Some people rejoice while others lament.
When Jiang Tao and Xu Li gained 4.48 million, someone else lost 4.48 million.
At the Chaoyang Huirong Mercedes-Benz 4S Center, in the general manager's office.
Sales manager Chen Xin was being chewed out by General Manager Chen Peng, who was cursing him to high heaven.
"This is your so-called foolproof plan?!"
"4.48 million! A month and a half's worth of profits, all gone down the drain!"
"Didn't you say you deleted the records? How the hell does someone else still have them?!"
"How did I ever let an idiot like you become a manager? I must've been blind!"
Chen Peng was shaking a settlement agreement from Wanxiang Hui in his hand, his face looking worse than if his own mother had died.
"I'm sorry, bro… I'm sorry, so sorry."
While Chen Xin kept apologizing, he was muttering to himself inwardly.
Wasn't this plan something you approved as well…?
When everything was fine, you praised my cleverness, but now that things went south, you're cursing me like this.
This is just too much!
While grumbling to himself, Chen Xin also felt there was something bizarre about the whole situation.
He couldn't figure out how Wanxiang Hui knew that the Mercedes-Benz GLS was a return vehicle and even managed to keep evidence of it.
Originally, according to the normal course of events, wasn't that car supposed to be given out as a prize in a customer raffle?
After the raffle, who would bother checking the maintenance records?
Plus, that car came with full insurance from the dealership and five free maintenance services.
For the next year or two, all repairs and maintenance would be handled by Huirong.
As long as Huirong didn't stupidly expose themselves, no one would ever know the true details of that car!
The key evidence had already been deleted from the system before the New Year, so even if someone wanted to investigate, they wouldn't find anything.
But… the issue just exploded out of nowhere, catching Huirong completely off guard.
Faced with Wanxiang Hui's aggressive legal team, Huirong's best option was to quickly admit fault and pay up to minimize the damage.
Chen Peng scolded his younger brother for a long time and docked his salary for two months.
In the end, he told him to take the returned Mercedes-Benz GLS from Wanxiang Hui and list it for sale as a used car.
The last time it was returned, it had only been driven for three days, so they could erase the usage traces and sell it as new.
This time, the Mercedes-Benz GLS had been driven for over a month, making it impossible to pass off as a new car.
Moreover, Chen Peng didn't want to fall into the same trap twice.
This lesson was already painful enough, and he wasn't eager to repeat it.
Chen Xin returned to his office with a dejected look.
Though he felt wronged, if he wanted to keep working here, he had no choice but to swallow his pride.
Irritated, he smoked two cigarettes before pulling up his good friend Li Ming's number on his phone and making the call.
"Hey, Li Ming, I've got a customer's returned car here. Come take a look."
"It's in pristine condition, original paint, and only has about 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers on it."
"Alright, come over as soon as you can."
The two chatted briefly over the phone, and within half an hour of hanging up, Li Ming drove over to Huirong.
Led by Chen Xin, Li Ming inspected the car, took some photos, and then came the valuation.
After the New Year, Mercedes-Benz, along with Audi, BMW, and various domestic electric vehicle brands, had been dragged into a price war.
The Mercedes-Benz GLS, originally priced at 1.06 million with tens of thousands in optional extras needed to finalize the purchase, had its base price slashed by over 200,000.
Now, the new car was selling for 840,000.
The Mercedes-Benz GLS450 in Chen Xin's possession, though barely used with low mileage and minimal wear, had technically been registered twice, making it a third-hand car.
After considering all factors, Li Ming gave his quote:
"670,000. That's the highest I can go."
"What the hell, Li Ming, isn't that price a bit too low?"
Chen Xin's mouth twitched upon hearing Li Ming's offer, which was about 50,000 lower than he'd expected.
"Xin, it's not that I'm lowballing you. This price is already very fair."
"Domestic electric cars are getting better and more popular with younger buyers."
"People are starting to see through the so-called top-tier luxury brands like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. Their brand value is dropping."
"At this price, I might be able to sell it within half a month, if I'm lucky."
Li Ming's words were honest, and this was indeed the highest price he could offer.
