Chapter Forty-One: The Three-Way Conference

After his conversation with Liu Yurou, Zhang Wei realized she wouldn't obstruct the signing of the deal, so he relaxed his guard and called Mr. Tian, the owner of the villa, informing him that a client was interested in the property and hoping to arrange a face-to-face meeting. Mr. Tian readily agreed and promised to return within an hour. After the call, Zhang Wei took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

He had moved a step closer to his goal of closing the sale. If he managed to sell the villa, it would bring in at least several hundred thousand in income—a considerable fortune for Zhang Wei, whose family circumstances were modest. Naturally, his mind was plagued by both hope and anxiety.

Faced with such a major deal, Zhang Wei, whose business experience was not extensive, couldn't help but feel apprehensive. He wiped the sweat from his palms, took out his phone, and dialed Xu Ming's number.

“Hello, this is Xu Ming,” came the voice from the other end after Zhang Wei connected the call.

“Brother Xu, it's Zhang Wei. I’m showing a property to a client,” Zhang Wei said.

“Oh, I’ve returned to the office. I heard something about it earlier—has the client left?” Xu Ming asked.

“Brother Xu, after Wang Min left, I brought the client back for a second viewing. The client is interested in buying, and I’ve arranged a meeting with the owner to discuss the details. I’d like you to come and help me oversee things,” Zhang Wei explained. He wanted Xu Ming present not only for support but also to bring the sales contract—if they could sign immediately, all the better.

“Huh? Didn’t Wang Min say the client wasn’t really interested in buying?” Xu Ming asked, surprised.

“Brother Xu, the situation is a bit complicated. I’ll explain when I see you; it’s hard to clarify over the phone.” Zhang Wei urged him. He didn’t know what Wang Min had told Xu Ming, but judging by Xu Ming’s tone, it couldn’t have been anything positive.

“All right, I’ll head over now. Text me the address,” Xu Ming replied efficiently.

“Brother Xu, it’s best if you come alone and bring a purchase contract with you,” Zhang Wei reminded him.

“Sure, I got it.” Though he didn’t know why Zhang Wei wanted him to come alone, Xu Ming didn’t ask further—he’d learn everything once they met.

After hanging up, Xu Ming stood up and left his office. He turned to his assistant, Wen Fang, and said, “Wen Fang, prepare a purchase contract for me. I need to go out for a bit.”

“Okay, Brother Xu,” Wen Fang replied casually. Though she wondered why Xu Ming suddenly needed a contract, she didn’t understand much about the business, so she didn’t ask.

“Brother Xu, why do you need a purchase contract? Is a big client coming? Another VIP from the company?” Guo Bin’s eyes lit up as he eagerly asked.

Guo Bin loved internal competition and snatching clients. Seeing Xu Ming request a contract, he assumed the head office had sent another VIP client like Murong Xuan.

“If you want clients, work harder yourself. Don’t always think about getting something for nothing,” Xu Ming reprimanded.

“So what are you going out for?” Wang Min asked curiously.

“I’ll explain when I get back,” Xu Ming said, accepting the contract from Wen Fang. He grabbed a pair of shoe covers from the drawer and strode out of the Zhongtong branch.

Xu Ming wasn’t intentionally hiding his destination—he simply wasn’t sure what was happening on Zhang Wei’s end, so he brushed off their questions with a couple of vague remarks.

Just as Xu Ming stepped out of the Zhongtong office, his phone chimed with a text message. Opening it, he saw Zhang Wei had sent the address for the property viewing. He glanced at it, initially unconcerned, but when he read the details, he was startled—the cigarette in his mouth even fell out—and he exclaimed, “Hongjiang Villa District!”

Xu Ming was certainly familiar with Hongjiang Villa District; it was the most expensive neighborhood in the area, with villa prices hovering around fifty million. Selling a villa there was a huge deal—even renting one would bring in a substantial commission.

Seeing Zhang Wei had sent him the address for Hongjiang Villa District, Xu Ming was full of questions. He could hardly believe Zhang Wei could close a villa sale, yet he trusted Zhang Wei wouldn’t deceive him.

With his mind swirling with doubts, Xu Ming quickened his pace, reaching Hongjiang Villa District in short order. Zhang Wei was waiting at the entrance, and after registering Xu Ming, he led him into the neighborhood.

“Why aren’t you inside with the client? Why are you out here waiting for me?” Xu Ming’s words were not just polite—they carried a note of reproach.

Real estate agents are expected to keep the client within sight during property viewings to prevent unforeseen incidents from jeopardizing the deal. That’s why agents usually accompany clients in pairs.

“Brother Xu, I had no choice. There are some things I need to discuss with you beforehand,” Zhang Wei replied with an awkward smile.

“Go on, what’s so mysterious?” Xu Ming said.

Zhang Wei led Xu Ming into the villa district as he explained the whole sequence of events. After hearing Zhang Wei’s account, Xu Ming was astonished. “How did you stumble on such a great opportunity? Not only did you sell a villa, you landed a beautiful girlfriend too, haha!”

“Oh, come on, Brother Xu, stop teasing me. A girlfriend? She’s more like a ticking time bomb,” Zhang Wei replied with a wry smile.

“Relax. After hearing your story, I don’t think there’s much risk with this deal. Unless something unexpected happens, you should be able to close it,” Xu Ming said, patting Zhang Wei’s shoulder.

At that moment, Xu Ming felt a surge of excitement. If Zhang Wei sold the villa, Xu Ming, as the branch manager, would also share the credit and earn a generous commission. Their interests were closely aligned, and he was determined to see the deal through.

Zhang Wei brought Xu Ming back to the villa and introduced him to Mr. and Mrs. Zhou, the buyers. Both Xu Ming and Mr. Zhou were seasoned and sociable, and since they were of similar age, their conversation flowed smoothly.

This was precisely why Zhang Wei had asked Xu Ming to come. Xu Ming was highly skilled, adept at interacting with strangers, and despite his slight build and unremarkable appearance, he possessed a warmth that made him easy to approach. A few casual words could quickly close the distance with clients.

This was Zhang Wei’s greatest shortcoming. Although he could read people’s intentions, he was still new to society, lacking both life experience and professional know-how. He often found it hard to connect with clients and establish rapport.

Of course, life experience can only be accumulated step by step. Some things cannot be hurried. Zhang Wei had always made a conscious effort to build this experience. Though his progress was slow, as long as he persevered, he believed he would one day achieve a breakthrough.

After another half hour of casual conversation, Mr. Tian, the villa’s owner, returned home. The buyer, seller, and agency finally sat down together, and the fate of this fifty-million deal reached its most critical moment!