Chapter One: The Art of Reading Minds

“My head is spinning! Where am I?” In a small clinic of the Elegant Court Community in the capital, a young man in his twenties lay on a hospital bed, slowly opening his eyes. The harsh light shone on his face, making him squint and turn his head away instinctively. As he twisted his neck, a wave of intense pain surged through his head, forcing a hiss of breath from between his teeth.

The man on the bed was named Zhang Wei, an agent at Zhongtong Real Estate in the community. Earlier, a conflict broke out with another real estate company, during which Zhang Wei was struck from behind amidst the chaos. Fortunately, his colleagues rushed him to the clinic, and under the doctor's timely care, his condition was brought under control, avoiding serious consequences.

“Zhang Wei, you’re finally awake! You’ve been unconscious for half a day. How are you feeling?” Another young man, reading a novel on his phone, immediately stood up from the opposite bed upon hearing Zhang Wei speak, his voice tinged with relief.

This young man was Wang Jianfa, a colleague who joined the company with Zhang Wei. Both were somewhat introverted, often helping each other at work, and lived nearby. Naturally, they had become good friends.

“I’m fine, just a bit of a headache. Is this the clinic under Building Three?” Zhang Wei gradually recalled the moments before he lost consciousness, his voice weak.

“Yes, the doctor said you have a mild concussion, but nothing serious. Just rest for a couple of days and you’ll be fine.” Wang Jianfa slipped his phone into his suit pocket, picked up a paper cup from the bedside table, filled it halfway with water at the dispenser, then, as if by magic, produced a straw and handed it to Zhang Wei’s left hand. “Here, have some water, soothe your throat.”

“Thanks…” Zhang Wei rested the cup on his chest, sipping through the straw. When his throat was no longer parched, he tried to set the cup on the bedside table, but Wang Jianfa swiftly took it from him.

“Let me do it. You shouldn’t move; just rest,” Wang Jianfa said, placing the cup on the table.

“Jianfa, did you see who knocked me out? That hit was really vicious,” Zhang Wei asked, moving his neck with difficulty, another surge of pain shooting through his head, his tone edged with anger.

Conflicts between real estate agencies over clients were common, but with the formalization of the industry, such disputes rarely escalated into violence; any fighting would lead to immediate dismissal for both parties. That morning’s confrontation had been little more than shoving and shouting—Zhang Wei never expected someone would strike him from behind.

“Zhang Wei, don’t dwell on it for now. Just focus on getting better,” Wang Jianfa replied, a trace of unease flickering across his face as he stuffed his hands into his suit pockets.

“Jianfa, do you know who did it or not?” Zhang Wei, who knew Wang Jianfa well, instantly sensed he was hiding something.

“I… don’t know. Please don’t ask. I’ll go buy you something to eat,” Wang Jianfa said, his voice faltering as he tried to avoid Zhang Wei’s gaze—only to find he couldn’t look away, feeling as if Zhang Wei could see right through him.

“Wait…” As Wang Jianfa turned to leave, Zhang Wei instinctively called out, then his eyes widened in shock, and he froze.

Just as Wang Jianfa denied knowing anything, their eyes met. Zhang Wei’s pupils contracted, a flash of gold lighting up his vision as golden characters appeared in Wang Jianfa’s eyes: “Zhang Wei, it was Wang Zhen from Tiantian Real Estate who hit you, but I can’t tell you this. If you take revenge, you’ll definitely be fired.”

Stunned, Zhang Wei blinked. The golden characters in Wang Jianfa’s eyes faded away like a moving billboard, drifting from left to right until only the last two words remained, confirming he hadn’t imagined it. “What’s happening? Has my concussion caused hallucinations?”

“Zhang Wei, are you alright? Is your head hurting? Should I call the doctor?” After a moment, Wang Jianfa, seeing Zhang Wei’s dazed expression, grew anxious, thinking his condition had worsened.

“Jianfa, be honest with me—was it Wang Zhen who hurt me?” Zhang Wei had no idea why he saw golden words in Wang Jianfa’s eyes or what they meant, but he decided to ask directly.

“What? How did you know? Weren’t you knocked out?” Wang Jianfa exclaimed, startled at being found out.

“So it really was him… Could it be that I can see Jianfa’s thoughts? Is this the legendary ‘mind reading’?” The thought shocked Zhang Wei, but he quickly dismissed it as fantasy—surely he was just hallucinating what he wanted to see.

Tiantian Real Estate was a small agency run by a few partners—few employees, little oversight, and no strict rules. Their favorite tactic was poaching clients. Regular agencies charged a full month’s commission for rentals, but Tiantian only charged half, luring away many clients. That’s how Zhang Wei’s conflict with them began. Zhang Wei had shown a client a property and settled all the terms; they were ready to sign at the next meeting. But after leaving Zhang Wei’s office, the client was approached by Tiantian’s people, who chatted him up, got all the details, and poached the deal by offering a lower commission. The very property Zhang Wei had shown was taken thanks to the room number, which Tiantian’s agents then used to contact the owner.

Zhang Wei was left in the dark until after the client signed the contract with the owner. When Zhang Wei called to follow up, the owner, feeling guilty, finally told him the truth. Furious at having his hard-earned deal stolen through such underhanded means, Zhang Wei confronted Tiantian—leading to the morning’s altercation.

“Zhang Wei, are you alright? Should I call the doctor?” Seeing Zhang Wei fall silent again, Wang Jianfa felt his forehead, worried.

“I’m fine, just thinking.” The events of the day still angered Zhang Wei; he wanted nothing more than to take revenge, but reason held his fury in check.

“Don’t just watch over me—go back to work. If you don’t meet your targets, you’ll be fined,” Zhang Wei said, waving his hand.

“Alright, I’ll head out. Call me if you need anything,” Wang Jianfa replied, reminding Zhang Wei before leaving the room.

“Damn it, another deal stolen. If I can’t make a sale this month, I’ll be fired,” Zhang Wei muttered bitterly after Wang Jianfa left.

Real estate agencies typically have a three-month probation period. If you meet your targets, you become a full employee; if not, you’re let go in the third month. Zhang Wei had been with Zhongtong for over two months without a single completed deal. If he failed again this month, he’d be dismissed. With little savings, losing his job meant he might not even cover his rent—possibly ending up on the streets.

This novel is the result of nearly a year of careful planning; every line has been crafted with thought, reflecting real life while offering dramatic highs. Readers who give it a few chapters will surely be captivated!