Otherwise, high-end luxury stores are different. Not only are they well-decorated and have a good environment, they also have specially set up reception rooms with separate smoking and non-smoking areas, specifically for male companions like Cao Zhiqiang to rest and wait here.
In other words, if a man and woman come in, the male companion who accompanies the woman can wait in the reception room while the woman changes clothes.
Not only are there the latest newspapers and magazines, but also a variety of best-selling comic books, and even a Walkman with headphones, which can completely kill time.
If you don't like any of these, there are dedicated people here to serve you, and basically everything is ready for you, including coffee, green tea, sweets and drinks.
If you like quiet, no one will disturb you.
If you like the excitement, there will be someone to chat with you.
In short, when you come here, you will be able to wait comfortably and you will never be irritable.
In this regard, Cao Zhiqiang can only sigh sincerely. After all, this kind of home-like service level is really amazing.
However, this may be a case of doing as the locals do, adding some Japanese service concepts.
Anyway, Cao Zhiqiang remembered that the Hermès store he visited with others in his previous life did not have such high-end reception services.
Of course, it could also be that the store Cao Zhiqiang went to in his previous life was not of high quality.
After all, luxury stores also have different situations. Different chain stores under the same brand are actually divided into grades. Different chain stores of the same brand must also be different.
Furthermore, in terms of service, at least on the surface, the Chinese cannot achieve the same level as Japan. After all, the national conditions are different.
Therefore, even luxury stores do not dare to go too far at home, but it is different abroad, especially in countries like Japan.
Otherwise, in the past life, many wealthy people liked to go abroad for consumption. In fact, the domestic service limit was very low, while the service limit abroad was much higher.
If nothing else, just talk about places like the Crazy Horse Show. In China, you don’t dare to open it openly. Even if you force it to open, it won’t be open for a long time, and sooner or later it will be banned.
Even if a venue like the Crazy Horse Show is a bit extreme, let's talk about a normal comparison, such as a so-called five-star hotel.
It is also a five-star hotel, but the service quality in China is actually not as good as abroad.
The service quality mentioned here is not the most basic ones, but some services that domestic companies simply do not dare to provide.
For example, chicken calling is not allowed in five-star hotels in China openly, and is generally not allowed in secret. However, in foreign countries, this is a normal service.
There is also gambling, which is expressly prohibited in China, but in many five-star hotels abroad, this is also a basic service, and even many big hotels have their own casinos.
To put it simply, pornography, gambling and drugs are absolutely prohibited in high-end hotels in China, but it is different abroad. As long as you have money, you can do anything.
This is still talking about the situation after 2023. If it were changed to now, there would be even more domestic restrictions.
For example, in China now, when a man or a woman rents a room to stay in a guest house, if they live in the same room, they must bring a marriage certificate to prove their identity as husband and wife, otherwise... ahem, they will be arrested anyway.
What? Why was Cao Zhiqiang okay before?
The reason is very simple, that is, Cao Zhiqiang did not stay in ordinary hotels before. He stayed in special foreign-related hotels, such as Jianguo Hotel, Peking Hotel, and Jinling Hotel.
These large hotels, in theory at this time, do not accept ordinary people, only foreign guests and overseas Chinese, and the money collected is mainly foreign exchange coupons, not RMB.
In the 1980s, the country actually implemented a dual currency system, that is, a parallel system of foreign exchange rolls and RMB.
Because foreign currency cannot be circulated directly in the country, foreign guests and overseas Chinese who want to enter the country for tourism, business, family visits, etc. If they want to spend money, they can only exchange foreign currency into foreign exchange coupons first, and then spend domestically.
The circulation range of foreign exchange rolls is relatively small. In theory, it can only be consumed in foreign-related institutions such as foreign-related hotels, overseas Chinese stores, and friendship stores.
But in fact, by exchanging with some companies or exchanging on the black market, foreign exchange coupons can also be exchanged for RMB.
RMB is just the opposite. RMB has a wider scope of application, but it cannot be consumed directly in domestic foreign-related institutions.
However, this kind of restriction is just a matter of words, and in fact it is not that serious.
If you really have enough RMB, you can still go to some foreign-related institutions for consumption.
For example, Peking Hotel, Jianguo Hotel, Jinling Hotel, etc., these foreign-related hotels can also charge RMB, provided that you have to pay a sufficient deposit.
Only places like Friendship Store and Overseas Chinese Store are relatively strict. They only accept foreign exchange coupons, not RMB, and only accept foreign guests and overseas Chinese.
Generally speaking, even if you are not a foreign guest or an overseas Chinese, as long as you have a foreign exchange coupon in your hand and go directly to a friendship store to shop, no one will check you.
But this is just because they don’t care about you. If they really care about you, you are not a foreign guest or an overseas Chinese, so you cannot spend money in foreign-related institutions such as foreign-related hotels and friendship stores.
