Going home for the Chinese New Year with a year-end bonus of 100 million

At 8:30 a.m., the car entered the highway.

Just as Yang Fan had predicted, although it wasn't the worst time of the year yet, there were already noticeably more cars on the road.

Vehicles with various license plates were crammed into the lanes, including SUVs loaded with luggage, cars covered with Spring Festival couplets, and pickup trucks towing motorcycles on their way home for the New Year.

"Wow, there are so many cars." Yang Ya leaned against the car window, looking at the traffic outside. "Everyone's going home for the New Year."

"Yes." Yang Fan gripped the steering wheel. "After a year of hard work, we've been waiting for these few days."

Lin Xiaoyu also said softly, "My parents called yesterday and said that some families in the village have already started putting up Spring Festival couplets."

The atmosphere inside the car became relaxed.

Yang Fan put on some light music, and the three young people chatted, their conversation shifting from fun things at school to changes in their hometown.

"Brother, what do you think our old house will look like after the renovation?" Yang Ya asked. "Mom's explanation on the phone was vague."

"We'll see when we get back," Yang Fan said with a smile. "Anyway, it'll definitely be better than before."

"Of course!" Yang Ya's eyes curved into crescents. "Once our new appliances arrive, the house will look even better!"

After chatting for more than an hour, the two girls in the car gradually quieted down.

Yang Fan glanced in the rearview mirror—Lin Xiaoyu was leaning against the car window, her eyes closed, her eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath them. Yang Ya was also reclining in the passenger seat, breathing evenly.

They're all asleep.

Yang Fan smiled and turned the music down a bit.

The car drove smoothly on the highway. The scenery outside the window gradually changed from city skyscrapers to suburban farmland, and then to rolling hills. The winter fields were bare, with the occasional plastic greenhouse reflecting the sunlight.

After driving for more than two hours, Yang Fan also felt a little tired.

He glanced at the navigation; the next service area was 15 kilometers away.

"Perfect timing to take a break," he thought.

As the car entered the service area, a slight bump woke the two girls up.

"Hmm...are we here?" Yang Ya rubbed her eyes and sat up straight.

"Let's stop at the service area and stretch our legs." Yang Fan parked the car. "Do you need to use the restroom? Want to buy some water?"

"Yes!" the two girls exclaimed in unison.

The three of them got out of the car, and the cold wind instantly sobered them up.

The service area was bustling with people.

Some were rushing along with their suitcases, some were playing with their children on the lawn, and some were squatting in a corner eating instant noodles.

Yang Fan said, "Go to the restroom, and we'll meet here in a bit."

"it is good."

Yang Fan went to the restroom, lit a cigarette when he came out, and took a couple of puffs while standing by the car.

This book was first published on 2020s.com, providing you with a reading experience free of errors and disordered chapters.

The winter sun shone through the sparse clouds, warming me comfortably.

Looking at the diverse crowd in the service area, he was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion.

These people, like him, came from all directions to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Some drive luxury cars, some take buses, and some even ride motorcycles—but their destination is the same: home.

Just then, a familiar voice came from behind:

"Xiao Fan?"

Yang Fan turned his head and saw his cousin Yang Lei walking towards him from the direction of the restroom, holding his car keys in his hand.

"Brother Lei." Yang Fan nodded, his tone indifferent.

Yang Lei walked closer, looked him up and down, and smiled:

"What a coincidence, we bumped into each other here. What's up, did you take a bus back?"

"How much is the fare?"

"I heard that a ride-hailing car from the provincial capital back to our county costs more than 200 yuan."

"With the year-end approaching, the price has increased to three hundred, and it only delivers to the county seat, not to the towns. Once you get to the county seat, you'll have to take a bus back."

He paused, as if suddenly remembering something: "When I said I'd charge you three hundred, it really wasn't expensive. Right?"

Yang Fan didn't respond.

He couldn't be bothered to care about such things.

Whether it's three hundred or two hundred, he doesn't care about the money at all. What he cares about is attitude—and he already knows Yang Lei's attitude clearly from his sister.

Seeing that Yang Fan remained silent, Yang Lei asked again:

"Hey, didn't you say Xiaoya came back with you? I don't see her here."

"I went to the restroom," Yang Fan said briefly.

"Oh, okay, I'll wait for you a bit, I'll be going right away." Yang Lei said, then suddenly pointed to a black sedan parked not far away:

"See that car? My Cadillac CT5. Black, isn't it cool?"

A smug look appeared on his face:

"Let me tell you, any man with a bit of taste will choose this."

"To be honest, I could have gotten a BMW 3 Series for the same price, but why did I choose a Cadillac? My taste is something most people can't understand."

Yang Fan glanced in the direction he was pointing.

That CT5 was indeed quite new, and it was sparkling clean after a wash.

He had done his research before buying the car and found that there was actually a price difference of tens of thousands between the Cadillac CT5 and the BMW 3 Series.

