The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 457: Chapter 457: Year-End Bonus

Ye Feng and a few of his comrades finally made it back before the New Year.

Winter was always a time when Ye Feng’s mood was unstable. The fiercest battle he ever fought had taken place during the winter years ago.

Many of his comrades had died, leaving an indelible mark on him.

He seemed fine on the surface, but inwardly he was extremely restless.

Ye Feng had even seen a therapist. It was post-traumatic stress.

But even the best therapists couldn’t help him; the trauma’s hold was still too strong.

Only being with his comrades could bring peace to Ye Feng’s heart.

So Han Xiaorui packed a bag for Ye Feng and sent him on a trip to the Yunnan Malipo Martyrs Cemetery.

Once there, Ye Feng and his comrades wiped down the tombstones of their fallen brothers with towels. Then, they took out good wine, cigarettes, and some fruit and snacks from their bags.

They paid their respects, looked at the photos on the headstones, and sat down beside them.

They spoke to the brothers they had once fought shoulder-to-shoulder with, telling them about everything that had happened over the past year. It settled their hearts.

Even though they always ended up crying their eyes out, they felt better afterward.

Seeing Ye Feng’s relaxed expression, Han Xiaorui smiled and said, ”Hu Yaowu and the others had to work and couldn’t go. They were really disappointed!”

Ye Feng sighed. ”It’s true, the end of the year is hectic. We’ll have them go in the summer. I’m just afraid people will forget them, that their sacrifice will have been for nothing.”

Han Xiaorui laughed. ”How could we ever forget? Not only will we never forget the fallen soldiers, but we’ll never forget their parents either!”

”The ones from the cities are usually better off financially. But for the soldiers from rural areas, their families are often poor, so it’s very difficult for them to afford a trip here.”

Ye Feng nodded. ”That’s why Liu Zhan quit his job. He and Zhang Qiang are planning to come help me.”

”We’re all so busy with our jobs that we can’t keep our promise to look after our comrades’ parents. So we came up with a plan: I’ll focus on making money.”

”Not only will I send money to their families every month, but we’ll also try to visit every family once a year. That way, if they’re facing any problems, we can help them right away.”

Han Xiaorui was completely on board. ”I’ve got a lot of capital tied up at the moment, but once my investments start paying off, I’ll sponsor you in this endeavor too.”

Ye Feng squeezed Han Xiaorui’s hand. ”Thank you, Xiao Rui, for taking on this burden with me.”

Han Xiaorui said softly, ”You’re my husband. If it weren’t for those soldiers, how could we live such peaceful lives?”

”Some of the men you fought alongside sacrificed themselves to save their comrades. We who are still alive must never forget that.”

Ye Feng’s eyes reddened, and he was deeply moved. ”Xiao Rui, I still remember one of my comrades, as he was dying, gripping my hand and telling me he couldn’t bear to leave his family behind.”

”It was like that for a lot of us. We weren’t afraid of dying. What we feared most was what would happen after we were gone—that we couldn’t fulfill our duty to our parents, that we couldn’t grow old with our wives, that we couldn’t watch our children grow up.”

”Back when I was on the battlefield, I thought most about my grandma and grandpa on my mom’s side. They doted on my mother, but she died young. If I had died too, they would have been devastated.”

Han Xiaorui asked, ”Weren’t you worried about your dad?”

Ye Feng looked a little embarrassed. ”I was on bad terms with my dad back then! ’He has a wife and two other sons,’ I thought. ’He doesn’t need me.’”

Han Xiaorui shook her head. ”You shouldn’t think that way anymore. You’re his eldest son. A father’s love can be more reserved and profound.”

Ye Feng nodded. ”Yeah. It’s only after I got married and became a father myself that I started to understand the changes a man goes through and could finally see things from his perspective.”

Han Xiaorui cut off his sentimental train of thought by tossing a broom to him. ”Alright! Your mood’s better now. Wu Jiao and Wu Yao have gone home for the New Year, and we have a lot to do around here. Let’s get this big cleaning done.”

”Where are the kids? How come none of them are here?” Ye Feng asked, noticing both the older and younger ones were gone.

Han Xiaorui replied, ”Grandma came by with the driver in the RV and picked up all four of them!”

”Let’s get the house clean. This afternoon, I have to hand out bonuses to the staff from the fishing and aquaculture operations. After that’s all done, we’ll head over for the reunion dinner tonight.”

Ye Feng nodded. ”Okay! By the way, with so many crew members, where are you holding the meeting?”

Han Xiaorui answered, ”In the conference room at the Jinshan Bay Ornamental Fish Farm. It seats two hundred people, so that should be just enough!”

”Are you sure it’s a good idea to give out the bonuses for both companies at once?” Ye Feng asked. ”They’re different divisions with different profit margins, so the bonuses will be different. It’s not scarcity that breeds discontent, but inequality. If people find out others got more than them, they’ll feel it’s unfair.”

Han Xiaorui laughed. ”Actually, whether it’s aquaculture, fishing, or the ornamental fish farm, they all turned a good profit. The aquaculture division might be slightly weaker, but their busy breeding season is just about to start, and that requires a massive effort. So I can’t base their bonuses solely on last year’s profits.”

Ye Feng nodded. ”That’s a good point. Aquaculture is split between raising seafood and breeding fry. I heard a lot of people have already placed pre-orders for fry and seafood.”

”Yes, some have already paid deposits, and we have a lot of prospective clients,” Han Xiaorui replied. ”When everyone sees all these orders, and gets a nice bonus on top of it, they’ll be motivated to work even harder this year. Our growth and expansion are just around the corner.”

Since Han Xiaorui had clearly thought it through, Ye Feng felt reassured.

The two of them began cleaning the house, leaving no corner untouched, inside or out.

That afternoon, Han Xiaorui sat on the stage, presenting awards and offering words of encouragement.

The outstanding employees received not only a certificate of merit but also an additional cash bonus.

All the employees felt that their hard work last year had paid off, and they were full of energy.

The few expert professors on staff weren’t the type to just talk; they were people who got things done.

They not only mentored students and conducted research but also played a crucial, hands-on role in advancing scientific aquaculture.

Their bonuses were incredibly generous, amounting to more than their annual salaries.

For the first time, the old professors felt that knowledge could not only increase productivity but also generate wealth. They finally stopped feeling like rocket scientists earning less than street vendors selling tea-leaf eggs.

Once all the bonuses had been distributed, Han Xiaorui addressed the crowd. ”The holiday officially begins tomorrow and will last until the sixteenth day of the first lunar month. Of course, not everyone can take all that time off at once.”

”Since we’re in the aquaculture business, we can’t ever be completely empty. Someone has to be on duty, so you’ll take your holidays in shifts. Naturally, anyone working during the holiday will receive double pay; your hard work won’t go unrewarded. Those of you who have to travel a long way home are exempt from duty, so you can go home and celebrate the New Year without worry.”

”I hope you all have a wonderful New Year. When you return, let’s get ready for another big year. I can guarantee that next year’s results will be even better, and everyone’s income will be higher...”

Han Xiaorui’s speech earned a round of applause, leaving everyone filled with hope for the future.

Finally, Han Xiaorui personally handed out New Year’s gift packages to each employee, wishing them a happy holiday.

Although it was a private company, Han Xiaorui was dedicated to cultivating a corporate culture. She believed in giving her employees a sense of ownership to best motivate their initiative.