Chapter 61

He Cheng’an’s renovation company had become quite successful since opening a physical store, no longer relying solely on his own efforts to secure business and sign contracts with clients.

Many clients would actively visit the store, drawn by the high-quality renovations that made it appear upscale.

When they inquired about prices, they found them to be reasonable, resulting in a significant number of contracts signed.

By the end of the year, the store had hired two new renovation consultants, which eased some of the pressure.

During his free time, Zhang Hao often went to eat with Lu Yun and He Cheng’an at their home.

However, once the store got busy, he could only manage to visit them once every half a month.

The end of the year was also the peak selling season for dry goods. He Cheng’an had traveled to more than ten factories in the provincial capital, ultimately securing agreements with two factories willing to provide mushrooms as employee benefits for the end of the year.

Following this, he ventured into various markets and morning markets in the provincial capital, earning a substantial profit.

Compared to when he first arrived in the provincial capital, He Cheng’an appeared more mature, exuding a sense of reassurance to those around him. However, he looked somewhat thinner due to his recent busyness.

One evening, He Cheng’an prepared Lu Yun’s favorite sweet and sour ribs, learned a recipe for spicy chicken wings, and cooked scrambled eggs with chives and sauerkraut with vermicelli. In total, he made four dishes, along with steamed rice and a tomato-egg soup.

He Cheng’an sat down and looked at Lu Yun, suggesting, “Ah Yun, how about we buy a small car this time? Usually, we can go back to the county town about once a week, but when things get busy, it can stretch to half a month. You often get car sick when you take the bus back and forth. If we have a car, it would be more comfortable for you. Besides, I have some free time now, and I can accompany you to get your driver’s license. What do you think?”

When it came to the topic of getting a driver’s license, He Cheng’an remembered what he had heard about some driving instructors having bad tempers and shouting at students who struggled to learn.

He thought that if he learned alongside Lu Yun, he could help teach her as well.

Lu Yun pondered for a moment. They didn’t have a car, and it was indeed a hassle to travel back and forth. Plus, with He Cheng’an’s growing business, having a car would be more convenient.

However, if they bought a car, they would have to postpone purchasing a house in Rose Garden. Although both Lu Yun and He Cheng’an were now financially comfortable, they could only choose one between the house in Rose Garden and a car for the time being.

“Buy the car,” Lu Yun said.

He Cheng’an smiled. “Alright, let’s go look at cars tomorrow, and then we can go to the driving school.”

During dinner, Lu Yun enjoyed the spicy chicken wings that He Cheng’an had just learned to make.

Although the chicken wings were not as delicious as his sweet and sour ribs, she still devoured four of them and nodded approvingly at He Cheng’an. However, she ended up leaving some rice, which she gave entirely to He Cheng’an.

—o—o—o—

That night, Lu Yun had trouble sleeping. Before her time travel, she had obtained a driver’s license but had never driven a car because she was afraid to do so. Even if she learned alongside He Cheng’an, she might still rarely drive afterward. However, having a driver’s license would still be quite beneficial.

Lu Yun recalled her experience of getting a driver’s license and felt a twinge of frustration about the driving instructor who had taught her. After completing her lessons, she didn’t want to have any further contact with him.

There were certainly excellent driving instructors, but unfortunately, the one who taught her was not among them. In fact, there was a time when Lu Yun didn’t want to continue her lessons at all because the instructor not only harassed some female students but also spoke quite harshly.

To avoid such incidents, she had brought along a younger male team member for support, which caused the instructor to tone down his behavior somewhat.

“Hey, He Cheng’an, do you think I’ll be a bit slow to learn how to drive?” Lu Yun asked.

Upon hearing this, He Cheng’an reached out and patted her shoulder. “It’s okay, I’ll figure it out. Besides, who says our Ah Yun is slow? Professor Zhou always praises you for being smart. Even if you struggle a bit, it just means you’re not good at this particular thing. It’s not a requirement anyway. If you can’t drive, I’ll be your driver.”

In the 1990s, the first car that became popular was the Xiali, which had a very reasonable price. Other cars that caught their eye were simply too expensive. Lu Yun and He Cheng’an opted for a good configuration, which meant even a basic model would cost them over a hundred thousand.

Having witnessed the prosperity of the future, Lu Yun viewed these cars merely as tools for transportation. She even earnestly expressed to He Cheng’an that while cars would depreciate, houses would retain or even increase in value. Even if, hypothetically, house prices fell, they would still hold their value better than cars.

Listening to Lu Yun’s thoughts, He Cheng’an nodded with a smile, his expression filled with affection.

“In the future, when we make money, we’ll buy more houses,” He Cheng’an declared.

Lu Yun nodded, feeling a bit proud. “Yes, anyway, even if I didn’t say it, you would definitely know.”

He Cheng’an couldn’t help but recall the first time he and Lu Yun had come to the provincial capital, when she had felt car sick, and how he had wanted to buy her a car.

With the sales recommendation, Lu Yun and He Cheng’an decided without much discussion and directly ordered the Xiali, opting for a white model since Lu Yun liked that color.

