The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: We Women Can’t Mistreat Ourselves

The shipyard wasn’t far; they arrived in twenty minutes.

Yang Xuewen took Ye Feng and Han Xiaorui to the guesthouse for lunch before they headed into the shipyard.

The various large ships under construction, resting in the dry docks, were a spectacular sight.

Han Xiaorui didn’t understand much about shipbuilding, but she listened carefully to Yang Xuewen’s explanations and committed them to memory.

As she looked at the 36-meter vessel and listened to Yang Xuewen’s introduction, Han Xiaorui realized it was indeed the most advanced fishing boat currently available in the country.

”Mr. Yang, I think this boat is quite good. However, I’d like to bring my elders over to take a look,” Han Xiaorui replied. ’Getting a brand-new boat in just six months is an excellent deal.’

Yang Xuewen was delighted. ”Of course. I’ve already given you my number. Just call before you come to set up a time, and I’ll personally receive you.”

Ye Feng remained silent the entire time, simply staying by Han Xiaorui’s side.

Walking around in high heels was starting to tire Han Xiaorui out.

’I shouldn’t have sacrificed comfort for looks.’

The boat cost 380,000.

Han Xiaorui decided she would bring Yang Zhigang, Yang Jianguo, and a skilled mechanic to inspect it. If they found no issues, she would place the order.

Then she could negotiate modifications to the living quarters. She wanted to be comfortable out on the sea, too.

Yang Xuewen gave Han Xiaorui several books, which she gratefully accepted.

Ye Feng drove on the way back.

Han Xiaorui spent the ride reading, paying particularly close attention to some foreign magazines.

Unwilling to miss this time alone with her, Ye Feng said, ”Xiao Han, most deckhands are men. If you plan to hire female crew members, you’ll have to modify the living quarters.”

Han Xiaorui nodded. ”Yes, that needs careful consideration. I was worried it might be inappropriate for men and women to work on the same ship, but the old fishermen in my village said it’s fine. They said there was a woman in Jinshan Bay, Grandma Chen San, who was a captain in her youth and led her own crew to fish.”

Ye Feng smiled. ”That’s good to hear. You’re so smart, I’m sure you’ll find suitable crew members.”

Han Xiaorui nodded, her eyes full of longing for a life with a large ship. ”If I can’t even handle this, how can I ever be a captain? I need to go back, study hard, and sign up for the exam.”

’Coming to this awards ceremony was the right decision.’

’As long as I pass the technical assessment, they’ll issue me a license. I won’t have to rely on anyone else.’

”Can I recommend a couple of people to you?” Ye Feng wanted to improve Han Xiaorui’s ability to protect herself and her ship.

”You’re recommending people to me?” Han Xiaorui was taken aback. ”Your comrades who were discharged—don’t they all get assigned jobs?”

Ye Feng replied, ”Some of them don’t have jobs yet. They’re retired from the navy, have extensive sailing experience, are men of integrity, and have impeccable political standing.”

Han Xiaorui thought for a moment and nodded. ”I trust you, Mr. Ye. Once my boat arrives, have them come over. With them on board, they can help keep order.”

Ye Feng breathed a sigh of relief. ”Then it’s settled! With them around, you won’t have to worry about discipline.”

”Great!” Han Xiaorui laughed. ”With over a dozen crew members on one boat, we’ll definitely need some muscle to keep everyone in line. It’ll prevent the old fishermen from the village from trying to pull rank on me.”

’On my boat, I have to have absolute control.’

After dropping Han Xiaorui off at home, Ye Feng hurried back.

Hearing a car outside, Liang Xiaoyu rushed over to open the door.

Seeing Han Xiaorui still staring after Ye Feng’s departing jeep, Liang Xiaoyu smirked. ”Tsk, tsk. The car is long gone, and you’re still not willing to come inside!”

Hearing Liang Xiaoyu’s voice, Han Xiaorui turned with a smile and gave her a light pinch. ”Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, do all women become this shameless when they reach your age?”

”Ouch, you can’t put it like that.” Liang Xiaoyu grinned. ”I won’t be modest with you. We’re both women; there’s nothing for me to be embarrassed about. I’m at that age, you know—fierce as a tigress. But I only hunger for my own man, not anyone else’s.”

Han Xiaorui was dumbfounded. ’Sister-in-law Xiao Yu’s words are fiercer than a tiger,’ she thought. ”You’re absolutely right. I’m speechless!”

Liang Xiaoyu raised her eyebrows. ”Come on, I pulled some strings and got the full scoop on Mr. Ye. Let me tell you about it.”

”Huh?” Han Xiaorui was stunned. ”Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, who did you ask?”

Liang Xiaoyu said smugly, ”My mother-in-law’s apprentice, Sister-in-law Chen, of course. Back when my mother-in-law was the head chef for village banquets, she was an assistant cook and learned from her.”

”Later, she got a job in the kitchen at Mr. Ye’s work unit. The cafeteria is where everyone gathers, so you can hear all sorts of news and gossip there.”

”And this Mr. Ye, he’s definitely not married and doesn’t have a girlfriend! The single women from his unit, and even other units, are always finding excuses to go see him.”

Hearing this, Han Xiaorui rolled her eyes, feeling a little displeased. ”If so many women are after him, why is Mr. Ye still single?”

As a woman who had been around the block, Liang Xiaoyu of course understood the meaning behind Han Xiaorui’s subtle reaction.

”It’s because he hasn’t met the right one, someone who makes his heart skip a beat! A man with a cold, hard exterior like his is like an iron tree—it doesn’t bloom easily!”

”I heard Mr. Ye is from Beijing, but he grew up here in Shencheng with his maternal grandparents.”

”Mr. Ye was originally in a unit with a higher security clearance, but his maternal grandparents, uncle, and aunt were considered capitalists and went abroad in the late 1960s!”

”After the Reform and Opening-Up, his relatives came back! Because of these foreign ties, he had to leave active service and transfer to a civilian post.”

”He’s a man of great integrity and is very capable! He’s a key figure in his unit, with a promising future.”

Han Xiaorui was slightly taken aback. She hadn’t expected Ye Feng to have such a history. She was a little puzzled. ”Shouldn’t his transfer have been to his hometown in Beijing?”

Liang Xiaoyu thought for a moment. ”Sister-in-law Chen wasn’t sure, but she heard that Mr. Ye doesn’t even go back to Beijing for the New Year. She figures he probably doesn’t have a good relationship with his family.”

”It’s better that he doesn’t go back. Then he can settle down here in Shencheng, and if you two get together, you won’t have to move up north.”

Han Xiaorui reflected, ’You really can’t underestimate anyone.’

Liang Xiaoyu had managed to find out most of this information about Ye Feng just by using her family’s network of connections.

”Nothing has even started yet! Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, please don’t go spreading rumors about this!”

Hearing Han Xiaorui’s words, Liang Xiaoyu raised her eyebrows and chuckled. ”Do you think I’m that tactless? You can rest a hundred percent assured. I haven’t even told my own mother-in-law.”

”I just think we women shouldn’t shortchange ourselves! Why should we have to swallow all our bitterness and hardship?”

”You’re capable of earning money and giving yourself and your child a good life! But as a woman, you still get lonely in the dead of night!”

”Since you’re not after a man’s money, then you should definitely go for his looks and character! Besides, you’re beautiful yourself. Of course you should find an even more handsome man, so you don’t feel like you’re getting the short end of the stick!”