“What did you say?” Lin Hai whipped his head around.
“I said I’ve got plenty of money. They’re just two lousy tickets—name your price, and I won’t even blink,” the chubby woman said arrogantly.
“Really?” Lin Hai gave a playful smile.
“Tch, of course! I’ve got money, and I do what I want. So, how much?” The woman shot Lin Hai a contemptuous look. I’ve got money—how could I not handle this?
“In that case, should we sell her two?” Lin Hai asked Liu Xinqing with eager eyes.
“Hmph!” Liu Xinqing pouted and turned her face away, clearly not thrilled about it.
Lin Hai ignored her and turned to the chubby woman, rubbing his hands together with a bit of nervousness.
“Um, beautiful lady, you really want to buy? Front-row tickets are pretty expensive.” Lin Hai looked humble, even throwing in a “beautiful lady” for good measure.
The chubby woman grew even more smug seeing him like that.
“Expensive? I love expensive things! I’ve got money coming out my ears—you think I can’t afford it? Just name your price!” She puffed out her chest.
“Well… then I’ll say it?” Lin Hai asked cautiously, his smile growing more ingratiating.
The onlookers shook their heads one after another.
Money really does talk. Look at this guy—he was acting all high and mighty, messing with that chubby woman just a moment ago. But the moment money comes up, he caves.
“Go on! It’s just money—I’ve got plenty to spare!” The chubby woman tilted her chin way up.
Lin Hai shrank his neck and timidly held up one finger.
“A thousand?” The woman curled her lip dismissively.
Lin Hai quickly shook his head.
“Ten thousand?” She blinked, a little surprised.
Lin Hai shook his head again.
“You’re not asking for a hundred thousand, are you?” she shrieked.
Lin Hai shook his head even faster.
“What? You want a million? Have you lost your damn mind?” she screamed hysterically.
“No, not a million, not a million.” Lin Hai waved his hands frantically, looking timid.
The chubby woman finally let out a breath of relief. She’d already talked big—if Lin Hai actually asked for a million, she’d have been screwed.
“Then how much? Spit it out already! It’s not a hundred bucks, is it?”
Her mouth was practically curled up to her ears. She’d already covered everything starting with “one”—a million had scared the idiot half to death, so ten million was obviously out of the question.
A single dollar or ten dollars seemed impossible even to her. That left only a hundred dollars she hadn’t mentioned.
The chubby woman grew even more contemptuous of Lin Hai. What a country bumpkin who’s never seen money before.
“Th-then, I’ll say it?” Lin Hai said timidly.
“Say it! Spit it out! I’ve got money—you think I can’t pay?”
“O-one hundred million,” Lin Hai stammered.
Pfft!
The chubby woman nearly fell off Biaozi’s back in shock.
“H-how much?” She thought she’d heard wrong.
“O-one hundred million?” Lin Hai repeated.
“Are you out of your mind?! Why don’t you just go rob a bank?!” The chubby woman was shaking with rage, her layers of fat jiggling and making Biaozi wince beneath her.
“You… you’re not going to go back on your word, are you?” Lin Hai said pitifully.
“What do you mean go back on my word? When did I ever owe you anything?”
“Huh? But everyone here heard you—you told me to name my price. Didn’t you say you’ve got plenty of money? Didn’t you say you can do what you want? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t even blink? Well, pay up!” Lin Hai held out his hand.
“You—you’re price-gouging! This is extortion!” the chubby woman shrieked.
“Hey, cut the crap. Are you buying or not? If you are, pay up!” Lin Hai pulled out two tickets and waved them in front of her face.
The chubby woman nearly fainted from anger. Of course I want to buy, but who the hell can afford that price?!
“Only an idiot would buy!” she screamed.
“Oh, so you’re not buying after all?” Lin Hai curled his lip in disdain.
“Damn it, I thought I’d run into a sugar mama and was about to hit the jackpot. Turns out it’s just some poser. What a letdown.”
“Who are you calling a poser?!” The woman got worked up.
“Who else, you idiot—obviously you! Is your IQ broken too?”
“You’re the poser!”
“Tch, if you’re not a poser, then buy them! Where’s your money? You talk all big, but when it’s time to pay up, you choke. What else would you call that?” Lin Hai flipped her off.
“You—you—owww!” The woman was shaking with fury, and that shaking was the last straw for Biaozi beneath her. His legs gave out, and the two of them crashed to the floor with a thud.
“Bahahaha…” The onlookers burst into laughter.
Now they could all see it—Lin Hai had been faking it the whole time. He’d been toying with the chubby woman from start to finish.
“Hey, don’t bother coming out to show off if you can’t back it up. It’s just too embarrassing.” Lin Hai shook his head with contempt.
“You—just you wait! Ah Biao, hurry up and help me up, dammit!”
“Sister Pang, you’re on top of me—I can’t even get up myself. How am I supposed to help you?” Ah Biao was practically crying from under her massive frame.
The whole lobby burst into laughter again.
“Hey, buddy, how much are you selling those tickets for? Can you sell me one?” a man called out with a smile from the side.
“If you want one, I’ll sell it to you at face value.” Lin Hai figured he had way more tickets than he needed anyway—might as well sell them instead of letting them go to waste.
“Really? Oh man, thanks a ton, brother!” The man came over happily and made the transaction.
“Thanks, buddy!” He took his ticket and left satisfied.
The moment everyone saw that, their eyes lit up, and they swarmed over.
“Buddy, sell me one!”
“Handsome, I want one too!”
“I want two!”
…
The lobby descended into chaos.
“Holy crap, don’t push! One at a time! Damn it, who’s grabbing me? Hey, you there, little missy, are you copping a feel?” Lin Hai was scrambling frantically.
It took a good while before the crowd finally dispersed, each clutching their tickets with beaming faces.
Lin Hai looked at what he had left—about twenty-something tickets.
Alright, can’t sell any more of these. I might not have enough for myself later.
“Little sister-in-law, ready to head home?” Lin Hai waved at Liu Xinqing.
“Hold it right there!” The chubby woman called out angrily.
“Huh? What is it, poser?”
“You—why did you sell to them at face value but tried to gouge me?!” she demanded indignantly.
Lin Hai was speechless. He honestly had to admire this fat auntie’s intelligence.
“Are you seriously that stupid? Can’t you tell I was messing with you? I never had any intention of selling to you in the first place, got it?”
“Little brat, if you won’t sell, I don’t even want to buy anymore!” The woman’s face suddenly twisted into a snarl.
“I’ll have you know my husband is a squad leader in the Tianhe Gang. Leave all those tickets behind right now and get lost, or I’ll have him bring his men to chop you up!”
The crowd flinched at the mention of the Tianhe Gang, and a ripple of fear spread through them as they looked at the chubby woman.
She noticed their reaction and grew even more smug.
The Tianhe Gang? Lin Hai curled his lip in disdain. Weren’t those the guys Bald Qiang beat up before?
When she saw Lin Hai wasn’t saying anything, the woman assumed he was scared too, and her grin turned even more vicious.
“Hmph! And as for that little slut next to you—I won’t let her off either. I’ll have my husband’s brothers take turns with her and teach her not to mess with me!”
Lin Hai had been ready to leave, but the moment he heard that, his footsteps came to an abrupt halt!
A cold gleam flashed in his eyes. He pulled off his shoe and smacked the sole right across the woman’s face.
“You dare threaten my sister-in-law?! Go ahead—call everyone you can. Don’t say I didn’t give you the chance!”