Chen Xin, still unwilling to give up, asked, "Can't you bump it up a bit?"
Li Ming stood firm, "Not a penny more. If I can sell it at this price, I'll take it. If not, you can ask someone else."
"Hold on a sec, let me check with our general manager."
Chen Xin went to the general manager's office to consult his brother.
As expected, he got another round of scolding, but in the end, Chen Peng agreed to Li Ming's price.
Once the price was settled, Li Ming carefully inspected the car again, paid for it, and drove it off.
Back at his own car lot, Li Ming immediately posted on WeChat Moments.
The post was, of course, about the 99% new, pristine-condition Mercedes-Benz GLS he'd just acquired!
He didn't list the specific price, noting that interested buyers should call to inquire.
…
In Baigezhuang New Village, Building 28, Room 1601, in the bedroom.
After eating and drinking their fill, Jiang Tao and Xu Li played a round of cards.
Afterward, the couple snuggled up and started discussing buying a car.
Although they'd gained a massive 4.48 million today, they'd also lost the Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Having gotten used to the convenience of owning a car, suddenly being without one felt uncomfortable.
So, they needed to buy another car.
However…
Now that they were spending their own money, the couple was reluctant to splurge on a million-yuan luxury car like the Mercedes-Benz GLS again.
"Hey, honey, look at this car my friend just posted. Doesn't it look like the one we just returned?"
While scrolling through his phone, Jiang Tao came across a WeChat Moments post from Li Ming.
The post featured a nine-image grid of a black Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Front, rear, 45-degree angles from both sides, and some interior shots.
Xu Li gave Jiang Tao a playful, flirtatious glance and laughed, "Am I the silly one, or are you? Don't all cars of the same model look the same?"
Jiang Tao argued back, "Other people's kids and your kids might both have one nose and two eyes, but are they the same?"
"Wait, honey, look at the pendant on the front of the car! It might actually be ours!"
Suddenly, Xu Li pointed at a front-facing photo of the Mercedes-Benz GLS, her face lighting up with excitement.
In the photo, a small peace buckle hung from the rearview mirror.
That peace buckle was something Xu Li had bought for 10 yuan at a temple fair back in her hometown.
When Jiang Tao handed the car over to Wanxiang Hui's staff, he hadn't bothered to remove it.
"See, I told you it looked familiar! It might really be our car!"
"If the price is right, we could buy it back!"
"Since it's the car we returned, we know its condition inside and out. It's practically as good as new."
As the saying goes, it's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go back. Downgrading from a Mercedes-Benz GLS to an ordinary family car didn't sit well with Jiang Tao.
The couple now had a net worth of several million, but with the housing issue still unresolved, they were reluctant to spend a million on a luxury car.
Buying back their returned car at a low price, however, seemed like a great option!
"I'll call Li Ming and ask!"
As he spoke, Jiang Tao tapped his phone to call Li Ming via WeChat voice call.
Xu Li, like a quiet little cat, nestled against Jiang Tao's chest, her big, watery eyes blinking as she watched him.
The call connected in less than 10 seconds, and Li Ming's voice came through.
"Hey, Brother Jiang, back in Beijing? It's been a while since you dropped by."
"Li Ming, I saw the Mercedes-Benz GLS you just posted on Moments. What's the deal?"
Jiang Tao didn't waste time with small talk and got straight to the point.
"Brother Jiang, you're interested in this car? I just got it less than an hour ago, still fresh."
"If you've got time, come take a look. I've already had a few customers inquire."
"The condition is top-notch, only a little over 1,000 kilometers, and it's nearly 200,000 cheaper than a new one."
On the other end, Li Ming was straightforward, giving Jiang Tao a quick rundown of the car's condition.
Jiang Tao probed subtly, "Did you get it from an individual or a 4S dealership?"
Li Ming, not thinking much of it, answered honestly, "Picked it up this afternoon from the Chaoyang Huirong Mercedes-Benz 4S dealership. Quality's guaranteed."
Upon hearing "Chaoyang Huirong 4S dealership," Jiang Tao was 100% certain it was the car he'd returned that morning. He asked Li Ming, "How much to drive it away?"
