Chapter 546: Chapter 546: The Boss is Always the Boss
"Don’t speak too soon, or you’ll end up with a swollen face," Xu Ke said, half-smiling.
"Hmph, let’s see. Some people just won’t give up until they hit a dead end. Today, I’ll be kind enough to give him a lesson, to teach some people what it means to know one’s place," Miss Ding said, emphasizing the last four words heavily.
The atmosphere in the store became tense and filled with a sense of impending conflict, as if a world war could break out at any moment.
The store’s employees were so tense they didn’t dare to speak, all holding their breath, standing silently to the side, quietly serving as background scenery.
But their eyes were restless, darting back and forth between Xu Ke and Miss Ding, all silently wondering whose side the manager would take when they came down.
No one in the store expected Xu Ke would prevail; sure, he’s wealthy, but as Miss Ding said, just having money isn’t enough in Yunzhou—you also need power.
Perhaps it was due to the status of the involved parties, but the manager arrived quickly.
The manager was a mature woman about 30 years old.
"Hello, Miss Ding. May I know how to address this gentleman?" The manager greeted Miss Ding first before turning her gaze to Xu Ke, subtly evaluating him and Ariel with her eyes.
"My surname is Xu."
"Mr. Xu, at the start of the year, I didn’t hear of any prominent families with the surname Xu," the manager said after pondering for a moment, her eyes reflecting a hint of curiosity.
"There are none in Yunzhou, but there are in Shangjing," Xu Ke replied meaningfully.
"What kind of riddles are you playing?" Miss Ding checked the time, growing impatient.
Just as the manager was about to say something, Miss Ding interrupted, "Enough, I’m not interested in your riddles. My time is precious, and I don’t want to waste it on two nobodies like you."
"Your store is on my uncle’s turf. Whether it stays open is up to me. I’m also a major customer here, so you should know what to do without me having to say it," Miss Ding stated.
"We will consider your concerns, but I still have a few questions for Mr. Xu," the manager responded calmly to Miss Ding.
"Ask away. Once I’m done shopping, I need to go have lunch with my girlfriend," Xu Ke urged, noticing it was almost lunchtime.
"I want to know if the Xu Family in Shangjing you’re referring to is the one I’m thinking of," the manager cautiously inquired.
"How many Xu Families are there in Shangjing?" Xu Ke replied with a smile.
"And your full name is?"
"Xu Ke."
Hearing Xu Ke’s name, the manager’s demeanor turned enthusiastic.
"I didn’t expect such an honor of your presence. I apologize for not welcoming you properly; had I known you would visit our store today, I would have personally attended to you."
"No worries. The lady who served me earlier did a great job. My girlfriend enjoyed talking with her and liked the products she introduced."
As the saying goes, one can’t hit a smiling face. With the manager’s warm attitude, Xu Ke couldn’t stay cold either and exchanged pleasantries as the manager intended.
"It’s her honor to be liked by your girlfriend."
The manager’s deferential attitude towards Xu Ke infuriated Miss Ding standing nearby, feeling like she was being ignored. Her eyes turned slightly red with anger.
"Are you all going to keep talking here endlessly? I’m standing right here, and you dare to ignore me, especially you,"
Pointing a finger at the manager’s nose, Miss Ding continued, "Do you not want to keep your store open here? If your superiors find out that the store can’t continue operating because of you, I think your position as manager would be over."
Miss Ding’s words carried a threat, but this time, the manager seemed unfazed, not at all worried about the threat being carried out.
"I’m sorry, Miss Ding. Mr. Xu is a VIP client of our brand. Since he expressed that he’s not pleased to have you here and wishes you not to remain, we adhere to the ’customer is king’ principle, so please step aside," the manager maintained her smile, but her words left Miss Ding wide-eyed in astonishment.
"I didn’t hear correctly. Did you just say he’s your VIP client, and you want to kick me out for him? Do you realize whose land you’re on when saying this?" Miss Ding shouted back.
"Miss Ding, I think there’s a misunderstanding. We are in a partnership, not an employment relationship. If you wish to violate our agreement, you’ll need to compensate us with penalty fees."
The manager deflected Miss Ding’s threat, leaving Miss Ding clenching her fists in anger, her body trembling involuntarily.
"Fine, you’re bold, siding with someone like this over me. You say he’s a VIP client; do you have any proof of his identity? Aren’t you afraid he’s a fraud?" Miss Ding, a bit out of control, pointed at Xu Ke’s nose.
"Rest assured, no one would dare impersonate Mr. Xu," the manager explained.
"How can you be sure? The world is full of surprises. Once you realize something’s off, it’ll be too late for regret. I’ll give you one last chance: if you throw these two out for me, I’ll pretend none of this ever happened; otherwise, I’ll make sure everyone here pays for it," Miss Ding threatened again.
"No need for concern. With Mr. Xu here, what you’re suggesting won’t happen," said the manager, her face showing none of the previous fear, instead looking extraordinarily confident, as if she had found her backer.
"Why are you all standing there? Didn’t you hear what Mr. Xu said? Follow his instructions," the manager smiled and directed the staff behind her.
"What are you trying to do?" Miss Ding, as if realizing something, asked in disbelief.
"We’re fulfilling Mr. Xu’s request," the manager replied politely.
"I think you’re crazy! You’re really going to comply with this lunatic’s demand? Are you not concerned about your own careers?" Miss Ding said, a bit panicked, seeing the staff getting closer to her.
"My career will go smoothly, no need for your worry."
"Fine, I’ll remember this. Just wait until you’re forced to move out of this building," Miss Ding threatened and yelled at the approaching staff, "Don’t touch me; I’ll leave on my own."
Miss Ding glared fiercely at Xu Ke and Ariel, burning their faces into her memory before leaving without looking back.