Chapter 492: Daily Life

The next day, after waking early to exercise, Wang Yan returned home to wake up the sleeping Wei Lan; the two washed up, got breakfast, and drove to a nearby hotel.

As people age, sleep naturally decreases. Especially in this unfamiliar city, even a soft bed felt strange, and the elderly couple had already finished getting ready.

Seeing Zhang Xia open the door, and Wang Dong extinguishing a cigarette butt in the banquet hall, Wei Lan beamed: "Auntie, Uncle, we brought you breakfast—Lin'an-style morning treats."

As she spoke, she stepped aside to let Wang Yan, carrying a pile of items, enter the room with her.

After a flurry of activity, everyone ate their food; Zhang Xia and Wang Dong sat at the table, while Wang Yan and Wei Lan stood by the window, enjoying the lively breakfast.

"Uncle, Auntie, later today, while it's still cool in the morning, let's stroll around Xihu, then visit Lingyin Temple on the hill. In the afternoon, we can check out Xixi or Xianghu—there's not much else here, just lots of water."

Zhang Xia shook her head: "When are your parents arriving?"

Since they were familiar, Wei Lan didn't blush: "Their flight lands this afternoon, around five-thirty."

"Then don't wander around this afternoon—let's go see your company. You've got nothing better to do."

Wang Yan smiled: "What's there to see at the company? The office is about the same size as this hotel room, only a few people, and it's far away—what's the point? Let's follow Wei Lan's plan: enjoy the southern mountains and waters, shop around, buy you and Dad some silk clothes—how nice would that be?"

"Why are you talking so much? I just want to see how my son's doing—what's wrong with that?" Zhang Xia gave Wang Yan a cold look.

It really wasn't worth seeing, otherwise Wang Yan wouldn't have said anything. But since his mother insisted, what could he do? He nodded immediately: "Fine, wherever you want to go. By the way, Mom and Dad, I need to tell you something."

Wang Yan looked at his waiting parents and smiled, wrapping an arm around Wei Lan: "Last night, Wei Lan told me her parents gave her five hundred thousand to buy us a car."

Zhang Xia glanced at Wang Dong; Wang Dong looked at his son. He had no education, but he wasn't foolish. His son was now successful—he didn't need his father to make decisions. This matter needed Wang Yan's own judgment. He also knew this was meant to be heard by Wei Lan.

"Wei Lan said it was her parents' heartfelt gesture. We only have one son; they only have one daughter. For such a major wedding, it's natural her parents want to help—and they're happy to do it. So we accepted the money. When her parents arrive today, after they rest tonight, tomorrow we'll go together to a 4S dealership and buy a car if it's suitable. My father-in-law is a good man—he loves his liquor too. When they get here tonight, you've got to drink with him properly, Dad."

Wang Dong nodded: "Don't worry—I'll make sure to treat your in-laws right. Girl, your mother and I aren't capable, can't help you much—just not causing trouble is already enough. Don't blame us."

"You old fool, can't you speak properly?" Zhang Xia gave her husband a light shove: "Girl, don't listen to him."

"No, Uncle, Auntie—you raised such a wonderful son like Wang Yan; that's my greatest blessing. And Wang Yan earns so much—it's really me who's the one who climbed too high."

"You child, when two people live together as husband and wife, there's no climbing high or low." Zhang Xia scowled at her: "Enough of that nonsense—we're family now. Eat, eat. Afterward, let's go see Xihu. Wasn't White Snake imprisoned there? I used to watch that TV drama—oh, I tell you, that Fahai made me so angry…"

After laughing and finishing breakfast, they tidied up, went downstairs, and left the hotel to stroll around Xihu. Photographer Wang Yan snapped photos with his phone—of his parents and Wei Lan, sometimes all four together—posting them instantly to his friend circle. Zhang Xia was in high spirits, posting first to show off, planning to tease them later in person. Throughout the journey, she kept talking into her phone, sending fifty-second voice messages to relatives and friends who asked, her mouth never closing.

Xihu and its surroundings were vast; truly exploring them would take far longer than a morning. So they just rode a small car around, took a boat ride, visited the temple, and saw the Lei Feng Pagoda holding White Snake captive—by then it was already afternoon.

After a hearty lunch at a restaurant, they drove for an hour to the company.

"You really live far—this drive takes so long, back home it's from our house to your second aunt's. No wonder city life is exhausting—commuting this far every day? Of course you're tired," Zhang Xia said sympathetically while waiting for the elevator.

"When I started, I had no money. I wasn't a college student startup, nor in any encouraged industry with benefits—I rented here just for the low cost. But now it's better; once this busy period ends, I'll look into moving somewhere else."

At the company, they first visited the pharmacy section, where two women—one young, one old—were on the phone. Wang Yan didn't disturb them, took a quick look, then went to the software company on the other side.

