The Wealthy Tycoon's Game of Life

Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Speedy Watch Shopping

”Hello, welcome to the IWC boutique. Are you interested in men’s or women’s watches?”

The sales associate greeted them warmly at the door, but before Zhou Wang could respond, a voice suddenly rang out from outside the store.

”Ranran!”

Zhou Wang looked back, puzzled, to see a bald man around thirty years old standing outside the store, frowning and beckoning to Ranran beside him.

”Damn, how did Little Brother Mao come straight here?”

Seeing the man, Ranran couldn’t help but nervously stick out her tongue. She quickly set down her shopping bags and said to Zhou Wang, ”Brother, I’ll be back in a moment, okay?”

Without waiting for a response, Ranran hurriedly ran off.

Although Zhou Wang was perplexed, he had only just met Ranran, and with time being of the essence, he didn’t feel like meddling. He turned to the sales associate and said, ”I want to buy a watch, priced around 400,000, but it must be in stock!”

”400,000?”

The sales associate was a bit shocked. IWC certainly had watches in that price range, but they weren’t very popular, so it was his first time seeing a customer who came in directly asking to buy a watch for 400,000.

The sales associate quickly regained his composure, but his eyes were thoughtful.

”Right this way, sir.”

The sales associate led Zhou Wang to the VIP area but did not sit down. Instead, he walked over to the other side of the counter and murmured a few words to a man in a suit and leather shoes who was inspecting something intently.

While Zhou Wang was wondering, the man in the suit turned his head, and then came over with a smile.

”Hello, sir, I am the manager of the IWC Henglong store. My last name is Cao. I’ve heard about your request from Zhou, and considering your generous budget, perhaps it would be more appropriate for me to assist you. Would that be okay?”

”No problem, but you can skip the history of your brand, just show me the watches.”

Zhou Wang was clearly pleased to be attended by the manager himself, as it might be more efficient.

”It seems you are familiar with our IWC brand, so let me clarify. I just assisted a customer with the same intent. Are you also here for the ’Ocean Timepiece Perpetual Calendar’ limited edition model?” asked Manager Cao with a smile.

Uh...

Zhou Wang paused, realizing there might have been some misunderstanding but nodded anyway, ”If it’s the 400,000 one, then yes, that should be it. I’d like to take a look at the in-stock items, do you have any?”

”Of course, it’s here in the store right now. The client who had reserved it gave up the purchase due to personal reasons. In fact, it just came off the plane yesterday, and we received it today. It’s only been three hours...”

Manager Cao explained while waving to the sales associate who shared Zhou’s surname.

Zhou quickly approached, holding a white watch case, and carefully placed it on the table.

Manager Cao, wearing gloves, personally opened the box. After opening the large white case, there was a smaller black leather box inside. Upon unfastening the clasp, a watch with a black dial, red scales, and hands was revealed.

The watch couldn’t be described as particularly beautiful, but it had a quality feel to it. The style seemed rather like a chunky electronic watch, but Zhou Wang had to admit, at least it was better than the Vacheron Constantin watches he had just looked at...

Mainly because it suited his age better.

”Mr. Zhou, let me now introduce to you the king of the IWC Ocean Timepiece series, the IW379405 diver’s watch...”

”Ceramic-titanium case, automatic winding movement, 49-millimeter dial diameter, a sapphire glass polished mirror, luminous coating, matched with a black rubber strap...”

”As a limited-edition release, there are only 25 pieces available worldwide...”

”Its water resistance can reach up to 300 meters underwater...”

Manager Cao enthusiastically showcased the watch to Zhou Wang, unfolding all its details, until Zhou abruptly interrupted him.

”What’s the price?”

”Its official retail price in the mainland region is 436,000.”

Manager Cao replied with a smile, showing no sign of displeasure.

Perfect!

Hearing the price quoted by Manager Cao, Zhou Wang felt, for a moment, that the watch was specially prepared for him by the system.

”Can I try it on?”

Zhou Wang couldn’t wait.

...

Meanwhile, outside the store, in a corner.

”Do you know what mistake you’ve made?”

Little Mao brother spoke to Ranran with disdain, his hands in his pockets.

”The mistake is... I forgot to turn off the tracking software?”

Ranran said cautiously.

After all, those who work in this field are young and beautiful girls, and the quality of customers is quite mixed, with plenty of trouble arising before. Therefore, Little Mao brother made them all install a shared location-tracking app on their phones, to be turned on when they had business, for their safety.

Thus, when Ranran ”disappeared,” Little Mao brother was able to find her so quickly.

”Still laughing around with me!”

Little Mao brother raised his hand as if to knock Ranran but ultimately did not. He just helplessly shook his head and said, ”So, is that young man the reason why you let the client slip away?”

Little Mao brother hadn’t known Ranran for long, but he understood some things about her; although she was materialistic, she also focused too much on looks.

Ranran had previously refused orders simply because ”the client was just too ugly,” but since she was only working part-time, Little Mao brother didn’t feel right criticizing her.

This time, however, was outrageous. Ranran had already agreed to the job, and only when the client waited for half an hour and called Little Mao brother did he realize that Ranran never showed up.

After not replying to messages, calls being hung up, Little Mao brother even worried if something serious had happened to Ranran, which made him rush to Henglong Square.

Seeing the two holding hands from afar, Little Mao brother thought he grasped the truth.

”I never stopped you from dating, but you’ve accepted an order and then stood the client up, isn’t that bad?”

Little Mao brother felt the anger rise again.

”It’s not like that, Little Mao brother, you’re misunderstanding...”

Ranran briefly explained how she met Zhou Wang, ”Just now, I’ve been shopping with him, and I didn’t have time to check my phone, by the time I remembered, it was already too late!”

”So you’ve only just met?”

Little Mao brother, taken aback, then shook his head, ”Whatever, it’s not important, let’s go!”

”Where to?”

”Of course, to apologize!”

Little Mao brother snorted, ”Though I’ve asked Qinqin to fill in for you, the client is still very upset. It would be best if you come with me, to apologize in person... The client is quite influential, I can’t afford to offend them.”

”Ah, but I’ve already promised brother to accompany him after buying the watch, and I think he’s quite capable too...”

”If he’s buying IWC, his family background should be decent... but that’s about it.”

Unlike Ranran, who knew little about watches, Little Mao brother had some research on them. After all, the people he dealt with were mostly watch enthusiasts, and it wouldn’t do not to know about watches!

He had his own criteria for judging watch brands.

The simplest way to gauge the level of a watch brand is to see what the price range of its best-selling watches is.

For instance, IWC claims to be on par with Rolex, but its best-selling watches are around 50,000 yuan, while the most popular Rolex watches are never priced below 100,000 yuan, a clear gap.

Even though Little Mao brother himself wore a Longines worth over 20,000 yuan, he didn’t hesitate to look down on IWC from that perspective.

”I still feel it’s not right...”

”Forget it, you don’t have to worry, I’ll talk to him.”

Seeing Ranran’s difficulty, Little Mao brother waved her off and headed straight for the store.