The two left the finance office, each with a new driver's test study guide in hand.
"Wanna come to my place for lunch?"
Wang Zihao pulled out his phone and glanced at the time. It was exactly eleven o'clock. It was clearly too late to go to the hospital for the physical exam now.
"Forget it. Next time."
Chen Yansen waved his hand dismissively, tossed the brand-new study guide into his bike basket with a CLANG, then swung himself onto his bike and led the way toward the city.
"There were too many people just now, so I didn't feel right asking. Why did you pick Coach Huang? Didn't Sister Zhang tell you beforehand that he has a terrible temper and is vicious when he curses people out?"
Wang Zihao rode alongside him, looking worried.
Normally, when people learn to drive, they pick a good-tempered, patient instructor. But Chen Yansen did the complete opposite, specifically choosing the one with the worst reputation.
"Master Huang's students have the highest pass rate, which means there's no problem with his teaching ability. More importantly, he currently has the fewest students."
Chen Yansen smiled faintly and explained slowly.
Fewer students meant more practice time. It would also shorten the waiting time to sign up for the Subject Two and Subject Three exams, which would allow him to get his license before school started in September.
However, he didn't mention the deeper reason. Uncle Huang had made students cry from his scoldings multiple times but still hadn't been fired, mainly because his older brother—Huang Daxiang—owned the driving school.
Huang Boxiang's original name was Huang Erxiang. The two brothers' names were simple and unadorned. One brother was honest and down-to-earth, while the other was slick and worldly.
The reason Chen Yansen knew all this so clearly was because in his past life, his driving instructor had been Huang Boxiang.
"You think it's possible that all the slow and stupid ones were scared off by his yelling, and that's why his pass rate seems so high?"
Wang Zihao thought for a long time before reaching a conclusion.
"You're just too smart."
Chen Yansen was struck speechless for a moment, then chuckled. He stared at his friend, stunned, before finally nodding in confirmation.
"Holy crap, then I definitely need to switch instructors!"
Wang Zihao's face fell, full of reluctance. He didn't want someone yelling at him point-blank.
"But you said it yourself, Coach Huang only targets the slow and stupid ones. You're not in that category!"
Chen Yansen chuckled, his expression serious and sincere.
"That's true."
Wang Zihao nodded, implicitly accepting Chen Yansen's point. His confidence instantly returned, and he broke into a wide grin.
When they reached Chessboard Street, one continued north while the other turned right.
This time, however, Wang Zihao had learned his lesson. He confirmed with Chen Yansen multiple times that the physical exam was after two in the afternoon before pedaling his bike toward home.
'Lao Chen probably hasn't eaten yet at this hour. I'll go freeload a meal off him.'
Chen Yansen rode his bike, taking in the street views along the way, and leisurely pedaled into Bei Yi Lane.
Just as he parked his bike, he saw Chen Guobin holding a takeout container and sitting on a small folding stool, reading a newspaper while eating.
Actually, Lao Chen knew how to cook.
It's just that his culinary skills were hard to describe. When Chen Yansen was little, he could barely tolerate it. But ever since starting middle school, he would go to Wang Zihao's house to freeload on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and eat at the off-campus cafeteria on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
"Did you get signed up?"
Seeing his son approach, Chen Guobin put down his chopsticks and asked.
"Yeah, I'm going to the county hospital this afternoon for the physical, with Wang Zihao."
Chen Yansen pulled a folding stool out from behind a pile of books and sat down casually across from Lao Chen, his eyes fixed on the man's takeout container.
"Didn't have lunch?"
The father and son had that much of an understanding between them. Chen Guobin asked casually.
"I was just thinking it's been a while since we've eaten together."
Chen Yansen picked up a copy of *Huahuo* and flipped through it nonchalantly, his tone casual.
"How about we go out to eat?"
A warmth spread through Chen Guobin's heart, and he made the suggestion.
He had noticed the changes in his son over the past two days and naturally wanted to ease the tension in their relationship.
"No need. This is fine. Just order one for me."
Chen Yansen shook his head, pointing at Lao Chen's bowl of green pepper and crispy rice with sliced pork over rice.
Chen Guobin didn't insist. He took out his phone and called a nearby food stall.
"I heard that the higher-ups are planning to aggressively develop the tourism industry. That block of tube-like apartment buildings by the salt company will most likely be designated as a demolition zone."
Chen Yansen put down the magazine and said nonchalantly.
"Who'd you hear that from? It's probably a rumor. Just someone trying to trick people into buying those old apartments in the city. Whoever buys them is a sucker."
