Blackstone Code

Chapter 165

In a society like the Baylor Federation, the concept of spending money to enjoy services was ingrained in people's values and worldviews, and no one felt anything wrong with it.

Indeed, there was some resentment towards the wealthy, but more people still pursued wealth fervently.

Katherine's mother felt this keenly as some neighbors surrounded her. It was clear that Katherine had left with a wealthy man. They couldn't cozy up to Katherine or the rich man they didn't know, but flattering Katherine's mother seemed quite feasible.

Who knew, perhaps someday Katherine's mother could provide them with a good job?

Meanwhile, what Katherine did not notice was that after Lynch registered her membership, another employee closed the store door and hung a sign on it that said "Serving VIP Guests," advising potential customers to wait in the nearby café.

The drinks and pastries they consumed in the café would be paid for by this clothing brand store, but they must present the membership card they had from this brand store.

Internally, the supreme-level service made people revel in the "only I am supreme" atmosphere created by money.

Externally, this goodwill also spurred some people's desire for membership status and naturally pleased other members.

At least, those who could afford membership wouldn't deign to take advantage of a free coffee or a slice of cake—that would be too disgraceful.

Those who truly wanted to take advantage wouldn't have such opportunities.

The entire second floor of the hotel consisted of such stores, different from some "luxury brand stores" in commercial centers. In some people's eyes, all stores selling ready-to-wear clothes couldn't be called luxury, or they were luxury only to ordinary people, lacking deeper heritage.

In Katherine's selections, she picked two summer outfits and four autumn outfits.

September was approaching, and Kurland's weather would gradually cool down after October, reducing the need for summer wear.

Autumn would last for about two months, and then it would be winter.

The trends for winter fashion were not yet clear, so around November, the winter designs would be finalized, and Katherine would need to visit again.

After choosing the clothes, all that was left was to wait. After Katherine confirmed her requirements, the clothes would be sent to headquarters, where a specialized high-end tailor would handcraft her custom garments.

In reality, it wasn't as complicated as it sounded; the so-called handcrafting was essentially a gimmick.

In fact, such luxury shops that could spread nationwide were not the top tier. They would use pre-made parts and sew them according to size. Craftsmanship-wise, the difference between handcrafting and assembly line was merely the final step.

Yet, many still liked this service.

Before leaving, the store clerk gave Katherine a member gift, which included some high-end cosmetics and women's items that were very popular recently.

If the new member were a man, they would give small gifts like ties, belts, or wallets.

With all the staff bidding them farewell, the two left the store, and the sign was switched back to "Open for Business," returning everything to normal.

"Can you tell me how much all this cost?" Katherine asked quietly, "Do I need to take a deep breath?"

During this process, Lynch hadn't told Katherine how much he spent, nor did Katherine ask, knowing it would embarrass them both. She knew how to maintain Lynch's dignity.

Now, out of the store, curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to know the figure, wondering if it was as breathtaking as she imagined.

"Not much, just twelve thousand," Lynch said. This amount no longer mattered much to him. He chose this brand mainly for its influence among young people, especially the trendy ones.

Don't underestimate universities or their complexity; in this era, only two types of people could afford to attend university.

The first type were those who received guaranteed admission, full scholarships, and various research grants even before entering the university. These people were commonly known as pre-scientists, and even the most dedicated "nerds" wouldn't measure up to them.

Such people would inevitably appear in high-end research institutes, leading experiments that would change human progress.

The second type were those who came from well-off families, mostly middle class or those on the verge of it. Otherwise, even with education insurance, they still wouldn't be able to afford university fees without selling their house, which might still not be enough.

These families had a superior understanding and awareness of trends, fashion, and attire compared to ordinary families.

Many brands that children from ordinary families might not even know about were familiar to these people. They would often hear about them and know of them, but they wouldn't necessarily own them.

When Katherine occasionally appeared in such clothes, anyone thinking of bullying her would have to consider the unpleasant consequences and whether they could afford the cost.

Anyone willing to spend twelve thousand just for membership fees and thousands on a single piece of clothing could easily spend the same amount to make someone regret their actions.

In the city's lower-income areas, kids would dare to stab someone at night for just a thousand bucks.

For twenty or thirty thousand, they might even dare to kill.

So, whether they respected Katherine or not, at least they would fear her. Lynch couldn't do much for her; this was all he could do.

Hearing Lynch's words, Katherine rolled her eyes, "I don't even know if I can save a thousand bucks in my lifetime. How can I repay you?"

"You've already repaid a part of it…" Lynch looked at her, "Happiness is the best reward. I've laughed more today than I have in the past three months combined, or even more. That's the best reward."

"Isn't it often said that happiness is the universal remedy?" In good economic times, people would be optimistic in various ways, believing that pursuing happiness was the right path. This value system hadn't been abandoned by mainstream society yet, contributing to worsening conditions as they remained unaware.

Lynch, holding Katherine's hand, headed to the next store, without telling her that those clothes required additional payment. "I'm giving you a perfect start. Whether you can achieve a perfect ending depends on yourself."

The very next day, at Kurland City Gymnasium, Katherine witnessed a scene she might never forget in her lifetime.

Perhaps Richard wanted to make a big splash outside Sabin City, or he wanted to catch up with Lynch quickly and not fall behind, he was very meticulous.

He set up six thousand seats for the auction, making it seem much larger than the one in Sabin City, although only a thousand more people participated.

Of course, apart from the chance to get a free belt, these people also wanted to witness a miracle—a city centre apartment starting at one buck, currently valued at over fifty thousand. Everyone thought they might have a chance, which was why they were there.

From the beginning, the atmosphere was lively. The auctioneer didn't even need to warm up the crowd; the enthusiasm was already there.

Katherine had never seen so many people gathered not for a sports event but just to spend money. The more she knew, the more powerless she felt.

More frustrating was that she had to keep smiling as reporters occasionally approached for photos. Her cheeks began to cramp from smiling.

"Well done, Richard." Lynch handed Richard a pure-colored Colofu worth forty-nine bucks, already a high-end product.

Of course, Lynch also had a cheaper one worth around twenty bucks in his pocket.

If Richard hadn't done well, he would only get the twenty-buck one, but since he did well, he deserved better treatment.

Richard couldn't stop smiling, repeatedly thanking Lynch for his support. He was older than Lynch. However, when he shamelessly tried to get his way, Lynch sometimes wondered if Richard might even call him "dad" without hesitation.

Smoking the high-end cigarette, looking at the bustling crowd below, Richard smelled the intoxicating scent of wealth filling the gymnasium.

With a five percent commission, Richard's income from this auction alone might exceed twenty thousand, maybe even more.

The more Richard earned, the more Lynch earned. With subordinates like him, Lynch didn't mind sharing some profits.

"Among all my partners, Richard, you are the one I have the most confidence in."

"You're the only one who makes me feel at ease, and in you, I see a kind of light, like gold."

"One month…" Lynch held up one finger, "If the transaction volume of four auctions within a month doesn't significantly decrease, I will arrange for you to manage the branch office in the state capital."

Suddenly, a rush of blood surged from Richard's groin to his head. The capital was the only first-tier city in the state, with a larger market, bigger audience, and... more lucrative profits.

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