"You can't leave. This item was reserved by me. You must return it to me. Have them cancel the sale to the other person; what I ordered cannot be sold to anyone else!" the woman declared loudly, then turned and called out to the sales clerk.

The clerk’s face immediately showed distress.

"You can’t make the decision? Then call your manager!" the woman shouted again. The clerk dared not speak and quickly lowered her head to make a call.

This woman was Han Min, a long-time customer of the shop, known for purchasing many valuable pieces of jewelry and ornaments. Girls as wealthy as she usually held considerable status and were certainly not people an ordinary clerk could afford to offend. Now that she demanded the manager, the clerk couldn't refuse, nor would she.

"Let’s go," Zhang Yang murmured, shaking his head slightly.

Whatever entanglement this woman had with the jewelry store was none of his business. He had paid for the item; the transaction was complete.

"You can't leave!" Han Min called out again when she heard Zhang Yang. His brow twitched again.

"Miss Han, why didn't you give me a call before you arrived so I could come to meet you!"

Just as Zhang Yang was about to speak, a man in his mid-thirties suddenly emerged from inside the jewelry store, greeting the woman with great enthusiasm.

"Young Master Li, you are here too! I wondered why so many magpies were chattering when I left the house this morning—it must mean I was about to encounter someone noble!" the man said with a chuckle as he approached them.

"Are there even magpies left in Shanghai now?" the woman named Han Min retorted rather coldly, clearly unimpressed by his words. The man who had just arrived laughed, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his face, but it vanished instantly.

The man laughed heartily, "Oh yes, yes, I keep several at my home! They usually don't call out when I leave, only today!"

Everyone else was momentarily stunned, and even Zhang Yang glanced back at him. This man had a remarkably thick skin—no wonder he had managed to become a manager.

"Manager Wang, why did you sell the item I reserved? You must give me an explanation!" Han Min’s icy expression softened slightly, but her tone remained frigid. The newly arrived Manager Wang’s eyebrows jumped, and he quickly asked for an explanation of what had happened.

Han Min briefly recounted the incident. After she finished, Manager Wang turned to look at the sales clerk. His demeanor toward the clerk now carried a touch of authority; he finally looked like a proper manager.

The clerk appeared somewhat wronged but repeated what had happened. Naturally, she would never admit that Miss Han had reserved the necklace; admitting that would be her greatest error, jeopardizing not only her bonus but potentially her job.

Having heard both sides, the manager understood the situation. He turned back to Han Min, offering her a flattering smile again: "Miss Han, this is entirely our fault. Why don't you select another piece? We just received some new stock, all very exquisite. I'm sure you will love something once you see it!"

Han Min shook her head immediately. "No. I want this one. Tell him to return it to me!" She then glanced at Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang’s face was now very displeased; his good mood had been completely ruined. This woman was as bad as, if not worse than, Shao Yuping. Zhang Yang always maintained a respectful distance from people like her.

Manager Wang now turned his attention to Zhang Yang, examining him carefully. His expression showed both difficulty and a degree of helplessness. After a moment, he spoke directly to Zhang Yang: "Sir, since Miss Han likes this piece so much, perhaps a gentleman like yourself could be magnanimous and grant her wish? You could let Miss Han have this 'Burning Affection,' and we have many more noble ornaments. You may choose anything, and I will offer you the lowest discount. How about that?"

He was conceding, siding with the woman. He understood this woman's background well enough; neither she nor the Young Master Li accompanying her were people he could afford to offend. Zhang Yang looked unfamiliar, so he decided to test the waters first.

"I apologize, I am not particularly gentlemanly, and I like this item too. I won't be making any magnanimous gestures," Zhang Yang said, shaking his head lightly as he looked at the box in his hand and headed toward the exit.

He had no desire to stay any longer. The woman's demand struck him as completely unreasonable. If she hadn't adopted that attitude initially, or if she truly loved the item and had negotiated politely, Zhang Yang might have considered exchanging it. He had only bought this piece for Mi Xue because it looked nice, and there were plenty of other nice things. But given their behavior, nothing further needed to be said; he would absolutely not surrender this item, even if the store manager stepped in.

"Young man, judging by your accent, you aren't local, are you?" The Young Master Li, who had been silent until now, suddenly called out, his voice tinged with arrogance.

Zhang Yang turned and glanced back, then shook his head and continued walking. This man looked to be only twenty-two or twenty-three, younger than Su Zhantao. To call him 'Young Man' when Zhang Yang's internal age placed him in the man's uncle bracket—though Zhang Yang did currently look slightly younger—was presumptuous.