Having said that, if we just talk about enjoyment, foreign countries are really better than domestic ones, especially now.
But no matter how good a foreign country is, it is not my home.
Cao Zhiqiang knows very well that he is Chinese with black eyes and yellow skin. This label determines his origin.
No matter how talented and wealthy he is, he is still a second-class citizen abroad and will never become a truly superior person.
If you want to be of Chinese descent abroad, you will never get ahead, and once the international situation changes, such as the conflict between China and the United States, you in the United States will be cannon fodder and a victim.
There are countless similar situations.
Therefore, even if we put aside national sentiments and consider only from the perspective of security, Cao Zhiqiang would not consider settling abroad or changing his nationality.
The country is the thigh, the country is the support.
Especially since China, the destined giant of the future, is the big player, why throw it away?
Even though Japan is very developed now, this prosperity is false, and it is still essentially a colony of the United States.
If we just talk about eating, drinking and having fun, in fact Cao Zhiqiang is not bad at home.
As for low-interest things like pornography and gambling, Cao Zhiqiang doesn't like it.
That's right, Cao Zhiqiang would never touch Du.
As for Huang, to be honest, Cao Zhiqiang is not surprised either.
The reason is very simple. Cao Zhiqiang can justifiably find a high-end lover, so why do he play pornographically?
Anyway, Cao Zhiqiang has no interest in playing poker with a woman who knows how many people he has slept with.
What? How about Hao Shuwen and Yoshinaga Sayuri?
This, people are just married, it is different from the situation where thousands of people sleep together.
While Cao Zhiqiang was drinking green tea, reading a magazine, and wandering around with random thoughts, suddenly the sound of high heels came closer and closer.
Cao Zhiqiang subconsciously raised his head, and then suddenly froze.
Because he saw Zhu Lin dressed up!
In fact, Cao Zhiqiang didn't know how to describe it. After all, he was not a clothing major and couldn't say that much.
All he knew was that Zhu Lin was wearing a dress that looked very expensive and high-end, with a mink fur shawl on his shoulders, a jeweled gem necklace hanging around his neck, and stiletto heels. Black stockings, earrings, handbags, hats, etc. are all paired together to give people the feeling of a noble lady.
Let's put it this way, the previous Zhu Lin only gave people the impression of an intellectual beauty. Overall, she was still more delicate, and she was not yet as glamorous as she was.
But now Zhu Lin seems to have magnified her advantages countless times, transforming directly from delicate to luxurious.
Facing Zhu Lin at this time, I am afraid that many people will feel ashamed just by looking at her, and subconsciously recognize her eyes and dare not look at her.
Just two words in a thousand words - stunning!
Seemingly noticing that Cao Zhiqiang had been looking at him blankly, Zhu Lin pursed his lips and smiled, and then asked generously: "How are you doing? Are you okay?"
"Wow! Wow!" Cao Zhiqiang shook his head and clapped, "That's great! This dress is almost tailor-made for you. It looks like a noble lady."
Zhu Lin smiled bitterly: "Actually, others chose it for me. I just let them control me. Originally, I didn't want to wear something so exaggerated, but I don't speak Japanese, so we can't communicate normally."
Cao Zhiqiang laughed: "It doesn't matter. Anyway, you are just here to buy clothes, not to communicate with them."
Speaking of this, Cao Zhiqiang looked Zhu Lin up and down again, nodded and said: "Not bad, this outfit makes you feel good just by looking at it."
Immediately afterwards, Cao Zhiqiang asked the female store manager who was following Zhu Lin in Japanese: "Are you wearing regular clothes or a dress?"
"It's a common courtesy." The female store manager smiled, "The outfit I matched for this lady can be worn as regular clothes or to attend banquets. It is very useless. It is also according to this lady's It’s determined by your temperament.”
"Very good." Cao Zhiqiang nodded, "Not bad, then this is the way to go."
The female store manager immediately beamed and said, "Yes, as long as you like it."
At this time, Zhu Lin frowned and asked Cao Zhiqiang in a low voice: "Zhiqiang, what did you tell her?"
Cao Zhiqiang smiled and said to her in Chinese: "It's nothing. She asked me, how does your outfit look like? I think it's okay, so I'll take it."
"Ah? Do you want it?" Zhu Lin continued to frown, "You don't want to buy it, do you?"
"Yes." Cao Zhiqiang said matter-of-factly, "You think it's good, I think it's good too, so of course I want to buy it."
"No, it's too expensive!" Zhu Lin quickly shook his head, "Zhiqiang, do you know how expensive this set is? Three hundred and fifty thousand! U.S. dollars! So much money, just for this set of clothes, no, no, no, This is too expensive, I’m afraid your friend won’t be able to afford it!”
Upon hearing this, Cao Zhiqiang suddenly frowned: "What, only three hundred and fifty thousand? So little?"
