Wang Daokun’s newly opened restaurant was located in the development zone of Jinling City.


The development zone was far from the city center and sparsely populated. Ye Chen was puzzled as to why Wang Daokun chose to open a restaurant there. However, according to Xiao Churan, several major manufacturing companies, including Foxconn, were planning to move into the area soon, which would bring a lot of activity.


In hindsight, it seemed like a wise decision to get ahead of the curve.


The restaurant, named Yuelai Restaurant, was situated along a wide, newly paved street and appeared to be quite spacious, with two floors and a tasteful, inviting ambiance.


When Ye Chen pulled up to the restaurant, there were already several cars parked outside. A group of men stood near a gold-colored BMW, smoking and chatting.


Ye Chen recognized them as former university classmates, though he had no close ties with them.


The leader of the group was Wang Tengfei, a well-known rich second-generation student back in college. He had openly pursued Xiao Churan but had been completely ignored by her.


At the moment, Wang Tengfei was leaning against his gold BMW, soaking in the admiration of his companions.


A few male classmates marveled at his car and praised him, saying, “Brother Fei, you’re truly living the dream. It hasn’t been that long since graduation, and you’re already driving a BMW! This is a 540, right? Top-tier 5 Series?”


Wang Tengfei chuckled smugly. “Yeah, it’s just a 540. A simple ride worth seven or eight hundred thousand. Nothing special.”


“Wow! A 540? That’s the top import model of the 5 Series!”


“Man, I can’t even scrape together the down payment for a 1 Series. Compared to you, Brother Fei, I’m really nothing.”


Another chimed in, “Brother Fei, this car must be powerful, huh?”


Wang Tengfei smiled. “It’s alright. The performance is decent. On most streets, there’s no competition.”


“Brother Fei, you’re amazing! If only I could have a BMW, my girlfriend wouldn’t nag me every day about not owning a car.”


At this moment, someone noticed another BMW approaching and remarked, “Hey, is that another one of our classmates?”


“Holy crap, it’s Ye Chen, that loser!”


“It looks like Xiao Churan is in the passenger seat too! Damn, this freeloader is driving a BMW. Must be riding on Xiao Churan’s coattails!”


Wang Tengfei also spotted Ye Chen in the car. His expression turned dark. “So, it’s this useless guy. Damn, he sure is lucky.”


Someone asked, “Hey, what series is his BMW?”


Just then, Ye Chen parked nearby, reversing into a space. Wang Tengfei caught a glimpse of the “520” badge on the back and sneered disdainfully. “Tsk, a 520—the lowest model of the 5 Series. Only broke wannabes would drive that.”


Another person quickly chimed in, “Brother Fei, your car is the top-tier 5 Series, while his is the cheapest. There’s no comparison.”


Wang Tengfei snorted. “My car is worth two of his.”


“You’re the best, Brother Fei!”


By this time, Ye Chen had parked, and Xiao Churan and Dong Ruolin stepped out of the car.


The men were instantly captivated and flocked over to greet them, exclaiming, “Wow, the two beauties of our class are here together!”


Xiao Churan and Dong Ruolin politely greeted everyone. Wang Tengfei, seeing how stunning Xiao Churan looked now, felt a surge of jealousy and frustration.


Why her?


Back in college, he had done everything to win her favor, but she never gave him the time of day. And now, she was married to a live-in son-in-law, a useless freeloader.


The world was so unfair.


With bitterness in his heart, he smirked and said sarcastically, “Ye Chen, looks like you’re doing well after marrying into Xiao Churan’s family! Driving a BMW now—must’ve been a gift from Churan’s family, huh? You’re really setting an example for men everywhere on how to take shortcuts!”


Xiao Churan frowned in displeasure, but before she could respond, Dong Ruolin stepped in and retorted, “Wang Tengfei, you’ve got it wrong. This car wasn’t bought by Churan’s family. Ye Chen bought it himself!”


“Oh really!” Wang Tengfei sneered. “Quite impressive—driving a 5 Series BMW!”


Then, as if trying to provoke Ye Chen, he said, “Hey, Ye Chen, this development zone has wide, open roads. How about we race our cars and see who’s faster?”


Ye Chen frowned, feeling annoyed. What was this guy’s problem? He didn’t even know him well, and yet he was deliberately picking a fight.


And to challenge him to a race? Ye Chen smirked inwardly. His car was a BMW 760, the fastest and most expensive BMW model. Racing a 540 would feel like bullying a child.


Wang Tengfei, mistaking Ye Chen’s silence for fear, taunted, “What’s wrong, Ye Chen? Still as cowardly as you were in college? Afraid to race? Worried about gas money? Don’t worry, I’ll cover the cost of a full tank if you lose.”


Dong Ruolin, annoyed, interjected, “Hey, Wang Tengfei, what’s your deal? Your car is a 540, and Ye Chen’s is a 520. The performance difference is huge. How is that a fair race?”


Wang Tengfei shrugged. “It’s not just about the car; it’s about skill and courage. Having a better car doesn’t guarantee a win. So, Ye Chen, do you have the guts to race, or are you going to back out? If you’re scared, just say so. Everyone already knows you’re not worth much.”


The others chimed in mockingly, “Yeah, just admit it if you’re too scared. No shame in that.”


Ye Chen chuckled instead of getting angry. “Wang Tengfei, I’m fine with racing, but we should add some stakes. Otherwise, it’s just boring, don’t you think?”


“Great!” Wang Tengfei’s eyes lit up, thinking Ye Chen had taken the bait. “How about this: the loser kneels and apologizes to the winner. What do you say?”


Ye Chen shook his head. “We’re adults now. Let’s not play childish games.”


At that moment, Wang Daokun, dressed in a suit and holding a large roll of firecrackers, came out of the restaurant. Seeing Ye Chen, he greeted him enthusiastically, “Ye Chen, you’re here!”


Ye Chen smiled and said, “Congratulations on your restaurant opening, Daokun!”


“Thanks, buddy!” Wang Daokun replied cheerfully.


Wang Tengfei wasn’t about to let Ye Chen change the subject. “Ye Chen, don’t dodge the question. What stakes do you propose?”


Ye Chen glanced at the roll of firecrackers in Wang Daokun’s arms and asked, “Daokun, how many bangs is that?”


“Thirty thousand!” Wang Daokun grinned. “This roll wasn’t cheap—over six hundred yuan!”


Ye Chen nodded and then turned to Wang Tengfei with a sly smile. “Alright, here’s the deal: we’ll race, and whoever loses has to light this roll of firecrackers inside their car. Deal?”