Ordering a Car (Part 1)
Night fell, and scattered lights illuminated the small village on the edge of the city.
A Jiuzhou Mini pulled up at the village entrance, and four sprightly old gentlemen got out.
"We finished the test drive a little late. Sorry for the trouble, Xiao Ye, bringing us back. Your service is top-notch!"
"We'll go take another look tomorrow. For now, we'll head home and talk it over with the family."
"Xiao Ye, drive carefully on your way back. Stay safe."
After getting out of the car, the gentlemen chatted briefly with the Jiuzhou salesperson who had driven them, then headed off in different directions toward their homes.
"I'm back late. I'd better hurry home!"
Seventy-two-year-old Grandpa Liu walked briskly, almost trotting toward a small courtyard up ahead, its windows aglow with orange light.
The courtyard had three brick houses, and all kinds of flowers and plants grew inside.
As soon as Grandpa Liu entered the courtyard, he caught the aroma of dinner.
"Why are you back so late today?" his wife asked, turning around from her seat by the doorway, where she'd been watching the television in the living room.
"This afternoon, I went with Old Chen and the others from the village to look at something unusual."
As he answered, Grandpa Liu washed his hands with practiced ease and sat down at the table to eat.
Once they were seated at the table in their little home, Grandpa Liu switched the television to the evening news.
The two old folks ate while listening to the news.
Grandpa Liu slowly gave his wife a brief account of what he'd done that day.
"This afternoon, we were sitting under the trees at the east end of the village to keep cool when we ran into some