The market street in the small rural town was lined with chaotic storefronts. So buildings were tall, others short, and cleanliness was far from its strong suit, yet it exuded a rich, vibrant life.
While many households now owned cars, most were modest A-class vehicles priced between tens of thousands and a little over 100,000 yuan. Against this backdrop, the elegant and luxurious silver rcedes-Benz S-Class stood out like a sore thumb, naturally drawing countless curious and envious gazes.
In such a traditional social environnt, wealth and success were recognized in the most straightforward terms. The rcedes-Benz had long been synonymous with status and prosperity, an aspirational emblem deeply ingrained in the culture. Weddings, for instance, often featured a rcedes as the lead vehicle.
“It’s… Tang Song? I haven’t seen you in over a year! My, you’ve grown so tall and handso!” exclaid an elderly woman, her voice brimming with amazent.
“Good morning, Auntie,” Tang Song greeted politely.
“Xiao Song, I heard you’re working in Yan City. What do you do now?”
“I started my own business, a live-streaming e-comrce company.”
“Wow, Sister Xu! Is this your son’s car? Goodness, he’s driving a Benz! Incredible!”
“I always knew Tang Song was smart and capable. You could see it even when he was little!”
Standing beside the car with her arm looped through her son’s, Xu Feng bead with pride, her smile carving lines of happiness into her face as she chatted loudly with the growing crowd.
Though Xu Feng and her husband, Tang Jianying, didn’t fully understand the intricacies of live-streaming or won’s fashion, they had done so research after Tang Song’s video calls. They had also asked around and learned that the industry was booming.
For a long ti, they had felt guilty about holding Tang Song back, unable to provide much for him. Now, seeing their son looking confident and accomplished filled them with imnse pride and gratitude.
The surrounding chatter gradually quieted as people drifted back to their errands, unable to linger indefinitely.
anwhile, Li Ranan had turned off her live stream and stood obediently outside her store, staring fixedly at Tang Song.
Smack!
Sister Guo slapped her daughter on the backside and grumbled, “Weren’t you just saying he wasn’t a good match? Regretting it now?”
“Mom, keep your voice down!” Li Ranan shrank into herself, her face flushed red.
“Ha! Now you care about appearances?” Sister Guo huffed, exasperated. “You embarrassed yourself earlier, telling his mother he wasn’t suitable and accusing of matchmaking!”
“I…” Li Ranan stamred, unable to defend herself. Who could have guessed that in just half a year, Tang Song would transform so dramatically?
Tall, handso, rich, and now the owner of a rcedes-Benz S-Class.
Her mother clicked her tongue in irritation. “I was even planning to ask him to help you find a job!” Find the newest release on NoveI-Fire.ɴet
“Well… I could apologize,” Li Ranan suggested ekly. “Maybe I could even join his company. I’m doing live streaming now, so who knows? He might need soone like .”
Sister Guo snorted. “Need you? For what exactly?!”
The group lingered by the store for a while, showering Tang Song with complints and trying to glean more details about his company and inco. As they dispersed, word of Tang Song’s success—his startup, his luxury car—began spreading through the small-town grapevine, becoming a hot topic for gossip and admiration.
The Jianying Hardware Store was compact yet well-organized, resembling more of a storeroom than a retail shop. Shelves filled with screws, nuts, washers, pipes, electrical materials, and household tools lined the space, all neatly arranged.
It was evident that Tang Song’s parents had put considerable effort into running the business, expanding the original four shelves to six.
Tang Song glanced around before turning to his smiling mother. “Mom, where’s Dad? Out on a job?”
Xu Feng sighed. “He’s gone to collect paynt. He should be back before lunch.”
“Paynt?” Tang Song frowned.
“You sent ho over 100,000 yuan, which got your father all fired up,” Xu Feng explained with a mix of pride and frustration. “To secure more work, he started letting renovation crews take supplies on credit, with paynts due monthly. But the biggest client keeps delaying—just dragging it out without paying up…”
The hardware store’s greatest expense was inventory. Late paynts made things much harder, and while the money Tang Song sent had kept them afloat, relying on their son’s support weighed heavily on Xu Feng and Tang Jianying.
Knowing his son was visiting, Tang Jianying had likely decided to confront the client personally to avoid embarrassnt. However, in such cases, relationships often soured, and the crew would likely never return as custors.
As they spoke, Sister Guo and Li Ranan entered the shop.
Holding her phone, Li Ranan approached hesitantly, her voice cautious yet eager. “Brother Tang Song, I heard from Aunt Xu that you’re in live-streaming e-comrce. I didn’t realize you were so successful. I’ve been dabbling in this too. What’s your company’s account? I’d like to follow it and learn from you.”
Tang Song nodded amiably. “Sure. Our main account is called 【He Yiyi】. Feel free to check it out.”
Hearing the na, Li Ranan froze, her pupils dilating in shock. “He Yiyi? The He Yiyi who sells won’s clothing?”