Yang Lei's words were somewhat self-aggrandizing.

But he didn't expose it, simply saying, "Hmm, looks good."

At this moment, Yang Ya and Lin Xiaoyu returned.

"Brother, we bought a few bottles of water..." Yang Ya's smile faded slightly when she saw Yang Lei. "Brother Lei."

She did call out, but anyone could hear the reluctance in her tone.

Yang Lei then noticed that there was another girl next to Yang Ya:

"Hey, Xiaoya. This is...aren't you two siblings together? Why are there three of you?"

"This is my friend, Lin Xiaoyu," Yang Fan introduced. "She'll come back with us."

"Oops!" Yang Lei slapped his thigh.

"If I'd known there were three of you, I wouldn't have invited anyone else!"

"The three of you fit perfectly in my car, and I can even take you all to town."

"For the same price, you don't even need to transfer in the county town."

"Besides, this car of mine is definitely much more comfortable than the ride-hailing cars you guys ride in!"

He said this with a condescending expression on his face.

Before Yang Fan could speak, Yang Ya couldn't help but say, "Brother Lei, we didn't take a ride-hailing service."

Yang Lei was taken aback: "You didn't sit? Then why are you...?"

"My brother drives," Yang Ya said, her tone tinged with pride.

Yang Lei's expression froze.

He paused for a long while before speaking:

"Xiao Fan, you... bought a car?" His voice was filled with disbelief.

Yang Fan nodded: "Yeah, I was thinking it would be more convenient to have a car."

Upon receiving a definite answer, Yang Lei's expression changed repeatedly.

First came surprise, then disbelief, and finally a somewhat distorted smile.

"Well...you're doing well, kid. You've even bought a car." He chuckled twice, then changed the subject:

"But Xiao Fan, I have to say something to you. Young man, there's no need to be so vain. You've just started working, your salary isn't high, and the pressure is considerable, so why put yourself through that?"

"You can't even support yourself, so why would you want to support a car? That's really unwise."

He adopted a "for your own good" stance:

"Young man, you should save some money. I'm not trying to criticize you, but you were definitely being a bit impulsive."

These words sound like expressions of concern, but anyone could smell the underlying sourness in them.

Yang Fan sneered inwardly.

He knew Yang Lei too well—he couldn't stand seeing others doing well when he was doing well himself.

He especially couldn't stand seeing those he used to look down on suddenly living better lives than him.

"Brother Lei is right," Yang Fan said calmly. "Well, we'll be going now, the journey is still long."

After he finished speaking, without waiting for Yang Lei's reaction, he opened the car door and said, "Xiaoya, Xiaoyu, get in the car."

Yang Ya couldn't wait any longer and quickly pulled Lin Xiaoyu into the car.

Yang Lei stood there, watching Yang Fan get into the driver's seat and start the car. The Mercedes E300 smoothly reversed out of the parking space and slowly drove past him.

The emblem on the front of the car gleamed in the winter sun.

Brand new car. Temporary license plate. Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Yang Lei's expression completely crumbled.

He was already a little uncomfortable when Yang Fan bought a car, but who would have thought that Yang Fan would buy an e300... This is worse than killing him.

How is that possible?

How could that be?

He always felt that driving a Cadillac CT5 made him a respectable figure in the village.

But compared to Yang Fan's E300...

Yang Lei became increasingly indignant, took out his car keys, and walked towards his CT5:

"Who knows what shady things he's doing outside, making dirty money. Can someone like that last?"

He opened the car door, got in, and slammed the door shut.

But the knot in my heart just wouldn't be untied.

Looking at his Cadillac, which he had once been so proud of, he suddenly felt... it didn't seem so appealing anymore.

Meanwhile, inside the Mercedes-Benz.

Looking at the service area receding into the distance in the rearview mirror, Yang Ya finally couldn't help but burst out laughing:

"Bro, did you see Lei's expression? Haha, that was so satisfying!"

Lin Xiaoyu asked uneasily in a low voice, "Xiaoya, is that your cousin? Are you... not on good terms?"

"It's not that it's bad, it's just..." Yang Ya pouted.

"Some people are materialistic and disdainful of the poor."

"When we were poor, he wouldn't even look at us. Now that we're doing well, he's making sarcastic remarks."

Yang Fan gripped the steering wheel, looking straight ahead, and said calmly, "Alright, that's enough. We're all relatives, just keep things polite."

"I know," Yang Ya leaned back in her chair. "I just can't stand his attitude. He acts like he's the only one who's doing well in the whole world."

The car fell silent.

Yang Fan looked at the highway stretching ahead, but his mind was on other things.

Yang Lei's reaction was exactly what he had expected.

That's how society is—when you're poor, even your relatives might look down on you.

When you become rich, some people will be envious of you and slander you.

But none of that matters.

Most importantly, he finally had the ability to provide a good life for his parents and to free his sister from financial worries.

This is enough.