Opening the car door, he got inside.
Jiang Tao sat in the driver's seat, carefully inspecting his newly purchased BAIC EU5.
Aside from the high mileage, the interior was also quite worn.
The only highlight of this car was probably that it was a special item!
When it came to activating special items, Jiang Tao was already very experienced.
He took out a pin from behind his phone case, pricked his finger, and squeezed a drop of blood onto the steering wheel.
In Jiang Tao's vision, the moment the drop of blood fell, it began to magnify infinitely.
The entire interior of the car turned into a hazy red.
Immediately after, a bright blue virtual screen appeared in front of Jiang Tao.
A data panel popped up on the screen.
**[Special Item: BAIC EU5 Car Activated!]**
**[Item Name]: Relentless Didi Express**
**[Attribute 1]: Never Wears Out. (The car's current condition is locked, and it will never wear out.)**
**[Attribute 2]: Relentless Drive. (Earn 1 yuan for every 1 meter driven, with a daily cap of 10,000 yuan!)**
Seeing the two attributes activated for the BAIC EU5, Jiang Tao's eyes lit up!
Earn 1 yuan for every meter driven, with a daily cap of 10,000 yuan!
Ten thousand meters—that's just 10 kilometers. The cost for an electric car is only a few yuan, practically negligible!
This was essentially another "money tree" generating 10,000 yuan a day!
With the [Fortune Toad] and this [Relentless Didi Express], Jiang Tao could now earn a pure profit of 20,000 yuan a day!
That's 600,000 yuan a month just lying down—way too awesome!
Cheating feels great for a moment, but cheating all the time feels great forever. That's exactly Jiang Tao's current state.
The only slight hassle was that the car needed to be driven 10 kilometers each day.
"From our neighborhood to the new factory I rented, a round trip is just over 10 kilometers," Jiang Tao thought.
"I'll just let Dad drive it to work every day from now on!"
"There's no restriction on non-local license plates outside the Fifth Ring Road, so it won't be an issue."
Jiang Tao sat in the car for a bit longer, quickly forming a plan in his mind.
Earning 10,000 yuan a day by driving just 10 kilometers—this money had to be raked in aggressively, making sure to max it out every day!
With his plan set, Jiang Tao opened the door, got out, and headed toward the building's entrance.
When he took the elevator back home, Xu Li wasn't cooking. She was sitting on the living room sofa, reading a storybook to Jiang Xue.
"Daddy! You're finally back! Mommy said we're not cooking lunch today—we're going out for a big meal!" Jiang Xue exclaimed excitedly, running to Jiang Tao's side and grabbing his hand when she saw him enter.
"No problem. You decide what we eat for lunch today. Whatever you want, we'll have it," Jiang Tao said, smiling as he ruffled Jiang Xue's head.
Having acquired two special items in one day, he was in a great mood.
"I want McDonald's!" Jiang Xue declared.
"Sure thing," Jiang Tao nodded, smiling as he agreed to her small request.
There wasn't a single McDonald's in their hometown of Ping County, let alone Jiang Family Village.
Since coming to Beijing, Jiang Tao and Xu Li had taken Jiang Xue to eat there a few times.
The fast food that city kids had long grown tired of was, for her, a novel and exciting treat.
"Honey, I need to tell you something," Xu Li said, her expression off, looking quite upset.
"What's wrong? Who upset my wife?" Jiang Tao teased, sitting on the sofa next to Xu Li and wrapping an arm around her waist.
"You and your jinxed mouth got it right," Xu Li said, playfully pinching his lips and glaring at him. "The kitchen's water purifier had its inlet and outlet pipes installed backward!"
"Thinking about how we've been drinking wastewater for the past half-month makes me nauseous all morning."
"No wonder it tasted a bit off!" Jiang Tao exclaimed, though he already knew about the issue. Pretending to be surprised and indignant, he asked, "Who's the genius that did this? That's way too unprofessional!"
Xu Li sighed helplessly. "The manufacturer said the installer has already quit, so there's no one to hold accountable. They just promised to replace the filter cartridges three times for free."
Jiang Tao smiled reassuringly. "Alright, honey, don't let a small thing like this ruin our good mood today."
"Let's go. First, we'll have a nice meal, and then it's time to witness a miracle."
"Yay! McDonald's! Time for yummy food!" Jiang Xue cheered, her worries vanishing at the mention of food, being the first to respond enthusiastically.