“Sounds like the one you’re thinking of,” Tang Song replied with a faint smile.
Sister Guo furrowed her brow. “What’s wrong, Ranan? Is this account well-known?”
Xu Feng’s curiosity was also piqued.
“You don’t understand!” Li Ranan exclaid, her voice rising. “He Yiyi topped Douyin’s trending list recently! Her outdoor live stream with the superstar Bei Yuwei went viral!”
She quickly recounted everything she knew, her excitent palpable.
Both Sister Guo and Xu Feng were stunned, their jaws practically hitting the floor. Though they didn’t know much about live streaming, they recognized the na Chu Ruolin, a character played by Bei Yuwei in the hit drama Listening to the Rain in Leisure.
The hardware store buzzed with excitent.
Looking at Tang Song with sparkling eyes, Li Ranan gushed, “Brother Tang Song, I had no idea you were this amazing! I’ve been following He Yiyi for a while—the live streams and product reviews are fantastic. It’s a brand with so much potential!”
“Thanks, Ranan. Let’s hope for even greater success,” Tang Song said with a smile, glancing at his watch. “Mom, where’s Dad? He’s still not back?”
“I’ll call him now and hurry him along,” Xu Feng said, her hands trembling slightly as she fumbled for her phone.
She and Tang Jianying never imagined their son had achieved so much in such a short ti. The pride and excitent were overwhelming; they couldn’t wait to celebrate together as a family.
After a few rings, the call went unanswered.
“Typical of your father!” Xu Feng muttered, exasperated. “I bought him a fancy phone, and he still won’t answer it when it counts!”
“Don’t worry, Mom,” Tang Song said, standing up. “Where is he collecting paynt? I’ll go pick him up—it’ll be a nice surprise.”
“He’s at the yard opposite the agricultural machinery factory. That’s where the renovation crew usually hangs out. He took the electric three-wheeler, so there’s no need to pick him up.”
“It’s fine; he can leave it there for now. I’ll be back soon.” Tang Song waved goodbye to everyone and left the store.
The rcedes S-Class roared to life, smoothly reversing and heading east toward the agricultural machinery factory.
Standing by the door, Li Ranan clutched her phone tightly, her emotions a tangled mix of admiration and regret. Her childhood impression of the “neighbor boy” had been thoroughly overturned.
The yard, a cluster of red-brick buildings, had once been part of a carton factory. After the factory’s closure, it had beco a chaotic space rented out to various businesses—renovation crews, stainless steel vendors, and small eateries.
Inside one of the rooms on the west side, smoke filled the air as loud voices echoed.
A group of burly n sat around a worn brown desk, slamming playing cards down with sharp, rhythmic thuds.
Another round of cards ended as Tang Jianying rose from his stool, shaking his head. “I’m done for now. My son’s coming back from Yan City today—should be ho soon.”
He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, placing it on the worn desk. “This is the list of supplies you took from my shop. Double-check it and let know if there’s an issue.”
Huzi, a burly man with a fair complexion, stood up and patted Tang Jianying’s arm, laughing heartily. “Jianying, it’s not that I don’t want to settle up. The two renovation companies I’m working with are dragging their paynts, and I’m strapped for cash right now. Next month, I’ll clear it all up. I promise.”
Tang Jianying shook his head, his frustration evident. “Huzi, you know how tight things are for my shop. If everyone did this, I wouldn’t survive.”
He knew Huzi’s situation. A few years ago, the man had made a fortune running renovation teams, buying an Audi and a house in town. Even if his clients delayed paynt, Huzi wasn’t so strapped that he couldn’t spare a couple of thousand yuan. The truth was, Huzi didn’t see him as an equal. To Huzi, the owed amount was a trivial loan for cash flow, and delaying paynt until the end of the year wouldn’t matter.
Huzi took a drag from his cigarette and replied, “We’ve known each other for years. We’re from the sa village—I’m not going to stiff you. Just trust .”
Tang Jianying took a deep breath, his emotions bubbling up. “Huzi, you started as a laborer under back in the day. I’ve treated you as a friend, which is why I let this slide for two months. A person should have a conscience.”
With a snap, Huzi tossed his cards onto the table, his tone cooling. “Jianying, I’m giving you business by buying hardware from your shop. Shouldn’t you be thanking instead of accusing of lacking conscience just because I’m short on cash?”
“Helping my business doesn’t an taking advantage of it,” Tang Jianying countered.
The tension between the two grew sharp, prompting the others in the room to step in.
“Huzi, Jianying, calm down. No need to argue—you’re both from the sa village. Talk it out,” one said.
Another, Tang Jianying’s distant relative Tang Xianli, chid in, “How about this, Huzi? Give Jianying so money for now to ease his mind. His family’s been through tough tis, and they just cleared their debts recently.”
Huzi stubbed out his cigarette and begrudgingly retrieved a bundle of cash from his bag. Tossing it onto the table, he said, “Fine. Here’s 10,000 yuan to cover part of the last cycle. Write a receipt.”
