Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 356 He actually wants to be my father
Looking at the pale blue screen that appeared before him, Fang Cheng's lips curled up slightly.

Since driving to the Blackwater River in Xishan to dispose of the body and cover up the crime last time, I unexpectedly unlocked the "driving" skill.

After that, apart from practicing twice in Ma Dong-hyuk's old car, he never touched a steering wheel again.

Now that I have my own car, the experience bar that has been stagnant for so long can finally start rolling again.

Fang Cheng stretched out his finger and swiped it randomly on the central control touch screen to open the music playlist.

A dynamic song then flowed from the Burmester sound system.

Accompanied by a powerful drumbeat, the car window quietly rolled down.

A gentle evening breeze, carrying the unique hustle and bustle of the city, rushed in and dispelled the leather scent from the new car's interior.

It was evening, the peak of the evening rush hour.

The setting sun painted the horizon a magnificent orange-red.

The traffic moved slowly, forming a long line.

Fang Cheng rested his hands casually on the steering wheel, his fingertips tapping lightly to the rhythm of the music.

The feeling of having a steel beast under your control is truly exhilarating.

He couldn't help but ponder it to himself.

What unexpected enhancement rewards will you receive if you upgrade your driving skills to the expert level?

This thought, like a spark from a spark plug, instantly ignited a restlessness within him.

Fang Cheng unconsciously increased the pressure on his feet, the V8 engine roared deeply, and the power responded instantly.

The massive vehicle suddenly lurched forward, like a beast that had been gathering its strength for a long time.

In the blink of an eye, it whizzed past a leisurely car.

The thrill of speed made Fang Cheng even more engrossed, accelerating forward.

"Oh!"

Zhou Xiumei, who was in the passenger seat, was startled by the sudden push-back sensation and let out a gasp.

She instinctively grabbed the handrail beside her, her face turning pale.

"Uh, sorry."

Upon seeing this, Fang Cheng immediately released the accelerator, allowing the car to slow down again, and looked at her apologetically.

Zhou Xiumei did not reply, but simply released the armrest, her chest rising and falling slightly.

A moment later, instead of scolding her, she couldn't help but laugh and shook her head.

His eyes held a hint of helplessness mixed with a touch of indulgence.

It's like going back to childhood, watching a big boy who couldn't help but mischievously show off his favorite toy.

The wind kept rushing in from outside the window.

He lifted her long hair that fell over her shoulders, brushed it across her pointed, jade-carved nose, and half-covered her bright, black gem-like eyes.

The curve of Zhou Xiumei's lips, like a crescent moon, is pure and beautiful.

Fang Cheng's gaze was involuntarily drawn to this scene, lingering for an extra second.

Speaking of which, this woman beside me, who has been frail and sickly since childhood, rarely has such an unguarded, genuine smile.

Perhaps Fang Cheng's gaze was too focused, because Zhou Xiumei noticed it and turned her face away, her long eyelashes trembling slightly like butterfly wings.

She raised her hand and tucked the unruly strand of hair behind her ear.

As she moved, a blush quickly spread from her fair neck to her cheeks, just like the sunset on the horizon.

Fang Cheng rolled up the car window at the opportune moment, shutting out the noise from the outside world.

The air inside the car seemed to freeze for a moment.

Only the dynamic music remained, like a heartbeat echoing throughout the carriage.

Fang Cheng gripped the steering wheel again with both hands, his eyes fixed on the traffic ahead.

Zhou Xiumei lowered her head slightly, her fingertips twirling the edge of the seatbelt, the blush on her face lingering.

A silent understanding and a vague affection are quietly growing between the two.

To break the awkward atmosphere, Fang Cheng coughed lightly and took the initiative to start a conversation:
"By the way, how are you doing at the music training class?"

Mentioning this, Zhou Xiumei's eyes immediately lit up, and her tone became much more relaxed:

“Last week, I got full marks in both my vocal and guitar lessons in my interim assessment, and my teacher even praised me for my rapid progress.”

"Of course, you've always been very talented."

Fang Cheng smiled, his tone full of sincere encouragement:
"Prepare well, I believe in you. You will definitely pass the audition in early May. I will be the head of your support team then."

"Ah."

Zhou Xiumei nodded vigorously, a bright smile spreading across her face: "Brother Cheng, it's a deal then."

The two chatted, regaining their composure.

The promise she had just made was like a piece of honey, slowly melting in Zhou Xiumei's heart.

She turned to look out the window, watching the red sun slowly sink between the towering buildings.

