Chapter 1247: Initial Contact

"Excellent."

Wang Yan raised his head and raised his eyebrows at Yang Xiaoyun.

"Really shameless, how can you say yourself."

"Men, the face cannot be too thin. How does that saying go? Thick face, eat enough..."

"Thin face, can't eat."

"Walking in the Jianghu, rely on the face to support." Wang Yan nodded with a smile.

Yang Xiaoyun smiled: "So there are no good people in society, all are thick-faced."

"Can't say it so absolutely, but it's true that it's hard to earn money if the face is thin."

Yang Xiaoyun paused, perhaps thinking of her mother, renting a house to Milai earned a lot, decoration earned another, buying furniture earned another. Indeed, the face is thin and can't make a move.

So she changed the topic and asked: "Brother Yan, then you say, are you a good person?"

"Can only say not bad."

"Positioning is very clear." Yang Xiaoyun giggled, turning to ask, "Seems like from seeing you until now, you have always been smiling, no worries?"

"There are many worrying things, but can't cry all the time, there must be an expression on the face, definitely still smiling is comfortable, you are good, I am good, everyone is good."

"Then how did you pass when you were worried?"

"Just endure, time smooths everything, worrying and worrying, there is no feeling."

"You are really strong." Yang Xiaoyun sighed, "Milai told me, I feel Brother Yan, you have been particularly difficult these years."

Didn't wait for the expected response, she only saw Wang Yan looking at her with a smile.

She said: "Brother Yan?"

Wang Yan seemed to suddenly realize: "You have nothing to say? Finished?"

"Finished, I'm waiting for your response."

"Hi, nothing, it's been so many years, long used to it." Wang Yan looked at her with a smile, "Is this the word you want to hear?"

"Uh..."

Wang Yan shook his head amusedly: "My parents died early, I am alone, no one to rely on, didn't want to die, regardless of whether it was easy or not, I have to live. I thought you said it was difficult, there must be some understanding, encouragement, etc. below."

"I thought about waiting for you to finish, then say it."

"Nothing, you continue."

"Hey, still you are free and easy, open-minded, Brother Yan, if this were me... oh..." Yang Xiaoyun jumped uncomfortably, "Can't say it, it was disrupted."

Wang Yan smiled: "I understand the spirit."

"You are really humorous."

"Laughing once makes you ten years younger, everyone is happy, I can be considered doing good and accumulating virtue."

"Still saying you are not a good person? How much spirit of serving the public."

"I said not a bad person, didn't say how good, don't define me."

"So afraid of being a good person?"

Wang Yan smiled: "The moral burden of being a good person is too heavy, good people can't do bad things, but bad people can do good things, you say which one people evaluate higher?"

"Of course the latter."

"That's it. And there is a sentence girls often say..." Wang Yan looked at Yang Xiaoyun with a smile, and said, "You are a good person."

Yang Xiaoyun paused, and after reacting, laughed out loud...

The two chatted and laughed, Yang Xiaoyun watched Wang Yan busy cooking, occasionally eating some cooked food cold dishes tidied up by Wang Yan, and her mouth never stopped.

After a while, Lutao and Milai who were walking not far away, and Xiangnan and Huazi who went to fetch water all came back, and everyone ate and drank together lively.

Watching Yang Xiaoyun sitting beside Wang Yan, Xiangnan said: "Sat together? No, you guys are progressing too fast."

Yang Xiaoyun rolled her eyes at him: "Then always have to be next to people?"

Huazi paused, said: "This means we two are not people?"

"Slander." Milai looked disgusted, "Huazi, you are too good at taking things out of context."

"Hey, don't wrong good people, Milai, I am understanding normally according to her words."

"Don't care how you understand, just don't be next to you." Yang Xiaoyun laughed heartily.

A group of people talked and laughed, ate and drank, feeling quite okay.

Milai sighed: "Today can be considered a dream come true, for so many years, this is the first time I came out camping with good friends, of course, there is my favorite Lutao. Come, good friends, I toast everyone. Especially Brother Yan, really worked hard for you."

"Don't be hypocritical, hard or not, don't I have to eat myself." Wang Yan shook his head amusedly, greeting with a wine glass, "Drink, drink. Act according to your ability, don't be like last time, can't drink and insist on drinking, quite uncomfortable, then it's meaningless."

Lutao said: "This word is too right, Brother Yan, we all just slightly drunk, slightly drunk is fine."

Everyone booed, wine bottles collided, sprinkling youth, consuming passion...

After drinking a mouthful, Milai said again: "It's a pity, I'm going abroad soon, such a happy day, one day less."

Xiangnan asked: "When are you leaving?"

"Next month."

"Okay, we brothers will send you off when the time comes." Huazi nodded with a smile.

