However, he actually caught up again very quickly.

David Brooks was straddling the motorcycle, watching him limp over with one leg. Thinking he had something more to say, he waited, but when the man stood in front of the motorcycle, he didn’t speak for a long time.

He really was a bit taciturn by nature.

After several seconds, he finally said, “Ride slower.” Then he turned and headed back to the station.

David Brooks stood there in a daze for a while, savoring the meaning behind those words.

Hmm, this old man used to be a scout in the army. In ’79, he was wounded down south. Although he received a second-class merit, his leg never fully recovered, so he retired and came back.

In the original host’s memory, in earlier years, he was more used to communicating with his son through fists and bamboo sticks.

But in the past two years, he’d stopped hitting him. Even when his son got into big trouble, he didn’t hit him anymore.

Still, he remained painfully quiet.

It suddenly made David Brooks think of his own father from his previous life.

A man who was a teacher, who could explain things to students with such clarity, patience, and kindness, but who, once home, had almost nothing to say to his own son.

He couldn’t help but look up and sigh.

A fine drizzle happened to blanket the sky at that moment.

David Brooks fumbled for a while, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, but just as he lit it and took a puff, it got soaked halfway and went out—he tried to puff a couple more times before realizing it was out. At that moment, for some reason, a sudden wave of inexplicable irritation washed over him, and he threw the cigarette forcefully into the rain.

It wasn’t that he was particularly attached to his previous life; the main thing was, he hadn’t handled his affairs at all!

If he’d known he was going to transmigrate, with his personality, he definitely would have taken care of everything in advance. All along, that equally stubborn and silent old man had taught him this: for your own matters, you need to know what comes before and after, and see things through from start to finish.

Sigh...

Just think, an old couple from the countryside, who together had only traveled far from home three times in their whole lives, now had to journey thousands of miles to take care of their son’s affairs!

Who knows how much his mother would cry!

And... just to inherit the little bit of savings and the house he left behind after his death, all the paperwork they’d have to go through would be enough to make them miserable.

The house still had a mortgage, the market was bad, and it probably wouldn’t sell well. Even if they managed to sell it, who knows if it would cover the debt.

Damn!

So it was sudden death, right? It must have been.

If only he’d bought some accident insurance or something.

He let out a long sigh, his feelings at that moment too complicated to describe.

He didn’t know how much time had passed; he just sat there on the motorcycle in a daze, until his mood finally began to settle down.

…………

Strangely enough, after leaving Xuguan Township for only a few miles, the rain gradually stopped.

By the time David Brooks entered the city, it even felt like the clouds were about to part and the mist was lifting.

The stone-paved road was extra slippery after the rain, so David Brooks rode very carefully. As he approached the Sifang Teahouse, he turned the corner and immediately saw the same Volvo sedan from yesterday.

Oh, right, it’s actually not called Volvo now, it’s called Fúháo.

But at that moment, a young man was standing by the car, smoking.

Whether he heard the sound of the motorcycle or just sensed it, as soon as David Brooks turned the corner, the young man suddenly looked over—he was a bit thin, but his features were clear and he had a scholarly air about him.

In his looks, you could vaguely see a trace of William Carter from yesterday.

But his expression was rather unfriendly.

Full of scrutiny.

And when David Brooks carefully rode up to the entrance of the Sifang Teahouse, parked the bike, and looked up again, the young man was now openly showing a look of disdain and dissatisfaction.

A feeling of suppressed anger.

Tsk tsk tsk...

David Brooks had seen him more than once. Although everyone knew he mainly had a good father, the guy was also a well-known entrepreneur in the county. He’d been to county meetings, and county leaders had visited his factory more than once—but obviously, Young Master Carter definitely didn’t recognize the little driver from back then.

Turning off the engine, pulling out the key, and getting off the bike, David Brooks first took off his raincoat, gave it a shake to fling off the water, then folded it simply and held it in his hand. He smiled at the man by the car across the street and nodded.

Charles Carter pressed his lips together, suddenly threw his cigarette to the ground, then, without looking, walked around to the driver’s side, opened the door, got in, and slammed the door hard.

Tsk tsk tsk...

David Brooks wasn’t annoyed; in fact, he found it rather amusing. Carrying his raincoat, he turned and entered the Sifang Teahouse.

It was still in the Peony Listening to the Waves room.

He stepped on the creaky stairs and, twenty-four hours later, once again knocked on that door.

This time, a clear, bright voice came from inside, “Please come in.”

Chapter 8: How Do You Date Again?

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It was basically exactly the same scene.

David Brooks pushed the door open and entered, smiling before he spoke. “Hello, are you Comrade Sarah Carter? I’m David Brooks.”