Chapter 81: Buying a Car

Sweat trickled down as I had hoped to finish Chapter Three with a flourish. Yet, it was past midnight before I completed it—thankfully, the internet hadn't cut out, so I hurriedly uploaded it.

When Zhang Wei and Li Huilan returned home, Zhang Jianguo and Zhang Song immediately gathered around, full of concern, inquiring about Zhang Wei's blind date. Though Li Huilan was reluctant to revisit the topic, she could hardly avoid it—one was her husband, the other her son.

Moreover, Li Huilan feared that if she withheld the details, their curiosity would only grow. If they questioned Zhang Wei directly, it would surely make him even more embarrassed. So, she gave them a simple account of what had happened.

“Hmph, what’s so special about Tan Jingya? Just because she’s pretty, educated, and has some money, she dares to look down on my brother?” Zhang Song fumed, speaking up indignantly.

“Enough already! Are you sticking up for me, or are you just finding new ways to praise Tan Jingya? Isn’t finding a girlfriend all about those three things anyway?” Zhang Wei found Zhang Song’s words increasingly off-putting, glaring at him as he spoke.

“Brother, you’re too shallow. A woman’s outward qualities are secondary; what matters most is inner beauty,” Zhang Song pouted, his expression full of self-importance.

“Inner beauty?” Zhang Wei looked at his brother as though he were an idiot. “That’s nothing but a loser’s self-consolation. Since he lacks the means to marry a beautiful wife, when it comes time to show her off, he can only brag about those intangible inner qualities.”

“Dawei, don’t rush into finding a wife. When the time is right, fate will bring her to you…” Zhang Song had barely closed his mouth, looking a bit sheepish, when Zhang Jianguo began his long-winded advice.

“Dad, let me interrupt you here. The blind date didn’t affect me at all; you don’t need to make such a big deal out of it. I, in fact, have something else to announce,” Zhang Wei cut off his father’s monologue, making a ‘pause’ gesture with both hands.

He knew that if he didn’t change the subject, his father would surely nag him for ages. Hurriedly, he said, “I want to buy a car.”

“Buy a car! What kind of car?” Upon hearing this, Zhang Wei’s father’s eyes sparkled, and he asked excitedly.

In his younger years, Zhang Wei’s father had driven cement mixers. The two things he cared about most were building houses and driving cars. A lifetime behind the wheel of a mixer, he had always dreamed of owning a sedan, though financial constraints had kept that dream out of reach.

“Fantastic! We’ve got a new house, and now all we need is a car,” Zhang Song jumped up, more excited than Zhang Wei himself.

“Dad, what kind of car do you like?” Whether out of respect or for his father’s driving experience, Zhang Wei naturally sought his opinion.

“I think a Santana would be great—solid build, German engineering, strong horsepower, heavy body, stable ride…” Upon hearing the word ‘car,’ Zhang Wei’s father was instantly energized, extolling the virtues of the Santana.

“Dad, I disagree. The Santana’s fuel consumption is too high. I think the Xiali is better—cheaper, more attractive…” Zhang Song waved his hand, interrupting Zhang Jianguo.

“Who drives more, you or me? The Xiali’s engine is too weak, struggles on hills, won’t start in winter, low chassis—can you even call that a car?” Zhang Jianguo slapped the table as he spoke.

“Your cement mixer’s got plenty of horsepower; maybe my brother should just buy you a new one!” Zhang Song made a face.

“Hey, you brat! What’s wrong with a cement mixer? I’d say it’s better than your Xiali,” Zhang Jianguo retorted. Having driven mixers his whole life, he was used to powerful vehicles and couldn’t get comfortable with mini sedans like the Xiali.

“All right, enough! You two always get carried away when talking about cars—if you’re so interested, why don’t you earn the money and buy one yourselves?” Li Huilan, seeing father and son’s faces flushed with argument, couldn’t help but scold them. She truly didn’t understand what made cars so alluring; mention them, and men seemed to go mad.

“Dad, I won’t argue with you anymore. You can’t win against me, and you’ll just end up getting physical. Better ask my brother what kind of car he wants to buy,” Zhang Song suggested.

“Yes, Dawei, do you want a Santana or a Xiali?” Zhang Jianguo rubbed his hands together, looking at Zhang Wei with eager anticipation.

Seeing his father and brother’s antics, Zhang Wei could only laugh and cry. After years living in the capital, his horizons had widened; Santana and Xiali were nearly outdated, and he had no real interest in buying either. He wondered why they were so worked up.

“Dad, I haven’t decided yet. I plan to visit the dealership tomorrow and see what’s available,” Zhang Wei replied, feeling it was unnecessary to consult them further.

“Fine, I’ll go with you tomorrow, act as your advisor—so you won’t be indecisive,” said his father.

“Brother, I’ll go too, so Dad doesn’t mislead you,” Zhang Song added, refusing to back down.

“All right, why do you both need to go? Tomorrow, Yang Guang can go with Zhang Wei. He sells cars, after all—much more helpful than you two!” Li Huilan scolded.

“That chubby Yang is good at talking, but his driving experience is nowhere near mine,” Zhang Jianguo shook his head dismissively.

“Forget it! No matter how much experience you have, you’ve only ever driven one kind of vehicle—a cement mixer,” Li Huilan snorted, mocking him.

“A car is a car—drive one, and you can drive them all,” Zhang Jianguo insisted stubbornly.

“In that case, you shouldn’t care what kind of car Zhang Wei buys—they’re all the same, right?” Li Huilan shot back, using his own words against him.

“Enough, it’s not a big deal—just buying a car. When I have the money, I’ll get one for each of you,” Zhang Wei said with a cheerful grin, smoothing things over.

The reason Zhang Wei had brought up buying a car was to shift everyone’s attention away from his blind date. It seemed to have worked perfectly.

“Ring ring ring…”

Just as Zhang Wei finished speaking, his phone rang. He glanced at it—store manager Xu Ming was calling. He hurried out to the balcony to answer.

“Hello, Brother Xu,” Zhang Wei pressed the answer button, greeting Xu Ming, though a hint of suspicion crept into his heart. He’d only been home for three days; ordinarily, Xu Ming wouldn’t be so eager to call.

“Haha, it’s me,” Xu Ming laughed heartily, asking with concern, “How are things at home? If you need anything, just let me know.”

“Thank you, Brother Xu. Everything at home is almost settled. In two or three days, I should be back at the store,” Zhang Wei replied.

“That’s good. Take care of your family so you can work better,” Xu Ming said.

“Brother Xu, how’s the store? Have there been any sales these past few days?” Zhang Wei probed.

Xu Ming’s call made Zhang Wei feel something was amiss—perhaps something had happened at the store. So, he steered the conversation there, hoping to glean some information.

“No sales yet, but our store has a new team, and it’s livelier than before. You’ll see when you return!” Xu Ming said, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

“A new team?” Zhang Wei muttered, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He now understood why Xu Ming had called.