Chapter Twenty-Four: Extortion

The girl left, and more customers arrived. Qin Jing had just made dozens of calls, mostly to old clients with whom contact had been lost. Some were sellers, others buyers; people came and went, keeping Qin Jing so busy he could barely catch his breath.

Amidst this hustle, Zhang Cheng returned, this time accompanied by a tall, stylishly dressed young woman, her outfit adorned with designer labels. Both showed surprise at the bustling store. Zhang Cheng whispered, “I think we should forget it. Qin Jing is busy right now.”

The woman retorted bluntly, “Forget it? The necklace was a gift from you. If you sell it, what does that mean? You don’t want to get back together with me?”

She then pushed Zhang Cheng into the shop.

At that moment, Qin Jing was occupied, though he noticed Zhang Cheng but didn’t greet him. Some customers, from Cold Sea Art Academy, recognized Zhang Cheng and were surprised. “Zhang Cheng, aren’t you helping out at Qin Jing’s shop anymore?”

“No, I’m not,” Zhang Cheng replied quickly. “Xiaofen and I got back together, so I don’t have time to help.”

“That’s a shame. Qin Jing’s business is thriving. In just a short while, he’s bought several tens of thousands worth of goods.”

Someone unfamiliar with the market said enviously, “The daily turnover must be over a hundred thousand. That’s a fortune.”

Xiaofen, beside Zhang Cheng, scoffed, “You said it yourself—that’s turnover, not profit. The key is how much is actually earned.”

At that moment, Qin Jing finished with a customer and, hearing Xiaofen’s words, walked over with a smile. “Whether a lot or a little, it’s honest business. Money earned through hard work is spent with peace of mind.”

His words left Xiaofen’s expression flickering. She was just a student, accustomed to asking her parents for money and often using Zhang Cheng’s money due to her lavish spending.

Seeing the situation, Zhang Cheng hurried forward. “Brother Qin, is the platinum necklace I sold yesterday still here? I’d like to buy it back.”

Qin Jing paused. That platinum necklace had already been sold to Jenny Dio; it was no longer on Earth.

But Qin Jing was prepared for such circumstances.

“Zhang Cheng, you sold it hastily yesterday and didn’t mention wanting to redeem it later, so the item has already been sold. You know, if you’d planned to redeem it, I would’ve written a receipt, and the price would’ve been lower. Yesterday’s price was near the original because you were my employee—even if it didn’t make a profit, I’d help you sell it.”

With years of business behind him, Qin Jing’s words came smoothly, and the surrounding customers nodded in agreement.

Cheng Yu, who had lingered, chimed in with a smile, “That’s right. Brother Qin is fair—other shops wouldn’t pay such a high price for buybacks. If you’d said it was for redemption, you’d be lucky to get half the value.”

Zhang Cheng was stunned. He’d received a good price for the necklace yesterday and had been grateful. But now, with his girlfriend demanding it back, he felt trapped.

Xiaofen said coldly, “If you’re fair, you should return the necklace to Zhang Cheng. Is it because he’s no longer working for you that you’ve stopped caring?”

Qin Jing’s casual remark had struck a nerve, reminding Xiaofen of her own situation. She had little regard for Qin Jing, and her words were twisted, bordering on causing trouble.

Zhang Cheng hadn’t considered these things; he looked at Qin Jing hopefully, wishing to retrieve the necklace.

“Zhang Cheng, does your girlfriend speak for you? Is the necklace yours, or hers?” Qin Jing asked. He disliked meddling in Zhang Cheng’s affairs but wasn’t afraid to confront him. “The old necklace you want has already been sold. If you’d like, I can buy you a new one—think of it as paying to avoid disaster. Are you sure?”

Xiaofen’s eyes lit up—a new necklace would surely be better. She pushed Zhang Cheng, urging him, “Go on, say it.”

All the customers watched, their faces showing disdain. The item was sold, and now they wanted a new one? They were clearly here to stir up trouble—what shamelessness.

Zhang Cheng’s face turned crimson. He understood well enough: yesterday, Qin Jing had given the best price for the sale; now, after the item was sold, they wanted a new one in exchange! Who behaved like this?

But with a newly reconciled girlfriend demanding it, what should he choose—his pride or his relationship?

People often face such dilemmas and, more often than not, choose the latter.

“Brother Qin, I want a new one. I know this isn’t right, and I’m truly sorry, but…” Zhang Cheng spoke with difficulty, feeling he’d never be able to lift his head before Qin Jing again.

Yet—

Pitiful people are often to blame for their own misfortune. If you want the girlfriend and know you’re in the wrong, you must pay the price.

Qin Jing’s smile remained gentle, though his eyes flashed coldly. He’d always been amicable in business, but the rumors from Cold Sea Art Academy had taught him it was time to show some edge.

He took out his wallet, drew two thousand yuan, and placed it on the table, smiling as he said, “Very well. The original price of your platinum necklace was thirty-eight thousand; the buyback price was thirty-six thousand. Here’s the difference—two thousand yuan. Take it and go.”

“What?”

Zhang Cheng was dumbfounded. He’d expected Qin Jing to buy a new necklace and sell it to him for thirty-six thousand, but instead, Qin Jing simply handed him the two thousand. Even the thickest-skinned person couldn’t take it—this was blatant extortion.

Xiaofen, however, didn’t care; it was Zhang Cheng’s reputation, not hers. She reached out and took the money, smiling at Qin Jing, “Thank you! That’s business—sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Since you sold the platinum necklace, you must have made a profit.”

The others shook their heads at the scene:

“Qin Jing must have lost big on this deal.”

“And what if someone else tries something like this again? Is he supposed to give everyone a new item for every buyback?”

“This business won’t last long at this rate.”

“What shameless people! I used to think Zhang Cheng was honest.”

Hearing these words, Zhang Cheng wished the earth would swallow him. He lowered his head, grabbing Xiaofen’s hand, and said, “Let’s go.”

Xiaofen refused, saying, “Qin Jing is a big boss—he’s generous. I’ll stay and watch. Maybe someone else will want to redeem something? I just got the full price, after all.”

At that, Zhang Cheng’s face changed, his voice low and stern, “What are you doing?”

If she simply wanted the platinum necklace, it was understandable. But now, insisting on staying after profiting—wasn’t this making it impossible for Qin Jing to do business?

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Thanks to Xi Feifei Dong Piaopiao for the reward. A new week begins—asking for favorites, recommendations, tips, and all kinds of support.