C15 15 Endless Overdraft

"Manager, are you out of your mind?" Xiaohui couldn't help but tug at her. This guy was clearly here to cause trouble. If she really took that card to the bank manager, wouldn't she get reprimanded?

Even the people nearby conducting their business couldn't stand it anymore. "Don't let this guy fool you; he's just messing with you."

"Look at him, dressed in cheap clothes. He's obviously a broke loser!"

"Yeah, tell me about it!"

Xia Yun bit her lip and said, "Rule number ten of the employee handbook: Never turn away a customer."

With that, she nervously headed towards the manager's office.

"Great, now the manager's going to get in trouble because of you!" Xiaohui glared at Xiao Tian.

Xiao Tian just smiled without saying a word.

Meanwhile, in the manager's office, Zhou Qi was flirting with his little sweetheart, who also happened to be a teller in the bank lobby. They were having a good time when Xia Yun knocked and walked in.

As soon as she entered, she saw what was happening and quickly turned to leave. Zhou Qi's expression turned cold, and he motioned for the woman to leave from under his desk. Then, in a stern voice, he said, "Xia Yun, what's got you so flustered? Do you know what rule thirteen of the employee handbook is?"

Xia Yun was terrified, keeping her head down and repeatedly apologizing. The teller, now dressed, strutted past Xia Yun with a haughty air, letting out a dismissive huff as she left.

"What's going on?"

Zhou Qi was visibly annoyed. He had been interrupted right in the middle of something enjoyable, and it was hard not to feel frustrated.

Xia Yun hurriedly explained, "Manager, there's a customer outside with a bank card. He wants you to activate it!"

"Activate a bank card?"

Bang!

Zhou Qi slammed his desk and scolded, "You came to me for something this trivial? Can't our bank's app handle it directly? How are you managing your tasks? Do you need to come to me for every little thing? If you can't handle being the manager, let me know sooner rather than later, and I'll find someone else!"

"Sir," Xia Yun said, looking terrified, "it's not like that. The customer said only you have the authority to activate his card."

What?

You believe that nonsense?

What kind of bank card requires the branch manager's personal authorization to activate?

Zhou Qi sneered, "Bring the card over. Let me see what kind of exclusive card this is. If it's just an ordinary card, you might want to consider stepping aside for someone else."

That "someone else" was the woman who had just left, the one who had been trying to get his attention for a while. But Xia Yun had always done her job well, and he hadn't found a reason to replace her—until now.

Xia Yun nervously handed over the black card she was holding.

The moment Zhou Qi saw the black card, he erupted, "You brought me this piece of junk to waste my time?"

This pitch-black card, how could it possibly be a bank card?

As he spoke, he snatched the card and slammed it down on the table.

Thunk!

The black card embedded itself into the smooth surface of the desk.

Whoa!

Zhou Qi was stunned. Was the card really that sharp? It pierced right into the mahogany desk? This thing was incredibly tough!

He gripped the card and pulled it out with effort, examining it closely. It was heavy, several times the weight of a typical bank card, with a smooth, fine surface. Running his fingers over it, he could distinctly feel the raised numbers.

The most surprising part was that in the top left corner of the card, he felt a business logo.

Gasp!

He couldn't help but take a sharp breath. He remembered now—this card... this card was indeed a bank card.

However, it was extremely rare, with fewer than ten people in the entire country possessing one! Only the head of a city-level bank branch had the authority to activate it, and most people didn't even know this kind of card existed! He had only seen it once by chance, in the hands of a bigwig at the bank.

Their boss had said that if someone showed up with a black card, don't ask questions. Whoever it is, they're not someone you want to cross. Just treat them like royalty, and you won't go wrong!

With this in mind, he quickly stood up, asking in a flustered tone, "Where is the owner of this card right now?"

"In the lobby on the first floor!"

What?

How could we let such an esteemed guest wait in the lobby?

Zhou Qi quickly said, "Go invite our honored guest up here."

"No, no, I'll go personally."

With that, he rushed out of the office in a hurry. Xia Yun was momentarily stunned but followed him.

"Xia Yun, where is our guest?" Zhou Qi asked urgently as soon as he stepped out of the elevator.

"Over there!" Xia Yun pointed.

Following her direction, Zhou Qi was immediately furious. "What's going on here?"

"You're in trouble now, the branch manager's here!" Xiaohui said with a smirk, looking at Xiao Tian.

The security guard was also ready to spring into action, just waiting for the manager's order to give this guy a good beating. The bystanders were all poised to watch the drama unfold.

"What are you all doing?" Zhou Qi strode over and started scolding Xiaohui and the security guard. "Is this how you treat an honored guest? Don't you know to invite them into the VIP room? And you, what are you staring at? How can you be a security guard with no sense of what's going on? You haven't even thought to offer the guest a chair?"

Then, with a beaming smile, he turned to Xiao Tian and said respectfully, "Sir, I apologize for the staff's ignorance and any neglect. Please forgive us!"

Everyone gasped collectively.

What... what is going on here? The branch manager was treating this young man with such deference, as if he were a grandson greeting his grandfather.

Xiaohui, looking bewildered, said, "Manager, he... he's here to cause trouble..."

"Shut up!" Zhou Qi snapped at her, making Xiaohui quickly close her mouth.

The security guard was dumbfounded too. Who was this guy?

Why was the manager being so respectful to him?

Could he be one of those big shots pretending to be ordinary, like in the novels? The thought made him both nervous and scared. Usually, when these big shots reveal their true identity, they start putting people in their place.

Would he be next?

Nearby, Xia Yun was also taken aback, her eyes wide with surprise. She had never seen the manager act so deferentially. Even when the mayor visited, he was always composed and confident.

Who exactly was this young man?

Could he be someone important?

She felt a wave of relief, grateful she hadn't judged him by appearances. Otherwise, she might have been in trouble.

"Sir, may I ask your name?"

"My last name is Xiao," Xiao Tian replied coolly. "Please activate the card quickly; I'm in a hurry."

"Yes, of course!"

Xiao Tian's indifferent tone only confirmed Zhou Qi's suspicions that this man was someone significant. Zhou Qi's smile widened as he said, "Mr. Xiao, please follow me. I'll activate your card right away."

Zhou Qi bowed slightly as he spoke.

Xiao Tian nodded and followed Zhou Qi to the VIP room, with Xia Yun accompanying them to serve tea and water.

Sitting on the plush sofa, Xia Yun poured a cup of tea for Xiao Tian, her eyes lingering on him. Though not conventionally handsome, there was something captivating about him, especially his eyes, which were remarkably clear. It piqued Xia Yun's curiosity that a man in his thirties could still have such clarity in his gaze.

Just then, Zhou Qi walked over, carrying a sleek silver briefcase. He opened it to reveal a laptop, exuding a high-tech vibe. After inserting a bank card into the slot, Zhou Qi performed a series of complex operations. Using his fingerprint, he unlocked and activated the card.

"Beep, esteemed Black Card customer, your card has been activated!"

Immediately, Zhou Qi and Xia Yun were stunned by the endless stream of zeros displayed on the computer's balance section. Thousands, millions, billions... a hundred billion?!

They exchanged bewildered glances, unable to suppress a gasp. The card held a balance of one hundred billion dollars. Zhou Qi then noticed a few more words beneath the balance: Credit Limit: Unlimited!

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