Ma Zichen and the other three were laughing and working; seeing Wang Yan arrive with guests, they stood up smiling to greet him. Wang Yan introduced his parents, then said: "I'll be busy with wedding preparations these days. Just handle the work yourselves."

"Don't worry, Brother Yan," Ma Zichen and the other two young men replied in unison. The eldest, Zhang Xu, also nodded, assured him it was fine, and offered his most sincere congratulations, even saying he'd give a gift.

Wang Yan waved his hand and smiled: "Don't say useless things—you all get paid by me. Why give gifts? Just do your jobs well—that's the best gift."

Zhang Xia and Wang Dong poked and prodded everything, then muttered their way out. The contrast was still stark: Wang Yan earned over a million a month, yet his workplace was shabby and run-down, looking downright poor. Nothing like the sleek high-rise offices shown on TV. They concluded their son's earnings were hard-won—completely ignoring that their own money was earned the hardest.

They left the company at just after three in the afternoon. His company was in the north; Xiaoshan Airport was in the south. Even outside holidays, major roads in big cities still jammed—so leaving now to pick them up was perfect…

Like Wang Yan's parents, Wei Lan's parents emerged from the station with bags and suitcases. After initial formalities and introductions, the three men loaded the chaotic luggage into the car and headed into the city.

Renting a seven-seater business vehicle was the wisest choice imaginable. Wang Yan drove; Wei Lan sat in back, bridging conversation between the two sets of parents, occasionally adding a few words herself.

Zhang Xia was a classic Northeastern woman—talkative. Wang Dong, though usually quiet, could still speak up when needed. Wei Qinglin, a state enterprise leader, spoke and acted with poise. Li Mei wasn't domineering or sharp-tongued—she had refinement. With Wei Lan connecting them and Wang Yan occasionally guiding the conversation, the ride was cheerful and warm—"in-law" this, "in-law" that—clearly very familiar.

Along the way, they first stopped briefly at the newly bought house, then delivered all the items Wei Qinglin and Li Mei had brought back to the rental apartment, before driving to Jinsha Hall by Xihu.

This restaurant was famous and packed. Had Wei Lan not reserved a private room in advance, getting a table on the spot would have been impossible without connections.

Wei Qinglin looked around the setting and scolded Wang Yan: "We're family—why come to such an expensive place?"

"Isn't this our first formal meal together? You two and my parents traveled all this way—we must eat and drink well. What's expensive or not? When you have money, eat well; when you don't, even if you want to, you can't afford it. It's not about how much money—it's my son-in-law's heart. Besides, you two gave fifty thousand—wouldn't I be at fault if I didn't treat you well?"

"You speak like that. Your marriage unites our two families. You're your parents' only son; we're their only daughter. They say a son-in-law is half a son—I'm counting on you to support us in old age. This fifty thousand? That's my advance payment for retirement—let you kid taste some sweetness first."

Wang Dong chimed in: "In-law, your sweetness is too sweet. We, as in-laws, are put in a tough spot. We didn't give you any bride price, yet you gave fifty thousand—it's really too embarrassing."

"What nonsense. You raised a son like Wang Yan—that's ability. Bride price and dowry exist so both families contribute to help the couple start their household. With Wang Yan's current income, he doesn't need it. I wouldn't give money and he'd still be fine—it's just icing on the cake. Let's not count these things. Come on, dishes are arriving—pour the wine, no formalities—let's eat. No wonder fancy restaurants are so bad—look at those huge plates, barely any food in the middle."

Wang Yan opened two bottles of Maotai, poured into several small decanters. Li Mei and Wei Lan didn't drink; the rest—counting Zhang Xia—each got one. Li Mei was surprised Zhang Xia drank; embarrassed, she poured herself a little to join. The Wang family all had decent alcohol tolerance: even the weakest, Zhang Xia, drank daily with Wang Dong.

Dishes arrived one by one, conversation flowed. Li Mei asked: "Sister Zhang, I heard from Wei Lan you consulted someone for an auspicious date?"

Zhang Xia smiled at Li Mei's flushed face and nodded: "Yes, next month's eighth day—October 3rd on the Gregorian calendar. Perfect for National Day—protected by the state, great fortune, no taboos, an excellent day. You don't do this where you're from?"

"How could we not? Everyone does it nationwide—what's not good about it?" Li Mei shook her head. "For such a big event, whether it's truly effective doesn't matter—better to consult than not."

"Exactly what I thought. So, In-law, you consulted someone too?"

"Of course I did. How could I not? I calculated two dates: the eleventh and sixteenth. But since you chose the eighth, we'll go with the eleventh—October 6th on the Gregorian calendar. Perfect—still on holiday. As you said, fortune's still on our side. Two days between are enough for travel. Also, Wang Yan is twenty-nine, our Wei Lan is twenty-eight—approaching thirty. Marry early, have kids early. Speaking of kids, you two hurry up."

