Henglong Plaza, a renowned international Class A commercial building owned by Henglong Properties (Hong Kong), had only been established in Mingcheng a few years prior. Home to numerous luxury brands, it undeniably qualified as the core commercial district the System had mentioned.
Standing on the steps in front of the plaza, Zhou Wang pulled out his phone and began searching for nearby barbershops.
He had originally planned to do this in the car, but he always got motion sickness whenever he looked at his phone while traveling.
After scrolling through the options for a while, Zhou Wang found himself predictably overwhelmed.
Given the plaza's location in the heart of the commercial district, there was no shortage of barbershops nearby. But the sheer number of choices was dizzying.
Flagship stores, high-end salons, personalized services, men's grooming... English and Japanese names mingled in a dazzling array of establishments, each exuding an air of luxury that made choosing nearly impossible.
More importantly, he remembered the famous saying:
"No one ever leaves a barbershop smiling."
Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't matter. But today, Zhou Wang was on a mission. The System's reimbursement rate depended directly on how good his haircut looked, forcing him to be extra cautious.
After careful consideration, Zhou Wang decided that since he couldn't choose, he might as well go for the most expensive option.
While the priciest choice isn't always the best, in a fiercely competitive service industry, price at least sets a minimum standard.
Resorting by price, Zhou Wang quickly zeroed in on a hair salon called "TIME."
Its eye-catching average price of 897 yuan per person on the review app was enough to draw him in.
Although this figure was likely inflated by perms and coloring services, typical salons charged only 50 to just over 100 yuan per person, and even the most expensive one Zhou Wang had seen earlier was just 299 yuan.
Checking the address, he found the salon on the sixth floor of Henglong Plaza. Zhou Wang called ahead to make an appointment, and after confirming availability, he entered the mall and took the elevator straight to the sixth floor.
He found the salon tucked away in a relatively quiet corner.
The cream-colored door and walls were understated, with minimal ornamentation. Only a wooden logo featuring artistic lettering on the right wall spelled out "TIME Hair Studio."
As Zhou Wang stepped into the porch, bathed in soft, non-glaring light, he noticed two receptionists—a man and a woman in matching uniforms—standing to his right. Seeing him enter, the young woman with a sweet face and ponytail smiled and approached him.
"Hello, do you have an appointment?"
"I just called."
"Very well, please follow me."
After confirming his appointment, the young woman led Zhou Wang into the salon and seated him in a private consultation area enclosed by transparent glass partitions.
Zhou Wang surveyed the interior. The decor was strikingly modern, featuring geometric patterns that balanced minimalist elegance with contemporary style.
Whether due to the early hour or the salon's partitioned layout, he noticed no other customers.
His attention was immediately drawn to a row of framed photographs on the back wall. The portraits showcased strikingly handsome men and beautiful women—most of whom Zhou Wang recognized instantly. They were all celebrities, including several A-list actresses still actively working in the entertainment industry.
"This is..." Zhou Wang trailed off, his eyes scanning the framed photographs.
"Those celebrities are all clients of our founder, Teacher Zhang Junfeng," the receptionist explained with a smile.
Zhou Wang's eyes lit up. Though he knew it was mostly a marketing gimmick, it definitely boosted his confidence in the salon. "Can Teacher Zhang cut my hair?" he asked directly.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Zhou, but Teacher Zhang isn't here today. You'd need to book an appointment at least a day in advance to see him."
"Oh, in that case, could you recommend another stylist?" Zhou Wang replied, a hint of disappointment in his voice. He couldn't possibly wait another day.
"Certainly. If you have high expectations, Mr. Zhou, I recommend Teacher Yue Fei. He's Teacher Zhang Junfeng's first apprentice and our studio's current chief designer. The base price for a haircut is 1799 yuan..."
The receptionist tapped the tablet on the counter, bringing up a portfolio of stylists and flipping to Yue Fei's profile. She began to introduce him to Zhou Wang.
"How much?" Zhou Wang blurted out, interrupting the receptionist in disbelief.
Eighteen hundred yuan for a haircut?
Even though he knew it wouldn't be cheap, Zhou Wang could only think, Poverty has truly limited my imagination. He'd assumed the most expensive cut would be a few hundred yuan at most, never dreaming a simple haircut could cost four figures. If an apprentice stylist charged this much, how much would Teacher Zhang charge? Surely not tens of thousands?
"If this price doesn't suit you, we also offer cuts at 199, 399, and 699 yuan," the receptionist quickly added, sensing Zhou Wang's hesitation and trying to reassure him.
"No, let Teacher Yue Fei do it!" Zhou Wang snapped out of his daze and made up his mind. With the System backing him, he was determined to see what an 1,800-yuan haircut looked like. He was far too curious to back down now.
"Very well, please come this way. May I wash your hair myself?" After Zhou Wang agreed, the receptionist's polite smile gained a touch of genuine warmth, likely motivated by the commission.
Next came a thorough, twenty-minute hair wash.
The extended shampoo session was due to the young stylist's professional scalp massage. Her slender fingers, combined with the pleasant fragrance of her perfume, made the experience thoroughly enjoyable for Zhou Wang.
He had originally been offered a complimentary shoulder and neck massage, but mindful of the System's countdown, Zhou Wang reluctantly declined.
Afterward, the stylist led Zhou Wang to a semi-private booth where he met Teacher Yue Fei, his designated hairdresser.
Yue Fei was a young man in his late twenties with an unremarkable hairstyle, but his demeanor was approachable and reassuring. Zhou Wang nodded inwardly, thinking this stylist seemed far more reliable than those flashy "Tony" types. He had also noticed earlier that nearly all the stylists in the salon's portfolio had Chinese names, a detail that earned the salon extra points in his book.
"Just do what you think suits me best," Zhou Wang said earnestly during the consultation. "I'm open to any style as long as it looks good on me."
Yue Fei gave an "OK" sign, combing through Zhou Wang's hair while periodically using the comb to measure distances between his eyebrows and along the sides of his face.
"Mr. Zhou, would you be open to a partial perm?"
"I don't mind, but I'm a bit pressed for time," Zhou Wang replied, frowning slightly. "Is a perm absolutely necessary to achieve the desired look?"
"How about this? I'll give you a temporary hairstyle that won't take too long but will still show you the results. If you like it, you can come back for a permanent styling later. And of course, this initial styling will be complimentary."
"Sounds good."
Once Zhou Wang nodded, Teacher Yue Fei got to work.
Scissors flashed as Yue Fei applied a potion to Zhou Wang's scalp, securing his hair with numerous small clips. A white, ring-shaped device, whose name Zhou Wang couldn't recall, rotated around his head for a while. Then came a second shampoo, followed by a scalp treatment using a medicated mud mask. Finally, Yue Fei gave Zhou Wang a final trim.
By the time Zhou Wang lay back in the shampoo chair for the third time, the process was nearly complete.
After rinsing his hair, Teacher Yue Fei applied scalp essence, completing the comprehensive hair care routine. Only then did he pick up the hair dryer and begin drying Zhou Wang's hair.
"All done."
The moment Teacher Yue Fei put down the hair dryer and uttered those words, Zhou Wang lifted his head to gaze at his reflection in the mirror.
Simultaneously, notification sounds from the System began chiming in rapid succession.
Ding!
System detecting a change in the Host's hairstyle. Calculating evaluation...
System evaluation complete. Current "Hairstyle" Impression Points: 88
Congratulations, Host! You have earned an 88% reimbursement, now credited to your account. Please verify receipt.
Host has triggered Lucky Number "88"! Bonus reward granted: One-time item - Trist's Azure Dragon Blade (View details in the System Warehouse).