrow is the Lantern Festival. The captain said, if you want to change it, just these, if not, forget it.

Simply unreasonable!

Ye Fan wanted to be angry and laugh at the same time, but the captain didn't seem to be joking, so she could only take the bowl of dumplings home.

When I arrived at the door of Liao's house, I ran into Zhuang Qiuyue, who exclaimed, "So many dumplings?"

Ye Fan nodded: "One meal tonight, one meal tomorrow. Xiaoqin has never eaten sesame dumplings, let her satisfy her craving."

Zhuang Qiuyue's hometown is not as far north as Ye Fan's, and her hometown rarely eats glutinous rice balls. Zhuang Qiuyue didn't plan to make glutinous rice balls. Seeing Ye Fan exchange so much, she thought that she didn't live like this. But then she heard Ye Fan say that when he came back, he met Sister Liu and took a bag of sugar to exchange glutinous rice balls with the members of the commune. Zhuang Qiuyue thought, I can't be outdone by Liu Guihua. She smiled at Ye Fan to show that she knew, and when Ye Fan entered the house, she searched the cupboard for food but couldn't find it, so she took two kilograms of rice to the Shanxi Brigade.

Geng Zhiqin came back from the public toilet and saw Zhuang Qiuyue carrying a cloth bag to the production team. However, Zhuang Qiuyue had her back to her and didn't notice that Geng Zhiqin looked at her for a long time before entering the house. Geng Zhiqin quietly passed the guest room and sneaked to the kitchen. Ye Fan was startled: "What are you doing?"

Geng Zhiqin said, "Miao Miao's mother went over there." He pointed to the north, "She's holding something in her hand. What does she want to do?"

Ye Fan laughed, "Don't be paranoid. I asked you before if you eat glutinous rice balls, and you said yes. I casually asked if Miao Miao's family would make glutinous rice balls tomorrow. Miao Miao said they hadn't. When I met Zhuang Qiuyue just now, I deliberately said that not only me, but Liu Guihua would also make glutinous rice balls tomorrow."

"Is this true? Sister-in-law, this matter is easy to be exposed."

Ye Fan nodded, "Really. Sister Guihua said so. Her family's eldest son Xiaoshan has a big appetite, and exchanging one or two pounds is enough for a meal tomorrow night. She was embarrassed to exchange a handful of noodles with others, so she planned to use sugar. I also asked her family if she had any sugar. We still have half a pound of brown sugar that I can lend her first."

Geng Zhiqin was relieved: "That's good. But how do you know that Zhuang Qiuyue will definitely fall for it?"

Ye Fanxin said what kind of strategy was this.

"If you are not very close friends or relatives, it is hard not to compare. People with a good mentality will just be envious for a while and live their lives as they should. I didn't know Zhuang Qiuyue's mentality before, but after Miaomiao's application, how can I not know it?"

If Zhuang Qiuyue hadn't stepped on the powerful and praised the weak, she wouldn't have disliked the Agricultural University so much and secretly changed Miaomiao's application. Geng Zhiqin still didn't understand: "Why did you mention Sister Guihua?"

Ye Fan: "I have a job and I'm younger than her, so we're not the same kind of people. She wants to compare with me, but she also thinks in her heart that you can't compare with Ye Fan based on her background, so there's no need to compare with her. Liu Guihua is poorer than her family, and she's about the same age as her. It's like running, at the same starting line, it's hard not to compare with each other."

Geng Zhiqin understood: "Oh, sister-in-law, I almost forgot, the fisherman told me that a new face came to the food factory, maybe he was looking for you."

"You——" Ye Fan opened his mouth, "Why did you say it just now!" He glared at her and pointed at the dishes on the ground, "Clean them up!"

Geng Zhiqin: "Hey, don't worry, the fisherman wanted to bring him to you, but he said no, he just wanted to take a look first."

Ye Fan was about to throw the apron to her, but stopped when he heard her words: "Well - forget it, go read a book."

Geng Zhiqin stood up subconsciously, walked out of the kitchen and then retreated back: "Sister-in-law doesn't seem surprised?"

Ye Fan: "According to the time, the factory manager assigned by the higher-ups should be here soon."

"It seems that this factory manager is quite pragmatic."

Ye Fan nodded: "Knowing the situation shows that he is not too ambitious or just talking on paper. Since you want to see, we will pretend we don't know."

Geng Zhiqin: "Where does he stay at night?"