Afterward, He Cheng’an took Lu Yun to the driving school, where he knew one of the instructors through a renovation client. He registered Lu Yun, but when they were about to leave, he noticed several people staring at Lu Yun. As his gaze shifted toward them, many quickly averted their eyes.

As Lu Yun stepped outside, she was beaming with excitement and asked, “Are you thinking of going back to look for the marriage certificate?”

He Cheng’an nodded. “Yes, we need to find the marriage certificate.”

Getting a driver’s license was a tiring process. Lu Yun and He Cheng’an were already busy, and coordinating their schedules to go to the driving school each day was a challenge. However, most of the time, He Cheng’an accompanied Lu Yun to ensure her studies weren’t hindered.

With He Cheng’an’s tough demeanor, the driving school instructor was unusually patient. He Cheng’an even gifted the instructor a pack of cigarettes and a red envelope, which significantly improved Lu Yun’s learning experience compared to before her time travel.

Additionally, there was another detail: He Cheng’an, who always called Lu Yun “Ah Yun,” had taken to calling her “wife” at the driving school. This made it clear to everyone that they were married, not just casually dating.

At first, other learners at the school thought this couple was exceptionally good-looking. Later, many women began to envy He Cheng’an’s gentle and attentive nature toward Lu Yun, while men admired Lu Yun’s caring demeanor and soft-spoken way of communicating with He Cheng’an.

He Cheng’an was intelligent, and Lu Yun had prior experience with getting her license; both passed their exams on the first try. By the end of the month, they had completed their driving tests, and they could finally pick up their newly purchased Xiali.

Zhang Hao watched them from downstairs as they returned with their car, his expression a mix of envy and happiness. “From now on, I’ll ride back to the county with you. Not only will I save on travel expenses, but it’ll also be much more comfortable!”

Lu Yun appreciated Zhang Hao’s personality. He truly regarded He Cheng’an as his elder brother.

“Have you been spending your money wisely?” Lu Yun asked.

Zhang Hao laughed in response. “How could I dare to waste it? I listen to my sister-in-law! I plan to buy a house, and once I’m a bit more financially comfortable, I’ll get a second-hand car for convenience.”

Aside from this, Zhang Hao had another topic to discuss. He Cheng’an had decided to expand the physical location of the renovation company into the suburbs.

They were aware that many areas there were preparing for new developments, but managing that transition was another matter altogether.

Zhang Hao knew he had to follow He Cheng’an, but what would happen to the shop here?

“Are we handing it over to Xiao Chen or someone else? I need to know so I can properly transfer my responsibilities,” Zhang Hao inquired.

He Cheng’an remained silent. “I’ll think it over.”

He Cheng’an had previously discussed this matter with Lu Yun. He had initially hired Xiao Chen because he performed well, but over time, He Cheng’an discovered that Xiao Chen was pocketing a significant amount of kickbacks.

There was even an incident where a renovation project had quality issues.

He Cheng’an had to compensate the homeowner and redo the work.

Although Xiao Chen’s attitude became more cautious and diligent afterward, he still seemed to be operating under a cloud of suspicion.

Finding someone like Zhang Hao was rare.

He Cheng’an didn’t expect everyone to be like him, but he at least wanted to ensure the quality of work didn’t falter.

On their way back, Lu Yun asked He Cheng’an, “What are you planning to do?”

He Cheng’an replied, “Li Xiaohong seems alright. I’ve seen her attend to customers a few times when I visited the store recently. She works hard, but I can’t shake the feeling that her arrival here seems too coincidental. The provincial capital is so big; how is it that she ended up at our place?”

Lu Yun nodded. “I’ve thought about that too. I wondered if she came here intentionally to work with us.”

He Cheng’an had been in the provincial capital long enough to know that he had options for staff; however, this store was a significant starting point for them, and he didn’t want to entrust its management to just anyone.

That day, He Cheng’an returned home with Zhang Hao just as it was about to rain. He often hurried back when the weather turned inclement, concerned for Lu Yun. She was aware of this, so as the rain approached and having just finished her paperwork, she was in the kitchen preparing several dishes.

He Cheng’an was good at hiding his emotions, but Zhang Hao wasn’t as adept at concealing his feelings. Smelling the aroma of the food, he smiled and said, “Sister-in-law, does this mean I can finally eat your cooking?” After rubbing his hands together, he continued, “If I get to eat your food once, I’ll be thinking about it for days, and I won’t want to eat anything else!”

“Go wash your hands and let’s eat,” Lu Yun urged.

Zhang Hao had come over to pick up some documents but ended up enjoying a meal at Lu Yun’s place. By the time he left, he was so full he even considered taking some food home, but then he glanced at He Cheng’an and decided against it.

Once Zhang Hao left, Lu Yun turned to He Cheng’an and asked, “What’s wrong?”

He Cheng’an shook his head. “It’s nothing.”

Noticing his silence, Lu Yun grew concerned. He Cheng’an quickly added, “Ah Yun, don’t be upset. I’m not lying to you; it really is nothing. It’s just that Chen Zhiqiang has poached Xiao Chen away. Xiao Chen has resigned and plans to work for Chen Zhiqiang now.”