Xu Li knew there was no point dwelling on what had already happened. Getting upset wouldn't change anything.
Continuing to fuss would only affect her mood and life.
The family of three changed their clothes and shoes, happily heading downstairs together.
Jiang Tao drove straight toward the Wanxiang Hui shopping mall.
There was a McDonald's just outside Wanxiang Hui, and inside the mall was a Jellycat store.
After lunch, they could walk over to redeem their prize, which was quite convenient.
Plus, the premium VIP card that Du Taiming had given Jiang Xue during their last meal together hadn't been used yet.
They could also buy Jiang Xue a few new outfits while they were at it.
Around 1 p.m., Jiang Tao parked the car in the B2 parking lot of Wanxiang Hui.
The family of three chatted and laughed as they took the elevator upstairs, first heading to the McDonald's just outside the mall for lunch.
A family meal for three, plus some extra snacks, drinks, and desserts, cost just over 300 yuan, and all three were full.
After eating, Jiang Tao led his wife and daughter back into the Wanxiang Hui mall.
The family took the escalator to the third floor, arriving outside the Jellycat store.
"Daddy, is the surprise buying me a Jellycat toy?" Jiang Xue's little face lit up with joy. Kids are so easily satisfied.
Jiang Tao laughed. "Correction: not just one, but *all* of them. Today, Daddy's going to bring home every single Jellycat toy for you."
"All of them!" Jiang Xue's big, sparkling eyes widened in disbelief.
"Daddy! Is it true? Are you sure? *Really* sure?" Her expression was no longer just surprise—it was pure ecstasy!
At school, she'd heard her classmates talk endlessly about Jellycat toys.
She knew there were thousands of Jellycat toys in the entire collection!
To bring home the whole series…
She couldn't even imagine how exciting that would be!
"Honey," Xu Li interrupted, subtly tugging at Jiang Tao's arm, her eyes frantically signaling him.
She thought Jiang Tao didn't realize how many toys were in Jellycat's full collection.
How much would it cost to buy them all?
"What's wrong with your eyes?" Jiang Tao teased, turning to Xu Li with a grin.
Xu Li leaned in and whispered, "There are thousands of Jellycat toys in the full collection. Even selling you wouldn't cover it."
Jiang Tao gave a mysterious smile. "Heh, bet I can get all of them for Xiao Xue without spending a single cent?"
"Not spend a single cent and take them all home?" Xu Li's curiosity was piqued by his words.
"Let's go. It's time to witness a miracle," Jiang Tao said, laughing as he took Xu Li and Jiang Xue's hands, ready to enter the store.
"Ya~ Jiang Xue, Jiang Xue!" a crisp voice called from behind.
Jiang Tao turned to see a woman dressed in a long down coat, looking like a refined lady, with a girl about Jiang Xue's age.
The girl was excitedly calling Jiang Xue's name, clearly a close friend.
"Li Ziyue! Hi! Are you here to buy toys too? My daddy said he's going to buy me *all* the Jellycat toys to take home!" Jiang Xue let go of her dad's hand and ran joyfully to Li Ziyue, sharing her excitement.
Li Ziyue's mother, Li Jiali, froze for a moment upon hearing Jiang Xue's words, her expression one of disbelief, thinking the girl was joking.
Jellycat's plush toys were the Hermès of the plush toy world.
Buying the entire collection of thousands would cost at least a million!
Even with Li Jiali's financial means, she could afford it but wouldn't dream of spending that much on plush toys for her kid!
One or two weren't enough? Ten or eight would do, right? If not, twenty or thirty would surely be plenty.
Who'd be crazy enough to buy the entire Jellycat collection?
"Take them all home? Really? Can I come over to your place to play then?" Li Ziyue, being a kid with no overthinking, believed Jiang Xue instantly, her eyes full of envy.
"Of course! I definitely can't take care of so many on my own. It'd be great if you could help!" Jiang Xue said, her tiny ego boosted by the envy in her classmate's eyes for the first time.
"Hello, Li Ziyue's mom. This is my husband, Jiang Tao. Nice to meet you here," Xu Li greeted Li Jiali with a smile, introducing Jiang Tao.
"Hello, Jiang Xue's mom and dad. Nice to meet you too," Li Jiali replied with a polite smile, exuding grace and refinement, nothing like the stereotypical snobbish Beijing locals in novels who look down on outsiders.
