Ethan stayed a little longer at Vivian's house, but not for too long. After all, he still had classes to finish.
He also had debts to pay off.
By early July, when Ethan returned to Han City and settled his last payment, Vivian checked her balance."320,000," she said with satisfaction. "Not bad. If nothing unexpected happens, this will probably be the most I'll have in savings over the next four years."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Did something happen?"
Vivian shook her head. "No, I'm going back to school."Yes, Vivian was finally going back to school. A fresh start, a brand-new college life.
"Every day, it's just driving, picking up orders, and looking after kids. I feel like I'm getting old." She massaged her tight face. "So much has happened this year. Looking back, I'm still only twenty! This is the prime of my youth!"
Ethan nodded, then realized she was only four years older than him. Most of the time, Vivian seemed like an adult—capable and invincible. It was rare that he got to see her vulnerable, with moments of softness.
Ethan asked, "Which university did you get into?"
"Bjiang University. I'm in the business management program."
Ethan thought for a moment before responding. "Bjiang has a pretty good reputation locally. Business management also has good job prospects."
Vivian grinned. "Hey, didn't expect that from you, Ethan. You're young but know a lot, huh?"
"I'm tutoring a middle school student right now. He's very organized and has a plan for his future, so I've been picking up a few things too."
"A middle school student?" Vivian was surprised. "But aren't you still technically a middle schooler?"
Ethan shrugged in modesty. "Math doesn't really have grade divisions. A lot of concepts overlap. Once you understand them, you're good."
Vivian rolled her eyes. "Your brother could use a bit of your modesty!" She then leaned in and said, "He got second place in his class this semester! He's been so smug about it, you wouldn't believe it!"
"He's been studying hard lately."
"Of course, he is, with someone like you checking in on him every day."
The two chatted for a while longer, eventually turning to finances.
"Your brother's tuition is due again next semester," Vivian sighed. "This school charges like it's trying to rob you. Blink once, swipe a card, and boom, fifteen thousand gone. Have you calculated it? His tuition for the whole year is enough for me to finish four years of college!"
Ethan didn't argue. He knew what Vivian was trying to say. She just didn't want him to work too hard for those high tuition fees at such a young age.
"It's fine. When Noah gets to middle school, the tuition won't be as much. He already has a school in mind, a public one, so it should be cheaper... We'll see when the time comes."
Vivian's eyes narrowed, her expression firm. "No, don't just wait and see. At your age, you need to focus on your studies."
Ethan's face darkened, his mood turning melancholic.
"We'll talk about it once I save up more. Noah's tuition for next year isn't covered yet, and there are also living expenses…"
Vivian half-closed her eyes, gazing at the young, prematurely mature boy in front of her. Her lips tightened for a moment, but she said nothing. Instead, she gently patted him on the back.
"Things will get better, you'll see."
She tried to brush away the heavy burden on his shoulders.
"…They will," Ethan nodded in response.
In late July, Coach Gao arrived in WH City.
Vivian invited him to dinner at a copper pot restaurant.
"I'm still thinking the same way as before—open a driving school near Wchang University Town," Vivian said, pouring him a glass of wine. "Coach Daniel and I both think it's a good area. During the off-season, we can make money off the students, and during the holidays, we can make money from the working crowd. Rent is also affordable."
Coach Gao responded, "It sounds easy, but you know how hard it is to establish a driving test center there. We're all outsiders, after all."
Vivian was undeterred. "So what? You guys are outsiders, but I'm not. I have a friend who used to work as an agent for a driving school there. During the school season, she could bring in fifty students a day. She made five-figure commissions every month!"
Vivian asked, "Should I connect you with them?"
"Sure, let Daniel check out the situation."
Vivian was initially just waiting for news, but to her surprise, they really opened up in University Town. Coach Gao asked if she was interested in joining the student business. Vivian seized the opportunity and said, "I'm interested, but I want to be a partner."
Coach Gao agreed. "Alright, how much are you investing?"
Opening a driving school involved a lot of costs: space, cars, instructors, and relationships to build. It would likely take months before they broke even. Vivian knew Coach Gao was in a tight spot with his finances.
"Thirty thousand! I'll invest thirty thousand!"Vivian was a little tipsy from the wine.
Coach Gao laughed, "Are you serious? You're a poor student, where are you going to get that kind of money?"
"I really think this will make money!" Vivian said, thinking for a moment. Then she grabbed her phone. "Hold on, I'll borrow from someone. I'll put in even more!"
"Don't! You're scaring me now. Thirty thousand, if you're not afraid of losing it, then go ahead."
"Alright, send me your bank account details. I'll transfer it to you."
Coach Gao hesitated. "But what if it's a loss? There's no refund, you know."
Vivian waved her hand. "Unlimited joint liability. It's just money, what's the big deal? Worst case, I'll drive a cab for a couple more years to pay it back. I understand business law, you know. A bit of risk, a bit of reward."
Coach Gao didn't take her seriously. "I think you're still drunk. Let's talk about it again tomorrow after you sober up."
The next day, Vivian was sober and still decided to invest thirty thousand.
Coach Gao agreed, and Vivian quickly signed the partnership agreement for the driving school. "You young people really get straight to business. The previous investment rounds were exhausting," he joked.
