"Hey, what do you mean by that? Are you suggesting that I’m trying to extort you? Oh, great, so the big store is bullying the customer now, is that it? Let me tell you, if you don’t give me an explanation today, I will definitely file a complaint against you."
The woman’s face was full of anger as she scolded Lin Qian.
Lin Qian opened her mouth, about to speak, when Shen Bing hurriedly interjected, "Ms. Liu, please don’t be upset. Our manager didn’t mean it that way. She just wants to resolve the issue quickly."
The explanation made it seem as if Lin Qian was a newbie, completely incapable of handling matters.
Shen Bing was intentionally stepping on her.
Lin Qian swallowed the words she was about to say and quietly observed the situation.
"Hmph, to think you’re a manager? You’re not even as professional as you, Shen."
The woman gave Lin Qian a sharp look and stabbed a remark.
Shen Bing felt pleased inside and swiftly glanced over Lin Qian, meeting the woman’s eyes, "Ms. Liu, now’s not the time to discuss that. Why don’t you think again about where else you went before you came to our store today?"
"I didn’t go anywhere else before coming here; I definitely lost my necklace in your store."
The woman asserted confidently, then paused and fixed a suspicious gaze on Lin Qian.
"Lin Qian, is it? The necklace was a new Tiffany model I recently bought, and it was quite expensive. You were the only one who had contact with me privately just now. Tell me, could it be that I accidentally left the necklace in the changing room, and you saw it and decided to hide it?"
Such remarks stirred quite a discussion among the onlookers.
"No way, the manager doesn’t seem like that kind of person."
"Who knows? It’s hard to judge a book by its cover."
"..."
Hearing everyone’s comments, Lin Qian almost laughed in frustration.
"Miss Liu, you can’t just make reckless accusations; you have no evidence that I took your necklace."
Slandering her!
Was it deliberate or unintentional?
"Why not find out by checking?"
The woman looked at Shen Bing, "Shen, I’m your customer, and now there’s a chance that your colleague took my personal item. Tell me, shouldn’t you help me find out the truth?"
"This?"
Shen Bing pretended to be in a difficult position, glancing at the manager who was quietly watching the situation unfold, "Manager, since the customer has doubts now, I request that we search Lin Qian’s locker."
Searching her locker!
Lin Qian’s eyebrows twisted, instinctively objecting.
"You can’t, you don’t have the right to search my locker."
"Lin Qian, the manager hasn’t left the position yet; you’re just an acting manager, it’s not your place to make decisions."
Shen Bing sneered, "Moreover, you’re the suspect right now; you’re not in a position to object. Or is it that you have a guilty conscience?"
Lin Qian remained silent, turning her gaze to the store manager.
The store manager looked at Lin Qian with difficulty and finally made up his mind, "Lin Qian, the customer is always right. Besides, checking won’t hurt. If you didn’t take it, this can clarify things on the spot."
That was the talk, but the humiliation was real, deeply frustrating.
Lin Qian’s lips were tightly pursed, holding back her inner fury.
It all seemed too simple.
Was Shen Bing setting her up again?
Regardless of whether Lin Qian agreed, Shen Bing had already gone into the staff room with the woman and opened Lin Qian’s locker in front of everyone.
The locker was clean, with just a coat and a bag hanging inside.
But, right by the pocket of the garment, the corner of a necklace fell out, emanating a golden glow under the warm yellow light. "Oh, there really is a necklace. Lin Qian, is this your necklace?"
Shen Bing held the necklace in her hand, eyes unabashed with triumph.
"Oh dear, isn’t this the necklace I just bought? Give it back to me!"
The woman snatched the necklace, examined it, and then looked at Lin Qian, "Well, what do you have to say now? And the manager? Your MXL brand is actually letting a thief become an acting manager? I don’t know how many customers have been victimized before! No, I must call the police, to protect the public."
Lin Qian: "...."
She finally understood.
She had been duped by Shen Bing once again.
But she was genuinely puzzled as to when the necklace had been placed in her locker.
...
At the kindergarten, it was time for dismissal.
Candy pouted her little red lips, her face unhappy as she looked at the back of Lin Zirui’s head in front of her.
Her brother hadn’t paid her much attention all day.
She had finally understood the reason, it turned out he was angry with dad for lying to mom, and he was taking it out on her.
But, dad really didn’t have a girlfriend.
Why wouldn’t he believe it?
At the entrance of the kindergarten, the children’s parents gradually arrived to pick them up.
The Yin Family’s driver had arrived, but Candy didn’t want to go with him.
She toddled over to Lin Zirui and said in a baby voice, "Brother, I’m telling the truth. Dad really doesn’t have a girlfriend. It’s that auntie who keeps bothering my dad."
"Candy, you don’t need to explain for dad. I saw the news this morning. If dad didn’t like her, he shouldn’t have been so close to her."
Lin Zirui kept a cool expression and stood firm on this point.
"Okay, okay, I’ll scold dad when I get home. Can you and mommy not ignore me, please?"
Candy cooed softly at Lin Zirui.
Lin Zirui looked into her watery big eyes and sighed like a little adult.
"Candy, I think your dream is going to be shattered. My mommy said she won’t marry your dad."
That struck a chord.
Candy pouted her little red lips, her big watery eyes nearly brimming with tears.
Lin Zirui patted her shoulder, "Alright, Candy, no matter what, my mommy and I still like you."
But she wanted dad and mom to be together.
Candy sniffed her little nose, feeling extremely unhappy.
Lin Zirui glanced at the time, looked around, and said, "Candy, you should go back with the driver first. My mom should be arriving soon."
"I’ll leave after I see mom."
She still wanted to coax her mom, maybe she would agree to be her mom.
Lin Zirui remained silent, only watching as the people around them dwindled, his little eyebrows furrowed tightly.
Mom wasn’t someone late, why hadn’t she arrived yet?
He took out his phone from his backpack and dialed Lin Qian’s number.
The phone rang for a long time before it was answered.
Lin Zirui hurriedly asked, "Mommy, where are you? Why haven’t you come to pick me up?"
The person on the other end paused, "You are Lin Qian’s relative? She is currently at the police station."
"Police station? Why would my mommy be in the police station?"
Lin Zirui was startled, his little face turning grave.
"She has committed theft and currently needs to be detained."
Mommy committed theft!
Lin Zirui’s face turned cold, he hung up the phone and hurriedly hailed a taxi by the roadside.
"Brother, did something happen to mommy? Let’s have the driver take us to rescue mommy."
Mommy in the police station?
She needed to get dad to rescue mommy quickly!
"Okay, Candy, thank you!"
Lin Zirui didn’t refuse, following Candy into the Yin Family’s luxury car, heading straight to the police station.