Seeing Milai looking at himself, Wang Yan said amusedly: "You are going abroad, don't make it look like life and death. You are a rich woman, the travel expenses of international flights are not a problem for you, want to return anytime, want to leave anytime."

"Meaningless." Milai curled her lips.

Wang Yan raised his eyebrows at her, then smiled: "Lutao, this boyfriend has to pay attention to the girlfriend's emotions."

"Hi, she is crazy all day, I can't pay attention."

"You are crazy."

The two started flirting...

Although saying slightly drunk, the university students who just graduated were still very indulgent, didn't drink much

A group of people were skewering meat in a decent manner, while over there, Wang Yan had already started grilling.

"Hey, I'm telling you, Brother Yan, Beauty, you two are really getting a bit too close."

Xiang Nan, already a bit tipsy, shouted out.

Just two steps from the table, Wang Yan had set up a small stool and was working on rows of skewers on the grill. Beside him was Yang Xiaoyun, guarding the grill while eating and drinking.

"I just like eating things while they're hot, what's it to you? Go drink your booze." Yang Xiaoyun retorted sharply.

Mi Lai laughed: "The man isn't married, the woman isn't wed, Xiang Nan, you're really being a busybody. Hey, don't tell me you've taken a shine to Xiaoyun."

Xiang Nan chuckled: "That's a funny thing to say, who doesn't like a beauty?"

"Thank you, but the beauty says she doesn't like you." Yang Xiaoyun shot him a sidelong glance.

"Come on, Beauty, trouble you to serve a dish." Wang Yan placed the various grilled skewers onto a plate and handed it over.

"Got it."

Yang Xiaoyun responded, took the plate, stood up, and helped herself to a skewer of lamb before placing the plate on the table while she ate.

She said: "Don't you guys feel like Brother Yan's cooking is really good? Whether it's stir-fry or barbecue, the taste is just great. I feel like it's even better than at a restaurant."

Lu Tao was startled. Looking at the mess on the table, he clapped his hands: "Man, I was too busy talking and drinking. Now that you mention it, it really is true. Look, the food Brother Yan made is already all gone."

Mi Lai sighed with emotion: "It's a good thing Brother Yan came along, otherwise where would we get this treat?"

Wang Yan smiled: "There's plenty of time, there will definitely be opportunities in the future. Drink up, drink up."

Everyone took a drink. Lu Tao, Xiang Nan, and Huazi continued to brag, Mi Lai continued to be a good listener, Wang Yan continued to grill, and Yang Xiaoyun continued to sit on the side eating while it was hot.

"Brother Yan, how come you're so good at cooking? Do you have any secret tricks?"

"My grandfather was a head chef at a state-run restaurant. I learned a few things from him when I was a kid. Later, after my parents passed away, I had to cook for myself. I did it a lot, and plus I had the heart to study it, so I improved bit by bit."

"I think it's a waste of talent for you to sell cars," Yang Xiaoyun said with a hint of regret. "With your skills, if you opened your own restaurant, it would definitely be a huge hit. You wouldn't be short of money at all."

"It's fine to do it occasionally, but making a living out of it wouldn't be interesting," Wang Yan laughed. "Actually, when I was out traveling before, sometimes when I was short on cash, I'd take odd jobs to earn some money. I worked as a cook, and that feeling wasn't too great."

"That's true, it's all hard-earned money. But if you opened that kind of high-end restaurant, it would be different. Like those private kitchens, only serving a few tables a day, and you have to book a month in advance."

"Then I'd also have to know people willing to book a month in advance."

"Oh, right, I was oversimplifying things."

Wang Yan took two more skewers of meat and handed them over: "Eat, eat some more."

"Is it that people who cook just like watching others eat?"

"It still gives a bit of a sense of accomplishment."

In the end, they didn't really go for a proper walk or look around; it seemed that coming out to camp was just changing the location to drink.

That day, everyone drank until past nine in the evening. Lu Tao, Xiang Nan, and Huazi all drank until they threw up, and the three of them slept in one tent, snoring loud enough to shake the sky.

Mi Lai and Yang Xiaoyun hadn't drunk much alcohol and hadn't done much work, so they were both quite sober and still full of energy.

Wang Yan took the two of them to clean up the kitchen waste, wash the bowls and chopsticks, and sweep the ground they had made dirty. After a busy spell, the three of them sat in chairs, sipping their drinks, watching the night sky, and enjoying the quiet of the night.

"It's so nice!" Mi Lai sighed.

"Yeah, it's so nice. I feel like this is what life is all about," Yang Xiaoyun echoed.

Mi Lai nodded vigorously: "If only it could be like this forever."

Wang Yan laughed: "If it were like this forever, I'm afraid I'd be exhausted to death."

