Chapter 33: Gifts and the Return Journey

Naturally, Li Yan would not continue waiting in Luzhong City for school to start.

Furthermore, he already had a plan: to head to Shudu first to travel for a while and then get some of his own affairs in order.

As for Gangan, the two had been in an ambiguous relationship for so long; although they had only just confirmed their relationship a few days ago and were now facing separation, Li Yan felt it was nothing.

When Li Yan stepped out of the railway station, the sun had already climbed to the zenith.

Although it was midsummer, the air in Luzhong City lacked the salty tang of the sea breeze, carrying instead the slightly stuffy, unique scent of his hometown.

He walked out carrying a small suitcase, with no extra luggage.

Most of his clothes and luxury goods had already been shipped home via SF Express, leaving only a few items he intended to keep with him.

It took half an hour to take a taxi home. The driver was a local who enthusiastically chatted with Li Yan about the newly opened shopping malls, the food festival, and the upcoming beer carnival.

Li Yan responded casually, not really participating in the conversation.

He was somewhat exhausted at this moment and just wanted to go home to catch his breath.

Entering the residential complex, going upstairs, and opening the door—the house was indeed empty, as his parents were both at work.

He looked around; the living room still held that set of solid wood sofa and coffee table, and in the glass vase on the dining table were a few sprigs of gardenia his mother had arranged that morning, a fresh fragrance permeating the air.

Pushing his suitcase into the bedroom, he took off his coat and changed into a home T-shirt and shorts, feeling much more at ease.

He took several empty hangers from the bedroom closet and hung up the seasonal new LV and Dior short-sleeved shirts and trousers he had picked out in Lüdao City.

These clothes lacked exaggerated logos or bright patterns, but the material and tailoring made it clear at a glance that the quality was exceptional.

Li Yan gently smoothed the sleeves with his fingers, thinking that when there were activities at university, wearing a well-fitting Dior shirt paired with a pair of comfortable casual shoes would make him appear natural and confident, rather than showing off with big logos all over his body.

After hanging up the clothes, he took out a tin of local specialty snacks from Lüdao City from his small bag, bought at an old shop there, intending to let his parents taste them when they returned.

He arranged two small gift boxes on the coffee table—a silk scarf for his mother and a wallet for his father—and placed the specialty dried goods and small snack packages beside them, neat and tidy; he hadn't deliberately wrapped them too flashily, but he had put in a lot of heart.

Sitting on the sofa to rest for a while, he opened a mobile app to start searching for flight tickets to Shudu.

Leaving the day after tomorrow, the price of a first-class ticket was several times higher than economy, but he didn't care about that price difference.

Seeing the ticket price was just over two thousand when placing the order, he chuckled lightly: "This way, there won't be any chance to encounter those so-called 'face-slapping' plots on the train before school starts."

In the various "Shenhao" novels he had read back then, the protagonists would encounter awkward face-slapping scenes on the way to school on green-skin trains; now that he had upgraded his mode of travel, he didn't need to squeeze into hard seats on a train, and departing in first class was relaxed, saving both worry and effort.

After the payment was successful and he confirmed the departure time and terminal information, he leaned comfortably against the sofa back and closed his eyes to rest for a few minutes.

The afternoon hours flowed quietly; he didn't go out, just watched TV at home, randomly tuning into a lifestyle program.

While paying casual attention to the screen, he imagined the scene of renting an apartment in Shudu.

He had contacted an agent beforehand, and the other party said there were three or four fully furnished apartments available, with prices ranging from two or three thousand to four or five thousand a month.

He wasn't in a hurry; with his economic strength and advance preparation, he had more freedom to choose a place to live that suited him.

At dusk, his parents returned from work and pushed the door open. His mother glanced at the living room first: "You're back. Why didn't you say something in advance?"

Li Yan stood up and smiled: "No need for that, I'm home now, aren't I?"

His father changed his shoes and walked in, seeing the gift boxes and snacks on the table: "Buying things again? Didn't I tell you not to spend money recklessly last time?"

Li Yan put away his smile, his tone gentle: "I'm not spending blindly this time. I have extra money, so why not buy you something decent?

Take a look, I picked out a silk scarf for Mom with a simple pattern, and the leather of the wallet for Dad is quite good. There are also some specialty dried goods from Lüdao City, let's taste them together."

His mother picked up the silk scarf and tried draping it around her neck; the mirror reflected a soft pattern that was indeed suitable for her daily commute.

"It's quite pretty, and it's better to be low-key. I don't like those things covered in big logos."

She nodded with satisfaction.

His father opened the wallet and tried putting a few cards in; it didn't bulge when closed: "This is good."

He didn't ask about the price, just gave a faint smile.

Li Yan poured himself a glass of plain water and told them nonchalantly: "I'm going to Shudu the day after tomorrow to look at houses. I want to rent one in advance; I might not want to live on campus after school starts. I'm also considering buying a car there for transport."

His mother frowned slightly: "Is buying a car that urgent? You've only just turned eighteen."

Li Yan smiled: "Not necessarily buying it right away, just surveying the market first. The main thing is to rent a house first; I want to learn more about the local situation in Shudu. The first-class ticket cost just over two thousand, and the morning flight isn't too expensive either; it's less hassle this way."

His father nodded: "As long as you have a plan, safety first. Don't make a rash decision; look at more houses."

Li Yan said "Mm," then took a small bag of specialty nuts from the bag and handed it to his mother: "You guys taste this first; it's not very expensive, just a local specialty."

His mother opened it and tasted one: "The taste is not bad, not too salty."

Dinner was home-cooked dishes made by his mother: stir-fried rapeseed, scrambled eggs with tomato, steamed fish, and a bowl of simple hot soup.

Li Yan ate with great satisfaction.

Having eaten big meals and enjoyed seafood in Lüdao City, he still felt these ordinary home-cooked dishes were delicious now that he was back home.

This was the balance he wanted: having capital didn't mean needing to be extravagant every day; the key was to spend when it should be spent and not waste when it shouldn't.

After the meal, while his mother was clearing the dishes, she said to him: "Rest early, don't be too tired. You don't have to work tomorrow, so just stay home and have a good day. You're flying to Shudu the day after tomorrow; should Dad take you to the airport in the morning?"

Li Yan shook his head: "No need to trouble you, I'll just take a taxi. It's not far. You don't need to delay your work."

His father sat on the living room sofa watching the news, nodded upon hearing his son's words: "Alright, then take care of yourself. Send a message when you arrive."

Late at night, Li Yan returned to his room and picked out a simple T-shirt and jeans to wear tomorrow, placing them on the chair.

In his suitcase, he organized the high-quality clothes he would take to Shudu the day after tomorrow—two or three sets of luxury brand but inconspicuous high-quality clothing, plus one or two pairs of comfortable casual shoes, preparing for the next departure.

As for the matter of leaving 200,000 for his parents, he hadn't told them yet, but he had the intention.

He sat on the edge of the bed, used his phone to transfer 200,000 to his father's card, and then sent a text message to tell his parents.

"I transferred some money for you to keep. Don't worry about me using money; I have a very clear plan."

This way, he avoided the awkwardness of a face-to-face conversation.

His parents probably wouldn't be surprised when they received the message in the middle of the night. ===== CHAPTER 34 =====