That week turned Zhang Yang into a celebrity in Lieshan. He couldn't not be famous; Lieshan County had been unremarkable for years, and this incident finally put it on the map.

Good fame or bad fame, he was notorious. Many newspapers reported the incident, running consecutive stories. The name "Lieshan County" had never been exposed so frequently.

Besides the media attention, there was another reason for Zhang Yang's sudden notoriety: his wealth.

This was something even Zhang Yang hadn't anticipated.

Now, everyone knew the Mi family had acquired a rich son-in-law. No one knew exactly how much money Zhang Yang possessed, but he had gone from having his Mercedes smashed to now driving a BMW. Such high-end cars were rare in a small county. Both the Mercedes and the current BMW were imports, each valued at over a million.

With two consecutive luxury vehicles, people were convinced Zhang Yang was genuinely wealthy—the very wealthy kind.

The BMW Zhang Yang was driving now was, naturally, Young Master Su’s car.

Poor Young Master Su! Not only did he rush over to help, but when he left, he had to take the train, effectively having paid out of pocket for his car being used.

In Lieshan County, there was a lot of chatter, but since Mi Zhiguo was a Deputy County Magistrate, no one dared to gossip openly in front of him.

The greatest achievement of Zhang Yang's week at the Mi residence was the significant improvement in his relationship with Mi Zhiguo.

Yu Wenwu had been suspended and recalled to the city; he certainly wouldn't remain here.

With Yu Wenwu gone, work in Lieshan County still needed management. After Xu Guangrong retired, the city parachuted in a new County Magistrate, and subsequently, they filled a vacant Standing Committee seat in the county, which went to Mi Zhiguo.

This was perhaps intended as a form of appeasement to Zhang Yang, signaling him to stop stirring up trouble over the matter.

Those in the city and the county weren't fools. They had discovered that the two provincial newspaper reports had been instigated by Zhang Yang. They hadn't uncovered his true identity, but anyone capable of placing such articles in the provincial paper was clearly not simple. Both the city and the county wanted to resolve this matter quickly and prevent any further complications.

All those newspaper reports had thoroughly vexed them.

It was the first time these officials had truly felt the pressure of public opinion.

Mi Zhiguo knew exactly how he had secured his Standing Committee seat—he owed it to Zhang Yang's influence. Naturally, his attitude shifted; he had formally accepted Zhang Yang as his son-in-law.

Adding the title of Standing Committee member, while his rank remained Deputy County Magistrate, vastly increased his authority.

A Deputy County Magistrate who is a Standing Committee member and one who is not were two entirely different concepts. Mi Zhiguo now attacked his work with renewed vigor.

“For the first time, I feel like this place is even better than home!”

After driving for over two hours, Zhang Yang and Mi Xue finally returned to Changjing. He had to return; he needed to follow up on consultations for Su Shaohua and Old Master Zhao.

He had already completed the follow-up consultation with Old Master Xie; that now only required continued medication, no immediate return visit necessary.

“Of course! It’s just the two of us here—our private world. Not like at home with so many people watching!”

Zhang Yang immediately wrapped Mi Xue in an embrace. They had been away for nearly twenty days this time, and the experiences of those two decades would remain unforgettable for the rest of their lives.

“Lightning is out of food, what should we do?”

Mi Xue suddenly mentioned this. Lightning’s food source was venomous snakes, live ones at that.

To this day, Mi Xue still didn't dare feed Lightning directly, but that didn't stop her from playing with the creature daily. This snow-white Vormela (ferret-mink) was remarkably intelligent, often performing cute antics that kept Mi Xue laughing nonstop. Sadly, it had to be kept confined; if released, it would be an excellent pet.

Zhang Yang replied, “It’s fine. I inquired; there are several places near Changjing that feed snakes. We can buy some from them later.”

“That’s good. I wonder how Xiao Dai and the others are doing!” Mi Xue nodded, thinking again of Xiao Dai and Nannan.

Neither Xiao Dai nor Nannan had returned home; they were working shifts at a restaurant. Mi Xue had spoken to them once; they were living well.

It was worth mentioning Hu Xin and Gu Cheng, those two lads.

After buying their vehicle, they quickly started taking on jobs. Initially unfamiliar with the market and lacking know-how, they even took a few unprofitable gigs. As they grew accustomed to the work, and because they were hardworking and willing, their business quickly improved. In these less than twenty days, they had carved out a small reputation for themselves.

Now, the two were busy from morning till night. With the hard work came gratifying returns. After deducting all expenses, they were earning about two hundred yuan a day, a figure they could never have imagined before. Two hundred-plus yuan a day meant six to seven thousand a month. At this rate, they could pay back the cost of Zhang Yang’s car in under a year. Furthermore, they no longer needed to ask their families for tuition or living expenses; they could even send a little home. Both were immensely satisfied with their current lives and deeply grateful to Zhang Yang. Without his help in buying the car, they would certainly not be here, likely still toiling away at manual labor for a few hundred a month.

Since they were both working, Zhang Yang and Mi Xue felt it inappropriate to seek them out. The day after returning, Zhang Yang and Mi Xue went to the car market together.

