Chapter 18:
Holding an address and a business card acquired from Mr. Fox, Lin Qi found the "Space Light Bathing()" shop mentioned by Mr. Fox, a small establishment.
Contrary to Lin Qi's expectations, the place seemed devoid of many people, especially at the entrance where there was no queue, deviating from the trendy norm.
Upon entering, a bored young girl at the front desk greeted him, "Sir, how may I assist you?"
Appearing around twenty, the girl had freckles near her nose, exuding a youthful vibe that felt comforting.
Lin Qi's gaze shifted from the girl to a corridor behind her, lined with doors leading to light bathing rooms at intervals.
Since an institution claimed that light bathing effectively eradicated lice and alleviated mild skin conditions, many indulged in nude light bathing.
It was hard to say if it was effective, but it was evidently satisfying for some individuals who felt the urge to bare it all in semi-public settings, releasing their stress. This had made some activities that could have involved many people in light bathing awkward.
Eventually, most light bathing establishments shifted from semi-open spaces to semi-enclosed private rooms, to protect the privacy of certain individuals and spare the discomfort of others' eyes.
Before the girl could say more, a door opened in the corridor, and a boldly exposed girl with sunglasses strolled out, unabashedly flaunting her body.
Her sunglasses resembled aviator goggles, covering most of her face, leaving only her nose and mouth visible. Combined with a diving cap that concealed her hair, identifying her true identity through the thick disguise was nearly impossible.
This was the reason why these people dared to undress in public. They didn't worry at all about being recognized by anyone.
The front desk girl apologized while escorting the unruly woman back to her room, warning her that any more misconduct would cancel her subsequent appointments, calming her down slightly.
"Very sorry for the inconvenience...," the girl returned to the counter, apologizing to Lin Qi.
"No worries. That lady had a great figure. I felt like I got lucky," this comment made the girl blush, leaving her unsure how to respond to Lin Qi.
Call him a bad person, but he was honest; labeling him as a good person yet he didn't conceal the unsavory things in his heart.
The girl stood speechless momentarily, unsure how to express her current feelings, while Lin Qi chuckled, "Could you contact your boss for me? Mention that Mr. Fox referred me; I'd like to meet with him."
The girl sighed with relief, delayed a moment, then picked up the phone. After about thirty seconds, she gestured toward a nearby side door, "The boss is waiting at the back; you can go over there."
After thanking the girl, Lin Qi entered an office through the side door, where a balding man in his thirties, Tobyin(), greeted him warmly.
Starting this light bathing shop with little money, Tobyin borrowed from Mr. Fox initially. But he quickly repaid the debt as the business flourished.
This was a very ordinary, clumsy, yet interesting small merchant. He always felt indebted to Mr. Fox and had been wanting to repay this favor. So, when Lin Qi mentioned the light bathing shop, Mr. Fox immediately thought of Mr. Tobyin.
"Mr. Fox is very important to me. He provided me with a lot of help when I was starting my business. You are his friend, so naturally, you are my friend as well..." After shaking hands with Lin Qi, he didn't let go but warmly pulled him to sit on the sofa. "How can I be of service?"
His earnest demeanor seemed genuine; society could breed bad people but also foster numerous good ones.
"Mr. Tobyin, I need a set of ultraviolet light bath equipment. I'm wondering if you have any extras available?"
This query momentarily puzzled Tobyin. With a slight change in expression, he hesitantly asked, "Sorry, perhaps I shouldn't pry, but could you let me know what you need the ultraviolet light bath equipment for?" He continued with an apologetic tone, "You don't have to answer if you prefer not to. I'm just a little curious."
Lin Qi shrugged. Even good people had their moments, especially when it involved their core interests. He didn't want to create unnecessary enemies, although he wasn't afraid; it would still be troublesome, wouldn't it?
Hence, he explained, "I heard that there are many dreadful bacteria in the water we're using, and exposing it to ultraviolet light for a while can effectively kill these bacteria..."
Tobyin paused briefly, then chuckled, accepting this explanation. Indeed, some advanced cities' water treatment plants used UV light for disinfection, though the actual effectiveness remained uncertain.
Lin Qi provided a reasonable explanation, as long as he wasn't planning to open a competing light bathing shop; Tobyin didn't mind what the other party wanted the UV lamps for.
"No problem, give me an address, and I'll arrange for someone to deliver it to you..." Tobyin was generous, not even discussing payment for the transaction.
Eventually, Lin Qi had to bring it up. After a few refusals, he paid three hundred and fifty bucks for a separate lamp stand.
Later, Lin Qi and the workers sent by Tobyin returned to the warehouse. At Lin Qi's request, they set up the UV light bathing lamp before leaving.
Once alone, Lin Qi visited a nearby small restaurant, returned to the warehouse, locked the door, and relieved himself under the UV light...
The next morning around nine, the excited Richard entered the office carrying an old backpack. His face slightly flushed, and the backpack made metallic clanging sounds as he removed it from his back.
"This is what I collected yesterday..." he reported a figure, looking expectantly at Lin Qi.
Honestly, this job might not have been entirely legal, lacking even a formal employment contract between him and Lin Qi.
But Richard didn't care; as long as he earned money, who cared about legality? What good was abiding by the law without money?
"Just tell me how much you're supposed to take..." Lin Qi opened a drawer, withdrew a wad of twenty-buck bills, and held it in his hand, causing Richard to breathe quickly.
"You need to give me twelve hundred bucks, boss!"
Each set of ten bills was neatly bundled together as Richard's unwavering gaze remained fixed on Lin Qi's hands. Under his breath, he counted, tallying these bills that would soon be his!
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