Chapter Fifty-Eight: Moving House

Zhou, the chubby man, and his wife wished to purchase the gold-inlaid jade Guanyin statue, and Zhang Wei naturally had no objections. He set the price at one million, which satisfied both parties, making it a happy ending for everyone—except for Liu Yurou, who seemed a little downcast.

Shortly after the four of them returned to the Xiangjiang villa district, the truck transporting the antiques arrived as well. Security personnel helped move the antiques into the villa, and the gold-inlaid jade Guanyin was handed directly to Zhou and his wife.

Once the antiques were settled, it was nearly one in the afternoon. Since Zhou had called ahead, the housekeeper had lunch ready, and Zhang Wei was naturally invited to join them. It was lunchtime, and with Zhang Wei also eager to strengthen his relationship with Zhou, he stayed for the meal. Liu Yurou, of course, had no reason to leave, so they all enjoyed a convivial lunch together, everyone in high spirits.

After lunch, Zhang Wei chatted with Zhou for a while longer, not leaving the villa until after three o'clock. Liu Yurou remained behind to help Wu Qian with the interior decorations rather than leave with Zhang Wei.

Before Zhang Wei made it back to the Zhongtong villas, he received a text message from the bank on his phone, informing him that 700,000 yuan had been deposited into his account—the sender, without a doubt, was Zhou.

Receiving such a large sum for the first time in his life, Zhang Wei felt as if he were walking on air. Never since reaching adulthood had he felt so confident, so empowered. The world seemed brighter and more beautiful as he made his way back to the Zhongtong store, only snapping out of his daze upon arrival.

“Zhang Wei, you’re something else now. Disappeared for a whole day—more leisure than the store manager himself,” came Wang Min’s mocking voice as soon as Zhang Wei stepped through the door, before he could even greet anyone.

“Yeah, you vanished the moment your shift started and only now come back. Were you out making some private deal?” Guo Bin added with ill intent.

“Is it that I’m just that unlikeable, or that you two can never say anything decent? I really don’t get it.” Zhang Wei sat at his desk, crossed his legs, and sneered.

Though neither Wang Min nor Guo Bin bore any real grudge against Zhang Wei, they habitually enjoyed giving him a hard time. Once or twice, Zhang Wei could tolerate it, but enough was enough; he couldn’t always be the one to back down.

“Hey, Zhang Wei, are you insulting us?” Guo Bin shot up from his chair, pointing at Zhang Wei.

“I’m not insulting anyone,” Zhang Wei replied with a look of innocence, spreading his hands.

“The saying goes, ‘A dog’s mouth cannot produce ivory.’ You said neither of us could say anything decent—how is that not an insult?” Guo Bin argued.

“Really? I always thought it was ‘A pig’s mouth can’t produce ivory.’ Turns out it’s a dog? I stand corrected.” Zhang Wei offered a mocking bow, grinning.

“You…” Guo Bin pointed at Zhang Wei, but could not find the words. Anything further would only demean himself.

“Enough. You three bicker the moment you see each other—if word got out, people would laugh,” Li Lin intervened, smoothing things over.

“I was out all day and contributed nothing to the store today, so dinner’s on me tonight. How about it?” Zhang Wei, flush with his windfall, was keen to celebrate—after all, this was his first real fortune.

“Sure, I love eating at someone else’s expense. Shall we book a table at Jingxuan Pavilion?” Wang Jianfa, ever the foodie, was the first to agree.

“Let’s go to Yulin Hotel instead. I’m not a fan of Jingxuan’s food,” Zhang Wei frowned at Wang Jianfa’s suggestion, unwilling to face Murong Xuan’s frosty reception again.

“Up to you—you’re the host,” Wang Jianfa shrugged.

That evening, with Zhang Wei treating, everyone ate and drank to their heart’s content. Though Guo Bin and Wang Min didn’t get along with Zhang Wei, they certainly didn’t hold back at the table. During the meal, Zhang Wei took the opportunity to ask Xu Ming for leave, planning to rest the next day for some well-deserved relaxation.

Last month, Zhang Wei had brought in over a million in sales, making a huge contribution to the store. Even if he was occasionally late or left early, Xu Ming usually turned a blind eye. Naturally, he had no objection to Zhang Wei taking a day off.

