Chapter 177: 555

Seeing those "little cuties" rolling around in the tray, the profiteer's eyes instantly lit up, practically leaving the word "greed" carved across his face.

"Hah, it really isn't light!" The profiteer glanced at the reading on the scale, a satisfied smile curving the corner of his mouth.

555g—that was the final number displayed on the scale, a little over one catty and one tael.

A weight like this was a big deal that the profiteer hadn't encountered once in several years.

Excitedly, he pulled out his calculator and began computing the total buyback price for the gold.

555 × 360 = 199,800.

"That comes to a total of 199,800 yuan." The profiteer was smiling from ear to ear, looking at Chang Yu with increasing warmth, much like an orphan without parents since childhood meeting their dearest relative. "Little boss, congratulations on making a fortune..."

"S-Selling... I sold this much?"

Chang Yu simply couldn't believe his eyes. Just this small pouch of gold beans had actually fetched a massive sum of nearly two hundred thousand?

"I'm about to strike it rich!"

He took a deep breath, fighting hard to suppress the surging excitement deep within his heart.

"I've seen the great wide world; I need to act as composed as possible and not make a fool of myself in front of outsiders," Chang Yu told himself.

I have witnessed countless, inexhaustible treasures of gold and silver. Ultimately, this handful of gold beans that can fetch nearly two hundred thousand yuan is merely a negligible fraction of that exhibition room.

With this thought, Chang Yu quickly steadied his emotions, and his heart became as calm as still water.

"Look at this kid. He doesn't even change expression when seeing so much money—unfazed by favor or disgrace. He's truly someone meant for big things." Chang Yu's calm demeanor translated entirely differently in the profiteer's eyes.

In his mind, he directly categorized Chang Yu as one of those earth-shaking, overnight-sensation teenage heroes, his level of reverence rivaling that of Master Wei, who married seven wives.

"From today on, this kid... oh no, this young, wealthy, and world-embracing teenage hero is my number one client, enjoying VIP-among-VIP treatment."

At this thought, Yang Wei flashed his yellowish, broad front teeth and said with a flattering smile, "Young hero, how would you like this money? Shall I transfer it directly to your Alipay or your WeChat?"

"WeChat, please." Chang Yu smoothly pulled up his WeChat payment QR code and handed it over to Yang Wei.

"Thank you for your patronage." Yang Wei's fingers danced rapidly across his phone screen, transferring the money in just a few taps.

As the familiar notification chime rang out, Chang Yu's payment receipt arrived.

Glancing down, he saw the full sum of two hundred thousand, which momentarily stunned him.

"It looks like you gave me two hundred extra," Chang Yu said.

"It doesn't just look like it; I definitely gave you an extra two hundred," Yang Wei said, rubbing his hands together with a chuckle that was as greasy as it could possibly get.

"I figured 199,800 yuan isn't a round number after all, so I took the liberty of rounding it up for you."

"Since it's just two hundred yuan anyway, consider it my treat for a cup of tea. Please don't stand on ceremony with me."

"You certainly know how to handle people." Chang Yu nodded with reserved dignity, projecting the elegant image of a high-quality, low-key, yet luxurious man.

This fellow really never forgot to put on airs no matter where he was.

"I've noted this favor. If I have any more gold to sell next time, I'll patronize your little stall again."

The profiteer Yang Wei had been waiting precisely for these words. His face instantly broke into a wide grin, wrinkles bunching up like a chrysanthemum in autumn.

"Then we have a deal! From now on, whenever you grace me with your presence, I'll give you the absolute highest rate!"

"By the way, little boss, would it be convenient for us to add each other on WeChat? It'll make it easier to stay in touch if anything comes up."

"Sure." Chang Yu didn't hesitate long before adding Yang Wei on WeChat.

"Have a safe trip!" Having added him on WeChat, Yang Wei beamed and bid Chang Yu farewell.

On his way home, Chang Yu walked along while smiling foolishly at the account balance on his phone, looking precisely like an escaped patient from a psychiatric ward.

With his greasy smile and frantic expression, he practically possessed the true essence of Fan Jin when he passed the imperial examinations.

Passing pedestrians—ranging from eighty-year-old grandmothers down to eight-year-old children—every single one of them turned pale with shock upon seeing Chang Yu and hurried away with their faces covered.

They were terrified that... Chang Yu might suddenly have a relapse and chase them down the main street waving a kitchen knife.

Laughing foolishly all the way home, Chang Yu scared off at least twenty waves of pedestrians and made six children cry.

"I have money now. I've got 200,000 in my pocket. Adding my previous savings, I now have around... 210,000."

