CHAPTER 236: CHAPTER 236: I CAN AFFORD IT MYSELF

"Comrade, I’ve already understood the whole story. This time, it truly was our staff who was at fault, and I’ll make sure to criticize her thoroughly later."

"How about this, since you really like this dress, I’ll take the responsibility and offer it to you at half price, how does that sound?"

Lin Xiang blinked, "That’s it?"

"Hmm?" The manager was momentarily taken aback, "If you feel that half price isn’t enough, then... I can personally pay for it and give it to you."

"Ha." Lin Xiang let out a laugh from the frustration.

A dress costing over fifty yuan is indeed expensive, but it’s not like she can’t afford it?

Why give the impression that she’s relentlessly trying to take advantage?

"It seems the manager still hasn’t realized the crux of the problem. Oh well, since this department store isn’t a place for common folks like us, I’ll just leave then."

As she spoke, Lin Xiang started to pull Lin Yun’s arm to leave.

The manager didn’t dare let her leave, did he?

The issue hadn’t been resolved yet, if she left, wouldn’t West City Department Store really become fodder for gossip?

"Comrade, please wait a moment!" The manager hurried to catch up, "Comrade, if you’re not satisfied with my solution just now, you can tell me your thoughts, and we’ll discuss it."

"My demand is very simple." Lin Xiang pointed at the salesclerk named Qian, "I want her to apologize to me in front of everyone."

"Also, if you don’t want similar incidents to happen again, you should properly train your salesclerks on how to sell products without offending anyone, so that every customer who walks in can purchase something they’re pleased with."

"We come to the department store to shop, not to be looked down upon!"

Lin Xiang spoke in a soft voice, "As I understand, department stores should also have sales targets, right? Large commission on big orders is nice, but don’t forget, the revenue of the department store depends on ordinary folks like us, pieced together from small amounts!"

"If you don’t care about the revenue, then just ignore me, at most, people won’t come to your West City Department Store in the future. With economic reforms underway, small stores are cropping up everywhere, giving us more options, and your department store is long overdue as an irreplaceable entity!"

It won’t take many years for department stores to be replaced, they won’t entirely disappear, but their heyday certainly can’t last.

And the salesclerks who currently hold secure jobs will face the first wave of layoffs.

Although street vendors sell different kinds of goods and can’t offer one-stop shopping like department stores, making a few more trips could still get you everything you need.

The most important thing is, at street vendors’ stalls, there’s no need to put up with disdain!

Unlike in department stores, where even after spending money, you still get humiliated, it’s also because people have been oppressed for too long and haven’t reacted yet.

But after Lin Xiang’s act, more and more people will awaken, and by then, the department store’s situation will become increasingly difficult.

By this point, the manager was sweating profusely.

He thought Lin Xiang was just a naive little girl, but he was mistaken, she even knew about the department store’s sales targets!

There had been disturbances before, but those people neither had Lin Xiang’s courage nor her insight, plus, Lin Xiang’s timing was perfect, right at the juncture of economic reform; while the department store wasn’t hit hard, it was slightly affected.

She didn’t have to worry about offending the department store and being unable to buy things afterward.

The manager had no choice but to have the salesclerk named Qian apologize to Lin Xiang.

The salesclerk named Qian also felt terrified, without needing the manager’s urging, she began to apologize to Lin Xiang.

"Comrade, I was wrong in this matter, I shouldn’t have looked down on people. I’ve deeply realized my mistake, and I hope you can give me another chance."

Other salesclerks also expressed their regret one after another.

"We also know we were wrong and will never make the same mistake again in the future!"

The apologies came in waves, but how many were genuinely sincere? Most didn’t want Lin Xiang to escalate the matter further.

West City Department Store was already at the bottom among department stores in Beijing. If this incident were to escalate and reach higher authorities, none of them, from the manager down to the salesclerks, could retain their positions!

While being a salesclerk was secure, that’s only in the absence of mistakes!

Lin Xiang had achieved her goal and vented her frustration, so she naturally wouldn’t press on.

She pointed to the yellow dress she had liked, "Can I try this dress now?"

"Of course, of course!" The salesclerk named Qian quickly took the dress off the mannequin and handed it to Lin Xiang.

There was a fitting room in the back, not a proper room, just a small area enclosed by a piece of cloth, but enough for changing clothes.

Lin Xiang came out after changing into the dress and twirled in front of the mirror.

One had to admit, her original face was pretty, with well-balanced features and fair skin, the pale yellow of the dress enhanced her complexion.

Her looks weren’t shockingly beautiful at first glance, but her bone structure and skin were good, suitable for both heavy and light makeup.

She wasn’t wearing makeup now, but even with a bare face, the dress didn’t overshadow her.

Just the shoes on her feet...

Lin Xiang went back to the fitting room to change back into her clothes and handed the dress back to the salesclerk named Qian when she came out.

After receiving a signal from the manager, the salesclerk Qian quickly packaged the dress and handed the bag to Lin Xiang with both hands.

"Comrade, this is a small gesture from us, please accept it."

Lin Xiang accepted the dress.

And she paid fifty-six yuan.

"Comrade, our manager said this dress is a gift to you."

"I won’t take something for nothing, especially since I can afford the price of a dress myself, no need for others to give it to me."

Carrying the bag, Lin Xiang said, "You said I looked too shabby to afford this dress, I’m proving to you with my actions that this amount of money is nothing to me."

"There are plenty of people like me, so in the future please just do your job and don’t judge a person’s financial capacity by their appearance."

Leaving those words behind, Lin Xiang didn’t bother with them anymore and pulled Lin Yun to the next counter.

She was still wearing the plastic sandals she bought back in Mianyang Town, they were of good quality, waterproof, and hadn’t worn out despite being worn for so long.