Li Mei stared at Wang Yan and the blushing Wei Lan: "You're both this age, no financial worries, the state even encourages three children—don't say 'career first.' You must have kids first. Try hard—I'm not saying three, but at least two."

Zhang Xia nodded: "Yes, better to have kids early. Once born, we'll both take care of them."

Wang Dong and Wei Qinglin, drinking beside them, nodded vigorously—both eager for a third generation.

Wang Yan nodded: "Don't worry—I guarantee we'll have kids as soon as possible. This year, we'll definitely get pregnant; next year, we'll hold the baby."

"Ah, that's what I wanted to hear." Wei Qinglin nodded, laughing heartily: "All settled then? We'll hold the ceremony at your Long Teng first next month on the eighth, then at our Chang'an on the eleventh. Go home, prepare separately. You two have over half a month left—take wedding photos, etc. Our families' good fortune is sealed. Come on, in-laws, in-law mothers, you two—let's drink together."

As Wei Qinglin said, the matter was settled. Really, nothing major—meeting in-laws is just checking if they're decent people who won't cause trouble for the couple. Now both sides communicated well, no major issues, no petty bargaining: one side put the other's name on a nine-million-yuan house; the other gave no bride price but added fifty thousand. Nothing to complain about. Dates set, in-laws met, conversation went well, no disputes—this was enough.

Of course, even if the in-laws disliked each other, it didn't matter. After all, the couple lives together; the in-laws rarely meet once a year—no real problem.

With drinks and food, the meal cost nearly twenty thousand. Wei Qinglin, experienced and observant, could roughly estimate the price. Wang Dong and Zhang Xia, however, only guessed a few thousand. Wang Yan wouldn't tell them the real cost—they'd lie awake for days, cursing him as a wastrel.

They found a designated driver, drove both sets of parents to their hotel, chatted a while longer, then Wang Yan and Wei Lan left, returning to their rental. Without stopping, they took the dog and cat out for a walk, and got back home just after eleven.

Wei Lan took her time washing up; Wang Yan scrolled through a tablet looking at furniture. When it was his turn, he rushed—finished in under ten minutes.

Seeing him enter, Wei Lan, lying on the bed, rolled over: "Deng-deng-deng-deng—what's this?"

"Your household registration book."

"My parents leave Sunday night. We leave with your parents Monday morning. We can register next Tuesday. Oh, by the way—tomorrow we should get our marriage certificate photos taken?"

"Of course no problem." Wang Yan smiled and nodded: "The timing's still tight—we haven't even arranged wedding photos yet, a bit rushed. I told my mom earlier we should delay the wedding to next month, but she insisted on riding the National Day momentum. One hand consulting fortune-tellers, the other shouting 'Long live the Communist Party.'"

"It doesn't matter, those aren't important—what matters most is getting married. Photos? We'll have plenty of time later." Wei Lan said with great consideration: "It's just that you bought the house too fast, and we were both busy making money all day before—when did we have time to think about all this? Now that we've actually bought the house, marriage is on the agenda, and everything's piled up at once, and we realize we didn't prepare anything. By the way, since both our parents are here, after we look at cars tomorrow, let's go straight to a wedding photo studio? Lin'an's scenery isn't bad—we can travel, sightsee, and take our wedding photos all at once. What do you think? We won't take too many, but we definitely need a family portrait, right?"

"Whatever you say."

"Then I'll check right now which wedding photo studios have good reviews."

Wang Yan smiled: "No need to overthink it. Honestly, their photography skills are probably worse than mine. Just find one that isn't too busy, so they can start anytime, but has few bad reviews. I'll tell them exactly how to shoot, and after we're done, I'll edit the photos myself. We'll pay a little extra to speed things up—we'll finish before the end of the month."

He never boasted—his photography skill was LV4. He had once specialized in wedding photography, even in the capital. Of course, he understood the skill level of photographers in this field. He was being modest—his LV4 was at the top tier; any time he gained new insights, he could ascend to master level. Though he hadn't shot in years and was a bit rusty, he was still far beyond them. So having many skills really doesn't weigh you down—before, he could take photos of cats and dogs for Wei Lan to boost her followers; now, he could use them for himself, taking his own wedding photos. How great is that?

Wei Lan recalled Wang Yan's fluid, seamless editing when he turned videos of cats and dogs into content, and nodded firmly: "How do you know so much?"

"What can I say? In this world, how can you get by without multiple skills? I've got a whole arsenal of talents waiting for you to discover."

"Alright."

