Chapter 7: Locking Down the Demolition Zone Early (Please Favorite)

Walking out of the finance office, the two of them had one more copy of the Driving Test Bible in hand.

"Come to my place for lunch?"

Wang Zihao pulled out his phone and checked the time—exactly eleven o'clock. Going to the hospital for the physical exam now was clearly too late.

"Forget it, next time."

Chen Yansen waved his hand, tossed the brand-new Driving Test Bible into the basket with a clatter, swung himself onto the bike, and led the way riding toward the city.

"There were too many people just now, I didn't want to ask—why pick Coach Huang? Didn't Sister Zhang tell you ahead of time that his temper stinks and he curses people really viciously?"

Wang Zihao rode alongside him, looking deeply worried.

A normal person learning to drive would pick a coach with a good temper and plenty of patience. Chen Yansen did the exact opposite—he deliberately chose the coach with the worst reputation.

"Instructor Huang's students have the highest pass rate, which proves his teaching is solid. Most importantly, he currently has the fewest students."

Chen Yansen said with a faint smile, explaining slowly.

Fewer students meant more practice time behind the wheel, and it would also cut down the waiting time to sign up for Subject Two and Subject Three—that way he could get his license before school started in September.

However, he didn't mention the deeper reason: Huang Bo had repeatedly made students cry with his scolding and still hadn't been fired, mainly because he had an older brother who owned the driving school—Huang Daxiang.

Huang Boxiang's original name was Huang Erxiang. The brothers' names were plain and unadorned—one honest and simple, the other slick and worldly.

The reason Chen Yansen knew all this so clearly was that in his previous life, his driving instructor had been Huang Boxiang.

"Is it possible that all the stupid and dumb ones got scared off by his cursing, which is why the pass rate looks so high?"

Wang Zihao thought it over for a long time and arrived at a conclusion.

"You're really too smart."

Chen Yansen let out a helpless laugh, stared at him for a moment, and finally nodded in affirmation.

"Holy crap, then I really need to switch coaches!"

Wang Zihao's face drooped, full of reluctance—he didn't want to be cursed at with a finger jabbed at his nose.

"But you said it yourself—Coach Huang only targets the stupid and dumb ones. You're not in that category!"

Chen Yansen grinned, his expression earnest and sincere.

"That's true enough."

Wang Zihao nodded, accepting Chen Yansen's reasoning as good enough. His confidence instantly restored, he broke into a wide grin.

When they reached Qipan Street, one continued north while the other turned right.

Only this time, Wang Zihao had learned his lesson. He confirmed with Chen Yansen three times that the physical exam was after two in the afternoon before finally hopping on his bike and heading home.

"At this hour Old Chen probably hasn't eaten yet—I'll head over and mooch a meal."

Chen Yansen pedaled along, watching the streetscape roll by, and meandered into Beiyi Lane.

By the time he parked his bike, he happened to see Chen Guobin sitting on a small folding stool, holding a boxed meal, reading the newspaper while shoveling food into his mouth.

Actually, Old Chen could cook.

It was just that his culinary skills were hard to describe. When Chen Yansen was little, he could still tough it out, but ever since starting middle school, he'd mooch meals at Wang Zihao's place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and eat at the cafeteria off campus on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

"Signed up?"

Chen Guobin saw his son approaching, set down his chopsticks, and asked.

"Yeah, going to the county hospital for the physical exam this afternoon, with Wang Zihao."

Chen Yansen fished out a folding stool from behind a stack of books, plopped down across from Old Chen without a care, though his eyes landed on the man's boxed meal.

"Haven't had lunch?"

Between father and son, that much tacit understanding still existed—Chen Guobin asked casually.

"Figured it's been a while since we ate together."

Chen Yansen picked up a copy of *Huabiao* and flipped through it casually, saying in a flat tone.

"How about we go out to eat?"

Chen Guobin's heart warmed, and he took the initiative to suggest it.

Over the past two days, he'd watched his son's changes with his own eyes, and naturally wanted to ease the tension between them.

"No need, this is fine. Just order me one of the same."

Chen Yansen shook his head, pointing at Old Chen's bowl of green pepper, rice crust, and pork slices over rice.

Chen Guobin didn't press the matter, pulled out his phone, and called a nearby food stall.

"I heard someone say the higher-ups plan to develop tourism in a big way. That block of tube-shaped apartment buildings belonging to the Salt Company will most likely be zoned for demolition."

Chen Yansen set down the magazine and said casually.

"Heard it from who? It's probably a rumor—trying to trick people into buying tube apartments in the city. Whoever buys in is a sucker."

