NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45: Changes
The main store of Opulent Ornaments in Shanghai is quite different from the other luxurious branches that have sprung up all over the country. This century-old store's decor is closer to the style of old Shanghai from the last century.
There aren't many flashy colors and lights; it is understated yet luxurious, ordinary yet extraordinary, much like the old Shanghai that had its own old-fashioned charm amidst the glitz and glamour.
The old store is not large, just a three-story building with a total area of less than 1,000 square meters. A weathered wooden signboard bears the flamboyant characters "Opulent Ornaments."
The entrance has a large parking lot spanning over a thousand square meters. Practicality aside, having such a large above-ground parking area in the heart of Shanghai, a place where every inch of land is precious, is a testament to its strength.
Being the main store, its business naturally differs from the other branches. The old store focuses on custom designs with aesthetic looks. The diamond and jewelry businesses that thrive in other branches are absent here. Instead, it specializes in custom gold, silver, and jade jewelry.
A brand-new Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB slowly arrived at the entrance of the old Opulent Ornaments store. Before the driver in a black suit and white gloves could get out, the doorman quickly ran over and opened the rear door.
"Welcome to the century-old Opulent Ornaments!"
As the doorman spoke, a young man in casual clothes got out of the car—flip-flops, shorts, and a linen white shirt. The doorman, with sharp eyes, immediately noticed that every item of clothing the casually dressed young man wore was from a luxury brand's summer collection. Even the flip-flops on his feet cost about a month of the doorman's salary. His smile became even brighter.
"The first floor has finished jewelry and jade pieces, and the second floor is dedicated to custom orders. We have the best designers and craftsmen in the industry. Would you like to browse the first floor or go up to the second floor for tea?"
"To the second floor, and have your manager come over. I need to discuss something special with him." Blake smiled and nodded.
Someone in the store naturally led Blake to the second floor. The second floor had a hall with walls adorned with names, photos, past works, and awards of designers and master craftsmen. The top designers and craftsmen in the store generally did not take orders easily unless you paid a hefty price or had some top-grade materials.
After wandering around the hall, the store manager hurriedly came out and led Blake into one of the small rooms next to the hall. Each room was designed like a small tea room, specifically for entertaining high-end custom clients. The manager settled Blake into a room, let him choose a type of tea, and had a young girl specializing in tea brewing prepare a pot of tea.
After pouring a full cup and waiting for Blake to drink it, the manager slowly got down to business.
"Mr. Blake, what kind of jewelry or ornament do you want to be made? Or do you have some rare material that you would like our master craftsmen to work on?"
Blake held the empty teacup, gently pushed it towards the girl, and waited for her to fill it again. He then smiled and said to the manager, "I don't need a highly skilled craftsman. I want to make something entirely out of pure gold. The item will be large and will require a lot of gold, but it doesn't need intricate carving."
A large item? The manager began to think this might not be as significant a deal as he initially imagined. Just gold—what could you possibly want to make? A chair, a table, or an exquisite ornament?
"What exactly do you want to be made of gold? Furniture, a statue, or something else?" the manager asked, still very politely, though feeling slightly disappointed.
"A coffin," Blake replied, downing his cup of tea and placing it heavily on the table.
Five days. Blake gave them only five days. He didn't require any intricate carvings; all he wanted was a standard rectangular coffin made entirely of gold. Normally, Opulent Ornaments would refuse such a request, but Blake offered a million yuan as a processing fee on top of the market price for the gold. This made it difficult for the manager of Opulent Ornaments to refuse.
They had many processing factories at their disposal, accustomed to making large items such as statues and furniture. It was just a matter of making molds and smelting. With the right amount of money, anything could be done. They agreed to deliver in five days, and Blake leisurely walked out of the store.
"Uncle Wang, first find a place to eat, then look for a nightclub—something large and mixed, it doesn't have to be in the city center," Blake said as soon as he got into the car.
It was Blake's third day in Shanghai. The car was newly bought, and the driver, an old local of Shanghai, was temporarily hired through the hotel he was staying at. The driver was very familiar with every place in Shanghai, and his wages were paid daily.
After a casual dinner, the driver took the car to a building on the outskirts of the city.
"This is probably the most mixed place in Shanghai. There's a bathhouse, a KTV, and a nightclub here. As long as you have money, you can find any service here," the driver, Uncle Wang, said after hesitating for a moment, speaking with respect because of Blake's generous tips and polite demeanor over the past few days.
"Mr. Blake, I'd like to say one more thing. You come from a good family and you're young, with a bright future ahead. It's fine to indulge a little and live it up, but there are some things you should never touch. Once you do, your life could be ruined."
Uncle Wang was kindly warning him, thinking Blake wanted to go to such a mixed place for some bad habits, like drugs.
Blake laughed and patted Uncle Wang's shoulder. "Thank you, but you don't need to worry. I'm just here to find some people to help me with something."
He then pulled out a thin wad of cash and handed it to Uncle Wang. "You can get off work now. I'll drive myself back to the hotel later. Just come find me at the hotel tomorrow."
Uncle Wang was half-convinced but, being just an employee, he had already spoken his piece. He sighed, took the money, and got out of the car.
It was just after dinner time, and the nightlife venues were not open yet. The bathhouse and KTV were not very crowded either. After parking the car, Blake wandered into the bathhouse.
Following the deafening welcome from the attendants at the door, a waiter led Blake to the lobby. The bathhouse was quite upscale, with a lobby ceiling of about ten meters high. The waiter brought Blake to the sofas on the sides.
"Sir, if you want to take a bath, let me change your shoes first," the waiter said respectfully, holding a pair of slippers.
"I'm not here to bathe. I'm here to talk business with your boss. Can you call someone in charge?" Blake smiled.
In such a place, it wasn't easy to meet the boss just like that. The waiter was momentarily stunned but kept smiling. "Sir, I can't just meet the boss whenever I want. If you have any business, tell me first. If I can't handle it, I'll get our manager to serve you. Is that alright?"
Though still polite, there was a hint of firmness in his words. Blake didn't mind. He reached out and picked up an ashtray from the coffee table in front of him.
"Can you handle it if I want to smash this place up?"
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Changed Many things in this chapter.
Removed China.
Changed Long Feng Xiang --> Opulent Ornaments.
Tried to keep all the Chinese novel vibes to the minimum.
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