Wang Xiaolu was also quite shocked and curiously looked towards Ye Tian, asking, "Brother Tian, what is your relationship with this person?"
Ye Tian smiled and said, "A friend."
"This friend of yours is really impressive." Wang Xiaolu looked at Bald King being slapped and felt a great sense of relief, with a smile overflowing on her face.
Before long, Boss Zhang's hand ached from hitting, so he stopped. Bald King's face was swollen from being hit, but he didn't fight back; he just kept begging for mercy.
Boss Zhang snorted coldly and walked towards Ye Tian, smiling.
"Little brother Ye, what do you think we should do with this person? Should I make a call and make him a penniless beggar?"
Bald King immediately crawled from the ground to Ye Tian's feet, begging like a dog.
"Brother Ye, Grandpa Ye, I know I was wrong, please spare me, just pretend I was a fart and let it go!"
Bald King was sobbing and tearful, looking like a dog who lost its home.
Ye Tian helped King up, straightened his collar, and then patted his shoulder, calmly saying, "I'll spare you this time. Be a good person in the future, and don't bully the poor!"
Bald King left gratefully, looking very dejected.
"Boss Zhang, thank you for this time," Ye Tian said to Boss Zhang with a smile.
Boss Zhang looked at Ye Tian, then glanced at Wang Xiaolu standing next to Ye Tian, and immediately showed a knowing expression.
"Ha-ha, little brother Ye, no need for thank yous between us. When there's time, Brother Zhang will treat you and your sister-in-law to a meal; I won't disturb your shopping today."
Hearing this, Wang Xiaolu's pretty face immediately blushed, and her heart began beating even more intensely.
The surrounding onlookers, having watched a thrilling reversal play out, also dispersed.
Ye Tian and Wang Xiaolu continued shopping.
After visiting two shops and finding nothing particularly suitable, Wang Xiaolu wanted to use the restroom, so Ye Tian wandered nearby while waiting for her.
Next to him was a Versace international brand clothing store, and Ye Tian walked in.
Inside, a fashionably dressed long-legged female store manager immediately warmly began introducing him to the products.
This beautiful store manager, dressed in a professional lady's suit and wearing seven-centimeter-tall black high heels, with heavily drawn eyebrows, looked spirited and possessed a great aura.
Normally, Ye Tian, a customer like this, would have been categorized by the beautiful store manager as a poor ghost who couldn't afford anything.
However, the beautiful store manager had just witnessed the whole conflict between Ye Tian and Bald King, so naturally, she wouldn't treat Ye Tian as an ordinary person anymore.
Ye Tian wanted to browse alone, so the beautiful store manager backed off.
Suddenly, he saw outside the store door, a woman clutching a man's arm walking in.
These two people were both very young, about the same age as Ye Tian, the woman petite and pretty, dressed smartly, glittering from head to toe.
The man was short and fat, wearing a thick gold chain around his neck, with a gold tooth in his mouth, exuding a restless aura, a true nouveau riche.
Seeing the two, Ye Tian's face slightly frowned.
The two were Ye Tian's high school classmates, the woman named Sun Xiaoli and the man named Gao Debiao.
Sun Xiaoli was Ye Tian's first love. On the eve of college entrance exams, Sun Xiaoli suddenly broke up with Ye Tian and then got together with Gao Debiao, the son of a coal mine owner in the class.
"Ye Tian, you are a farmer's son; even if you get into university and find a slightly better job, what good would it do? You'd still have to struggle and hustle in life, you could never give me what I want, the life I aspire for. I don't want my youth wasted in your hands."
...
Those cold, heartless words Sun Xiaoli said when they broke up, Ye Tian still remembered.
Because of this incident, Ye Tian was quite dejected before the college entrance exam and didn't perform well, failing to get admitted to his first choice, Qingmu University in Capital City.
Although the two had not been in contact for four years, Sun Xiaoli's past hurt to Ye Tian was something he couldn't completely dismiss as if nothing had happened; he felt uneasy in his heart.
"Ye Tian?"
Sun Xiaoli recognized Ye Tian at a glance.
Upon seeing Ye Tian's cheap clothes, she immediately displayed a look of disdain.
Gao Debiao, noticing Ye Tian's shabby appearance, came over and showed a very insincere smile, "Ye Tian, haven't seen you in four years, where are you working now?"
When he actually greeted him, Ye Tian's heart calmed down.
"Was working at a bar before, just quit a few days ago, guess I'm unemployed now."
Sun Xiaoli's contempt in her eyes deepened, silently thinking to herself that her past decision was indeed the correct one.
"No job, eh?"
Gao Debiao became even more smug, lifting his head high and dragging out his words, deliberately loud enough for others to hear and embarrass Ye Tian.
"How about working with me, help me oversee the coal mine. We are old classmates after all, I won't let you down."
Gao Debiao grew more and more proud as he spoke, awaiting a fawning response from Ye Tian.
Back in high school, Ye Tian was a top student while Gao Debiao was at the bottom of the class; one was the pride of the skies, and the other a parasite of the school.
Having Ye Tian work for him now would be a doubly satisfying and face-saving event for him.
"No need, I plan to start my own business," Ye Tian said calmly.
Gao Debiao then burst into laughter, "Start a business? Stop kidding. You have no money, no connections, what business can you do? Sell pancakes on the street?"
At this, Sun Xiaoli suddenly snorted and laughed.
"Ye Tian, we are all old classmates here, we all know everything about each other, stop pretending. Your parents are farmers, what business can you do? Better just go for a job, business is not that simple."
"And this store is an international top brand store; a simple t-shirt here costs over a thousand. My Debiao only buys two sets of clothes here a year. You earning some money from work hard enough, stop pretending to be the big wolf here."
As Sun Xiaoli spoke, she laughed, her eyes filled with mocking delight, evidently eager to see Ye Tian make a fool of himself.
The beautiful female store manager, who was nearby, clearly had also heard the conversation between the three.
She was indeed surprised by Ye Tian's identity but believed more in Director Zhang's attitude towards Ye Tian.
She decided to seize the opportunity to bail Ye Tian out and cultivate a good karma.
Thus, she took out the last remaining Platinum Card from the counter and walked towards Ye Tian.
"Sir, your Platinum Member Card is ready, please keep it."
The beautiful store manager kindly handed a finely crafted card to Ye Tian, who was a bit confused but saw her wink at him.
Ye Tian immediately understood, took the Platinum Card from the hands of the beautiful store manager, and then smiled warmly, "Thank you."
Beside him, Gao Debiao and Sun Xiaoli were stunned.
Versace's Platinum Member Card requires spending over half a million within a year to be eligible and offers a 20% discount.
Gao Debiao only had a Gold Member Card.
Ye Tian, this poor guy, actually had a Platinum Member Card, which was somewhat hard for him to accept
"Beauty, are you mistaken? He's just a poor guy, how could he possibly afford a Platinum Member Card?"