Buying a Mobile Phone (Part Two)

"Excuse me, sir, what type of mobile phone are you looking to purchase, and what price range do you have in mind?" Just as Fatty finished his call, a girl with delicate features approached, unperturbed by his rough demeanor.

By the year 2000, Motorola's monopoly had long since faded; brands like Ericsson and Nokia had carved out their own niches in the domestic market. The sales staff, who once regarded customers with disdain, had now come to understand the age-old adage that "the customer is king."

"Um... could you provide us with some recommendations?" 

As the girl spoke in a soft, melodic Jinling dialect, Fatty's bravado diminished. After all, the decision regarding which phone to buy ultimately rested with Fang Yi.

"Of course, gentlemen, this here is the L2000 model, a flagship product of this year with impressive sales. Its features include..." The girl led them to the glass display case, pointing out a sleek mobile phone as she began her introduction.

"One thousand five hundred eighty..." 

Upon seeing the price, Fatty and San Pao exchanged glances. In their minds, they had envisioned a price range closer to one thousand one hundred or one thousand two hundred. This price, however, only afforded them last year's outdated model.

"Let's take a look at other options..." Fang Yi suggested noncommittally. After all, isn't shopping about comparing products? How could one settle on a purchase after seeing just one?

"Alright, gentlemen, please consider this model, the L2000i. It is an upgraded version of the L2000, featuring additional functionalities, but it comes at a higher price, approximately one thousand eight hundred..." 

In sales, the ability to read people is paramount. Although the girl was merely eighteen or nineteen, she was a diligent university student working part-time during the summer, having gained considerable experience over two seasons in the role.

She could tell that the three newcomers were relatively young and did not appear to be affluent business owners, so she kindly presented Fatty with options that were more affordable.

"Hey, darling, I want that V998+, please just buy it for me..." 

While Fatty and the others were engrossed in their phone selection, a woman's voice chimed in from nearby. Following the sound, they saw a woman in her thirties, clinging to a middle-aged man, speaking in a sultry tone.

"This V998+ is black and designed for men; what would you do with it?" 

The man glanced at the phone's price, three thousand two hundred eighty-eight, and hesitated. He turned to Fatty and the others and remarked, "Look at that L2000 they're considering; it's not bad either—it's also a new model this year. How about I get you that instead?"

"What a piece of junk! Who still uses a flip phone these days?" The woman scoffed, casting a disdainful glance at Fatty and his friends. "Country bumpkins come to the city to buy phones? What a joke! Can they even afford it?"

In truth, among the trio, only Fang Yi, who had never set foot outside the mountains, appeared city-savvy. Fatty and San Pao carried an air of rustic charm, and their awkward demeanor easily betrayed their origins.

"Hey, what's wrong with being from the countryside? Are country folks not allowed to use mobile phones?" Fatty's anger flared at the woman's words. Despite his boisterous nature, he harbored a hint of insecurity and had always bristled at being called a "country bumpkin" during his time as a security guard.

"What's wrong with me? You fatso, do you want to throw a punch? Go ahead and try!" The woman was no pushover either. Upset that her husband hadn't bought her the phone she wanted, she redirected her frustration towards Fatty.

"I... I..." Fatty raised his hand but suddenly deflated, saying, "Damn it, I never hit women; consider yourself lucky. But if you keep yapping, I'll take it out on the man beside you..."

"Ha!" Just as Fatty finished speaking, the salesgirl burst into laughter, secretly charmed by his principled stance against hitting women.

"What's it going to be? Do you want to throw down, buddy?" The man beside the woman felt a bit embarrassed.

"Do you think you can handle it? I'm a bricklayer; I could squash you with one slap..." Fatty didn't back down from the man, ready to confront him.

"Fatty, remember, we're here to buy a phone..." Fang Yi's voice, though low, was enough to make Fatty halt. After all, Fatty had always feared his father the most, and Fang Yi was the one he respected above all.

"Consider yourself fortunate..." 

Seeing Fatty approach aggressively startled the middle-aged man. It wasn't until Fang Yi intervened that Fatty stopped, allowing the man to breathe a sigh of relief, though he muttered something only his companion could hear.

"Excuse me, ma'am, I mean, miss, could you show us that V998+ phone?" 

Ignoring the man's earlier remarks, Fang Yi addressed the salesgirl directly. He wasn't intimidated by women, but he recalled how Fatty had been berated by one just a few days prior, leaving him uncertain about how to address her.

"Just call me Shuangshuang. Please come this way, and I'll introduce you to this model..." The girl, Meng Shuangshuang, nearly laughed again upon hearing Fang Yi's address. She hadn't expected the seemingly refined Fang Yi to have such a playful side.

"This model is our best-selling product and a symbol of status, though it is somewhat pricey..." 

Meng Shuangshuang had an impressive sales record, adept at understanding customer psychology and discerning their desired price ranges, which contributed to her ability to work at the store for two consecutive summers.

"Fang Yi, this phone is a bit expensive. Let's explore other options; there's no point in pretending to be affluent..." Fatty tugged at Fang Yi's sleeve while casting a wary glance at the couple. The woman, who had initially wanted to make a snide remark, ultimately refrained.

"Fatty, your face is already puffy without needing a slap..." San Pao burst into laughter at Fatty's words, and Meng Shuangshuang nearly laughed out loud as well, finding the group delightfully entertaining.

"I'm not fat; I'm robust..." Fatty retorted, flexing his arm towards San Pao, his eyes glinting with mock menace. After all, how could San Pao dare to tease him in front of such a lovely girl?

"You're right; you're robust, very robust indeed..." San Pao struggled to contain his laughter, but as he turned away, he couldn't help but erupt into laughter again, prompting Fang Yi to join in.

"Damn it, everyone is ganging up on me..." 

Fatty grumbled, turning to Meng Shuangshuang. "Show us some other phones, preferably under one thousand five hundred. By the way, do you offer SIM cards that can be used immediately?"

"Yes, we do. A card costs one hundred twenty yuan, with a twenty yuan activation fee, and it includes one hundred yuan of call credit..." Meng Shuangshuang nodded in response. In the past, one had to visit specific departments to activate a phone, but with the rise of mobile phones, many larger stores now provided this service.

"Alright, let's go with that L2000..." 

Fatty pointed to the phone they had just viewed. Although it was a basic model and not particularly attractive, it was still a mobile phone capable of making calls. After all, the villagers back home wouldn't know the difference between the L2000 and the V998.

"Wait, Fatty..." Just as Meng Shuangshuang was about to nod in agreement, Fang Yi suddenly interjected, "We'll take the V998; this basic model isn't appealing..."

"What? The V998? But that costs over three thousand!" As soon as Fang Yi spoke, all eyes—Fatty, San Pao, Meng Shuangshuang, and the couple—were fixed on him, with Fatty exclaiming in astonishment.