Chapter 16: Holding Hands and Going Home

To tell the truth, this was Shen Ye’s first time visiting an amusement park in his life. Growing up, his family’s circumstances had always been modest, so he naturally never had the opportunity.

The place they went to was Chimelong Paradise. Shen Ye wore a white shirt and stood outside the park entrance. Over the past year, acting as the "Chopstick Hero" had instilled in him a unique aura, causing many girls passing by to look at him with shining eyes. Most absurdly, a few even ran over to ask for his phone number, which left him feeling both amused and helpless.

"Brother Shen!" A crisp voice rang out.

Shen Ye looked over to see a girl dressed in a biscuit-themed wool cape coat, paired with a double-layered cake skirt. Its soft, creamy color matched perfectly with the first snow of the season. She had the adorable, princess-like appearance of a girl who had stepped right out of a fairy tale. Her stunning beauty caused Shen Ye to pause for a moment.

A flash of pride crossed Lin Xiaolei’s eyes. She tilted her head, her dark hair falling against her ear. "Brother Shen, do I look pretty?"

"Pretty? What’s pretty about it? You’re just a little girl of fourteen or fifteen," Shen Ye scolded lightly. "Alright, let’s go inside."

He bought two tickets to Chimelong International Amusement Park.

"Hmph." Hearing that Shen Ye didn't compliment her, Lin Xiaolei couldn't help but huff, feeling a bit upset. For this "date," she had woken up early and spent ages getting ready and applying makeup. He was such a big dummy, a huge dummy, the biggest dummy in the world! Her pretty face was already pouting in frustration.

"What do you want to ride?" Shen Ye asked.

Lin Xiaolei bit her lip. "The roller coaster."

"Alright," Shen Ye nodded.

The roller coaster at Chimelong Paradise is known for its "Scream Moments." This particular coaster features ten loops. It is said to hold the Guinness World Record for the most inversions, with only two such machines in the entire world (the other being in the UK). The ride is truly thrilling, with so many twists and turns that its intensity is considered second only to the vertical roller coaster.

Shen Ye and Lin Xiaolei sat together. As the roller coaster suddenly lurched into motion, the initial acceleration wasn't much, but it quickly gained speed, surging upward and then diving down. Sharp screams from other tourists began to fill the air from the rows in front and behind them.

"Ah!" Lin Xiaolei screamed as well.

Shen Ye didn't find it particularly intense or exhilarating; after all, swinging between skyscrapers using his spider silk was far more thrilling than this. Just then, a soft hand gripped his tightly.

"Brother Shen, I’m scared!" Lin Xiaolei’s hair was blown into a mess by the wind, but her cheeks looked remarkably flushed.

Shen Ye smiled and let the young girl hold his hand. After getting off the ride, Lin Xiaolei’s legs were so weak that she had to lean on Shen Ye to stand straight.

"That was so exciting, so much fun!" Lin Xiaolei gasped. "Brother Shen, let’s go to the haunted house next!"

"You really do pick the most nerve-wracking, terrifying places," Shen Ye said, rubbing his forehead.

"It’s rare that I get to go on a date with Brother Shen, after all," Lin Xiaolei replied.

"I’m just accompanying a little kid to play games. This isn't a date," Shen Ye immediately countered. "You’re still just a child."

Lin Xiaolei looked down at her chest in silence. It was indeed quite flat, but she was only fifteen; she would still grow!

Inside the haunted house, the green-fanged ghosts that jumped out from time to time naturally scared Lin Xiaolei, causing her to lean against Shen Ye repeatedly. That day, Lin Xiaolei had a wonderful time.

The next day, the two found a high-end internet cafe and played League of Legends for the whole day.

"Ah! I forgot to heal again!"
"How did the jungler get here?"
"Ah! I forgot to place a ward!"

Because Lin Xiaolei was truly terrible at the game, even with Shen Ye carrying as a support, they still lost a match occasionally. However, Shen Ye kept a relaxed mindset—it was just a game, winning was fine, and losing didn't matter.

On January 16th, Shen Ye drove his new Ford with Wen Xiuting and his mother, Lin Mei, in the back, heading toward N County. With the Lunar New Year approaching, the roads were quite congested. It took over two hours to reach N County, which hadn't changed much in the last six months.

It wasn't too crowded; while some people working elsewhere were returning home for the holidays, many who worked in the town were also leaving. Because the buses were too packed before the Spring Festival, Shen Ye ignored Wen Xiuting’s protests and drove her directly to her house before heading to his own. By the time he arrived home, it was already past three in the afternoon.

