Chapter 27 - The Painful History Of Pretending To Be Cool
Translator: Lav
Editor: Levs
The instant when Shi Lei walked into the Alienware speciality store, his heart was struggling immensely.
The first time he came, he failed at pretending to be cool, although the employee did not say anything and eventually happily made a deal of a 20,000 yuan laptop, but Shi Lei felt rather embarrassed.
The second time was a grand counterattack. He strutted into the store claiming that their laptop’s waterproof ability was really bad. Then, he expressed that he had more than enough money and looked down on the configurations of a 20,000 yuan laptop and that it was not enough for him. Under the employee’s surprised look and admiration, he bought the most expensive laptop of the entire store. At that time, he had a great sense of pleasure from pretending to be cool successfully.
But after merely a day, he brought back his laptop for a refund after using it for only a few hours!
That’s right, Shi Lei came for a refund.
Although he hesitated, but for the sake of gathering fees for Sun Yiyi’s mother’s heart bypass surgery, Shi Lei eventually decided to take this step.
There would be problems with his reputation, but compared to someone’s life, it could barely be considered as a problem.
Shi Lei took a deep breath and walked into the Alienware specialty store.
It was still the same employee. The moment when he saw Shi Lei walk into the store, his pupils shook violently and nervously.
He suddenly had an image in his mind; this wealthy customer got a glass of water and spilled it on the laptop’s keyboard to test the waterproof ability of the Alienware laptop with the best configurations.
‘Don’t tell me, it’s really like this?’
The employee forced a smile on his face and greeted him.
“Sir, is there anything I can help you with? Don’t tell me that you poured water on the laptop again?”
Shi Lei shoved the laptop into the employee’s hands, and quickly said in a low voice: “I remember your store could refund without a reason within seven days whether something was bought online or offline, right?”
Uh…...
What was this script? The stage presence did not fit! Don’t tell me that I slept in the wrong pose last night and was still dreaming? ——The employee secretly pinched his thigh. Crap, it hurts, obviously he was not dreaming.
“Sir, I beg you pardon?”
“I’m saying that I remember your store could refund without a reason within seven days whether I bought something online or offline?” This time, Shi Lei spoke even faster in an even lower voice. Even he felt shameful of himself. Good thing that the mall just opened so there were no other customers in the store. Even the other employees were still busy with their work.
“Sir, I don’t really understand…… Can you say it slower?” The employee was doubting that he was mishearing Shi Lei. It was not that there were no refunds, but people like Shi Lei, who bought two laptops within two weeks, with the first one broken by himself, he did not even bother to repair it and just bought the one with highest configurations. It was too disbelieving for the employee to think that a rich person like him would ask for a refund. ‘Was he fucking around with me?’
“You actually heard it clearly, right?” Shi Lei said in annoyance.
The employee sighed and said: “Are you dissatisfied about anything with our laptop?”
Shi Lei scratched his head and said: “Nothing dissatisfying, it’s just…… just……” He couldn’t just say that he needed money desperately. He himself could only be blamed for being too flashy and overly showing off. If he didn’t show off that much before, he wouldn’t have left as strong of an impression on the employee, and he wouldn't stare at him as if he were a ghost.
“It’s not that I’m dissatisfied. Your laptop is really good. But isn’t it your rule that I can refund within seven days without a reason? In other words, as long as the laptop’s not broken, or any obvious bumps, it does not affect second time selling, I should be allowed to refund without a reason, right?”
The employee was completely shocked. He finally said after a few seconds: “The store’s rule is like this all right, but, it would be the best if you can provide me with a reason, so that it makes things easier for us. After all, you’ve already used it, right?”
Shi Lei raised his hands up helplessly, thinking that even if he had to be rascal, but no matter what, he must refund the laptop.
“I just turned it on after I took it back. Didn’t really use it. After I woke up, I just don’t feel well and want to refund the laptop.”
Ok, fine, this reason was really fucking strong! There were no words of a better fit than ‘don’t feel well’!
The employee thought and said: “If you really want a refund, that’s fine. But we need to check the machine first. If there are no damage and it hasn’t been dismantled, I’ll take care of the refund procedure.”
“Ok, go check!”
The employee opened the packaging, carefully examined the exterior, made sure that there were no bumps and had no signs of being dismantled. Then he turned it on and had a check of the hard disk functions. He then checked the battery cycle, after making sure that the laptop had not reached a single battery cycle, he finally did the refund procedure.
Except during the whole process of the procedure, the employee looked at him oddly, which made Shi Lei wanting to hide into a gap on the floor.
He definitely could not come to this store anymore. He had lost too much face. The first time he failed pretending to be cool could be saved with a successful second time. But this time, he had lost way too much face and was impossible to make up. If Shi Lei could help it, he would never come here again. Right now, he just wanted to bash his head on this 80,000 yuan worth —— Oh, a 70,100 yuan laptop after discount!
After the refund, the transaction would not arrive quickly in his account but Shi Lei did not have to worry that a big brand like this would swallow his 70,000 yuan for themselves. After the employee expressed that the transaction would at most be done in less than 24 hours, Shi Lei rushed out of De Ji Plaza with his tail between his legs. While running away, Shi Lei warned himself that he will never wander around this store ever again in his lifetime.
Oh, except if the employee didn’t work there anymore!
In the afternoon, Shi Lei received a message notifying that there was at least 76,000 yuan in his balance. It was missing more or less 4,000 yuan as he treated his friends to eat and drink alcohol last night.
As soon as he received the transaction, Shi Lei immediately had confidence. He called a taxi and rushed towards the garage which Sun Yiyi and her mother rented.
Shi Lei called Sun Yiyi when he reached her place, asking her to open the door as he was in front of her house.
On the other side of the phone, Sun Yiyi was obviously talking with care, she said: “Shi Tou ge, I’m not at home.”
“I thought I told you to stop working today? It’s still early, what are you doing outside?”
Sun Yiyi stammered: “Nothing, I’m just taking a walk outside.”
“You mum is still in bed and needs to be looked after and you are going out? Hurry up and come back! I’m waiting for you in front of your door! After you come back just say that I called you out. Don’t leave your mother by herself and run out. She’ll be sad!”
Sun Yiyi’s resistance was clear, and said: “Shi Tou ge, you should go back to school. I’m busy right now, I”ll be back soon.”
“What business can you have? You can’t go to school, and I told you to stop working. Are you doing another part-time job somewhere else? Even if you are doing a part-time job, how long does it take for you to gather all the money for your mum’s treatment? Hurry up and come back!” Shi Lei saw that Sun Yiyi was still stammering, and he was getting angry.
“Shi Tou ge, I really have something to do……” Sun Yiyi’s tone was as if she was hiding something.
Shi Lei was furious and his tone became serious: “Yiyi, how are you so immature? I don’t care what you are doing right now. Hurry up and come back. If I don’t see you within half an hour, I’ll knock on the door myself. Don’t make aunty angry at you again!” As Shi Lei said that, he hung up.