Mao Yiming found himself in utter disbelief, and his faculties momentarily abandoned him!

As expected, adhering to the conventional stereotype of a female driver, the accelerator functioned more like a brake!

"Brakes, brakes, brakes!" Mao Yiming anxiously shouted. Alas, his plea was brushed aside as his daughter-in-law seemed to have pressed the gas pedal to its fullest extent, leaving him no choice but to raise his voice again, exclaiming, "Release, release your foot!"

Finally, upon hearing the urgent plea to lift her foot, his wife snapped back to reality, swiftly retracting her right foot, perspiration trickling down her forehead and body.

Thankfully, their car boasted a manual transmission. Mao Yiming had been wise enough to opt for a manual transmission when purchasing the vehicle, considering his wife's recent acquisition of a driver's license. Oh, the wisdom in that decision!

Fortunately, it was a manual transmission, and even more fortunate was that they had engaged only the second gear due to the heavy traffic. Otherwise, the consequences could have been unimaginable.

Meanwhile, Kang Zhenggang, driving ahead, cautiously observed an approaching vehicle driven by a female driver. Witnessing her careening towards him from the opposite direction, he proceeded with utmost vigilance.

As the distance between the two vehicles diminished to 30 to 40 meters, Kang Zhenggang was taken aback as the other driver suddenly floored the accelerator, causing her car to roar forward. Swiftly reacting, Kang Zhenggang deftly maneuvered the steering wheel, veering his vehicle to the side while simultaneously applying the brakes.

Thankfully, his car came to a halt without any collision. Kang Zhenggang breathed a sigh of relief, his tense muscles finally relaxing.

The onlookers around him were startled, their gazes pointing accusingly at Mao Yiming's car.

"Look, she is indeed a female driver. It's evident she mistook the accelerator for the brake."

"Thank goodness there was no impact. Those are Rolls-Royces, and a collision would have been disastrous."

Silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the crowd's murmurs.

Observing the spectators outside the car, Mao Yiming's daughter-in-law flushed with embarrassment, no longer dismissing Mao Yiming's warnings. From that moment on, she drove with utmost obedience and sincerity.

The two Rolls-Royces continued their slow progress, navigating through the bustling market crowd until they finally reached the three-way intersection at the town government's entrance. Taking a sharp turn, they embarked upon the concrete road leading to Dongmen Village.

At the entrance of the town government, a small black car sat parked. A middle-aged man accompanied by a young fellow prepared to embark on their journey. However, upon catching sight of the two Rolls-Royces, the middle-aged man halted abruptly, his gaze transfixed upon the spectacle.

"Xiao Gu, whose vehicles do you suppose those are?" he inquired.

Secretary Xiaogu, casting his eyes upon the luxurious automobiles, pondered thoughtfully before responding, "Mr. Mayor, considering the direction they're headed, towards Dongmen Village, could it be that the boss of Global Shipping Group has returned?"

Prompted by this realization, the middle-aged man declared, "It must be Mr. Liu from Global Shipping Group who has returned!" He swiftly retrieved his mobile phone, dialled a number and reported, "Leader, I have just witnessed two Rolls-Royces proceeding towards Dongmen Village. It appears to be Mr. Liu of Global Shipping Group returning."

Little did Liu Yong anticipate that his inconspicuous return would attract the attention of the local government.

He was seated comfortably in the car and admired the concrete road repaired half a year ago. Satisfaction washed over him as he remarked, "Once this road is fully restored, its condition will vastly improve."

Kang Zhenggang, the driver, agreed wholeheartedly, adding, "This road is truly remarkable. It's a rarity to have two lanes, and driving here presents no challenges whatsoever."

With their sights set on Dongmen Village, the two vehicles ventured forth.

At that very moment, Dongmen Village brimmed with liveliness.

A multitude of people assembled at the village entrance, radiating joy. The village chief, Liu Jianping, and the branch secretary, Liu Wenkang, were also present.historical

On either side of the village entrance, fireworks and firecrackers adorned the scene. The village's dragon and lion dance troupe had assembled, accompanied by the resounding beats of gongs and drums and a mandating Yangko dance team.

