The client countered, “This little diamond would only cost two thousand dollars elsewhere, yet you’re selling it here for ten thousand dollars! Aren’t you ashamed to charge such a high price?”
The employee defended, “The value of this ring isn’t only based on the raw materials; it’s the result of a famous jewelry designer’s unique design, and it’s a limited edition.”
“Limited edition? It’s just your marketing strategy. It’s not as valuable as you claim,” the client retorted.
Between their quarrel, Yohan calmly asked, “Have you signed the contract?”
Both parties were taken aback, and the client begrudgingly admitted, “I didn’t dare sign a contract with a dubious business.”
Yohan calmly responded, “If you haven’t signed a contract, your statements don’t hold much weight. Many other rings in my father’s company are stylish and more affordable. Why don’t you take a look at those?”
The client frowned upon hearing Yohan’s suggestion and asked, “Who are you? And who’s your father?”
Yohan confidently replied, “My father is Cristofer Hans.”
“Oh, you’re Mr. Hans’ son,” the client said as she looked at Yohan and pondered the possibility of taking advantage of the young child. She proposed, “I suppose you’re a good boy, considering your father’s success. I really like this ring. How about you give it to me? I’ll buy you some lollipops as a reward. What do you think?”
The employee’s expression underwent a sudden transformation, but he remained silent. If his young boss decided to offer the ring to the woman, he couldn’t object, as he was just an employee.
On the other hand, Yohan wore a sly grin and agreed, “Okay, Auntie, you should keep your word.”
The client assured him, “I definitely will. We have all these witnesses here. How could I deceive a child?”
Yohan retrieved his phone from his pocket and opened an online shopping webpage. He handed the phone to the client and said, “Auntie, I want this.”
Considering that one bag of lollipops cost about ten dollars, the client agreed without hesitation, saying, “Okay.”
“Auntie, you can’t break your promise,” Yohan warned.
“I promise I won’t!” she affirmed.
“Alright,” Yohan agreed, then modified the quantity from one to a thousand. Instantly, the total cost escalated from ten dollars to ten thousand dollars. “Auntie, please proceed with the payment for my lollipops.”
Upon seeing this, the client turned pale, and some of the nearby employees struggled to suppress their laughter. It was clear that trying to deceive Mr. Hans’s son into losing money was futile. The price had to be paid, despite all the earlier talk.
“You didn’t mention you wanted so many bags of lollipops,” the client protested.
“But I also didn’t specify that I only wanted one bag. Are you trying to break your promise?” Yohan calmly responded.
The client couldn’t bring herself to admit to a child that she regretted her earlier words, but she was growing increasingly agitated.
Without pressing further, Yohan said, “Never mind. I don’t need so many lollipops, so you don’t have to pay now. Let’s cancel it.”
Slightly relieved, the client replied, “Alright. You know, children shouldn’t eat too many candies; they’re bad for your teeth.”
Yohan nodded and said, “The ring designed by the famous designer might not be the best fit for you since it’s meant for single women. Auntie, you have a warm and joyful aura, and I bet you have a wonderful family, so you don’t need a ring meant for single women. I saw another ring earlier designed specifically for happily married women. In fact, my mom wears the same one. How about we go take a look at that one together?”
Initially, the woman thought the naughty boy was trying to embarrass her. However, she was taken aback when Yohan abruptly changed his approach and offered her a way out. Moreover, he even complimented her to appease her. After being tricked by him with the lollipops, she didn’t dare underestimate this boy, so she had no choice but to accept Yohan’s suggestion.
“Oh, I wasn’t aware of that. Well, I can certainly have a look at the ring you mentioned.”
Yohan then signaled a female employee and said, “Please escort this lady to the display case. It’s the one in the middle.”
“Of course. Please follow me,” the female employee responded. She guided the client away from the area, effectively ending the dispute. Meanwhile, other employees began their discussions.
“Isn’t Mr. Hans’ son just around eight or nine years old? He’s remarkably clever!”
“He certainly resembles Mr. Hans, but his demeanor is quite different. If Mr. Hans were present, he wouldn’t have been so accommodating to that woman. She tried negotiating an unfair deal, but we didn’t alter our product prices. I suppose Mr. Hans would’ve quickly escorted her out of the building.”
“But that could harm our company’s reputation, and we might lose a customer.”
“Do you think Mr. Hans would be concerned about that?”
“Certainly not.”
“Exactly. We all know Mr. Hans has quite a temper. In contrast, our young boss seems very pleasant, always wearing a smile.”
“Do you think our young boss did that out of kindness? Did he genuinely want those lollipops? I doubt it. He’s quite clever. In a subtle way, he conveyed to that client that a transaction wasn’t complete until she paid for it. Since she hadn’t signed a contract with us, we couldn’t sell her anything, which is just common sense. Then, he cleverly complimented her and introduced another ring, preventing her from feeling embarrassed. It’s a bit like a carrot-and-stick strategy. He handled it like a seasoned businessman!”
“Oh, my goodness. It all makes sense now that you’ve explained it. Are all children this sharp these days?”
“I believe it depends on their parents.”
****
Estelle had been in the reception room, telling stories with Christina, who was enjoying her yogurt. After half an hour had passed without Yvonne and Yohan returning, Estelle grew curious about their whereabouts. As she stepped outside, she overheard employees complimenting Yohan.
Listening quietly, she tried to keep a low profile, making her way to a sofa near the front desk, where Yvonne and Yohan indulged in their chocolate.
Upon seeing Estelle, they immediately sat up straight and tried to conceal the chocolate, but it was too late. Yohan quickly explained, “Mom, this is the first piece of chocolate Yvonne and I have had. We didn’t eat too many snacks.”
Estelle smiled and replied, “Alright, but this is the only piece of chocolate you can have today. Consuming too much chocolate can cause toothaches. Now, who can tell me what just happened?”
Trying to contain his excitement, Yohan calmly stated, “Nothing special. I helped someone resolve a dispute between a man and a lady.”