Chapter Twenty-Three: Driver’s License

Thanks to Mr. Night Rain, Jia Ru 8:30, and the God of Mirrors for their generous rewards. Half-Immortal is truly grateful—thank you!

Nicole’s birthday was lively and joyous, with many gifts and even someone dressed as a clown performing for the children. The little girl laughed heartily. At lunch, the table was laden with all sorts of dishes for self-service. Of course, after tasting a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, she refused to try anything else, sticking to her favorite.

But no matter how much she liked it, the adults couldn’t resist reaching for the ribs with their forks, and soon, in less than a minute, the sweet and sour pork was gone. This only made everyone all the more convinced that this chef, whose annual salary was two million dollars, was truly the real deal. The food was exquisite—even those who managed only a single piece were overjoyed, among them people who had tasted cuisine from the world’s top chefs.

“This is God’s masterpiece,” said the old man, his tone exaggerated. He was the one who had come to the noodle shop for a free meal, grumbling about Sean selling the ranch too cheaply. His name was Paul Stazack, a retired colonel who had settled in the town to enjoy his twilight years.

“I’ve tasted the finest food, but now, this is the best,” he said, clutching a piece of sweet and sour pork, grinning. “That year, the President received us and invited the world’s top chef—a Frenchman…”

“Oh, please, Paul, you’ve told that story for over twenty years,” someone laughed.

“And I’ll keep telling it for thirty, maybe longer,” Paul chuckled. “I’ve tasted the best food… Well, now you all have, too…”

The old man was rather endearing.

The whole birthday party was cheerful, with food and performances. When it ended, people began to take their leave. Qiu Fengyu was escorted out by the entire Britt family, clearly the most popular guest.

With a plate of sweet and sour pork ribs, Qiu Fengyu’s status as a two-million-dollar chef seemed indisputable. It became something of a pride for the townsfolk, so much so that as he departed, Elizabeth smiled at him and said, “Whatever gift you bring, it’s important to us.”

“In fact… the replica pistol was Kerfin’s idea, and the sweet and sour pork ribs… that’s my specialty. I’m glad you like it!” Qiu Fengyu replied with a cheerful smile and headed home.

A few days later came the time for the driving test, typically held near the DMV’s testing grounds or on the streets. Qiu Fengyu gathered all his documents: learner’s permit, road test application, proof of insurance for the test vehicle, and the vehicle registration.

The most troublesome requirement was that for the road test, you needed a licensed friend to accompany you—the same person who supervised your practice driving—and the car used for the test had to belong to this friend.

Well, Qiu Fengyu hadn’t actually practiced driving, only familiarized himself with road signs and theory. After some thought, he decided to call Kerfin. She was a good person and knew the exam process well.

Sure enough, Kerfin agreed immediately when she got his call. She truly was kind. The next morning, Qiu Fengyu arranged to practice driving with her.

Kerfin’s car was a little Chevrolet. Generous as ever, she parked it beside Qiu Fengyu’s noodle shop, tossed him the keys, and strode off to the police station, leaving him to his own devices.

The next couple of days were all about getting used to the car’s performance. It had been a while since he’d driven, but Qiu Fengyu didn’t hesitate to take the car onto the highway, speeding along joyously.

After his thrill ride, he returned to prepare ingredients for noodles, sold them at midday, and then spent the afternoon racing again. His skills were impressive, and he relished the feeling of flying down the road. Fortunately, the town’s nearby highway had a speed limit of eighty-five miles per hour—one hundred thirty-six kilometers—which was more than enough for a family car. As long as he didn’t exceed one hundred miles per hour, there’d be no police chasing him.

Back from his drive, he parked the car by the noodle shop and saw Kerfin approaching. She glanced at Qiu Fengyu, then at her car, then back at him.

“I thought I’d come back to a pile of scrap metal,” Kerfin remarked, eyeing her car. She didn’t enter the shop, waiting for Qiu Fengyu outside. “Drive me home, and pick me up for the police station tomorrow. For these two days of practice, you’re in charge.”

“No problem,” Qiu Fengyu replied, delighted.

Kerfin climbed into the passenger seat without hesitation, gesturing for him to get in. He started the car and drove smoothly. Along the way, she corrected some of his minor habits.

The next day, he picked her up again, and Kerfin taught him more tips. After two days of driving her around, he’d learned everything he needed. The rest of the time, Kerfin didn’t bother to supervise him—after seeing him race, she thought he could easily be a professional driver.

The road test was held near the DMV in Paso City. Kerfin took a rare day off to accompany Qiu Fengyu to the exam.

The test covered lane changes, roadside parking, three-point turns, left and right turns at intersections, and stopping at stop signs. Speed limits were enforced: ten miles per hour for turns, twenty-five in alleys, thirty-five on secondary roads. He had to pay special attention to traffic signs and even drove a stretch on the highway.

The outcome was perfect. During the exam, Qiu Fengyu was meticulous, making no mistakes. The examiner couldn’t help but say, “Perfect,” which made Qiu Fengyu pull a silly face at Kerfin.

“Your girlfriend is quite the coach, buddy!” the examiner added.

Kerfin flashed a victorious “V” sign at Qiu Fengyu. He responded with a mock cry, and both laughed.

He signed for a temporary license at the DMV, and was told the official license would arrive in a few days. With the temporary one, he could drive anywhere in Texas. If he wanted to drive in another state, though, he’d need to apply for a local license—but no additional road test was required.

Since each state’s license is valid only within its borders, if you go elsewhere, you must apply for a new one, but you don’t need to take another road test.

“With this, I can go anywhere I want,” Qiu Fengyu said, waving his temp license at Kerfin as he drove home, feeling triumphant.

Kerfin glanced at his smug expression and shrugged. “Hey, buddy, don’t forget you’re driving my car. Want to go anywhere? First, you need your own vehicle. Looking for a used car? Go find Braken—he always has a way. The bastard will sell anything. But make sure it’s legal, or I’ll come after you.”

“Braken, Braken, Braken—I like the guy, slippery as an eel. I like him… I need a car, or I’ll go mad,” Qiu Fengyu said, his whole body trembling with excitement.

“I thought you hated that bastard?” Kerfin asked, puzzled. “He sells pills, runs girls, sometimes peddles fake liquor and used cars—he does it all.”

“I like Braken Hill, the used car dealer,” Qiu Fengyu chuckled. “I need a two-thousand-dollar—no, at least three-thousand-dollar used car. Powerful engine… something that roars like a Bugatti Veyron. Honestly, that’s a man’s car… zero to sixty in 1.8 seconds.”

“You’ve driven one?”

“Of course, I saved a rich bastard in Ukraine. He had a limited edition—what a ride… just like a wild woman…”

“Don’t degrade women!” Kerfin retorted disdainfully.

“No, I respect women—that’s why I say it!” Qiu Fengyu laughed.

They returned to his shop together. Outside, the “Closed” sign had been amended by someone to read “Bastard.” It seemed Qiu Fengyu’s sudden closure had annoyed a few people.

He parked the car, dangled the keys in his hand, and said to Kerfin, “Time to return to mama’s embrace. Goodbye, sweetheart!” He even kissed the car keys before tossing them to her.

“Disgusting!” Kerfin pulled a face at him, then started the car and drove home.

“Disgusting?” Qiu Fengyu wiped his mouth, watching Kerfin leave, laughing. He turned, picked up the temporary sign, noted the prominent “Bastard” scrawled across it, and tossed it into the trash can, hearing a satisfying thud as the “Closed” sign landed inside.