Chapter 17: Excessive Compassion Isn't a Good Thing
Rong Heng had been wanting to go out for some fresh air for a while.
"Sure, I'll have someone bring a few bottles of good wine over then."
He's always been one to join in the fun. They're all usually busy, so it's rare for them to get together, and he's naturally eager to participate.
Then, Rong Heng asked Zhao Zonglan, "Fifth Brother, are you going?"
Zhao Zonglan replied briefly, put his phone aside, and said listlessly, "We'll see."
Rong Heng assumed that he was too busy with his schedule and didn't dare to say anything more.
In fact, Zhao Zonglan disliked this kind of holiday.
Especially Christmas.
In other countries, Christmas is an important time for family reunions, with things like Christmas trees, exchanging gifts, and family meals...
But all this joy had nothing to do with him.
During his years in New York, Zhao Zonglan's Christmases were devoid of gifts, Christmas trees, and family.
He only has himself.
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After Shen Jingni sent a message to Zhao Zonglan, she received a call from the branch manager.
Currently, Oath Love has five branches in Beijing.
The caller was from the No. 2 store located in Xicheng District.
On the phone, the manager sounded anxious, "Boss, please come quickly, there's trouble in the store."
Shen Jingni rushed over with Chu You.
From a distance, you could see a group of people gathered at the shop entrance, not going in, just making a scene at the door.
The one causing trouble was a woman.
Shen Jingni knows her; her name is Meng Qing. They're from the same circle, and they've even had afternoon tea together before.
Miss Meng usually dresses very elegantly, but today she was much more low-key.
The manager just briefly explained what happened on the phone.
A few months ago, Meng Qing ordered a wedding dress and headdress from Shi Ai, totaling two million yuan, and it has been delivered two weeks ago.
The transaction was completed, and there shouldn't have been any further involvement. But for some reason, Miss Meng suddenly came to our door with a group of people, saying she wanted to return the goods.
There's absolutely no way I'll give her a refund.
She was also clever; she knew that the company was just starting out and valued reputation and word-of-mouth the most. So, she brazenly brought a group of people to block the entrance. With so many people coming and going on the street, there were bound to be plenty of onlookers.
Shen Jingni felt that something was very wrong.
Although the Meng family may not be considered a top-tier wealthy family, they are not short of two million. A young lady from the Meng family would not openly cause trouble.
She looked at Chu You behind her and said, "Contact my brother and have him check the latest financial situation of the Meng family."
After saying that, she walked into the crowd.
When the branch manager saw Shen Jingni, he hurriedly came up to her and whispered in her ear, "Boss, I've been talking until my mouth is dry, but Miss Meng still doesn't want to come in and sit down to chat."
Although she had some work experience, she had never seen such a scene before.
I've never seen a rich heiress so shameless as to cause trouble.
Shen Jingni stopped and stood in front of Meng Qing. She smiled slightly and said, "It's dry and cold outside. Shall we go inside and talk?"
Meng Qing snorted coldly, her refusal tinged with sarcasm: "Miss Shen runs a business; she should be upright and honest. What, you dare not say it in public?"
They really are deliberately trying to cause trouble.
Shen Jingni scoffed lightly, "Fine, if Miss Meng isn't afraid of losing face, then naturally I have nothing to be afraid of."
"Tell me, why do you want to return it?"
Meng Qing crossed her arms, looking haughty. "I spent two million to have my wedding dress custom-made here. When I took it back and tried it on, neither the design nor the material was what I requested. So, it's only right that I return it."
"You not only have to give me a refund, but also pay me a penalty for breach of contract. After all, my wedding was delayed because of you."
The people behind her echoed, "Yes, pay the penalty for breach of contract."
They were trained and worked in perfect unison.
They look like professional troublemakers.
Shen Jingni stared at her sharply and slowly uttered a few words: "Are you desperate for money?"
"If you were not satisfied, why didn't you say so when you tried on the clothes on the day you received them?"
What were you doing when the designer showed you the drafts?
"The wedding dress is made of top-grade mulberry silk, and the small diamonds set in it are all real. You have seen these material reports."
"Two weeks later, you're telling me you not only want to return the goods, but also want a penalty for breach of contract. Meng Qing, I'm telling you now, this goods cannot be returned."
She looked around at the people around her again. "Don't think that just because you brought a bunch of people here to cause trouble, I'll agree to your demands to appease you. Do you think I, Shen Jingni, am a fool?"
“Then let’s just wait it out,” Meng Qing laughed smugly. “I don’t care, but if Miss Shen’s shop doesn’t get any business for a long time, the losses must be quite significant.”
Shen Jingni was so angry she wanted to curse.
They're clinging to her, treating her like a sucker.
A black Maybach was parked not far away.
