"You Want to Renovate? Sure, I Can Introduce a Team—Affordable Prices, Top-Quality Work!"
Somehow, Xie Qin had already appeared at the shop door. She was wrapped in a large trench coat today, still wearing sunglasses, but she took them off casually as she stepped inside. "Chu Fei, no outsiders in the shop now except for us, right?"
"None."
Chu Fei shook his head and went over to lock the door. "Qin-jie, what treatment are you here for today?"
"Mm, let's head up to the second floor first... Oh, and boss lady, you've got hot water here, right? I brought some tea leaves—could you brew me a cup? This is the only kind I can stomach."
"No problem at all!" He Peiling quickly took the tea leaves Xie Qin pulled from her bag.
Once upstairs, Xie Qin shrugged off her trench coat on her own, but instead of heading into the main room, she circled the floor with keen interest. "Chu Fei, this second-floor space isn't small at all. Why not renovate it properly? Turn it into a dedicated beauty and body center for female clients—wouldn't that be better? Best to put up a proper sign outside too. It'd make things so much easier for us coming over. Look at me now—I have to wear this coat and shades every time, like I'm sneaking around doing something shady."
"You're right, but renovations cost money. We're just a small operation..."
"Small operation? I heard from Zhang Lin that her full treatment ran over eighty grand!"
"Uh... well, that took a lot of effort on my part."
Chu Fei had to defend himself a bit.
"I know, and you deserve every penny—you've got the real talent for it."
Xie Qin eyed him up and down. "Kid, I'm rooting for you, that's why I'm giving you this heads-up. In today's world, substance matters, but packaging is just as crucial. Take the other day when Xiaolin dragged me here—I was ready to turn right around and leave."
"..."
"And why do you think I came early today? To avoid being spotted. If this were a legit spot, we wouldn't have to skulk around like this!"
"..."
Chu Fei could only give a wry smile at Xie Qin's logic. "I get it. Mom and I have already talked it over—we're planning to shift the shop that way. Just needs a little time."
"Young man, if you want to do big things, you need some guts! Let me teach you how to leverage the resources around you."
Xie Qin pulled out her phone in front of him and dialed a number. "Xiaolin, I'm downstairs at that shop near your place. Yeah, chatting with Chu Fei right now—massage later. He wants to turn this into a proper beauty and body center. I think the kid's onto something good, so I'm considering investing a bit to support him. You interested in being a minor shareholder?"
"Absolutely! If he's got that vision, I'm all in. Whatever he needs, just say the word!"
"Then come on down. We can hash it out together."
Xie Qin had the speaker on, so Chu Fei heard Zhang Lin's voice crystal clear. After a few more words, she hung up and turned to him. "You catch that? You know the value of your abilities, but you're young—no business savvy yet. We can help with that. Not gonna lie, I've got selfish motives too. Spent all yesterday thinking how to make the most of this godsend you've got. Xiaolin's right—your hands are the golden hands, the kind that could drive women worldwide wild. If I hadn't met you, fine, but now that I have, letting you squander it on the street would be my failure."
"..."
What a woman! No wonder Zhang Lin said she was something else. But what was Xie-jie's real background?
"Auntie, never thought you'd be interested in investing in a place like this. Word gets out, and jaws will drop."
Zhang Lin arrived soon after, fresh out of bed by the look of her—no makeup, but in her current state, she didn't need it. She looked even more natural and stunning.
At least Xie Qin eyed her with a touch of envy right then. "Xiaolin, think I'll get results like yours after my treatment?"
"Guaranteed, Auntie. Don't doubt A-Fei's skills for a second, right, A-Fei?"
Somehow, Zhang Lin's tone toward Chu Fei had grown even more intimate.
"Yeah..."
Chu Fei nodded with a grin. What else could he say?
"Alright then, let's settle the investment talk quick. I've gotta squeeze in that massage..."