Chang Yu glanced toward the bedroom. Yang-yang was still fast asleep, dead to the world, as if nothing in the universe mattered except sleeping.

"So the question is, how should I spend this 200,000 yuan?"

Chang Yu furrowed his brow as he sat on the sofa, pondering a matter of utmost importance.

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And the importance of this question in his mind was clearly on par with the truth behind the birth of the universe.

"Buy a house? Buy a car?"

These were things every young person would think about after coming into money.

Yet neither of these was practical for Chang Yu at all.

Fatty Wang had already prepared a house for him, even thoughtfully connecting him with a renovation engineering team, and all without costing him a single cent.

Once the house was renovated and the formaldehyde had cleared, Chang Yu and Yang-yang could move right in with their bags.

That kind of luxuriously decorated large suite was a dream many people strived a lifetime for.

Yet to Chang Yu, other people's dreams meant nothing at all in his eyes.

His workplace had already prepared a car for him, even thoughtfully saving him the trouble of paying for gas.

Whenever he ran low on fuel, he could go to a designated gas station for a free fill-up, once again without spending a single cent.

Come to think of it, Chang Yu lacked neither a house nor a car. The two things that contemporary young people toiled bitterly to pursue seemed entirely unnecessary for him.

It turned out that in less than a month, he had already far outpaced his peers.

This was the first time Chang Yu experienced the troubles of being wealthy.

In the past, he never believed the saying that having too much money brings its own troubles, but now he believed it.

Wealthy people were all like this, waking up every morning and pondering how on earth to spend the money in their hands.

Yet after much deliberation, they suddenly realized they lacked nothing and had nowhere to spend it.

And yet the money in their pockets just kept piling up. That was where the troubles of the rich came from.

"Forget it, I might as well just save the money." Chang Yu pondered back and forth, failing to find a single place where he actually needed to spend money.

In truth, he could act like many nouveau riche who squandered money everywhere at the sight of wealth—visiting luxury boutiques and buying himself a luxury item or two.

Clothes, shoes, belts, even a wristwatch.

Yet he could acquire all of these things without spending a dime.

If he truly liked something, all he had to do was fall into a sweet sleep; in his dreams, he could have whatever he desired.

"Chang Yu... mm, good morning."

At that moment, Yang-yang's voice broke Chang Yu's train of thought.

He saw Yang-yang emerge from the bedroom, looking sleepy-eyed and still wearing his Crayon Shin-chan cartoon pajamas.

"Is breakfast ready?" Yang-yang asked routinely.

Hearing this, Chang Yu froze. This morning, he had been entirely preoccupied with selling his gold beans and truly hadn't had time to make breakfast for Yang-yang.

"I was busy with something else this morning and didn't get to make your breakfast," Chang Yu said apologetically.

"Should we go to the breakfast shop down the street and buy a couple of steamed buns? You can't go to school on an empty stomach, right?"

No matter how wealthy he became, he ultimately had to return to his everyday life.

Yang-yang's casual remark reminded Chang Yu.

No matter how much wealth or status he acquired, he was still just one of millions of ordinary fathers and mothers.

When it was time to wait on a child, he simply had to wait on them.

*(╯#-_-╯~~~~~~╧═╧* — Flipping the table in frustration.

"Go brush your teeth and wash your face quickly. I'll take you to school in a bit," Chang Yu said helplessly.

"No..." Unexpectedly, the child didn't appreciate the gesture at all. "I want Comrade Li to take me to school. Call Comrade Li right now and tell him to come pick me up immediately."

Chang Yu was dumbfounded on the spot, feeling as though he had just heard some momentous piece of news.

"Isn't it the same if I take you? Why does it have to be Comrade Li?"

Chang Yu felt deeply unappreciated by his own offspring, and his mood soured considerably.

What did Yang-yang mean by this?

It clearly meant he thought Chang Yu was inferior to Comrade Li.

"You're too ugly... having you take me to school is embarrassing," Yang-yang replied, concise and domineering as ever.

Chang Yu: "!!!"

He was being looked down upon, wasn't he?

Yes, he was definitely being looked down upon.

At that moment, he felt his brain throbbing violently, sending a wave of numbness spreading across half his scalp.

He really wanted to beat this kid up—the kind of beating where you hit them until they couldn't move anymore...

On the way to school, Yang-yang walked in front, eating a large steamed bun bought for him by Comrade Li.

Comrade Li followed closely behind the little commander, terrified that he might walk too fast and trip or stumble.

"Uncle Li," Yang-yang suddenly addressed Comrade Li politely.

"Huh?" Comrade Li blinked in surprise.