Ye Fan: "I'm an accountant, not a receptionist. I can live wherever I want."

"Sister-in-law, this is not like you." Geng Zhiqin looked at her while holding the door frame.

Ye Fan: "Once I show up, I have to take full responsibility. There's no reason to abandon him halfway. But how can I arrange it? We only have a 28-ton truck. Carrying him to the Lotus Brigade? I'll be exhausted to death."

Geng Zhiqin wanted to borrow a three-wheeled motorcycle, but the army vehicles were not something that could be borrowed easily. What if someone came into the village to collect eggs from chickens and ducks, or to harvest vegetables from the vegetable fields? It would be dark by the time they were done with the motorcycle. Then her sister-in-law would go through the night to send the person to the commune, let the commune secretary make arrangements, and come back in the dark? Geng Zhiqin couldn't help shaking her head. If she dared to come up with such a bad idea, her brother would have to let her go when he came back.

"Sister-in-law is right. You go ahead and get busy." Geng Zhiqin ran back to the room with a smile.

Ye Fan continued to kill fish and pick vegetables, then took them to the yard to wash.

Just after she cleaned up the fish and vegetables, Ye Fan heard footsteps, and then she looked up and saw a middle-aged man with a medium build and a rectangular face approaching her door. When the middle-aged man saw Ye Fan had spotted him, he smiled and asked, "Are you Accountant Ye?"

Ye Fan's mind was on dinner, so he was a little slow to respond: "Who are you?"

The man approached and said, "My name is Yan Yang, and I'm the director of the food factory. The higher-ups were supposed to notify you in the next two days. I'm very curious about our island, so I came to take a look first and I'll tell you in person."

Ye Fan picked up the towel and wiped his hands, then took two steps forward: "Hello!"

Yan Yang shook her hand and glanced at the neatly organized courtyard: "Accountant Ye is usually very busy, right?"

Ye Fan subconsciously said, "I'm not busy."

"Then today is Monday, why aren't you at work?" Yan Yang said with a smile without waiting for Ye Fan to answer, "Don't get me wrong, I'm just a little curious."

Ye Fan was surprised. Didn't you look around? What were you looking at? You were able to find my house without anyone by your side. You wouldn't just ask about my situation, would you?

"This matter? It's a long story." Ye Fan always liked to show weakness to his enemies first, so he asked in a good-tempered manner, "Do you want to talk inside or in the office?"

Yan Yang smiled and said, "Let's go to the office. After all, it's work."

Ye Fan nodded: "Wait a moment." He called "Xiao Qin" into the house, and then said, "Look after Dabao and Erbao."

Yan Yang: "Are Dabao and Erbao Accountant Ye's children?"

Ye Fan was sure that what he meant by "see" was to inquire about his own affairs: "Right. The two children are about ten years old together, which is the most mischievous age. Let's go."

Yan Yang turned around and went out first.

Ye Fan closed the fence door, and Yan Yang turned around and asked, "Why don't you install a wooden door?"

"It's not necessary. There are no thieves on the island. Installing a fence gate is to protect cattle and sheep and prevent disputes between neighbors." Ye Fan said.

Yan Yang smiled and said nothing, as if he disagreed with Ye Fan's words. Ye Fan didn't waste words. They were silent all the way to the food factory. Ye Fan opened the office and picked up the key on the table, "This is the key for Director Xiao Su."

Yan Yang took over: "I heard that Director Su resigned because he wanted to go to college?"

Ye Fan's brows twitched slightly, thinking, doesn't he know?

Su Yuanhang was worried that the new factory director had bad intentions. Based on this, he would not be too frank, fearing that the new factory director knew everything about Hengshan Island and she would be put in a passive position.

Ye Fan nodded: "Please sit down. What did you want to talk about?"

Yan Yang was about to ask "which university" but was choked back, "This is it. Accountant Ye, I heard that the factory is not very busy, but we can't close the door, after all, we all eat government food."

Is this a show of force? Ye Fan nodded: "It was my negligence."

"No, I'm not blaming you. I know Accountant Ye's situation is special, I can understand that, I can understand that. I just want to come and see you in the morning and afternoon. How about this, 9 to 11 in the morning, and 2 to 4 in the afternoon." Yan Yang pointed to the watch on his wrist, "Look, it's only 4 o'clock now."

Ye Fan smiled and said, "Then I'll stay here and you'll go to the factory?"

