Chapter 1353: Chapter 1352: The Printing Factory
Right now, Ye Qiu is just temporarily learning about Ling Fei’s parents’ situation. The specifics still need careful analysis, of course. Tomorrow, he plans to visit the printing factory to see Ling Fei’s parents’ working conditions, because seeing it in person is the only way for Ye Qiu to be sure.
Looking at the time, it’s now after ten o’clock in the evening but not yet eleven.
"Ling Fei, I’ll go with you to your parents’ printing factory tomorrow. You all should go rest first!"
After Liu Lingxiu and Ling Fei went downstairs, Ye Qiu turned off the heater and lights on the third floor. Although Ye Qiu doesn’t lack money, if Ye Weidong and his wife found out the heater was on when no one was here, they’d definitely think it’s wasteful.
Ye Qiu descended from upstairs, looking at the faint moonlight shining in, and continued cultivating.
Early the next morning, Ye Qiu woke up, washed up, and went downstairs. He saw Ling Fei chatting with Chen Fang and Ye Xue.
It’s Ling Fei’s first time meeting Ye Qiu’s parents and sister, but she quickly realized they were very nice, different from what she imagined.
Of course, Ye Weidong and his wife, along with Ye Xue, had come up from poverty. In fact, their family background wasn’t great before, compounded by the laborious running of a porridge shop that made barely any money. But now, they are wealthy, have leisure, and aren’t as worn out as before, giving them a completely different mental state in various aspects.
Initially, Ye Weidong was also very vain and cared a lot about appearances. However, after realizing that such vanity would harm himself, he changed from who he used to be.
Now Ye Weidong is much more low-key and doesn’t enjoy demonstrating among fellow townsmen, relatives, friends, or at the textile factory.
When everything you should have is attained, there’s no need to show off anymore.
Ye Weidong sat there, smoking the Furong King cigarettes Ye Qiu bought. Having gotten used to smoking better cigarettes, he’s unsure if he’d be able to adjust to the few-dollar-a-pack ones.
Anyway, Ye Qiu didn’t say anything about it, and good cigarettes and liquor were provided for him.
Ye Weidong looked at Ling Fei in an apron, thinking she might be another beauty known by Ye Qiu, and felt that his son’s relationship with women was indeed good.
But, if things continue this way, whom should Ye Qiu ultimately choose?
Ye Weidong didn’t know, leaving these matters to Ye Qiu to handle on his own. As long as he doesn’t do anything to wrong the women involved, it will be fine.
After Chen Fang, Ye Xue, Liu Lingxiu, and Ling Fei prepared breakfast, a sumptuous meal followed as everyone sat down to eat.
After breakfast, Ye Weidong and his wife, along with Ye Xue, drove towards the Imperial Cuisine Restaurant. Meanwhile, Ye Qiu prepared to go check out Ling Fei’s parents’ printing factory.
With Ling Fei and Liu Lingxiu getting in Ye Qiu’s car, he headed towards the location Ling Fei mentioned, the old district in Jinling City, now known as the Western District, which used to mainly consist of factories like steelworks, paper mills, brickworks, and textile mills.
However, most of them were either phased out or relocated after the year 2000.
This printing factory was close to shutting down before 2000 due to falling behind in various aspects. It later managed to stay afloat via reforms and by introducing private enterprises and the most advanced printing machines from Germany, otherwise, it would have truly faced closure, leaving thousands unemployed overnight.
Nonetheless, even so, compared to the current private companies outside, the printing factory’s wages and benefits really can’t match up.
But many workers at this printing factory have been working their whole lives here; they’re accustomed to it and perhaps can only stay until retirement to receive their pension, otherwise leaving this factory wouldn’t be possible.
Ye Qiu drove the Range Rover towards the old district; he immediately felt how much this area differs from the new district, Jinling City’s downtown.
Many historic buildings still remain, but given the geographical location here, they will eventually be redeveloped into upscale neighborhoods.
However, right now Ye Qiu didn’t look closely at these, heading straight for the printing factory.
Upon reaching the parking lot outside the printing factory gate, he saw a row of small cars, mostly domestic models and ordinary Fusang cars. There were a few luxury cars, like Mercedes and BMW, likely owned by factory leaders.
As Ye Qiu drove up, the security guard at the gate was a bit surprised and came over to see who it was, unexpectedly seeing a casually dressed young man get out of the car.
Soon after, two young women emerged from the car.
"Ye Qiu, my parents should be inside. I wonder if they’ve had breakfast?"
"Is it still communal dining here?"
"It used to be, but probably isn’t anymore; it’s probably like a school cafeteria where you buy what you want."
Ye Qiu looked at the printing factory, appearing quite aged from the fifties until now, spanning over sixty years.
As Ye Qiu, Liu Lingxiu, and Ling Fei walked towards the main entrance, the two guards initially wanted to stop them but upon seeing them get out of the Range Rover, they thought they might be a leader’s children and didn’t ask much, just asked them to register their names.
After signing in, Ye Qiu, Ling Fei, and Liu Lingxiu went through the gate, immediately smelling the strong scent of ink.
To printing factory workers, this is considered the fragrance of ink, mainly from printing books, but to Ye Qiu, it was unpleasant and toxic, certainly harmful to internal organs over time.
Although some of the buildings from the fifties’ planning have been torn down and rebuilt, it still looks similar to how it did in that era.
"Ye Qiu, where should we head first?"
"Let’s go see your dad first!"
"Then I’ll call my dad to ask where he is."
Ling Fei took out her phone and called her father. Upon learning he was eating breakfast at the cafeteria, Ye Qiu and Ling Fei went in that direction.
Upon arriving at the factory cafeteria, Ye Qiu truly felt it was like a school cafeteria with thousands of people eating breakfast together.
Now, in the middle of winter, it was warm inside, with the heat from the breakfast mingling in to create a steamy atmosphere.
Of course, the scent here wasn’t as strong, as the odors were kept separate.
Following Ling Zhengwei’s directions, Ling Fei led Ye Qiu and Liu Lingxiu over, and soon enough, they spotted her father with his coworkers drinking porridge and eating fried dough sticks.
Seeing his daughter come to visit, Ling Zhengwei was both happy and a bit flustered, not expecting that besides his daughter, Dr. Ye was also there.
The young man he most admired, having saved his daughter twice, Ling Zhengwei quickly asked, "Dr. Ye, you came too?"
"Uncle Ling, it’s winter break now, so I’m visiting with Ling Fei to see your work environment!"
"The environment here is as you see."
It’s certainly not up to par with a university cafeteria, where Ling Zhengwei had eaten while visiting Ling Fei.
However, the factory’s large cafeteria is like this; it’s mainly cheap, convenient, and lively.