The value of many things doesn't depend on the item itself. What truly makes something expensive are the intricate webs of added elements that extend outwards like a spider's web.
Take the meal they had today, for example. Li Younan knew it was expensive. But regarding the ingredients and environment, the price can't be too high. What truly made this meal twice or thrice as expensive as imagined was a glance from Huang Xiaoyang; the pretty waitress in the thigh-revealing cheongsam would quietly squat by the side, patiently asking if they needed anything; it was when Huang Xiaoyang casually ordered a niche juice that the manager exaggeratedly complimented, "The boss has great taste"; or when after Younan and the others were done eating and drinking and heading out, a young security guard had already driven the car to the front, spotless inside and out, all within the time it took to finish a meal.
Li Younan remarked to Huang Xiaoyang with deep feeling, "Expensive indeed has its reasons."
Huang Xiaoyang didn't mind Younan's comment. He looked at the luxury car in front of him, originally priced at nearly a million, with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
He hadn't come out to greet Younan earlier and didn't know that Younan had brought such an expensive car. From the car's condition, it appeared to be a new car.
Noticing Huang Xiaoyang's gaze, Li Younan smugly said, "This car isn't bad, right?"
Huang Xiaoyang opened the car door, jumped directly into the driver's seat, and said to Younan, "Can I try it out?"
For such a request from this young master, Younan certainly couldn't find a reason to refuse. What's more, Xiaoyang had driven for so many years, his driving skills were definitely better than his own.
But just three minutes later, Li Younan realized he had misjudged Huang Xiaoyang.
The restaurant's parking area's edge was marked by a row of round stone bollards, declaring ownership of the parking space.
In Younan's vision, his cool car, with just a turn, crashed straight into it.
Younan didn't even have time to shout for a stop.
When the car stopped, Xiaoyang got out, his emotions still steady. Seeing the deformed lower guard, a slight blush appeared on his face, and he murmured calmly, "I've never driven such a tall car before..."
…
An hour later, under the most scorching sun, Li Younan and Huang Xiaoyang arrived at the shores of West Lake.
The heat was unbearable, and there were pitifully few people by the West Lake. The lake reflected the blinding white sky.
Honestly, seeing it like this, West Lake looked quite different from what was imagined.
It was impossible not to feel a bit disappointed; Younan concluded that West Lake was indeed best visited in spring.
The willow trees along the shore had leaves so green they appeared dark, limply hanging down, and the stone balustrade by the lake was too hot to touch. A few wild grasses sprouted between the stone slabs, their tips curled, yellow, withered, and thin.
A boat drifted by, its oars hitting the water, stirring lazy ripples that spread out slowly, subsiding not long after. The people on the boat were languid too, so lethargic that no one spoke, their words wilted by the scorching heat.
Younan, having just arrived, had already activated the check-in task. Today's mission was to walk over 20,000 steps along the West Lake shore, meaning they'd have to stroll under the blazing sun.
Both Younan and Xiaoyang held cups of ice-cold cola in their hands. Younan sighed softly; combining this task with this weather was certainly not an easy thing.
Still, there was something to be said — if one truly wanted to see the lake view, choosing a clear day would be much better.
"I've become the sales manager," Xiaoyang suddenly said.
Younan was taken aback, looking at Xiaoyang. Honestly, he was a bit dumbfounded. Someone like Xiaoyang becoming a salesperson? Don't kid him. Who would he sell to? Besides those who were infatuated with him, who seriously would buy his products? He was notoriously serious faced.
Xiaoyang wiped his sweat: "I just wanted to talk about something since you weren't saying anything. If you mind, I can buy you a new car."
Younan snapped back and quickly shook his head: "I was just lost in thought and wasn't bothered about the car."
Despite the car being wrecked by Xiaoyang, Younan wasn't one to hold a grudge over such a matter. Xiaoyang had already arranged for the car to be repaired; the guard plate was a consumable part anyway, replacing it was no big deal.
Younan said, "It's just a minor issue, I was pondering something else. You said you're now a sales manager; to be honest, it doesn't fit your character."
Xiaoyang nodded, "I feel it doesn't fit either. You gave me the courage."
Younan blinked: "How could I give you courage? I haven't done anything."
But Xiaoyang shook his head: "You, from a small county, wanted to stay in Binhai City, even resigning while having signed a non-compete agreement. For you, the hardest issues are money and staying in Binhai City, not easy decisions to make. You're facing your difficulties head-on, so I feel I should face my greatest challenge too."
Hearing Xiaoyang's words, Younan was unsurprisingly dumbfounded.
First, Younan didn't quite understand why this guy seemed to monitor him constantly, keeping such detailed tabs on him.
And moreover, due to his resignation, Xiaoyang was inspired to muster courage for the field he was least skilled at.
Younan actually envied Xiaoyang quite a bit. See, second-generation rich kids are different; even their reason for taking on a managerial job is to challenge their weaknesses.
Back when they were classmates, Younan already realized the difference between him and Xiaoyang. They were the two most handsome guys in the department, both played basketball, and both achieved top grades.
Younan worked hard for better grades because he wanted a stable future job, in a word, to survive. But Xiaoyang was different; he aimed for excellence just to prove he was excellent.
Actually, he had no need to prove to others; it was all to prove to himself.
Younan, with a bit of sarcasm, said, "Your reason is quite pretentious."
But what Younan didn't expect was that as soon as he said this, Xiaoyang suddenly stopped in his tracks. He was silent for a moment, softly sighed: "Are you mocking me?"
Younan was stunned; Xiaoyang's expression was as if emotions accumulated over many years were surging out at this moment.
Younan suddenly realized something.
Was it that his relationship with Xiaoyang was actually reversed?
In Xiaoyang's eyes, not mentioning the past, Younan had already transcended the simplistic value judgment of wealth and status, purely pursuing what he wanted.
This was a higher dimension of personal value realization, something Xiaoyang had always pursued.
It might sound laughable, but Younan knew Xiaoyang was truly that kind of person who would think this way.
Was he really envied by a 360-degree, all-around, no-dead-angle incredible second-generation rich kid?
Younan felt a sense of absurdity.
Yet, at this moment, his heart felt inexplicably calm.
Thinking it over, it was just that; he was extremely satisfied with his current and foreseeable life, unwilling to trade it for Xiaoyang's.
Younan patted Xiaoyang's shoulder, smugly saying, "Brother, I understand your feelings now. But don't put it like that, I'm not one to mock. Once you've reached my level, you'll see that mockery rarely exists in my dictionary."
Xiaoyang lowered his head deeply.
Younan's level...indeed, how does one reach that level? He was still living under others' value criteria, with little hope of reaching Younan's realm any time soon.
The two, unknowingly, had walked a long way along the West Lake shore, their foreheads glistening with sweat from the sun.
Suddenly Xiaoyang said, "I'll attend tomorrow's gathering."
Younan was a bit surprised.
Xiaoyang lowered his head again, saying, "Your young friend, the girl he likes is already with someone else."