Yan Yang was stunned. How could she agree so easily? Wasn't it said that she had a temper like a young lady and often scolded fishermen as if they were her grandsons?

"Director Yan, what's wrong?"

Yan Yang shook his head and smiled: "No, it's okay. No, there's more. I want to talk about the workshop. Why is there no one in the workshop?"

Ye Fan: "Don't you know? There are only you and me in the food factory."

“Aren’t there temporary workers?”

It seems like he has asked around a lot. Ye Fan nodded, "Yes. When it's busy, we hire people. Normally, it's just me and Director Xiao Su. From now on, it will be me and Director Yan."

Yan Yang was very confused: "Aren't we a food factory? Don't we usually produce anything?"

Ye Fan: "Yes. For example, in April and May, when rape blossoms, the bees raised by the members collect honey. Our food factory collects it, bottles it, and sells it to the supply and marketing cooperatives on the shore. For example, during the Qingming Festival, it rains continuously and the fishermen can't collect the fish. We also buy them and process them in the oven, and then sell them to the supply and marketing cooperatives. At the end of last year, we sold several train cars. The supply and marketing cooperatives are saturated, so we have some free time."

Yan Yang: "I heard that the things on the island are going to be shipped to the capital? Why not Hangzhou and Shencheng? The purchasing power of the citizens of Hangzhou and Shencheng is not bad, right?"

Ye Fan wanted to say, do you want to go out and take another look?

Renshen City is close to the sea and is surrounded by rivers. There is no shortage of seafood and river food. How can you compete with the locals?

Let's talk about Hangzhou. There is no shortage of river fish in the Jiangnan water town. You can buy seafood from people on the shore. They don't have to transport the fish from the island to the shore. Their products are the same as yours. What can you use to compete with people on the shore?

Su Yuanhang is sensible and far-sighted, and Ye Fan is willing to give him advice.

Ye Fan is not willing to serve Director Yan.

Ye Fan: "How about we talk about the capital first? We transported to the capital because I used to be the accountant of the capital's supply and marketing cooperative. I don't need to go there in person to discuss cooperation with the director of the supply and marketing cooperative. A telegram or a letter will do. You may not know the situation at my home. Captain Geng only comes back for about a week a month, and that week he comes back at night. The two children are young and need to be taken care of. I have the will but not the ability."

"Isn't there Director Su?"

Ye Fan nodded: "He tried. But he was young and thin-skinned, and he had never dealt with the supply and marketing cooperative before. They could easily turn him away with a few words. How should I put it? He's not good at it. Otherwise, why didn't he go to college for a good job as a factory director? The state-assigned job after graduating from college can't be much better than it is now."

Yan Yang couldn't help but nodded.

Ye Fan found it funny, you really don’t know the quality of this batch of college students.

If Su Yuanhang wanted to go into politics, he could stay in a provincial unit. If he wanted to go into business, he could go to the most promising state-owned enterprises.

"So how about this, I'll be responsible for collecting the goods and loading them on the ship, and you'll be responsible for sales and processing?" Ye Fan asked, "Let's sell the goods from Hengshan Island together and make the Hengshan Food Factory bigger and stronger?"

Yan Yang was willing to go to the island in the hope of proving himself by showing his talents on this island that needed to be rebuilt. "Accountant Ye, I am very pleased that you said that. Let us work together to make Hengshan Island realize the four modernizations as soon as possible!"

Ye Fan smiled and shook hands with him, thinking to himself, you are the factory director, not the secretary, "Does Factory Director Yan want to go back?"

Yan Yang nodded: "I have already made an appointment with the fishermen and will be back soon. I have looked at the workshop and found several offices. I will move in someday."

Ye Fan: "Okay. If you have any questions, you can ask the Five Star Brigade members to tell me. By the way, what is the name of the fisherman who picked you up? I need to write it down."

“Why write it down?”

Ye Fan flipped open the account book. "It just so happens that you don't have to pay to take a fishing boat. But we have to pay you to take you off the island at this time. Look, this is the record of Director Su's boat trip to the food factory before the New Year."

"But it's not that far round trip, right?"

Ye Fan: "It's not easy for fishermen to make money. They can only make one or two yuan after working hard in the sea for a day. This kind of business doesn't happen every day. There are only about ten days of good business every month on average due to rain, typhoons, etc. In addition, sometimes there is no harvest. We can only make ten yuan a month and support our family. We all have salaries, and our basic salary is higher than others. How can we take advantage of others? Director Yan, don't you agree?"