Li Ming was equally direct, "For you, Brother Jiang, 700,000, and it's yours. For anyone else, I wouldn't go below 720,000."
"Alright, I'll think it over. I'll come by later to check it out."
"Cool, Brother Jiang! I've got another call coming in, so I'll hang up now."
"Alright."
After hanging up, Xu Li wrapped her soft, fair arms around Jiang Tao's neck, excitedly saying, "Honey! It really is our car! 700,000… that seems pretty reasonable!"
Jiang Tao gently stroked Xu Li's smooth back, smiling in agreement, "Why don't we go buy it back? 4.48 million minus 700,000, we're still netting 3.78 million."
Xu Li nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, yes! Buying someone else's used car feels risky, but buying our own used car? That's max value for money!"
"Let's go then."
"Mm-hmm!"
The couple hit it off instantly and started getting dressed.
…
At 4:00 PM.
The couple took a Didi ride to Li Ming's used car market on the South Third Ring.
Returning to familiar ground, Jiang Tao couldn't help but think of the old Audi A6 that had once yielded four gold bars.
"Brother Jiang! This must be Sister-in-law. Nice to meet you, I'm Li Ming!"
Seeing Jiang Tao and Xu Li arm-in-arm, Li Ming greeted them warmly with a big smile.
When he saw Xu Li, a flash of admiration passed through Li Ming's eyes.
Li Ming and his buddy Zhang Bo were regulars at Sanlitun and had seen their fair share of attractive people.
But someone like Xu Li—tall at nearly 1.7 meters, with a stunning figure and natural beauty, free of any cosmetic enhancements—was rare.
"Hi, Li Ming, nice to meet you."
Xu Li smiled and greeted Li Ming in return.
Jiang Tao didn't waste time with small talk, saying, "Where's the car, Li Ming? It's getting late, let's check it out."
"Brother Jiang, Sister-in-law, the car's over there. Follow me."
"After I picked it up from Huirong this afternoon, I had my staff take it to the car wash for a thorough cleaning. It's spotless."
Li Ming led the way with a smile, bringing them to the parking lot where they saw the Mercedes-Benz GLS from his Moments post in person.
*Ding-a-ling—*
Just as the three reached the car, Li Ming's phone rang.
"Brother Jiang, Sister-in-law, you guys check out the car. Feel free to look around or take it for a test drive. I'll take this call."
"Here's the key."
Though they hadn't dealt much before, Li Ming trusted Jiang Tao enough to hand him the car key before stepping aside to take the call.
Jiang Tao unlocked the car, opened the passenger door, and crouched down to check the vehicle's nameplate on the B-pillar.
Comparing it to the nameplate photo he'd saved on his phone, it was a match.
Confirmed—it was the same car!
From Wanxiang Hui purchasing this Mercedes-Benz GLS for the raffle, to Jiang Tao winning its use, to Du Ennan gifting it to him, to the return-and-triple-compensation deal, and now to Jiang Tao and Xu Li coming to the used car lot to buy it back.
This Mercedes-Benz GLS had come full circle, back into Jiang Tao's hands!
He really had a special connection with this car.
It had once been Jiang Tao's dream car.
When he was broke, he dreamed of striking it rich and buying one.
Now that he had money and could afford something even pricier, he still had a soft spot for this Mercedes-Benz GLS.
As the saying goes, you can't put a price on what you love!
"What do you think, honey? Is it our car?" Xu Li leaned close to Jiang Tao's ear, whispering.
"It is!"
Jiang Tao gave Xu Li an OK gesture with a smile.
He'd driven this car for over a month, even that morning, and knew its condition better than Li Ming did. It was flawless.
About five minutes later, Li Ming returned after his call and greeted them with a grin, "Brother Jiang, how's the car? Want me to take you for a spin and give you the full rundown?"
Jiang Tao laughed heartily, "No need, Li Ming. This is the one. If you say it's fine, I trust you."
Li Ming joked, "Brother Jiang, maybe we should take it for a test drive. Your heavy trust is making me feel a bit flattered."
