A life of financial freedom

Chu Fang: "What do you mean?"

Zhong Tingyue saw through her husband's thoughts at a glance: "You want to go back on your word."

"What's going on?"

"You just want to go back on your word."

"I don't."

"Old cheat."

"Zhong Tingyue, are you insulting me?"

"Old cheat, old cheat, old cheat..."

Chu Fang stubbornly raised his neck: "Since you say I'm an old cheat, then I won't fulfill the bet."

"Really going to be an old cheat?"

"You already called me an old cheat, it would be impolite of me not to cheat."

Zhong Tingyue rolled her beautiful eyes.

The two slowly walked on the streets of New York, and soon came to New York's famous commercial street.

The lights were on, and the city was filled with dazzling colors.

"Ms. Zhong."

"Yeah."

"You owe me one thing."

"Why?"

"You lost the bet."

Zhong Tingyue: "???"

The tables have turned?

Chu Fang raised his chin and gestured forward: "Please watch the VCR."

A video appeared on the big screen in Times Square, accompanied by Chinese: "Good news, good news, let us warmly congratulate Ms. Zhong Tingyue for winning the International Times Award (although it is fake), but it is undeniable that Ms. Zhong Tingyue is talented, please give her a round of applause..."

A cartoon character resembling Zhong Tingyue, matched with the voiceover of the urea bag advertisement.

Instantly attracting the attention of passersby around the square, who cast their gazes.

Chu Fang smiled: "I announced to the world that you, Zhong Tingyue, have won an award, isn't this more famous than your circle's design awards?"

(¬_¬)... Zhong Tingyue said quietly: "Are you sick?"

"Zhong Tingyue, you don't know how to be grateful!" Chu Fang said indignantly, "Do you know how much money it cost me to play this video?"

"A full 160 US dollars."

The screen in Times Square, New York, is not as expensive as Chu Fang imagined, and can even be said to be cheap.

15 seconds is only 40 US dollars.

"I announce to the world that you have contracted the International Design Award."

The two argued for a while, and in the end, Chu Fang won, and Zhong Tingyue owed him one thing.

It's not that Zhong Tingyue didn't want to argue, but her husband said that if she didn't agree, he would play it on the screen for ten days and ten nights, and the whole world would know.

That would be really embarrassing.

The two sat here for a while, and then went to a nearby store to buy gifts.

The International Design Award came to an end, and they also planned to go home.

They were still not used to this country with outstanding people and resources.

They bought famous local gifts, souvenirs, tote bags, posters, records... things like that, the shop assistant kept saying that they were American characteristics, but when they turned to the place of production, without exception: made, in, china.

Chu Fang wondered: "Why did I come all the way to buy goods made in my own country?"

The shop assistant smiled awkwardly.

"Sir, we also have special products here." The shop assistant then took an empty bottle to Chu Fang.

"What is this?"

"Canned New York air."

Chu Fang: "..."

They simply strolled around the mall and bought some small and cute souvenirs, but didn't buy much else.

Shopping in this place not only costs money, but also makes you a fool.

Chu Fang was not willing to do this.

Chu Fang and Zhong Tingyue then went to the bar where Zhou Yidan worked.

Zhou Yidan was the only friend they knew in New York, and perhaps they would never see each other again, so they naturally had to say goodbye before leaving.

On the way, they passed a street corner.

Yu Jun stepped forward and said, "Mr. Chu."

Chu Fang looked in the direction indicated by Yu Jun, and saw Zhou Yidan's father being beaten by several black men.

He shook his head, indicating not to care.

Zhou Yidan's father was already beyond redemption.

The group soon arrived at the bar where Zhou Yidan worked, but Zhou Yidan was not there.

Then they asked the boss, who said that Zhou Yidan had not come for several days, and said in a flat tone: "Maybe she was shot."

Chu Fang and Zhong Tingyue looked at each other, and the latter asked: "What do you mean?"

He thought for a while; "Let's go take a look."

Then the group took a taxi to Chinatown.

Compared to the prosperity near Times Square, Chinatown seemed a bit desolate, the shops on both sides of the street were tightly closed, and the old street lights emitted a faint yellow light.

