Chapter 118: District Manager Han Zhong

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The capital city is divided into eighteen districts and counties, each hosting branches of Zhongtong Express. Among them, the four bustling districts—East, West, Sea, and Morning—are the most prosperous, each boasting hundreds of stores.

Zhang Wei works at a branch located in one of these four key districts, where Zhongtong outlets are densely packed. The regional manager oversees five branches, each situated quite close to the others.

The Fengdu Berlin residential complex also houses a Zhongtong branch. Due to the community’s large size, numerous residents, and high turnover, the branch there is relatively large and occupies a prime location.

Regional Manager Han Zhong’s office is within this branch. Today happens to be payday for the district, and since salespeople receive their wages in cash, the Fengdu Berlin Zhongtong branch is bursting at the seams.

Groups of salespeople cluster together, and a few early-arriving store managers gather as well. They form small cliques based on rank and connections, mostly discussing which team has the best performance and which manager might soon be promoted to regional manager.

“Beep, beep, beep...”

At that moment, a brand-new Passat rolled in from the direction of the entrance. At first, it didn’t draw much attention—after all, the capital is filled with luxury cars, and the salespeople’s standards have long been raised. An ordinary Passat barely registers in their eyes.

However, when the shiny Passat honked and shooed the crowd of salespeople away from the entrance, then stopped right in front of the Zhongtong branch, all heads turned. Many craned their necks, eager to see who was inside.

As the curious crowd watched, the window slowly rolled down. A balding man in his thirties poked his head out and waved cheerfully, “Good job, everyone. You’re all here bright and early!”

“Ah, it’s Brother Han!”

“Brother Han, is that your new Passat?”

“Man, Brother Han, you’re quick! The last time I saw you, you were still riding an electric scooter. Now you’ve got a proper ride!”

The driver of the Passat was none other than Regional Manager Han Zhong. Those who had previously dismissed the car now gathered around it, showering it with compliments.

Hearing the praise, Han Zhong felt a surge of pride. Among all managers above the store level in the district, he was the first to buy a car. Although the Passat wasn’t a luxury vehicle, it was a reputable mid-range brand and definitely respectable.

In truth, Han Zhong had taken on a huge financial burden to buy this car. He was still paying a mortgage on his apartment and didn’t have much disposable income. But as someone on the cusp of promotion to regional director, he needed to mingle with influential people and wanted a car to impress. His wife had initially refused outright.

After a long period of persuasion, appealing to her emotions and reason, and promising some material compensation, he finally secured a loan and bought the Passat. Today was his first day driving it to work.

Because of the financial strain, Han Zhong had been anxious and conflicted since the purchase, losing sleep the night before. But now, basking in the flattery of his colleagues, he felt refreshed and free of worries.

“Brother Han, you should’ve told us when you bought such a great car!”

“Yeah, I’ve wanted a Passat for ages but never had the cash. Brother Han’s got serious power.”

“Come on, Brother Han’s about to be promoted to regional director. How can a small store manager like me compare?”

Several store managers under Han Zhong gathered around, seasoned veterans of the trade. They cracked jokes and flattered Han, who was delighted, thinking he had made the right choice. Women were short-sighted, and he resolved to be firmer with his wife from now on—not everything had to go her way.

“Alright, enough with the chatter. Save that energy for your clients. If you all work hard, you’ll get promoted, earn raises, and buy cars too.” Han Zhong stepped out of the Passat, surveying the crowd with confidence.

“You salespeople, if you build a solid foundation, treat every client seriously, and learn from every failure, you will keep improving. Your careers will flourish in this industry, and you’ll...” Despite the light drizzle outside, Han Zhong was so animated he began a lengthy speech, waving his hands enthusiastically.

Five minutes later, he was still going strong. The agents around him wore sour expressions, embarrassed to interrupt and leave, silently hoping the speech would end soon.

“Beep, beep...”

Another car horn sounded. Everyone looked up to see a magnificent, brand-new BMW 7 Series gliding in. Its sleek body and elegant curves caught many eyes, especially the female salespeople, who looked on with envy, pointing and admiring.

“It’s a BMW 730!”

“I’ve seen plenty of luxury cars, but I still prefer BMW.”

“Right? When I get married, the wedding car has to be a BMW 7 Series—otherwise, I’m not marrying him!”

The BMW 730 was a few levels above the Passat, naturally dominating attention. The arrival spurred lively chatter.

“Why is the BMW parked right in front of our Zhongtong branch?”

“Could a client be here to rent or buy a house?”

“In this rainy weather, wealthy clients rarely come out to view properties. I bet it’s a company executive—maybe the district director himself?”

“Impossible. The last time I saw the director, he was driving a Buick Regal. No way he’d upgrade to a BMW 730 so quickly.”

“Could it be the regional director?”

“That’s possible. Only someone at that level could afford a BMW 730.”

The BMW’s arrival sparked a flurry of speculation, and Han Zhong’s speech was abruptly cut short. He was curious about the owner; although he had seen the regional director’s car—a Mercedes—he had never seen anyone drive a BMW like this. Whoever it was must have considerable status.

Under the watchful eyes of the agents, the BMW’s front passenger door opened. A lean man stepped out—it was none other than Store Manager Xu Ming. His appearance instantly dropped jaws all around.

“What the heck is Old Xu up to, where did he get a BMW?”

“Yeah, someone else drove the car here, but Old Xu’s got some serious face now.”

“That’s way more impressive than Brother Han’s ride. Old Xu’s stealing his thunder—won’t Brother Han be mad?”

Several store managers nearby laughed and joked about Xu Ming, clearly well acquainted with him, stirring the pot in front of Brother Han.

As they spoke, Su Ning, Li Lin, and Wen Fang also emerged from the car, greeting familiar faces. Zhang Wei, the driver, was the last to step down.

“Morning, Brother Han!” Xu Ming called out with a smile as he saw Han Zhong nearby.

Han Zhong glanced between his Passat and the BMW 730, an uneasy feeling stirring. He rolled his eyes and snorted coldly, “Morning, my foot. You guys from that store arrived the latest.”