193: Chapter 193 I Want to Be Your Real Girlfriend

"You were dealing with me today. If I weren't the owner of this store, wouldn't I have been kicked out by you by now? If it were some other ordinary customer, would they deserve to suffer this kind of treatment?"

Manager Li couldn't say a word.

Sweat from his forehead trickled down his cheeks, dripping onto the marble floor and forming a small dark stain.

His hands were shaking, and his suit trousers were trembling too.

"Mr. Wang, you can punish me however you like. Cut my pay, demote me, anything, just let me stay."

Wang Yang looked at him, silent for several seconds.

During these few seconds of silence, Manager Li felt his heart almost stop beating.

"Give up the manager position for now and start over as an ordinary salesperson. There's a three-month probation period; if you perform well, we'll see."

Manager Li's shoulders slumped, as if the soul had been sucked out of him.

An ordinary salesperson.

He went from a manager with a monthly salary of 20,000 to a salesperson with a base salary of 3,000.

But he dared not retort. Not a single word.

"Thank you, Mr. Wang. Thank you for giving me a chance. I will definitely work hard and will not let you down."

He bent his waist, his voice hoarse, his eyes slightly red.

It wasn't from being moved; it was regret.

He was filled with such deep regret.

Why had he judged people by their appearance just now?

Why had he fawned over those two nouveau riche?

Now look at this, the manager position was gone, and eight years of hard work had been for nothing.

But he dared not say a word of this; he could only keep it bottled up inside and swallow the bitterness.

Wang Yang didn't look at him again; he put his arm around Ye Xueying's waist and turned to walk out.

Walking to the doorway, he looked back at him.

"Remember today's lesson. When running a business, every visitor is a guest. It's not that whoever dresses flashily is a big shot, nor that whoever dresses plainly can't afford to buy. This lesson is worth the price of your manager position."

Manager Li bent his waist even lower.

"Yes, yes, yes. Thank you for your instruction, Mr. Wang. I'll remember it, I'll remember it for the rest of my life."

Ye Xueying watched the two disheveled figures disappear at the doorway.

She looked at the necklace in her hand, then looked up at Wang Yang.

His profile was sharply defined under the lights, with a faint smile on his lips, as if nothing had just happened.

"Brother Wang."

"Hmm?"

"You, you were just now... so handsome."

The last two words were so soft they were almost inaudible; after saying them, she buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, her ears burning red.

Wang Yang smiled and reached out to pat her back gently.

"From now on, no one can bully you. No one."

Ye Xueying buried her face in his shoulder, her eyes reddening again.

It wasn't from grievance, but happiness.

She nodded vigorously.

"Mm."

Wang Yang put his arm around her waist and walked out.

Walking to the doorway, he looked back at Manager Li, who was still bent over.

"Work hard."

Manager Li bent his waist even lower.

"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Mr. Wang! Thank you, Mr. Wang! Safe travels, Mr. Wang and Mrs. Wang!"

That "Mrs. Wang" made Ye Xueying pause in her steps.

Her face turned red again. But this time, she didn't refute it.

The two walked out of the jewelry store; the lights in the Shopping Mall corridor were warm yellow, falling on them and feeling cozy.

Ye Xueying hugged the paper bag containing the necklace.

Her fingers gently stroked the handle, her mouth curled up, unable to keep it from smiling no matter how she tried.

She secretly looked up at Wang Yang's profile; his brow bone was high, his nose bridge straight.

There was a faint smile on his lips, as if nothing had just happened.

She replayed the scene just now over and over in her mind, remembering every detail clearly.

Ye Xueying held the paper bag in her arms as if it were some incredible treasure.

In fact, she had received many gifts growing up, many of which were valuable.

A jade bracelet from her grandfather, a limited-edition bag from her uncle, a custom-made pen from her father.

But none of them felt as heavy as this necklace today. Because the person who gave the necklace was different.

Wang Yang slowed his pace and turned his head to look at the sky outside the window.

The sunset had already sunk, leaving only the last streak of orange-red afterglow on the horizon, and the city lights began to turn on one by one.

"It's getting late; let me take you home."

Ye Xueying's steps faltered. Go home. She didn't want to go home.

Ye Xueying looked up at him, her lips moving.

She wanted to say "Let's shop a little longer," wanted to say "It's still early," wanted to say "I don't want to leave."

But the words were swallowed back before they reached her lips.

She was afraid he would think she was too clingy, afraid he would think she wasn't reserved.

Wang Yang noticed the change in her pace, stopped, and turned to look at her.

"What's wrong?"

Ye Xueying stood before him, hugging the paper bag, head lowered.

The lights in the corridor fell on her, casting a long shadow.

Her eyelashes trembled gently, her lips pursed, her fingers gripping the handle of the paper bag until her knuckles turned white.

"I, I don't want to go back."

The voice was very small, but very clear.

Wang Yang looked at her without speaking.

Ye Xueying took a deep breath, looked up, and met his gaze.

Her face was flushed, her eyes a bit red, but her gaze was firm, as if she had made a major decision.

"Brother Wang, I have something I want to tell you."

Wang Yang leaned against the corridor railing, looking at her.

"Go ahead."

Ye Xueying bit her lip, her fingers gripping the paper bag handle tightly, knuckles turning white.

She could feel her own heartbeat, thump-thump-thump, so fast it felt like it was about to jump out of her throat.

"I, from the first moment I saw you, I felt you were different from others."

Her voice was trembling, but every word was articulated clearly.

"At Godfather's house, you stood at the door, wearing that black coat, carrying things in your hands, quiet, neither servile nor overbearing. When Godfather introduced you, you smiled at me, and just that moment, I felt, this person, is different."

Wang Yang leaned against the railing, watching her.

His expression was calm, but something in his eyes was slowly deepening.

Ye Xueying continued, her voice becoming steadier, as if she had summoned all her courage.

"Later at the hospital, so many people didn't believe you, my uncle didn't believe you, Chen Jingxing didn't believe you, and that foreigner didn't believe you either. But you weren't flustered at all, standing there, unhurried and unperturbed, just quietly seeing through everyone."

"You saved Grandfather. You held my hand in the park. You held me in the Cinema. You just said in the jewelry store that from now on, no one can bully me."

Her eyes reddened, but her lips were curled up.

"Brother Wang, I like you. I have liked you from the first moment I saw you. I know we haven't known each other long, but matters of the heart have nothing to do with time. Some people know each other a lifetime and never get together; for some people, one glance is a lifetime."

She took a step forward, looking up at him, her eyes bright, as if hiding two stars.

"I want to be your real girlfriend. Not the kind you just talk about, but for real, openly and honestly. Are you willing?"

Wang Yang leaned against the railing, looking at her.

The lights in the corridor fell on Ye Xueying's face.