Not long afterward, Jing Fengqin had prepared a whole table of dishes. Wang Qiang brought out a bottle of baijiu and poured each of them a glass. Jing Fengqin had taken Lele away and brought out a child's booster seat for her. She put Lele in it, then filled a small bowl with rice and mixed in a little pork rib soup.
Lele actually ate with her own spoon like a little grown-up. She ate slowly and occasionally spilled quite a bit, but she was feeding herself at just two years old. That had to mean she was an exceptionally clever child, right?
As Zhang Shuai watched the adorable Lele, the thought of having a child crossed his mind for the first time. He wondered whether Lin Xiuwen would be willing. She was still a university student, after all, with two years left before graduation. She probably wasn't thinking of having a child so soon.
After downing a glass of baijiu, Wang Qiang gradually grew more talkative.
"Zhang Shuai, you've been resting for over a month and got your driver's license too. When are you planning to start working?"
Zhang Shuai didn't hide it. "Brother Qiang, I'm not planning to go back to work."
Wang Qiang frowned. "If you don't work, what are you going to eat and drink? How will you save up to buy a house and a car and get married?"
"Don't worry, I won't starve. I'm planning to sit in on classes at a university and learn a few things."
Wang Qiang knew Zhang Shuai had always regretted not going to school, but he still found it hard to believe that Zhang Shuai wanted to sit in on university classes. They were already twenty-five. At that age, they should have been out in the working world for years. Was there really any point in going back to school to learn? Besides, even graduates from regular universities had a hard time finding jobs these days. What good would it do to learn a few things as an auditing student?
"You won't be able to get a diploma as an auditing student, will you? So what's the point of going to university?"
"I don't want a diploma. I just want to learn about things I'm interested in."
"Then if you don't work, where will your money come from? Everything costs money these days."
Instead of answering directly, Zhang Shuai took a car key out of his pocket and placed it on the dining table.
Seeing the brand-new car key, Wang Qiang and Jing Fengqin exchanged a look. An unbelievable thought occurred to them, and both wore expressions of disbelief.
"Zhang Shuai, this car key... You're not about to tell me you bought a car, are you?"
"Yeah, I did. An electric Biguan Di. It cost 140,000 yuan, paid in full."
Wang Qiang found it hard to believe. As Zhang Shuai's childhood friend, he knew all about his family's situation. Zhang Shuai had spent the past few years living in his rural hometown because of his depression. After Zhang Shuai's grandfather passed away, he had no family left there. Then, after being upset by Ye Manqiu, Zhang Shuai had come to Qingshui City to stay with him.
Wang Qiang had lent Zhang Shuai 10,000 yuan to help him get an electrician's certificate and had brought him into the trade so he could earn some money. But it had only been a few months. Where had Zhang Shuai gotten enough money to buy a car?
Even Wang Qiang himself, though people back in his hometown thought he was doing well because he'd bought a house in the city, wasn't actually well-off. He earned around ten thousand yuan a month as an electrician. His wife had stayed home to look after their child for the past two years and wasn't working. With their large household expenses and mortgage payments, his monthly income was just enough to cover everything. He had barely any savings.
Wang Qiang had gotten his driver's license long ago, but he still couldn't afford a car. When he bought his house, both sets of parents had chipped in for the down payment as a wedding gift.
So at that moment, Wang Qiang could hardly believe Zhang Shuai had bought a car.
After staring blankly for quite a while, Wang Qiang finally asked in confusion, "Where did you get the money to buy a car?"
"Of course I earned it."
"What kind of work could earn you that much in just a month or two?"
"Heh, don't worry, Brother Qiang. I earned it through legitimate means."
Wang Qiang fell silent. Jing Fengqin said with a grin, "Zhang Shuai has changed so much these past two months. It's like he's become a different person. Not only did he lose weight and turn into a real handsome guy, he's learned how to make money and even bought a car. You're really impressive. With your abilities, finding a wife should be a piece of cake! My brother-in-law has a cousin who's twenty-five this year and quite pretty. She's a university graduate, too. Want me to introduce you?"
Zhang Shuai quickly waved his hands. "Sister-in-law, I have a girlfriend! You don't need to set me up with anyone."
"When did you get a girlfriend? Bring her over sometime so Qiang and I can meet her."
"I met her at driving school. She's a university student, about to start her junior year. Once the semester starts, I'll go sit in on classes at her university with her."
"Oh, you found yourself a university student? Which university?"
"Hanjiang University."
Wang Qiang was surprised. "Huh? That's a key 985 university. How did you manage to win over a student from a 985 university? You've got some skills."
"Heh, would you believe me if I said she was the one who pursued me?"
Wang Qiang felt a little jealous and said sourly, "You lucky guy. Now that you've lost weight and gotten handsome, even university students are pursuing you. What does she look like? Do you have a photo?"
Zhang Shuai picked up his phone and opened Lin Xiuwen's WeChat Moments. He found one of her videos and handed it to Wang Qiang with a grin. "Here, Brother Qiang. What do you think of my girlfriend?"
Wang Qiang took Zhang Shuai's phone and watched the video. It had been filmed beside the swimming pool of a luxurious mansion. In the video, a young woman in a pink skirt sat by the pool, gently kicking her legs. She had a fantastic figure and an exceptionally pretty, pure-looking face. The youthful energy practically leapt out of the screen.
Anyone would have considered the girl in the video beautiful. And her family seemed quite wealthy, too; they lived in a mansion with an indoor swimming pool.
"What do you think? Pretty, right?"
Wang Qiang said irritably, "Zhang Shuai, did you come here to eat today, or to show off?"
Zhang Shuai grinned. "I didn't come specifically to show off. I just came to say goodbye. I'm going to Hanjiang University tomorrow."
At that moment, Jing Fengqin curiously took Zhang Shuai's phone from Wang Qiang and watched the video too.
"Zhang Shuai, this girl's family seems really well-off. Is that the villa district over at Luyuan Mansion?"
"That's right. It's Luyuan Mansion."
"Only rich people live over there. What's your girlfriend's name?"
"Her name is Lin Xiuwen."
"Lin Xiuwen? Her last name is Lin. Could she be Lin Yuemin's daughter? I heard his daughter studies at Hanjiang University."
Zhang Shuai didn't know who Lin Xiuwen's parents were, so he asked curiously, "Who's Lin Yuemin?"
"Lin Yuemin is the boss of Fumin Technology Group. Everyone in Qingshui knows about the Qingshui Lin Family. They're the most famous prominent family in Qingshui City. The three Lin brothers are involved in politics, business, and the military, respectively. Lin Yuemin is the second brother, the one in business. I think he lives over at Luyuan Mansion."
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