"This car is so cool! Driving it must be an absolute rush!"

"After I graduate, I'm going to buy an off-roader and tear up the mountain roads!"

"Count me in!"

Lin Feng smiled and got into the passenger seat. "Lin Jie, are you coming with me to drop your classmates off, or are you heading home?"

"Of course I'm coming along."

His classmates were all over the car, looking here and touching there, constantly exclaiming how cool it was. No man could resist the irresistible allure of an off-road vehicle.

"Mom, Dad, honey, we're heading out now," Lin Feng called out. After saying his goodbyes, he drove off.

He set the route on the navigation system to drop them off one by one.

"Bro, no need for GPS, I know the way," one of the boys said.

"Alright."

The off-road vehicle had a wide field of vision and a high chassis, giving it an imposing presence on the road. Even at night, Lin Feng drew a lot of attention in the vehicle.

Lin Jie was chatting with his classmates. The topic turned to classes resuming after the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.

"Our classmate 'Little Bench' went to visit relatives abroad this year. Damn, he's constantly flexing on his Moments."

"Exactly. It's like he wants the whole world to know he's overseas. He even posted pictures in the class group chat."

"That guy loves to show off. He wants to make a big deal out of every little thing."

"Haha, remember that day? He posted pictures in the group and then pretended it was a mistake. You all know about that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, followed by a bunch of bootlickers in the class."

"Haha, with my temper, you think I could stand for that? I immediately made a meme out of our boy Jie's red packet and posted it in the group. It left him totally speechless."

Lin Jie hadn't expected the gossip to suddenly be about him.

"Why'd you drag me into it?"

"Jie, bro, I wasn't really thinking. I just wanted to piss him off. He was being way too cocky." Seeing the look on Lin Jie's face, he added, "You're not mad, are you?"

Lin Jie shook his head. "Just don't do it again."

"Got it. I've blocked him."

Lin Feng had been driving silently the whole time, not saying a word. Listening to them chat, he couldn't help but reminisce about his own high school days. Compared to high schoolers now, his generation was much simpler. They never thought about competing over possessions or showing off, and the concept of a wealth gap barely existed. The only thing that mattered was whether your grades were good or bad. It was an era of endless homework and unending classes; to say they were tired as dogs was no exaggeration.

"Sir," one of the classmates said.

Lin Feng glanced over, realizing he was being spoken to. "Hmm?"

"Do you have WeChat? Could we add each other as friends?"

Lin Feng nodded. "Sure, just have Lin Jie share my contact with you."

The boy broke into a happy smile and immediately asked Lin Jie for Lin Feng's WeChat.

"Sir, turn right at the intersection ahead. Zhongtian Garden is right there, that's my home."

Lin Feng hesitated for a moment. "Call your parents and have them come out to meet you."

"Uh, okay, sure."

Having come this far, Lin Feng wouldn't be able to rest easy until he saw each of them safely home.

A short while later, a man wearing thick, fleece-lined pajamas came over. "Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!"

Lin Feng smiled. "It's my pleasure. Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year!"

Even though his son was a senior in high school, parents never felt at ease when he was out late at night. The father showered Lin Feng with praise. "You're so responsible, not only driving him home but also making sure I came out to pick him up."

As a man, he couldn't help but notice the formidable off-road vehicle. "That's a really nice car."

The father and son seemed to have found a common topic instantly.

"Right? Dad, that's the car Lin Jie's brother bought for their dad," the boy said. "When I make money in the future, I'll buy you one, too."

"Alright, I'll hold you to that. I'll be remembering this."

"Then we can each get a car and go racing in the mountains."

"Deal! Dad will definitely join you!"

The last person left was a chubby, bespectacled boy.

"Where do you live?" Lin Feng asked.

"Zichen Wangfu."

The prices at Zichen Wangfu were no joke; it was considered a luxury estate in one of the most expensive parts of Meicheng.

Lin Jie turned around. "Wow, I never realized your family was so well-off."

The chubby boy pushed up his glasses. "It's alright." He seemed modest and a bit shy.

The moment his call connected, a roar came through the phone. "Getting bold, are we? Sneaking out to play all day while I'm not home!"

