Chapter 35
The two of them walked into the lounge area, where they saw Zhou Chao chatting with others. Xu Wenzheng went over and sat next to Zhou Chao, who greeted him with a smile. “How was the test drive? It felt pretty good, right?”
“Haha, indeed, the acceleration and the overall feel were amazing. You should join me for a test drive,” Xu Wenzheng replied, still reminiscing about the experience.
Seeing Xu Wenzheng’s enthusiastic expression, Zhou Chao couldn’t help but smile. He took out two document folders from behind and handed them to Xu Wenzheng.
Curious, Xu Wenzheng opened the folders and saw two contracts with his name written on them. He looked up at Zhou Chao with wide-open eyes.
“Just wait for a moment,” Xu Wenzheng said, turning to the manager and salesperson nearby. “Please expedite the process for license plates and insurance.”
The manager and salesperson quickly left the lounge.
Xu Wenzheng looked at Zhou Chao, still perplexed, as he asked, “What is all this?”
“It’s a wedding gift for you,” Zhou Chao said with a cup of tea in his hand.
“Third Bro, let’s not be too sentimental among us brothers. You keep it,” Zhou Chao said, looking at Xu Wenzheng, whose eyes were already slightly red. “Once they finish processing the license plates, call your wife over, and we’ll all drive back together later.”
“You rascal, Zhou Chao! You’re being too sentimental.” the two of them looked at each other and burst into laughter.
During their conversation, Xu Wenzheng called his wife, Zou Rui, and asked her to come to the car dealership without explaining the reason. He then hung up and continued chatting with Zhou Chao in the lounge.
Soon, Zou Rui arrived at the dealership. Zhou Chao and Xu Wenzheng got up and walked outside. As they stepped out of the 4S dealership, they saw Zou Rui standing there, looking around.
Seeing them, Zou Rui hurriedly ran over with a worried expression. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?” she asked with concern, leaving Zhou Chao and Xu Wenzheng speechless for a moment.
Confused by their stunned expressions, Zou Rui continued, “You called me in a hurry, so I rushed here. I thought something had happened to you, and I was so worried.”
Xu Wenzheng stepped forward and embraced Zou Rui, saying, “It’s alright, darling. We just wanted to surprise you.”
Hearing Xu Wenzheng call her “darling”, Zhou Chao couldn’t help but feel a shiver down his spine and instinctively took a step back.
Upon seeing this, Zuo Rui quickly broke free from Xu Wenzheng’s embrace and said in a tender voice, “You’re making a spectacle of us.”
However, Xu Wenzheng confidently said, “There’s no need to worry about outsiders. Zhou Chao is just envious of me. You don’t have to mind him.” After saying that, he let go of Zou Rui and instead held her hand.
Zhou Chao felt that at this moment, he was feeling lonely while witnessing a couple’s loving interactions. Seeing the two lovey-dovey, he turned and walked back into the 4S dealership.
Xu Wenzheng quickly pulled Zou Rui inside the dealership. Zhou Chao, who was already in the resting area, was chatting with the manager. The license plate and insurance had already been sorted out, and they could now take delivery of the car.
Zhou Chao handed two file bags to the couple as they entered. He said, “Sister-in-law, I didn’t know your personal information, so I filled out the paperwork with your husband’s name. Please forgive me.”
Xu Wenzheng quickly responded, “Don’t say that, Second Brother. There’s nothing to forgive.”
Zou Rui also realized what was happening. It turned out that her husband’s good friend had bought the car for her. Joy filled her face, and she tightly held Xu Wenzheng’s arm.
“Now you have received the car. Go ahead and take a look. I don’t know if you’ll like the ones I picked for you.” The manager led the three of them to the delivery area.
Zhou Chao had chosen white cars for both of them, mainly because he didn’t think much about the color, so he simply chose white.
Xu Wenzheng was relatively composed, having already known about the gift, and he had calmed down from his initial excitement. However, Zou Rui was different. Her face was beaming with joy, and she kept looking at the car with great happiness.
The car inspection, license plate installation, and delivery ceremony were quickly completed. Xu Wenzheng brought Zou Rui over to Zhou Chao. She thanked him, saying, “Thank you, Second Brother.”
Zhou Chao laughed heartily in response. “I consider all of this effort well worth it just to earn the title of Second Brother from you. If Third Brother ever gives you a hard time, don’t hesitate to inform me, and I’ll gladly assist you in getting back at him.”
Xu Wenzheng sighed. “If Zou Rui doesn’t bully me, that’s already good enough. How could I dare to bully her?” He got a good kick from Zou Rui next to him, and everyone around burst into laughter.
Looking at the time, it was already past 12 o’clock. The three of them left the 4S dealership, and Xu Wenzheng said he would take them to a restaurant famous for its authentic stew. Xu Wenzheng and Zou Rui led the way in their new car, while Zhou Chao followed them in Xu Wenzheng’s SUV. He couldn’t help feeling a bit annoyed, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He knew he would have to eat a lot to make up for it later.
The group parked their cars outside a small restaurant. After finding a spot, Xu Wenzheng led Zou Rui and Zhou Chao inside.
“Old Niu, bring us a pot of Cast Iron Stew and a few signature dishes,” Xu Wenzheng said as they took their seats.
“Second Bro, let me tell you, this restaurant serves truly authentic ‘Fuzhou’ cuisine. It has been open for decades, and I used to come here often. This time, you must try the Cast Iron Stew.”
The restaurant owner, Old Niu, came over and gave them each a cigarette, chatting with them for a while before serving the dishes. The Cast Iron Stew was poured into a cast-iron pot on the table, and the waiter stirred it with skill, adding a basket of steamed buns on top.
In less than 20 minutes, the waiter came over and said they could start eating. They opened the pot, and a delicious aroma filled the air, whetting their appetites.
As they had driven, none of them drank alcohol. Zhou Chao tasted the stew and found it to be delicious, with the sauce perfectly blending with the ingredients and the right level of cooking. They all focused on eating, hardly saying a word. Soon, the pot was empty, and Zhou Chao leisurely savored a few small steamed buns.
After finishing their meal, Third Brother suggested going for a bath and massage, while Zhou Chao decided to return to the hotel to rest. His wife, Zou Rui, also had to return to the hospital for work.
Once they left the restaurant, Zou Rui walked ahead, while the two remaining friends stood on the roadside, smoking. Eventually, Zhou Chao persuaded Xu Wenzheng to go back and prepare for the wedding arrangements. After sending him off, Zhou Chao looked up at the sun in the sky and drove back to the hotel in Xu Wenzheng’s SUV to rest.