Chapter 133: The Client

The next day, Zhang Wei rose early and arrived at the Zhongtong office in high spirits. Since becoming the branch manager of the Yayuan store, he had felt a greater sense of belonging and found himself much more motivated at work than before.

The weather today was exceptionally gloomy. With thick clouds blanketing the sky, the atmosphere felt heavy and oppressive, like the stillness before a storm. After the morning meeting, Zhang Wei sat in the back row browsing the web, feeling much more relaxed than he had in his days as a sales agent.

Since arriving that morning, apart from posting a job advertisement online, he had barely done anything else. He didn’t need to follow up with clients, verify property listings, or even bother managing the listings on the website.

Aside from the occasional sound of a phone call, the atmosphere in the shop was as dull as the sky outside. The once-energetic Zhang Wei began to feel drowsy; he realized that someone accustomed to being busy struggles to adapt when suddenly left with nothing to do.

Just as Zhang Wei was about to rest his head on the desk for a nap, Wang Jianfa, who was sitting at the reception desk, stood up abruptly and said in a clear voice, "Hello, how may I help you? Are you looking to rent or buy a property?"

Wang Jianfa's voice jolted Zhang Wei awake. Zhang Wei yawned and looked toward the reception area, seeing a middle-aged man walk in. The man was in his forties, tall, slightly plump, and sporting a side-parted hairstyle. He wore a dress shirt and trousers, with a leather bag tucked under his right arm.

"Yes, I'm looking to rent an office space," the middle-aged man said, nodding to Wang Jianfa as he stepped into the shop.

"What size office are you looking for, and what is your budget?" Wang Jianfa asked.

"Something between one hundred and one hundred fifty square meters, with a price around ten thousand," the man replied after a moment of contemplation, smacking his lips.

"Sir, may I ask your name?" Wang Jianfa asked with a professional smile.

"My surname is Zhu. You can just call me Mr. Zhu," the man said.

"Mr. Zhu, when would you like to move into the office?" Wang Jianfa inquired.

"The sooner the better. If you can find a suitable place right now, I'm ready to sign the lease immediately," Mr. Zhu said with a confident, resonant voice.

"Mr. Zhu, please have a seat on the sofa. I will find some suitable listings for you right away," Wang Jianfa said, gesturing for him to sit.

"Do you have any properties available? Can I see them now?" Mr. Zhu asked, his brow furrowing.

"Mr. Zhu, please sit down and have some water. I am matching listings for you as we speak and will take you to see the office spaces immediately," Wang Jianfa said respectfully, handing the man a cup of water from the dispenser.

"Fine, but hurry it up. I have things to do this afternoon," Mr. Zhu said, waving his hand as he took the paper cup.

"Understood. Please wait a moment." After saying this, Wang Jianfa hurried back to his seat to flip through his notebook, which contained records of office spaces available for rent.

"Lin, Guo Bin, you two help Wang Jianfa find office listings that meet Mr. Zhu's criteria," Zhang Wei, who had been observing from the back, ordered to improve efficiency.

"Mr. Zhu, do you smoke?" Zhang Wei walked over to the sofa and offered the man a cigarette.

"Thank you. May I ask who you are?" Mr. Zhu asked, a flicker of surprise appearing in his eyes as he glanced at the Zhonghua cigarette Zhang Wei had offered.

"My surname is Zhang, and I am the manager of this branch," Zhang Wei said with a smile as he took a seat on the sofa opposite him.

"Manager Zhang is truly young and promising," Mr. Zhu said, his tone significantly more polite than it had been with Wang Jianfa.

As a businessman himself, Mr. Zhu had a discerning eye. Seeing Zhang Wei dressed in international designer brands, wearing a Longines watch, and identifying him as the manager—coupled with the premium cigarette he had just been offered—made him view Zhang Wei with newfound respect.

"Mr. Zhu, what kind of business are you in?" Zhang Wei asked, lighting a cigarette for himself.

