Chapter 33: Setting Off for Mudan City Proper
Jiang Chen ignored Chen Man's exclamation; his attention was entirely focused on the pleasant mechanical voice in his head.
【Ding! Mission accomplished!】
【The Host has successfully helped Su Qingge repay a debt of 5 million yuan.】
【Detected that the Host's behavior was extremely bold, and the target's favorability has reached the "Unwavering Devotion" stage.】
【High-multiplier critical hit triggered!】
【Current cashback multiplier: 8x!】
【Cashback amount: 40,000,000 yuan (forty million) has been transferred to the Host's secure offshore account.】
【The funds have been laundered; the source is absolutely compliant. Please use them with peace of mind, Host.】
Forty million.
Five million thrown out, and it turned into forty million just like that.
Jiang Chen felt his dopamine surge to its peak at this moment. The rush went straight to his head, feeling almost more exhilarating than last night.
This was practically robbing a printing press.
He suppressed the urge to whistle, his face maintaining that calm and composed look of an expert.
"Since the money issue is resolved, let's eat first." Jiang Chen stood up and stretched his stiff neck. "Is there any mutton left from yesterday? It's early morning; let's have something hot."
"Yes! I'll go get it!" Lin Wan was the first to react.
She nimbly went to tidy up last night's simple hotpot setup, her movements even more diligent than when she usually served her picky mother-in-law at home.
Su Qingge wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and composed herself.
She walked over to Jiang Chen's side and naturally helped him straighten his slightly wrinkled collar.
This gesture looked just like a couple who had been together for years.
"I'll pay you back the money," Su Qingge said softly. "With interest."
"What interest is there between us?" Jiang Chen took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "If you really feel bad about it, just don't kick me out when I want to live off you in the future, President Su."
Su Qingge broke into a smile through her tears. The charm she displayed at that moment left Chen Man, who was looking for her socks nearby, dazed.
"Alright, alright, stop showing off," Chen Man said sourly. "Any more and I'll throw up last night's dinner. Young Master Jiang, since you're so rich, can you solve our travel problem while you're at it? I don't want to stay in this dump forever."
"I can't solve the ticket issue; that's up to God," Jiang Chen shrugged. "However, improving our living conditions shouldn't be a problem."
As they were speaking, there was a knock on the room door.
It was the Fat Big Sister.
Her attitude was even warmer than last night. She carried a tray with several bowls of hot millet porridge and a stack of freshly fried dough sticks.
"Oh, you guys are up?" Fat Big Sister smiled so wide her teeth showed but her eyes didn't. "This is the porridge I specially brewed for you to warm your stomachs. By the way, brother, I heard from the front that the Road Department is already shoveling snow. It should be open by the afternoon. I see you don't have a car, so do you want me to help you contact a chartered vehicle? It can take you straight to the city."
"Chartered vehicle?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "With these road conditions, is there a car that dares to drive?"
"There's always a brave soul for a heavy reward," Fat Big Sister winked. "There are a few old drivers in town who do transport; their cars are all four-wheel-drive off-roaders, and their skills are top-notch. It's just the price..."
"Price is not an issue." Jiang Chen waved his hand. With forty million in his account, this amount was less than a drop in the bucket. "As long as it's safe. I want a good, spacious car. There are four of us, and quite a bit of luggage."
"Got it! I'll go contact them right now!" Fat Big Sister set down the tray and ran off, her agility completely unlike someone weighing two hundred pounds.
The group packed their things and followed her downstairs.
The snow outside the guesthouse had been shoveled into a narrow path just wide enough for people to pass.
The so-called "luxury car" was parked at the intersection. It was a modified toyota prado, covered in mud and looking quite old, but the heavy-duty bull bar and off-road tires gave a strange sense of security.
Fat Big Sister, wrapped in a military coat and clutching the few red bills Jiang Chen had just stuffed into her hand, smiled so hard the wrinkles on her face blossomed. "Brother, this is Old Zhang, the best driver around here. He'll get you to Mudan City nice and steady."
The driver, Old Zhang, was a man of few words. With an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth, he was stuffing luggage into the trunk.
"This car looks sturdy enough," Chen Man said as she circled the vehicle, kicking a tire with her high heels. "I just don't know how the suspension is. If it rattles me to pieces on the way, my old bones won't be able to take it."
"No off-road vehicle is smooth," Jiang Chen said as he lifted the last and largest suitcase—Su Qingge's, which was incredibly heavy. "Sister Man, if you're afraid of the bumps, why don't you sit in the front passenger seat?"
Chen Man's eyes darted around. She pulled open the door to peek at the somewhat stiff fabric seat in the front, then looked back at the spacious rear before finally landing her gaze on Jiang Chen.
"I want to sit in the back," Chen Man winked at Jiang Chen. "It's warmer back there, and I can chat with my little brother."
"The back can't fit four people," Su Qingge said from behind Jiang Chen, her voice cold. She had changed back into her professional attire; although the clothes were a bit wrinkled, that aloof aura had returned. However, upon closer inspection, her posture was a bit unnatural, with her weight clearly leaning toward her left foot.
"We can squeeze," Chen Man persisted. "Sister Wan is so thin, and President Su... although President Su has a ten-foot-tall aura, she doesn't actually take up much space."
"No," Jiang Chen decided firmly. "Sister Man, you sit in the front. Old Zhang wants to smoke, and so do you, so you'll be good company. There are three seats in the back; I'll sit in the middle."
Chen Man curled her lip, but seeing Jiang Chen's unquestionable gaze, she obediently opened the passenger door and sat down. "Tch, overbearing."
The back was indeed spacious.
Lin Wan got in first, consciously shrinking into the far left corner. Jiang Chen sat down and patted the empty spot to his right. Su Qingge pursed her lips and, holding onto the car door, slowly sat down.
The door closed, sealing out the wind and snow.
The heater in the car was blasting, making it a bit stuffy.
Old Zhang started the car. The engine let out a dull roar, the chassis shook violently, and then it slowly rolled over the snow, heading out of town.
Once they left the station area, the road conditions became terrible.
Although the snow on the road had been pushed aside, it was full of black ice underneath. The tires made a cringing grinding sound as they drove over it.
The car began to sway violently, like a small boat on the ocean.
"Ouch!" Chen Man cried out from the front, gripping the handle. "Driver, slow down! I'm going to lose my breakfast!"
"The road is just like this," Old Zhang replied without looking back, his voice muffled. "If you want to get to Mudan District early, you have to bear it."
The situation in the back was even more complicated.
Jiang Chen sat in the middle, originally for balance, but with the swaying of the car, he became the biggest beneficiary—or victim.
To steady herself, Lin Wan on the left tightly hugged Jiang Chen's left arm.
She was dressed warmly, and her down jacket rubbed against Jiang Chen's windbreaker, making a rustling sound. Her head was lowered, and her hair occasionally brushed against Jiang Chen's neck, making it itch.
Su Qingge on the right was in even worse shape.