Free Web NovelChapter 322: Chapter 322: An Unlucky Year
Anger rose in Gu’er. ’You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep,’ she thought. ’If Zhang Lili has a friend like this, it just goes to show what she’s really like. Thank goodness Li Zhi wasn’t bewitched by her looks. If he’d married someone like that, his life would have been impossible.’ freewёbnoνel.com
"What are you talking about?! Gu’er is my sister, and she’s one of the managers here. Show some respect and stop attacking people like a mad dog. Besides, Zhang Lili and I are not a couple, so leave me out of this."
Li Zhi was furious now. He secretly congratulated himself on not getting involved with Zhang Lili. Bringing someone like this into his life would mean he could kiss any hope of a peaceful life goodbye.
"Li Zhi, you..."
Seeing Li Zhi reject her in front of so many people, Zhang Lili cried out his name. Her large, innocent eyes fixed on him, tears welling but never quite falling—a sight designed to tug at one’s heartstrings.
"Don’t. Don’t give me that look. You’re making it seem like I’m bullying you, but I haven’t done a thing. We are not a couple. This is a serious matter that affects our whole lives; it needs to be made perfectly clear."
But Li Zhi was unmoved. For him, what mattered most was having a real connection with a woman. Zhang Lili was beautiful—more beautiful than Gu’er, even—but she couldn’t hold a candle to Gu’er. When he was with Gu’er, he felt at ease, comfortable; he could be himself. After the scene she’d caused today, he would rather stay single forever than be with Zhang Lili.
"What are you talking about? Everyone knows you and Lili are an item. Don’t you dare take advantage of her and then refuse to take responsibility. If you act like this, we’ll report you! We’ll report you for indecent conduct, for lewd behavior!"
Lan Hua’s eyes went wide. She hadn’t expected Li Zhi to actually disown Zhang Lili in front of everyone.
"Go ahead. Report me to whoever you want. Lewd behavior? Are you kidding me? With which eye did you see me engaging in lewd behavior?"
Li Zhi couldn’t believe Zhang Lili had such a piece of work for a friend. If he had known, he never would have even agreed to meet her.
Gu’er also thought this Lan Hua woman was a real piece of work. ’The term "lewd behavior" wasn’t something to be thrown around lightly. In this era, a conviction for such a crime meant jail time. Gu’er had even heard of people getting locked up just for dancing too closely with a woman. Lan Hua’s accusation was incredibly serious. As for Zhang Lili... just standing there, silent and looking aggrieved... she was the very picture of a beautiful, innocent "little white flower."’
"If you want to file a report, be my guest. But right now, we need to handle the situation in front of us. Ladies, shall we move to my office, or would you prefer to settle this right here?"
’This needs to be resolved, and quickly,’ Gu’er thought.
"Why go to an office? We’ll say it right here! We’re in the right. If you don’t fire this sales clerk and compensate us today, this won’t be over!"
Lan Hua shouted, her voice booming.
"Alright, we’ll handle it here then. You’re asking us to fire an employee, so you’ll have to give us a reason. What exactly did she do? How did she offend you? If we are truly at fault, we will apologize where apologies are due and compensate you where compensation is due. I assure you, we will reach a satisfactory resolution," Gu’er said, prompting her for the full story.
"Fine, I’ll tell you! Lili and I had some free time today, so we decided to do some shopping. We came into this store and tried on a couple of outfits, just two, and your sales clerk immediately got impatient! She said, ’If you can’t afford it, don’t try it on.’ Do we look like people who can’t afford things? With our Lili here, what couldn’t she buy if she wanted to? And that’s not all! She even said that Lili’s pretty face was just meant for seducing men. Isn’t that ridiculous? How can you treat a customer like that? Doesn’t she deserve to be fired?"
Lan Hua spewed out the story in a rapid-fire burst.
Murmurs spread through the crowd. Some believed her, some were skeptical. Some agreed the clerk should be fired, while others had different opinions.
"Alright. Now that I’ve heard your side of the story, let’s hear what Xiao Bai has to say."
Gu’er turned to Bai Xiaohua. The clerk hadn’t said a single word since the commotion started. Though the rims of her eyes were red, she stood ramrod straight.
"Hear what? We already told you what happened! There’s nothing more to hear."
Lan Hua grumbled, clearly displeased.
"You have to give people a chance to speak for themselves. That’s how it works everywhere; both sides get to state their case. You claim our employee acted this way, but I personally don’t believe my staff would say such things. I need to hear what she has to say. We have to get the full story, right?"
Gu’er’s voice remained calm and even.
Hearing this, Bai Xiaohua glanced at Gu’er, her eyes flashing with gratitude. She had expected Gu’er to be like the other manager and simply order her to apologize. But since Gu’er was giving her a chance to speak, a chance to be believed, she would tell her story.
"These two customers came into the store wanting to try on clothes, and I assisted them with a smile the entire time. This lady," Bai Xiaohua gestured to Zhang Lili, "tried on a total of eight outfits."
Bai Xiaohua was referring to Zhang Lili. After speaking, she glanced at Lan Hua and continued, "And this customer tried on a total of six outfits. I was not the least bit impatient while they were trying on clothes. I never said they couldn’t afford anything, nor did I make any remarks about this beautiful lady’s appearance. You taught us that customers are our livelihood and that we must serve them well no matter what they ask. Therefore, I treat everyone who walks into the store with the utmost patience and enthusiasm. The two customers picked out six outfits and told me they wanted them. I bagged everything up, but then they just grabbed the bags and started to leave. When I brought up payment, this customer here claimed she was dating Boss Li, so why should she have to pay for items from ’her own family’s mall’? She even said that as long as they saw something they liked, they could take as much as they wanted, and that we should be honored by their patronage."
As Bai Xiaohua said this, she shot a look at Lan Hua. The crowd understood immediately who she was talking about.
"During our training, before we even started on the floor, you told us that everyone—including any of you managers—has to pay for what they take. No one gets to take things on an IOU, and no family members can come and take things for free. Those are the mall’s rules. Otherwise, if one person takes something today and another tomorrow, the mall couldn’t stay in business. It would be total chaos. So, I explained to these two customers that they couldn’t leave with the merchandise and that everyone has to pay, no exceptions. But this customer wouldn’t listen. She started cussing me out, threatening to get me fired, and tried to walk out with the bags anyway. I stepped in her way to stop her, and she actually tried to hit me! If I hadn’t dodged in time, my face would be swollen right now. I still refused to let them leave with the items, and that’s when this customer started causing a huge scene. Then the manager and the others arrived."
Bai Xiaohua finished narrating her side of the story. Her account was coherent and detailed, and Gu’er believed every word.
’So, another freeloader trying to take things without paying. The nerve of these two! Never mind that Zhang Lili isn’t even dating Li Zhi—even if she were, she still couldn’t just come here and take things for free. What do they think this place is?’
Gu’er glanced at Zhang Lili. The woman was still putting on a pitiful act, as if she’d been deeply wronged. Lan Hua, in contrast, wore a look of indignant arrogance, puffing herself up as if she were somebody special.
Gu’er sighed to herself. ’What a bad run of luck this year. Why do I keep running into such characters? I deal with one, and another immediately appears. There’s never a moment of peace.’
