"What? A Phaeton? Over a million?"
Upon hearing this, Li Xiumei ran down again, circled the car, and inspected every corner meticulously before walking back up, thoroughly satisfied.
"You good-for-nothing, of course I know it's a Phaeton. I was just joking. Did you have to remind me?"
"This car is mine from now on!"
Li Xiumei declared haughtily, already calculating how to show it off to her sisters.
After all the paperwork was completed, Li Xiumei kissed the car keys, impatient to drive.
"Mom, don't be so eager. Haven't you figured out who gave you this car?"
Tang Mingde immediately called out to Li Xiumei.
"Who else could it be? Of course it was bought by Ye Shangwen for Shimin. It's just that Ye Shangwen didn't expect his family to go bankrupt. But this car, they won't get it back!"
Li Xiumei said triumphantly. With the Ye family bankrupt, Li Xiumei certainly wouldn't marry her daughter to Ye Shangwen, but she had no intention of returning the Phaeton either.
Lu Yang, standing by, felt his face darken. Knowing Ye Shangwen's character, he wouldn't have given Li Xiumei anything before he got Tang Shimin. This car definitely wasn't from Ye Shangwen.
However, Lu Yang didn't dwell on it. It was just a Phaeton, and with his current status, any car he casually acquired would be a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce.
Soon, Li Xiumei was on her phone, calling all her relatives and friends to brag about her Phaeton. Lu Yang, bored, accompanied Tang Shimin in playing the latest game, "Pop the Sheep."
After playing for a while, Lu Yang received a text message from Lin Guoxiong, informing him that the car was bought by Lin Guoxiong. Fearing it would be inconvenient for Lu Yang to ride his electric bike, he had bought a very low-key car and, to avoid exposing Lu Yang's identity, registered it under Tang Shimin's name.
Reading the message, Lu Yang gave a wry smile.
"Alas, Old Lin's good intentions were wasted on Li Xiumei!"
The next morning, as soon as Lu Yang got out of bed, he heard a rapid knocking.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Lu Yang quickly went to open the door.
"Lu Yang, you good-for-nothing is still here!"
Standing at the door were Li Xiumei's sister, Li Xiulan, Li Xiulan's husband, Feng Tenglong, and Li Xiulan's son, Feng Zhiyuan, all carrying large and small bags of local specialties.
Before Lu Yang could speak, Li Xiulan pushed him aside and walked in.
"Sister, brother-in-law, I've come to see you!"
Li Xiulan's family put down the gifts and then said coldly, "What are you standing around for? Go pour us some water. We've been on a bus for two hours, it's made us sick!"
Lu Yang was speechless and had no choice but to pour water for them.
As they were talking, Li Xiumei got up.
"Xiulan, Tenglong, why are you here?"
Seeing her sister's family arrive, Li Xiumei immediately put on an enthusiastic facade.
"Oh, sister, we heard you bought a Phaeton, so we've all come specifically to celebrate with you!"
"I've always said, among our Li family, you're the one who's doing the best!"
Before she had even sat down, Li Xiulan began showering her with compliments.
"Haha, where, where. It's not a great car, just over a million!"
"The main thing is our Shimin is beautiful. Those who pursue her either send cars or houses. I've been worried these past few days, wondering if I should accept the villa someone sent me!"
Upon hearing Li Xiulan's words, Li Xiumei immediately went into bragging mode.
"A villa? Oh, sister, you're truly amazing. You have a villa already. Your sister is so envious..."
Hearing their conversation, Lu Yang shook his head helplessly. Truly, a bad commander makes bad soldiers, and bad soldiers make a bad army!
"Sister, you have such good fortune. Your husband is so outstanding, and your daughter is so beautiful. You'll enjoy a life of comfort. Unlike me, my husband is useless, and my son is a disappointment, sigh..."
"Sister, these are your favorite candied chestnuts. I made them myself, picked from the old trees in our hometown. They were just made this early morning. I was thinking of you so much!"
As Li Xiulan spoke, she took out the candied chestnuts, peeled them herself, and offered them to Li Xiumei.
"Thank you, Xiulan. I didn't expect you to remember so clearly!"
Li Xiumei was actually moved by Li Xiulan's sincerity and said, "Later, I'll have your brother-in-law arrange it. I'll treat your family to a meal at the best five-star hotel in Jiangbei!"
Upon hearing about a meal at a five-star hotel, Li Xiulan's family's eyes lit up. They were accustomed to staying in small towns and had never been to a five-star hotel before. They had come with the intention of eating, drinking, and staying at Li Xiumei's place for a good while, and had prepared for a prolonged stay.
"Sister, why don't I see brother-in-law?"
Li Xiulan glanced around the room and asked softly.
"Your brother-in-law is away on a business trip these past couple of days. He's not home!"
"He's a backbone of the Tang Corporation now, quite busy!"
Li Xiumei said with a smile.
"Mmm, sister's husband is indeed capable. Tenglong, when brother-in-law returns, you must learn from him properly, ideally have him arrange a job for you or something!"
Li Xiulan immediately said to her husband.
"Wife, don't worry, I'll definitely learn diligently from brother-in-law!"
Feng Tenglong immediately stood up and declared his resolve.
Hearing their conversation, Li Xiumei immediately patted her chest and said, "It's a small matter. With your brother-in-law's capabilities, arranging a job for you is nothing, let alone for your entire family!"
"He was just promoted, and they're in need of capable people!"
"Tenglong, did you hear that? When brother-in-law returns, you must thank your sister and brother-in-law properly!"
Li Xiulan said excitedly again.
The three of them stayed at the house, two flattering, one bragging, chatting all morning. Meanwhile, Li Xiulan's son, Feng Zhiyuan, who was twenty-six that year, had been idle at home doing nothing since graduating from high school at eighteen, failing to get into college. He remained idle, playing games on his phone all morning.
As it was nearing mealtime, Li Xiumei couldn't wait to invite her sister's family to get into her Phaeton.
"Oh, this is sister's new car? It's so beautiful! I've never sat in such a high-end car before!"
Li Xiulan saw the Phaeton and couldn't resist reaching out to touch it. Their family was so poor, they didn't even have an electric scooter.
Feng Tenglong and Feng Zhiyuan simply got in, acting as if they belonged.
"Sister, there are six of us, and this car only seats five. We won't fit!"
Li Xiulan glanced at Lu Yang, who was standing to the side, and said.
"Who said six people? Does that good-for-nothing count as a person?"
"Lu Yang, you stay home!"
Li Xiumei yelled at Lu Yang coldly.