Vivian, confident this project would make money, replied, "Forget about those who can't see the opportunity. They'll regret it later!"
However, after transferring the 300,000, her account balance dropped to just 18,000—quite a sobering reminder of the investment she'd just made. This was when Vivian truly felt the weight of her decision—she had really put herself out there.
She didn't tell anyone about the investment. First, because making big money was something you had to keep quiet about. Second, she didn't want to admit if she had made a mistake, losing both money and face.
The new school year began at the end of August, and Vivian, eager to learn about the driving school market, spent some time mingling with the senior students. As she gathered information, she became more invested in the idea. She went back to Coach Gao and discussed ways to recruit new students.
"That's the spirit of someone who's invested. Your attitude toward work is completely different," Coach Gao teased, laughing. "Unlike Daniel, who slacks off and just drags his feet."
Vivian grinned. "Of course, time to get serious about the business! I'll head out this afternoon and get some flyers and discount coupons printed."
On the first day of school, Vivian stood at the entrance of the campus, flyers in one hand, and a loudspeaker in the other. She looked less like a freshman and more like a seasoned street vendor. Even the senior students were impressed. "You're amazing, buddy. You were born to be in sales."
Vivian shrugged. "What's the big deal? The bold get to enjoy life first!" She wiped the sweat off her forehead with a tissue and quickly put down her lunch to greet the incoming freshmen. "Come check out Honglong Driving School! You can start practice right after class!"
The name "Honglong" wasn't random—it symbolized prosperity, with "a long rainbow" signifying a prosperous future.
For the first couple of months, after school started, Vivian was so focused on the business that she barely had time for her studies. Luckily, military training was something she could skip, and freshman courses didn't have exams. She spent almost every free moment at the driving school, even skipping weekends to avoid returning home.
She was so busy that it was rare for her to have a conversation with Noah, let alone Ethan, who was far away. Her WeChat was filled with student inquiries, and Ethan's messages gradually got buried under the flood of them, his simple nickname and pale profile picture becoming almost invisible.
When Vivian thought back later, she realized that Ethan's sudden emotional breakdown didn't come out of nowhere—there had been signs all along.
Ethan had sent her a few late-night messages, but they were quickly retracted, and she hadn't seen them.
She casually texted back, "What's up?"
He replied, "Nothing. Why aren't you asleep yet?"
"Busy making big money!" Vivian responded cheerfully. "Wait for the good news!"
Ethan's tone softened a bit. "Alright, just don't overwork yourself. Remember to rest."
Vivian gave a dismissive "Mm-hmm," and quickly hung up.
Of course, she was busy. Could money just wait around for people to rest?
There was one strange thing that happened, though, which Vivian didn't pay much attention to at the time. One day, she got a call. Thinking it was someone inquiring about the driving school, she chatted away. But it wasn't. The person on the other end claimed to be a relative of the Blackwood family, wanting to meet their children.
"Hey, man, you can't just say whatever you like..." Vivian's tone suddenly shifted to cold disbelief. "You say you're a relative of the Blackwood family? If you really are, where were you when the Blackwood family went bankrupt?"
The caller faltered, unable to respond.
"Crazy," Vivian muttered, hanging up.
It wasn't until after the horse had bolted that they thought to show up. She had raised those kids well, so why was some stranger now trying to worm their way in? Vivian wasn't a saint. She wasn't going to say something like, "If you can live a better life, then go ahead." That was ridiculous.
She still hoped those two kids would help her in her old age.
By mid-October, a new batch of students arrived, and the driving school was beginning to run smoothly. While Vivian's dividends hadn't come through yet, she did receive her commission for the student sign-ups.
"You're still the top performer this month," Coach Gao praised.
In September, she earned 15,000, and by October, with the National Day holiday, her earnings surged to over 20,000.
Vivian's savings account had finally bounced back.
Now, she could finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.
At the end of November, Ethan came back for a visit. Vivian took him to get a haircut. "You need new clothes. These are all last year's, and they're falling apart."
Having just received her paycheck, Vivian waved her hand grandly, taking both brothers to JH Road to buy clothes.
"Pick whatever you want. Don't hold back."
She smiled and handed a cigarette to a clerk who was about her age.
Noah paused for a moment, staring at her curiously.
"Sis, when did you start smoking?"
Vivian bit the filter and, hearing this, couldn't help but fall into thought. When did she start smoking? She couldn't remember.
Was it when someone casually handed her a cigarette while she was recruiting students? Or was it when she was working with Coach Gao and the person in charge of the test center offered her one? Or maybe it was one time, struggling over performance targets, she lit one to calm herself. From "I don't smoke" to "I don't know how," to the first time she accepted one, and now, here she was.
"When you're doing business, how can you not smoke?" she said, coming back to her senses and chuckling.
Noah was shocked, asking what kind of business she was doing.
Vivian just shook her head, giving him a mysterious look. "Don't worry about it. Just focus on your studies."
Ethan, as usual, remained calm and gentle, only occasionally interjecting a word or two when appropriate.
Vivian actually sensed that something about him was different from before, but she had to admit that she had been too busy making money at the time, neglecting the care and attention she should have given to both brothers.
As a result, she failed to notice the fresh, bright red cuts on Ethan's wrist when he changed his clothes.