The notice board at Zhonghai University of Business and Finance was buzzing with excitement. A bright red poster hung in the center:
"One-Week Festival Break! All classes suspended. Enjoy responsibly."
The University rarely granted such generous breaks, and this time the announcement came with a wave of joy.
The campus erupted with chatter—students already planning trips abroad, reunions with family, or just the bliss of sleeping for fourteen days straight.
Liang Chen saw the poster on university forum, leaning against the railing outside his dorm room, watching the evening sun cast golden hues across the campus. For once, there was nothing urgent calling for his attention. No business meeting, no challenges to conquer, no pressing deadlines. A rare moment of peace. He exhaled, feeling an unique kind of freedom.
"Two weeks… it's about time I went home," he murmured with a smile.
The thought of seeing his parents and younger sibling again filled him with warmth. He had been away for months, and while he had built a reputation at university, and a successful career in business, he wanted to share it with the people who mattered most. Not through words, but through gestures that would make them proud.
And so, Liang Chen decided—this return would be special.
The next morning, he walked into a luxury car dealership in downtown Zhonghai. The place gleamed like a palace of glass and steel, filled with shining vehicles that looked more like works of art than machines.
Liang, dressed casually in a simple black T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, didn't fit the stereotype of a luxury car buyer. The senior sales staff noticed him immediately, their eyes narrowing with skepticism.
"Another student come to take photos for social media," one whispered to another, smirking. "Probably just wants to sit in the driver's seat for fun."
With a dismissive wave, the senior salesperson shoved the task onto a nervous junior trainee. "Go deal with him. Don't waste my time."
The trainee, barely a few weeks into the job, approached hesitantly. "Uh… sir, would you like to… look around?"
Liang's gaze swept across the showroom. Rows of cars, shining under the luxury lights. His eyes calm and determined settled on a sleek black BMW X7. Its bold grille and commanding frame radiated power and elegance. He pointed casually.
"That one. I'll take it."
The junior blinked. "Ah? The X7, sir?"
"Yes," Liang said, already walking toward the car.
The trainee nearly choked. "S-Sir, that's… that's one of our most expensive models. The price starts from 1.3 million yuan…"
Liang smiled faintly. "All the more reason. Get me the top configuration."
He pulled out his debit card, sleek and metallic, and held it out. "Full payment."
The trainee's hands trembled as he swiped it. The machine beeped, processing the transaction. Then it blinked green: Approved.
The entire showroom went silent. Multi-million yuan paid in one go.
The senior salesperson, realizing his mistake, rushed over with a fake smile. "Wait, sir! I'll take care of this order. He's inexperienced—he could make mistakes—Let me personally assist you with the paperwork."
Liang didn't even look at him. "No. He handled me from the start. He closes the deal. He earns the commission."
The senior salesperson's face turned red, but before he could argue, the dealership manager arrived. One look at the exclusive debit card in Liang's hand, and his entire demeanor changed. The manager's sharp tone cut through the air.
"You've embarrassed our dealershipwith your behaviour. Apologize immediately." he barked at the senior.
The senior's face flushed pale. He bowed stiffly toward Liang. "Sir… I…"
Liang didn't even bother replying.
Instead the manager, clapped the trembling junior on the shoulder. "Excellent work. From today, consider yourself promoted to senior salesperson."
Applause rippled among the staff as Liang signed the papers. Moments later, the deep roar of the BMW X7's engine echoed through the lot as he drove out. Behind him, the dealership buzzed with the unforgettable lesson: never judge a book by its cover.
But Liang wasn't done. If he was going home, he wanted to go big. Driving his new car he went on a shopping spree across the city.
At a high-end shopping mall, he began filling carts with gifts. For his father, he selected premium whisky, bottles of imported red wine, and a lacquered box of Cuban cigars that carried the scent of luxury.
For his mother, he carefully picked a designer jewelry sets—necklaces and earrings that gleamed like stars, bangles made of jade with intricate carvings —and a range of imported skincare products.
