Chapter 86: Uncontainable Smile

With his streaming equipment in tow, Jiang Yun hailed a car and set out.

“There aren’t any cars available lately, so I’m heading to the dealership to pick up a loaner,” he explained briefly to his viewers. Though this wasn’t an official stream, he felt he ought to let them know where he was headed, lest they be left guessing.

Hearing his explanation, the audience quickly understood the purpose of his outing.

Soon, the car pulled up at the dealership. Jiang Yun was greeted by a salesperson and led to the area behind the shop where the test-drive vehicles were kept.

“Mr. Jiang, these are all the test-drive cars we have across our dealerships. Take whichever one you like—you can drive it home and bring it back once your own car’s repairs are done,” the salesperson said, gesturing to the array of vehicles before them.

The dealership was spacious and carried a wide range of brands, so the test-drive lot had just about everything, though Volkswagens were especially numerous.

Jiang Yun scanned the lineup and finally settled on a Passat.

After a quick introduction, the salesperson handed over the keys without much ado. In their eyes, someone accustomed to million-yuan cars like Jiang Yun wouldn’t be too interested in a mid-range sedan, so they didn’t even bother with a formal loan agreement.

As he drove away, the chat buzzed with surprise at his choice.

“Why’d you pick that one? There were better options!”

“Yunzi bro, you’re used to luxury rides. Won’t this feel off to you?”

“Never thought I’d get to drive the same car as Yunzi bro. It’s not that I’ve made it, it’s that he’s come down to my level!”

“Yunzi bro, tell us—how does it feel to drive this one?”

...

Jiang Yun chuckled at the comments. “Why this car? Haven’t you heard that joke?”

“A joke? What joke?”

“I know one about the Emgrand.”

“What, the Passat’s in the same league as the Emgrand now?”

“I think I know which one he means...”

...

Seeing that many still didn’t get it, Jiang Yun laughed and recited, “You drive your Passat home in defeat. Your uncle tells you to sit on the stool and keep quiet. Your cousin’s wife, whom you’ve never met, hands you a slice of raw ginger. The bowl you eat from, you brought yourself. The chicken was leftovers from last night, and the red envelope you’re given is filled with loose change. That night, you go to your class reunion. The class monitor refuses to share the location. When you ask why, he says you don’t deserve it—driving a Passat. After much pleading, he reluctantly lets you tag along, and as soon as you enter, he makes you kneel beside the guy with the Emgrand. The class beauty urges you not to feel inferior, since later someone with a Camry will show up and join you.”

His words left the chat in a flurry of question marks.

“????”

“Wow, is the Passat really that low on the totem pole now?”

“Bro, delete that—I actually drive a Passat!”

“I only bought a Camry because of that Emgrand joke, and now you’re telling me I have to kneel too?”

“Yunzi bro, you’re savage—yesterday you roasted automatics, today you’re going after the Passat?”

...

Jiang Yun grinned at the comments. “It’s just a joke, don’t take it seriously. A car in the hundred-thousand range is already pretty good. If it were really that bad, I wouldn’t be using it as my loaner. Don’t let those short videos make you look down on this or that—if you bought your car with your own hard work, even a Wuling is impressive.”

Many in the chat echoed his sentiment.

“It’s true. Once you’re out in the world, you realize that buying a car with your own money—any car at all—is awesome.”

“As long as it’s earned with your own effort, whatever you drive is something to be proud of.”

“A joke’s a joke, but don’t take it to heart.”

“Everything else aside, that Emgrand joke really did a number—their sales are down.”

“The Emgrand joke is right up there with the old Mazda memes—the impact is huge.”

...

Amid the banter, Jiang Yun steered the car to an old residential complex. After parking, he walked toward a small alley beside the complex and said, “Today I’ll take you all to a little spot—a small restaurant serving authentic Sichuan dishes.”

With that, Jiang Yun entered a tiny eatery whose sign had long since faded and expertly ordered several dishes.

Seeing his actions, many viewers felt a kinship.

“Yunzi bro loves small eateries; I love them too. So I’m Yunzi bro, which means I’m a millionaire!”

“To be fair, not every small place is great, but you’re way more likely to find good food than in the big restaurants.”

“Few big restaurants are truly old-school, and even if they are, the flavor’s changed so much over the years. Small places are just better.”

“The best food is always hidden in the alleys—there’s a lot of truth to that.”

...

He finished his lunch quickly and was about to leave after paying, when he heard a burst of shouting just as he reached his car.

Looking over, Jiang Yun saw that the old residential building nearby was on fire—seriously on fire, with thick smoke billowing so fiercely that he could see it from the street.

He wasn’t sure why, but perhaps out of habit or a desire to help, he rushed toward the scene of the fire.

When he arrived, he saw that the blaze had broken out in a third-floor apartment. The flames were so intense that smoke filled the entire stairwell. A crowd had already gathered below.

A woman who looked like a building manager was calling out, “Everyone, please move back a bit—the fire department’s on their way. Don’t block the entrance.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yun felt a bit of relief. At least the authorities had been called.

But just then, a boy of eight or nine suddenly tried to dash inside, crying, “My homework! My summer homework—I just finished it!”

His parents reacted quickly, grabbing him before he could get far. His father, angry, gave him a few swats. “Can’t you see what’s happening? If your homework’s gone, it’s gone! Go up there now and you might lose your life!”

At his father’s words, the boy’s eyes actually filled with tears.

“But I worked so hard to finish my summer homework!”

He sobbed, and though the tears were real, Jiang Yun couldn’t help noticing the corners of his mouth twitching upward.

The boy’s father clearly saw through him, rolling his eyes in exasperation. “Enough. Quiet.”

So the boy could only squat down, putting on his saddest face, as if mourning his lost homework.

The viewers watching the stream couldn’t hold back their laughter.

“Look at him—he can’t even keep a straight face!”

“For someone so young, that’s some serious acting chops!”

“Great tears, shame about the smirk.”

“I can’t take it—somebody send me this kid’s address, I’m mailing him ten sets of summer homework!”

...

As the crowd chatted, Jiang Yun slipped away from the scene. Before leaving, though, he’d left the drone streaming equipment hovering in place, so no one noticed he’d gone at all...