A leisurely life starting in a bar after being reborn

The next morning, Fu Yan was woken up by noises coming from the kitchen.

Liu Meilan is chopping the filling.

The sound of the cleaver hitting the cutting board was more effective than an alarm clock, piercing through two walls and pulling Fu Yan out of his dream.

He turned over and glanced at the old alarm clock on the bedside table—7:40.

Back in Beijing, he wouldn't even lift his eyelids at this hour. But this was his hometown of Bincheng, and he'd eaten too many mackerel dumplings last night; his stomach was still digesting them this morning, so he just couldn't fall asleep.

Fu Yan put on her clothes and went outside. The radiator in the living room was scalding hot, and the kitchen door was open, with cooking fumes mixed with the smell of scallions wafting out.

Liu Meilan is making pancakes.

A pot of millet porridge was simmering on the side, bubbling away.

"Mom, what are you doing all this time so early in the morning?"

"You're up? Quickly wash your face, the pancakes will be ready soon." Liu Meilan didn't even look up, her spatula flying in her hands. "Your dad went to the morning market, said he'd buy some fresh oysters. You loved oyster omelets when you were little."

Fu Yan was both amused and exasperated. He was already thirty-one, but in his mother's eyes, he was still that kid who loved eating oyster omelets.

After washing his face, Fu Jianguo was already home, carrying two large bags of oysters, his face smelling of cold wind.

"It's really cold outside." Fu Jianguo put the bag down in the kitchen, rubbed his hands, and said, "It's below minus ten degrees Celsius, and the sea is frozen solid."

"Dad, did you go out wearing a padded coat?"

"You're dressed." Fu Jianguo sat down and poured a cup of hot water. "By the way, Xiaoyan, let me tell you about the fish stall. I asked Lao Zhao, and his spot was rented out last year for 1,200 a month. My spot is better than his, it's near the intersection, I can rent it for at least 1,500."

Fu Yan almost choked on the porridge.

One thousand and five.

His father went to the market early in the morning to inquire about the market rates in order to pay the monthly rent of 1,500 yuan.

"Dad, 1500..." Fu Yan wanted to say something, but swallowed it back.

He knew he couldn't say things like, "What's 1,500?" In Fu Jianguo's world, 1,500 was a month's food expenses, more than half a year's worth of cigarettes—it was real money. You can't use the standards of a billionaire to measure an old man who's been selling fish for twenty years.

"Okay, then rent it out," Fu Yan said. "Make sure the contract is signed carefully, so you don't get ripped off."

"I've been selling fish for twenty years, how could I possibly get ripped off?" Fu Jianguo glared at him.

Fu Xiao was the last one to get up.

She drifted out of the room with her hair all messy, like a cat that hadn't woken up yet. She stood by the radiator for two minutes to come to her senses before sitting down at the dining table.

"Xiaoxiao, hurry up and eat. Aren't you going shopping after you finish?" Liu Meilan brought the pancakes over.

"Hmm..." Fu Xiao mumbled an answer, picked up a pancake, took a bite, and her eyes lit up instantly. "Mom, this pancake you made is so delicious!"

"Stop flattering me." Liu Meilan said with disdain, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

Breakfast was a lively and enjoyable affair.

After finishing his meal, Fu Jianguo went out first, saying he was going to the market to talk to the tenants. Liu Meilan also left after cleaning up the kitchen, saying she was going to visit Aunt Wang next door and ask about the New Year's goods.

After finishing her second pancake, Fu Xiao wiped her mouth, took out her phone, and started sending text messages.

"Brother, I made plans to go shopping with Xiaoshi. She doesn't know I'm back yet, so I want to surprise her!"

"Little Poem? Chen Shiwen?"

"Yes, you've already seen it, haven't you?"

Fu Yan nodded, recalling the girl who drank the most at the KTV that night—she looked quiet and gentle, but her alcohol tolerance was the best among everyone at the table. She drank beer like it was juice, and in the end, she was the only one who could walk back to her room on her own without any problems.

"Okay, go ahead, be careful."

"Okay!" Fu Xiao skipped back to her room to change her clothes.

……

Suddenly, Fu Yan was all alone at home.

He curled up on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.

I've been back in China for half a month, and all I've done is buy houses, renovate them, or deal with banks. I haven't had a moment to rest. Now that I'm back in my hometown, I don't know what to do.

I want to hang out with my old friends, but I've been in the US for seven years and I don't have anyone's contact information. Chen Jian, Liu Yuan, and my high school friends... I didn't even say a proper goodbye when I left, and now I don't even know where they are.