Though he wanted to say more, Tang Xianli tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to let it go.
After a mont’s hesitation, Tang Jianying sighed, counted the cash, and wrote a receipt. Pocketing the money, he said softly, “I’ll be going, then,” and turned to leave.
Huzi followed him to the door, leaning casually against the fra as he said condescendingly, “Jianying, we’ve worked together for years, but you haven’t changed. I’ve got two renovation teams under , and we get thousands of yuan worth of hardware from your shop every month. If you insist on being so petty, I won’t be buying from you anymore. You’re too small-minded—that’s why you haven’t gotten anywhere.”
Tang Jianying stopped in his tracks, the bitter words hitting hard. Back in the day, he had been a senior worker on the construction crew, while Huzi was just a junior laborer under him. Hearing this now was a gut punch.
At that mont, a deep honk interrupted the exchange.
A sleek silver rcedes-Benz glided into the yard, its elegant lines reflecting the overcast light with a quiet brilliance. The streamlined car, polished to a mirror finish, contrasted sharply with the dilapidated surroundings.
Click. The driver’s door swung open.
“Dad!” Tang Song called out firmly as he stepped out of the car.
Standing just shy of 50, Tang Jianying’s hair was streaked with gray, his work clothes smudged with dirt. Years of manual labor had left his posture slightly hunched, and deep lines crisscrossed his face. Yet, his sharp features hinted at the handso man he had been in his youth.
Hearing his son’s voice, Tang Jianying turned, his expression a mix of surprise and joy. His gaze shifted between the gleaming rcedes and his tall, fit son.
Tang Song grinned. “What’s wrong, Dad? Don’t recognize ?”
Recovering from his initial shock, Tang Jianying stepped forward, clapping his son’s shoulder. “Look at you—so strong now. This is more like it! Much better than the scrawny kid you used to be!”
“I told you I’ve been working out!” Tang Song laughed.
Tang Jianying hesitated, glancing at the rcedes. “This car…”
“I just bought it,” Tang Song said casually, his smile widening. “rcedes S450L. What do you think?”
His father’s face froze montarily, his eyelid twitching as he processed the information.
“You’re serious? It’s yours?”
Tang Jianying approached the car, his hand trembling slightly as he touched the iconic chro grille and the proud tri-star emblem. The solid, cool feel of the tal sent waves of emotion through him.
Back when he worked as a driver at the flour mill, the factory owner had driven a rcedes—a model nicknad “Tiger Head Benz.” It had symbolized untouchable wealth and power. Now, his son owned a newer, sleeker version.
Huzi and the others were stunned, watching the interaction from a distance. The man who stepped out of the rcedes wasn’t just strikingly handso but exuded a calm and commanding presence, worlds apart from their usual crowd.
“Xianli Uncle, you’re here too?” Tang Song greeted warmly, noticing the familiar face.
“Xiao Song, you’ve co back from Yan City?” Tang Xianli asked, his voice thick with disbelief.
“Yeah, just got back. I ca to find Dad.”
“I heard you started your own business—already driving a Benz? That’s amazing! This car must’ve cost a fortune,” Tang Xianli said cautiously.
“Not too bad—just under 1.5 million,” Tang Song replied lightly.
A collective gasp filled the air.
Even Tang Jianying was taken aback, though he had guessed the price. Hearing it confird left him montarily dazed.
Tang Song walked to the trunk, retrieving a carton of premium cigarettes and a bottle of Maotai. Handing them to Tang Xianli, he said, “Uncle, since we bumped into each other, these are for you.”
Tang Xianli hesitated but eventually accepted the expensive gifts.
Watching from the doorway, Huzi’s expression twisted with discomfort. After a long pause, he muttered, “Jianying, I’ll send the remaining money to your WeChat later.”
Tang Jianying straightened his back, his voice steady and firm. “Good.”
Tang Song handed his father the car key with a grin. “Dad, you always loved rcedes and Audi. Want to take it for a spin?”
After a brief hesitation, Tang Jianying couldn’t resist the temptation. He took the key, gripping it tightly, and turned to the others. “We’ll be off, then.”
The rcedes glided smoothly out of the yard, its engine purring as it vanished into the distance.
In the quiet of the car, Tang Song explained the vehicle’s features while his father marveled at the precise steering and solid chassis.
“Back in the day, I used to dream about driving a car like this. Never thought the day would actually co,” Tang Jianying said, his voice tinged with emotion.
Tang Song smiled warmly, seeing the pride and joy on his father’s face. For years, his father’s resilience had been the backbone of their family, despite the toll it had taken on him. Now, it was ti for Tang Song to carry that burden and let his family enjoy the fruits of his success.
Sotis, strength needed to be shown, Tang Song thought. In a place like this, it wasn’t just about flaunting wealth but sending a clear ssage: I’m not soone to be underestimated.
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