We agreed not to date, so why are you crying now that I've become the richest man?

August 16th.

It's 5:30 in the morning.

Before dawn, the stairwells of the old residential building were quiet, and even the motion-activated lights didn't bother to turn on.

Ye Jianguo was already dressed and walked around the living room several times.

He's wearing that white shirt he's kept at the bottom of his drawer today.

The leather shoes were polished to a shine.

Her hair was wet, but she combed it back neatly.

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was going to attend some important meeting today.

Ye Chen came out of the room carrying a suitcase and burst out laughing when he saw his father's posture.

"Dad, you're taking me to the train station, not to a blind date."

"Why dress so formally?"

Ye Jianguo glared at him, his back ramrod straight.

"You don't know anything."

"Sending your son to university, shouldn't you at least try to do it with some dignity?"

"What if someone at the station asks me and I say my son is going to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and I'm dressed sloppily? Do you think they'll believe me?"

Ye Chen couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"I believe it, I definitely believe it."

"Your demeanor suggests you're a veteran who has nurtured top-tier graduates from 985 universities."

Ye Jianguo could barely suppress the urge to smile, but he insisted on maintaining a serious expression.

"Be poor."

"Hurry up and wash your face, then eat."

I don't have much luggage.

An old 24-inch rolling suitcase and a black backpack.

There were only a few changes of clothes in the box.

What really took up space were the two bags of beef jerky, a large bag of braised eggs, and several packets of salted vegetables sealed in plastic bags that Chen Xiulan had forced in last night.

Ye Chen originally intended to take out half.

As a result, Chen Xiulan shut her down with a single sentence.

"Things are expensive in Shanghai. You're new to the area and won't know anyone. What will you do if you get hungry?"

Ye Chen had no choice but to accept them all.

For him, there were millions of dollars in cash in his bank account, and the Angry Sparrow was constantly laying golden eggs in his overseas account.

But in his mother's eyes, he was still that son who was going on his first long trip and needed to bring plenty of food with him.

The sound of pots and pans clattering came from the kitchen.

Chen Xiulan came out carrying two steaming bowls of noodles.

"Eat before you leave."

"There's still plenty of time, no rush."

Ye Chen glanced at the clock on the wall.

5:40.

The train departs at 7:20.

It takes fifteen minutes to get from the county town to the train station, which is definitely enough time.

Two bowls of noodles.

Ye Chen's bowl had two poached eggs in it.

Ye Jianguo only had one bowl.

Ye Chen glanced at it, then picked up an egg and put it into Ye Jianguo's bowl.

Ye Jianguo frowned.

"What are you doing? You eat your food."

Ye Chen said with a grin, "My mom is biased, so as her son, I have to uphold justice."

Chen Xiulan came out with chopsticks, glaring at him with annoyance.

"You talk too much."

"Eat quickly, the noodles are clumped together."

The family of three sat at a small dining table.

No one said much.

The only sound was the soft clinking of chopsticks against the rim of the bowl.

After finishing their meal, Chen Xiulan straightened Ye Chen's collar repeatedly.

Her eyes were a little red, but she kept holding it in.

"When you get there, call home first."

"Don't find it annoying."

"If you don't have enough money, just say so. Don't try to force yourself to pay more."

Ye Chen grinned, still with that sunny and carefree attitude.

"Mom, don't worry."

"Your son is so smart, in Shanghai I'm the only one who can fool others, no one can fool me."

Chen Xiulan was amused by him and wanted to laugh, but tears almost fell from her eyes.

"Stop talking nonsense, you brat."

Ye Jianguo picked up the suitcase.

"Let's go."

The streets of the county town were deserted in the early morning.

The breakfast stall had just been set up, and the soy milk in the pot was steaming hot.

The uncle selling fried dough sticks yawned as he dropped the dough sticks one by one into the boiling oil.

Ye Chen sat in the back seat, holding onto his suitcase.

Ye Jianguo rode his old electric bike at a slow speed.

He kept talking incessantly the whole way.

"When you get to school, don't compare yourself to others."

"Spend money where it's necessary, and don't waste money on things you shouldn't."

"If the food in the cafeteria isn't good, just eat out. Your health is the most important thing."

"I told my family as soon as I changed my phone number."

Ye Chen responded to each sentence.

"Know."

"Um."

"rest assured."

"We'll definitely fight."

We arrived at the train station.

It was already daylight.

There weren't many people in the station square; a few passengers carrying snakeskin bags were squatting on the steps smoking.

Ye Jianguo handed the suitcase to Ye Chen.

He opened his mouth, as if he had a lot to say.

But when it really came time to part, they couldn't say a word.

He rubbed his hands together, took out a cigarette from his pocket, pulled one out, and then put it back in.

"Alright."

"Go on in, don't miss your train."

Ye Chen pulled up the handle of his suitcase.

"Dad, drive carefully on your way back."

Ye Jianguo nodded.

"Um."

Ye Chen turned and walked towards the entrance of the station.

I had only taken a few steps when I heard Ye Jianguo's voice behind me.

"Chenchen".

Ye Chen stopped and turned around.

Ye Jianguo stood still, his white shirt swaying gently in the morning breeze.

This man, who had spent half his life working on a factory assembly line, had eyes full of reluctance and pride.

"Call me when you arrive."

Ye Chen nodded with a smile.

"it is good."

He turned and entered the station.

This time, there was no turning back.

It's not that I don't want to watch.

I'm afraid that if I look at it too long, I won't be able to take another step.

In his past life, his father was seriously ill, and he rushed back to the county town from Shanghai overnight, but he still couldn't see him one last time.

That regret, like a blunt needle, pierced him for more than a decade.

In this life, he will never again let his father bow his head and beg for money for medical expenses.

I will no longer let my mother stand in the hospital corridor and secretly wipe away her tears.

money.

right.

Resources.

He wants them all.

Anyone who dares to block his way will be kicked off the card table.

The green train swayed for nearly ten hours.

Ye Chen lay on the sleeper berth, listening to Xu Song's songs in his headphones.

The scenery outside the window changed all the way.

From low-rise bungalows in the county town to densely packed factories on the outskirts of the city.

Then there are rows of high-rise buildings rising from the ground.

It's 6:30 in the evening.

The train arrived at Shanghai Station on time.

The moment the car door opened, a wave of heat hit us.

It smells like diesel fuel.

The smell of a crowd.

The humid air also carried the scent of sycamore leaves dried in the sun.

In August, Shanghai was as stuffy as a steamer.

The plaza in front of the station was bustling with people.

Taxis lined up in a long queue.

Students dragging suitcases, white-collar workers rushing to catch buses, touts soliciting customers, and migrant workers carrying snakeskin bags were all crammed into the same square.

Everyone was in a hurry.

Everyone seems to be pushed forward by this city.

Ye Chen stood in the crowd, dragging his old suitcase.

There wasn't a trace of panic on his face as someone who had just arrived in a big city.

Magic City.

He's back.

In his past life, he spent twelve years here.

I've lived in a partitioned room in Zhangjiang, squeezed onto Line 2 during rush hour, stayed up until 3 a.m. for a new version launch, and seen the coldness of layoff lists posted in my email.

This city gave him hope, but it also crushed his bones with its own hands.

Now, carrying the memories of the next decade or so, he sits back at the card table.

This time.

He doesn't work.

He was the dealer.