Zhang Yang couldn’t keep Young Master Su’s BMW forever; he needed to return it, meaning he had to buy a new car. When they didn't have a car, everything felt casual, but having experienced having one, the lack of a vehicle now felt incredibly inconvenient. This led Mi Xue to lament the difficulty of adjusting from luxury to frugality—even she was finding the car-less life somewhat jarring.

Changjing’s car market was located in the suburbs, not a short drive away—about half an hour. Traffic wasn’t as congested as in later eras, so half an hour was considered a significant distance. Most cars sold at the market were ordinary; only two dealerships handled luxury vehicles, one of which was where Su Zhantao had bought the Mercedes for Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang headed to that same location this time.

Su Zhantao’s BMW was still in Zhang Yang’s possession. As soon as the car stopped outside, someone rushed over to greet them. Car markets back then weren't as standardized as later, but the service attitude was by no means inferior; sales staff earned excellent commissions on each car sold.

“Zhang Yang, look at all these cars!”

Entering the showroom, Mi Xue’s eyes widened; this was her first time in such a place.

“Actually, there aren't that many. Limited stock on hand,” Zhang Yang glanced around casually and shook his head slightly. Having frequented various car shows in his previous life, the twenty-odd cars in this showroom didn't impress him.

This was the luxury car hall. The so-called 'luxury cars' were mostly BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes, and Audis. Zhang Yang only spotted a single Lincoln in the entire showroom, and it was quite ugly.

“Sir, what type of vehicle are you looking for? We have many imported models…”

The saleswoman followed Zhang Yang closely, constantly introducing models. Her attitude was pleasant, but her pitch was stiff and lacked any unique flair.

Frankly, among all the cars in the showroom, not one truly caught Zhang Yang’s eye. Many were inferior to the one Su Zhantao had gifted him. Zhang Yang scrutinized the vehicles and realized that Su Zhantao’s gift was actually the most expensive car here.

“Sir, this is the latest model BMW; its main feature is…”

The saleswoman continued her introductions as Zhang Yang approached each car, offering a few extra words for each one.

“No need to introduce them. Do you have anything else besides these?”

Zhang Yang interrupted her presentation. He was somewhat disappointed by the trip to the market. None of these cars truly satisfied him. If this was the case, he might as well just order the original Mercedes. That specific model wasn't in stock; ordering it now would require a reservation.

“Aren't these good enough? These are the best cars in Changjing!”

The saleswoman looked slightly surprised. The cheapest car in the showroom cost hundreds of thousands, and many were over a million—a massive sum in this era. Most visitors stared wide-eyed, and those who did buy were usually quite satisfied. It was rare to find a customer as picky as Zhang Yang, dissatisfied with everything. If she hadn't seen him drive in with a very nice BMW, she would have assumed he was the type who only looked and never bought.

“Xiao Li, go attend to other matters first!”

From a short distance away, a woman in her late twenties approached. As soon as she spoke, the saleswoman introduced Zhang Yang nodded immediately and stepped aside.

“My name is Yang Ling. Sir, may I ask your name?”

The woman exuded a mature allure. Her tone was different from the younger girl’s, her voice soothing, making it difficult to refuse her.

“I am Zhang Yang, and this is my girlfriend, Mi Xue!”

Zhang Yang smiled slightly. Women like this might have held some attraction for him in his past life, but not now. Setting aside his current age, Mi Xue beside him was far superior—younger and more beautiful.

“Mr. Zhang, your girlfriend is very beautiful. I envy you!”

Yang Ling smiled faintly, her expression strikingly charming, and she gave Zhang Yang a subtle, flirtatious wink. Zhang Yang realized she was a very seductive woman; every gesture, every glance was charged with allure.

“Thank you for the compliment, Miss Yang. We are here to buy a car. If we don’t find something suitable, we’ll have to express our regret,” Zhang Yang replied with a light laugh. This woman was interesting; deliberately displaying her charm here was likely just an attempt to make Mi Xue jealous. Zhang Yang stated his purpose directly: they were here to buy, and if nothing suitable appeared, they would leave. Her little theatrics were unnecessary.

A flicker of surprise crossed Yang Ling’s eyes, quickly masked.

“Mr. Zhang, you are a friend of Young Master Su, aren't you?” Yang Ling murmured, her tone shifting instantly, as if she had transformed into a completely different person from moments before.

Zhang Yang was also secretly astonished. They said women were fickle, and it seemed true; this woman had undergone a dramatic change right before his eyes.

PS: A few words from the heart at the end; word count not counted.

Fifth update. Xiao Yu overestimated his capacity for continuous work.

I am very tired, truly tired—not just physically, but mentally fatigued too. Observant friends might notice that the intervals between today’s updates were longer than yesterday’s. This is because my typing speed today was much slower than yesterday. However, friends, please rest assured, no matter how tired Xiao Yu gets, I will persevere. I will keep my promises. There are three more chapters to go; I won't sleep until they are finished.

At this moment, Xiao Yu needs your support more than ever. After an all-night session, I still need to push through the morning, maybe even into the afternoon. I beg all my friends to continue voting for me. These votes will show me that all the effort and hardship are worthwhile, and they will revitalize my spirit, letting me know that many friends still support me.

Fifth update, three more chapters to go—eight updates will definitely be achieved. I’m going to drink some coffee and keep working hard. Please don't stop your support, so I can maintain the drive to continue writing and persevere. I ask this of you!