Soon they arrived at Zhou Yidan's door and knocked.

Zhou Yidan saw that it was them: "Brother Chu, Sister Zhong."

Then she beckoned the four of them to come in. After entering, with the help of the light, Chu Fang realized that Zhou Yidan was much more haggard, the plain coat was a bit loose, and her long hair was scattered in a mess.

And the house was not like the last time Chu Fang visited, although the house was small, it was clean and tidy, and well-organized.

But today the house was piled with many sundries, and it was difficult to get a foothold.

Chu Fang suppressed his curiosity and said softly: "Has that man in the baseball cap bullied you again?"

"Thanks to Brother Chu's help, no." Zhou Yidan replied.

Chu Fang was worried that the baseball cap man would bully Zhou Yidan, so he asked Yu Jun to find someone to teach him a lesson.

The United States is a good place, fighting is commonplace, and no one cares.

"That's good, that's good." Chu Fang looked around, "Hey, where's your grandma?"

"She passed away."

"Ah?" Chu Fang couldn't help but make a sound.

The old lady is gone...

The doubts in his heart were answered.

Zhou Yidan should have been handling her grandmother's funeral these days.

"Um... I'm sorry."

Zhou Yidan squeezed out a smile on her face: "Don't apologize, I don't deserve it."

"My grandmother had a sudden heart attack and was sent to the hospital, but in the end, she was not rescued and died."

Zhong Tingyue took Zhou Yidan's hand: "My condolences."

"Hey, I'm used to it." Zhou Yidan didn't want to dwell on this topic, but pretended to be relaxed and said, "Brother Chu, Sister Zhong, is there anything you came to me for?"

"The award ceremony is over, and we plan to leave New York and return to China." Chu Fang told her.

Zhou Yidan pondered for a few seconds and said, "Brother Chu, Sister Zhong, can I go back to China with you?"

After a pause, she continued: "My grandmother's wish before she died was to return to China, but she never realized it, and now that she is gone, I hope to take her back to China and bury her in her homeland, so that her soul can be comforted, have a good journey, and return to her roots."

Chu Fang nodded: "No problem."

Thus, both parties agreed to return to China together.

After chatting briefly and comforting Zhou Yidan, Chu Fang and the others left.

After they left, Zhou Yidan turned around, looked at her grandmother's photo, and tears flowed down uncontrollably: "Grandma, I will take you back to China and fulfill your wish."

Bang bang bang...

Suddenly there was a violent knock on the door. Zhou Yidan wiped away her tears and opened the door, looking at her father with cold eyes.

"What are you doing back here?"

"This is my home, of course I want to come back." Zhou Yidan's father walked as if a gust of wind could blow him away, and threw away Zhou Yidan's grandmother's photo, "It's really annoying to look at."

"This is not your home. Your home has long been ruined by you and no longer exists." Zhou Yidan picked up her grandmother's photo and pushed her father, "Get out of here right now."

When she was a child, Zhou Yidan still had a happy family, but as her father became addicted to drugs, the family changed and became strange.

"I'm not leaving." Zhou Yidan's father curled up on the sofa.

Zhou Yidan could do nothing about her rogue father, so she could only let him curl up at home, while she tidied up the house, sorted out her clothes and many things left by her grandmother, and put them in a suitcase.

"What are you doing packing your luggage?" Zhou Yidan's father opened his eyes slightly.

"I'm going back to China."

Zhou Yidan's father's eyes widened: "What?!"

"I'm going back to China, I want to fulfill my grandmother's wish."

"No way." Zhou Yidan's father said, "What will I do if you leave?"

"You will live and die on your own, and from now on we will no longer have any relationship." Zhou Yidan's voice was very soft, but also very decisive.

"No, you can't leave, you are my daughter, I raised you to adulthood, you must support me..."

Zhou Yidan squatted down to pack her things, and suddenly felt dizzy, and then fainted. Zhou Yidan's father dropped the brick, and while holding the rope to tie up his daughter, he said, "You can't leave, you can't betray me..."