Chapter One Hundred and Six: Two Rare Blossoms

Initially, Zhang Wei did not pay much attention to this lead. However, after seeing through Xu Ming’s intentions and realizing that this deal could potentially influence Xu Ming’s promotion, he dared not be negligent in the slightest.

To secure this rental agreement, the most critical step was finding a suitable property. Zhang Wei was confident that once a proper unit was found, Li Qin would no longer be as hesitant as she had been previously.

However, Zhang Wei did not return to the office to look up owner records. He had his own method for finding listings: using his mind-reading ability to peek into the thoughts of agents from other real estate companies to uncover information on three-bedroom units.

After bidding farewell to Xu Ming, Zhang Wei strolled along a main road outside the residential complex. The high foot traffic made it an ideal spot for community promotion, attracting many agents to distribute flyers and set up advertising boards.

"Hey, buddy, long time no see. How has your office's performance been lately?" Zhang Wei asked, walking up to a familiar agent.

From behind, the man looked quite ordinary, but his face was unforgettable: a large head, small eyes, a bulbous nose, thick lips, and slightly protruding ears—his appearance was certainly not something to boast about.

The man Zhang Wei had called out to was Zheng Qi. Although this wasn't the first time they had met, Zhang Wei still couldn't help but think to himself, "This guy is truly a 'rare specimen'; one look is all it takes to never forget him."

"Ha, it’s alright, I suppose." Zheng Qi waved at Zhang Wei, smiled, and asked, "How did your office do last month? I heard there’s a hotshot in your shop who pulled in over a million; Zhang something, right?"

"Uh... he just got lucky," Zhang Wei stammered, a trace of awkwardness flashing across his face. He thought to himself, "Good grief, after all this time, you don't even remember my name!"

Real estate agents have wide social circles and many are acquainted, but it is common to forget names. If Zheng Qi didn't have such a unique appearance, Zhang Wei might not have remembered him either. It seemed that being ugly wasn't necessarily a bad thing; at least it left a deep impression on people.

"Why? Are you feeling unbalanced because he closed that deal? We’re all agents in the same shop; if you had landed that client, maybe that million-plus performance could have been yours," Zheng Qi said, squinting his small eyes with a grin.

"It's fine." Zhang Wei had no intention of correcting him. While it's said that only mediocre people aren't envied, staying low-key is always better.

"Buddy, does your company have any three-bedroom units for rent? Maybe we can collaborate," Zhang Wei asked, cutting straight to the point to avoid further talk on that subject.

"What kind of collaboration? Company-to-company or individual-to-individual?" Zheng Qi asked, squinting his small eyes.

"My company collaborates with you personally; I’ll give you a twenty percent commission. How about that?" Zhang Wei suggested with a smile.

In the real estate agency industry, there are three types of collaborations. The first is company-to-company, a formal arrangement where one provides the client and the other provides the listing, usually splitting the agency fee fifty-fifty. The second is agent-to-agent, often done behind their respective companies' backs—essentially a private "smuggled" deal where the two divide the fee as they agree. The third is company-to-individual, which is what Zhang Wei was proposing: Zhongtong Company partnering with Zheng Qi personally, though in this case, the individual’s share of the commission would be lower.

"No," Zheng Qi shook his head and replied curtly.

As he said "no," Zhang Wei stared into his eyes, using his mind-reading ability to see through him. Zheng Qi was thinking, "I do have one three-bedroom rental in Building 1, Unit 1310, but a twenty percent commission is too low. I’m not going to tell you."

After seeing through his thoughts, Zhang Wei lost interest in collaborating with him. They actually had that same unit on their own books, but since Li Qin disliked the thirteenth floor, she hadn't even considered it.

Just as Zhang Wei was about to say goodbye and find another agent, a red sports car slowly pulled up along the roadside. The man in the driver's seat called out to him, "Oh my, the handsome little guy handing out flyers, wait a moment."

Hearing the peculiar voice, Zhang Wei ignored Zheng Qi and turned toward the source. A faint scent of perfume drifted over from the man in the sports car.

The driver was a beautiful man with delicate features that added a touch of feminine charm. He wore a sleeveless vest, his hair was styled high with gel, he wore a stud in his left ear, and his face was covered by oversized sunglasses, giving off a distinct "new-age" vibe.

"Sir, were you calling me?" Zhang Wei walked to the side of the car and asked with a professional smile.

"Hehehe, of course I was calling you. While there are plenty of agents on this street, you're the only one who looks like a human being. The clothes on all the other agents combined aren't worth as much as my underwear," the man pouted, pointing at Zhang Wei with a delicate, orchid-fingered gesture, and giggled.

Seeing this behavior, Zhang Wei’s smile froze. A chill ran down his spine, and he couldn't help but shiver, the term "ladyboy" involuntarily popping into his mind.

The man stopped the car, opened the door, and stepped out, twisting his waist and walking with a model's gait around Zhang Wei, his lipstick-coated lips habitually pursed.

"Oh my, your outfit is put together quite well, but this pure black doesn't suit you. You should be wearing brownish-red leather shoes, and it would be even better paired with a green belt," the man said, scrutinizing Zhang Wei.

"Hello, I am an agent from Zhongtong Company. Do you have a need to rent or buy a property?" Despite the man’s bizarre behavior, Zhang Wei instinctively wanted to distance himself, but out of professional duty, he braced himself and asked.

"Indeed, I am here to rent a place, but to be my agent, you must first catch my eye!" The man rested his left hand on his slender waist and pointed at Zhang Wei with an orchid-fingered gesture. "I’ve looked at so many agents, but your aesthetic sense is actually quite good among them. I have my eye on you!"

"Ah... thank you." A fine layer of sweat appeared on Zhang Wei’s forehead. He now wished the man hadn't taken an interest in him; it was the first time he had ever felt a desire not to serve a client.

Seeing a client chatting with Zhang Wei, Zheng Qi felt a touch of envy. Still, he didn't feel right about poaching the client, yet he was unwilling to leave. He held his sign—which displayed property information—high in the air and shouted, "The best rental listings from Lianjia! Keys available, ready for viewing anytime!"

While Zheng Qi’s actions didn't quite count as poaching, they were clearly intended to attract the client’s attention. In the past, this would have annoyed Zhang Wei, but now he felt no resentment; in fact, he hoped Zheng Qi would succeed in drawing the man's attention.

"Oh my, who is shouting over there? Do they have no manners at all? It’s so noisy!" The man stomped his foot, bypassed Zhang Wei, and looked toward Zheng Qi.

"Ah... My goodness! You scared the life out of me! What is that thing? It’s hideous!" Upon seeing Zheng Qi, the man jumped back in fright, covering his eyes with his right hand as if looking at Zheng Qi for one second longer would blind him.

"Damn it, is that really necessary?" At first, Zheng Qi had felt a bit smug about attracting the client's attention, but the man’s subsequent words hit him hard. He couldn't help but scream internally:

"I am ugly, but I am gentle!"