Chapter 118: BMW 740: The Landlady as a Romantic Interest?

Lin Yuan was a bit bewildered.

Why had Zhang Long, who was always so calm and indifferent, suddenly stepped forward? Don't tell me he wanted to show off in front of that stunning young car model... Uh, okay.

Because the next moment, the answer was revealed.

...

"Sister Liu."

Facing Zhang Long's greeting, Liu Yurong nodded, her eyes complex. Her red lips were pressed tight, and she remained silent; it wasn't the right time for her to say anything.

"Yo, who are you?" The rugged middle-aged man frowned. "Playing the hero to save the beauty? Look at how capable you think you are."

"I am his younger brother."

Facing the boorish, nouveau-riche man, Zhang Long’s expression darkened as he looked him straight in the eye. "No matter how much money you have, you should at least have some basic manners. The dealer already told you that if you're just taking photos outside the circle, that's fine, but if you want a photo with the model, you have to reserve a car first."

"You want a photo to show off the moment you walk out without spending a dime? I’d say, you pig-farming uncle, you’re thinking a little too highly of yourself."

"Damn it, you’re the one who farms pigs!"

Being called a pig farmer clearly didn't sit well with the middle-aged man. Did he really look that much like a pig farmer?

"Thanks, I might start farming later."

Zhang Long smiled slightly. The middle-aged man was burly, wearing a large gold chain and a gold watch, as if he were afraid others wouldn't know he was rich. Even though he had earned 60 million last month, he didn't feel the need to be this bloated.

"Get lost, don't talk nonsense here."

The middle-aged man lost his patience, his eyes widening. "The customer is God! I don't care if you're a real brother or a lover. You're trying to tell me I can't even get a photo with a million-dollar luxury car? I’m not short on cash. I’m paying a million in full. Have you ever seen that much, you little brat?"

"Hey, watch your mouth."

Zhang Long’s face darkened, and just as he was about to retort, Lin Yuan, who had been standing to the side with two female companions, stepped forward with a look of disdain. "We don't know if you're short on cash or not, but we do know you have no class."

"Look at where you are. Is there anyone in this crowd standing on your side? Everyone is watching you make a fool of yourself, and you don't even realize it. You really have a pig's brain."

Hearing this, the middle-aged man turned abruptly to look at the onlookers, his eyes widening as if ready to curse.

"Alright, stop embarrassing yourself." Lin Yuan addressed the man directly. "My brother and I are buying this car. If you don't have the money, get lost and stop blocking our view."

...

Lin Yuan's attire, combined with the aura and gaze of a wealthy second-generation heir, was something the current Zhang Long couldn't quite match.

The middle-aged man froze, his face darkening.

But after hesitating for a moment, he didn't want to make more of a scene. He had come to buy a car, after all. He adopted a "fine, whatever" attitude. "I'll buy it first, then take the photo, okay?"

"No, keep dreaming."

Zhang Long immediately objected, retorting bluntly, "I don't want my Sister Liu taking photos with a scumbag like you. Also, a friendly tip: just because you buy the car doesn't mean the model will definitely take a photo with you. Whether she does or not depends entirely on her own willingness."

He turned to the dealer standing beside Liu Yurong. "That's correct, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's right." The dealer was clearly annoyed by the man as well. Besides, the orders from Zhang Long and Lin Yuan were far more attractive than the man's, so he was more than happy to see him go.

"Damn it, are you bullying me?" The middle-aged man was furious, exploding with rage and threatening to complain to the auto show organizers. Did they not want his money?

"Go ahead, don't let the door hit you on the way out." The dealer’s expression hardened, and he dropped the pleasantries. "Go ahead and complain. But no one here is blind to the facts. It would be a miracle if you succeeded. People should be reasonable."

"Unless they aren't people."

That was a harsh blow. The dealer had a sharper tongue than expected, and both Zhang Long and Lin Yuan were amused.

"Fine, just you wait."

The middle-aged man left in a huff. Whether he would actually complain, Zhang Long and Lin Yuan didn't know, but facts were facts. If he could win a complaint, then there was no justice.

"A-Long..."

Liu Yurong spoke, but before she could finish, Zhang Long shook his head to stop her. There was no need for thanks.

"Are you two really going to buy the cars?" The dealer asked with a smile, picking up the conversation.

Regardless of whether they were serious or not, he was grateful. Of course, if they were actually buying, he would be even more grateful.

"Brother, what about you?" Lin Yuan looked at Zhang Long, shrugging with a smile. "The latest upgraded BMW 740 is quite good. The top-tier luxury trim is about 1.5 million. What do you think?"

...

Among million-dollar luxury cars, not to mention other brands, the BMW 7 Series had been selling better than the Mercedes S-Class or Audi A8L over the past two years, making it more popular in the market.

Zhang Long and Lin Yuan were both young.

The Mercedes or Audi could feel a bit too business-oriented; by comparison, the BMW 7 Series was just right.

Zhang Long had no objections. He hadn't intended to buy a top-of-the-line luxury car today, and the 7 Series was what he had set his sights on before arriving. Lin Yuan was the same.

While Mercedes and Audi were better suited for driving to work at a company, forget it—Tengda didn't lack vehicles.

This time, Lin Yuan was buying for himself.

He wasn't considering the 730, and the 750 or 760 felt unnecessary. The 740 was the perfect choice. The discounts at the auto show were also better than at a 4S dealership. 1.5 million for a luxury configuration was almost at the top-tier price for a 740; any higher and you'd be looking at a 750 or 760.