Golden rays of light streamed through the gaps between the skyscrapers, and every glass curtain wall reflected the afterglow of the setting sun.

The whole world seemed to be bathed in a soft light.

Zhou Xiumei imagined herself standing on the stage.

And below the stage, his gaze was focused intently.

That beautiful vision made her smile, and she began to hum softly to the music playing in the car.

It was a melody without lyrics, with a clean and ethereal tune.

Fang Cheng glanced at her and silently turned off the car stereo.

Without external noise interference, Zhou Xiumei's singing voice was even clearer.

Her voice, unlike that of a professional singer, is not technically elaborate, but it possesses a clear and pure quality like spring water, as if it can cleanse the soul.

In this small carriage, every note seemed exceptionally moving.

Fang Cheng drove quietly, feeling an unprecedented sense of peace and comfort.

It's as if I can see that afternoon from many years ago again, when a little girl was alone on the windowsill, humming an off-key song over and over again, facing the sunlight outside the tenement building.

It was in this beautiful and peaceful atmosphere.

"Jingle Bell--"

Suddenly, a cell phone rang abruptly.

The singing then abruptly stopped.

Fang Cheng steadied the steering wheel with his left hand and took his phone out of the bag next to him with his right.

I glanced at the caller ID; it was Xiaosa's number.

Upon seeing this name, Fang Cheng's mind stirred slightly.

Previously, he had Xiaosa take money from the activity fund to buy a new mobile phone as a communication tool.

According to their agreement, if the situation becomes urgent, Xiaosa will silently repeat his name in her mind.

Then, through spiritual connection, they can get in touch with each other, communicate problems in a timely manner, and take countermeasures.

Conversely, for routine work reports, we use the phone.

This can prevent him from becoming mentally stressed by the constant warnings in his mind, making him unable to distinguish the seriousness of the situation.

Since you've received a phone call, it means the situation is still under control.

Fang Cheng glanced at Zhou Xiumei, who was casting a curious glance at him.

After hesitating for a moment, I pressed the answer button and put the phone to my ear.

"what's up?"

His voice regained its usual calm.

On the other end of the phone, a dashing and respectful voice immediately came through:

"Chairman, Chen Chen invited me to the Yuanchen Group building again today." He spoke quickly, proactively reporting the situation:
“We talked in the office for about half an hour, and Secretary Liu accompanied us the whole time.”

"Chen Chen mainly complained to me about how difficult it was for the company to operate now and how difficult it was to raise the task fees, but he repeatedly assured me that he would definitely be able to pay the remaining balance before the deadline."

"By the way, he still hasn't given up. He's trying to subtly inquire about our organization, hoping to trick me into revealing information."

"Don't worry, Chairman, I'm very tight-lipped. I'll just play along and let him guess."

"These are all normal. What's outrageous is that when he was hosting a banquet for me at noon, Chen Chen suddenly sighed and said that after working hard for many years, he didn't even have a close friend by his side."

"Then, he made an absolutely outrageous request..."

As Xiao Sa finished speaking, he seemed to realize that what he was about to say was a bit too outrageous, and he paused for a moment.

"any request?"

Fang Cheng asked calmly.

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, then the dashing voice rang out again, its tone becoming very strange:
"He... wants to adopt me as his godson."

After these words were spoken, the air inside the car seemed to fall silent for two seconds.

Fang Cheng's lips twitched slightly, and he asked calmly:

"He doesn't seem to be more than a few years older than you, does he?"

"I also feel like he's taking advantage of me."

The carefree voice carried a hint of embarrassment:
"That guy is only seven or eight years older than me, I never imagined that this trip would turn him into my father..."

"He also vowed that as long as I agreed, he would do his best to train me and make me the 'crown prince' of the Red Tiger Gang, the next gang leader."

"President, I always feel like what he said was very mysterious, like he was just making empty promises. Maybe there's some kind of conspiracy involved..."

Fang Cheng pondered for a moment.

Xiao Sa himself has no practical value, so why would Chen Chen go to such lengths to achieve this?

The purpose of doing this was simply to win over Xiao Sa in order to get closer to himself, the mysterious assassin, and the so-called "organization" behind him.

However, this price is indeed a bit too high.

The "crown prince" of the Red Tiger Gang?
Fang Cheng was speechless for a moment, then gave the order:

"You make the decision yourself. As long as it ultimately serves the interests of the organization, you can be more flexible in your actions."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Sa cautiously expressed his thoughts:

"President, that's what I think too. Regardless of whether he's sincere or not, since this old guy has offered me the ladder, I might as well climb up and see what's going on."