Yan Yang's face changed slightly, a little embarrassed: "I didn't expect it."

"You've just arrived, so you don't know that the situation here is normal. Next time, just tell the fishermen to pay me."

Yan Yang nodded: "So how about this for now?"

Ye Fan: "Then should I close the door?" Yan Yang went out.

Ye Fan sent him to the dock, where the fishermen were already waiting. In front of Yan Yang, Ye Fan said to the fishermen, "I'm sorry to trouble you. Come back and settle the bill with me."

The fisherman smiled and said, "It's a small matter." He didn't say that Accountant Ye was too polite, or that it was free. Yan Yang had to believe Ye Fan's words.

When he got to the shore, Yan Yang thought, isn't it forbidden for individuals to trade privately? Why can fishermen charge privately?

On the morning of the 16th day of the first lunar month, Yan Yang arrived on the island. He was very satisfied to see Ye Fan in the office. It seemed that Accountant Ye was not so domineering. "Accountant Ye, are you there?"

Ye Fan didn't want to come because Dabao and Erbao started school today. But she didn't want to conflict with Yan Yang so soon, so she registered the two children and came directly to the office.

"Have Director Yan's things been moved here?"

Yan Yang: "I have packed it up and will ship it over tomorrow. By the way, Accountant Ye, I have a question that has been weighing on my mind for the past two days and I can't help but speak it out."

"Please speak." The manager of the vegetable market would bring two thermoses of boiled water from home every day, and would give Ye Fan one when he came.

The director was not so kind before. Ye Fan asked the vegetable market to sell things, and although he never gave him a commission, because the things were easy to sell and attractive, the vegetable market's business improved a lot, and the director became much nicer to Ye Fan.

Ye Fan made Yan Yang a cup of tea. The tea leaves were roasted by the director's own family. "Have some tea."

Yan Yang thanked him and asked how the fishing boat could charge privately.

Ye Fan suddenly wanted to roll her eyes. What did she think it was?

"Did I forget to tell you? The money I give to the fishermen doesn't go into the fishermen's own pockets, but into the production team's. For example, if the boat you take is from the Shanxi Brigade, the money is paid once a month or three months. The money goes to the team leader. If the team leader saves a lot, all the members will share it equally."

Yan Yang couldn't help but ask: "Is this possible?"

Ye Fan was puzzled: "Why not? The fishing boat needs to refuel, and sending us here will delay our work points. If we don't do this, they won't be happy. How can we get out? How can you get in?"

"But it's against the rules."

Ye Fan: "There is no rule that it is not allowed. If we don't rent it out, what will other production teams do if they don't have fishing boats? Has Director Yan ever been to the countryside?"

Yan Yang shook his head subconsciously.

Ye Fanxin said, no wonder. If you had stayed in the village for a few years, you wouldn't be so ignorant. Ye Fan smiled and said, "There aren't so many rules in the countryside. It's impossible to have so many rules."

"I know what you mean. But transportation requires rules. If something went wrong on the way, is it our fault or the production team's?"

Ye Fan looked like he was listening to instructions: "That's right. Director Yan, do you have any good ideas?"

"We can gather these ships together and build a shipping yard." Yan Yang's eyes lit up when he said this. "Yes, we can build a shipping yard."

Ye Fan couldn't help complaining in his heart. Three broken ships set up a shipping company, why didn't he go to heaven. "Good idea. Why didn't I think of it?" Ye Fan said, the smile on his face disappeared, and he was very embarrassed: "But I'm afraid Director Yan will have to do this himself. My wife is on duty during the holidays, and I have to pick up the children from school. But I have a bicycle at home. You can ride it and ask. By the way, we will have lunch at Secretary Su's house at noon. Before leaving, Director Su told me that he told his father that you can stay at his house temporarily."

Yan Yang had forgotten to ask which university Su Yuanhang attended, so he asked Ye Fan as well. Ye Fan smiled and said, "Ask Secretary Su. By the way, shall we go to my house first?"

Yan Yang nodded and asked Ye Fan to lock the door.

Ye Fan patiently accompanied him to his home, and then handed the bike to Yan Yang. Geng Zhiqin heard the voices coming out of the house, and Yan Yang had already ridden away on the bike. Geng Zhiqin couldn't help asking, "Sister-in-law, why don't you invite someone in to sit down?"

