Speaking of Qian Zhaoshan, he said with heartache, "That brat, he knew I would break his legs when he got home, so he ran away after hitting someone. I heard the other party called the police, and now the Public Security Bureau is looking for your brother."
Zhao Ling slapped her forehead: "That Zhao Mingming, he never lets the family have a moment's peace. Don't let me see him, or he'll be sorry."
Guo Huiqin pointed at Zhao Qiang with her daughter's finger, indicating that she was still confused about Zhao Qiang's identity. Zhao Ling stood in the stairwell and said in a very serious tone, "Dad, Mom, let me introduce you again. This is my boyfriend, Zhao Qiang. We opened a repair shop in Yihai, and it's making a lot of money now."
Zhao Shan suddenly remembered something, and his expression turned grim: "Is it really the repair department? What do they repair?" It seemed that Zhao Shan had heard the rumors outside, otherwise he wouldn't have asked such a question.
Volume 2 [466] Entertaining Guests
【466】Hosting Guests
Zhao Ling said, "We used to mainly repair home appliances, but now we repair cars, software, and everything else. Even steel mills in the provincial capital come to us for help and give us gifts. I'll show you the car the steel mill gave us in a bit; it's worth over a million."
Zhao Qiang also bowed solemnly to the two elders and said, "Uncle, Aunt, don't worry, I will protect Zhao Ling from now on."
Guo Huiqin was very happy and took Zhao Qiang's hand, saying, "Good, it's good that you have this intention. Now that Lingling has a boyfriend, we can rest assured. Don't let her be like her irresponsible younger brother, who always causes trouble for the family."
Zhao Ling said, "Mom, let's not just blame my brother. It's not certain who's right and who's wrong. I think we should find my brother first, and then decide what to do next."
Zhao Shan said, "How can we find him? He doesn't have a cell phone. We've already gone to all the places he frequents, and I heard the family that was beaten went there. If we find your brother, wouldn't they have already brought him back and given him a good beating?"
Zhao Ling was also at a loss. After going downstairs and arriving at the BMW X5, Zhao Shan and Guo Huiqin were even more surprised: "Someone really delivered a car?"
Zhao Ling opened the back door for her parents: "Dad, Mom, get in the car, let's go home."
The two elderly people carefully stomped the mud off their shoes and patted the dust off their clothes before cautiously getting into the car. Zhao Qiang took the initiative to sit in the passenger seat, and Zhao Ling put on her seatbelt with an air of importance. Then she started the engine, not forgetting to give Zhao Qiang a subtle wink, as if to say, "If I can't do it, you have to give me some guidance."
Zhao Qiang smiled, implying, "Go ahead and drive, I'm here." Zhao Ling pressed the clutch and started to move, but perhaps because she was too nervous, the car wobbled and stalled. Zhao Ling blushed, immediately restarted the engine, and tried to start again, but this time it wobbled even more and stalled again.
Zhao Shan said worriedly from behind, "Lingling, do you know how to drive? Please don't break the car."
Zhao Ling was about to unbuckle her seatbelt when she said to Zhao Qiang, "Why don't you do it? My skills aren't up to par."
Zhao Qiang grabbed Zhao Ling's hand as she unbuckled her seatbelt: "It's alright, you're just too nervous. After starting the car, don't rush to start it. Let the engine run smoothly first. When you start, don't release the clutch too quickly. Come on, try again. You used to drive so well, why are you nervous in front of your uncle and aunt?"
Zhao Ling stuck out her tongue, hooked her finger in Zhao Qiang's palm, and then, following Zhao Qiang's instructions, finally got off the ground successfully. The car entered the middle of the road and began to move forward normally.
In the back seat, Zhao Shan whispered to Guo Huiqin, "This guy is very patient and treats Lingling very well."
Guo Huiqin nodded: "He's a good kid, not like the kind of spoiled rich kids." The two elders had approved of Zhao Qiang.