Wei Lan rolled her eyes, pulled out her tablet, and began searching for wedding photo studios in Lin'an, her pinkish-white feet swinging back and forth happily…

Wei Lan wasn't one to dawdle, and both sets of parents were straightforward—whatever was said, was done. Wang Yan acted quickly, so the next day, he canceled their planned second trip to Xihu. After breakfast, he drove everyone straight to a car dealership, test-drove several luxury brands, and ordered a top-spec domestic black Series 5, priced under 600,000 yuan total. Delivery would take two weeks—perfectly timed for before the wedding.

Then they found a decent wedding photo studio. First, they took the official ID photos required for the marriage certificate, then selected several beautiful wedding gowns, including traditional Chinese red embroidered ceremonial robes. With the photographer and the studio's mobile changing and rest van, they set off to scenic spots for photo shoots.

The next few days passed the same way—more photos, both sets of parents touring various places, enjoying themselves. As for the photographer, he was amazed—he'd shot countless couples but never met anyone so knowledgeable. Truly skilled photographers usually moved in photography circles; even if they couldn't shoot themselves, they had friends who could—they'd never go to a photo studio.

Wang Yan was kind—he offered advice and even taught them techniques. They were all delighted: the photos required less effort, they learned something new, saved on post-processing, and had less work to do—plus, they earned more. What a great job—no one ever turned it down.

Time flew by. On Sunday evening, they saw off Wei Qinglin and Li Mei, happy and gone. The next day, Wang Yan and Wei Lan returned with Wang Dong and Zhang Xia to their hometown. The third day, they queued to register and receive their marriage certificate. Wei Lan immediately posted a WeChat Moments update to show off. Wang Yan posted one too. He began contacting friends—whether they came or not didn't matter, but gifts had to be received; otherwise, wouldn't his own past gifts have been wasted?

They didn't stay long in Longcheng. Wang Dong and Zhang Xia didn't stop them—they were busy arranging hotels and notifying relatives. So the day after receiving their certificate, Wang Yan and Wei Lan returned to Lin'an.

After several more days of photo shoots, Wang Da the photographer went online and processed all the photos at lightning speed. In just one day, he finished everything, sent them to the studio, which would compile them into albums and enlarge prints for wall display. Three copies total—one for Wei Lan's parents, one for Wang Yan's parents, and one for them. It wasn't cheap—after all, major life events, from birth to death, are never inexpensive.

After finishing these tasks, they divided labor: Wei Lan went to buy furniture and decorate the new home; Wang Yan went to another apartment and worked tirelessly to roll Great Strength Pills.

Half a year had passed. He kept his word—he restored the original price for sale. Though previous customers complained, there was nothing they could do—the supply had spread, and now even those with money couldn't buy it. It was a pure seller's market, and Wang Yan had warned everyone beforehand: all previous sales were discounted; restoring the price was perfectly fair.

Lately, with so many things going on, his previous stock was sold out. Those who had run out of medicine and needed health restoration had been pressing him. Wang Yan did nothing but roll pills nonstop. Occasionally, he stepped out to handle house-buying matters.

It was at this moment that the message from "Live Dad" arrived.

"The Golden Years: Jiang Pengfei: Don't want to die."

Wang Yan stopped his hands, pulled out his phone, opened the app, and began watching The Golden Years.

The Golden Years mainly tells the story of…

After two days of watching while working, Wang Yan finally finished the 38-episode drama and understood who Jiang Pengfei was. He was the biological father of the female lead, Jiang Nansun—a man who gambled away his entire fortune in stocks, the only character in the drama who died. He had never worked a day in his life, never suffered hardship, couldn't bear the massive fall from grace, so his death was understandable.

This task wasn't difficult—easy to resolve. The time span was short—just three or five years. Go in, take a stroll, come back, get married, start a family—perfect.

The new home was nearly furnished; the property transaction was already complete. The property certificate, bearing both their names and stamped with the mortgage seal, was in hand. The seller's payment hadn't yet arrived—but it was only a matter of time.

The wedding photos had been rushed and completed; the sets for both sets of parents had been shipped by courier. The car they'd ordered had been called ahead—tomorrow, they'd pick it up.

Everything was ready—only the wedding invitations and guest list remained. Perfect.

He casually tossed his phone aside, went to the bathroom to wash his hands, drank some water, and stretched his arms and legs, loosening his muscles.

He activated his consciousness, pulled up the operation panel, and added four points to Spirit for a quick boost.

His current Spirit strength was far beyond the days when adding one point made him tremble—it now only brought a clear-headed clarity. Though he'd never tried drugs, he'd already felt their harm. After all, his Spirit-point boost was far more intense than any drug. But after adding too much, he now felt nothing special. His mind even longed for the days when one point gave him pure euphoria—let alone actual addicts.

He shook his head, bored. He selected his option. The familiar blue light flashed—and vanished.