After some casual chatter, the group entered the Jellycat store together.
Stepping into the store felt like entering a fairy-tale kingdom.
The shelves and displays were filled with adorable plush toys of all kinds.
There were classic animal designs like the Bonnie Bunny.
And the "Lively Eggplant," affectionately nicknamed "Eggplant Boss" by tens of thousands of girls on social media, with its Mona Lisa-like subtle smile.
Combined with its unique fuzzy texture, it inspired endless creative memes—Teary Eggplant, Dark-Circle Eggplant, Six-Pack Eggplant, and more, which had long gone viral.
There were also plants, fruits, vegetables, and everyday object designs.
Though the shapes varied, all Jellycat toys shared the same cute, round-dot eyes and tiny mouths, giving them an irresistibly adorable look.
A single toy could cost hundreds or even thousands, and they were hard to come by, with prices constantly rising.
Some even called them a "value-preserving investment."
Once a toy was "retired," its value on secondhand platforms could skyrocket.
A tiny plush toy had truly been turned into an art form by Jellycat.
No wonder they were loved worldwide.
"Welcome to Jellycat. How can I assist you today?" a store clerk greeted them warmly as they entered.
Jiang Tao smiled. "Hello, is your store manager here?"
Xu Li and Li Jiali looked at him, puzzled, not knowing what he was up to.
"Hello, sir. May I ask why you're looking for our manager?" the clerk asked cautiously, though Jiang Tao seemed friendly and harmless.
"Because of this," Jiang Tao said, not beating around the bush. He pulled out the Jellycat Lucky Star hidden inside the Bonnie Bunny that Du Ennan had given Jiang Xue and showed it to the clerk.
"Lucky Star!" the clerk gasped, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the store—staff and customers alike.
Li Jiali's eyes widened in shock as she looked at Jiang Tao.
No wonder his daughter said she'd take the whole collection home!
If that Lucky Star was real, she really could!
"No way! That lucky?"
"A Jellycat Lucky Star! That's rarer than winning the lottery!"
"They say there are only seven Lucky Stars worldwide, one for each continent!"
"The one for Asia showed up in our Beijing? That's insane!"
"It's worth over a million on its own! If it makes the news, it's fame and fortune!"
"Could it be fake? A knockoff?"
"Who'd bring a fake to redeem a prize? That's impossible!"
The tiny, coin-sized badge was like a boulder dropped into a lake.
Jiang Tao's family of three instantly became the center of attention.
Everyone in the store—adults and kids alike—looked at them with envy.
Even the cheapest Jellycat toy cost tens or hundreds of yuan.
The most expensive oversized plush toy was priced at 7,999 yuan!
The entire collection together could easily cost hundreds of thousands, or even a million!
"Honey, is this real? Is it *really* real?" Xu Li asked excitedly, clutching Jiang Tao's arm.
She never imagined the surprise he mentioned would be *this*!
It was just too big!
"Whether it's real or not, you'll know when the manager comes," Jiang Tao said calmly.
Just then, a woman in a black blazer and high heels, with refined makeup, approached them.
"Good afternoon, dear customers and little friend," she said. "I'm Liu Huiyan, the general manager of the Wanxiang Hui Jellycat flagship store. It's my pleasure to assist you."
"Hello, Manager Liu," Jiang Tao greeted her warmly, his expression calm, showing none of the excitement typical of a prize winner.
If he were still the old Jiang Tao, driving a delivery truck, a Lucky Star like this would've had him thrilled for weeks.
Now? He was completely unfazed.
Liu Huiyan didn't waste time with small talk. She smiled gently and said, "I heard from our staff that you have a Jellycat Lucky Star. May I take a look?"
"Of course. Go ahead and verify it," Jiang Tao said, flipping his palm to hand her the Lucky Star badge.
The Lucky Star was made of titanium alloy, with Jellycat's mascot, Jili Cat, on the front and a six-pointed star on the back.
In the center of the star was a fingernail-sized QR code.
Liu Huiyan took the Lucky Star to the counter and scanned it with the checkout gun.
The cash register system instantly displayed a message:
**Congratulations! You have won a complete set of Jellycat plush toys!**
**Thank you for your support of Jellycat!**
Seeing the message, Liu Huiyan and the two cashiers looked at Jiang Tao's family with envy.
A full Jellycat collection!