Actually, as long as you drive slowly and relax, there shouldn't be any problems. Plus, there were no traffic police out at night to scare people, so the journey back to the machinery factory area went smoothly. On the way, Zhao Qiang had already spoken to Chen Xinxin on the phone. They had found a hotel, but they had already arrived downstairs at the machinery factory area. On the first day, they had to visit Zhao Ling's parents.
Upon seeing another BMW, Zhao Shan and his wife were even more surprised. This showed that their son-in-law was very wealthy. No wonder he said he would pay the medical expenses at the hospital and was even willing to compensate for lost wages and emotional distress. What good luck their daughter had to have to hook up with a rich man?
Seeing the large bags being carried home, Zhao Shan and Guo Huiqin felt uneasy: "Why did you buy so much stuff? We already have everything at home. We prepared all the New Year's goods long ago, just waiting for everyone to come and have a good get-together. How can we feel at ease with you bringing so much stuff?"
Chen Shuxian held Guo Huiqin's hand and said, "Big sister, please don't worry about it. We feel bad for causing you so much trouble."
Guo Huiqin wiped away her tears and said, "If it weren't for Mingming's situation, we would have been reunited this year. Sigh..."
People were coming and going in the hallway. The security door across the hall opened again, and Aunt Huang saw Guo Huiqin and asked, "Sister-in-law Guo, how did things go at the hospital? I told Lingling to go to the hospital to find you when she got home."
Guo Huiqin said, "Thank you so much, sister. The hospital is keeping pressing us for 100,000 yuan in medical expenses, not including other costs."
Aunt Huang said, "Why are there so many? What about Mingming? Is he alright?"
Guo Huiqin said, "They ran away and their whereabouts are unknown. Who knows what happened to them?"
Aunt Huang sighed, "Oh dear, this is really..."
Guo Huiqin said, "Never mind, are we all supposed to die for him? Sister, call Li later, we'll have dinner at my house tonight. Lingling and her friends are going home for the New Year, we can't let the first meal of the year go cold."
Aunt Huang and Zhao Ling's family must be quite familiar with each other, so she didn't stand on ceremony: "Okay, I'll cook for you."
Zhao Ling carried the last bag upstairs. When she heard her mother say that she wanted to eat at home, it was already almost eight o'clock. If she cooked for herself, what time would it be before she could eat? She immediately stopped her mother from going into the kitchen: "Mom, let's go downstairs to eat. You and Dad have suffered so much in the hospital. How can I feel at ease if you have to cook for us?"
Guo Huiqin objected, saying, "Going to restaurants is expensive and unhygienic; let's eat at home."
Zhao Qiang said, "Let's choose a clean and affordable place. It's getting late, and you and Uncle must be tired. We'll have plenty of time to eat at home in the future, so this one meal won't make a difference. What do you think?"
Zhao Shan made a decision: "It's getting late, let's go out to eat, but I have to pay for this meal, otherwise I won't feel at ease as the host."
Zhao Qiang didn't say anything, and Zhao Ling naturally wouldn't want her father to lose face, so Aunt Huang went home and called her boyfriend, a very quiet man whom Zhao Ling called Uncle Li, who was only in his early forties. Zhao Ling had secretly told Zhao Qiang about the family across the street; the couple had been married for many years but had never had a child, but they had a very good relationship and got along extremely well with their neighbors.
Seeing two identical BMW X5s downstairs, Uncle Li exclaimed and asked Zhao Ling, "Lingling, is it at Yihai Finance?" Aunt Huang secretly pulled Uncle Li away, preventing him from asking. They must have heard the rumors outside and thought that Zhao Ling had sold herself to get the car, so they couldn't mention it in person.
Zhao Ling wasn't one to dwell on things, so she ignored the misunderstandings and pointed at Zhao Qiang, saying, "The car belongs to Zhao Qiang. We run a repair company in Yihai, and business has been quite good lately."
Uncle Li said to Zhao Shan, "Brother Zhao, you might be able to move out of our district! There are always water and power outages here, and the buildings are in poor condition. Lingling is making money, won't she buy you a big house outside?"
