Could Lin Shi really just walk away like that? The three of them couldn't believe that the usually easy-going Lin Shi had become so cold-blooded. By the time they reacted, Lin Shi was already far away.
"Lin Shi, wait for me!" Xu Feifei wanted to follow Lin Shi, but she was stopped by the waiter. "What are you doing? That's my boyfriend!" Xu Feifei glared at the waiter, her tone hostile.
The waiter sneered, "You can call your boyfriend and ask him to pay your share."
Xu Feifei's chest heaved with anger, but she didn't dare to be aggressive toward the waiter, who looked intimidating. She turned and glared fiercely at Zhao Xiao. "What are you staring at? Pay up!"
"I... I don't have that much money..." Zhao Xiao was humiliated in front of the girl he liked and now hated Lin Shi more than ever. He had been working for less than a year, and his savings hadn't even reached four digits. How could he afford thirty-eight thousand? Lin Shi had guessed right; seeing Lin Shi spend tens of thousands in minutes yesterday had made Zhao Xiao jealous, leading him to invite Lin Shi out today to take advantage of him. Zhao Xiao knew Lin Shi would always pay, unable to leave his only "best friends," even if it pained him. But why had Lin Shi changed so much today?
Zhao Xiao, refusing to believe otherwise, called Lin Shi. Lin Shi, feeling refreshed after leaving the club, hung up the call, blocked all of them, and went home. Zhao Xiao's call was disconnected, and when he tried again, it wouldn't go through. Only then did he realize Lin Shi wasn't going to help them anymore.
Faced with the waiter and several security guards from the club, Zhao Xiao whispered, "Let's split the bill..."
Huang Miao and Xu Feifei were unwilling. Huang Miao had just started working, and Xu Feifei was still a student; neither had the money. The idea to come to the club was Zhao Xiao's, and he had promised to pay. Even the hostesses were Zhao Xiao's choice. The three of them argued bitterly, and eventually, the club called the police. They had to call their families to pay the bill. Zhao Xiao, having drunk the most expensive drinks, had to pay eighteen thousand. Huang Miao, who also drank a lot, had to pay thirteen thousand. Xu Feifei reluctantly paid seven thousand.
As they left the club, the three of them parted ways unhappily. Huang Miao and Zhao Xiao had a heated argument, blaming each other, almost breaking their friendship. Xu Feifei didn't give Zhao Xiao a good look either, blocking him as soon as she got home. Just one gathering, and not only had his best friend turned against him, but his love interest had also kicked him out of her life. Zhao Xiao hated Lin Shi deeply.
However, when Zhao Xiao got home, he received no comfort. Instead, his father scolded and slapped him. His father was furious that Zhao Xiao had embarrassed himself and the family, especially since they were planning to buy a house and needed to borrow money from Lin Shi. His father ordered Zhao Xiao to apologize to Lin Shi immediately. His father believed that Zhao Xiao's obvious attempt to take advantage of Lin Shi had offended him. None of this mattered to Lin Shi, and even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
The next day, Lin Shi woke up early, exercised, and had breakfast. Soon, he received a call from a real estate agent named Chen Qingqing.
"Mr. Lin, I have a client who wants to see the house. When are you available?"
So fast? Lin Shi was slightly surprised. "I'm available now. You can bring them over."
About ten minutes later, Lin Shi heard the doorbell ring. He opened the door to find a middle-aged man in a jacket and the young and attractive Chen Qingqing. Chen Qingqing began detailing the house's advantages while Lin Shi stepped back, letting the professionals handle it.
After viewing the house, the middle-aged man agreed to buy it outright. Chen Qingqing negotiated a price of 9.45 million yuan. Lin Shi was surprised; it happened much faster than he expected. As they left, he noticed the middle-aged man making inappropriate gestures toward Chen Qingqing, and he understood what was happening.
Shortly after, Chen Qingqing returned. "Mr. Lin, I've convinced the client. We'll handle the transfer tomorrow. Please prepare the necessary documents."
This big deal was secured quickly, and Chen Qingqing had used all her skills. "Alright." Despite being impressed by her methods, Lin Shi was satisfied with the result. The sooner the house was sold, the sooner he could move on to the next step.
Chen Qingqing continued explaining the required documents, gradually leaning closer. Lin Shi took a few steps back, giving her a cold stare.
Chen Qingqing, in her mid-twenties, was in her prime with a good figure. However, Lin Shi is not interested in this kind of woman. Her heart sank under his cold gaze, something she had never seen in a young boy. But thinking of the substantial commission, she forced herself to smile. "Mr. Lin, you said any amount over nine million would count as commission..."
"I keep my word. I'll transfer the money once the transaction is complete. I need to go out now, so I won't keep you longer." It was her skill that earned her 450,000 yuan, and Lin Shi wouldn't go back on his promise. With this money, he could proceed with his next plan.
Satisfied, Chen Qingqing sighed with relief and left. Lin Shi also prepared to go out. He had an appointment to sign the lease for a warehouse. He had inspected the warehouse and was pleased. Before renting, he had several requirements: it should be in a sparsely populated area, highly confidential, and invisible from the outside. The agent, a meticulous man in his thirties named Liao Peng, had found the perfect warehouse and checked it beforehand.
The contract signing went smoothly. Tomorrow, after the handover of his apartment, Lin Shi could move into the warehouse. As they were leaving, Lin Shi stopped the agent. Liao Peng was meticulous and steady, traits Lin Shi appreciated.
With less than three months until the apocalypse, Lin Shi needed to gather a massive amount of supplies, upgrade the treasure pot, and build a shelter, which would take a significant amount of time and effort. He needed someone to help him.
"Do you have any interest in working for me? I can offer you an annual salary of five hundred thousand yuan," Lin Shi offered.
Liao Peng was stunned. An annual salary of five hundred thousand yuan? That was two or three times his current salary! But he was skeptical, wondering if Lin Shi was joking. He cautiously asked, "What do you need me to do? I can't do anything illegal."