Zhang Wei was engaging the client for two reasons: to understand his needs and to buy time for Wang Jianfa and his colleagues. If left alone, the client would likely have walked out within two minutes.

"I run a media company, just trying to make a living," Mr. Zhu said, taking a puff and showing more interest now that the topic was his work.

"The media industry is great. It has a bright future and keeps up with the times. There are several media companies in this building alone," Zhang Wei said with a smile.

"It's alright, but it involves entertaining clients constantly," Mr. Zhu said, patting his protruding belly with a laugh. "Look at this stomach; it's the result of eating out day after day."

Zhang Wei continued to chat with the client to keep him settled, but after several minutes, the team still hadn't found a suitable listing. Zhang Wei noticed Mr. Zhu beginning to lose his patience.

"Jianfa, have you found the office space Mr. Zhu needs?" Zhang Wei asked, his face showing a hint of dissatisfaction at their slow progress.

"Not yet. I'm making a few more calls to verify details. It'll be ready in a moment," Wang Jianfa said nervously.

Though he had been in the real estate industry for some time, Wang Jianfa still became anxious whenever he dealt with clients, especially when he couldn't immediately find what they were looking for.

A few more minutes passed, and the team was still hunched over their desks. Mr. Zhu began checking his watch repeatedly, looking increasingly agitated. Based on his experience, Zhang Wei knew the client was at his limit. If they waited any longer, Mr. Zhu would likely find an excuse to leave. As the manager, Zhang Wei had to make a decision.

"Jianfa, isn't Unit 703 in Building 4 a 120-square-meter office? We have the keys right here in the office. How could you forget about that one after searching for so long?" Zhang Wei said, reprimanding him with a stern face.

"Zhang Wei, isn't that property..." Wang Jianfa paused, confused. He knew the keys to 703 were indeed at the branch, but that property was for sale, not for rent. He was about to explain when Zhang Wei cut him off.

"That's enough. I know more about that property than you do. You and Guo Bin take Mr. Zhu to see 703. I'll have the other staff look for more options and call you if we find anything else," Zhang Wei said with an air of authority.

"Right, Manager Zhang has a good point. We should look at whatever we have; sitting here doing nothing isn't going to solve anything," Mr. Zhu chimed in.

Wang Jianfa was not a total novice after a few months on the job, but he tended to panic when under pressure. Now that Zhang Wei had pointed him in the right direction, he immediately understood the strategy.

Unit 703 was indeed for sale, not for rent. Zhang Wei hadn't misremembered; he was using the property as bait to keep the client occupied while they searched for actual rental listings. It was a desperate move, but if he couldn't find a suitable property, the client would lose faith in the store’s competence and walk out to a competitor.

With Zhang Wei's prompt, Wang Jianfa and Guo Bin took the client to view the office, while Zhang Wei and Li Lin continued to search for actual rentals. Zhang Wei felt a bit frustrated; as a manager, he shouldn't have to be doing the agents' legwork, but with only three staff members—two of whom were out with the client—he had no choice.

He looked at the six agents under Su Ning’s leadership and couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy. Their high performance was exactly why their team ranked at the top of the district.

Just as Zhang Wei was searching for listings and grumbling to himself, a low voice spoke from the entrance: "Excuse me, is your company still hiring real estate agents?"

Hearing this, Zhang Wei perked up. He looked toward the front of the shop and asked, "We are still hiring agents. Are you interested in applying?"

A man walked in. He was of average height and build, with plain features, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, black trousers, and laced leather shoes—the kind of person you would forget the moment you looked away.

"Yes, I would like to apply for the position of real estate agent. Is that possible?" The man smiled, revealing white teeth.

"Wenfang, take this gentleman to the meeting room and have him fill out a resume," Zhang Wei said to Wenfang nearby.

Although Zhang Wei was eager to hire, he knew that the more anxious he felt, the more composed he needed to appear. If he showed too much eagerness, the applicant might not value the opportunity.