Going Power Shopping – Part 5
“Miss Yang, while we strive to accommodate all client requests, our rooms operate on a first-come, first-served basis, taking into account the parties involved. The client in that room has been here for over an hour and retains priority. We do have other rooms available, Miss Yang,” the staff member explained calmly.
Yang Lin’s face darkened. “That room is the best one, and you know I’m entitled to it. Move the people in there now or I’ll make sure none of you keep your jobs,” she demanded, her voice sharp with authority.
Anna, who had been quietly listening, heard footsteps approaching. There was a soft knock at the door before it opened slightly, and another staff member stepped inside. “Madam Hou, I’m terribly sorry to trouble you, but we were wondering if you’d be willing to move to another room so we can accommodate a client who insists on having this one. I hate to put pressure on you, but the last time we couldn’t fulfill her request, her rage was so intense that the staff was left terrified. We really want to avoid that.”
Du AnLing, who had been quietly observing the situation, felt a pang of realization. She couldn’t deny the truth: Yang Lin was a bully, treating everyone as inferior and demanding everything for herself. She glanced over at Anna, who was calm and poised, treating people with respect. More importantly, her son, Hou Yi, was in love with Anna, something he had never felt for Yang Lin. Du AnLing couldn’t help but wish she could forget the toxic woman altogether.
“We were here first,” Du AnLing replied firmly, standing her ground. “We will not move for anyone, even if we know them in passing. You’ve heard the policy, so Miss Yang will have to deal with it. And you know who my son is—do you really expect us to move for her?”
With that, the employee left, clearly uncomfortable with the standoff. Anna turned to her bodyguards who had been standing outside, watching the situation unfold.
“I know you want to be out there, but I think it’ll only make things worse. Please, come inside,” she said, and the bodyguards stepped in, closing the door behind them to avoid any further confrontation with Yang Lin.
Rebecca, noticing the tension, turned to Anna and asked, “Miss Anna, after our time shopping around, I’ve noted what you’re interested in. Could you tell me if there’s a specific designer you’re after and what exactly you need?”
Before Anna could respond, Leng Xi jumped in, her excitement evident. “She needs everything, from business suits to casual wear, clothes for lounging at home, swimwear, formal wear, semi-formal attire, cocktail dresses—everything you can think of.”
Anna chuckled softly. “Rebecca, please use your judgment. You can pick out what you think will work best for me, and I’ll try on the items. We can go from there. Also, I’ll need shoes to go with the clothes—I forgot to mention that earlier.”
Rebecca nodded. “Of course, Miss Anna. I’ll arrange for our shoe specialist to come and take your measurements, and she’ll match shoes to your outfits. I’ll also ensure that the items we’ve selected will be delivered in your size.” With that, Rebecca left the room, securing the door behind her.
Leng Xi looked at Anna, her curiosity piqued. “What did you order at that tailor’s shop? I would have never imagined going there for clothes.”
Anna smiled, remembering her earlier visit. “I did a bit of shopping myself. I can sew from patterns, and a friend’s mother is a dressmaker, so I know quality work when I see it. From the clothes on display and the photos in the shop, I could tell there was a talented designer behind it all. I ordered fifteen suit sets—five for here, five winter, and five summer-weight suits for Australia. Each set includes jackets, skirts, dresses, pants, and shirts.”
“I also asked for two suits for here and two winter-weight ones for Australia to be made quickly, with the rest to follow later. And I asked if they could design a few one-off items for me, including my wedding dress. The deposit was 700,000,” Anna said, feeling a twinge of anxiety. “Oh, my god, what will Yi say? That’s just the deposit, and the total cost will be three or four times that. He warned me this morning about you two and shopping,” Anna added with a light laugh, trying to brush off the concern.
Du AnLing chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Darling daughter, you’re learning from the best. He would have told you that.”
Before Anna could reply, her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID as “Darling Husband,” she answered promptly. “Darling Yi, why did you call?”
“No real reason,” Hou Yi’s voice was warm and teasing. “I just got a notification that you spent 700,000 at one store. Do you need me to raise the card limits?”
Anna winced, trying to stay calm. “Please don’t kill me, but I found a tailor’s shop while we were wandering around M Mall. I’ve commissioned them to make work suits for here and Australia and to design some one-off pieces, including my wedding dress. That 700,000 was just the deposit. I’ll have to pay more at the first fitting, plus for the other items as well. Sorry.”
Hou Yi laughed softly, his voice filled with affection. “I guess the power shoppers strike again. Don’t worry about it. When you go for the first fitting, let me know, and I’ll try to be there. I’ll arrange for the balance of the payments to be sent directly to you.”
Anna felt a weight lift off her shoulders at his reassuring words. “Thank you, darling,” she said, relieved. “I’ll keep you updated.”
As she ended the call, she glanced at Du AnLing and Leng Xi, both of whom were trying to hide their smiles. It seemed that her new life was shaping up to be quite an adventure, and Hou Yi, despite his initial reservations, was more supportive than she had expected.