"You just wait! See if I don't break your legs when you get back!"

"Now tell me, which gate am I picking you up from?"

The chubby boy's expression didn't change. "The north gate."

"Fine! You just wait for it, you little brat!"

At the north gate, a man stormed out of the building, phone in hand. He stopped short when he saw the vehicle parked by the entrance. It was late, and it was the only car there.

The chubby boy got out and said goodbye to Lin Feng and Lin Jie. "Happy New Year! I had a lot of fun today! Thank you!"

What a polite kid.

Lin Feng smiled and said, "You're welcome." Turning to the father, he added, "Happy New Year!"

The father's expression changed as if by magic. He beamed and said, "Happy New Year! Thank you for going through all the trouble of bringing him home."

Lin Feng gave a faint smile. "It was no trouble. Goodbye!"

"Goodbye!"

As soon as Lin Feng's car drove away, the father pointed at his son. "You! Tell me right now, what have you been up to today? I want every single detail!"

The chubby kid dodged the question. "Weren't you supposed to be out?"

"I came back to spend time with you! But the housekeeper told me you left at noon and still weren't back!"

"Oh, I was just hanging out with classmates."

A trace of concern appeared in the father's eyes. "How were they? Did you have fun?" His son was a transfer student and didn't seem to be having a very happy time at his new school. He had been quite surprised to hear he'd gone out with classmates today.

The chubby boy's tone brightened considerably. "It was great! They were really nice to me!"

"Was it because of our family's..."

"Not at all! They don't even know where I live," the boy interrupted. "Besides, it's not like they're short on money."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah! I spent the whole afternoon on a yacht. Well, it was more like a houseboat..."

"You liked it? If you like it, Dad will buy you one."

"It was a luxury yacht over a dozen meters long. Can you afford that?"

"Hey, don't be like that..."

One after the other, the father and son walked back home.

「On the way back.」

While waiting at a red light, a silver sedan pulled up beside them.

"Hi, handsome!"

Lin Feng turned toward the voice and saw a beautiful woman in the passenger seat of the sedan. She was pretty, but she was leagues away from Zhang Yuxi.

The woman flashed a sweet smile. "Can I add you on WeChat? I'd like to be friends."

Just then, the light turned green. Lin Feng slammed on the accelerator. The car shot off with a WHOOSH, leaving the beautiful woman dumbfounded in the night wind.

What a shame. Such a handsome guy, and what a cool car. So annoying that I couldn't get his number!

Lin Jie, having witnessed the woman's stunned expression, couldn't help but feel a laugh coming on.

"Don't mention this to your sister-in-law," Lin Feng warned him.

"Why not? It's not like anything happened."

Lin Feng sighed. "A woman's mind works differently from ours. We might think something is no big deal, but in their eyes, it rounds up to something that *could* have happened. Their thought processes are complex; sometimes you have no idea what they're actually thinking."

Lin Jie hesitated. "Sister-in-law seems really understanding. I don't think she's like that."

Lin Feng was silent for a few seconds. "But at the end of the day, your sister-in-law is still a woman."

Lin Jie nodded, indicating he understood.

"What about you?" Lin Feng changed the subject. "I hear you kids start dating at a young age these days. Is that true?"

Lin Jie's face turned red. "A lot of kids in my class are dating, but I'm not."

"Really? You're a handsome guy, but no girlfriend?"

Lin Jie answered shyly, "Girls might like me, but I don't like them back."

"My deskmate started dating, and her grades plummeted. Her boyfriend has even caused her personality to change completely."

"The way I see it, any girl who wants to date me is just trying to make my grades drop! They definitely have ulterior motives."

Lin Feng couldn't help but laugh. "So, is there a girl you like?"

Lin Jie stammered, "Y-Yes. She's the top student in our grade, and she's in my class."

"Oh, so she's an outstanding girl."

"I heard that next week she's getting recommended for early admission to Peking University."

Lin Feng hadn't forgotten that Lin Jie also wanted to go to Peking University. "Is it because of her?"

"Not really. I just want to be an excellent person. An excellent person in my own right."

Lin Feng smiled and said nothing.

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