Secretary He froze when he heard Factory Director Yang's words.
Raise Ye Jianguo's wages?
However.
After all, he was Factory Director Yang's secretary, so he naturally knew that Factory Director Yang had come up with this idea because he had clearly recognized how superb Ye Jianguo's medical skills were.
Moreover.
Compared with the doctors working in hospitals, Ye Jianguo's current wages were truly far too low.
After all.
The wages of an attending physician at a hospital were never this low.
Not to mention.
They also received bonuses, year-end bonuses, and the like.
Therefore.
He spoke up. “Factory Director Yang, compared with the attending physicians at regular hospitals, Doctor Ye's wages are indeed considerably lower.”
“Moreover, the last time Doctor Ye received a wage adjustment was a year ago. It is indeed time to adjust his wages again.”
Factory Director Yang looked at Secretary He and asked, “Xiao He, do you know how much an attending physician at a hospital usually earns per month?”
Secretary He thought for a moment before replying, “The total monthly wages of an attending physician at a regular hospital should be at least fifty yuan.”
This was already a very conservative estimate from Secretary He.
It might even be higher.
Factory Director Yang pondered for a moment before saying, “How about this? We cannot treat Doctor Ye unfairly. Let us raise Doctor Ye's wages to forty yuan, doubling them.”
“Although that still cannot match the wages of hospital attending physicians, they should not be too low either.”
Although these wages had doubled, making the increase seem substantial,
however,
they were still quite far below those of hospital attending physicians.
Nonetheless.
This was the result Factory Director Yang had reached after careful consideration.
He believed that once Ye Jianguo received these wages, he should no longer consider leaving.
Moreover.
This was only the first wage adjustment.
There would certainly be further increases in the future.
Secretary He was somewhat astonished when he heard this.
A doubling?
Forty yuan a month.
That was already much higher than the wages of a secretary like him.
However.
When he thought of Ye Jianguo's medical skills, he felt that this amount was actually not high at all.
Thus.
He nodded and said, “All right. I will prepare an application and submit it to you.”
Factory Director Yang nodded.
......
Elsewhere.
Ye Jianguo sat in the medical room, waiting for the end of the workday.
Treating Factory Director Yang's illness
was, in his view, merely part of his job.
Therefore.
He did not give it much thought.
Soon.
The workday ended.
Ye Jianguo headed straight home.
When he was nearly back at the courtyard compound, he went to an unoccupied corner and took out the rice, cooking oil, salt, vegetables, and other items he had bought at noon from the mysterious space.
At the same time.
He also took out a rooster from the chicken coop.
He had already killed the rooster inside the mysterious space and processed it according to his thoughts.
This was another ability he had discovered in the mysterious space.
It could carry out all sorts of tasks according to his wishes, such as killing chickens and shelling peanuts.
In addition.
He also took more than a dozen eggs.
And so.
Ye Jianguo carried his large and small bundles toward the courtyard compound.
As soon as he entered the courtyard compound, he ran into Third Uncle Yan Bugui and Third Aunt, who lived in the front courtyard.
When Third Uncle Yan Bugui saw Ye Jianguo returning with his large and small bundles,
his eyes widened.
He looked utterly incredulous.
He asked, “Good heavens, Ye Jianguo, did you strike it rich?”
“You actually bought so many things? Rice, oil, salt, a rooster, and eggs.”
“And that rooster of yours must weigh at least seven or eight pounds, right?”
“You could not buy all this for less than three or four yuan.”
Yan Bugui knew Ye Jianguo's habits all too well.
He was a street loafer who also loved gambling.
For him to buy so many things and bring them home,
there was only one possibility: he had struck it rich.
Third Aunt was envious as well.
She had not eaten meat for an entire month.
Now that she saw the rooster in Ye Jianguo's hands, she was practically drooling.
She looked at Ye Jianguo and said, “Ye Jianguo, this chicken is so big. You definitely cannot finish it all, right?”
“How about giving me a little?”
Ye Jianguo could not help laughing. He said, “Third Aunt, your family has several hundred yuan in savings. You cannot spend it all anyway, so how about giving me some?”
Third Aunt's expression changed drastically, and she hurriedly said, “Ye Jianguo, what are you talking about?”
“How could we have any savings? We can barely afford to eat now.”
Third Uncle Yan Bugui also spoke up. “Exactly, Ye Jianguo. Do not talk nonsense here.”
Ye Jianguo gave them a half-smiling, half-mocking look. “You really do not have any? How about letting me search for it?”
“If I manage to find several hundred yuan, the money will be mine.”
“If I do not find anything, I will compensate you?”
Third Aunt snapped, “Get lost. Who would agree to let you search? Hmph. If you refuse to share any meat with us, just say so. Why spout all this nonsense?”
Ye Jianguo could not be bothered to chat with these scheming beasts any longer.
He said, “Since you do not agree, then stop wasting your breath here.”
After saying this, Ye Jianguo headed toward the rear courtyard.
Seeing Ye Jianguo's back, Third Uncle Yan Bugui cursed angrily, “That bastard is really too much.”
“What would it hurt him to share some chicken with us?”
“They cannot finish it all anyway.”
Third Aunt was also furious. “Exactly! That damned bastard!”
After saying this,
Third Aunt paused, looked at Yan Bugui, and whispered, “Old Yan, how did that bastard know we had five hundred yuan in savings? You did not let Ye Jianguo find out where we hid it, did you?”
“It would be dangerous if someone else found out.”
Yan Bugui's expression also grew solemn when he heard this.
He said, “In theory, no one should know.”
“Still, to be safe, I need to hide the money somewhere even more secret.”
