The day after moving into the new house, Ma Yuan invited his father and sister over for a meal, paying for both the food and drinks.
"Wow, Brother Yang, did you strike it rich? You've moved into such a big place," Ma Lan exclaimed in surprise as soon as she entered with her father.
Yang Jian chuckled awkwardly, "This place is rented, not bought. What does it have to do with getting rich?"
"Such a nice house wouldn't be cheap to rent. If you hadn't made a lot of money, why would you rent such a good place?"
"Sis, why are you so worried? This house was a gift to Brother Yang, and there's a luxury car too," Ma Yuan interjected, finding his sister's questions odd.
Ma Lan was even more surprised, "A luxury car as a gift? Did Brother Yang change jobs?"
"Yes, I changed jobs. Brother Yang and I have resigned from the fruit stand. Brother Cheng is going to give us a shop to start our own business. The house and car were gifts from Brother Cheng."
"Brother Cheng? Fang Zhicheng? He's a thug. You're going to work with him?" Ma Lan clearly knew Fang Zhicheng and seemed displeased.
Old Ma quickly pulled her aside and quietly recounted how he was cheated out of his lottery winnings and how Ma Yuan had injured the convenience store owner, explaining that he and his son had implicated Yang Jian.
Ma Lan was shocked, "Dad, why didn't you tell me about something this big?"
"What use would it be telling you? It would only make you worry. We're lucky to have Little Yang; otherwise, your brother and I would have been hacked to death. Little Yang moving here was also forced."
"But that's no reason to follow Fang Zhicheng and do bad things. What they do is illegal and punishable by imprisonment." As a law student, Ma Lan's legal consciousness was deeply ingrained. She couldn't tolerate her brother getting involved in criminal activities with gangsters.
"Lanlan, I used to believe in being honest and upright. But those bad people specifically target honest people. Why aren't they afraid of breaking the law and going to jail? They run illegal gambling dens, set up casinos, swindle people, and fight over territory, yet the law doesn't punish them. Instead, they live luxuriously. If Little Yang and the others only ran illegal gambling dens, I wouldn't object. It's consensual, and if they don't run them, others will. The people who bet won't decrease just because they stop. I've come to understand the saying, 'A horse doesn't get fat without night fodder, and a person doesn't get rich without ill-gotten gains.' Earning money through hard labor is too difficult, and you're bullied. So, I want Little Yuan to work with Little Yang. I can see that Little Yang has good character, is upright and generous, and is very skilled in martial arts. He won't lead Little Yuan astray, and I trust him to guide my son. Besides, Fang Zhicheng values Little Yang so much, giving him a car, a house, and a shop, which shows Little Yang is no ordinary person. If he succeeds, Little Yuan can benefit too."
Old Ma's words left Ma Lan speechless. This was the reality; the legal system was still imperfect, and completely eradicating criminal elements would take a long time.
The meal was a bit awkward. Ma Lan had a good impression of Yang Jian – tall, handsome, hardworking, and a good driver. She believed that with diligence, he wouldn't have a bad future. However, upon hearing that he was going to lead her brother into a life of crime with Fang Zhicheng, she was extremely disappointed and barely spoke to him.
"Brother Yang, could you drive my sister back to school? Take her for a spin too. I've never been in a luxury car worth millions," Ma Yuan requested as they finished eating and Ma Lan prepared to return to school.
Yang Jian was slightly displeased with Ma Lan's attitude, unsure of what he had done to offend her, and was reluctant to drive her. However, thinking it was a good opportunity to test the Q7's performance, he agreed.
"Wow, this car is so beautiful! Brother Yang, how much is this car worth?" Ma Yuan shrieked when they found the Q7 in the underground parking lot.
Yang Jian got into the car and checked the configuration, "This is the top-of-the-line Q7. The current market price is over 1.8 million yuan. I never expected Brother Cheng to give such a good car."
"Over 1.8 million yuan?" Old Ma and his two children were stunned. That price was an astronomical figure to them; they might never earn that much in their lifetimes.
"Sis, pinch me! Am I dreaming? This 1.8 million yuan luxury car will be our ride from now on. Happiness has come too suddenly!" Ma Yuan leaned against the car, kissing it a few times, his demeanor bordering on ecstatic.
Old Ma slapped him away, "You kid, be careful. If you damage such a nice car, selling you wouldn't be enough to pay for it."
Amidst her surprise, Ma Lan suddenly thought of a question, "Brother Yang, how do you know the price of this car so well? Do all boys have a dream of owning luxury cars, so they pay close attention to these things?"
Yang Jian nodded, "I like cars. I had planned to buy a Q7 before, so I paid special attention to its price. But I didn't have enough money at the time, so I gave up." This statement was a bit boastful, but Yang Jian said it unintentionally. He was reminded of his own Cayenne, which he hadn't driven for long before it was possibly confiscated by the police.
Old Ma and his children were once again petrified, looking at him in disbelief. Ma Yuan was the first to react, "Brother Yang, you said you planned to buy a Q7 before?"
"Yes, why?"
"Then what car did you buy later?"
"I later bought a Cayenne, over 1.2 million yuan. Actually, it wasn't that I didn't have enough money; it was mainly because my girlfriend disagreed. She thought it was too extravagant, and the Cayenne's exterior was more refined than the Q7's." Yang Jian suddenly thought of Lu Yao, lost in memories of their time together, especially the details of buying the car, which flashed before his eyes like a movie, completely oblivious to the astonished expressions of Old Ma and his son.
"Yang, Brother Yang, you're actually this rich?" Ma Yuan was so shocked he was almost stuttering.
Yang Jian finally came to his senses, "Ah, no, no. I was just kidding with you all. You actually believed me. Haha, if I were really rich, why would I be out here working as a laborer?"
The three of them didn't laugh; they clearly didn't believe his excuse.
Ma Lan asked, "So, is the price of this car really over 1.8 million yuan?"
"That's true. Because I really like cars, I pay attention to the prices of these luxury cars, including those world-famous brands. Buying a luxury car is my goal, but for now, it's just a dream. Don't laugh at me." Yang Jian's words were a mix of truth and falsehood, and Ma Lan couldn't tell. However, she began to have serious doubts about Yang Jian's identity. A handsome young man, even without a university education, shouldn't have to resort to manual labor, especially since he could drive. He could have obtained a temporary ID card from the police station, which most factories accept. Yang Jian could have easily applied for a driver's job or a position on a factory assembly line. Yet, he had lived in his father's small apartment for over two months and worked as a relatively strenuous mover. This was highly unusual.