Jiang Tao chuckled, "Stop messing around, kid. You're not in a hurry to clock out, but I'm eager to get home. Let's do the paperwork."
"Alright! Brother Jiang, Sister-in-law, follow me!"
"I'll take you to sign the contract and handle the paperwork. You'll be driving this car home in no time."
Li Ming led them back to the office with a smile.
From the moment Jiang Tao and Xu Li stepped into the lot to the moment Jiang Tao paid the 700,000, the entire process took no more than half an hour.
"Brother Jiang, it's rare for you and Sister-in-law to come all this way to support my business."
"Tonight, I'm treating. Let's call Zhang Bo and have a get-together."
"If you or any of your friends or family need to buy or sell cars in the future, please send them my way."
After signing the contract, Li Ming enthusiastically invited Jiang Tao and Xu Li to dinner.
"Haha, alright! I hear you used car dealers make a killing. Tonight, we're definitely going to make you pay!"
Jiang Tao laughed and agreed to Li Ming's dinner invite.
He planned to settle in Beijing long-term, and making more friends couldn't hurt.
Friends aren't just people you add on WeChat. Getting together for meals and bonding is important too.
Li Ming grinned, "I heard Zhang Bo's got a new girlfriend. I'll tell him to bring her along to liven things up."
Jiang Tao teased, "What about you? Got a girlfriend yet?"
Li Ming laughed, "Broke up with one last year. Too lazy to date again. I'm happier on my own."
Hearing that Li Ming was single, Xu Li's eyes lit up as she thought of Jiang Tao's younger sister, Jiang Bing, back in their hometown.
Li Ming wasn't as handsome as Jiang Tao, but he had decent features, above-average looks, and a height of about 1.75 meters.
Plus, he was a Beijing local with a family that owned a sizable car dealership.
In their hometown of Ping County, he'd be considered a prime catch.
Of course, Xu Li was just thinking about it.
Without knowing Li Ming well, she wouldn't play matchmaker recklessly.
Money was a plus, but anyone marrying her sister-in-law would need to have solid character too.
After settling on the dinner plans, Li Ming called Zhang Bo.
When Zhang Bo heard Li Ming was treating and that Jiang Tao and Xu Li would be there, he readily agreed.
…
At 7:00 PM.
Li Ming led Jiang Tao and Xu Li to a courtyard house near Qianmen.
The wall by the entrance simply had a small wooden sign reading "Tan's Cuisine," understated to the extreme.
From the outside, it didn't even look like a restaurant.
Inside, the courtyard was filled with blooming flowers and shaded trees, creating an elegant atmosphere.
The soft, melodious sound of a zither further distinguished this place from ordinary restaurants.
"Brother Jiang, Sister-in-law, the head chef here, Master Bai Mingxu, is a disciple of Master Liu Zhong, the fourth-generation heir of authentic Tan's Cuisine."
"Master Bai inherited over 90% of his master's skills."
"This place mainly serves members and doesn't take walk-ins. The flavors are absolutely top-notch."
"Once you try it, you'll definitely become a regular."
As Li Ming led them inside, he proudly introduced the restaurant's unique qualities.
At the entrance, Li Ming gave the receptionist his reservation number.
After confirming the details, the three were led to a private room in the east wing.
About ten minutes later, Zhang Bo arrived, fashionably late.
"Hey, Zhang Bo, where's your girlfriend? You came alone?"
"Look at you, hiding your girlfriend like we're going to steal her or something."
Li Ming teased Zhang Bo with a grin as he walked in.
"She got held up with some last-minute work at her company. Forget her—without her nagging, my ears get some peace."
Zhang Bo gave a wry smile, then turned to greet Jiang Tao and Xu Li.
"Brother Jiang, Sister-in-law, it's rare for Li Ming to treat. He's a legit rich second-gen, so don't hold back when ordering tonight."
Jiang Tao laughed heartily, "Haha, you bet! It's not every day Li Ming treats, so we're going to make him pay."
Li Ming playfully cursed, "Damn you, Zhang Bo. Your family's got more money than mine. Next time you treat, we'll see how we fleece you."