Of course, 1.5 million was the final total price, including options and various taxes.

The payment method was naturally in full. At the auto show, they finalized the interior, wheels, and other configurations.

They would pick up the cars at the 4S dealership later.

Many procedures had to be handled at the dealership. The auto show was mainly for display and promotion. Even though the BMW 7 Series was well-known, it still needed to be showcased periodically to generate buzz and topics.

Advertising is, after all, about spreading the word.

Just like Coca-Cola or other beverage brands, they released a certain amount of new advertising every year.

"Xiao Long, thank you..."

Watching two more orders get signed, Liu Yurong felt a mix of complexity and melancholy. Today, her little brother Xiao Long had seen her in such a pathetic state, and she felt quite defeated.

It was even more shameful than selling houses.

Although her best friend had only taken this part-time car model job to help her ease some of her life's pressures, what woman would choose to be a car model?

...

"Ahem, A-Long."

After the paperwork was signed, Lin Yuan pulled Zhang Long into a corner, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Tell your big brother the truth—she's not really your 'older sister' in that way, is she?"

"Don't lie to your brother, now."

Hearing this, Zhang Long knew exactly what Lin Yuan was up to—he had taken a fancy to Liu Yurong. Or, more simply, he was just lusting after her.

They had spent the whole morning walking through various brand zones, seeing countless young, thin, and beautiful models. Every one of them was young and had a great figure, yet they were still crushed by Liu Yu... oh no, Yu Furong, in the BMW zone.

Liu Yurong had never been a model and didn't know how to pose; she just stood there in a pale blue, off-the-shoulder cheongsam, and the pheromones were explosive.

She was voluptuous, fair-skinned, and beautiful, and looking to be around 30, clearly a married woman.

And married women were naturally eye-catching.

There were so many young and beautiful models at the auto show, posing and flirting, that people were basically immune to them. Suddenly, a mature, gentle, and fleshy beauty like this appeared—a ceiling-level, slightly plump goddess—and people couldn't resist.

Whether it was men arriving alone or those with their wives or partners, they were all moved.

Men are men, and it was love at first sight.

Lin Yuan felt he had truly fallen for her. He refused to admit it was just lust, but since Zhang Long knew her and their relationship seemed ambiguous, he was very curious.

"Don't even think about it." Zhang Long didn't explain, delivering a death sentence to Lin Yuan. "Didn't you say you could pay to enjoy any type of woman at clubs? So don't pine for her. Go spend your money on someone else."

"Uh, that's different." Lin Yuan scratched his head, blushing awkwardly. "I'm actually genuinely moved."

"You're genuinely lustful!" Zhang Long exposed him without hesitation, retorting, "Don't you dare think about it, or we're through."

Lin Yuan looked up at the sky, heartbroken.

A brother's woman is off-limits; crossing that line usually gets you killed. You have to follow the bottom line to live a long life. Fine, he’d stay alive and leave her to "Brother Long."

...

"Yurong, that's 8 orders."

At lunchtime, Liu Yurong was eating with her best friend, the dealer. They had signed 8 orders in the morning.

This referred to orders for Yu Furong; the entire BMW zone had far more, but that was beside the point.

"Uh... hmm? That's great."

Liu Yurong’s mood was low, and she poked at her food distractedly. Her friend seemed to notice something and blinked. "Is Zhang Long your partner?"

"Hmm... what? No." Liu Yurong shook her head. "He used to be my tenant. A few days ago, I transferred the property to him."

"Oh, I see." Her friend's tone steadied. "I know being a car model invites gossip, but with your figure and temperament, you're bound to sign quite a few orders over these few days. At today's pace, you could make 100,000 in three days. That's not a small amount."

"Don't care too much about the stares."

Even so, when those gazes stabbed at her, it wasn't easy to brush off. It was truly painful.

But after facing such a disaster, even after selling all her assets, it still wasn't over. Besides her main job, she had to take on high-income part-time work she could tolerate.

Shooting ads or this car model gig were the best part-time jobs she could find.

It was lucky her friend was one of the people in charge of the BMW dealership for this auto show, or she wouldn't have even been able to get in. Who would hire someone with no experience and a "mature" age otherwise?

"Hey, you're just too stubborn." Suddenly, her friend looked at Liu Yurong's exquisite face and sighed. "If you were willing to say yes, there would be a line of rich men waiting to marry you. Are you really never going to marry again? The failure is over, and the people involved are gone."

"You sold your studio and your house, and now you're doing odd jobs to make money—it breaks my heart to watch."

"Hardship? Who isn't struggling?" Liu Yurong’s beautiful eyes dimmed. Everyone has their own struggles in life; they just take different forms.

"Hey, Brother Long, don't leave yet."

At a local restaurant across from the auto show, Lin Yuan was treating them to a meal. But after eating his fill and wanting to leave, Lily refused to let go, pleading for him to stay.

It was a romantic afternoon and evening; it would be a shame for Zhang Long to just leave, as they hadn't done anything yet.

"Buzz, buzz buzz~"

Just then, his phone vibrated.

Zhang Long picked it up, his eyes shifting, and he held it up in front of Lily for a second. "Sorry, I have an appointment."

After saying that, he waved goodbye and headed off to his meeting.

PS: The second 6k-word chapter for today has been posted. The next chapter will be a 4k-word bonus, likely arriving in the middle of the night. Night owls can wait, but others can read it in the morning.