"And who is Elizabeth llon?"
Li Wei and Emma, walking at the very back, entered the shop together.
"The na Elizabeth isn’t unusual, but llon is," Emma said after a mont’s thought, offering Li Wei an example. "Carnegie llon University, ever heard of it?"
Li Wei nodded.
Carnegie llon University was a top-tier university in the United States of Arica, consistently ranked in the top 30, with its computer science and data science programs perennially in the global top 5.
"Her llon is *that* llon," Emma said gravely. "Likewise, there’s a bank on Wall Street called The New York llon Bank, with over 20 trillion USD in assets under custody."
The ntion of this reminded Li Wei of sothing he’d learned in history class. In 1929, the United States of Arica was hit by the largest economic crisis in the history of capitalism. Back then, Arican farms destroyed "surplus" products by dumping milk directly into the Mississippi River.
A nursery rhy was even popular in New York at the ti: "llon pulls the whistle, Hoover rings the bell. Wall Street gives the signal, and Arica goes to Hell!"
’Her llon is *that* llon?!’
"And you want to be her sugar baby?" Li Wei’s eyes widened. "Are you kidding ?"
Emma looked a little embarrassed. "I only heard about it from Lady Delores after work this evening. Besides, she’s here to rent a necklace, not buy one. Kids from these wealthy families just get a monthly allowance from a trust fund. I originally thought she was new money, not a true old money heiress."
"This sugar baby gig might be a tough nut to crack. These rich girls are always hard to deal with," she then fretted on Li Wei’s behalf. "Oh, how are you going to win her over?"
"Well, if I sohow offend her," Li Wei said casually, "you’ll probably find downstream in the Mississippi River the next day."
"It’s not a guarantee," Emma said, patting him with a grin. "Fortune favors the bold, you know."
The two of them followed, one after the other, keeping their distance behind Elizabeth and Lady Delores.
Upon reaching the second floor, the lights throughout the shop were dimd, and the doors and windows were shut tight.
Elizabeth llon sat in the VIP room, with Lady Delores keeping her company.
Before her sat five open safes, each containing a full set of magnificent jewelry nestled against black velvet.
"This ruby coronet is from 19th-century Saint Petersburg, said to be a forr part of the Tsarina’s collection; and this set is a Victorian Era sapphire necklace..."
Lady Delores’s voice echoed on the quiet second floor, a stark contrast to Elizabeth’s slightly furrowed brow.
"Lady Delores, this is too difficult," she sighed. "You’re truly too good at this. Your taste is impeccable; every single set is exactly what I love."
Suddenly, a quest panel popped up in Li Wei’s mind, notifying him that he had received a new quest.
[You have received the quest: The Princess’s Dilemma]
[As a Knight, you must assist Princess Elizabeth llon in making her choice.]
[Quest Reward: 0.1 Free Attribute Points]
’Although this quest looks good, I’m still a bit hesitant. I don’t want to accept it.’
’This Elizabeth llon seems to have a frighteningly powerful background. I doubt soone like her would be attracted to my face and physique.’
’Besides, if I attract her attention, it could lead to unnecessary trouble down the line.’
This was a real Arican old money family, not so black high school coach or a street punk.
’The 0.1 attribute points aren’t worth it. I’ll probably get them in the next quest anyway. No need to get myself tangled up in trouble. After all, I’m not the bulletproof Captain Arica or the panties-on-the-outside Superman. I can’t survive an Arican-style quick-draw.’
As Li Wei thought this, he quietly took a step back.
"The llon Art Exhibition Hall in Brooklyn is opening next month, isn’t it? What’s the opening the?" Lady Delores asked. "Perhaps I could offer you so suggestions?"
"It’s ’The Remodeling of Light and Shadow.’ After all, I’m starting in the art departnt at Yale next year, so my grandfather gave an exhibition hall to ss around with," Elizabeth said, her fingers casually picking up the ruby coronet to examine it closely. "But I really can’t decide. I only get so much money from my trust each month. Even renting, I can only afford one set..."
"In that case, I recomnd this sapphire set. Its blue isn’t of the highest purity, but that will, in turn, accentuate the deeper blue of your eyes..."
Just as Dolores was about to offer further advice, the sound of hurried footsteps approached.
A security guard who had been posted at the entrance appeared at the top of the stairs, holding Lady Delores’s phone and waving it in front of her.
Lady Delores frowned and t his gaze several tis. When she saw he still wouldn’t leave, she took a deep breath and looked at Elizabeth with a hint of apology in her eyes.
"My sincerest apologies, Miss Elizabeth," she said. "Please allow to take this call."
"I told you, just call Liz," Elizabeth said with a sweet smile. "Work is important. I’m fine to just sit here for a bit."
"Then I’ll have one of my employees assist you with your selection. If there are any other clothes or jewelry you like, please feel free to choose them," Lady Delores said. "Consider it my apology for having to step away so suddenly."
Her gaze swept over Li Wei, Emma, and two other sales associates before she said, "Li Wei is one of our best employees. Let him take my place."
’This is bad!’
Li Wei’s heart skipped a beat.
During his ti working part-ti, many regular custors already had their preferred sales associates, so the shop usually only assigned new custors to Li Wei.
And almost every ti, he was able to use his [Smooth Talker] skill to persuade them, convincing them to buy item after item and leave a tip. As a result, in Lady Delores’s eyes, he had beco a capable, eloquent, and outstanding employee.
With everyone’s eyes on him, Li Wei had no choice but to bite the bullet. He walked over to Elizabeth’s side and half-knelt, his line of sight slightly below hers.
"You look about my age, yet you’re already an outstanding employee?" Elizabeth offered a sweet smile. "That’s really impressive. Have you graduated from high school?"
"I’m still in school, 12th grade," Li Wei said. "Over in Brooklyn."
However, whether it was due to a lack of interest, having never heard of his school, or simply because the polite small talk had served its purpose, Elizabeth didn’t say anything more.
She returned her attention to the necklaces before her. It seed she had narrowed her choice down from five sets to two and was now struggling to decide between them.
Logically, the blue set would be more suitable for an old money heiress like Elizabeth—understated, reserved, and not flashy.
But for so reason, perhaps a gut feeling, Li Wei believed Elizabeth might actually prefer the Tsarina’s ruby coronet.
Finally, he decided to try using his [Smooth Talker] skill and offered his advice:
"Miss Elizabeth," Li Wei began, "I would recomnd you choose the ruby coronet after all."
Elizabeth had been unconsciously toying with the pendant on the sapphire necklace. At his words, she looked up, a trace of curiosity flashing in her crystal-clear blue eyes. "Oh? Lady Delores just said the sapphires would better complent my eye color. Why do you think the red is better?"
"While I agree that the blue suits you very well," Li Wei said, "I think you personally might like the red more. And what you yourself like is what’s most important."
Hearing Li Wei’s words, Elizabeth was suddenly amused.
"I actually think the blue would suit better," she said, blinking her eyes, which were an even deeper blue than the sapphires. "But I really do like this ruby coronet more. Your intuition is spot on."
She nodded to the chauffeur behind her, who stepped forward, closed the safe containing the ruby coronet, and picked it up.
[Quest: The Princess’s Dilemma has been completed.]
[Reward Acquired: 0.1 Attribute Points]
"Hmm... I’m sorry, but I won’t be leaving a tip this ti," she said with a gentle smile. "Forgive my rudeness."
"I’ll rember you, Li Wei," she said. "I’ll look for you next ti I co to buy sothing."
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