Financial freedom starts from graduation

Chapter 85: Mud Pile

"Golden Palace?"

Zhou Wang was stunned.

"I...I saw some spending records on Cheng Zhe's phone. The amounts were not small. The name of the merchant displayed was 'Golden Palace'."

Xu Wenxi explained carefully, "I don't know where this is, and there's nothing else in his phone, so..."

"Why don't you ask him directly?" Zhou Wang asked puzzledly.

Xu Wenxi was silent for a while before she spoke: "I'm afraid of causing unnecessary misunderstandings. He might be a little...sensitive recently. I don't want to quarrel with him again."

"Is that so?"

Zhou Wang tapped his fingers on the armrest of the sofa. "Golden Palace... I have indeed heard of such a place, but I'm not sure if it's what you're talking about."

"You really know?"

Xu Wenqian, who originally had no hope, had her eyes slightly lit up, and then she asked anxiously, "Is there any way to verify it?"

"Have."

Zhou Wang answered straightforwardly, but his expression was a little strange, "But you have to think about it carefully. Maybe the truth may not be what you hope for."

Xu Wenxi realized something and her face turned slightly pale, but she quickly nodded and her expression became determined.

"I need to know...I don't want to lose sleep over this anymore."

"That's fine."

For Zhou Wang, this was really a piece of cake.

"What are your boyfriend's name and occupation?"

But before taking out his cell phone, Zhou Wang asked a question first.

"His name is Cheng Zhe, and he works in IT at a private company."

Xu Wenxi said quickly.

Zhou Wang nodded, then took out his mobile phone, found a contact and dialed the number, then turned on the speakerphone button and put it on the table.

"The sun is so bright, but I am in the mud... I think this love has already been broken into pieces, and the surging tide has made me retreat..."

The ringtone sounded, and Xu Wenxi saw a contact named "Brother B" on the phone screen.

The call was quickly connected, and a smiling male voice rang out, "Brother Gou, why are you calling me so early? What do you want me to do?"

"Brother B, are you busy? I have something to ask you."

"Say it!"

"I remember you told me last time that your new high-end membership store, um, the one for Cosplay, is it called 'Golden Palace'?"

"Yeah, why, you finally want to come and experience it?"

Wang Qiaobin chuckled, "Although we are open 24 hours a day, it is indeed too early now. There are only a few technicians on duty. I am afraid you will not be able to take it. How about... you come back in the afternoon?"

Zhou Wang noticed that when Xu Wenxi heard the word "technician", her face turned three shades paler, but there was still a hint of hope in her eyes.

Zhou Wang probably guessed what she was thinking. After thinking for a while, he responded to Wang Qiaobin, "Let's talk about it next time. I want to confirm with you, is there a second Golden Palace in Mingcheng?"

"If you're talking about the bathing industry, then there's definitely none. I've registered my trademark, who would dare to copy us?"

Wang Qiaobin also felt that Zhou Wang had other intentions at this time, so he asked tentatively, "Brother Gou, is there something wrong?"

"It's just a little personal matter of mine... Um, Brother B, could you please help me look up a name that might be a member of your place?"

Zhou Wang considered and said, "Of course, if it's inconvenient, forget it."

"Oh, you've already asked me, is it a problem? I'm just checking the accounts at the store, it's just a matter of convenience. Just tell me the name and I'll check it for you right now!"

Wang Qiaobin first said this with a smile, and then asked casually, "Are you checking whether this person is your friend, or..."

"He's not a friend, nor is he from our circle. He's just an ordinary office worker..." Zhou Wang vaguely understood what Wang Qiaobin really wanted to ask, and he smiled.

"Uh-huh, what's the name?"

"Chengzhe, Cheng means "Cheng" on the side of the character "禾", and Zhe means "philosophy."

Zhou Wang glanced at the phone Xu Wenxi held up and said.

"Wait a moment!"

The sound of keyboard tapping came from the other end of the phone, and soon, Wang Qiaobin's voice rang out, "Is the last digit of the phone number 3638?"

Zhou Wang glanced at Xu Wenxi who nodded again and said, "Hmm," "That's him."

"He is indeed a member of our store. Let me take a look... Well, he applied for the membership two years ago, so he is considered an old member."

Xu Wenxi's body trembled, but Wang Qiaobin's voice continued.

"Don't mention it, this guy is really a loyal customer of our club. Over the past two years, his total spending has exceeded 100,000..."

"How many did you say?"

Xu Wenxi, whose face was pale, couldn't bear it any longer, snatched the phone and asked.

Wang Qiaobin was stunned when he suddenly heard a woman's voice, but he still replied: "The records I can find here are more than 110,000, not including cash..."

"How can he have so much money?"

Xu Wenxi asked in disbelief, "How much is his monthly salary..."

"Well, sister, your question is a bit embarrassing for me. We run a shop to do business, how do we know where the customers' money comes from... However, there is one point that is quite interesting."

"what?"

Xu Wenxi held the phone tightly.

"I roughly looked at the details. Cheng Zhe recharged his card mostly around the 15th, with the most on the 15th. The amount each time was about the same, around or , and occasionally over ."

"No. 15..."

Xu Wenxi slumped on the ground, her eyes lifeless as she muttered, "That's when he pays the wages."

"Is there anything else you want to know?"

Wang Qiaobin asked when he suddenly heard no movement.

Xu Wenxi didn't know what she was thinking of, and she quickly grabbed the phone again, like a drowning person grabbing at the last straw.

"Can you...can you tell me what your store does?"

"..."

This question obviously stumped Wang Qiaobin, and for a moment he didn't know how to answer it.

If the call wasn't from Zhou Wang, Wang Qiaobin would definitely curse...

Are you fucking sick?

Zhou Wang knew Wang Qiaobin's dilemma. He took the phone from Xu Wenxi and said, "Brother B, thank you so much for today. I'll call you later."

"It's just a small matter. I'll hang up first!"

Wang Qiaobin probably knew that Zhou Wang had other things to deal with right now, so he didn’t say anything more and quickly hung up the phone.

Zhou Wang put away his phone and turned to look at Xu Wenxi, who was staring at him and seemed unwilling to give up easily. He shook his head.

"Don't be silly, you obviously already know that if it's a purely green store, he can't spend that much even if he dies."

Then, Zhou Wang squatted down and moved closer to her. Right next to her ear, he spoke the cruelest truth in the calmest tone:
"If you insist on asking me, I can only tell you that it is... a place that can drain a man dry."

(End of this chapter)