For his younger sibling: the latest MacBook Pro, a high-end gaming laptop, tablet, and latest Iphone just to spoil them further. He added designer outfits and few expensive watchs for good measure.
Sales attendants were stunned. A boy barely in his twenties, buying luxury items without a second thought? They scrambled to offer him their best service.
When they saw the BMW keys dangling from his hand, their smiles doubled.
Some saleswomen leaned a little too close, their eyes playful."You must be a CEO, sir? So young, so successful…"
Some even flirted shamelessly, scribbling their numbers on receipts, but Liang just smiled politely and moved on.
By the time he was done, the rear seats and trunk of the BMW X7 looked like Santa Claus's sleigh.
Driving into his hometown was like stepping into another world. The familiar countryside road stretched ahead. As Liang's BMW X7 rolled into the small town, its polished body gleaming under the afternoon sun, jaws dropped everywhere.
"Isn't that Old Liang's boy?"
"Didn't he just started university a few months ago!"
"How can he afford a car like that? He must have worked incredibly hard…"
"I need to tell my son to study harder—just like Chen!"
"My daughter should aim for Zhonghai University too!"
Children squealed, chasing after the SUV. Liang slowed down, rolling down the windows to wave at familiar faces, his smile calm but warm.
By the time he parked in front of his home, a small crowd had gathered.
His father was sitting in the courtyard, sipping tea, when the roar of the car startled him. He stood up, blinking at the enormous SUV now gleaming in the front of house.
Liang stepped out, smiling. "Dad, I'm back."
"C-Chen'er?"
Liang popped the trunk, unloading the whisky, wine, and cigars. "Dad, I thought you might enjoy these."
His father's jaw dropped. "Imported?!" He coughed, trying to act dignified. "Y-You're wasting money, boy! Spending like this…" But later that evening, he was caught sneaking a puff of the Cuban cigar, grinning like a child.
Next came his mother. The moment Liang handed her the jewelry and skincare, she scolded loudly. "Chen'er! Do you think money grows on trees? Buying such expensive nonsense—" Yet her hands trembled as she tried on the necklace, and her smile betrayed her pride. Within an hour, she was parading the jewelry to neighbors with an air of feigned modesty.
But the loudest reaction came from his younger sibling. When Liang revealed the MacBook Pro and gaming laptop, new smartphone and tablet, the scream could probably be heard across the entire neighborhood. He leapt onto him, hugging him so tightly that Liang Chen almost lost balance. Then came more gifts—designer outfits, a stylish watches—and suddenly the house was filled with shrieks of joy and nonstop selfies.
By evening, word of Liang's return had spread across the small town like wildfire. One by one, neighbors wandered into the courtyard, and soon it was filled with familiar faces and curious onlookers. Children peeked through the gate, wide-eyed at the gleaming BMW X7 parked outside. Elderly uncles and nosy aunties whispered among themselves, their voices a mix of envy and admiration.
Stories flew, speculations grew, and pride radiated from Liang's family despite their best attempts to remain modest.
Liang sat among them, sipping tea calmly, answering questions with quiet smiles. Some congratulated him warmly, others asked him for advice about their children's studies, while a few simply stared in disbelief. One neighbor even leaned in and whispered half-jokingly, "Chen, when you start a company, don't forget to hire our boys, alright?" Another sighed dramatically, "If only my daughter could get into Zhonghai University too—maybe she'd bring home gifts like this one day."
To Liang, it felt grounding. For all the battles he had fought in boardrooms and competitions, this simple moment—his family's happiness, their glowing pride—was worth more than any victory.
That night, when the bustle finally faded and the courtyard grew quiet, Liang sat on the balcony with his father. A teapot steamed gently between them, the night air cool and still.
His father broke the silence with a voice steady yet warm:
"Son, whatever you achieve, just remember—family is your true foundation. It will always be here, whether you succeed or fail. We will be here, ready to embrace you."
Liang leaned back, gazing at the starlit sky. The road ahead would surely bring more challenges, yet here in his hometown he found something rarer than success.
He found belonging.