Chapter 202 - 196: Scalpers and Cell Phones

Chapter 202: Chapter 196: Scalpers and Cell Phones

On the ride back.

Su Yunzhou couldn’t stop thinking about what Sister Man had told him. It turned out that Jiang Shiyue, who seemed so carefree and independent, had such a painful past.

Sister Man’s underlying intention in saying all this was undoubtedly to play matchmaker, but given his current situation, being just friends with Jiang Shiyue was the best choice. Su Yunzhou had a very clear sense of self-awareness. With Tong’s assistance, he could only be someone who loved broadly.

As for a somewhat emotionally closed-off woman like Jiang Shiyue, it was hard for an ordinary person to walk into her heart. But once someone did, and she became deeply invested, discovering that her partner possessed an entire forest of other women would be a disaster. Therefore, being friends was the optimal choice. Men and women didn’t necessarily have to be in that kind of relationship; they could simply be close confidants!

After returning to the hotel and washing up, the alcohol went to Su Yunzhou’s head, and he crashed onto the bed, falling asleep instantly.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town.

Sister Man had just brought a drowsy Yue back to her own home. Her husband happened to be on a business trip, so there was no fear of inconvenience.

After getting settled, Sister Man walked out to the balcony, poured herself another glass of red wine, and lit a cigarette. She was used to sleeping late. The night breeze brushed against her face, feeling comfortable and free. Yet, as she gazed at the dark city, she let out a long sigh.

Earlier, she had told Zhuzhu about Yue’s past, hoping he would understand her occasional stubbornness and sensitivity. She didn’t want Yue to get hurt. Although Zhuzhu had nodded and said yes later on, she could clearly feel that his attitude wasn’t as enthusiastic as she had imagined. He wasn’t intimidated by Yue’s past; rather, it felt like he had made up his mind about something.

She sighed inwardly. Zhuzhu was a good man, but matters of the heart really couldn’t be forced. Still, having another friend was a good thing. At the very least, making a male friend meant Yue had taken the first step out of her shell.

They had already agreed to have dinner tomorrow night anyway, so she would just let nature take its course from here on out!

The next day.

Su Yunzhou slowly woke up. The tasks in his mind had been updated.

[Task 1: Please go to the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower in Shanghai and check in.]

[Task 2: You must answer YES to any situation encountered during your trip.]

The voice-controlled curtains glided open.

The morning sun cast a beautiful golden glow over the Huangpu River. In the distance, the towering Oriental Pearl looked like a giant, glittering gemstone embedded in the city skyline, radiating brilliance. It was the landmark building of Shanghai and the country’s first AAAAA-rated radio and television tower tourist attraction. The completion of the Oriental Pearl held special, representative significance in Shanghai’s history.

Such a beautiful view naturally had to be shared. He took out his phone, snapped a photo, and posted it to his Friends Circle.

Instantly, numerous red notification dots popped up.

A former colleague commented, "Bro, your life is truly amazing!"

A former female colleague chimed in, "Wow! The Huangpu River looks so beautiful from this angle!"

A broke friend asked, "This hotel looks a bit expensive! Did you win the lottery, man?"

Li Yan commented, "Wow! Your photography skills have improved!"

Seeing this meaningful comment, Su Yunzhou smiled faintly. The progress of the Corporate Acquisition Card in his mind was already more than halfway complete. He wondered if Yanyan would be overwhelmed when faced with this surprise.

He chuckled. He was really looking forward to it!

Right after, Liu Yiyi started a video call with him. She was slightly unhappy today because a certain someone had ignored her last night. However, after that certain someone gave her a casual, unpretentious virtual tour of his hotel room, she smiled happily again.

After hanging up the phone, a knock sounded on the door. A waiter had delivered a lavish breakfast. Looking at the dazzling array of exquisite food on the table, Su Yunzhou ate and sighed in admiration. Having money really allowed one to do whatever they wanted!

Habitually scrolling through short videos, he was suddenly captivated by a news report about explosives being planted inside cell phones. After clicking to watch it, he cursed, "Holy crap!

"These bastards are taking it way too far!"

After swearing, Su Yunzhou felt his own phone become inexplicably hot in his hand. After watching a few more similar news clips, a lingering fear crept into his heart. He decided to go out and buy a new phone immediately.

Coincidentally, Huawei’s new trifold phone had just been released. As a megacity, Shanghai should have it in stock.

Half an hour later.

Su Yunzhou arrived at the Huawei flagship store on Nanjing East Road.