Ye Fan hadn't mentioned Yan Yang at home in the past two days. When Geng Zhiqin asked her how Yan Yang was doing, Ye Fan said she would wait and see.

Not wanting to worry his sister-in-law, Ye Fan continued to fool her: "He is in a hurry to go to the workshop. The workshop is in the Five Star Brigade, a few miles away from here. He will have lunch at Secretary Su's house at noon."

When Geng Zhiqin heard that Secretary Su was going to entertain her, she went back to her room and did her homework with peace of mind.

At 1:40 in the afternoon, Ye Fan went to the office. Nothing to do, so Ye Fan went to the market manager's office to move newspapers. After reading the newspapers for the past two weeks, Ye Fan finally heard footsteps. When Ye Fan arrived at the door, Yan Yang came over with a cart and said excitedly, "Accountant Ye, no wonder you asked me to ask myself. Director Su is really amazing. He actually went to a national key university."

Ye Fanyan complimented him insincerely: "A good father will have a good son."

"Yes!" Yan Yang parked the car, "Accountant Ye, I think the shipping factory thing can be successful."

Ye Fan: "Everyone agrees?"

Yan Yang shook his head: "This happened too suddenly. The captain said he would hold a meeting to discuss it. I think it's okay. If not, I will definitely oppose it directly."

Ye Fan had a headache. Did he understand the ways of the world? Did he know what it meant to look at the Buddha's face instead of the monk's?

"So are you going home or staying a little longer?" Ye Fan asked with a smile.

Yan Yang looked at his watch. It was half past three. The sun was setting early. Yan Yang said, "Let's go back. We got home very late."

Ye Fan was too lazy to ask where his home was, but he was also afraid that he would die: "Next time you can ride a bike and ask the fishing boat to bring it to you. You can ride back to the shore."

Yan Yang suddenly woke up: "That's a good idea. Accountant Ye, thank you. By the way, do you have a fishing boat?"

"Why are you here in the morning? If I had told people that you would be back in the evening, I should have waited for you at the ferry." Ye Fan accompanied him to the ferry again. There was a fisherman fishing on the shore. When he saw Ye Fan, the fisherman waved to him: "Accountant Ye, give Dabao and Erbao some nourishment." He grabbed a fish and gave it to Ye Fan.

Ye Fan said thank you.

The fisherman wanted to give Yan Yang another fish. Yan Yang subconsciously looked at Ye Fan and thought that this should also be recorded.

Ye Fan suddenly found it funny: "Take it. When the vegetables in my house grow up, let him pick them as he likes."

The fisherman smiled and said, "I don't pick vegetables, I pick melons."

Ye Fan: "Okay, I'll leave you a big watermelon."

Yan Yang thought to himself that he never expected that the young lady could get along well with the fishermen.

A young lady is not born a young lady, so there is nothing unexpected.

Ye Fan reminded the fisherman to be careful and took the fish home.

There is no class today because a new book is being distributed. Dabao and Erbao are at home. Ye Fan asked them what they wanted to eat.

Dabao pursed his lips: "You should ask my aunt."

Ye Fanqi laughed: "Are you blaming me for cooking crabs every day? Your aunt has never eaten them before. Besides, did I not make dumplings or the braised pork you two like?"

Dabao: "I want to eat braised fish and rice, can you make it?"

Ye Fan nodded: "Okay. I'll clean the fish and then steam the rice?"

Dabao stared at her with a look of suspicion.

Ye Fan shook his head helplessly and went to the yard to clean the fish. After cleaning the fish, Ye Fan marinated the fish for later use, then washed the rice and steamed it in the rice cooker.

The rice cooker was plugged in, and Ye Fan turned on the stove to boil water, filling the thermos before cooking the fish. After the fish was out of the pot, he boiled a steel pot of hot water to wash his face and feet, and then he could close the stove and turn off the lights.

At eight o'clock, Ye Fan sent Dabao and Erbao back to their rooms to sleep, turned off the stove, and was about to warm his feet before going to sleep when a group of people came to Ye Fan's house.

Geng Zhiqin was so scared that he grabbed Ye Fan's arm and asked nervously, "Who are you?"

Everyone was stumped.

Ye Fanyi frowned: "Xiao Qin, go back to your room and read. They are all production team leaders."

