The Jaw-Dropping Eighty-Eight Thousand Deal
Everyone present was utterly dumbfounded. Was this outright robbery? Even the big chain stores wouldn't dare charge prices like that!
"How much to do all of these?"
"All together, it's 98,900."
He Peiling had been standing nearby with a calculator from the start, punching in the numbers as her son rattled them off. "The diamond membership card gets you a 10% discount, so that's 89,000 yuan total. But you're a regular, Xiao Zhang—let's make it lucky and call it 88,000 even."
"Print up the bill for me."
Zhang Lin paused for a moment, then nodded coolly, as if it were just 880 bucks instead of 88,000. "List every item clearly—number of sessions, how many times each—so I can see it all at a glance."
Hiss... Nearly everyone in the lobby sucked in a sharp breath.
Under Chu Fei's guidance, He Peiling quickly typed up the invoice on the computer, printed it out, and swiped Zhang Lin's credit card.
Eighty-eight thousand in one go, and Zhang Lin hadn't even blinked. But once she had the receipt in hand, she suddenly shot Chu Fei a glance. "Handsome, you do outcalls?"
"Outcalls?" Chu Fei rubbed his chin. "I'm new in Shenzhen—not familiar with the area yet. And hauling medicines around would be a hassle. Give me a bit to settle in, and we'll talk."
"Fair enough..." Zhang Lin didn't seem too fussed. She nodded. "Then I'll start coming in tomorrow for these treatments. That work?"
"No problem at all, Zhang-jie. Come whenever you like."
The moment Zhang Lin walked out, the entire shop exploded into screams!!
He Peiling was the first to hurl herself into her son's arms. She stared up at the tall young man in disbelief, scrutinizing him hard. It had been four years since they'd seen each other, and his looks hadn't changed much, but suddenly... she felt like she barely knew him anymore.
He'd only arrived in Shenzhen yesterday, and today he'd already closed an 88,000-yuan mega-deal!!
Women were always willing to splurge on themselves—especially mature ones with some years behind them—but 88,000 wasn't pocket change for just anyone. And folks who could drop that kind of cash casually? They sure as hell didn't slum it in little neighborhood shops like this.
So as long as Chu Fei nailed Zhang Lin's treatments and left her thrilled, her social circle alone would mean he'd never have to worry about clients again...
The other girls watched Chu Fei with pure envy. The projects and prices he'd quoted off the cuff had scared the hell out of them all. But... Zhang Lin had actually signed?
Truth be told, though, Zhang Lin was something of a fluke.
She was a regular, sure—but she usually just popped in for a quick shampoo or styling and bounced. Never any facials or body treatments. Most times she was quiet as a mouse, occasionally venting to He Shishi, but she kept her personal life zipped tight. Her clothes screamed average office drone, and even the designer bag on her arm? Most figured it was a knockoff. So up until now, no one in the shop had a clue about her real status.
Big deal, though. Zhang Lin was just a lowly neighborhood committee director in Luohu District.
With Shenzhen's train station right there in Luohu, the area was a melting pot—tons of transients, sketchy underbelly stuff going on. Managing it took real grit, so Zhang Lin had zero time for fancy salons. She'd hit whatever was convenient for a wash and style. And this shop? Simple: she lived in the apartment upstairs. Quick pit stop on the way.
Of course, she wasn't blind to the shop's... side hustles.
But He Peiling ran a tight ship back then. Two floors or not, she stonewalled any johns wanting to rent rooms upstairs—no matter how much extra they dangled. After scoping it out, Zhang Lin decided the place had some standards. Not like those outright brothels masquerading as salons; she'd never set foot in one of those.
At least on the surface, Chu Fei's family shop did legit beauty and hair—He Peiling was a pro stylist herself, second place in some big contest back in the day. Folks still came asking for bridal updos. And since the location sucked, the girls had to hustle hard to keep customers: solid massages, thorough shampoos. Especially He Shishi on wash duty—that girl was a machine, zeroed in on Zhang Lin's prefs fast, kneaded her scalp just right every time.
That was the big draw. Plus, Shenzhen being what it was—open minds, endless options for girls—hardly anyone stuck with straight-lace salons anymore. Low pay, no ladder to climb. So pro shops were crawling with male apprentices now. Zhang Lin might be chill about most things, but some dude pawing her hair? Hard pass...