"Don't be in such a hurry to leave. How about we become friends?" Young Master Li called out again when Zhang Yang ignored him, then walked over and blocked Zhang Yang’s path.

Shi Yan and Wang Lu, who were purchasing gold necklaces nearby, froze when they saw someone confronting Zhang Yang. They immediately abandoned their shopping and rushed over. Yin Yong, resting near the store entrance, also noticed the escalating situation and walked over. Gao Fei and Zhao Qiang, standing beside Zhang Yang, glared fiercely at the man in front of them.

"It doesn't matter how much you paid for it. I'll add fifty thousand on top. Sell it to me, and we’ll be friends from now on!" Despite the growing crowd, Young Master Li spoke calmly to Zhang Yang.

His words made Gao Fei and the others pause, unable to help but turn to look at Zhang Yang. They were well aware of the necklace's purchase price: 168,000—certainly not cheap. But netting a clear fifty thousand profit without even having held it long was a proposition they hadn't dared to dream of. For a moment, they were tempted.

"I apologize. I have a use for this item; it is not for sale," Zhang Yang replied with a slight smile. Fifty thousand? He wouldn't sell it for that now, not even for five hundred thousand. These wealthy young masters seemed to believe everything could be solved with money.

"Alas!" Gao Fei and the others sighed internally. A net profit of fifty thousand! What a fortune! Zhang Yang actually refused it. Wang Lu also looked pained, mentally calculating how many nice things fifty thousand could buy. Only Shi Yan and Yin Yong seemed unsurprised. They knew Zhang Yang wasn't short on cash; given the attitude of this man, Zhang Yang wouldn't agree even for a hundred thousand.

"So, you're unwilling to befriend me? You won't give me any face at all?" Young Master Li’s tone was clearly annoyed now, carrying a hint of violence.

"Sir, Young Master Li's offer is quite good. If you transfer the item to him, I will ensure you can select an even better piece, still at the lowest discount. You won't lose anything!" Manager Wang stepped forward, fully aware of Young Master Li's influence. Especially since this unfamiliar customer was not local, offending Young Master Li here in Shanghai could make it very difficult for him to leave the city. With the goal of maintaining peace and profit, he stepped in to persuade him again. He also felt this was a good deal for Zhang Yang—a quick profit of fifty thousand. He himself felt a pang of envy; it was far more than his salary.

"Don't refuse a good offer only to face consequences later. If you don't take it now, you won't get a cent!" Han Min also came forward, speaking loudly. As she finished, she linked her arm through Young Master Li’s shoulder, seemingly quite pleased with his actions.

A sudden smile broke across Zhang Yang’s face, radiant and wide. Seeing him smile, Young Master Li relaxed slightly. He was almost certain Zhang Yang wasn't local; he recognized many of the young masters in Shanghai. However, he wasn't foolish enough to think a young man who could casually spend over a hundred thousand and then dismiss an offer of fifty thousand casually was ordinary. One should try not to offend such people if possible. Of course, if the other party refused to show any deference, he wouldn't be polite either, making sure the man understood this was Shanghai, and this was his territory.

"You are not my friend, and I would never have a friend like you. Respect is earned by oneself. Get lost!" Zhang Yang suddenly said with a smile, ending his statement with a sharp shout. He had encountered plenty of young masters, and he certainly didn't hold this Young Master Li in high regard. Zhang Yang generally had a good temper, provided he wasn't provoked. This young master was ostensibly negotiating, but he was actually threatening him, and the woman’s words had particularly annoyed Zhang Yang. Already unhappy from their behavior, their subsequent demands ignited his temper, leading him to speak without restraint.

"You—what did you just say!" Young Master Li stared at Zhang Yang, completely incredulous. He clearly hadn't expected Zhang Yang to dare speak to him that way.

"Get lost!" Zhang Yang’s expression abruptly sharpened, becoming incredibly fierce, his eyes radiating intense killing intent. He was a practitioner of Internal Strength; though he hadn't killed anyone, he had certainly dealt with enough people to know how to project authority. A mere look from him was too much for the ordinary Young Master Li, who instinctively took several steps back, as if willingly clearing a path for Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang walked straight past him without even a second glance.

"Bastard!" Once Zhang Yang had moved away, Young Master Li’s face cycled through shades of green and white as he cursed. Zhang Yang, who had walked over to the golden jewelry counter ahead, heard the outburst and immediately turned back, his gaze now even more severe. Confronted by that look, Young Master Li could not utter another word, merely standing stiffly. After watching him for a moment, Zhang Yang stopped and quietly said a few words to Shi Yan. He told her to finish her shopping quickly, as he was afraid that if he stayed, his anger might compel him to break this boy's legs.

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