The hair salon was having a huge year-end sale, so on a whim, I bought a membership card. But when I went in for a wash, the shampoo girl not only deliberately ruined my makeup but also insulted me, saying I was dark and ugly without it. Trembling with anger, I demanded to cancel my card. They just sneered, telling me that for the small amount I was paying, I couldn’t expect to be treated like a queen, especially since I wasn't even getting a color or perm. When I tried to call the police, they snatched my phone. Then they started a vicious rumor, saying my money wasn’t clean and that’s why I was so stingy. They looked so smug, thinking I would just give in. But I just smiled and waved to the security guard at the door. “Call my dad. Tell him to buy this entire street.” “And then, tell these people to get the hell out.” 1 As soon as I walked into the salon, a female employee greeted me with a smile. “Hello, are you here for a color or a perm?” I walked straight to the washing stations. “Just a wash, thanks.” “And could you please be a little careful? I have makeup on today.” The smile on her face froze for a second. She turned on the tap, tested the water temperature with her hand, and then asked tentatively, “It’s almost the new year. Don’t you want a new look?” “And since you came in with makeup on, our senior stylist could design a unique hairstyle just for you!” I was scrolling through my phone, not paying much attention. “I have plans later. I just need a wash.” The employee’s voice faltered. After a long pause, she said, with a distinct chill in her tone, “Oh.” The next second, a stream of scalding water hit my face. I shot up from the chair with a yelp. I stared at her, wide-eyed and incredulous. “What are you doing?!” But the shampoo girl just blinked, her expression one of pure innocence. “What’s wrong, ma’am?” “Is there a problem with the water?” She tested it with her hand again, then looked at me with a mocking sneer. “Oh, I thought pigs weren’t afraid of hot water.” I was completely baffled. Her malice was so blatant that I started to wonder if I had misunderstood. “Did… did you just insult me?” I asked, my voice trembling. “I… I haven’t done anything to you, have I? Is it a crime to be a customer in your salon?” “Don’t you know I just bought a membership card?! I put ten thousand dollars on it!” “You certainly didn’t have this attitude the day I signed up!” She glanced down at her freshly manicured nails, unconcerned. “Oh, you did. So what?” “We cater to high-end clients who come in for color and perms. As for delicate little princesses like you, who have long nails and need to use a membership discount for a simple wash, well, we just don't have the right kind of service for you.” I was furious. “So what you’re saying is, if I don’t get a color or perm, you can’t even give me a proper hair wash?” She rolled her eyes. “Believe whatever you want.” “And another thing, I noticed it when you came in. You’re all dressed up, but your face is caked in so much foundation! It’s terrifying! If you have enough money for that much makeup, why not take care of your hair? Hah!” Her attitude made me shake with rage. It was winter, and I was bundled up in layers. Now, my hair was soaked, my makeup was ruined, and water was dripping down my neck, making my inner shirt cling uncomfortably to my skin. I was supposed to meet my crush this afternoon! Now, all my plans were ruined. I pulled the membership card from my bag and slammed it on the counter. “The owner! Where’s the owner?!” “I want to cancel my card!” 2 The owner came over when he heard the commotion. But after listening to the whole story, he told me, with a perfectly straight face, “That’s our salon’s policy.” “How about this? If you’d like to enjoy a comfortable hair wash, I can deduct the cost of a color and perm from your card. Our most basic color package is $788. How does that sound?” I was so shocked I was speechless. “Are you even listening to yourself?!” “That’s… that’s basically forcing me to buy something I don’t want!” But the owner just frowned. “How is it forced? If you want a color, we’ll give you a great one. If you don’t, we’ve still given you a good wash. It’s your choice, isn’t it?” “I understand. You saw our year-end promotion, a 30% discount with a membership card, and you thought you could take advantage of us. But if you only get a wash and still get a 30% discount, that’s just a few dollars. How is that any different from robbing us?” “We’re a small business. Please don’t think you can come in here and act like you’re God just because you’re spending a little money.” “We don’t serve gods here!” All the while, the shampoo girl stood there, her back straight, a smug look on her face. I had never encountered such a bizarre salon or such bizarre people. I was so angry I wanted to laugh. “Fine, fine, you don’t serve gods. So can a god get a refund?” The owner’s brow furrowed. “No, you can’t.” I was even more exasperated. “What do you mean, no?!” “Haven’t you ever heard of consumer protection laws?!” He narrowed his eyes, his face darkening. “Miss, I believe we have been trying to communicate with you in a civil manner!” “But why do you insist on being so unreasonable and embarrassing yourself?!” “Don’t talk to me about protection laws! All I know is that when you signed up for our membership card, you signed an agreement! If you want to cancel now, you’re in breach of contract, and the remaining balance on your card is the penalty! We will not refund it!” “Please don’t make things difficult for us small business owners!” I stared at him, my finger pointed at myself, my face a mask of disbelief. “Me?! I’m