Zhao Shan grinned and said, "Our son's house isn't even settled yet, what's the rush for us two old folks?"
At this time, the snowflakes were falling slowly and steadily, but the temperature had dropped considerably compared to the evening. Two dark figures emerged from the opposite staircase; they were women returning from grocery shopping in the evening. People like these, who love to spread news in the streets and alleys, couldn't stand the loneliness and would follow them down even in the freezing cold.
"Could it be that Zhao family's daughter, Zhen Cai, has taken it?"
"The money is also the money earned from selling oneself."
"But I've never heard of any prostitute selling for that much money. I asked my husband, and he said this car costs a million. A million! You think it's ten or a hundred thousand?"
"What good is money? I heard this evening that the person injured by Zhao Shan's son has relatives in the government. Zhao Shan is in trouble this time."
Although he was the host, Zhao Shan had no idea which restaurants in Baiyuan City were clean and affordable. In the end, Uncle Li chose one: the Big Red Lantern Donkey Meat Restaurant. The hall was bright and clean, and the prices didn't seem too expensive. They got a private room, ordered more than a dozen dishes, and then ordered two bottles of local wine that cost 68 yuan each. This was already the limit Zhao Shan could afford. If he were to drink wine that cost several hundred yuan a bottle, he would probably feel the pinch.
Six dishes were served first, and the wine was also filled. Zhao Shan stood up with his glass, somewhat reservedly. In his eyes, the dignified and elegant Chen Shuxian and Chen Xinxin were distinguished guests, and even his 'son-in-law' Zhao Qiang was so mysterious and unpredictable. Only his daughter Zhao Ling made him feel less nervous.
"This is everyone's first time visiting Baiyuan, and I've been dealing with some trouble at home, so I haven't been able to properly entertain you. This toast is not only to welcome you all, but also to punish myself for any shortcomings in my hospitality." Although Zhao Shan hadn't been to many grand occasions, he had experienced some, so his words were fairly proper.
Zhao Ling smiled and picked up her cup: "Dad, Xin Xin and I are like sisters, and Aunt Chen treats me like a mother. She often cooks delicious food for me in Yi Hai. I used to eat and drink at her fried dough stick stall for several months, so you don't need to be so formal."
Guo Huiqin said to Chen Shuxian, "Sister, your daughter is about the same age as Lingling, but you look decades younger than me." If Chen Shuxian hadn't been running a fried dough stick stall and exposed to the elements, she would probably look a few years younger. Recently, her daughter had dressed her up nicely, and she didn't have to work outdoors anymore, so her skin and appearance were much better than before.
Chen Shuxian said, "Sister-in-law, please don't flatter me. From Xinxin and Lingling's perspective, we are family. From now on, we should all be like family and not treat each other like guests. Please don't treat us like guests."
Guo Huiqin said repeatedly, "We're family, we should be family. Xinxin is so beautiful, unlike Lingling, who's so thin she doesn't have an ounce of flesh on her body." Chen Xinxin blushed. Actually, the part of her body with the most flesh was her chest, but Chen Xinxin was proud because she knew that Zhao Qiang liked that part of her the most. What girl doesn't want the man she loves to like her body?
After a few drinks, they started talking more. Zhao Shan was also very worried about his son, so he talked a lot. The atmosphere at the table became more harmonious, and the initial formalities were gone.
Just after finishing his drink, Zhao Shan excused himself to go to the restroom. No sooner had he left than Zhao Qiang's phone rang. So he got up and went outside the private room to answer the call. Not many people knew this number, so the person calling must have something important to say.
"Excuse me, are you 'Dark Night Legend'?" The other person was a woman.
Zhao Qiang was taken aback at first, but the super biochip instantly retrieved the information about 'Dark Night Legend'. Zhao Qiang had used it to reply to posts on the forum before, and there was only one person who knew his phone number through the ID 'Dark Night Legend': the CD pirate.