After ordering the food for him, Chen Guobin turned his head and scoffed, not believing it at all.
After all, five years ago, someone had said the same thing with such certainty, driving the price of those rundown houses in West City from fifty thousand a unit to eighty thousand. In the end, it turned out to be all fake news spread by real estate agents.
"Meng Jie from my class, remember her?"
Chen Yansen was speechless, but he could understand his father's thinking. Most of the old city's tube-like apartments were in disrepair, with aging wiring, and even the drains clogged frequently.
Everyone dreaded them, and even ghosts would find them troublesome.
Anyone with a bit of extra money would choose to buy property outside the city. The location might be slightly worse, but at least the living conditions were comfortable.
"I remember. Short, kind of like a boy."
Chen Guobin's eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to remember.
"Her dad is the president of the Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Bank in Anfeng Town."
Chen Yansen put on an act, deliberately lowering his voice and enunciating every word.
"Is that reliable?"
Chen Guobin glanced at Chen Yansen. Seeing that his son's expression didn't seem fake, he couldn't help but sit up straight and treat the matter with gravity.
He knew his son's temperament. Even though he was a bit of a troublemaker, he would never joke around about important matters.
"It has to be. She's my girlfriend now."
Facing Comrade Lao Chen's scrutiny, Chen Yansen acted completely natural, though the words coming out of his mouth were pure fabrication.
"PFFT! What did you say?"
Chen Guobin stared, dumbfounded, and sprayed out a mouthful of rice.
If he remembered correctly, his son's crush was supposed to be a girl named Zhou Keyuan.
Because of this, Zhang Li had even specially called him to the school once.
"Would a father-in-law screw over his own son-in-law? I suggest you buy both of the rooms upstairs from us and just wait for the demolition payout."
Chen Yansen paused, waiting for Lao Chen to fully process it before adding more.
"Alright, I'll ask around about it later."
Seeing how convincingly Chen Yansen spoke, Chen Guobin found it hard to refute him to his face, so he agreed for the time being. But the way he looked at his son grew increasingly strange.
'My son is dating the bank president's daughter?'
'And she's a tomboy!'
Although Chen Guobin didn't understand, he was respectful of it. It was a rare, warm moment between father and son, and he didn't want to ruin it.
"Lao Chen, your rice bowl is here!"
A shout from outside the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Coming!"
Chen Yansen patted his stomach, held down Lao Chen who was about to get up, and quickly walked outside.
Chen Guobin watched his son's retreating back and muttered to himself, "It doesn't seem so bad for young people to be dating. I feel like Jensen has grown up a lot."
Lao Chen looked gratified and thought happily, but then another thought struck him. 'Her family background is impressive; she probably looks down on Chen Yansen. Could it be they want our son to be a live-in son-in-law?'
"No, no way."
Chen Guobin muttered to himself, squirming on the stool like an ant on a hot pan.
"Got a nail in your butt or something?"
Carrying the takeout container, Chen Yansen turned his head and saw Lao Chen's awkward posture. He instantly laughed and started teasing him.
"N-No!"
Chen Guobin's face flushed with embarrassment at his son's words, and he hastily denied it.
"Lao Chen, I think you should find yourself a wife. Eating takeout all day isn't healthy."
Chen Yansen didn't forget to nag Lao Chen while shoveling down his food.
"If it's not healthy, why are you eating it?"
Chen Guobin didn't fly off the handle immediately. He just shot his son a look and said irritably.
"I'll be eating it for another year or two at most. But you? Do you really plan to eat like this for the rest of your life?"
Chen Yansen looked up and said in all seriousness.
"Finish your food and get out! How did I end up with a little punk like you!"
Chen Guobin's defenses were instantly broken. He shot to his feet and started cursing.
"Alright, alright, I'm going, I'm going!"
Chen Yansen, still holding his takeout container, suddenly sped up, finishing everything in a few quick bites.
With that, he dropped his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and immediately made a run for it.
Chen Yansen's reason for having Lao Chen buy the property slated for demolition wasn't to make millions from the price difference; it was entirely because Chen Guobin's personality was just too stubborn.
In his past life, even when he had become wealthy and had more money in his bank account than he could ever spend, Lao Chen never asked him for a single cent.
Chen Yansen understood in his heart. Lao Chen had been a proud, unyielding man his whole life and hated asking for handouts—even if the person offering was his own son, and even if the money was given freely.
"Oh, Lao Chen, Lao Chen. To make you a first-generation millionaire, I've really racked my brains."
Chen Yansen whistled, a faint smile on his lips as he rode into the warm summer breeze.