Around 7 p.m., at the entrance of Jiangjiazhuang Village.
"The guy that Old Four's daughter brought back this time is half a head shorter than her, isn't he? Too short."
"He's got delicate, fair skin, and looks pretty good—almost more feminine than Old Four's daughter herself."
"Why did Sihai's son come back alone for the New Year? Did they really get divorced?"
"I heard they did. That wife he married didn't look like the type to settle down. I said back then it wouldn't last, and look, I was right!"
"Have you seen the BMW that Tianming's kid drove back? They say it's worth three or four hundred thousand! So impressive."
"Three or four hundred thousand—that's got to be the top in our village. Tianming's kid is really something, young and talented!"
"This time, Jiang Tianming's going to be strutting around proudly. His one son is worth more than both of Jiang Wen's boys put together!"
"I heard Jiang Wen's eldest daughter-in-law is pregnant again? What are they thinking? Their oldest is already in middle school, and they're still having kids!"
At the village entrance, a group of idle aunts and uncles chattered away, exchanging the latest gossip they'd gathered. Every day brought a fresh batch of rumors to chew on.
"Oh my gosh, look, look! A Mercedes! My heavens!"
The gossip crew's attention was instantly drawn by an uncle's exclamation.
Everyone's eyes locked onto a black Mercedes SUV that had just rolled into the village.
Though they didn't know the exact price of the car, everyone knew that Mercedes, BMW, and Audi were top-tier luxury brands worldwide.
This morning, Jiang Tianming's son had been the first in the village to drive back in a BMW.
Now, this Mercedes was Jiangjiazhuang's first-ever Mercedes!
And to everyone, this Mercedes looked even more prestigious than the BMW from earlier.
The car didn't stop at the village entrance, driving straight into the village.
The gossip crew at the entrance kept their eyes glued to the Mercedes as it disappeared into the village.
"Whose car is that? A Mercedes, my goodness! That car's gotta be worth a million or so!"
An uncle who knew a bit about cars smacked his lips, marveling in awe.
"How much? A million? My god, that's enough to buy a 120-square-meter apartment in the county outright!"
"I think the driver looked like Jiang Wen's second son?"
"Who? Jiang Wen's second son? Jiang Tao? Isn't he driving a delivery truck in the capital? You must've seen wrong!"
"No mistake, it's definitely Jiang Wen's second son. I saw him too, no doubt about it."
"What kind of fortune did he make to buy a car worth over a million? Did he win the lottery or something?"
The village entrance gossip station erupted with excitement over Jiang Tao's arrival.
The chatter quickly zeroed in on him.
The news of him buying a Mercedes spread like wildfire through every household.
The village's first million-yuan luxury car was a hot topic, to say the least.
Jiang Tao drove straight to his family's doorstep and parked by the south wall.
He got out of the car and saw that the front gate was wide open.
As if by some unspoken connection, two figures—one big, one small—appeared at the doorway.
"Daddy!!!"
"Husband!!"
"You're finally back, Daddy! I missed you so much~"
"Why didn't you call ahead? We could've come out to welcome our family's big hero~"
Jiang Xue and Xu Li screamed with joy and rushed toward Jiang Tao.
Little Jiang Xue threw herself at him, wrapping her small arms around his waist.
Xu Li, on the other hand, flung her arms around his neck.
A long-awaited reunion.
The mother and daughter were overjoyed to see the pillar of their family return!
Even though they video-called every day to chat, seeing each other face-to-face was a completely different feeling.
The family of three hugged tightly at the doorstep, savoring the moment for a while.
"Huh? Husband, who parked a car right at our doorstep? So inconsiderate!"
Xu Li had been so focused on Jiang Tao that she only now noticed the massive car parked by their gate.
"Wow! What a beautiful car! Daddy, can we get a car like this someday~"
Jiang Xue, captivated by the Mercedes GLS's imposing design, was instantly smitten.
You had to admit, the little girl had good taste.
Jiang Tao jingled the car keys in his hand and grinned. "It's our car."
"What?"
Xu Li's beautiful eyes widened, staring at Jiang Tao in disbelief.
Jiang Xue didn't grasp the car's value, but Xu Li sure did.
This Mercedes GLS was her sister's dream car, one she always talked about, supposedly worth over a million yuan!
"Daddy! Is this really our car? I wanna ride in it, I wanna ride~"
Jiang Xue, oblivious to the car's price tag, was thrilled to hear it was theirs and immediately clamored to take a ride.
"Let's go, wifey. I'll take you and Xue out for a spin to test out our new car."
Jiang Tao chuckled, pulling a still-stunned Xu Li to the passenger side and opening the door to usher her in.
"Husband, is this… is this really our car?"
Sitting on the soft, comfortable leather seat of the Mercedes GLS, Xu Li finally snapped out of her shock but still looked at Jiang Tao with disbelief.
Originally, Jiang Tao had planned to fib and say the car was a prize he'd won, with only three years' use.
But on the drive back, after thinking it over, he decided to tell Xu Li the truth.
If he lied about only having the car for three years, what kind of surprise would that be?
Xu Li would probably sit in it nervously, afraid of damaging or dirtying someone else's car.
If it was truly theirs, the feeling would be completely different—the sense of joy and fulfillment would be ten times greater!
What's the point of buying your first million-yuan luxury car if you can't share that joy with your wife?
"Yes, this car is ours. From now on, this passenger seat is reserved exclusively for my lovely wife."
Jiang Tao smiled, leaning over to buckle Xu Li's seatbelt, sneakily brushing his face against her fair skin in a cheeky move.
Xu Li shot a playful glare at the rogue taking advantage of the moment.
Then, she stretched out both hands, grabbed Jiang Tao's head, and pulled him into her chest for a "face wash."
"Stinky husband, is this comfortable?"
"You jerk, trying to smother me…"
Jiang Tao's muffled voice came from Xu Li's embrace, and she let go with a laugh.
With their daughter nearby, the couple refrained from any more suggestive banter.
After buckling Xu Li's seatbelt, Jiang Tao opened the back door, lifted Jiang Xue into the rear seat, and fastened her seatbelt.
"Wow, this seat is so comfy~ Daddy, can I ride in our car every day?"
Jiang Xue sprawled out on the back seat, arms spread wide in a relaxed pose, her little face beaming with delight.
"Of course, sweetheart. Daddy will take you for a ride every day."
Jiang Tao affectionately ruffled his little girl's hair before gently closing her door.
Back in the driver's seat, he watched his wife and daughter excitedly touching everything in the car.
A wave of happiness washed over Jiang Tao—this was the true meaning of all his hard work.
He started the car with a single button, and the Mercedes GLS rolled out of the village under the watchful eyes of the gossip crew at the entrance.
When he'd driven in, it was just him. When he drove out, it was with his happy little family.
"Daddy, why do I smell something yummy? Wow, it's burgers!"
"Where, where? Oh my gosh, so many! Husband, you're the best! Xue, grab one for Mommy too."
On the drive, the two foodies—one big, one small—caught a whiff of something delicious and quickly discovered the KFC meal Jiang Tao had bought. They dove right in!
"My super handsome husband, open your mouth~"
Xu Li munched on a big burger while feeding her driving husband.
The family of three was filled with joy, the warmth of happiness lingering in their hearts.
Jiang Tao couldn't help but think to himself, *This is the damn life I'm supposed to live.*
Living apart from his wife for most of the year, spending less than two months together annually—what kind of marriage was that? Just a couple of chat buddies, nothing more.
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Dear readers,
If you happen to notice any errors, typos, or inconsistencies in the text, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and will help me improve the story. Together, we can make it as polished and enjoyable as possible!
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