"Are you a CD pirate?" Zhao Qiang was somewhat displeased. Although the woman's voice was very pleasant and gave him a sense of familiarity, he had warned her beforehand not to call him unless it was something extremely important. The reason he gave her his number was because the source code for the transaction-grade antivirus software had taken so long that people almost thought he couldn't crack it at all. Having her number would allow Zhao Qiang to provide after-sales service should there be any problems with the source code.
"Yes, you can call me Hu Qian."
Zhao Qiang asked, "Is there a problem with the source code?"
Hu Qian said, "No, we've checked, it's completely correct."
Zhao Qiang said, "I'm very busy right now, I'll hang up if there's nothing else."
"No," Hu Qian said hastily, "I have two purposes for making this call."
Zhao Qiang said, "Speak."
"First, I'm informing you that the 50 million has been deposited into your account."
Zhao Qiang hummed in agreement, "I understand." He wasn't short of money right now, so whether the money arrived or not didn't matter to him.
"Secondly, I'm in Yihai right now, and I'd like to see you, is that alright?" Hu Qian's voice was pleading.
Zhao Qiang's heart skipped a beat. Hu Qian's photo flashed in his mind. This woman made him feel a strange excitement. Could it be that she had some connection with his past self?
"I'm sorry, I'm no longer with Yihai," Zhao Qiang said.
Hu Qian's voice was a little anxious and surprised: "Where are you now? I'll come find you."
Zhao Qiang said, "Can you tell me why we're meeting? Since I'm doing hacking work, you should know the importance of secrecy. You're not a policeman, are you? If you want to arrest me, you'd better give up that idea now. You can't track my cell phone signal." Zhao Qiang sneered inwardly. If you can't even hide yourself, what's the point of being arrogant?
Hu Qian broke out in a sweat, afraid that Zhao Qiang would suddenly turn on her and hang up, ignoring her completely. "I'm not a policeman, please let me explain. I admire your talent and am only here to see you out of personal admiration. I have absolutely no other intentions. If you don't agree to meet, I'll starve and freeze to death on the street." Hu Qian was taking a gamble; if Zhao Qiang really ignored her, she couldn't possibly spend the night on the street.
Zhao Qiang hesitated. Hu Qian's image kept churning in his mind. Finally, Zhao Qiang softened. If this bootlegger was really as sexy and beautiful as the photos on her social media, what was wrong with meeting her? After restarting his body, Zhao Qiang seemed to indulge his emotions more. Perhaps it was because he had deliberately avoided the concept of monogamy during this relearning. Since God had given him human strength, he should reap what he sowed. He couldn't just watch a good cabbage go untouched.
"I'm in Baiyuan City. Call me when you get there." After saying that, Zhao Qiang hung up the phone. There was no point in saying anything more over the phone. It would be better to meet in person and see how it went. Maybe it would remind him of something.
"Waiter, can you calculate how much we've already spent?" Zhao Shan's voice rang out from the service counter in the corner. Zhao Qiang, who was originally about to push open the door to return to the private room, stopped when he heard the voice and quietly walked over.
(Thanks to Excavator, Want to Be Loved, and Eternal Forbidden Zone for their donations. Thanks to Ironclad Young Marshal, Pig of Light, and Want to Be Loved for their encouragement to update. Because the pre-sale house that was delayed for almost a year has finally been handed over, I have been busy preparing materials and decorating recently. Although it will not delay the work, I am a little struggling to reach the word count. I apologize for letting everyone down after donating 12,000 words to urge me to update. I bow to everyone in gratitude.)
Volume 2 [467] Money
"Sir, your bill has reached 587 yuan. If you don't want a receipt, we can offer a discount to 550 yuan. This is the biggest discount we can offer you." The waiter quickly typed in a number on the calculator. A discount of 37 yuan wasn't bad, especially considering the dishes were served in large platters and were plentiful—it was indeed a good deal. Fish and meat dishes usually cost thirty or so yuan per dish, and a bottle of wine is nearly seventy yuan. They'd already had three bottles, plus soft drinks, so the total bill was quite high.
