The white Bentley Continental GT and Quiet Garden, the choice he was ready to settle on

Lu Chuan looked at the used car dealership across the road.

It was enormous.

The exterior walls were entirely floor-to-ceiling glass.

Inside, all kinds of top-end luxury cars gleamed.

In his previous life, he had been most afraid of going into places like this.

Every time he stepped into a lavish showroom, he felt a lack of confidence.

He would unconsciously straighten his back.

And make sure the brand of his watch was visible.

Terrified that the salesperson would see he was a demolition-compensation nouveau riche.

But now.

Lu Chuan felt nothing at all.

He set off across the crosswalk.

He reached the dealership entrance.

And pushed open the glass doors.

A blast of cold air hit him.

His thinking was simple now.

If it was right, he would buy it.

If not, he would leave.

Several supercars stood in a neat row on the left side of the showroom.

Lamborghinis and Ferraris.

Their colors were vivid, their designs outrageously flashy.

In his previous life, he had rented models like these to tear up the streets.

But today, Lu Chuan only glanced at them.

Then looked away.

A white Bentley Continental GT was parked over there.

Quiet.

Its lines were understated, yet it had a solid, substantial presence.

No exaggerated rear wing.

No glaring decals.

It suited the way he lived now.

Lu Chuan headed over.

He had barely taken two steps.

A young salesperson in a crisp suit came up to him.

An impeccable professional smile on his face.

He bowed slightly and extended his right hand in a welcoming gesture.

"Hello, sir."

"We sell high-end used cars here."

"What kind of car are you looking for today?"

The salesperson's gaze swept over Lu Chuan.

He didn't see any obvious luxury-brand logos.

So he tactfully added another remark.

"Take a look at those supercars on the left."

"They've got incredible engine sounds."

"Young people love them these days."

"Drive one down the street, and you're guaranteed to turn every head."

Lu Chuan stopped.

He glanced at the salesperson.

And shook his head.

"No thanks."

"I don't like anything too noisy."

He raised his hand and pointed at the white Continental farther inside.

"I'll look at that one."

The salesperson followed his pointing finger and froze for a moment.

"That Continental GT?"

"It's definitely a good car."

"But it doesn't have much of an engine note."

"A young person might not look flashy enough driving it around."

Lu Chuan looked at him.

"I'm buying it to drive myself."

"Not to show other people."

The salesperson shut his mouth and stood there, looking a little awkward.

Lu Chuan paid him no further attention.

He stepped past the salesperson and headed straight for the back of the showroom.

Beside the white Continental was a semi-open office area.

A large desk.

A middle-aged man sat behind it.

He wore a light blue shirt.

The top two buttons were undone.

He had no tie on.

He was staring at the computer screen on the desk, his right hand gripping the mouse.

Clicking rapidly.

A phone lay beside him.

Its screen was lit, playing a livestream through the speaker.

The volume was turned way up.

A streamer with an exceptionally loud voice was shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Damn your monkey!"

"You're still betting against me this round?"

Lu Chuan walked up to the desk.

He didn't speak to interrupt.

Instead, he raised his right hand and bent his index and middle fingers.

On the wooden desktop.

He knocked twice, neither too hard nor too softly.

Knock, knock.

The crisp taps sounded clear amid the streamer's roaring.

The middle-aged man's hand stopped on the mouse.

He raised his head.

And looked at Lu Chuan in front of the desk.

Lu Chuan withdrew his hand, his tone calm.

"Boss."

"Let me see the key records for that white Continental."

The middle-aged man was Zhou Guangsheng, the manager of the dealership.

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he quickly clicked the mouse and closed the Fight the Landlord game on his computer.

Then he picked up the phone beside him.

And pressed the lock button.

The phone screen went dark.

The roaring from the livestream cut off abruptly.

Zhou Guangsheng stood up.

His gaze swept from Lu Chuan's face to his shoulders, then down to his shoes.

A very ordinary casual outfit.

There wasn't a trace of unease in his eyes.

Zhou Guangsheng looked away.

He smiled.

"Which one do you like?"

"Young people these days all like cars with a good engine note."

"Real explosive."

Lu Chuan looked at him.

"I don't like too much noise."

"As long as it's comfortable to drive, that's enough."

After those two exchanges.

Zhou Guangsheng had an idea.

No pointless questions.

Straight to the key data.

He nodded.

"You know your cars."

"This one really is comfortable to drive."

Zhou Guangsheng turned and pulled open a drawer behind him.

He took out a hefty car key.

And handed it over.

"Get in and see how it feels first."

Lu Chuan reached out and took the key.

He turned and walked over to the white Continental.

He opened the driver's door.

Then bent down and climbed in.

He made no exaggerated moves.

He raised his hand.

Gripped the door handle.

And pulled hard.

Bang.

The heavy door closed.

In an instant.

All the noise in the showroom.

The salesperson's footsteps, the conversations in the distance.

It was all completely shut out.

Absolute silence settled over the cabin.

The leather seat felt superb, enveloping his back.

Lu Chuan leaned against the seat.

And let out a long breath.

This was what he wanted.

Quiet, comfortable, with no unnecessary noise to disturb him.

He opened the door again.

And got out.

He tossed the key to Zhou Guangsheng, who was standing outside.

"This is the one."

Inside the dealership's office.

The blinds were drawn tight.

The air conditioning was blowing cold and strong.

Zhou Guangsheng filled two cups with warm water from the dispenser.