Geng Zhiqin was so surprised that he exclaimed "Ah!", then realized something and felt embarrassed: "Meeting? Then you guys go ahead and do your work. I'll go to Dabao and Erbao's room." He watched over the two children to make sure they didn't come out to make trouble.

In fact, there were not only the captain, but also a few new faces. Since Ye Fan's house couldn't accommodate them, they were asked to make themselves at home.

The young people leaned against the wall or the benches, and the older people sat on the benches. Ye Fan moved a small stool and sat at the end of the coffee table: "Why are you mobilizing so many people? What happened?"

The Shanxi team leader said, "Accountant Ye, I don't treat you as an outsider, so I'll just speak frankly."

Ye Fan: "Speak!"

The captain asked directly, "Was that shipping factory your idea?" Without waiting for Ye Fan to answer, "Definitely not. You don't have to make up for that Yan guy. If you wanted to do this, you would have done it a long time ago."

The captain of the Lotus Brigade nodded and said, "I didn't even go to the secretary, but directly to you, Accountant Ye. Isn't that giving you face? If you have any difficulties, just tell us directly. We don't have great abilities, but it's easy to get that Yan out."

Ye Fan had expected this, but he didn't expect it to last the night: "Director Yan has never been a director before, and he doesn't know the situation on the island, so his ideas are simple. I won't make it difficult, don't worry. Let him find you, he is so enthusiastic that I can't persuade him."

The captain of the Five Star Brigade said, "Then ignore him."

The Shanxi team leader sneered: "You don't need to care. Your village doesn't have any fishing boats that can go out to sea."

The captain of the Five-Star Brigade turned pale with anger.

Ye Fan quickly said, "Stop arguing. The boats in the production team are all owned by individuals, right?"

Lotus Brigade: "It used to belong to the production team. Now the higher-ups say the revolution is over, don't they? I heard that some people in the city have returned their confiscated items to individuals. Should we return them as well?"

Ye Fan: "Before, whether you were an individual or a production team, you could use it or borrow it for use. But once it became a shipping factory, it belonged to the state. You had to file a report if you wanted to use it. You just wanted to stop asking Yan Yang to be your leader, but you didn't think of this, did you?"

Everyone woke up from a dream.

Shanxi Brigade: "So Yan really cares about the country?"

Ye Fan: "No matter how poor the government is, it cannot take money from the people. The country has no choice but to ask you to pay public grain every year. There is no money to support the army. If no one supports the soldiers, won't we fall here again? What does the country need your ships for? You can't go out to sea to compete with warships."

Everyone couldn't help but nod.

Ye Fan: "Return the boat to the owner when you go back. Tomorrow Yan Yang will come to talk to you about this, and you can say that the members disagree. No matter what Yan Yang says, you just listen. When he wants to use the boat to go out to sea, you can directly refuse, saying that there is no oil. When he pays for the oil, you can say that individuals have no right to make private transactions. Didn't he say that it is against the rules for the brigade to rent a boat, and that the purpose of setting up a shipping factory is to make fishing boats regular? Then we will explain the rules to him."

The leader of the Shanxi Brigade clapped his hands and said, "This is a good idea. We knew that Accountant Ye would not agree to set up a shipping factory."

Ye Fan shook his head.

Everyone was frightened and fell silent.

Ye Fan laughed: "I agree. But the shipping factory belongs to the government, right? I don't agree to nationalize your hard-earned wealth. If Yan Yang has the ability, he can ask the government for money to buy a ship. If he can get a ship, I will follow his lead. What's the point of using broken rules to oppress you?"

Everyone was very moved and wanted to thank them, but Ye Fan interrupted them: "You haven't finished yet. The policy is much more relaxed now, and similar things may happen again in the future. No matter who says anything, you should ask the government if you are so capable. If they ask you to pay, you can ask them to borrow from the bank. However, we can support you if you want fish and shrimp. But we can't support you with your family's money and real estate."

Everyone thought that Ye Fan was worried that she would be gone in two years, and Yan Yang would return to his old ways.

The leader of the Shanxi Brigade asked, "If Director Yan knew we were coming to see you, would he deliberately make things difficult for you?"

Ye Fan: "Can you speak it?"

Everyone shook their heads subconsciously.

Ye Fan: "The military wives don't know about this."

The leader of the Shanxi brigade smiled with relief: "Accountant Ye, if Yan comes up with something again, just tell me and I will punish him! Although he may not be a high-ranking official, his authority is great! Don't you see where we are?"

(End of this chapter)