“Dear customer, welcome to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s telephone banking service…”
Lin Hai’s face was cold as he put the call on speakerphone in front of the sales assistant and dialed the ICBC customer service number.
“Your current account balance is ten million, five hundred and forty-seven yuan.”
“Is that enough to buy this piece of clothing?” Lin Hai asked in an icy tone.
The sales assistant was stunned. She never expected that this young man, dressed in cheap clothes and looking like a student, was actually a multimillionaire.
“Sir, I’m so sorry, really, I apologize,” the sales assistant hurriedly apologized, quickly handing the dress to Liu Xinyue.
“Miss, take your time looking. It’s fine if you don’t buy it.”
Liu Xinyue didn’t take the dress. Instead, she turned to look at Lin Hai.
“Take a look. I think this one is nice too,” Lin Hai said, tilting his chin toward the dress.
The sales assistant’s face immediately lit up with a smile.
“Miss, are you buying this for an elder in your family? Oh my, not only are you beautiful, but you also have great taste. This dress is handmade in Italy…”
The sales assistant went on and on, describing the dress as if it were a rare treasure, making it seem like not buying it today would be a huge loss.
“Hmm, very nice, excellent. This dress is practically perfect,” Lin Hai nodded seriously, his expression showing satisfaction.
“Shall I wrap it up for you?” the sales assistant asked eagerly.
“Wrap it up.”
“Right away!”
The sales assistant was overjoyed, silently scolding herself for almost chasing away a golden goose. This one dress alone would earn her a commission of over 3,000 yuan, equivalent to a month’s salary for an ordinary worker.
“Hey, this one looks good too.”
“And this one, and that one over there…”
Lin Hai was meticulously picking out clothes, and the sales assistant’s face was beaming with joy. Every time Lin Hai picked something, her heart fluttered, and her hands trembled with excitement as she wrapped the clothes.
After nearly half an hour of picking, Lin Hai finally stopped.
“Lin Hai,” Liu Xinyue tugged at his sleeve, feeling like he had gone mad. There were over twenty items!
Lin Hai winked at her, a playful smile on his face.
“Sir, everything’s wrapped up for you. The total is 517,900 yuan. I’ll take the liberty of rounding it down to 517,000 yuan.”
The sales assistant handed the receipt to Lin Hai, her smile warmer than if she were greeting her own father.
She couldn’t help but be friendly. With this sale, her commission would be around 70,000 to 80,000 yuan, equivalent to half a year’s work for her.
If Liu Xinyue hadn’t been there, she might have even asked Lin Hai if he wanted to hang out.
But Lin Hai’s next words froze her smile in place.
“Why are you giving me the receipt? Who said I was buying anything?” Lin Hai asked, feigning confusion.
“Sir…” The sales assistant was dumbfounded, unable to process what was happening.
“You… you told me to wrap them up, didn’t you?” she said with a forced smile.
“Yeah, I told you to wrap them up,” Lin Hai nodded, still looking puzzled.
“Then you…”
“But didn’t you say earlier that it’s fine if I don’t buy anything?” Lin Hai asked, looking at her strangely.
Liu Xinyue couldn’t hold back any longer and burst out laughing.
“Sir, you’re so funny. Will you be paying in cash or by card?” The sales assistant forced a smile, though it looked more like a grimace.
She still held onto a sliver of hope.
But that hope was quickly shattered.
“You think I’m joking?” Lin Hai’s tone turned cold.
“With the attitude you had at the beginning, you think I’d buy anything from you? You’re an idiot, but don’t assume everyone else is too.”
“You couldn’t even tell I was messing with you. How clueless can you be?” Lin Hai tossed out the remark and walked out with Liu Xinyue, chatting and laughing.
It took a while for the sales assistant to process what had happened. When she did, she let out a furious scream.
She pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
“Brother Qiang, your little sister’s been bullied, boo hoo…”
“Lin Hai, you’re so bad,” Liu Xinyue said, still giggling as they walked away.
“Who told her to look down on people?” Lin Hai shrugged.
After nearly an hour of shopping, Lin Hai bought a set of clothes for his parents and sister, spending over 100,000 yuan.
In the past, Lin Hai wouldn’t have dared to think about such an expense.
But now, it was different. Spending over 100,000 yuan didn’t even make him blink.
“Alright, next up, we’re shopping for ourselves. Let’s start with you.”
“Ah, no, no. The clothes here are too expensive. I don’t need them,” Liu Xinyue waved her hands, though her heart was filled with sweetness.