The Shen family currently lived in low-income housing provided by the government. With the holidays approaching, the area was cluttered with all sorts of motorbikes, leaving no room to park. Helpless, Shen Ye had to park the car at a lot outside the residential complex and walk over a mile home. The Spring Festival was such a hassle.

When he arrived home, his father, Shen Jiaping, and his mother, Lin Mei, were both there. Only his sister, Shen Xiaoyun, was still at tutoring; she was in her third year of high school, the busiest time for supplemental classes.

However, once home, he realized the same old problem: the house was too small. The apartment only had two rooms. One was for his parents, and one was for his sister, as she was a girl. This meant that during the Spring Festival, Shen Ye would have to sleep on the sofa in the living room. Sleeping on the sofa wasn't the issue, but since the holidays brought many guests, he would have to wake up at the crack of dawn every day to tidy up, making it impossible to get a good night's sleep.

In the past, when they were poor, there was nothing to complain about. But now that he had money in his hands, he began to have other ideas.

"You're back," Shen Jiaping asked while smoking.

"Dad, give me a cigarette," Shen Ye said.

Shen Jiaping tossed him one. Shen Ye took a look. "Oh, Zhonghua brand. Dad, you're doing well for yourself."

"Of course, I’m a restaurant owner now!" Shen Jiaping puffed out his chest, proud of this. He used to spend his days in gambling dens and card rooms; although he knew many people, no one truly respected him, and they would just call him by his first name. Now, as the owner of the Seaside Cottage at Silver Beach, he was earning forty to fifty thousand a month. All those old friends now knew he could make money, and they all called him "Brother Shen." His status and rank were completely different.

"If it weren't for our son leaving us a restaurant, what kind of owner would you be?" Lin Mei scoffed.

Shen Jiaping said smugly, "That just shows I know how to raise a son; it’s still my contribution."

Shen Ye was used to his father’s style and wasn't surprised. He lit his cigarette with a lighter and looked around the house. "Dad, Mom, I’ve earned some money this year. How about we buy a house? This place is too small, only two rooms. Plus, it’s not even ours; it’s just low-income housing."

Before Shen Jiaping could speak, Lin Mei immediately said, "No. You’re in Guangzhou now, so if you buy a house, buy it in Guangzhou. Housing prices there are expensive, and we're afraid they'll keep rising. Wait until you've earned money for a few more years and settle the house in Guangzhou first."

Shen Ye shrugged. "I already have a house in Guangzhou."

"What? You have a house?" Lin Mei didn't believe him.

Shen Ye had no choice but to take out the property deed his assistant, Lu Yi, had delivered a few days ago. It was for a 150-square-meter apartment in the Nan'an complex, and in the owner's column, the name "Shen Ye" was clearly written.

Lin Mei and Shen Jiaping examined the deed repeatedly, shocked. Lin Mei questioned, "This is property in the YX District. Prices there must be quite high, right? This place must have cost six or seven million. Did you do something illegal?"

Shen Ye had already prepared an excuse for his parents. He couldn't tell them about Elder Shen, so he said, "My seasoning recipe is peerless. I signed an agreement with a businessman; I provide him with a certain amount of seasoning each year, and he pays me. This is the payment for a batch."

Seeing how Yang Yuanqing had come to their door seeking a partnership, Lin Mei and Shen Jiaping were able to accept this explanation.

Shen Jiaping gasped, "Good lad, you've made a lot of money this year. Not only did you buy a 150-square-meter house in Guangzhou, but you can also buy one here in N County. You truly are my son."

This really stunned Shen Jiaping and Lin Mei. Housing was the biggest headache for modern Chinese people. While Guangzhou's prices weren't quite at the level of Beijing, Shanghai, or Shenzhen, they were among the highest in the country. Even for 985-university graduates or postgraduates, securing a 150-square-meter home in Guangzhou was incredibly difficult—even a lifetime of work might not be enough. For someone without the accumulation of a previous generation to buy a large house in a big city was harder than reaching the heavens.

Yet, Shen Ye had accomplished it in just one year, and it wasn't a down payment—it was paid in full. It was so impressive it was almost unbelievable! It was absolutely legendary!

Once Lin Mei realized her son had a home in Guangzhou, she naturally wanted to buy one in N County, as the low-income housing was indeed too cramped. "Fine, let's go buy a house tomorrow."

Shen Jiaping was grinning from ear to ear; his son was so capable, he could brag about this for a long time.