Chapter Fifty-Five: Identity Revealed, Frightened Out of Their Wits

Before long, Chen Yang found himself alone at a luxury boutique specializing in high-end leather bags in the city center. Qin Muxue’s deep devotion to her family had touched him, warming his heart. He thought, such a good woman deserved a reward, so he intended to buy her a luxury handbag worth over a hundred thousand yuan.

After all, women’s love for handbags was much like men’s passion for watches. If he bought her a bag worth that much, she would surely be pleased. And as for Qin Muxue questioning how he could afford such an expensive gift, Chen Yang had already prepared his answer.

As soon as he stepped into the boutique, two impeccably dressed saleswomen in black suits hurried over, both bowing simultaneously and greeting him, “Sir, welcome.”

Chen Yang smiled slightly. He mused to himself that indeed, the world of the wealthy was different from that of ordinary people. With money, even the service one received was beyond the reach of the poor.

“Sir, how may we assist you?” asked one of the saleswomen, whose round face was adorned with a professional smile.

Chen Yang responded calmly, “I’d like to buy a bag for my wife. What would you recommend?”

The saleswoman quickly replied, “May I ask what price range you’re considering? Here, our bags start at one hundred thousand yuan.”

“One hundred thousand? Is that a lot?” Chen Yang spoke with indifference. Compared to his billions in assets, what did a mere hundred thousand mean?

“Xia Hong, has your store’s standards lowered so much? Why is anyone allowed in these days?” Just as the saleswoman was about to introduce products, a plump man with shoulder-length hair and a petite build mocked them.

The man wore a heavy gold watch, a high-end crocodile leather belt, and designer blue shirt and trousers. All together, his ensemble was worth at least three hundred thousand yuan—a true man of means.

Xia Hong, the saleswoman, looked at him helplessly and said, “Mr. Zhang, you must be joking.”

The man, Mr. Li, glanced at Xia Hong and chuckled, “This is a luxury store. Whoever comes in to shop, you should check their financial credentials first. After verifying, then serve them. Don’t treat everyone as a distinguished guest. If a beggar walked in, would you greet him with a smile too? I’m just trying to improve work efficiency.”

His words made Xia Hong blush. But his comments did affect her, and looking at Chen Yang—dressed in an ordinary shirt, jeans, and sneakers worn for years—he appeared to be just another average worker in the city.

She knew that even the cheapest bag in her shop cost at least a hundred thousand yuan, not to mention those that cost millions. Xia Hong truly didn’t want to waste time on someone who might just browse and never buy, so she smiled and said, “Sir, please don’t take offense. I suddenly think Mr. Li has a point. Before serving you, may I verify your financial credentials?”

“Verify my finances?” Chen Yang smiled wryly. This was the first time he’d encountered such a request when shopping.

He wasn’t afraid of the verification. He was only concerned that, after the check, the saleswoman and the meddlesome Mr. Li would be utterly shocked.

Chen Yang agreed to the verification, but before proceeding, he felt compelled to comment, “All these years, this is the first time I’ve ever been asked for a financial check before shopping.”

At this moment, Mr. Li, with his petite girlfriend in tow, walked up to Chen Yang and said, “If you can’t afford it, don’t waste Ms. Xia’s time. It’s simple.”

“You’re wealthy?” Chen Yang asked, his tone cold.

Li Shan snorted derisively.

He owned five gold shops, with annual revenues over three million yuan—how could he not be rich?

“Come on!” Li Shan said arrogantly. “Do you even need to ask if I have money?”

“Did you see the watch on my husband’s wrist? It’s a diamond-studded Rolex, worth more than four hundred thousand yuan. Can you afford that?” Li Shan’s petite girlfriend chimed in.

“A four-hundred-thousand-yuan watch—is that expensive?” Chen Yang replied casually.

The girlfriend immediately mocked him, “Sure, it’s not much. You’d have to work for ten years without eating or drinking to afford it.”

Li Shan clearly didn’t want to waste words with Chen Yang, so he turned to Xia Hong and said, “Xia Hong, make sure to verify his finances. If his card only has a few hundred thousand, don’t sell to him. Someone with that little wouldn’t spend it all on a bag.”

Xia Hong gave an awkward smile but then resolutely addressed Chen Yang, “Sir, I’m sorry—please show us a bank card with sufficient balance.”

“Really?” Chen Yang asked lightly.

Xia Hong smiled, “Yes, if you have the means to shop, the verification shouldn’t be an issue.”

“I suppose not, but some people might end up embarrassed,” Chen Yang said, glancing at Li Shan. He made it clear whom he was referring to.

Li Shan smiled dismissively.

His girlfriend, growing impatient with Chen Yang’s demeanor, said with annoyance, “Go ahead, show us a card that’ll make us blush.”

