Chen Wen's heart gave a jolt. Suppressing the ecstasy surging within him, he replied expansively, "No problem." Just kidding, this was the person capable of growing the "Seven Fairies"!
"However, I have one condition: my identity must remain secret."
"No problem." He had expected some harsh demand, but it was only this. As expected of someone from a clandestine family, their style of operation was suitably secretive.
"What riddles are you two playing at?" Tian Hai, listening from the side, was utterly bewildered. "What cooperation, what secrecy about your identity—what are you two hiding from me?"
"Zhong Yun wants to grow flowers in my family's garden but wishes to keep it quiet," Chen Wen explained.
"Why?" Tian Hai became even more confused.
"I'm a bit short on cash lately, so I want to earn some extra income," Zhong Yun said.
"Huh? Growing flowers to make money? Don't you remember the few pots in your own backyard? They’ve been there for over half a month, and not a single sprout has appeared."
Zhong Yun shrugged. "Those few pots have already grown, flowered, and I sold them."
"How much did you get for them?"
"Five hundred million." Zhong Yun decided to be honest with him. He would find out sooner or later. After spending this much time together, he felt Tian Hai was a trustworthy companion.
"Five hundred million?"
Tian Hai stared at him blankly, then suddenly reached out to touch his forehead. "Are you running a fever?"
Seeing Zhong Yun's serious expression, he turned to Chen Wen, worry etched on his face. "It’s bad. A'Yun is going crazy over money."
"He's not crazy," Chen Wen asserted.
"He's not crazy?" Tian Hai looked between his two friends, then slapped his forehead. "Then I must be the one who’s gone mad."
Suddenly, he slapped Zhong Yun hard on the arm. "Alright, April Fool's Day is over. Stop messing around."
Neither Zhong Yun nor Chen Wen spoke.
"Five hundred million, hah." He chuckled twice, but seeing their blank faces, the smile slowly faded. "You aren't joking?"
Zhong Yun and Chen Wen both shook their heads simultaneously.
"Seriously, five hundred million?"
They both nodded together.
Tian Hai clutched his heart and groaned, "Am I dreaming?"
Zhong Yun couldn't resist tapping him lightly, teasing, "Five hundred million has you this shaken? If it were five billion, fifty billion, you’d probably just kick the bucket right here."
"With five hundred million, I’d buy a mansion, get a couple of housemaids, and buy every model gun I could find—buy two of everything, keep one assembled, and one for collection." As he spoke, a foolish grin spread across Tian Hai's face.
He really was a best friend; even their dreams were the same, Zhong Yun couldn't help but think.
"I regret to inform you that I’ve already spent all five hundred million," Zhong Yun said with resignation.
"What?" Tian Hai looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. He stared dazedly at Zhong Yun. "What did you say?"
"All five hundred million is spent," Zhong Yun repeated.
Tian Hai pointed a trembling finger at him, his face a mask of disbelief. "How is that possible? That was five hundred million! Five hundred million! Did you think it was fifty dollars that you could just blow through?"
Zhong Yun paused. That line sounded terribly familiar. He remembered saying something nearly identical to ZER.
"You spendthrift!" Tian Hai felt his heart turn to ash. In barely ten seconds, he had been elevated from earth to heaven, only to plummet back to hell from that height. Such a drastic swing was too much for him to process immediately.
Zhong Yun hurried forward to comfort him. "Look on the bright side. Money lost can always be earned back, right, Chen Wen?" To strengthen his argument, he pulled Chen Wen into it.
"That's right," Chen Wen stepped up to back him up. "With Zhong Yun's ability, earning another five hundred million won't be difficult."
Tian Hai looked up, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Really?"
"Really," Zhong Yun thumped his chest in assurance. "If I could earn five hundred million once, I can earn another five hundred million."
Tian Hai's eyes lit up. "Oh, right." His spirit instantly revived. Truly, a cheerful personality meant emotions arrived quickly and departed just as fast.
Just then, the driver's voice sounded from inside the vehicle. "We've arrived."
As they got out, Zhong Yun asked Chen Wen, "Do you know where I can find some rather rare items?"
"Rare items? There are several such places in Mingzhou. I'll take you tonight," Chen Wen replied.
Tian Hai's voice drifted from outside. "What are you two dawdling for? Hurry up and get out here."
The two exchanged a knowing smile and stepped out of the vehicle.
Zhong Yun looked around. "What is this place?"
"You'll know when we go in," Tian Hai said, leading the way toward a building ahead.
They were in the suburbs, where buildings were scarce, save for this five-story structure in front of them. A crowd of skimmers was parked in front of the building. On closer inspection, Zhong Yun whistled—they were all rare, high-end vehicles seldom seen. Several rows deep, anyone unfamiliar might mistake it for a car show.
Upon entering the main door, the receptionists were all uniformly dressed in white miniskirts that showcased their long legs, and their professional demeanor was surprisingly high.
A girl with short, ear-length hair greeted them with a sweet smile as soon as she saw the trio. "Welcome. How may I assist you?"
Her address was naturally aimed at Chen Wen. The receptionists here had sharp eyes; Chen Wen was not only the best-looking but carried himself with an innate elegance, cultivated from years in a prestigious family. As for Zhong Yun and Tian Hai, with their ordinary looks and common attire, she categorized them as mere sidekicks, telling them to find somewhere cool to wait.
Chen Wen said, "Take us to the garage, please."
The short-haired girl smiled. "Follow me." She led the three of them toward an elevator nearby.
The elevator descended continuously. A few seconds later, it stopped. Stepping out of the lift, Zhong Yun was confronted by an immense garage filled with a dazzling array of vehicles of every description.
Zhong Yun stopped dead, his expression momentarily blank, experiencing a bizarre sense of temporal dislocation. Looking at the familiar shapes of the cars, countless images long buried in his memory surged forth.
"A'Yun, you haven't seen cars like this before, have you?"
Tian Hai's voice dragged Zhong Yun back to reality. He pursed his lips. "It just has four wheels, doesn't it? It’s a ground vehicle; don't think I don't know what it is."
Indeed, the vehicles here were not skimmers. Skimmers flew in the air and had no wheels. They were also fully sealed because their speeds reached thousands of kilometers per hour; exposing a person directly to the air at that velocity would tear them to shreds. The vehicles before him all had four wheels underneath, and every single one was a convertible. It would be impossible for Zhong Yun, a man who had crossed over from the automotive age, not to recognize them.
"Pick one. Today I'll let you experience the thrill of speed," Chen Wen said, selecting a sleek, all-black sports car first and starting it up with practiced ease.
"It's my brother's first time here; teach him the ropes," Chen Wen instructed the service attendant.
Tian Hai, meanwhile, headed straight for a sky-blue sports car whose front end was styled after a 'Xuan Xi' mech, waving back at Zhong Yun before peeling out amid the roar of the engine.
Seeing the two cars disappear from view, Zhong Yun turned back to the vehicle in front of him. He immediately took a liking to an all-red sports car.
Its styling resembled a certain bright red Ferrari from his past life, which instantly charmed him. He walked around it once before hopping into the seat. Gripping the steering wheel, a familiar sensation flooded his entire body; it felt as if he had returned to that period of burning passion.
"Please fasten your seatbelt," the short-haired attendant's voice sounded beside his ear.
P: Your support is my greatest motivation; please cast your valuable vote.