After some good-natured banter, the four sat down and started ordering.
Clear soup with bird's nest, braised shark fin, red-cooked abalone, braised sea cucumber, steamed chicken with straw mushrooms;
Stir-fried sea cucumber with scallions, abalone in oyster sauce, stewed white fungus, two-color shrimp, and stuffed duck.
Zhang Bo wasn't kidding about making Li Ming pay. He ordered all ten of Tan's Cuisine's signature dishes, calling it a "perfect ten," much to Li Ming's mock outrage.
But joking aside, Li Ming had invited them here and didn't mind Zhang Bo ordering a few extra dishes.
This restaurant was different from typical eateries, focusing on refined flavors and presentation.
The red-cooked abalone came one per person, paired with a single broccoli floret.
The braised sea cucumber was just one dark piece with a few red goji berries and quail eggs.
The steamed chicken with straw mushrooms was just a couple of small pieces per person.
Though they ordered plenty, it wasn't filling—it was all about savoring the taste.
The drinks for the meal were a bottle of Maotai and a bottle of red wine.
The three guys ate, drank, and chatted. Though it was their first time dining together, they hit it off, with conversation flowing easily.
The meal stretched from just past 7:00 PM to around 9:00 PM.
When Li Ming paid the bill, it came to just over 5,000 yuan, about 1,000 per person, which wasn't too bad.
Previously, when Du Ennan and his daughter treated Jiang Tao's family to Tan's Cuisine at the BJ Grand Hotel, it was about 1,500 per person plus a 15% service fee.
Comparing the two, Jiang Tao couldn't taste much of a difference.
The four said their goodbyes at the restaurant entrance. Li Ming and Zhang Bo took a cab to Sanlitun to continue the night.
Xu Li drove Jiang Tao back toward Baigezhuang New Village.
The car they'd just returned had come full circle back to them, and the more Xu Li thought about it, the more miraculous it seemed.
"Honey, after hanging out tonight, I think Li Ming seems like a decent guy. What do you think about introducing him to Little Third?"
While driving, Xu Li was still thinking about finding a match for her sister-in-law.
Jiang Tao shook his head with a smile, "I doubt it'd work. With Little Third's personality, I don't think Li Ming could handle her."
"How will we know without trying? Little Third's at the age to settle down. It's time to start looking."
"All her classmates back in the village are married except her."
"Mom says some of Little Third's classmates who married early already have three kids."
"Haha, can you imagine Little Third as a mom? Just thinking about her like that cracks me up."
Jiang Tao pictured his sister holding a baby and laughed to himself.
"What kind of brother are you? People change after marriage! Everyone starts as a new mom."
Xu Li smiled sweetly, thinking back to when she and Jiang Tao first became parents.
Back then, when their daughter had a diaper blowout, the two of them would gag and retch for ages.
Chatting and laughing, the couple drove back to their neighborhood around 10:00 PM.
When they took the elevator up and got home, the living room's main light was off, with only a soft yellow light strip glowing.
Their parents, seeing them return, felt relieved and, after a brief chat, went to bed.
Once their parents were in their room, Jiang Tao didn't hold back and headed to the bathroom with Xu Li for a shower.
Perhaps because of the abalone and sea cucumber they'd eaten, what should've been a 20-minute shower stretched to over an hour until they were both "soft."
Back in the bedroom, exhausted and sleepy, Xu Li quickly dozed off.
Jiang Tao, as usual, stayed up until midnight for the intelligence update.
**[Today's Intelligence 01]:**
You had contact with Li Ming from Old Li's Premium Used Cars yesterday, yielding related intelligence—
At Old Li's Premium Used Car lot, a new-energy BMW i3 caught fire due to a wiring fault 10 seconds ago.
A timely warning could help Li Ming avoid a 12,345,678 yuan financial loss.
You could earn a 200,000 yuan gratitude payment from Li Ming and his lasting, sincere friendship.
…
Seeing today's first piece of intelligence, Jiang Tao's relaxed expression turned serious, and he shot up from the bed!