Chapter 109: A Sense of Crisis

Brothers, Fangshu still holds the top spot in Sanjiang!!!

After two in the afternoon, the Sanjiang votes have been updated. Everyone, please go cast your votes again! Thank you!

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After parting ways with Aben, Zhang Wei didn’t head straight back to the Zhongtong agency. Instead, he wandered the streets, seeking out fellow agents from competing agencies to inquire about their three-bedroom listings. Though none were willing to be truthful, Zhang Wei used his mind-reading ability to see through the facades and uncover the real information clearly.

After a round of questioning, Zhang Wei finally obtained details of a three-bedroom rental from one of the agents. The morning’s efforts were not in vain; he had found a new listing and a potential client.

Perhaps because he had questioned so many agents, Zhang Wei’s mind-reading exertions took a toll. While probing the thoughts of the last agent, he suddenly felt dizzy and weak in his limbs, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Fortunately, the agent caught him just in time. Supported by the agent, Zhang Wei made his way to a nearby bench and sat for a long while before gradually regaining his composure. Sweat soaked his clothes.

This sudden weakness startled Zhang Wei. His body had always been robust before; even going two days without food never caused such symptoms. The overwhelming fatigue filled him with an unusual dread.

“What’s going on? Is it an illness, or a side effect from using mind-reading?” His eyes flickered with uncertainty, a vague worry gnawing at his heart.

In truth, every time Zhang Wei used his mind-reading power, he felt somewhat drained afterward, but he had always dismissed it as needing a bit more rest.

However, this episode planted a seed of alarm. He feared the technique might have dangerous lingering effects. Yet, at this critical juncture in his career, giving up mind-reading was impossible. He could only resolve to use it more sparingly.

Once his strength returned and his mind calmed, Zhang Wei dared not continue prying into the agents’ thoughts indiscriminately. If he kept this reckless approach, he might exhaust himself within months.

Returning to the Zhongtong agency, Zhang Wei chose not to input the newly obtained three-bedroom listing into the Fangyou system. If another agent rented it out before him, he would be devastated.

After lunch, Zhang Wei searched the Fangyou system for upscale two-bedroom apartments to see if any fit Chen Sixuan’s criteria. Zhongtong’s branches dotted the entire capital, so listings for every neighborhood were recorded in the system.

He found three suitable listings in two different high-end residential complexes, each just a ten-minute drive from Yayuan neighborhood. Unfamiliar with these neighborhoods, Zhang Wei planned to visit them in the afternoon to inspect the apartments firsthand.

Typically, agents preview properties before showing them to clients. Knowing the property inside and out allows for precise, trustworthy descriptions, earning the client’s confidence.

After arranging access, Zhang Wei drove to the two complexes. The owners had left keys at the neighborhood’s agency offices for client convenience, so Zhang Wei borrowed the keys from the agencies to view the apartments.

When borrowing the keys, he claimed he was bringing clients along, not viewing them alone. Otherwise, owners would be displeased, and agencies reluctant to lend keys.

Zhang Wei not only examined the three apartments but also familiarized himself with the surrounding amenities. If clients asked about nearby gas stations, supermarkets, community centers, or cafes, he wanted to answer confidently and leave a good impression.

Though seemingly simple, this preparation proved tedious. Zhang Wei spent the entire afternoon touring the neighborhoods, inspecting the apartments, and taking photos to send via multimedia message to Aben.

Ten minutes after sending the photos, Zhang Wei called Aben to ask if he was satisfied and whether Chen Sixuan was available to view the apartments that evening.

Aben liked the apartments and photos but was unavailable that night. After some discussion, they agreed to view the apartments the following evening. After some casual conversation, they ended the call.

“Chatting with Aben in summer isn’t bad at all—at least it takes my mind off the heat,” Zhang Wei said with a shake of his head and a wry smile. Within ten minutes on the phone, he was already covered in goosebumps.

By the time Zhang Wei returned to the Zhongtong agency, it was past five in the afternoon. Only Liu Ziqi, Fang Wenjun, and Wang Jianfa remained. The others had either gone out with clients to enjoy the cooler weather, were doing community outreach, or scouting new listings.

Fang Wenjun was attractive but not just a pretty face—she was hardworking and dedicated. Whenever she had clients, she gave her all to close deals. She had spent the entire day compiling owner information, searching for three-bedroom rentals.

“Zhang Wei, was that your BMW I saw driving by just now?” Liu Ziqi’s eyes lit up as Zhang Wei entered the office.

“Yeah, why?” Zhang Wei asked, heading to his desk and filling a cup of water from the dispenser, drinking half in one gulp.

“What can I do? I’m just jealous,” Liu Ziqi said, resting her chin on her hand.

Liu Ziqi was straightforward—what she said was what she meant, unafraid of embarrassment or hurting feelings. Zhang Wei admired her bold, passionate nature.

“Zhang Wei, did you find any three-bedroom rentals today?” Fang Wenjun, overhearing the exchange, hung up a call and looked up.

“Isn’t that a bit obvious? He’s been running around all day with hardly any calls made. Where would he find three-bedroom rentals?” Liu Ziqi answered firmly before Zhang Wei could reply.

Taking advantage of Liu Ziqi’s reply, Zhang Wei dodged the question and did not mention the listing he had found. Instead, he countered, “How about you? Found any three-bedroom rentals?”

“No, I haven’t,” Fang Wenjun said with a smile, pursing her lips.

Though Zhang Wei now dared not use mind-reading recklessly, he still employed it at critical moments—especially to detect if someone was lying. When the answer hides deception, the truth often reveals the key.

So, when Zhang Wei asked Fang Wenjun, he secretly read her mind. He saw her thoughts: “I just entered a three-bedroom rental listing—Unit 1812 in Building 6. But since I’m the only one who knows, there’s no way I’d tell him.”

Seeing through Fang Wenjun’s thoughts, Zhang Wei’s lips curled into a sly smile. They were competitors, so her withholding information was natural. But with his mind-reading, things shifted.

Had Fang Wenjun openly shared the listing, Zhang Wei, even knowing the unit number, would have hesitated to show it to Li Qin, as they had an agreement: the finder of the listing would bring the client.

But Fang Wenjun’s denial allowed Zhang Wei the option to announce the listing first, claiming it as his own discovery. Fang Wenjun would be left speechless, silently frustrated.

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