Chapter 8 Just the Wallet Effect

"Okay, sir, just a moment, I'll get your card ready right away."

The receptionist's smile was impossible to hide as they bent over to take the ID card handed over by Su Mu.

The handsome young guy is only eighteen?

Looks like a typical rich second-generation then!

He is what people in the industry would call a top-quality customer.

No need for a long-winded introduction, just straight to getting a card.

And it's a full set of annual cards!

The staff member was counting their bonus for the month, which was going to be substantial yet again.

Super LM Fitness Center caters to high-end individuals, so naturally, the costs are not low.

Though there are quite a few customers, it's not every day that we have clients taking out a full set of annual cards.

After escorting Su Mu to a sofa on the side, the staff member went directly to process Su Mu's card.

"Sir, would you like something to drink?"

Another employee, who had been explaining something to a man and a woman, quickly came over, eager to serve Su Mu.

"No need."

Su Mu knew that now he was a VIP customer at Super LM, and it was quite normal to enjoy special attention.

The man who was left aside was not happy about this.

The man looked in his early forties, while the woman with him was much younger, probably in her twenties.

From the cozy way they interacted, they didn't seem like father and daughter.

Su Mu understood internally; it was that kind of unspoken relationship.

Indeed, the woman was a minor internet celebrity with little fame.

After the man had splurged a few thousand on gifts, he finally managed to arrange a meeting with her.

Originally, the man had intended to take the woman straight to a hotel.

Those thousands of yuan were not to be wasted, right?

But the woman kept stalling, coquettishly insisting on experiencing Super LM.

She mentioned that many of her colleagues had been here, naturally, brought by their clients.

Not wanting the previous money to go to waste and for the sake of his prestige, thinking maybe he could arrange several more dates with her in the future, the man grudgingly agreed.

It's just a fitness center, right?

At worst, spend a few hundred more, and choose a lower-grade hotel later.

Entering Super LM, the man realized this place only accepted customers with memberships.

Even the lowest tier single-service monthly card was three thousand a month.

This was way beyond the man's budget, and that's why he was haggling with the staff.

The staff were used to this kind of person, who wants to save face without spending money.

Trying not to offend anyone, they patiently explained for quite a while.

They could tell the man had no intention of getting a membership.

Then they saw Su Mu, who without any hesitation, took out a full set of annual cards.

It was clear who the truly valued customers at Super LM were.

The woman, who had become somewhat uncertain after the man's dithering, was about to leave.

But then Su Mu's sudden appearance and his straightforward approach to getting a membership.

The extremely handsome Su Mu seemed to shine even brighter in the woman's eyes.

The employee who had been servicing her had run over to attend to Su Mu instead.

The minor internet celebrity she had finally managed to ask out was now staring at Su Mu with starry-eyed admiration.

The man also heard that Su Mu had signed up for a full set of annual cards, realizing he had been completely outclassed financially by Su Mu.

The demeanour of the two women made the man feel as if his pride was being trampled under Su Mu's feet.

He couldn't stand such treatment.

"Just a fitness center that insists on membership to enter; could it be because the equipment is so bad they're afraid to let customers try first?"

"And those who get annual memberships without even looking are probably not using their brains to think, right?"

The man said with a knowing look, his words laced with sarcasm.

"Sir, our Super LM Fitness Center is a top-end fitness center in the world, with all the most advanced fitness equipment."

"We also have top-tier fitness trainers from around the world."

"As for our center's rules, they are a reflection of the level of service we provide to our customers."

"Super LM Fitness Center isn't just somewhere everyone can enter."

"The principle we adhere to when issuing memberships is to ensure that our members can enjoy the best fitness experience without disturbance from any riff-raff."

The staff member who was serving Su Mu saw that not only did the man waste his time with a long speech, he didn't arrange anything.

And now he's still spouting nonsense; isn't he talking about Su Mu?

The staff member certainly didn't want to anger Su Mu because of what the man said.

Su Mu is now a prestigious client of Super LM Fitness Center.

The staff member is now full of hostility towards the man, so naturally, his tone of speech won't be pleasant.

If, because of what the man said, such a major client as Su Mu is lost, the staff member would directly pick up a mop to chase the man out.

"You would obviously say that, isn't it just to swindle money from fools?"

The man still had a mocking look, as if his refusal to get a membership wasn't because he was too embarrassed to spend the money, but as if he was smart and didn't fall for the fitness center's trick.

"You..."

Faced with such an unreasonable person, the staff member didn't know what to say for a moment.

After all, no matter what the staff member said, the man had already prepared a retort: "Self-praise, like Wang Po selling melons."

He could just block it back.

"You refuse to get a membership because you can't afford it, indeed Super LM Fitness Center isn't intended for people like you."

"There's no need to display your bitter jealousy here."

"Different people have different places that are suitable for them."

"I am getting a membership because I think Super LM Fitness Center is worth the price, and I have the financial ability to pay for it," Su Mu said coldly, glancing at the man without any emotion.

Fools?

Is everyone with money a fool?

Then probably everyone would want to be a fool.

"You think others are fools simply because you're not on that level."

"It's like you can only eat at street food stalls, and when you see people coming in and out of five-star hotels, can you say they are just eating and everyone who goes to a hotel is a fool?"

"It's just a wallet effect."

Su Mu originally had no intention of paying attention to the man.

It's only because the man's mouth was too foul, directly insulting Su Mu.

The man's face turned shades of red and white from what Su Mu had said.

He originally thought that Su Mu was young and wanted to save some face in front of the woman.

However, Su Mu's words left the man feeling even more embarrassed.

He realized the gap between himself and Su Mu.

It wasn't a matter of age, but the economic disparity.

The man pursed his lips tightly and left without a word.

As for the woman, the man knew that now, even if he asked her, she wouldn't be willing to leave with him.

The woman's blatant gaze never left Su Mu.

"Mr. Su, your information has all been filled out, would you like to pay the membership fee by card or transfer?"

The clerk who initially attended to Su Mu of course already knew Su Mu's name.

Now he was just waiting for Su Mu to make the payment so he could complete this transaction.

"Card,"

With just one word, Su Mu took out the black card his father had gotten for him.

"It's a black card!"

The woman who hadn't left exclaimed in surprise.