Chapter 130: Audi

Li Yan drove Zhang Tan directly to Dayang Town.

Because of the internet cafe, Zhang Quanshun and his wife had rented a house in Longwang Village, Dayang Town, which had become their temporary home. Longwang Village was located at the fork of Silihe Road and was the essential gateway to the 206 National Highway, the main road connecting Hefei to the north. Based on current trends, the area held great development potential.

In Zhang Tan’s memory, within a few years, the Xiamen Ming Group would acquire land here to build the Hefei Ming Commercial Plaza. Unfortunately, while the Ming Group’s commercial plazas were successful in other cities, they were severely hampered in Hefei. As the city’s center of gravity shifted south, the northern region declined. When the Ming Commercial Plaza eventually opened, it was as desolate as a ghost town. It took years to generate any real foot traffic, and compared to the Wanda Commercial Plaza, which opened around the same time, the gap was immense.

Regardless, Longwang Village still held investment value; after buying property, the compensation received from future demolition would be substantial. Zhang Tan mentioned this to his parents, suggesting they stop renting and buy a place instead. However, he didn't dwell too much on such small gains.

During this New Year’s holiday, he planned to scout the city for two properties. Given the trajectory of the Hefei real estate market, as long as one avoided the northern district, property values were bound to rise. The average price in Hefei was currently only a little over two thousand per square meter, but it would eventually climb to over eight thousand—nearly a fourfold increase. The areas with the most explosive growth would undoubtedly be the High-Tech Zone, the Administrative District, and the Binhu New District.

Beyond looking for real estate, Zhang Tan had another mission: to buy a car for Zhang Quanshun. Zhang Quanshun had learned to drive in the army and had recently picked it up again. Now that the family was making money, he felt a sudden urge to maintain appearances. Seeing other business owners driving cars made him envious. Tan Mingxia was also a person who cared about status, so she did not object. Their son, Zhang Tan, was so capable of earning money, and the internet cafe was profitable, so there was no reason to be overly frugal.

The idea of buying a car had been brewing for some time. Zhang Quanshun had his eye on a Japanese Honda, but Zhang Tan firmly disagreed, pushing his father to buy an Audi A6 instead. This model was arguably the most classic Volkswagen-group vehicle in China. Audis had always been favored by the government, which primarily used them as official vehicles, and their understated luxury made them popular among successful people.

The A6 model had shed the image of the 100 series; with its rounded rear, sturdy front fascia, and fluid lines, it didn't look outdated even over a decade later. In an era where boxy Jettas were everywhere and even Passats were rare, the Audi A6 was a car that commanded attention. Its classic, handcrafted interior further underscored its subtle luxury.

However, as a high-end vehicle in the domestic market, the A6 was quite expensive. The base price was 480,000, and with good configurations, it would easily exceed half a million.

"If we're going to buy, we buy the A6. Don't worry about the money; I’ll be receiving my book royalties by the end of the year—I could afford to buy ten of them!" Zhang Tan said with great bravado.

Tan Mingxia glared at him. "You child, why are you so careless with money? Dear, let's just get the Honda Accord. The Audi is too expensive, and I think the Accord is quite nice."

Zhang Quanshun frowned and remained silent. Clearly, he had been swayed by Zhang Tan; as a man, he naturally preferred a better car. He had originally favored the Honda Accord because it wasn't too expensive and was considered mid-to-high end, which seemed appropriate. But upon reflection, with his son’s financial backing, what was wrong with buying an Audi A6?

"If others can afford to drive an Audi, why can’t I, Zhang Quanshun?" This was what he thought, but he was ultimately afraid of his wife and dared not say it aloud. He merely signaled to Zhang Tan with his eyes.

Zhang Tan’s words carried more weight; his father lacked the confidence to argue. Zhang Tan gave a reassuring look in return and turned to his mother. "Mom, the Honda Accord is a Japanese car, and I hate the Japanese. Our family absolutely cannot buy one. Besides, why is the Audi too expensive? Even if it costs a bit more, the class it represents is worth it. Driving an Audi out, you won't lose face anywhere."

Tan Mingxia’s tone softened slightly. "If we're not buying the Honda Accord, a Volkswagen Passat would do. The Audi is just too expensive."

"What’s a little extra cost? Mom, I have money now. Your son is making big money."

"We still need to buy a house!"

"We have enough for a villa!"

Zhang Quanshun casually added, "The villas over at Zipeng Mountain only seem to be about two million each."

Zhang Tan was immediately intrigued by the villa and turned back. "Dad, I want to buy a villa near the Yuanyi Golf Course."

Zhang Quanshun asked, "Yuanyi? Near your school?"

Zhang Tan nodded. "Yes."

Tan Mingxia interrupted bluntly, "Forget about villas for now. Zhang Quanshun, are you going to buy a car or not?"

"Buy! The Audi!" Zhang Tan stood up and waved his hand. "I’ve decided, we’re buying Dad an Audi A6!"

...

Under the pressure from the father-son duo, Tan Mingxia finally changed her mind. They agreed to buy the Audi. Since they were going to do it, they acted quickly. Although Zhang Tan’s book royalties hadn't been fully settled, he had saved five or six hundred thousand from previous payments, which was more than enough. For 530,000, a brand-new Audi A6, tied with red ribbons, was driven back to their hometown in Gangji Town by Zhang Quanshun, who drove slowly with safety as his top priority. Zhang Tan’s older cousins had already gone to buy firecrackers.

As soon as the car stopped in front of the courtyard, the firecrackers began to pop and crackle.

In the countryside, buying a car meant setting off fireworks and hosting a feast. Once the fireworks were done, they drove to the Town South Hotel for a meal. During this time, Zhang Tan volunteered to drive people, lying that he had learned to drive while at school. Once on the road, he drove with composure and stability.

There were no traffic police checking in Gangji, and as long as they didn't go onto the 206 National Highway, it was quite safe, so Zhang Quanshun let Zhang Tan satisfy his craving for driving. In his previous life, Zhang Tan had obtained his license after graduation but had never been able to afford a car, though he would occasionally borrow his sister or brother-in-law’s car, so he was quite proficient.

As fate would have it, once the news of Zhang Quanshun’s new car spread through the town, the Party Secretary and the Town Mayor came over. They didn't know Zhang Quanshun well—at most, they knew Zhang Henong, as he was a veteran cadre in Gangji—but they knew Zhang Tan. As a writer who had made a name for himself in the county and the city, his reputation naturally brought added prestige to the town.

With the title of a writer and a celebrity in the cultural circle, it was as if he had activated a "celebrity halo." He was treated as a guest of honor wherever he went. This was the influence of a famous person.

The Zhang family had undoubtedly become the protagonists of gossip in Gangji Town.

"The second son of the Zhang family has made it big," those in the know would start.

Another would chime in, "If you raised a son that good, you’d make it big too."

Then someone nearby would sigh, "Why is their child so talented? My kid only knows how to be a brat."

Those who had seen Zhang Tan would remark, "Oh, I saw Zhang Quanshun’s kid when he was little. He seemed slow and dim-witted. Who knew he could become famous for writing books?"

"Was he really slow? That’s called being steady and refined. He’s full of ink and intellect."

"A prodigy."

"Indeed, a prodigy."

That was generally how the gossip went.