16: Chapter 16 Where do you keep your money?

"How much is this E63?" Chen Fan pointed to the red display model.

The woman's eyes lit up. She took the phone out of the display case and placed it in front of him. "This one? The regular price is 1900, but if you want it, young man, I'll give you a discount. You can take it for 1850."

Hearing the woman's words, Chen Fan couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Since he had done his research, he was well aware of the phone's price. This thing was released last year with a launch price of 1899, and the current price was basically around 1600.

This woman really took him for some clueless student.

"1600. If that works, I'll buy it. If not, I'll go check out other shops."

The woman was stunned for a moment. The smile on her face froze for a second, then quickly plastered itself back on.

"Oh, young man, that's quite a vicious bargain you're driving. I can't even get it from my supplier for 1600..." As she spoke, her eyes kept fixed on Chen Fan's expression, trying to see if he really knew his stuff or was just bluffing.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't go, don't go!" The woman hurriedly reached out to stop him, her tone softening. "Fine, fine, fine. 1600 it is. I'll count it as selling at a loss just to make a friend."

Chen Fan stopped and turned around.

The woman took a new box from under the counter and placed it on the glass surface, muttering, "You kid, you don't look very old, but you sure don't hold back when bargaining. I'm really not making any money off you at 1600, just moving volume..."

Chen Fan didn't respond to her. He took out his wallet from his pocket, counted out sixteen one-hundred-yuan bills, and placed them on the counter.

The woman took the money, ran it through a money counter, then pulled out a receipt book from the drawer, scribbled a few lines, tore it off, and pushed it over along with the box.

"One-year warranty. If there are any problems, bring the receipt."

Chen Fan picked up the box, opened it to take a look, confirmed it was new, and then took the phone out directly.

"Sister, could you please put this in a bag for me?" Chen Fan pushed the box back, holding the brand-new E63 in his hand.

Upon hearing this, the woman pulled out a plastic shopping bag from under the counter, stuffed the empty box, charger, manual, and receipt inside all at once, and handed it to him.

Chen Fan took the bag and pressed the phone screen to light it up, taking a look.

The boot-up screen appeared, and the Nokia logo flashed by.

He turned and walked out. Behind him, the woman's voice called out, "Come back to my place next time you buy a phone!"

Chen Fan didn't look back, just waved his hand.

"Chen Fan?" Before he had even walked out of the mall, a slightly familiar voice came from not far away.

He turned his head.

His old classmate, Lin Xi, was standing not far away. She wasn't wearing her school uniform today; she wore a light pink jacket, her hair loose, giving off a slightly different vibe than when she was at school.

Still beautiful.

Standing next to her was another girl, shorter, with a round face, a ponytail, and an ordinary appearance, with a hint of pickiness in her eyes.

"What a coincidence." Lin Xi walked over, her gaze falling on the phone in his hand, her eyes curving into crescents. "Did you buy a phone?"

Chen Fan nodded. "Yeah, just bought it."

"Chen Fan." The girl next to her also walked over to greet him.

Looking at this girl's somewhat familiar face, Chen Fan thought for a moment. She was also his old classmate, in the same class as him and Lin Xi during their first and second years of high school.

Her grades were alright, but she wasn't a very good person.

She thought she was superior just because her grades were a bit better, looking down on those with poor grades, but she didn't dare provoke the real top students, preferring to pick on soft targets. She spoke to everyone with a condescending air, as if others were a head shorter than her.

When Chen Fan's grades dropped in his second year, she hadn't spared him any snide remarks.

Chen Fan had found her annoying back then; he hadn't expected to run into her here.

"Oh, it's Zhou Yu, 'Sister Yu'." Chen Fan greeted her reluctantly.

Zhou Yu frowned. "Who are you calling 'Sister Yu'?"

Chen Fan pursed his lips and didn't speak. For people like this, Chen Fan couldn't even be bothered to pay attention.

"Yo, bought a phone, huh?" She leaned in to take a look. "What model is this? Must be pretty expensive, right?"

"It's alright, 1600."

Hearing Chen Fan's words, Zhou Yu pursed her lips. She thought Chen Fan was just putting on an act. 'It's not expensive' at 1600? He was probably dying of heartache inside.

She thought about it again and felt something was off.

Where would Chen Fan get so much money?

She remembered that Chen Fan's family was from the countryside; she had heard Lin Xi mention it before, somewhere in one of the villages below. A rural family, parents farming or doing odd jobs, how much could they earn a month? Giving him three or five hundred for living expenses would be decent. A 1600 phone would take him half a year to save up for.

Zhou Yu looked at him, her eyes filled with a bit more scrutiny, and said in a snide tone, "Your parents are really willing to spend on you."

Chen Fan raised his head and looked at her.

"What are you trying to say?"

Zhou Yu looked him up and down, then suddenly lowered her voice and leaned in to ask, "Chen Fan, tell me the truth, did you steal this money from home?"

Chen Fan was stunned for a moment.

Looking at Zhou Yu's face, which was plastered with a "I've seen right through you" expression, he suddenly felt like laughing.

But he didn't laugh.

He put the phone on the counter, turned around to face her directly, and asked in a calm tone, "Where do you keep your money?"

Zhou Yu was taken aback by the question. "What?"

"I'm asking you, where do you keep your money?" Chen Fan looked at her. "In the wardrobe? In a drawer? Or under the pillow?"

Zhou Yu opened her mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Chen Fan continued, "You tell me the place, and I'll go steal it right now. After I steal it, I'll buy you one too, so you don't have to worry about me."

Zhou Yu's face flushed red instantly.

Lin Xi, standing to the side, couldn't help but let out a laugh, then quickly stifled it.

"You—" Zhou Yu glared at him, finally managing to squeeze out, "I'm just worried about you!"

"Then thank you." Chen Fan nodded, his tone serious. "But it's not your place to worry. Even if I went to rob a bank, the law would deal with me, and it would have absolutely nothing to do with you."

"I'm leaving now. You two enjoy shopping."

He carried the bag and walked slowly toward the exit.

When he reached the door, he heard Zhou Yu stomping her feet behind him and swearing something under her breath.

"Chen Fan!"

It was Lin Xi's voice.

He turned back. Lin Xi came jogging after him with a slightly embarrassed expression on her face. Zhou Yu was still standing where she was, hands on her hips, looking displeased, but she didn't follow.

"What's wrong?" Chen Fan asked.

Lin Xi ran up to him, caught her breath, looked up at him, and hesitated to speak.

"...It's nothing." She paused, then said, "Don't take it to heart, she's just like that."

Chen Fan was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"I'm not taking it to heart."

"That's good." Lin Xi nodded.

"By the way, how come you're with her?" Chen Fan remembered that they hadn't had much interaction before.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xi's expression turned somewhat helpless. "We just happened to run into each other today, and she insisted on dragging me to the mall. I couldn't really refuse. You know how she is, don't take it to heart."

"It's really fine." Chen Fan smiled.

Lin Xi stared at him for two seconds, confirming he really didn't mind, and then she relaxed and smiled too.

"Then I'll be going now."

"Yeah... okay, bye."

Lin Xi waved at him and turned to walk toward the mall entrance.

Chen Fan stood there, watching her back disappear into the crowd before he withdrew his gaze.

Then he turned and walked out of the mall.