Zhu Lin also frowned: "Zhiqiang, are you okay?
This is three hundred and fifty thousand dollars! Dollars!
If converted into RMB, that would be more than 700,000 yuan. How can this be called less?
Do you know the concept of 700,000 RMB?
This is enough to buy ten cars and shoot three movies! "
Cao Zhiqiang laughed and said: "Of course I know the purchasing power of three hundred and fifty thousand US dollars, and I also know that your one-to-two exchange rate is the official exchange rate, and the actual market exchange rate has long exceeded one-to-five.
In other words, if the US$350,000 can be brought into the country and converted into cash privately in the market without using the official exchange rate, it can definitely be exchanged for 1.75 million RMB! "
"Now that you know it, you still want to buy it?" Zhu Lin frowned and said, "Even if the friend you mentioned can reimburse it, there is still a limit, right? It can't be reimbursed for such an expensive price, right?"
Cao Zhiqiang frowned and said, "Wait a minute, don't you speak Japanese? How do you know the price?"
Zhu Lin rolled his eyes at Cao Zhiqiang: "I don't know Japanese, but I know English! Although my English level is average, but the most basic thing is to ask about the price, I still know how to eat."
Cao Zhiqiang burst into laughter again: "That's right, I forgot you can speak English."
Immediately afterwards, Cao Zhiqiang grabbed Zhu Lin's hand and patted it: "Don't worry, I have my own sense of discretion.
Well, let me ask you now, if you don’t consider the price, or the price is actually very cheap, do you like this outfit and the various bags and accessories that match it?
Tell the truth! "
Zhu Lin was stunned for a moment, then pursed his lips and said, "Of course I like it. After all, it's really beautiful. After I put it on, I couldn't even recognize myself, but..."
"That's enough!" Cao Zhiqiang waved his hand and interrupted her, "It's enough if you like her, nothing else is necessary."
"Then how can you say you don't need it?" Zhu Lin frowned, "It's too expensive, I can't accept it!"
Cao Zhiqiang was about to continue persuading him, but when he saw Zhu Lin's determined look, he immediately knew that it would be impossible to force her to accept it at this time.
So Cao Zhiqiang rolled his eyes and said carefully: "Okay, okay, I'll listen to you. But since we've already come, why don't you just go and give it a try one by one."
Anyway, it doesn’t cost anything to try on clothes, so you can try it for free and play a dress-up game for free, how about it? "
"This..." Zhu Lin was moved after hearing this.
"Is it really okay for me to change clothes here? Will they agree?" Zhu Lin asked.
"Why don't you agree?" Cao Zhiqiang said with a smile, "This kind of store is open for business. The emphasis is that the customer is God. It's just trying on clothes. What's the problem?
At worst, we can just buy something from him later.
For example, the bag I just bought is not cheap, it’s 5 million yen! In U.S. dollars, it’s almost 20,000! "
Zhu Lin pursed his lips: "But, it's not good for us to do this, right?"
"Let's do that." Cao Zhiqiang smiled, "I'll ask the store manager first, and then we'll talk if she agrees, okay?"
Zhu Lin nodded: "Okay, let's ask clearly first."
Cao Zhiqiang nodded to Zhu Lin, then found the female store manager and said in Japanese: "Well, I am very satisfied with this set, but this set is too little. I want my female partner to try more Sets, as long as they fit, I want them all.
However, what I say is that my female companion is relatively frugal, so you should not tell her the truth, let alone the price.
If she insists on asking, just tell her as little as possible. The less, the better. Anyway, the price of each set of clothes should not exceed 100,000 yen. Do you understand? "
The female shopkeeper nodded: "I understand, but the clothes we have here are all clearly marked with price tags."
"Are you stupid?" Cao Zhiqiang said, "You can't say that that's the bid price, but the actual purchase price is different. Do you still need me to teach you this kind of speaking skills?"
The female shopkeeper smiled slightly: "Of course that's no problem, but I'll ask you again, are you sure you want them all?"
Cao Zhiqiang frowned, lowered his face and said, "I don't want to say it a second time!
If you still ask such annoying questions, I'll leave immediately!
You are not the only luxury store here!
I think the Chanel store next door is very good. "
The female shopkeeper immediately put away her smile and became serious: "Don't worry, I will definitely let you, ah no, let your female companion return home satisfied!"
Cao Zhiqiang then nodded: "Go and bring out all your best, no, most expensive goods!
No matter what kind of clothes, bags, necklaces or hats, I can put them all on you!
Remember, my goal is just one - not to be the best, but to be the most expensive!
When it comes to buying luxury goods for my woman, I only want the most expensive ones. Do you understand me? "
The female store manager blinked, then smiled and agreed: "I completely understand, don't worry, I will guarantee your satisfaction!"
(End of chapter)
