"Fang Yi, have you driven before?"
Watching her boyfriend pull off driving maneuvers that rivaled a professional instructor's, Han Ning was left utterly stunned.
Seeing her tilting her little head in confusion, looking all dazed and cute, Fang Yi couldn't help himself—he reached over and gave her cheek a playful pinch. "Yeah, I've practiced before," he said casually. "Anyway, I've got something to take care of. I'm heading off now."
"You're leaving already?" Han Ning was surprised, momentarily forgetting the embarrassment from getting her face squished.
She remembered how excited she was when Fang Yi told her he was going to get his license. She'd thought it meant they'd be seeing each other almost every day.
But now? He hadn't even stayed ten minutes and was already on his way out—and he'd be picking up his license tomorrow.
Disappointment crept into her heart.
Fang Yi truly didn't have the time to waste at the driving school. He planned to buy a car that very day and lock down the five domain names he had shortlisted last night.
Noticing that flicker of sadness in her eyes, Fang Yi smiled and said, "I'll be a little busy these next couple of days. Once things settle down, I'll teach you how to drive. Deal?"
"Okay!" Han Ning brightened instantly, her mood flipping back to cheerful. "Go handle your stuff then. Don't let me hold you up!"
"I'm off, then."
Just as he turned to leave, Fang Yi suddenly leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek.
Then, without another word, he spun around and walked off, leaving Han Ning frozen in place.
She didn't know how long she stood there before her brain finally rebooted.
That sneak attack from Fang Yi had sent a rush of blood to her head. Her ears were ringing with the sound of her pounding heart.
"Han Ning! It's your turn to drive!"
Wang, the instructor, called out from not far away.
"Oh! Coming!"
Snapping out of her daze, Han Ning walked toward the training car, her legs still a little shaky.
…
In the year 2000, three car models ruled the roads in China: the Santana, Jetta, and Citroën Fukang.
Trailing behind them were the Xiali, Geely, Alto, Chery, and Daihatsu.
Fang Yi didn't hesitate. He went straight for the Santana 2000—no question, the best value-for-money car on the market at the time.
As his first car, there was no need to go overboard. It was just a stepping stone.
For one, his budget was tight. After accounting for the domain purchases, he only had 470,000 yuan in disposable cash left.
And a fully loaded Santana 2000 would set him back more than 200,000. Imported luxury brands like BMW, Benz, or Audi? Starting price: 500,000.
As for Japanese cars? Fang Yi wouldn't even consider them. He had no plans to die young.
Plus, he figured he'd be swapping cars again before long.
So really, agonizing over the purchase was a waste of time.
He chose the top-of-the-line version. All in, it came to 270,000 yuan, including taxes and all kinds of insurance.
Since he paid in full, the buying process was smooth and fast. The dealership even threw in tinted windows and a full set of seat and floor mats—not worth much, but saved him the hassle.
The salespeople at the dealership were unusually enthusiastic, too—offering drinks, running errands, and even handling registration and license plates at the DMV.
By noon, everything was wrapped up.
"Thanks," Fang Yi said politely, then drove his brand-new Santana 2000 out of the dealership.
On his way home, he pulled into his apartment complex just in time to see Fang Yucheng and Zhuang Shufen walking back from work.
They spotted the Santana 2000 rolling to a stop beside them. Zhuang Shufen eyed the car curiously. "Wow, this one looks fancy. Must've cost a pretty penny?"
"Santana 2000, metallic paint job... Hard to say if it's the top model, but even a mid-range one would go for at least 200,000," said Fang Yucheng, who clearly knew his cars. He made the comment with the air of a connoisseur.
Back in the early 2000s, the Santana 2000 "Shidai Zhizi" (Son of the Times) was a dream car for many men.
Fang Yucheng loved that car too. But with his modest salary of 700–800 yuan a month, it remained firmly in dream territory.
After all, 200,000 yuan was no small sum—it would take years of penny-pinching to save up.
"Two hundred thousand?! That much?!"
Zhuang Shufen was shocked. She couldn't help but mutter, "What kind of rich kid would blow that kind of money?"
Right as the words left her mouth, the door of the Santana 2000 swung open—and out stepped her own son.
Seeing them both standing there, dumbfounded, Fang Yi raised an eyebrow. "What are you guys talking about? Who's the rich kid wasting money?"
Zhuang Shufen was speechless. The "rich kid" turned out to be her own flesh and blood.
But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Everyone in the building had been neighbors and coworkers for over twenty years—they all knew each other's financial situations inside out.
There really wasn't anyone else who could afford such a car—except her son.
Snapping out of her daze, Zhuang Shufen turned to her husband and jabbed her finger at Fang Yi. "See? I told you we should help him save money! Look at this little spendthrift. Second day out, and he's already dropped over 200,000 on a car!"
Fang Yucheng ignored her. He was too busy trying to peer inside the car to check out the interior.
The car he'd fantasized about for years was now sitting right in front of him—and it was his son's.
It felt... surreal.
Seeing his dad trying to sneak peeks, Fang Yi smirked and opened the door. "Get in and take a good look. I won't be driving it for long anyway. You'll be the one using it most of the time."
"Whoa! It really is the top model!"
Fang Yucheng's eyes lit up as he took in the dashboard. He couldn't stop exclaiming in amazement.
Then, he paused and frowned. "Wait, what do you mean I'll be the one using it? Didn't you just buy this?"
Fang Yi grinned. "Soon enough, this car won't match your son's status anymore."
"Listen to you, all smug and full of yourself!"
While still admiring the car, Zhuang Shufen scolded him. "Why didn't you tell us before buying it? Wait here—I'm going to buy some red ribbons. We'll set up a few banquet tables tonight to celebrate!"
Hearing that, Fang Yi quickly stopped her. "No, no, please don't. It's just a car. It's not that big of a deal!"
God knows where that tradition came from—people would light firecrackers, throw a banquet, and hang red and green ribbons on the mirrors just for buying a car.
Fang Yi found it incredibly awkward. To him, buying a car was no different from buying a phone or a laptop.
After much convincing, he finally talked his mom out of the idea.