My IQ has been increasing year by year.

Chapter 200 Great News

The key was inserted into the lock, and the door opened.

A warm breeze carrying the aroma of food wafted over.

Chen Jianguo and Liu Xiuying stood at the door, feeling somewhat awkward.

They looked down at their shoes, afraid of dirtying the large, polished floor tiles.

"Come in, come in, no need to change your shoes. The house is mopped three times a day, it's spotless."

Zhang Zhicheng pulled out two brand-new pairs of cotton slippers from the shoe cabinet and threw them on the ground.

"You can change into these; they're comfortable to wear."

The elderly couple changed into slippers and took a few steps inside.

The room was bright, with the large south-facing balcony letting in all the midday sunlight, which shone on the leather sofa and wooden coffee table. The television was playing the midday news, and the volume was not high.

What shocked Liu Xiuying the most was not the wide furniture, but the heat that kept rising from the soles of her feet.

She was only wearing thin socks inside her slippers, but she could feel the warmth creeping up her soles, dispelling all the chill she'd felt from being outside all morning.

The kitchen sliding door was opened.

Zhang Zhicheng's wife, Wang Li, came out carrying a plate of freshly cooked stir-fried green peppers and shredded pork.

She had an apron tied around her waist. When she looked up and saw the two people standing in the living room, she was stunned for a moment, and then she immediately realized what was happening.

"Oh my! Isn't this Brother Chen and his wife!"

Wang Li quickly placed the plate on the table, wiped her hands on her apron, and greeted them with a smile.

"I just heard the door open in the kitchen. I thought that old Zhang had come back alone. Come on, sit down! It's hot inside, take off your coat."

Zhang Zhicheng chimed in with a smile.

"Honey, go get two more fancy dishes, and we need to get a good bottle of wine for lunch today. Brother Chen just bought the apartment across the street, so we'll be neighbors from now on."

Upon hearing this, Wang Li's eyes lit up, and her voice rose eight octaves.

"You bought the apartment across the street? Oh my, that's fantastic news! No wonder Qiangzi kept complaining about his left eyelid twitching this morning; turns out you guys are moving in!"

Wang Li warmly took Liu Xiuying's arm and led her to the sofa.

"Sister-in-law, please sit down. Don't be shy. You made the right choice in buying this house. The property management in this community is very responsible. There are people patrolling down there 24 hours a day. It's also convenient to buy groceries. There's a large farmers' market just two streets away from the south gate."

Liu Xiuying sat on the soft leather sofa, listening to Wang Li chatter on and on about everyday things.

She quietly touched the leather surface of the sofa with her hand, and then looked around the warm room that was not air-conditioned.

In the unfinished apartment 601, she didn't really have much of a concept in her mind, only that the apartment was big and well-lit.

But now, sitting in Zhang Zhicheng's home, looking at the bright and spacious decor and feeling the genuine warmth, a very clear image suddenly came to her mind.

Once the apartment across the hall is finished, when Xiao Zhuo comes back for winter vacation, he won't have to sit wrapped in his clothes in that cold little room with the heater on to read anymore. He can walk around in this bright living room and wear only a single layer of clothing in the warm room.

Liu Xiuying suddenly felt that the 385,000 yuan was well spent.

Even the anxiety I felt because of the huge sum of money was dispelled by the warmth of the heating.

The lunch table was bustling with activity.

Wang Li went to the kitchen and added a braised fish and a pot of pork rib soup. Zhang Zhicheng opened a bottle of baijiu and filled it for Chen Jianguo.

The two men clinked glasses and chatted about factory matters and business.

The two women huddled together to talk about home renovation.

"Sister-in-law, how are you planning to decorate that apartment across the street?"

Wang Li offered enthusiastic advice.

"Call me when you're laying the floor tiles. I know the owner of the building materials market; I can get you a wholesale price. And make sure the security grilles are sturdy..."

As Liu Xiuying sipped her soup, she nodded in agreement, feeling incredibly at ease.

They chatted casually, and before they knew it, it was 1:30 in the afternoon.

Zhang Zhicheng put down his wine glass and glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Brother Chen, it's almost time. The bank's clearing process should be finished by now."

"7

He stood up.

"Let's go downstairs and head straight to the city branch of ICBC. It's just a short walk. We can check our accounts and come back to complete the formalities."

