Wu Yun casually selected the contact information of a young real estate agent named Liu Wei and dialed the number.
"BEEP... Hello! This is Ai Family Real Estate Agency. I'm Liu Wei, a real estate agent."
'This must be his work phone,' Wu Yun figured. 'He probably sees every incoming call as a potential commission.'
"Hello, I'd like to inquire about your listings. I'm looking to buy a furnished, pre-owned, three-bedroom, two-living-area apartment. It doesn't matter if it's been occupied before or not." When Wu Yun had a plan, he was always direct and decisive, never beating around the bush.
"Hello, sir. We have all sorts of listings. May I have your last name? That way I can make a note and contact you to arrange some viewings." Liu Wei's voice grew even more enthusiastic.
"My last name is Wu. Add me on WeChat and send over some photos of the listings for me to look at first."
After Wu Yun and Liu Wei added each other on WeChat, Liu Wei took the initiative, sending a fist-and-palm salute emoji along with a greeting.
Wu Yun had registered for WeChat a long time ago but had never used it. 'To think the first person I'd add would be a real estate agent.'
Wu Yun sent his requirements to Liu Wei again.
"One moment! Oh, right, sir, do you have any requirements for the location?" Liu Wei added.
"Nowhere too remote. The North Gate area and the area around Five Continents Square are both fine."
"Got it."
Wu Yun was quite familiar with the future of Jingyang's real estate market. The city was set to expand mainly to the north and south. Although property values in the north were generally higher, he knew that before his rebirth, an intercity subway line connecting to Rongcheng had been planned for the south side of the city. The geological surveys for it had already been completed.
As the future administrative center, Five Continents Square would have its own subway station entrance. Before his rebirth, it had already developed into the southern urban hub, combining government services, office spaces, and residential areas.
However, it was now 2014, and Five Continents Square was still under construction, its surrounding infrastructure incomplete.
Before his rebirth, Wu Yun had bought a three-bedroom apartment in Kaili Jing Lake, a community by the river on the south side. By then, prices had already skyrocketed. A furnished place cost 8,000 per square meter, and his savings of 500,000 were nowhere near enough to pay for it in full.
A short while later, Liu Wei sent five links.
"Okay, thanks. I'll come to your office at nine tomorrow morning. Please send me the specific address."
"Of course. It's at..."
Wu Yun clicked the links to browse the listings. Two of the properties were in the north, conveniently situated on opposite banks of the river. Both were in buildings with elevators.
The other three were in residential complexes around Five Continents Square: two in elevator buildings and one in a multi-story walk-up. One of the elevator apartments, as it happened, had a certain connection to him from his past life.
.................
The next morning, the first thing Wu Yun did after getting up was withdraw the two thousand-some Huaxia Coins the system had generated the day before. Seeing his mobile account balance increase, he smiled knowingly.
After grabbing breakfast outside, Wu Yun hailed a taxi and went directly to the Ai Family Real Estate Agency office.
It was a little before 9:00 AM, and the agency had just finished its morning meeting.
When someone saw Wu Yun walk in, they asked, "Hey, young man, are you here to see someone or to rent a place?"
Wu Yun looked very young, and his clothes made him look like he was still a student.
Wu Yun glanced at the rows of computers in the office. "I'm looking for Liu Wei," he said. "We have an appointment to view some properties today."
A few of the curious agents looked surprised. Someone called out, "Liu Wei! Your client's here!"
Hearing this, Liu Wei, who was sitting further inside, immediately stood up and hurried over.
Upon seeing Wu Yun, he was momentarily stunned. A flicker of disappointment crossed his face before he quickly composed himself. "Wu Yun? Mr. Wu? You're so young! From our chat yesterday, I thought I was talking to someone older than me, haha! Please, come in and have a seat!"
Liu Wei enthusiastically gestured for Wu Yun to sit on the sofa, poured him a glass of water, and then sat down nearby.
"Mr. Wu," Liu Wei asked after sitting, "are we going to view properties today, or would you just like to get some more information first?"
"Manager Liu, can we go see them now?" Wu Yun said confidently. "I'd like to view the properties today, and if I find one I like, I can make a decision on my own and finalize things today."
"Absolutely, anytime!"
Liu Wei was taken aback, looking at him with a mix of belief and doubt. "Mr. Wu, aren't you going to talk to your parents? Buying a house is a major decision, after all."
"Haha, no need. I can make this decision on my own." Wu Yun wasn't in the habit of telling his life story to everyone he met.
"Manager Liu, I looked at the photos last night. We can skip the walk-up. Even though it was built in '09 after the earthquake, it still seems a bit old."
Wu Yun continued, "Let's go see the unit at Huilu International first. I saw that the owner renovated it but has never lived in it, and the building itself was only completed a year or two ago."
"Alright, I'll let my branch manager know and grab the keys."
....
Riding on Liu Wei's electric scooter, the two soon arrived outside the Huilu International complex.
Wu Yun looked at the surroundings, which were completely different from how he remembered them before his rebirth. Construction was happening everywhere, and the area felt a bit deserted. Five Continents Square was just diagonally across the street from Huilu International.
However, the two main thoroughfares—the north-south South Taishan Road and the east-west Tuojiang Road—were already finished, making transportation quite convenient.
Of course, that was only if you had a car.
Feeling the back of his T-shirt grow damp with sweat under the morning sun, Wu Yun made a firm decision. 'As soon as this house is settled, I'm signing up for driving lessons. I'm so used to having a car; life without one is just too inconvenient.'
Following Liu Wei into the complex, they felt a touch of coolness under the shade of the lush greenery.
On the way, thanks to Wu Yun's carefully crafted answers, Liu Wei got a clearer picture of his client's situation and realized that today's sale was a sure thing.
Still, Liu Wei couldn't help but feel envious of Wu Yun. 'Buying a house right after high school graduation... He must be from a rich family.'
They entered a mid-rise building, and inside the elevator, Liu Wei pressed the button for the 12th floor.
"The owner just finished renovating this unit. It was meant to be a wedding gift for his son, but the son decided not to build his career in Jingyang, so they're selling it to help him with a down payment elsewhere. The total area is exactly ninety-five square meters. The only minor issue is that it's a recent title deed."
Liu Wei opened the door. As Wu Yun listened to the agent's introduction, he took in the apartment's ample natural light and modern, minimalist decor. Aside from appliances and personal belongings, it was essentially move-in ready.
Wu Yun nodded in satisfaction. 'Another quick-flip renovation,' he thought. 'It looks great on the surface, but who knows what kind of materials they actually used.'
'I fell for a trick like this in my past life. Never thought I'd willingly walk into it again.' Liu Wei's sales pitch sounded eerily familiar.
'Whatever. I won't be living here long anyway. I'll just rent it out eventually. Leveling up the system is what's most important. This is the one.'
"Manager Liu, this is the one," Wu Yun said decisively. "I like it, and it's too hot to bother running around to other places."
Liu Wei was flabbergasted. 'Is he buying a house as casually as if he were buying groceries?' "You don't want to see the other units?" he asked. Although the price for this Huilu International property was not low, professional habit compelled him to double-check.
"No need. Let's head back to your office. Please contact the owner for me. I want to get the paperwork started as soon as possible."
"No problem!" Liu Wei's face lit up with excitement. 'A great, auspicious start to the month!'