A leisurely life starting in a bar after being reborn

In August, Beijing is so hot it feels like you're being steamed alive.

Houhai Lake is packed with people every day, even more lively than during the Spring Festival. Everywhere you look, there are tour guides waving small flags, tourists with cameras, and volunteers in matching uniforms. The subway is overflowing with people watching the games, everyone's face beaming with excitement and anticipation.

Fu Yan decided to lighten the burden on the city by staying home during the day.

"Going out is torture," he told Fu Xiao. "You stay home with Mom and Dad, and I'll take care of the logistics."

"What logistics?"

"I'll go buy the groceries for you! I'll go buy the groceries, and then Mom can cook."

Because Sister Zhou has some family matters to attend to, she will be leaving for a few days. Now, the head chef has been replaced by Mama Fu.

Fu Xiao looked at him suspiciously: "You know how to buy groceries? Do you even know what to buy?"

"I have a mouth, can't I ask questions?"

"Come on!" Fu Xiao pouted. "I bet you're going to order Xiao Chen around again. She's just your assistant, not your nanny."

"Hehe, no need, I'll handle everything myself this time. By the way, what are you in charge of? Just eating?"

"Hehe, I'll take care of being beautiful."

"roll!"

……

With free time during the day, the family gathers in the yard to enjoy the time.

Fu Yan also has time to interact with his pets, playing with Mo Dou in the yard every morning.

The ink dot has adapted to its new home, spending its days jumping and running around the yard, chasing butterflies, squatting under the grape trellis to catch dragonflies, and occasionally squatting next to the myna's cage to watch the myna perform.

The myna bird's language skills have improved rapidly recently.

After a few days of "training" by Fu Yan, it has learned two new words—"handsome brother" and "pretty sister".

"Handsome brother!" the myna bird called out when it saw Fu Yan.

"Hmm, not bad."

"Handsome guy!"

"Okay, sure."

"Handsome guy!"

"Okay, stop shouting."

"Handsome guy!"

Fu Yan was speechless. Is this bird only capable of saying this one thing?

"Pretty sister!" the myna bird changed its words.

Chen Shiwen, who was watering the grapevines, turned around and paused, startled: "It...is calling me?"

"Yes," Fu Yan said, "it thinks you're pretty."

Chen Shiwen blushed and lowered her head to continue watering the plants.

The myna bird shook its feathers smugly: "Pretty sister!"

-

But the myna's most impressive skill is not talking, but imitation.

One afternoon, Fu Yan was sleeping on a deck chair in the yard when he suddenly heard a familiar voice—

"Rat-a-tat-tat-tat..."

That's the sound of a car engine. Not the sound of a normal car engine, but the sound of an old, dilapidated engine, like a tractor.

Fu Yan opened his eyes and looked around.

The myna's cage hangs under the grape trellis. It is perched on its perch, tilting its head and looking quite pleased with itself.

And that sound—came from its mouth.

"Rat-a-tat-tat-tat..."

Then, another sentence appeared—

"Pah, this piece of junk!"

Fu Yan was stunned.

Isn't this the scene of Old He next door starting his Xiali car?

Old He—the actor He Gang, who played Heshen—had an old, red Xiali car that drove like a tractor. Every morning at eight o'clock sharp, he'd start it, the "putt-putt-putt-putt" sound echoing throughout the entire alley. Every time Old He finished starting the car, he'd curse, "Pah, this piece of junk!"

The myna bird learned all of this.

Fu Yan walked up to the myna, squatted down, and looked into its eyes.

"Where did you learn that?"

"Rat-a-tat-tat-tat..."

"I'm asking you a question."

"Pah, this piece of junk!"

Fu Yan was speechless.

He spent three days training the myna to say "handsome brother" and "pretty sister," but the bird didn't learn many proper words. Instead, it perfectly picked up the neighbor's catchphrases and the sound of a car engine.

"You're such a wicked bird that knows how to take crooked paths," Fu Yan said, pointing at the myna.

The myna tilted its head, then shouted loudly, "Pfft pfft pfft pfft!"

He Gang happened to peek out from next door: "Whose car is making that noise again?"

"Yours."

"My car? Isn't it parked right here?" After saying that, she seemed to remember something, "Is it your bird mimicking your speech?"

"Yes, I just learned it today."

He Gang paused for a moment, then laughed and cursed, "Tell me about this damn bird!"

"Pah, this piece of junk!" the myna bird chimed in.

He Gang laughed so hard he almost fell over: "Hey! This bird's come to life!"

-

On August 8th, the Olympic Games officially opened.

Fu Yan's family sat in the living room watching the live broadcast on TV. When the Olympic rings were raised, Liu Meilan's eyes welled up with tears.

"That's wonderful!" she said, wiping away her tears. "Our country can host the Olympics now."

"Mom, this is just the beginning," Fu Xiao said from the side. "There are still more matches to come."

"I know, I know."

Over the next few days, Fu Yan took his parents, Fu Xiao, and Chen Shiwen to watch the games in turn.

Diving – I went to the Water Cube, a building that looked like a crystal palace of azure blue. Liu Meilan stood at the entrance and took more than twenty photos.

For table tennis, we went to the Yenching University gymnasium. Liu Meilan didn't recognize Ma Lin and Wang Hao, so Fu Yan spent a long time explaining it to her. In the end, she said, "They both look like handsome young men, I can't tell them apart."

Basketball – We went to the Wukesong Basketball Arena.

This is the real highlight of watching the Olympics.

……

"Da Yao"—that is, Yao Ming—is an old friend of Fu Yan.

To be honest, this relationship has a rather complicated history.

Back in 2005, Fu Yan had already amassed some wealth in the United States and had considered acquiring an NBA team. At that time, he had just made money shorting oil and precious metal futures markets and had plenty of cash on hand, looking everywhere to buy something to prove his capabilities. NBA teams were a good choice, especially the Houston Rockets—the team had Yao Ming at the time, and he quite enjoyed watching the Rockets play.

After going through many people, he finally contacted the Rockets' owner, Alexander, and offered $300 million to buy the team.

But the miser Alexander didn't respond. Subsequent attempts to contact him only yielded negative answers.

"Not for sale."

"Five hundred million."

"Not for sale."

"Six hundred million."

"No sale means no sale."

Even with a 100% premium, he still wouldn't sell. Only then did Fu Yan realize that the old man, Alexander, was genuinely reluctant to sell the team. Of course, it wasn't that the old man truly loved basketball or the team; rather, the team was a goldmine. It would bring him tens of millions of dollars in revenue every year, and being the team owner was also a stepping stone for him to enter certain circles. Of course, he wouldn't sell.

Later, he settled for second best and arranged to have a meal with Yao Ming through Alexander.

At that time, Yao Ming had just reached All-Star level in the NBA and was in the rapid rise of his career. The two chatted for about half an hour, had a good time, and exchanged contact information.

"If you ever need any help when you return to China, just let me know," Yao Ming said at the time.

Fu Yan didn't take it seriously at the time, but he didn't expect it to actually come in handy now.

……