"If we can get into their inner circle, we might be able to dig up some juicy information about that Noah organization."

"Even if he wants to play tricks, it's better for me to be by his side than to be guessing outside. I can always take precautions in advance."

"Okay, it's up to you."

Fang Cheng praised his line of thinking, while also offering a reminder:

"The key is to stay clear-headed and not let the sweet words of that old fox Chen Chen deceive you."

"President, you can rest assured!"

His carefree tone suddenly became incredibly firm:

"I know perfectly well who I belong to, and my loyalty will always belong only to you, Chairman!"

Seizing the opportunity once again, after vehemently expressing his loyalty, he continued:

"Also, Chen Chen said he could probably raise the remaining balance by April 1st. How should I hand over this money to you then?"

"I'll come see you in a few days, we'll talk then."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Upon hearing that he would be able to meet the president in person, Xiao Sa's voice betrayed a hint of excitement.

The phone hangs up.

Zhou Xiumei blinked her bright, clear eyes and asked curiously:
"Brother Cheng, are you really doing big business now?"

Fang Cheng smiled and casually explained:
“Didn’t I say I invested in a cleaning company? The person who just called was my informant in management. He’ll be the first to tip me off if anything happens over there.”

Zhou Xiumei suddenly realized, and then smiled:
"No wonder, the tone you were using just now was like a secretive rendezvous between spies on TV."

Seeing that she had made a rare joke, Fang Cheng also laughed along.
"Who can argue with that? The business world is like a battlefield."

He didn't deliberately hide it.

It's good to let the people around you know a little about some things beforehand.

In the future, I won't have excessive doubts and worries because of significant changes in myself.

Moreover, Zhou Xiumei knew in her heart that her physical abilities far exceeded those of ordinary people, and that she harbored many unspeakable secrets.

The car headed north, back to the familiar JB district, and finally entered the old factory street.

The street was narrow, and Fang Cheng parked the car steadily next to the flower bed below the tenement building.

Try to stay as far inside as possible to avoid obstructing the already narrow road and affecting the neighbors' travel.

This brand-new, imposing black SUV stands out starkly against its slightly dilapidated surroundings.

The string of letters on the front of the car gleamed eye-catchingly in the afterglow of the setting sun.

It was rush hour, and several middle-aged women from the neighborhood were chatting on the street, along with some commuters who had just returned home on their electric scooters.

Everyone's eyes were drawn to the car, like magnets.

When Fang Cheng and Zhou Xiumei stepped out of the car, a collective gasp erupted from the crowd, followed by an uproar.

"Holy crap, Acheng is driving the latest Range Rover? Am I seeing things?"

A young man who knew a little about cars exclaimed in surprise.

"Acheng, what...did you win the lottery, or rob a bank?"

An older woman exaggeratedly covered her mouth, her eyes wide like saucers.

"This car must cost over a million, right? Goodness, if its rear end gets scratched, I'll have to pay for my electric scooter!"

Another man was driving an electric scooter, carefully squeezing into the stairwell.

Fang Cheng smiled and greeted the group of stunned neighbors.

He gave a few perfunctory replies and then pressed the key to lock the car.

After the crisp sound of the car locking, the rearview mirrors automatically folded, once again drawing gasps of amazement.

He and Zhou Xiumei walked into the building together, shutting out the envious whispers and gossip behind them.

Upon reaching the ninth floor, Zhou Xiumei stopped and turned around in front of her own door.

Her face flushed slightly, and she looked at Fang Cheng with bright eyes, saying softly:
"Brother Cheng, I'm so happy today, thank you..."

After saying that, without waiting for Fang Cheng's response, she turned around quickly like a startled deer, opened the door, and slipped inside.

With a soft "bang," the shyness was shut behind the door.

Fang Cheng stood there, looking at the closed door, and chuckled to himself, slowly shaking his head.

A moment later, he turned around, took out his key, and opened his own door.

The room was quiet; no one was there.

Mom must have gone to the market to buy groceries.

This morning, Fang Cheng had planned to take her to the 4S store to look at cars.

When Mom saw Zhou Xiumei accompanying her, she chuckled and said that she didn't know anything about cars, so she wouldn't go.

He also said he was planning to cook a big meal that night.

I'm celebrating the purchase of a new car, and also giving my precious son a good boost in preparation for his upcoming important exam.

Fang Cheng changed into slippers, walked into the living room, and glanced at the calendar on the wall.

3 month 29 number.

Tomorrow is the day of the postgraduate entrance examination re-examination.

(End of this chapter)