“That won’t do. Let’s go. Your boyfriend here is lacking in many things, but money isn’t one of them.”
“Stop it, who said you’re my boyfriend?” Liu Xinyue bit her lip, lowering her head.
Her feelings for Lin Hai were complicated.
Initially, she had agreed to be his girlfriend out of necessity, to learn the “Moon Palace Melody” and win the singing competition to fulfill her father’s wish.
But then, Lin Hai not only taught her to sing but also covered her father’s medical expenses and even claimed he could wake her father from his coma.
On top of that, he had saved her at the bar and, in front of her classmates, acted as her boyfriend to fend off Hu Wei, who had been pursuing her.
All these actions had deeply moved Liu Xinyue. After spending a few days together, she even found herself occasionally thinking of Lin Hai as her real boyfriend.
However, since they hadn’t known each other for long, a part of her still couldn’t fully accept it.
“Hey, you agreed to it. A promise is a promise,” Lin Hai teased.
“I’m not a gentleman. I’m just a little woman, hmph,” Liu Xinyue pouted proudly, her dimples showing.
After some careful selection, Lin Hai and Liu Xinyue emerged from the mall looking completely different.
“Clothes really make the man, huh? What do you think, Xinyue? In this Armani casual wear, I look pretty decent, don’t I?”
Lin Hai strutted around, clearly pleased with himself.
“Giggle, who describes themselves like that?” Liu Xinyue had chosen a light blue dress that accentuated her already stunning beauty, making her the center of attention in the mall.
“Brother Qiang, they’re coming out. That’s the jerk who messed with me.”
As soon as they stepped out, a sharp, ear-piercing voice rang out.
Lin Hai frowned and saw the sales assistant from earlier standing not far away, glaring at him with hatred.
Beside her was a shiny bald head that reflected the sunlight, making it impossible to miss.
“Damn, isn’t that Bald Qiang?”
“Let’s go!” Lin Hai whispered. If Bald Qiang saw him, he’d start calling him “Master” again, and Lin Hai wasn’t in the mood for that.
“Stop right there!” The sales assistant rushed forward, blocking Lin Hai and Liu Xinyue.
“You think you can mess with me and just walk away? Just because you have some money, you think you’re all that? Today, I’m going to have someone beat the crap out of you!” The woman planted her hands on her hips, showing her inner shrew.
“Oh? And who’s going to beat the crap out of me?” Since there was no avoiding it, Lin Hai crossed his arms and looked at the sales assistant with amusement.
“Hmph, if you apologize to me now, maybe I’ll feel generous enough to put in a good word with Brother Qiang. Otherwise…” The sales assistant glanced toward Bald Qiang, but her expression froze.
Bald Qiang was jogging over with a sheepish smile, bowing and scraping like a grandson meeting his grandfather.
His lackeys looked even worse, their faces pale as if they’d seen a ghost. Some were even trembling.
They had every reason to be scared. Last time, they’d been beaten to a pulp, especially the first guy who’d made a move. He’d broken five ribs and was still in the hospital.
“Brother Qiang, you…” The sales assistant was completely confused.
“Brother your ass!”
“Mas… Master, I didn’t know it was you,” Bald Qiang stammered, sweat dripping down his forehead.
“Interesting, Bald Qiang. What’s your relationship with her?” Lin Hai gestured toward the sales assistant with his chin.
“This is Xiao Li, my, uh, my girlfriend.”
“Your girlfriend?” Lin Hai couldn’t help but laugh. The world was a strange place. Even someone like Bald Qiang had a girlfriend.
Seeing Lin Hai laugh, Bald Qiang misunderstood.
“Master, if you’re interested, you can borrow her for a few days. Xiao Li’s figure might not be great, but her skills in bed are top-notch. I’m not lying.”
Bald Qiang thumped his chest proudly, trying to appear generous.
Whack!
Lin Hai smacked Bald Qiang’s shiny bald head.
“Damn it, what are you talking about!” This guy was truly a piece of work.
Bald Qiang winced in pain, then noticed Liu Xinyue standing behind Lin Hai. She looked familiar.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he remembered.
He rubbed his bald head and laughed awkwardly. “Oh, so the Master’s wife is here too. With such a beautiful wife, of course, Master wouldn’t be interested in Xiao Li. Master, you’re a lucky man.”
Pfft!
Lin Hai nearly choked.
“Lucky my ass! Get lost!”