And placed them on the coffee table.

He sat down on the sofa opposite.

Holding a printed document, he pushed it straight in front of Lu Chuan.

"I don't play games."

Zhou Guangsheng pointed at the figure on the document.

"This car is in top condition."

"Preparation, comprehensive insurance for the first year, and the ownership transfer."

"Everything included, that's 2.8 million."

Lu Chuan picked up the quotation.

His eyes swept over it.

The vehicle identification number, mileage, insurance claim history, and itemized charges.

There were no problems.

He hadn't come here to practice haggling.

As long as the price was within a reasonable market range, he didn't want to waste time.

Lu Chuan put the quotation back on the table.

He picked up the pen from the fruit platter beside him.

He pulled off the cap.

In the bottom right corner of the document,

he quickly signed his name.

The pen scratched softly against the paper.

Once he had signed,

he replaced the cap.

He pushed the document back.

Then he reached into his trouser pocket.

He pulled out a bank card.

He placed it gently on the table.

"Let's swipe the card."

The young salesman standing in the corner of the office

froze.

His eyes widened as he looked at the bank card on the coffee table.

This was a 2.8-million transaction.

He'd just taken one look,

then signed and pulled out his card?

Zhou Guangsheng was also taken aback.

He had been in this business for years and had met countless rich second-generation heirs.

Which one of them didn't bring a pack of fair-weather friends along and spend ages inspecting a car from front to back?

In the end, they still had to haggle to show off how capable they were.

A customer this straightforward

was far too rare.

Zhou Guangsheng came to his senses and picked up the bank card.

He walked over to the desk nearby and picked up the POS terminal.

He worked the machine for a moment.

Then he held it out to Lu Chuan.

Lu Chuan took it.

His fingers quickly entered the six-digit PIN on the keypad.

He pressed confirm.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

The machine began connecting to the network.

The office was so quiet a falling pin could be heard.

A few seconds passed.

Beep-

A long, clear tone rang out, signaling a successful transaction.

The receipt whirred out of the top of the machine.

The transaction was complete.

Zhou Guangsheng tore off the receipt and glanced at it.

He smiled.

"Brother, you really don't mess around."

He handed the bank card and receipt back to Lu Chuan.

"Since you've been so straightforward,

"I can't be stingy as the boss.

"I'll have someone arrange a ceremony for you."

Zhou Guangsheng swept his hand through the air.

"Flowers everywhere.

"A banner hung up.

"And a professional photographer to shoot a video of you picking up the car, so you can post it to Moments.

"We'll make sure you get the full show."

Lu Chuan tucked his bank card back into his pocket.

Hearing that,

he shook his head.

"No need to go to the trouble.

"I don't like putting on a show.

"Once the paperwork's done,

"I can just drive it away."

Zhou Guangsheng stopped halfway through the motion of calling someone over.

He looked at Lu Chuan.

A trace of awe entered his eyes.

He had seen too many rich second-generation heirs who lived for face.

But the young man before him

had spent over two million and couldn't even be bothered to show off on Moments.

An attitude that needed no validation from others

showed that he had no need to rely on this car to prove his status.

Zhou Guangsheng silently reached a conclusion.

This young man was unfathomable.

Lu Chuan watched Zhou Guangsheng's changing expression.

He was speechless.

This old hand has definitely imagined something again.

But he couldn't be bothered to explain.

At half past five that afternoon,

beside the tree-lined road outside the vehicle administration office,

the ownership transfer had gone very smoothly.

Zhou Guangsheng had extensive connections here and hadn't made Lu Chuan wait an extra minute.

Two brand-new license plates were already firmly attached to the front and rear bumpers of the white Continental GT.

His luck was good; he had drawn a consecutive-number plate.

Jiang A·54321.

Lu Chuan opened the car door.

He sat in the driver's seat.

He pressed the start button.

The engine let out a low rumble, then quickly settled down.

Lu Chuan pressed the accelerator.

The car smoothly entered the main road.

It merged into the traffic of Jiangcheng.

Half an hour later,

the car drove onto the bridge across the river.

The river breeze blew in through the half-open window,

carrying a hint of early autumn chill.

Sunlight streamed through the windshield, spilling onto the steering wheel.

Lu Chuan held the wheel with one hand.

The cabin was exceptionally well soundproofed.

He didn't turn on the stereo, nor did he rev the engine hard.

He didn't need the deafening roar of an exhaust to draw the attention of passersby.

He simply enjoyed the smooth ride in silence.

A life that required no performance

was wonderful.

After coming off the bridge,

Lu Chuan applied the brakes in a scenic parking area by the river.

Leaning back against the soft leather seat, he turned to look at the river outside the window.

After enjoying a moment of relaxation,

a very practical question immediately came to mind.

Where am I going to park this car tonight?

Understated as it was, it was still a 2.8-million Bentley.

He couldn't leave it gathering dust in a paid roadside parking space every day.

Still less could he drive it back to the shabby residential complex where he currently rented.

That old short-term rental

didn't even have a proper garage.

The hallways were piled with junk, and the walls were plastered with little advertisements.

The place was already entirely incompatible with the order he now wanted to establish in his life.

Lu Chuan tapped his fingers twice on the steering wheel.

He had a car.

Now,

he needed a stable place to settle down.

He looked at the pleasure boats on the river.

Lu Chuan took a deep breath.

His gaze grew resolute.

He had to settle on the house called "Quiet Garden"

as soon as possible.