"We shared the work too, even if it wasn't much," Mi Lai chuckled, then changed the subject: "But you really can drink, Brother Yan. Look at those three, you seem completely fine."

"I'm dizzy too."

Yang Xiaoyun asked: "Brother Yan, have you always been able to drink this much?"

"I cheated." Wang Yan shook his head.

"Really? I thought I saw you drinking the whole time?"

"That's a technical skill," Wang Yan laughed heartily. "No matter how well you can drink, it's uncomfortable when you drink too much. I'm not looking to make myself suffer."

"Hey, that's right. I just don't understand what's so good about drinking. You don't know, Brother Yan, those three get together and drink every chance they get. Oh, and there's Gao Qiang, they were in the same dorm. Gao Qiang was the best drinker of them all, it's a pity..."

Lu Tao and the others had mentioned Gao Qiang once again, expressing their regret once more. This was something that couldn't be helped; people love talking about the past at the dinner table, and Gao Qiang was part of their youth—they would never forget him in their lifetime.

"They're all good brothers, they have a deep bond," Wang Yan replied perfunctorily.

Mi Lai sighed: "Speaking of bonds, Brother Yan, have you been all by yourself all these years?"

"I'm used to being on my own."

"What about now? Don't you have any thoughts?"

"I'll let fate take its course."

"Then do you see fate in Xiaoyun?"

"You really have to get to the bottom of everything."

"Hey, I'm really going to stick to my guns on this one."

Wang Yan laughed: "I think fate is in you."

"I'll count that as you having good taste." Mi Lai leaned in close, bumping Wang Yan with her shoulder: "It's a pity, I'm already taken, so you can't count on me."

"That's a bit thick-skinned, isn't it?"

Yang Xiaoyun nodded in agreement: "Isn't it just? You don't know, she's always like this, totally unreliable."

"Oh, you two are forming a united front already?" Mi Lai teased.

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow: "You're taken, radiating the sour stench of romance. We two singles have to stick together, don't we?"

"Good, stick together. If you ask me, you two are a talented man and a beautiful woman, it's just right for you to make do with each other."

Yang Xiaoyun curled her lip: "No, how come it's 'romance' for you, but 'making do' for me? If you don't like it, stop the romance and make do with Brother Yan. I think you two are a good match, you even have a couple's look."

"Alright, alright," Wang Yan waved his hand and said, "You guys don't even treat me like a person."

"Brother Yan, look how popular you are," Yang Xiaoyun laughed heartily.

"Forget it, I can tell you both look down on me. Let's just drink. Alcohol is the essence of grain, the more you drink, the younger you get, and you'll become full of vigor. Bottoms up!"

The three of them drank and chatted incessantly. Both Mi Lai and Yang Xiaoyun felt they had so much to say, and they couldn't help but want to let it all out.

In the darkness, a flash of fire passed by, the smell of a burning Zhongnanhai cigarette filled the air, and in the flickering light, Wang Yan's smiling face was illuminated...

There were two tents for this trip; the three drunken men slept in one, Mi Lai and Yang Xiaoyun slept in another, and Wang Yan made do for the night in the car.

By the next day, when everyone woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. They teased each other about yesterday's ugly behavior, packed up all their things, and after cleaning up, they drove back to Beijing just as they had come. They ate noodles on the outskirts of Beijing to fill their stomachs, but they didn't break up yet...

"Whoa, so this is your car dealership? It's quite big."

After getting to know Zhutou, Yang Xiaoyun wandered around the shop and gave this assessment.

Huazi laughed: "Man, this is just average for us. You didn't see it when you came in just now, that place was truly big. We're aiming to develop to that scale."

"Don't listen to him, he has no ambition at all," Zhutou said from the side. "Brother Yan said, either don't do it, or if you do, be the biggest and most trusted used car dealer in Beijing. Regardless of whether we can achieve it, the goal has to be set there."

"That's why I say Brother Yan has a broad vision and a grand perspective," Lu Tao laughed. "You kid just have no dreams."

"My dream is to make money," Huazi laughed. "Hey, Brother Yan is also making money, Zhutou is also making money, the three of us brothers are all making money."

"Nothing wrong with that. 'When the granaries are full, people know etiquette; when clothing and food are sufficient, people know honor and shame.' The three of us brothers will make money first, fill our stomachs, understand etiquette and honor, and then go find things to do for our ideals."

Everyone heard the voice and looked over, seeing Wang Yan walking in from the entrance with Xiang Nan.

Wang Yan greeted them: "Bring some water, Huazi, your spirit of hospitality isn't being displayed properly."

"Ah, right, right, right, I forgot all about it." Huazi responded, hurried behind the counter, dragged out a case of mineral water, and handed a bottle to each person.