Liu Jianping glanced at his watch and proclaimed, "Mr. Liu should be arriving soon. Let us commence the preparations."

Those responsible for igniting the firecrackers and fireworks assumed their positions, while the dragon and lion dance teams and the musicians arranged themselves accordingly.

After a brief interval, Liu Jianping called out, his voice resounding, "Here they come, here they come. Two vehicles in total!"

Liu Yong possessed keen eyesight, and he, too, caught sight of the vibrant scene at the village entrance. A smile graced his lips as he marvelled at the unexpected mobilization of the entire village. Honestly, his presence had garnered substantial attention.

Slowly but surely, the procession drew closer.

Amidst the resounding fireworks, firecrackers, and the live performances of the dragon and lion dancers, the atmosphere brimmed with jubilation.

Overwhelmed by the sight before him, Liu Yong felt immense delight.

Upon reaching the village entrance, he instructed Kang Zhenggang to halt the vehicle. Stepping out of the car, he graciously extended his hand, warmly shaking the hands of those present.

For at least the village entrance, he was basking for at least twenty minutes in the festivity before finally returning to the car. The engine roared to life, and with a leisurely pace, the vehicles made their way to the entrance of his newly constructed villa.

When constructing this mansion, Liu Yong had purchased the neighbouring Liu Wei's land, expanding the estate to cover several acres. The terrain boasted an expansive openness, while the villa's entrance gate aligned perfectly with the adjacent cement road. As the two vehicles approached the gates of the grand estate, they were followed by a sea of villagers.

Awaiting their arrival at the villa entrance stood Zhou Jingkang, a red carpet elegantly laid before him, and the gates swung wide open.

The two vehicles gracefully traversed the gates, parking within the spacious front yard of the grand villa.

Stepping out of the car, Liu Yong cast a cursory glance, eschewing immediate entry into the villa. A sense of satisfaction welled up within him.

The reality before him mirrored the photographs Zhou Jingkang had shared, yet the actual sight surpassed their digital depiction in its magnificence.

Spotting Liu Yong's arrival, Zhou Jingkang happily approached him, "Mr. Liu, are you pleased with the result?"

Liu Yong nodded approvingly, affirming, "Old classmate, yes, it's truly exceptional. You needn't worry."

Observing Liu Yong's satisfaction, Zhou Jingkang sighed in relief.

The villa's front yard buzzed with excitement as over a hundred people marvelled at the grandeur before them. Envy and praise filled the air as they gazed upon this splendid villa.

"This mansion is simply awe-inspiring. I can guarantee that there isn't another one like it in the entire county."

"Forget the county; this villa is unparalleled even within the entire city. I heard it cost 30 to 40 million yuan to build."

Gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

Liu Yong was undoubtedly a wealthy man!

Envious gazes locked onto Liu Yong as he approached the grand villa, accompanied by Zhou Jingkang, to tour the newly completed residence.

Liu Hongfu and his wife beamed with joy, warmly greeting the villagers. The trunk of one of the Rolls-Royces was opened, revealing an array of goods.

Boxes of Zhonghua cigarettes and Moutai liquor enticed the onlookers.

Liu Hongfu extracted several cigarettes from one of the boxes, tossing a few to Liu Jianping and Liu Wenkang, respectively, and proclaimed, "Help yourselves to a smoke!"

Having spoken, Liu Hongfu lit a cigarette for himself, and the distribution of cigarettes commenced. Men, women, young, and old—all were offered a share.

Liu Wenkang received three Zhonghua cigarettes and, originally intending to distribute them individually, was taken aback by Liu Hongfu's approach. Hastily emulating him, he began distributing them one by one.

As he smoked, Liu Wenkang marvelled, "Liu Yong is truly wealthy. The cost of distributing this pack of Zhonghua cigarettes alone must be exorbitant."

He would have surely laughed if Liu Yong had been privy to Liu Wenkang's thoughts. Such an amount was inconsequential, a mere drop in the ocean. My other car is filled with Zhonghua cigarettes and Moutai liquor.

Accompanied by Zhou Jingkang, Liu Yong stepped into the grand villa. His eyes glimmered with delight upon entering.

...