It's past 2:10.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China branch in the city center.

There were quite a few people in the lobby, and Zhang Zhicheng led Chen Jianguo directly to the VIP window next door.

Chen Jianguo handed the passbook into the semi-circular groove.

"Comrade, could you check if any account was deposited this morning?"

The female teller at the counter took the passbook and typed a few numbers on the keyboard.

"Chen Jianguo, right? Please wait a moment."

She opened the passbook and put it into the dot matrix printer next to her.

The printer immediately emitted a buzzing, frictional sound.

Chen Jianguo was all too familiar with that voice.

In the past, every time I received my salary, several hundred dollars would be deposited into my bank account, but today the sound seemed to be a little longer than usual.

The teller pulled out the passbook and handed it out the window.

"Sir, a cross-province, cross-bank transfer of 500,000 yuan arrived in your account this morning. The current account balance is 500,002,400 yuan."

Chen Jianguo took the passbook.

He flipped it open and glanced at it.

Following that date line, a string of numbers was neatly printed: +500,000.00.

Chen Jianguo looked at the string of zeros, said nothing, simply closed the passbook, put it back into the transparent plastic sleeve, and put it in his pocket.

He turned his head, looked at Zhang Zhicheng, and nodded.

"The money has arrived."

3 PM.

Lobby of Jinxiu Garden sales office.

The coffee table was covered with a thick stack of purchase contracts and payment slips.

The saleswoman placed two cups of hot water on the table and held a black water-based pen in her hand.

Chen Jianguo took out a pair of reading glasses from his shirt pocket, put them on, took the pen, and following the saleswoman's instructions, carefully wrote down Chen Jianguo and Liu Xiuying's names at each place where signatures were required.

He writes very slowly and with great effort.

After signing the last contract.

Chen Jianguo stood up, took the payment slip, and walked towards the finance counter.

Zhang Zhicheng was standing next to him.

Chen Jianguo handed in the passbook and receipts together.

"Full payment, 385,000."

The finance staff took the passbook and began operating it on the computer.

Zhang Zhicheng's gaze did not fall on the computer screen, but instead landed on Chen Jianguo's hands.

Those were the hands of a seasoned, skilled worker.

The knuckles are large, the skin on the back of the hand is rough, and it has a dark color that can't be washed off.

These are the hands that have spent half their lives tightening screws in front of machine tools.

At this moment, he casually handed over a passbook and swiped out the money for a top-of-the-line luxury apartment in the city center.

Three hundred and eighty-five thousand.

The finance department's printer spit out a long transfer slip.

Standing to the side, Zhang Zhicheng looked at the receipt, and suddenly a string that had been taut for over a decade loosened in his mind.

He reflected on his life's work.

More than a decade ago, I went into business and slept in the aisle of an old green train while carrying a snakeskin bag. In order to secure a supply channel, I would hold a glass of liquor at a dinner table and smile obsequiously, drinking until I had to go to the hospital for an IV drip.

He always believed that wealth in this world was earned through blood, sweat, alcohol, and humiliation.

But today.

The Chen family's thirteen-year-old son was sitting in a university classroom hundreds of kilometers away.

There were no banquets or gifts, no begging or pleading.

Relying solely on the knowledge in one's mind and the ability to write and calculate on paper.

The government directly paid the money and delivered it to his parents without any problems.

The highest level of knowledge is the most unreasonable form of wealth.

Zhang Zhicheng watched as Chen Jianguo carefully put away the passbook and receipts, and his heart slowly calmed down.

He suddenly realized that his previous experience in the world of martial arts seemed somewhat crude in the face of such absolute intellectual prowess.

The world has changed.

From now on, it will be an era where you earn your living based on your real skills.

That's all Zhang Zhicheng's life will ever be like, but his son Qiangzi is lucky.

Being on the same level as someone who possesses genuine knowledge, and becoming their childhood best friend, is far more valuable than any network Zhang Zhicheng could cultivate through social interactions.

"Mr. Chen, all your formalities are complete."

The finance staff handed out a brown paper bag containing contracts, receipts, and a set of keys with a fresh brass sheen.

"Congratulations on becoming a homeowner in Jinxiu Garden."