Never mind, I'll ask my parents when they get back.

But just sitting at home doing nothing isn't a good idea.

Fu Yan stood up and strolled into the yard. He looked at the bare grapevine, then at Fu Jianguo's Wuling Hongguang parked there. The car was rusty, the windshield was covered with a thin layer of ice, and one of the tires was flat.

This car must be six or seven years old.

Fu Yan squatted down to inspect the car's condition and shook his head. Driving this thing in Bincheng's winter is like sitting in an ice cellar; Fu Jianguo's knees are a result of years of frostbite.

He took out his phone and looked up the car market in Bincheng.

The largest auto mall in Bincheng is located in the northeast of the city center. It is called Xinghai Auto Plaza and has a full range of brands. It is about a 20-minute taxi ride from the old town.

Let's go to the car market.

We need a car during the Spring Festival for visiting relatives and friends. After returning to Yanjing after the holiday, I'll let my dad drive this car—I can't let him continue driving that Wuling.

Fu Yan hailed a taxi and gave them the address.

……

Xinghai Auto Plaza is bigger than Fu Yan imagined.

A large, continuous showroom stretched for about 500 meters from east to west, displaying a variety of brands including Volkswagen, Honda, Toyota, Buick, and Audi. Colorful flags fluttered in the cold wind at the entrance. Because it was before the Lunar New Year, there were quite a few people looking at the cars, mostly families. The young and old alike were circling around the vehicles, keeping the salespeople extremely busy.

Fu Yan got out of the taxi wrapped in a coat and stood at the door for a while.

He already owns two cars in Beijing—a Land Rover Defender and an Audi A8L. He usually drives the A8 when going out, and the Land Rover when going to the suburbs or in snowy weather. But both cars were purchased through banks; he has never even been to a showroom.

This time is different. This car is for my dad.

Fu Jianguo had driven a van for half his life, and his requirements for a car were simple—durable, fuel-efficient, and with a good heater. But Fu Yan wasn't going to settle for less; the old man had worked hard all his life, and it was time for him to ride in a nice car.

He walked around first and got a general idea of ​​what was going on.

Vans are out of the question. Although the old man is used to driving vans, once the car is changed, it can't be too low. Sedans are too low; Fu Jianguo is 1.78 meters tall, and he would feel cramped in a sedan. So, an SUV is the way to go—high ground clearance, good visibility, spacious interior, and suitable for the road conditions in Bincheng.

The Honda CRV is decent, nothing special, but nothing particularly outstanding either. The Toyota RAV4 is sturdy and durable, but Fu Yan glanced at the interior and found it outdated. The Volkswagen Tiguan isn't on the market yet; there are only pictures in the showroom. Actually, the most suitable car would be the Buick Enclave—but it's too big, and Buick dealerships don't sell it.

Finally, Fu Yan stopped in front of the Volvo XC60.

In 2008, before news of Volvo's acquisition by Geely even broke (in fact, it hadn't happened yet; that was in 2010), the XC60 was already selling like hotcakes in Europe and had only recently been introduced to China. This car is good-looking, understated, and most importantly—safe.

Safety is the top priority when driving for my parents.

"Sir, are you looking at the XC60?" A young man in a black suit approached, wearing a name tag on his chest—"Zhang Lei, Sales Consultant for Xinghai Volvo".

"Hmm, do you have this car in stock?"

"Yes! We have white and black cars in stock, but gray will take about two weeks." Zhang Lei was clearly more alert. In this cold weather, not many people come to look at Volvos, let alone ask about cars in stock right away.

"How much?"

"The 2.4L Smart Edition has a list price of 518,000 yuan, but the store is currently offering a discount, so it can be purchased for 476,000 yuan."

"The 2.4 is sufficient." Fu Yan circled the car, looking it over. "You have a white one in stock, right?"

"Yes, it's a white car, parked right in the backyard."

"Okay, white it is. Full payment."

Zhang Lei paused for a second.

He had been selling cars for two years, and this was the first time he had ever met a customer who didn't even ask for a test drive and just came in to pay in full and take delivery of the car.

"Sir...why don't you want to take another look? Or perhaps take a test drive?"

"No need. My dad will drive this car; he doesn't need a test drive. I only have one request—can we pick it up today?"

Zhang Lei swallowed hard: "If it's a full payment... the insurance and temporary license plate procedures won't be completed until tomorrow morning at the earliest."

"Then let's do it tomorrow morning. Let's sign the contract now."

"Alright, alright! This way, please!"

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