Third Aunt nodded, then said, “By the way, Old Yan, we have not eaten meat for a month. When will our family be able to have another meal of fatty pork?”
Yan Bugui was naturally craving it too.
However.
After thinking for a moment, he said, “Isn't Little New Year coming soon? Once Little New Year arrives, we will have meat to eat.”
Third Aunt felt depressed when she heard this.
Little New Year.
That was still a long way off.
However.
There was nothing she could do.
Afterward.
She thought of something, looked at Yan Bugui, and asked, “Old Yan, you do not have any classes tomorrow, do you?”
Yan Bugui nodded. “That's right. Why?”
Third Aunt said, “How about going fishing by the moat tomorrow?”
“If we are lucky and you catch a fish, we can have some meat too. I am craving it terribly.”
Yan Bugui considered it, then nodded. “All right. I will go fishing at the moat tomorrow.”
Although it was winter and the moat had frozen over,
catching a fish would definitely be much more difficult than usual.
However.
He had nothing else to do anyway.
What if he happened to catch one?
Catching a fish would mean making a huge profit.
Third Aunt said delightedly, “Old Yan, I believe you will definitely catch a fish tomorrow.”
After all.
The best fisherman in the entire courtyard compound was Third Uncle Yan Bugui.
Third Uncle smiled and nodded.
......
Ye Jianguo soon reached the rear courtyard.
After returning home, Liu Qian was sitting in the living room playing with Tuantuan and Yuanyuan.
When Liu Qian saw Ye Jianguo return with so many things,
she was stunned.
She said, “Jianguo, why did you buy so many things?”
“This is such a waste.”
She was genuinely shocked.
After all.
The rooster alone weighed a full seven or eight pounds.
How much money had that cost?
Not to mention the eggs, oil, salt, vegetables, and rice.
All of these things cost money.
Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, however, saw the chicken and their round eyes lit up.
They even swallowed nervously.
Seeing this, Ye Jianguo could not help laughing. He said, “Wife, how is this a waste?”
“How long has it been since our family last ate meat?”
“Look at you. Your face is so pale, and Tuantuan and Yuanyuan do not look well either. These are all signs of weakness.”
“That is why I specially bought a chicken to stew into soup.”
“We will have a proper meal and nourish ourselves.”
Liu Qian trembled all over when she heard Ye Jianguo's words.
She had already forgotten how long it had been since Ye Jianguo had last bought meat home.
A year or two?
She could not remember.
She had never heard such words of concern before.
But.
Now.
Ye Jianguo truly cared about her, and he also cared about Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, those two little girls.
He had truly made a prodigal's return.
He had truly changed.
Liu Qian's eyes reddened.
She looked at Ye Jianguo and said emotionally, “Jianguo, you are so good to us. Thank you.”
Ye Jianguo pinched her cheek and said gently, “Why are you thanking me?”
“Isn't this what I should do?”
“I told you that I would give you a good life from now on.”
“I was not just saying it.”
“Our lives will only get better from now on.”
Liu Qian nodded firmly when she heard this.
Actually.
As long as Ye Jianguo did not hit her and cared about her, she already felt that such a life was wonderful.
It was something she had never experienced before.
Ye Jianguo thought of something, took five yuan from inside his shirt, and handed it to Liu Qian. “Wife, here are five yuan. Take it.”
“Buy whatever you want. You do not need to save it.”
Liu Qian was stunned when she saw this.
Ye Jianguo was giving her money?
And five yuan all at once?
How long had it been since Ye Jianguo had given her this much money?
However.
Liu Qian did not dwell on that and hurriedly said, “Jianguo, there is no need. You should keep it. I still have some money on hand.”
Ye Jianguo stuffed the five yuan into Liu Qian's hand and said, “Wife, take it. This is spending money for you. Buy whatever you want, and do not save it.”
“If you run out, ask me for more.”
Liu Qian accepted the money with reddened eyes, deeply moved.
Ye Jianguo had truly changed.
He had truly made a prodigal's return.
Seeing Liu Qian's reddened eyes, Ye Jianguo knew what she was thinking.
He stroked her head and said gently, “Wife, be good.”
When Liu Qian heard this, she could no longer hold back her tears, and they fell.
She looked at Ye Jianguo and sobbed, “Jianguo, am I dreaming?”
“How can you be so good to me?”
“I cannot believe it.”
Ye Jianguo pulled Liu Qian into his arms, patted her shoulder, and comforted her softly. “This is not a dream.”
“It is all real.”
“As for why I am so good to you?”
“You are my wife, Ye Jianguo's wife. If I am not good to you, then whom should I be good to?”
When Liu Qian heard Ye Jianguo's words, her tears flowed even more uncontrollably.
She cried like a fountain.
At that moment.
Tuantuan, who was behind her, suddenly began to cry. “Waaah... Don't hit Mommy! Don't hit Mommy!”
When Yuanyuan saw her older sister crying, she began crying in fright as well.
She also sobbed, “Dad, don't hit Mommy. Boohoo...”
Liu Qian came back to herself, hurriedly wiped away her tears, and then hugged Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, speaking softly into their ears. “Tuantuan, Yuanyuan, don't cry.”
“Dad didn't hit Mommy.”
“Mommy is just happy.”
“Dad has been so good to Mommy, Tuantuan, and Yuanyuan that Mommy cried from happiness.”
After hearing Liu Qian's comforting words, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan gradually stopped crying.
As for Ye Jianguo, he could only rub his chin speechlessly.
At the same time.
He cursed his predecessor for being damned once again in his heart.
Clearly.
His darling daughters still carried emotional scars.
Moreover.
Those scars clearly would not disappear so easily.
Damn it.
After comforting the two little girls, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, Liu Qian suddenly remembered something that had happened today.
......