The man’s words were like pouring oil on the flames to Yue Hai’s ears.
A visible surge of anger flashed across his face, but in the next second, a figure stepped between the two of them.
"Calm down first."
Li Zhonglou cast a calm glance at the man before turning to Yue Hai.
"Someone in his position earns commissions based on how much we buy. Do you really want to make him money?"
Both men froze at his words.
Then, a cold smirk tugged at Li Zhonglou’s lips. "If you want to vent your anger, there are plenty of ways. No need to act like a fool and help him profit just because he pissed you off."
Yue Hai didn’t know what a "fool" was, but he grasped the general meaning. His brow furrowed.
"Then what should I do?"
"Simple."
Li Zhonglou pulled out his phone. Shops like these always had the manager’s contact information posted. Under the man’s uneasy gaze, Li Zhonglou quickly found the number at the front desk and dialed.
The man’s face instantly paled. He hurried forward, putting on an apologetic expression. "Sir, that was my mistake earlier. There’s no need to involve the manager over such a small matter. I’ll apologize to your friend, how about that?"
Li Zhonglou barely spared him a glance, ignoring him completely. When the call connected, he succinctly recounted what had happened.
The man’s face turned ashen.
After hanging up, Li Zhonglou paused beside him and said coolly, "Don’t think everyone’s an idiot. If you’re going to look down on people, at least have the skills to back it up."
With that, he led a bewildered Yue Hai out of the store. The man whirled around, glaring at their retreating figures, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"Damn it, you two are dead!"
Rage burned in his eyes. He wasn’t some nepotism hire—he knew exactly what consequences Li Zhonglou’s phone call would bring. At best, a pay cut. At worst, losing his job entirely.
Destroying a man’s livelihood was like killing his parents. How could he not hate them?
But to Li Zhonglou, the man was nothing more than a clown, unworthy of a second thought. Yue Hai, however, couldn’t let it go. The moment they left the store, he bombarded Li Zhonglou with questions.
Finally, Li Zhonglou explained, "People like that only get more satisfaction the angrier you get. By calling in a complaint, I made sure he might not even get paid. That’s hitting him where it hurts."
Yue Hai looked lost until he heard the phrase "where it hurts." Then, understanding dawned.
"So… he’s afraid of complaints?"
"That’s the gist of it."
"I see."
Yue Hai nodded solemnly. For some reason, Li Zhonglou had the nagging feeling he’d misunderstood something.
But as long as he didn’t resort to violence, it was fine.
Soon, Li Zhonglou put the incident behind him and took Yue Hai to another clothing store.
This time, they were assisted by a cheerful young woman. Not only did she enthusiastically explain the materials and prices of various clothes, she even helped Yue Hai pick out outfits personally, leaving him flushed and flustered.
Having had little interaction with women, Yue Hai was completely unprepared for such friendliness. He stammered, hesitated, and couldn’t even bring himself to meet her eyes, making her giggle behind her hand.
"Sir, your friend is so shy! You don’t see many handsome guys like him these days."
Li Zhonglou shook his head slightly. At this rate, it was clear Yue Hai was only suited to being a bodyguard. His social skills were practically nonexistent—he’d probably clam up at the first woman who talked to him outside.
Still, impressed by the girl’s warmth and professionalism, Li Zhonglou ended up buying Yue Hai several expensive outfits.
To everyone’s surprise, once Yue Hai changed into trendy clothes, he actually carried a bit of a celebrity vibe—especially with those clear, earnest eyes of his. The girl couldn’t stop complimenting him.
"Let’s go. Why are you still standing there?"
As Li Zhonglou stepped out of the store, he noticed Yue Hai lingering behind, looking reluctant to leave. He had to call out to hurry him along.
Only then did Yue Hai snap out of it, grabbing the shopping bags and rushing after him.
Since Yue Hai’s old clothes had been too eye-catching, he was now wearing one of his new outfits (with the tags removed). His handsome features, combined with his confident stride, drew admiring glances from women—and even a few envious looks from men. The difference from when they’d first arrived was night and day.
"See? Change your clothes, and suddenly people treat you differently."
Li Zhonglou smiled, but Yue Hai didn’t respond.
When he turned, he found Yue Hai staring at the ground, distracted and seemingly lost in thought.
Li Zhonglou stopped walking. Yue Hai bumped into him before snapping back to reality.
"Huh?"
"What’s wrong? You seem off."
Yue Hai froze for a long moment. Then, abruptly, he gritted his teeth.
"Li-ge, I think… I like that girl from earlier. I need to go back and find her!"
Li Zhonglou stood there, petrified. By the time he processed the words, Yue Hai was already striding away. With a bemused expression, Li Zhonglou hurried after him.
Meanwhile, back at the store…
The rude salesman—now with a face like thunder—had entered the girl’s shop.
"Ming Ying? Shouldn’t you be minding your store?"
"Not anymore." His voice was grim. "Yu Zhu, I’m quitting tomorrow. This is my last time asking—will you be my girlfriend or not?"
The girl’s expression tightened. "Ming Ying, I’ve told you before. I’m not looking for a relationship right now."
Ming Ying suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Yu Zhu, you know how I feel about you! The only reason I took this job was to be near you!"
She yanked her hand free, but before she could speak, he pulled her into a rough embrace. Instinctively, she raised her arms to block him.
"Stop it! I’ll scream if you don’t let go!"
But he kept pushing her further into the store, pinning her against a clothing rack. A few passersby outside glanced over but assumed it was just a couple being affectionate and paid no mind.
Tall and strong, Ming Ying easily overpowered her. Trapped against the shelves, she couldn’t move.
"Yu Zhu, I love you! Just say yes!"
With that, he leaned in, trying to kiss her.