As everyone took the water, Lu Tao asked Xiang Nan: "How about it, did you see anything you liked?"

"I liked a Volkswagen Golf, zero... uh, Brother Yan, what year was it?"

"A 2002 fourth-generation Golf, 70,000 kilometers on it, over 50,000 yuan, just right for the price he's looking to buy a car for."

"Brother Yan, we're all good friends, you..."

Wang Yan waved his hand, interrupting Lu Tao: "Nonsense, I'm definitely not making money off him, we haven't even reached the stage of making money yet. You think the car is old and the mileage is high..."

Xiang Nan said: "I looked around, and I'm a bit confused."

Lu Tao shook his head repeatedly: "Man, what's the big deal? You've got 50,000 yuan, it's not much, if you like it, just buy it, and if you get tired of driving it, just trade it in. Brother Yan, Huazi, and Zhutou are all here, you could trade it in once a week and it wouldn't be a problem, right?"

Zhutou didn't say a word, patted his chest, and gave a thumbs up: "We brothers are here, you saying that is completely unnecessary, it's like we're not being decent. Right, Brother Yan, Huazi?"

"That's a nasty thing to say." Huazi nodded in agreement.

Wang Yan shook his head with a smile: "Xiang Nan, what Lu Tao said isn't wrong either. How about this, you drive the car for a week first, and come back next week. According to our current sales speed, the cars should basically be swapped out by then. If that really doesn't work, I'll take you for a walk around this market, take a look, and if you see something you like, I'll help you negotiate."

"This... is that appropriate?" Xiang Nan was clearly moved.

"Here are the car keys, just drive it away in a bit." Wang Yan decisively slapped the car keys into his hand.

"Brother Yan is generous." Mi Lai gave a thumbs up.

"They say it's fine, but you, a rich lady, calling me generous? I think you're insulting me. Besides, this is the three of us's shop, it's not me being generous, I'm also being generous with their share."

"Brother Yan is generous." Lu Tao gave a thumbs up.

Xiang Nan also grinned foolishly, touching the car keys and thanking them repeatedly.

Huazi said: "Actually, this Golf is quite good, a lot of people really like this car, we only got a few in the shop and they sold out really fast. If you take good care of it, who knows, you might be able to sell it for 50,000 in three years, that's just the market. I'm not trying to sell you on it this time, if you're really hesitant, we can hold onto it and sell it later, it doesn't matter, just wait until you've made up your mind."

"Thanks."

"Why be so formal? We brothers are in this business, if I weren't so poor right now, I'd just give you this little car." Huazi was also quite open-handed.

But he wasn't lying; if he really could, he would give it away, that's just how decent he was.

"Alright, the car is settled, we won't delay your business here anymore, Xiang Nan's heart is already racing. Let's go..." Lu Tao called out.

Mi Lai looked at Yang Xiaoyun on the side with a smile: "How about it, are you staying here for a while?"

"Heh, I really am staying here." Yang Xiaoyun held her head high: "Brother Yan, we're not bothering you, are we?"

"What's there to bother about? Stay as long as you want, come whenever you want, I'm always welcoming, and very warmly so."

Yang Xiaoyun laughed: "Alright, I don't want to be in the way, I'm off, I'll come again when I have time."

"Hey, Xiaoyun, want a ride in my car? I'll take you back." Xiang Nan came over, clutching the car keys.

"No need." Yang Xiaoyun waved her hand, said goodbye to Wang Yan and the others, and walked away directly.

"No need." Mi Lai shrugged and stuck her tongue out at Xiang Nan.

"No need." Lu Tao winked at Xiang Nan, his face full of teasing.

"No need." Huazi shook his head, put his arm around Xiang Nan's shoulder, and followed them out.

Wang Yan and Zhutou, of course, also went outside the shop to see them off.

Watching the group of people looking at the Golf, Zhutou offered Wang Yan a cigarette: "Brother Yan, do you really have your eye on that girl?"

"It's not about me looking at her, it's about what she's thinking."

"Heh, you're really giving her too much credit. Let me tell you, Brother Yan, if I were a woman, I'd have been desperately trying to sleep with you a long time ago."

"Get lost, don't gross me out." Wang Yan gave him a mock kick.

"I'm serious, Brother Yan, you're just too charming. The more I interact with you, the more unique I think you are; no one can escape your grasp. Didn't you say that girl just graduated from college? Someone so inexperienced in the world, she's even less likely to escape."

"No, why does that sound so awkward coming from you? It's like I'm some kind of con artist, specifically out to trick young girls."

"That's just how I'd describe it," Zhutou laughed wickedly. "I'm a bystander, so I see clearly. Brother Yan, anyway, I've been watching, and the way that girl looks at you is definitely not ordinary."

"Alright, don't worry about me. Tell me about the situation yesterday..."