Since when had their little commander been so polite to him? Caught off guard, he felt a bit unaccustomed to it.

"Do you have money on you?" Yang-yang stared with big, naive, adorable eyes—the kind that could melt your heart in an instant.

"I... I do," Comrade Li replied subconsciously, having zero resistance to Yang-yang's deliberate cuteness.

"Then take me to buy some good snacks." Yang-yang turned around and grabbed Comrade Li's hand tightly, terrified that he might run away.

"That cutthroat Chang Yu cut off my allowance, leaving me unable to even eat a hot piece of chocolate."

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"This is my only request; Uncle Li will surely satisfy me, right?"

"After all... I'm Uncle Li's closest person! If even you don't cherish me, who else will?"

C... Closest person?

It turned out I held this much weight in Yang-yang's heart!

How come I never noticed it before?

Looking at the pitiful Yang-yang, Comrade Li's heart suddenly melted. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I'll buy them!"

"There's a small grocery store right ahead. Whatever you want to eat, Uncle will buy it for you!"

"Although your uncle here is kept on a very tight leash by your aunt, and my monthly allowance is only fifty yuan..."

"No matter how hard things are, you shouldn't starve a child! When we get to the store later, Uncle will use all this money to buy you snacks."

"Yay! Uncle Li, you're the best!" Yang-yang flashed a crafty smile and cheered joyfully.

Look at that, didn't the delicious snacks just deliver themselves?

Comrade Li was truly too easy to fool, Yang-yang thought to himself with a sigh.

Half an hour later...

"Yang-yang, Yang-yang! How do you have money to buy chocolate today? Didn't your dad say he wasn't giving you an allowance?"

In the kindergarten courtyard, a flock of little children stared in amazement at Yang-yang's schoolbag bulging with chocolate, every single one of them beaming with joy.

"I had good luck today and scammed it out of a total dummy," Yang-yang said nonchalantly, acting very much like a legendary player in love.

"Still, I should thank him. If he hadn't given me all his allowance money, I wouldn't have been able to buy so much chocolate."

"That guy was super pathetic—he only gets an allowance of fifty yuan a month, even less than a kid like me."

"Let me tell you, married men really have it miserable. At home, they not only have to do the laundry, cook, and wait on their wives, but in the end, they don't even own their own salary cards."

"Come, come, we can't let Comrade Li's painstaking efforts go to waste. Let's hurry up and divide these chocolates."

With that, Yang-yang magnanimously distributed the chocolates from his bag to the little kids gathered around him, completely devoid of any embarrassment about borrowing flowers to present to Buddha.

Unfortunately, the tragic Comrade Li was destined never to know that his hard-earned allowance money had been split clean away by Yang-yang in the blink of an eye.

"Big Brother Yang-yang, thank you!"

"Here is today's share~"

Upon receiving her chocolate, little Jia subconsciously leaned in to kiss Yang-yang's cheek.

The routine Yang-yang had established earlier had left a deep impression; gradually, the little girls had developed the habit of kissing Yang-yang on the cheek whenever they wanted chocolate.

"Hold on!"

Before little Jia's puckered lips could draw near, Yang-yang hurriedly stopped her.

"What's wrong? Don't you want a kiss today?" Little Jia looked confused and deeply aggrieved.

She had a vague feeling that... Yang-yang didn't love her anymore.

Otherwise, why wouldn't Yang-yang accept her kiss of affection?

"From now on, you guys shouldn't kiss me anymore." As soon as Yang-yang said this, expressions of utter grief appeared on the faces of all four little girls.

Big Brother Yang-yang is finally getting tired of us?

We're going to be disliked!

Ugh, what a playboy!

Wait... does that mean I won't get to eat chocolate anymore?

Such were the internal monologues of the four little girls.

At this critical juncture, Yang-yang's next sentence instantly turned the little girls' worries into joy.

"From now on, you should call me husband!" Yang-yang smiled like a little demon with horns, as evil as could be.

"Call me husband once, and I'll give you a piece of chocolate. You won't have to kiss me like before."

"Who wants to call you husband? You have no shame~" Little Li acted all shy, yet her little eyes still drifted toward Yang-yang from time to time.

"But if... Big Brother Yang-yang really wants to hear it, then I'll call you husband!"

"Husband, husband, I'm willing to call you husband!" Little Jia was ecstatic, practically more excited than Yang-yang himself.

"H-Husband~" Little Cong replied in a soft, sweet voice, dragging out the syllables.

"Mmph... hus-band~" Little Fang was chewing chocolate, making her words somewhat indistinct.

"Haha, my good wives!" Yang-yang burst into laughter.