In 1984, bicycles remained the primary mode of transportation for Chinese people. Even motorcycles were scarce, and cars were even rarer on the streets. While major cities like Beijing and Shanghai fared better, in smaller cities, the few cars visible on the streets were all government-owned vehicles. Only county-level leaders were assigned cars, and even department heads had to share vehicles. It wasn’t until several years into the Reform and Opening Up period, when some regions began attracting foreign investment, that local governments began maintaining at least two good cars – after all, how else would they receive visiting investors? As the economy developed, cars became increasingly common, eventually becoming available not just to government units but to private individuals as well.

Only in the coastal cities of the south, where some people became wealthy first, did private car ownership begin to emerge.

An ordinary car costs tens of thousands of yuan. If Xia Xiaolan wanted to buy one now, she could afford it by emptying her savings, but being as shrewd as she was, every penny she earned was already carefully allocated. To spend tens of thousands on a car now… she’d have to be out of her mind.

If everyone else rode bicycles, why couldn’t she?

Riding a bicycle was certainly better than walking on two legs. Xia Xiaolan hadn’t considered buying a car yet, nor had she imagined that Zhou Cheng would plan to gift her one for her birthday.

Coming to customs to pick up seized smuggled vehicles wasn’t because Zhou Cheng looked down on Xia Xiaolan and thought she only deserved a smuggled car. In 1984 China, you couldn’t find anywhere else with such a variety of models and brands as these customs-seized vehicles – this was 1984’s alternative car show, with both low-end and high-end vehicles, including even Mercedes-Benz cars that were rarely seen domestically at the time!

Zhou Cheng was letting her pick any car from customs?

What if she chose the most expensive one? Though seized smuggled cars sold at customs auctions were cheaper than market prices, surely they wouldn’t sell a Mercedes for the same price as a Jeep 212!

Xia Xiaolan felt both moved and speechless – Zhou Cheng hadn’t taken her words about not wanting expensive gifts to heart.

Watching Xia Xiaolan’s brief shock and her lingering glances at the seized Mercedes, Kang Wei felt a bit uncertain.

Was Brother Cheng making too bold a promise?

If his future sister-in-law chose the most expensive car, would they buy it or not?

Kang Wei just wished he had his car; he was incredibly envious of Pan San.

Just then, Xia Xiaolan asked in a drawn-out tone: “Tell me, what budget did Zhou Cheng give you?”

Kang Wei held up two fingers, “Brother Cheng said for anything below this amount, I should pay directly. If it exceeds this, I should let him know first.”

Those two fingers didn’t mean 20,000 yuan. Xia Xiaolan knew cigarette trading was profitable, but surely Zhou Cheng hadn’t lost his mind to the point of spending his entire savings on a car for her? This was a car she didn’t dare accept, though she did think Zhou Cheng had substantial savings.

In her previous life, though she had seen more money, that was a different era. In 1984, 200,000 yuan used for buying property in Beijing or Shanghai had more purchasing power than 20 million yuan in 2017.

Excluding those deeply hidden wealthy figures, how many individuals in 1984 had personal assets of 200,000 yuan? If Zhou Cheng dared to spend that much money, he’d be charged with “speculation and profiteering.” Xia Xiaolan, frustrated with their foolishness, glared at Kang Wei: “Who gave Zhou Cheng this idea? Are you both tired of living comfortably?”

Kang Wei felt somewhat guilty.

Zhou Cheng had wanted to gift her an apartment since Xia Xiaolan would soon be studying in Beijing. At that time, dormitory regulations were strict – except for local Beijing students, everyone had to live in dormitories, and Xia Xiaolan would be no exception. Zhou Cheng had considered that Xia Xiaolan might want her own space during weekends when there were no classes, and the apartment didn’t need to be particularly large or crowded. Plus, if Liu Fen wanted to come to Beijing, she’d have a place to stay.

The idea of gifting an apartment was killed in its infancy before he could even voice it to Xia Xiaolan.

Kang Wei, the loyal follower, had suggested: that if not an apartment, then a car would do – it would be convenient for Sister-in-law to run errands, could be stored somewhere, and how convenient would it be for weekend visits to Zhou Cheng’s workplace?

If she wouldn’t accept a house, wasn’t a car worth about the same?

Some cars were even more expensive than buying a courtyard house in Beijing. The reason Zhou Cheng accepted Kang Wei’s unreliable suggestion was that Kang Wei had added a supplementary point – the car could be registered under someone else’s name while Xia Xiaolan would be the user, so it wouldn’t count as an especially valuable gift.

Zhou Cheng was usually very steady, and though he had earned considerable money, apart from buying a few watches, he hadn’t been extravagant.

He even thought it too flashy when Kang Wei wanted to buy a car and wouldn’t let him.

However, when it came to Xia Xiaolan, Zhou Cheng thought exceptions could be made. Being a bit showy wasn’t bad – he was willing to let his woman enjoy the money he earned. Having a car for transportation would also prevent unwanted attention from others. Men often can’t help but want to buy things for the women they love, and since Xia Xiaolan was generous to him, Zhou Cheng wanted to spoil her ten or a hundred times more.

Rationality was something he applied to himself – a man is the family’s support and should protect the women and children at home. Without constant vigilance, it’s easy to go astray.

Women shouldn’t have to worry so much – money should be spent as needed, and he would handle everything.

What if he couldn’t handle it one day?

What could be done? He chose his wife himself, so he’d have to accept it even if reluctantly!

While Xia Xiaolan couldn’t fully understand all of Zhou Cheng’s thoughts, after Kang Wei’s explanation, she had a vague idea.

“Let’s go.”

Kang Wei looked disappointed, “Sister-in-law, aren’t we choosing a car? Since we’re already here, let’s pick one.”

For Xia Xiaolan’s birthday, Kang Wei couldn’t compete with Zhou Cheng in gift-giving, but he would get her something else.

However, if Xia Xiaolan didn’t choose a car, it meant she wasn’t accepting Zhou Cheng’s long-distance birthday gift. This meant Kang Wei hadn’t handled things well, and he was quite anxious!

“No need to choose. This isn’t appropriate as a birthday gift, and don’t look so dejected – Zhou Cheng won’t blame you. As for my gift… I’ll have to go personally to Beijing to claim it!”

She was somewhat touched, but also wanted to yell at Zhou Cheng – she was already 21, called a leader at work, couldn’t he be more mature? Why couldn’t they have a steady relationship instead of making everything so dramatic?

Kang Wei didn’t understand – it was already the 23rd, and tomorrow was her birthday. How could she personally claim a gift in time?

Xia Xiaolan turned around, “I need your help – buy me a plane ticket, I’m going to Beijing.”

How should she explain the cast on her wrist to Zhou Cheng? Should she say she fell, or just remove the cast? The injury was already half a month old, and as long as she didn’t lift anything heavy with her right hand, she should have been able to hide the bone fracture during a brief meeting with Zhou Cheng.

Kang Wei would help with this!

Once Sister Xiaolan went to Beijing, Brother Cheng would forget all about principles – whatever Sister Xiaolan said would go.

Kang Wei secretly observed Xia Xiaolan, wondering if he should remind his sister-in-law that this trip to Beijing might involve meeting the parents.

But why bring that up? With his sister-in-law being the way she was, how could anyone find fault with her during a family meeting?!