After finishing the prescription, Jin Lao Ba was about to leave when he suddenly turned back. He took out his checkbook, wrote a check, and handed it directly to Ling Tian.
"Little brother, you've helped me a lot. This is just a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it..."
Ling Tian saw the amount on the check – it was 100,000 yuan! It seemed this Boss Jin was a man of character and generosity.
Ling Tian reached out and blocked the check.
"I'm sorry, Boss Jin, I can't accept this money!"
"Why? Do you think it's too little?" Jin Lao Ba was even prepared to write another check.
"Not at all. A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it righteously. If you had actively sought my help today to treat your illness, I would have gladly accepted any consultation fee. But the truth is, I approached you first, asking to examine you. If I take this money, it would be like taking advantage of your misfortune!"
Jin Lao Ba was impressed by Ling Tian's words and looked at the young man with newfound respect. This was 100,000 yuan, no small sum, yet this casually dressed young man had calmly refused it. This was the true quality of someone who viewed money as dirt. Such a person was worth befriending!
Jin Lao Ba thought for a moment, put the money back, and said, "Little brother, you are a righteous person. I've made a friend in you."
With that, he took out a card from his pocket. The card's color was as dazzling as a diamond.
"You saved my life, and I wouldn't be able to rest easy if I didn't show my gratitude. This is our Lao Ba Catering's diamond membership card. I'm in the catering business, and we have many high-end restaurants. With this card, you'll get discounts when you dine at our restaurants, and a private room will always be reserved for you, no matter when you visit!"
Ling Tian initially didn't want to accept it, but Jin Lao Ba insisted. After much back and forth, Wang Bingxia finally made the decision to accept the card on Ling Tian's behalf. They also exchanged contact information and agreed to meet for a meal later.
After Li Lao Ba left, only Ling Tian and Wang Bingxia remained in the VIP lounge. Just then, a sales assistant, accompanied by a staff member, pushed a cart of medicinal herbs over.
"Sir, all the medicinal herbs you requested are here, except for a few that we don't have in stock at the moment. The total is 328,000!"
Ling Tian looked at the sales assistant. It wasn't the same Xiao Sun from earlier, but a middle-aged woman in her early forties.
"May I ask your surname?"
"My surname is Ma. You can call me Xiao Ma!" The woman flashed a fawning smile, which Ling Tian found rather off-putting.
He looked up and glanced outside the VIP lounge. Not far from the door, Xiao Sun was leaning against the counter alone, head bowed, with what appeared to be tear streaks in her eyes.
In that instant, Ling Tian seemed to understand something. This sales assistant, Ms. Ma, was a senior salesperson and the top seller in the establishment. When Ling Tian first entered, she, along with others, had dismissed him. However, after Xiao Sun had attended to Ling Tian and invited them into the VIP lounge, these people realized they had missed out on a big sale.
The greedy Ms. Ma had directly approached Xiao Sun, using her seniority to force Xiao Sun to give up this customer. She told Xiao Sun that she couldn't handle such a large order and that she, Ms. Ma, had to provide the service. If Xiao Sun refused, she would go to the supervisor and ensure Xiao Sun faced difficulties during performance reviews. In sales, performance was everything. Good performance meant being treated like a VIP, and even bullying colleagues or stealing their sales, or even violating regulations, would be overlooked by supervisors. Between a top salesperson and a novice, it was obvious who the supervisor would favor. Thus, Xiao Sun was pushed aside, and Ms. Ma, the sales promoter, usurped her role.
Ling Tian's expression turned grim. He strongly disliked such bullying behavior. When he and Wang Bingxia had entered earlier, the other sales assistants had paid them no mind, only Xiao Sun had greeted them warmly. Now, as they were about to make a purchase, these people were trying to snatch the credit. How could such a thing be allowed!
"I don't wish to speak with you. Please have the sales assistant from earlier come and serve us!"
Ling Tian's words stunned Ms. Ma. This was not going according to plan.
"Sir, I am a golden-tier sales consultant here. I am the most professional..."
"I know, I'm not questioning your professionalism. However, the lady who served me earlier was Ms. Sun, and I was very satisfied with her service. I request to be served by her!"
Ms. Ma's expression turned ugly, but she forced a strained smile.
"Sir, my service to you would be the same..."
At this point, Wang Bingxia spoke up, "Don't businesses treat customers as gods? If the customer requests to be served by a specific person, what problem is there with that?"
"This is an unreasonable request! We have the right to refuse you service!" Ms. Ma, having nothing to lose, said in exasperation.
Ling Tian snorted, "In that case, call your manager!"
"Then you can wait!" Ms. Ma said, turning and leaving. Ms. Ma was confident about involving their superior, believing that as the top salesperson, the manager would naturally favor her.
Soon, Ms. Ma returned, bringing someone with her. Ling Tian chuckled when he saw the person – it was the same Manager Li who had served Jin Lao Ba earlier.
"Manager, I suspect these two are not here to buy anything. They refused my service. I suspect they have ulterior motives!"
Ling Tian almost burst out laughing upon hearing this. They were playing the game of the guilty party filing a complaint first. Manager Li quickly stopped her.
"What nonsense are you talking about? They are honored guests, not troublemakers. Little brother, I apologize. There might be some misunderstanding here."
Manager Li was no fool. He had witnessed Ling Tian's medical prowess firsthand earlier, and Boss Jin was utterly impressed. Initially, he had blamed Ling Tian for being meddlesome, but after Ling Tian revised the prescription, Boss Jin not only didn't return the medicine but bought more, making Manager Li very grateful to Ling Tian. He hadn't expected his top salesperson, Xiao Ma, to clash with this esteemed gentleman.
"There is no misunderstanding. I simply do not wish for her to serve me. I will only accept service from your sales assistant, Ms. Sun!" Ling Tian stated firmly.
Manager Li quickly explained, "That young Ms. Sun is new and still unfamiliar with the business. Xiao Ma is our best sales consultant..."