After paying in full at the finance office, Li Bin sat in the VIP room, waiting for Zhang Xiaoya to hustle around getting his insurance and temporary plates sorted.
Thanks to the earlier scene, the dealership staff's attitude toward Li Bin had done a complete 360. His teacup never ran dry.
The thirty-something woman kept finding excuses to refill his tea and chat him up.
Maybe because Li Bin didn't carry the aloof arrogance of a rich prick, instead giving off a natural, approachable vibe, these women thought they had a shot with him, all acting super enthusiastic.
Zhang Xiaoya, clearly a rookie, was sweating buckets, her white shirt soaked, letting Li Bin catch faint glimpses of her killer cleavage under the damp fabric.
She struck him as clumsy, fumbling through tasks in a frenzy, while the female rep handling that sleazy couple was far more polished.
But after all the fuss, Li Bin noticed the middle-aged man seemed to back out. Despite the effort, that rep's deal fell through.
As time passed, the Mercedes dealership got busier, with all sorts of people streaming in. Li Bin couldn't help but feel a bit reflective.
He never imagined he'd be buying a Mercedes. Forget the E300L—even an A200L was beyond his wildest dreams.
It all felt like a damn dream. Just thinking about it made his heart pound with excitement.
Waiting dragged on forever.
Li Bin kept checking his watch. After over an hour, Zhang Xiaoya finally zoomed up on an electric bike, panting as she rushed into the VIP room.
"Mr. Li, all your paperwork's done! We can hand over the car now! The Mercedes E300L Deluxe Edition is yours!" Zhang Xiaoya, breathless, clutched her sweaty chest, excitedly handing him the keys.
Li Bin took the keys, feeling their luxurious weight, his heart starting to race.
"Alright, let's go get the car. It's getting late, and I've got prep to do," Li Bin said, suppressing his excitement and nerves to seem cool and composed, following Zhang Xiaoya to the handover room.
A gleaming black Mercedes stood in the handover room, flanked by two pretty saleswomen who warmly greeted Li Bin as he approached his car.
"Congratulations, Mr. Li Bin!"
"Congratulations on becoming a distinguished Mercedes owner!"
With a light press of the unlock button, the Mercedes' dazzling headlights flared. Li Bin, hands trembling, opened the door, gazing at the pristine, opulent interior, his face flushing with excitement.
This was his Mercedes.
From today, he was a Mercedes owner!
Though he'd prepped himself mentally, telling himself this car was no big deal—his real goal was a Maybach S-Class—his heart still raced. It felt so surreal.
"Mr. Li, can we take a photo together? You're my first client, so special to me. I'd love a picture to remember this," Zhang Xiaoya said, blushing nervously.
"Sure, no problem."
Li Bin nodded, standing beside his Mercedes. Zhang Xiaoya, all friendly, looped her arm through his, striking a cute, youthful peace-sign pose.
Another saleswoman snapped a few shots with her phone, click click click.
"Thanks, Xiaoya. You worked hard today. I'll come back to you next time," Li Bin said, shaking her hand with a smile, then stepping into his new E300L. He hit the start button and drove his shiny new Mercedes out of the dealership.
"Xiaoya, how'd you land a low-key big shot like that? Spill—is he your little fling?" A curious saleswoman sidled up, teasing Zhang Xiaoya.
Buying an E-Class wasn't a huge deal, but Li Bin's style was rare.
Full cash, no haggling, straight-up picking the top trim, and buying in his own name. Even seasoned reps were impressed. Li Bin gave off total nouveau riche vibes.
In Hangzhou, an E300L wasn't a big flex—Mercedes, BMWs, and Porsches were practically street cars in the city.
But most bought luxury cars under company names for tax write-offs. Buying personally, as casually as Li Bin did, was uncommon.
These people were sharp. Seeing Li Bin pay without blinking, they knew he was loaded.