The store’s interior was simple yet grand, occupying three floors on this prime, incredibly expensive stretch of real estate. The first floor was the Smart Mobility Zone, showcasing best-selling vehicles under the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance, as well as the latest smartphones and other terminal products. The second floor featured a Whole-House Smart Experience Zone, a cafe, a children’s area, and a lounge. The third floor housed the Sports and Health Zone.

A smartly dressed staff member immediately came forward to greet him. After learning what he was looking for, the employee politely informed him of the situation. The Ultimate Design series was currently completely sold out. If he made a reservation now, he would have to wait an estimated half a month. The staff member simultaneously recommended two other best-selling phones.

But Su Yunzhou didn’t find them very interesting. He wandered around the store for a bit before deciding to check elsewhere.

While On the Road, he also searched up a pretentious luxury phone brand called Vertu, which coincidentally had a store nearby. After a five or six-minute walk, an exquisite and highly upscale store appeared before him.

There were two beautiful female sales associates inside. As soon as he walked in, a saleswoman with a solid eight-out-of-ten appearance sashayed over to greet him. Her voice was sweet, carrying a trace of respect and flattery.

"Hello, sir. Welcome to Vertu."

"Hello," Su Yunzhou replied.

The saleswoman then observed his attire, mentally assessed his purchasing power, and began her recommendations.

The pricing structure of this brand’s phones was quite interesting, ranging from twenty thousand to over six hundred thousand yuan, covering a very comprehensive spectrum. It was said there was even a special limited custom edition that cost over two million.

To this, Su Yunzhou could only chuckle sarcastically.

However, the saleswoman was indeed eloquent, emphasizing that Vertu’s most important feature was its accompanying private British butler service. Every phone came with a one-on-one private butler who could help you do anything. When she said this, the saleswoman gave him a knowing look. The implication was self-evident. She then gave an example.

"We once had a client who encountered danger while traveling. Through our private butler, he used the one-click helicopter calling service..."

To this, Su Yunzhou could only respond with a polite smile.

He thought, "Heh! Do you believe that? I certainly don’t."

To be honest, Su Yunzhou wasn’t lacking money, but this thing seemed too damn much like an idiot tax. Rather than spending hundreds of thousands on a phone, he might as well hire two highly capable—and physically appealing—female secretaries. How great would that be! If he got tired of them, he could just switch to a different flavor.

The saleswoman seemed to realize that this sale was a lost cause. Moreover, the customer had just mentioned that he came straight from the Huawei store, making it easy to guess the exact model he was looking for.

Taking the opportunity while pouring him tea, the saleswoman whispered, "Sir, if you aren’t interested in our brand, I have channels to purchase other phones. For example, the latest Ultimate Design?"

"Oh?" Su Yunzhou looked up, glancing at her exquisite makeup that was starting to cake slightly.

The saleswoman added, "However, sir, as you know... there will be a markup."

"Alright," Su Yunzhou nodded.

Seeing that a preliminary deal had been reached, the saleswoman smiled, greeted her female colleague in the store, and led Su Yunzhou outside. They arrived at a coffee shop with a very long English name.

After taking a seat, the saleswoman said, "Sir, please wait a moment. The goods will be brought over right away."

Su Yunzhou shrugged and took a sip of his coffee. He didn’t know if it was the ambiance, but the taste was decent—just more bitter than what he usually drank.

A moment later.

A man wearing black-framed glasses and carrying a backpack walked in. He walked straight up to the two of them, greeted the beautiful saleswoman, and then turned to Su Yunzhou.

"Sir, do you want the red one or the black one?"

"Black!"

"For the Xuanwu Black color, I have a 16GB plus 1TB model here..."

After a brief introduction, the bespectacled man smiled and said, "Bro, since you were introduced by an acquaintance, I won’t give you a ridiculous price.

"You can check online how much this phone is going for right now. I’ll give you a fixed price of forty thousand. I got it directly from official channels. After you buy it, you can immediately take it to the flagship store next door to verify its authenticity."

Seeing his confidence, Su Yunzhou believed him a bit more. After all, it was obvious why store stock was so hard to get.

Everyone understood the game. Just like the current situation, phone salespeople generally had connections to varying degrees. Especially when a new phone was released, having an extra friend truly meant having an extra path to make more money.

Right at that moment, an obnoxious voice rang out from the side.

"I’ll offer forty-five thousand!

"Sell this phone to me!"