Chen Yang stared at her for a moment, shook his head, and said, “Alright, let’s hope you won’t regret this.”

He followed Xia Hong to the POS machine for verification. Xia Hong felt uneasy, knowing this was inappropriate, but since the words were already spoken, she had no choice.

Chen Yang pulled out his bank card with a balance in the billions and handed it to Xia Hong, saying, “Let’s hope you don’t regret it after the check.”

Xia Hong replied, “Sir, you’re too modest.”

As she spoke, she slid Chen Yang’s card into the POS machine. Chen Yang entered his password, and the machine immediately displayed his card’s balance.

Xia Hong was stunned. She couldn’t even count the exact amount—there were so many zeros behind the one. She estimated the balance was in the billions.

Xia Hong instinctively covered her mouth in shock. Li Shan noticed her expression and, curious, took the POS machine and glanced at the screen, his girlfriend craning her neck to see as well.

When Li Shan and his girlfriend saw the balance, both gasped.

The amount was in the billions.

Chen Yang, satisfied with the display, took his card back and deliberately looked at Li Shan and his girlfriend, saying, “Mr. Li, do I now have the credentials to buy a bag?”

Li Shan was far from pleased.

He’d just been humiliated.

With so many saleswomen watching, if he admitted he’d misjudged, he’d lose all face. So Li Shan tried to mask his panic and sneered, “It must be fake.”

“Exactly,” his girlfriend chimed in. “Who knows if it’s real? You look so shabby—how could you have so much money? Ridiculous.”

Chen Yang thought the pair deserved a lesson, but he couldn’t be bothered to argue. He shook his head and said, “You two really have a way with words.”

“Hey, who are you calling foul-mouthed?” Li Shan’s girlfriend retorted, launching into a tirade.

Chen Yang looked at her and said calmly, “Are you determined to pick a fight with me today?”

“What, are we supposed to be scared?” she scoffed.

Chen Yang sneered, shaking his head and thinking to himself how many fools in Linhai had no sense of danger.

He narrowed his eyes at Li Shan and his girlfriend, “Fine, since you want to play, I’ll play along. How do you want to play?”

“Apologize. For what you said earlier,” Li Shan’s girlfriend demanded, her eyes wide.

Li Shan echoed, “Yes, you should apologize.”

“Apologize? Why should I?” Chen Yang sneered.

“Because you’re foul-mouthed. Your whole family is,” Li Shan’s girlfriend spat.

Chen Yang suddenly laughed coldly, “I usually don’t hit women, but someone like you is asking for it.”

“Oh? Who do you think you’re going to hit?” Li Shan shielded his girlfriend, ready to fight.

Chen Yang smiled dismissively. Just then, a skinny young man rushed in through the boutique’s door, hurried to Li Shan’s side, and whispered, “Shan, I’ve been watching at the door for a while—apologize to Mr. Chen now. Do you know who he is? He’s Brother Chen, the big boss behind Wu Guangde. Even Xiong Hu from the provincial capital fears him!”

Li Shan turned to look at the skinny youth.

He was none other than Erzi, a friend from the local underworld.

Erzi was well-connected, his information always accurate, and he knew all the big players in Linhai’s underground circles. He’d long heard of Wu Guangde’s big boss, Chen Yang, and had even secretly followed him for a while, so he knew his identity well.

Li Shan owned gold shops and used to be involved in the underworld. Though he was wealthy now, he still feared the likes of Wu Guangde, a major figure in Linhai. As for Xiong Hu from the provincial capital, Li Shan had heard of his reputation—he was a notorious figure in the city’s underground world. If even he feared Chen Yang, that meant Chen Yang was someone not to be trifled with.

Li Shan saw the serious look on Erzi’s face and knew he wasn’t lying. He couldn’t help but gasp, and when he looked at Chen Yang again, he was visibly frightened.

He never imagined that this seemingly ordinary young man had such a formidable background.

Li Shan turned to Erzi, seeking confirmation, “Erzi, you’re not joking, are you?”

Erzi anxiously whispered, “Shan, I’m telling you, this is the truth. People like him—we can’t afford to provoke.”

Li Shan nodded gravely.

Indeed, if Chen Yang was Wu Guangde’s boss, he really couldn’t afford to cross him.

Li Shan took a deep breath and turned to his girlfriend, “Let’s go.”

But as they took a few steps, Chen Yang suddenly called out, “Hey.”

Li Shan and his girlfriend looked at him in terror.

A faint smile curled on Chen Yang’s lips as he glanced at a brown genuine leather bag on the counter and said, “That bag is probably the one you just bought, isn’t it? You haven’t even taken it with you. Leaving so quickly—aren’t you in a bit too much of a hurry?”