After drinking quite a bit at dinner, Zhang Wei staggered home and fell straight asleep. With no work the next day, he slept in until ten-thirty, only to be awakened by his phone ringing: “Riiing…”

“Hello, who is this?” Zhang Wei fumbled for the phone by his bedside, groggily answering.

“It’s me. You’re still not up?” came a familiar female voice.

“Wang Min, what’s up?” Zhang Wei immediately recognized her.

“I’ve found a shared apartment—on the twenty-fifth floor of Building Seven. Come take a look with me at lunchtime,” Wang Min said.

“Alright, let’s meet downstairs at Building Seven at eleven-thirty,” Zhang Wei yawned.

“Don’t be late!” Wang Min warned before hanging up. After the call, Zhang Wei was wide awake—excited, but also a bit sentimental.

Though he disliked living in a basement, he’d stayed there for months and felt a twinge of reluctance to move. Still, being able to move into an apartment was cause for celebration.

After getting up and washing, Zhang Wei surveyed his room and realized there was nothing worth taking. The basement was so damp that even his bedding and clothes were musty and mildewed. He had little else of value.

He decided on the spot to abandon everything, planning to buy new clothes and essentials for the new place. It wasn’t extravagance—his current belongings were simply too shabby.

At eleven-thirty, Zhang Wei arrived punctually at Building Seven. Wang Min was already waiting, dressed in a professional skirt that accentuated her graceful figure, her alluring presence impossible to ignore.

“Didn’t expect you to be earlier than me,” Zhang Wei remarked, his eyes lighting up as he couldn’t help but look her over.

“Well, what can I say? Now that you’re flush with cash, I have to cozy up to you if I want to escape that dark, damp basement,” Wang Min joked as she led Zhang Wei into the building.

“As long as you and Guo Bin stop teaming up to target me, I’ll be satisfied,” Zhang Wei replied, shaking his head with a wry smile.

“That… I really can’t promise,” Wang Min glanced at him, pretending to ponder before half-joking, half-serious.

Zhang Wei didn’t take her words to heart. He was broad-minded by nature, and being teased by a pretty colleague was just part of the fun at work. If Guo Bin hadn’t accused him of “making private deals” yesterday, Zhang Wei wouldn’t have been so angry.

A “private deal” referred to secretly using company resources to serve clients and closing sales for personal commission—cutting the company out. The temptation of such profits meant most agents had done it at some point, including Wang Jianfa, with Zhang Wei once as his accomplice. But this was taboo in the industry, not to be admitted, and grounds for dismissal if discovered.

Zhang Wei and Wang Min took the elevator to the twenty-fifth floor, where the landlord awaited them. After knocking and putting on shoe covers, they entered. The apartment was ninety-six square meters, southeast-facing, with large floor-to-ceiling windows in both the living room and bedroom, giving the whole space a bright, airy feel.

It was a two-bedroom layout—just the type Zhang Wei liked. Both he and Wang Min were satisfied with the furnishings and appliances; everything was ready for immediate move-in.

Since they were renting directly, there was no agency fee, and the rent was cheaper—4,600 yuan for the whole place, with one month’s deposit and three months’ rent up front, temporarily paid by Zhang Wei.

For a real estate agent, renting for oneself was much simpler than for a client. Within an hour, the contract was signed and the handover complete. Once Zhang Wei transferred the money at the bank, the landlord handed over the keys.

After seeing the landlord off at the bank, Zhang Wei slipped the keys into his pocket, feeling a surge of emotion. He spent his days helping clients find homes to rent or buy, yet had lived in a cramped basement of less than ten square meters. How could he not feel a pang of bitterness?

But now, through his own efforts, he finally had his own apartment—a feeling like ascending from hell to heaven. The joy and satisfaction in his heart were impossible to suppress.

“Come on, let me buy you lunch,” Wang Min said, her face beaming as she, for once, offered to treat Zhang Wei.

As a beautiful woman, Wang Min craved a good living environment even more than Zhang Wei, but financial constraints had forced her to live in a partitioned basement room—a source of much hardship and frustration. Now, being able to move into an apartment with her own room instead of a plywood cubicle was a happiness she had longed for. Inside, she was far more excited and elated than her appearance let on.

“Splitting the bill again?” Zhang Wei teased, surprised by her invitation.