Getting a Driver's License

Not long after, Wang Qiang returned.

The moment he entered, he saw Zhang Shuai sitting on the sofa, neatly dressed. Wang Qiang looked puzzled, the expression on his face shifting again and again as though he were turning something over in his mind.

"Who are you? Why are you in my house?"

Zhang Shuai held back a laugh. "Pockmarked Wang, you don't even recognize me anymore?"

That voice, that manner of speaking—how could Wang Qiang not recognize it? After scrutinizing him carefully, he cried out rather dramatically.

"Fuck! Fatty Zhang, how did you turn into this? You've lost so much weight I almost didn't recognize you! How did you slim down? This is too exaggerated—we haven't even seen each other for ten-odd days!"

Zhang Shuai laughed. "I didn't take any weight-loss pills. It was all thanks to Big Dipper Long Fist. Big Dipper Long Fist is so popular now—don't tell me you guys haven't been practicing it?"

"Big Dipper Long Fist can help you lose weight? I've practiced it occasionally when I had time, but it didn't seem to do much. It's nowhere near as miraculous as people say online!"

"Then you must not have the talent for it. In fact, I only practiced for ten days, and I slimmed down. My vitality and spirit are much better than before too."

"Yeah, your complexion is way better now. Your skin has become tender and smooth, and there isn't even a single pimple mark on your face. If we walked down the street together, who would think we're the same age? You have no idea—in the day before yesterday, I went to someone's place to install wiring, and a female college student actually called me uncle! I'm only twenty-five! So many people say I look at least thirty-something. Do I really look that old?"

"The main thing is that you have too many pockmarks on your face. Medical technology is so advanced now—you could get a laser facial treatment and remove them. Then you'd be a handsome guy too!"

Wang Qiang mocked himself. "How much would that cost? Where would I get that kind of money? Even if I had it, I wouldn't waste it on something like that. Wouldn't it be better to save the money for my Lele? Lele can start kindergarten next year. In the future, I still need to save up to buy him a house and find him a wife."

As he spoke, Wang Qiang noticed the children's clothes and shoes, as well as the fruit, milk, and various snacks on the coffee table. Frowning, he said, "Zhang Shuai, you're coming to my house for dinner, so why did you buy so much stuff? You need to save up for a house and a wife now. Don't spend money carelessly!"

"It's fine. I bought it for Lele, and it didn't cost much. Even though we're close, I can't come over and eat for free every time, can I? Wouldn't people say I don't know how to conduct myself?"

While the two chatted, Jing Fengqin had already finished cooking and brought dish after dish of stir-fried food to the table.

"All right, you two big lords, dinner's ready!"

Wang Qiang and Zhang Shuai got up and sat at the table. The meal was lavish, filling the entire table with chicken, duck, fish, meat, and shrimp. It looked quite appetizing too. Jing Fengqin's father was a chef, and she had learned from him since childhood, so her cooking skills were quite good.

Wang Qiang specially opened a bottle of fine liquor he had treasured and been reluctant to drink. Wang Qiang could hold his liquor well, but Zhang Shuai's body had now mutated. Whatever he ate or drank could be digested in an instant. Forget one bottle of baijiu—even if it were an entire distillery, Zhang Shuai could drink it dry if he let himself go.

It could be said that Zhang Shuai no longer needed the food and drink of the mortal world. Every bite and sip he took was a waste of provisions.

But there was nothing he could do. It was hard to refuse such heartfelt hospitality, and he could not disappoint the good intentions of Wang Qiang and his wife. He could only eat and drink with them at an unhurried pace, trying to eat as little food as possible and taking only tiny sips of liquor.

After Wang Qiang drank, he became rather talkative.

"Zhang Shuai, do you really not remember anything from before you were twelve?"

Zhang Shuai nodded. "I really don't remember. Didn't you say I got good grades as a child? I must have been the obedient sort of kid, right?"

"Obedient my ass. Good grades don't necessarily mean you're a good kid! You were always dragging me out of class to play games at internet cafes! I suspect that if it weren't for you, my grades back then would definitely have been better. Maybe I could even have gotten into a key university. Then I wouldn't be working as an electrician now."

"You're just taking advantage of the fact that I don't remember those days to dump all the blame on me, aren't you? Sister-in-law, you've known Brother Qiang for so long. You're the most qualified to say whether he's a smart man or not."

Jing Fengqin said with a smile, "Qiangzi really isn't that smart, but he's an honest, dependable man. Living with him makes me feel secure."

Zhang Shuai felt somewhat wistful. This was what it meant to live a life as a couple. They said that plainness was truth, and he felt a little envious. When would he be able to marry a girl he liked too?

The three chatted as they ate. Zhang Shuai suddenly remembered something. "Brother Qiang, didn't you get your driver's license before? Where did you take the test?"

"At Yongan Driving School nearby. Why? You want to get a driver's license?"

Zhang Shuai nodded. "Yeah. I want to get my license while I'm resting during this period. I'll definitely buy a car in the future."

"Then go to Yongan Driving School. The facilities there are very standardized, and the instructors are pretty good too. I passed everything from Subject One to Subject Four on my first try, and got my license in just one month."

The meal lasted more than two hours. It was not until Lele woke up in the room and started crying, and Wang Qiang and Jing Fengqin both went to soothe the child, that Zhang Shuai took his leave.

The next day, Zhang Shuai went to Yongan Driving School to register. He signed up for the C2 automatic transmission license. Over the following two days, he downloaded Driving Test Bible onto his phone and began clocking study hours and reviewing questions.

Ten days later, Zhang Shuai went to the testing center for Subject One and passed on his first attempt.

Starting on the eleventh day, Zhang Shuai began practicing driving at the school in preparation for Subject Two.

The instructor assigned to Zhang Shuai for Subject Two was surnamed Wu, a rather rare surname. The students all called Coach Wu Brother Five.

Following Wang Qiang's advice, Zhang Shuai bought two packs of good cigarettes and slipped them to Coach Wu.

After receiving the two packs of cigarettes, Coach Wu became extremely enthusiastic. He said that normally, students could only practice from eight to eleven in the morning and from two to five in the afternoon, but Zhang Shuai could come practice whenever he wanted. Once he arrived at the driving school, he could simply get the car keys directly from Coach Wu.

Afterward, Coach Wu added Zhang Shuai to a Subject Two practice group. Zhang Shuai noticed that there were more than a dozen people in the group, ten of them girls. These were all the students Coach Wu was currently teaching.

Coach Wu then brought Zhang Shuai to the driving school's practice grounds and began instructing him.

Beside one of the training cars, Zhang Shuai saw three girls standing near the parallel-parking area. A young man and woman were also in the car, practicing parallel parking.

To Zhang Shuai's surprise, he spotted a familiar figure. She was a young girl with choppy ear-length short hair, low-rise jeans, and a tight little tank top. Her figure was graceful, and her looks were quite outstanding.

Zhang Shuai remembered this girl deeply. She was the first girl in his life to call him handsome—the pretty girl who had taken the initiative to strike up a conversation with him when he met her in the elevator on his way to Wang Qiang's house that day.

What a coincidence. This pretty girl was learning to drive here too?