Chen Jianguo took the paper bag and keys, turned to look at Zhang Zhicheng, and finally showed a completely relieved smile.

"Old Zhang, thanks to you for running around today. Once the apartment across the hall is finished and you move in, I'll have Xiuying cook some good dishes, and we two old brothers can have a good drink together."

Zhang Zhicheng burst into laughter and patted Chen Jianguo's arm.

"Brother Chen, you're being too polite. From now on, we'll be real neighbors, seeing each other all the time!"

It was evening.

The sky had darkened, and the streetlights in the neighborhood came on one after another.

Room 602, Unit 2, Building 3, Jinxiu Garden.

The door lock emitted a crisp sound of a key turning.

Zhang Qiang pushed open the security door, took off his backpack while changing his shoes, and casually hung it on a hook in the foyer.

This afternoon, he played half a game of basketball on the school playground. His school uniform jacket was draped over his shoulders, and there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

"Mom! What's for dinner? I'm starving!"

Zhang Qiang walked into the house wearing slippers.

He walked into the living room and paused for a moment.

Two tea sets were placed on the coffee table in the living room. Zhang Zhicheng was leaning back on the sofa smoking. The TV was off.

"Dad? You're home so early today?"

Zhang Qiang walked over, picked up an orange from the fruit plate, and began to peel it.

Zhang Zhicheng flicked the cigarette ash into the ashtray and looked at his son.

"Qiangzi, come and sit down."

Zhang Qiang sat down on the single sofa, peeling an orange.

"What's wrong? I haven't caused any trouble lately, and I even passed my physics test."

"I didn't mention your exam."

Zhang Zhicheng pointed in the direction of the security door.

"Your Uncle Chen and Aunt Liu came over today."

Zhang Qiang popped a segment of orange into his mouth.

"Uncle Chen? Here to borrow the car?"

"Come buy a house."

Zhang Qiang slowed down his chewing.

"It's right outside."

Zhang Zhicheng looked at him and spoke in a low but clear voice.

"Our house is across the hall, 601."

""

There was a two-second silence in the living room.

Zhang Qiang swallowed the orange in his mouth and looked at his father.

"Buy a house? Buy the one across the street?"

"Yes, the contract was just signed this afternoon, full payment, and I've already taken the keys."

Zhang Zhicheng smiled.

"When Xiaozhu comes back from school for holidays, she'll live across from you."

Zhang Qiang sat on the sofa, his eyes widening little by little.

Only one extremely simple image flashed through his mind:

On weekend mornings, he would put on his slippers, open the door, take a few steps, knock on the door across the hall, and his slow-witted brother would open it. Then the two of them would sit together in the spacious living room and play video games, or tinker with the motor of his four-wheel drive car.

You don't even need to leave the residential compound.

You don't even need to ride a bicycle.

Holy crap!

Zhang Qiang suddenly jumped up from the sofa, dropping the orange peel he was holding onto the coffee table.

"Really?! Dad, you're not kidding me, are you? Uncle Chen really bought the house across the street?!"

"Is this something I can joke about?"

Zhang Zhicheng leaned back.

"So you better behave yourself at home from now on. Your brother Zhuo lives across the hall from you and is watching you every day."

Zhang Qiang didn't hear the last half of what was said at all.

He paced back and forth in the living room excitedly, rubbing his hands together.

"That's amazing!! That's fantastic!!"

Zhang Qiang shouted loudly and turned to walk towards his bedroom.

"Dad, when are the neighbors across the street starting their renovations? When you go to the building materials market to help Uncle Chen get his materials, call me! I'll go help Uncle Chen move things this weekend! I may not have much else to offer, but moving a few boxes of tiles is no problem at all!"

Zhang Zhicheng sat on the sofa, watching his son's carefree, excited, and silly back view.

The sound of Wang Li chopping vegetables came from the kitchen, along with the faint hum of the range hood.

Zhang Zhicheng did not scold his son for being overly dramatic.

Looking at the thriving clivia on the coffee table, he felt a sense of peace he had never felt before.

This is the purest friendship between children.

Just based on Zhang Qiang's excitement when he jumped up, and on their brotherhood that they've known since childhood.

Zhang Zhicheng felt that the house across the street, which was bought by the Chen family, was a great thing for his family.

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