making things difficult for you?!” “And… and you’re a small business?!” “So the $300 color, $500 perm, and thousand-dollar treatments on your price list… those are all part of a small business, are they?” “Fine! You don’t recognize consumer protection laws? I’ll call the police! Let’s see if they recognize them!” Furious, I pulled out my phone. I’d just dialed the three numbers when my phone was snatched from my hand. It was the shampoo girl. She was holding my unlocked phone, gleefully scrolling through it. She looked me up and down and tsked. “So this is how you make your money.” “No wonder you’re so stingy with it.” 3 My face darkened. “What are you talking about?” I demanded. But she just looked at me with contempt, brazenly holding up my phone for me to see. On the screen was my chat with my dad. She scrolled through the chat history, her voice dripping with disdain. “Tsk, tsk, so many money transfers…” “This guy’s profile picture… he looks at least forty or fifty, right? You have some interesting tastes.” “Oh, but I guess for someone in your line of work, you can’t be too picky.” A vein throbbed in my forehead. I held out my hand. “Give it back,” I said, my voice cold. “Or else…” But she completely ignored my threat. Not only did she not give it back, she passed my phone around to the other customers. They covered their mouths, their eyes full of a salacious amusement, laughing and whispering amongst themselves. “Did you see that?” “I didn’t at first!” “But look at her face now! Why do you think she wears so much makeup?! To seduce old men, of course!” “Hah!” “I thought it was strange from the beginning! We don’t usually get low-end customers who just want a wash. So a little water, and the mask comes off!” “The makeup on our regular, high-paying customers is waterproof, you know! Not like her…” The people around me started to join in, smirking and making fun of me. “Seriously, little girl, if you can’t even afford a color and perm, why pretend to be rich and buy a membership card?” “Yeah! We all know April. She’s great at her job. She’s so thorough, and she even gives a massage. You’re only paying a few bucks, you can’t expect the same service as us!” “Exactly! If you’re that desperate, why not ask your sugar daddy for more money? This is so embarrassing!” “Hey, hey, it’s almost the new year. Her sugar daddy is probably with his own family. It’s normal for a girl to be a little short on cash during the off-season, hahaha!” I watched as the group, led by the shampoo girl, April, huddled together, pointing and commenting on the contents of my phone. One moment they were saying my emojis were childish, the next that my tone was disgusting. I tried to get my phone back, but the male owner blocked my way, his eyes raking over me in a lewd manner. He stroked his chin and chuckled. “So, little girl, this is your line of work?” “You should have said so earlier! If you had, you wouldn’t have needed April. I would have washed your hair myself!” “A nice, long wash!” I was so disgusted my skin crawled. I was about to argue with him when a sudden flash of light blinded me. When the spots cleared from my eyes, I saw April holding my phone. She had just taken a picture of me, my hair dripping wet, my face a mess of smeared makeup. And she was sending it to my C!R!U!S!H! “Aaaah—!” A bloodcurdling scream ripped from my throat. 4 April and her gossiping cronies still hadn't grasped the severity of the situation. They raised their eyebrows, a mocking smile on their faces. “See, see! She’s panicking! I told you this pretty boy was her latest target!” “He looks like a sweet, innocent college kid. And she, now that she can't make money over the holidays, is trying to prey on an honest man! Hah, not on my watch!” “Exactly! Look at all the fake pictures she posts online. It’s disgusting! In reality, she’s just a gold-digging tramp! We’re doing him a favor! We’re saving a handsome man from this kind of woman!” I was so angry I couldn’t speak. I tried to grab my phone, but the male owner pinned me down. He held me by the neck and, like a pervert, stroked my wet hair, his voice a lewd purr. “Ma’am, isn't it uncomfortable with your hair all wet?” “Let me blow-dry it for you. And I’ll give you a treatment, too. With protein and essence… a very, very long treatment. It’s okay if you don’t have money. You can pay in other ways.” I shoved at him, but I couldn’t move him. “You’re just a salon owner! Who do you think you are?!” I screamed. “Even if you don’t give me back my phone, I’ll call the police the second I walk out of here!” But the owner just sniffed my hair like a creep and sneered, “The customers here are all my regulars. What are you?” “Call the police? You have any proof?!” With that, he shoved me back into the chair, his knee pressing between my legs. He squinted at me, his body leaning closer and closer. The faces of the people around me were all alight with the thrill of the spectacle. I struggled, but I was trapped. Just then, through the crowd, I saw him. My bodyguard, who was supposed to pick me up after my hair was done. My eyes lit up. I waved and shouted, “Bill! I’m over here!” He immediately pushed through the crowd and rushed in. The salon owner’s face was a mask of shock. Before he could react, my bodyguard had kicked him off of me and surrounded me protectively. They retrieved my phone and handed it back to me. I took it, but instead of calling the police, I called my dad. The call connected. Looking at the disgusting faces in front of me, I fought back a wave of nausea and said, my voice cold, “Dad, I want to buy a street.”
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