Chang An looked out the window, then turned to Zhao Zonglan in the back seat and asked, "Sir, Miss Shen seems to be in trouble. Should I go and handle it?"
Zhao Zonglan ordered the driver to lower the car window.
He calmly lit a cigarette and said in a low voice, "No need."
"She can handle it."
She's quite clever and won't let herself be taken advantage of.
However, Zhao Zonglan was very curious about what she would do in this situation.
Chu You jogged over and pulled Shen Jingni aside.
"Boss, we've found out. Meng Qing's father, President Meng, gambled in Macau for more than half a month recently and is now heavily in debt. The Meng family business is now just an empty shell."
"Their biggest creditor is the infamous Third Master Xie, the Living Yama. I heard that Third Master Xie's men went to the Meng family to collect debts a couple of days ago."
That makes sense.
It turns out he was in debt and anxious to pay it back.
Meng Qing really thought she was a sucker.
Shen Jingni walked to the middle of the crowd, her expression relaxed. "I don't know how much Miss Meng paid you to work so hard, but I guess she hasn't paid you yet?"
Seeing the surprised and flustered expressions on those people's faces, Shen Jingni knew that she had guessed correctly.
"Let me guess again. She probably made a promise to you, like, after taking the penalty from me, she'll give you a certain percentage."
"But everyone, I'm absolutely not going to give her a refund. Think about it carefully, or you might end up being used as a free pawn."
She sighed again, feigning regret, "After all, the Meng family went bankrupt and is still in debt."
"Shen Jingni, what nonsense are you spouting!" Meng Qing shouted sternly, "My Meng family is perfectly fine."
Shen Jingni smiled and her scrutinizing gaze fell once again on Miss Meng.
She deliberately raised her voice, seemingly with concern, and asked, "I remember when I had afternoon tea with Miss Meng a while ago, she had a very beautiful bracelet on her wrist. Why aren't you wearing it today? And you're dressed so plainly. Did you pawn it?"
Meng Qing's face instantly turned ugly, and she guiltily hid her hands behind her back.
Clearly, Shen Jingni's words had an effect.
The group surrounded Meng Qing, and the leader questioned her: "Miss Meng, is what Miss Chen said true? We came here because we trust you."
"Okay, you settle half of everyone's bill first, and we'll talk about the other half when we get a refund."
Meng Qing had no money to spare.
Her head was throbbing from the cacophony of voices, and she roared in a fit of rage, "Get out! All of you, get out!"
The leader knew he had been tricked and was furious, but since it was in public, he didn't dare to hit her. He could only angrily point at her and say, "Meng Qing, you just wait, this isn't over."
The crowd dispersed quickly.
Meng Qing squatted on the ground, her face pale, and looked at Shen Jingni. "Are you feeling very smug right now?"
"What am I so proud of?" Shen Jingni glanced down at her, her tone helpless. "Please, Miss Meng, it was you who brought people to cause trouble for me. I'm the one who suffered this unjustly."
Meng Qing slowly stood up, her gaze fixed on the empty space, tears silently streaming down her face.
"Ha, Shen Jingni, you have no idea how painful it is to fall from the clouds to the bottom. If I hadn't been forced to, do you think I would have wanted to?"
The Meng family went bankrupt, her father jumped off a building, her fiancé kicked her away, and debt collectors kept coming to her door. She had no skills and now even making ends meet was a problem.
Now, she has no choice but to earn it herself.
The debt owed to Master Xie was enormous, and the quickest ways to make money were limited to those few methods.
Selling one's body and soul.
“But even if you get the penalty money from me, it won’t be nearly enough.” Shen Jingni wasn’t a great philanthropist; she just wanted her to accept reality.
Only by accepting it can one have the courage to face it.
Meng Qing stopped talking and just stared at Shen Jingni for a few seconds.
Then, she laughed self-deprecatingly, as if she had resigned herself to her fate, wiped her face haphazardly, and turned to leave.
Watching Meng Qingyuan's departing figure, Chu You muttered to herself, "She's quite pitiful. Her family has lost its source of income, and she's a girl who has to pay off so much debt, and she's a pampered young lady who doesn't know anything..."
Shen Jingni tapped Chu You on the head and warned her, "Excessive sympathy is not a good thing."
Chu You gave a soft "oh".
However, Meng Qing's incident served as a wake-up call for Shen Jingni.
This further strengthened her determination to expand and strengthen her career.
You can't rely on your family for everything. After all, no one can predict what the future holds. Having money and ability gives you confidence.
At this moment, Chang An walked over.
"Miss Shen, the gentleman is waiting for you in the car."
Zhao Zonglan?
When did he arrive?
Shen Jingni then noticed the Maybach not far away.
Quietly, I don't know how long it has been standing there.
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