There were hardly any people worldwide who owned the entire collection, let alone in China!
To have something at such a young age that most people couldn't achieve in decades—how could anyone not be envious?
"Mr. Jiang, your Lucky Star has been verified as authentic," Liu Huiyan said, returning the badge to him. "However, we don't have enough stock in-store at the moment, and many styles are out of stock. It'll take about ten days to gather everything. Is that okay?"
"You can keep this Lucky Star. It will continue to bring you luck."
"Can I take them in batches?" Jiang Tao asked. "I'd like to take some today and come back for more when my daughter wants new ones, until we've collected them all."
Jiang Tao had his reasons.
Taking thousands of toys at once would overwhelm Jiang Xue's small room.
Plus, too many new toys at once might cause her to lose interest, not knowing which to play with.
Moderation is key in all things.
"Of course!" Liu Huiyan smiled. "We'll register you, and you can come back anytime."
"Great, thanks. I'll let my daughter pick some today, and we'll come back for the rest another time," Jiang Tao said, looking at his little girl.
"Go ahead, pick whatever you like, as many as you want, until you're satisfied."
"Yay! Daddy's the best!" Jiang Xue cheered, jumping and spinning in excitement.
The other kids in the store looked on with envy!
Their parents usually set a limit of one or two toys, maybe five at most, and always within a strict budget, avoiding the expensive ones.
Even local Beijing kids mostly came from ordinary families, often with mortgages or debts.
The super-rich second-generation kids were a minority.
But Jiang Xue could pick anything, as many as she wanted, with no limits—way too awesome!
Even her new friend Li Ziyue, who lived in a villa, was a bit envious!
After settling the plan, Jiang Xue pushed a shopping cart around the store, picking out her favorite toys.
Eggplant Boss, Westie, Little Peanut, Peanut Penguin, this year's new snake, and the Barcelona Bear from the landmark series.
She tossed anything she liked into her cart.
Not only did all the kids in the store envy her, but their parents and even the staff were insanely jealous!
The store clerks, who were also Jellycat fans, had a few of the brand's toys at home.
Jellycat's claim of being an "all-ages companion toy" wasn't just talk.
After shopping for over half an hour, Jiang Xue picked out 63 toys, filling four large bags.
They left under the envious gazes of everyone.
Jiang Tao and Xu Li took the elevator to the underground parking lot to put the toys in the trunk of their Mercedes GLS.
Then, they went back upstairs to buy four cute dresses for Jiang Xue at a few children's clothing stores, spending over 80,000 yuan—all charged to the premium VIP card from Du Taiming.
Jiang Tao and Xu Li didn't spend a cent of their own.
After buying Jiang Xue's clothes, Jiang Tao took Xu Li to buy a few outfits for her, also spending over 80,000 yuan, but this time from his own savings.
Du Taiming had said the VIP card was for Jiang Xue's clothes.
Though he probably wouldn't monitor the card's usage, Jiang Tao and Xu Li stuck to the agreement, not touching a cent for themselves.
Even after investing in several projects, Jiang Tao's savings were still substantial.
Spending 80,000 on clothes for Xu Li was no big deal.
Xu Li also bought Jiang Tao a few outfits—casual wear and a couple of formal suits.
After all, he was now a company boss and needed proper attire for important occasions.
Xu Li was frugal when buying for herself, avoiding anything over 500 yuan.
But for Jiang Tao, she splurged, spending over 100,000 yuan on two Armani suits, a pair of dress shoes, and two pairs of casual sneakers!
After contributing over 200,000 yuan to Du Ennan's mall, the family took the internal elevator to her office to meet her.
Though they hadn't known each other long or met often, Xu Li and Du Ennan got along well, often chatting on their phones—starting with texts, then voice messages, and eventually voice and video calls.
They were now close friends, practically besties.
"Nan Nan, you won't believe this," Xu Li said, sitting on the sofa and holding Du Ennan's hand, sharing her excitement.
"What happened?" Du Ennan's curiosity was piqued.
"My husband found an official Jellycat Lucky Star inside the Bonnie Bunny you gave Xiao Xue…"
Xu Li recounted everything that happened at the Jellycat store in detail.
"That's *too* lucky! They say there's only one for the Asian market, and I got it!" Du Ennan exclaimed, amazed but not envious.
With her wealth, she could buy any Jellycat toy—discontinued, retired, or limited edition—without batting an eye.