Guo Huiqin appeared sometime earlier. After hearing the accounts, the elderly couple looked somewhat uneasy, probably shocked by the amount. In all their years of marriage, the most expensive meal they had ever eaten was only a little over a hundred yuan. Zhao Shan trembled as he touched his pocket, which contained all the cash the family had saved for the hospital trip. He hadn't counted the exact amount, but it wasn't much, since it was almost the end of the month and they wouldn't have any cash until their salaries were paid.
"Thank you, comrade." Zhao Shan thanked her and pulled Guo Huiqin aside. It wasn't time to pay the bill yet, but Zhao Shan was still uneasy, so he went out to ask about the price. The result shocked him; it was almost six hundred.
Guo Huiqin advised, "Old Zhao, your daughter brought her boyfriend to our house. We can't let her lose face at the first meal." Everyone wants to save face, and the poorer you are, the more you care about your reputation.
Zhao Shan nodded: "I know what I'm doing. We can't let a kid from a big family suffer when he comes to our house. Let him eat and drink as much as he wants today. We don't care how much it costs. We'll make it back by working a few more days later."
Guo Huiqin reminded her husband, "You should count how much money you have in your wallet first. That way you'll feel more at ease, and even if it's not enough, you can think of a solution early on. Otherwise, you'll be caught off guard when it's time to pay the bill."
Zhao Shan took out his wallet, an old and tattered imitation leather wallet. First, there were a few red hundred-yuan bills, then a handful of small change. The couple counted them one by one, even counting the coins.
Guo Huiqin's expression was somewhat unnatural: "Old Zhao, it's a little over six hundred yuan in total. If we drink another bottle of wine, that won't be enough."
Zhao Shan was also sweating with anxiety: "How about we buy a few bottles of cheap wine? I feel like they all taste the same."
Guo Huiqin said, "They were drinking happily, and now you've switched to cheaper wine. What are they going to think?"
Zhao Shan scratched his head: "But we really don't have enough money on hand. Should we go back and get our bankbook? But where can we withdraw money right now?"
Zhao Qiang turned off his X-ray glasses; there was no need to look further. The lives of ordinary people were beyond the imagination of the wealthy. Zhao Qiang himself had once been homeless, and if it weren't for Chen Xinxin, he didn't know what would have become of him. Therefore, he could understand the feelings of Zhao Shan and his wife right now—anxiety, regret, shame, and a mix of other emotions.
Pushing open the door to the private room, Zhao Qiang sat down next to Zhao Ling. Aunt Huang and her husband were chatting enthusiastically with Chen Xinxin and her daughter. Zhao Qiang whispered to Zhao Ling, "Your parents are having some trouble outside. It seems they might not be able to pay the bill. Give your parents 20,000 yuan first. Don't make things difficult for the two old folks. Life is hard enough as it is. It's not worth ruining their health because of money."
As he spoke, Zhao Qiang handed his bag to Zhao Ling, which contained at least tens of thousands of yuan in cash. He had prepared this in advance in case it was inconvenient to withdraw money. Zhao Ling held the bag tightly, bit her lip, nodded, and then got up and left the private room.
Outside, Zhao Shan said to Guo Huiqin, "You go back and keep the guests company. I'll go out and find someone to borrow something. We can't afford to lose face tonight."
Guo Huiqin, of course, had no better idea, so the couple prepared to split up. At this moment, Zhao Ling appeared and called out, "Dad, where are you going?"
Zhao Shan blushed. He didn't want his daughter to know about his embarrassing situation. "Oh, I'm going out for some fresh air. Let's go back for dinner. I'll be back in a bit."
Zhao Ling grabbed her father's arm. "Dad, you don't need to hide it anymore. I know we don't have money at home, but I have money now. How could I let you pay for this meal? Just go back and drink with everyone. I'll take care of everything."