After ordering the meal, Chen Guobin turned his head and scoffed, not believing a word of it.

After all, five years ago people had sworn up and down it was true, and they'd managed to drive up the price of those rundown houses in Xicheng from fifty thousand per unit to eighty thousand per unit—only to find out later it was all fake news spread by real estate agents.

"Meng Jie from our class—do you still remember her?"

Chen Yansen was momentarily at a loss for words, but he could understand Old Chen's thinking. Most of the tube apartments in the old city district were long-neglected, with aging wiring, and even the sewers frequently backed up.

People dreaded them, ghosts dreaded them.

Anyone with a little spare cash would choose to buy property outside the city. The location was admittedly a notch worse, but at least you could live comfortably.

"I remember—tiny little thing, looked like a boy."

Chen Guobin's eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to recall carefully.

"Her dad is the head of the Agricultural and Pastoral Bank in Anfeng Town."

Chen Yansen put on an act, deliberately lowering his voice, saying each word carefully.

"Is it reliable?"

Chen Guobin glanced at Chen Yansen. Seeing his expression didn't seem fake, he unconsciously sat up straight and began to take it seriously.

He knew his son's temperament; though a bit unruly, he would never talk nonsense on major matters.

"Must be reliable; she is my girlfriend now."

Facing Old Chen's scrutiny, Chen Yansen acted extremely naturally, though his words were off-topic.

"Pfft! What did you say?"

Chen Guobin stood with his mouth agape, spitting out a mouthful of rice.

If he remembered correctly, his son's crush should have been a Miss named Zhou Keyuan.

Because of this matter, Zhang Li had specially invited him to the school once.

"Can a father-in-law scam his son-in-law? I suggest you buy both rooms upstairs in our building; wait for the demolition later."

Chen Yansen paused, waiting for Old Chen to fully digest it, before continuing to add.

"Fine, I'll ask around later."

Chen Guobin saw him speak with such conviction and couldn't refute him face-to-face, so he agreed for now, though his gaze toward Chen Yansen grew increasingly strange.

His son was dating the bank president's daughter?

And a tomboy at that!

Chen Guobin didn't understand, but expressed respect; it was a rare moment of father-son warmth, and he didn't wish to break it.

"Old Chen, your rice bowl with toppings has arrived."

A shout from outside the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Coming!"

Chen Yansen patted his belly, held down Old Chen who was preparing to stand, and walked quickly toward the exit.

Chen Guobin watched his son's back, muttering softly: "Young people dating seems nice too; feels like Yansen has grown up a lot."

Old Chen looked gratified, thinking happily, then suddenly realized the other party's family background was not ordinary; they probably looked down on Chen Yansen. Did they want our son to be a live-in son-in-law?

"No, no."

Chen Guobin muttered to himself, twisting back and forth on the stool like an ant on a hot pan.

"Did a nail poke your butt?"

Chen Yansen, holding the lunchbox, turned his head, saw Old Chen's awkward posture, instantly laughed, and immediately opened his mouth to tease.

"N-no! No!"

Chen Guobin's face flushed with embarrassment at his son's words, and he quickly denied it outright.

"Old Chen, I think it's better for you to find a wife; eating takeout all day isn't healthy."

While eating his rice in big mouthfuls, Chen Yansen didn't forget to remind Old Chen.

"If it's unhealthy, why do you eat it?"

Chen Guobin didn't explode immediately; he just rolled his eyes at him and said in a bad mood.

"I'll only eat it for a year or two; what about you? Do you really want to eat it for a lifetime?"

Chen Yansen looked up and said seriously.

"Get out after eating! How did I give birth to a thing like you!"

Chen Guobin instantly broke down, suddenly stood up, and cursed loudly.

"Fine, fine, fine; if I have to get out, I'll get out!"

Chen Yansen held the lunchbox, suddenly sped up his eating, and finished it clean in three or four mouthfuls.

Having said that, he dropped his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and immediately slipped away.

Chen Yansen asked Old Chen to buy the houses slated for demolition early; it wasn't that he wanted to earn that few million difference, but purely because Old Chen's personality was too stubborn.

In his previous life, even though his net worth was considerable and the money in his card was endless, Old Chen never asked him for a single cent.

Chen Yansen understood in his heart; Old Chen had been tough his whole life and disliked reaching upward, even if the person giving money was his son; even if offered proactively, it wouldn't work.

"Old Chen, Old Chen, to make you the first generation of the wealthy, I've really gone to great lengths."

Chen Yansen whistled, facing the warm summer breeze, smiling softly in a low voice.

(End of this chapter)