When Zhao Xuan got home, his dad was sitting on the sofa fiddling with his phone. His mom, Zhao Guyu, wasn't back from work yet.
Zhao Mingdong had a pretty good reputation among his coworkers, and this year, a bunch of them had kids taking the Gaokao. His son's score was probably the proudest moment of Zhao Mingdong's life—he'd been riding high on excitement all day.
"Dad, remember that ¥20,000 I lost a few years ago?" Zhao Xuan launched into the story he'd fabricated.
He talked for over ten minutes straight, then stood up and gulped down a glass of water.
Zhao Mingdong was stunned—his son had just shown him his phone: a balance of ¥5 million. Two huge surprises in one day were too much even for someone as steady as him. The exam score was within reason; this windfall was completely out of left field.
"Here, this is for you." Zhao Xuan handed his dad the box containing the watch.
"Didn't get your mom anything?" Zhao Mingdong snapped out of his daze.
"Figured she might not handle it well right away. Plenty of chances later. You figure out how to break the news to her." Zhao Xuan had thought it through—better not to be the one to tell her.
That night, Zhao Xuan went to his room early, giving his parents space while he searched real estate listings for Lianhai City.
Early the next morning, he brought up moving and buying a house.
He'd spent half the night browsing and set his sights on a townhouse in Vanke Xishan. Most were unfinished shells, but there was a model home ready to move into—three floors, over 240 square meters. List price was around ¥5 million, a number he'd never dreamed of before, but now he could pay cash.
"Last night, your dad said you only made ¥5 million. Save that for your own place in the future," Zhao Guyu said, worried about the spending. "In cities like Jiangcheng or Shanghai, that'd only get you a regular apartment. Our place is fine."
"Money like that comes again. Don't worry—I'll handle it in the next couple of days." Zhao Xuan understood his mom's concern, but with the System, he'd never lack funds. Completing another mission had just added another ¥2 million to his balance. He wasn't touching his Fortune Value yet—he still had 100 points saved.
After breakfast, he hailed a cab straight to the development.
Vanke Xishan was a new villa complex launched the previous year, offering only townhouses, so sales had been slow, and the sales center was still operating. On the ride over, Zhao Xuan had called ahead. Hearing it was a cash deal, the agent wasn't fazed and said paperwork could be done quickly—move-in possible that very day.
Dressed in cheap off-the-rack clothes, Zhao Xuan stepped out of the cab and into the sales center, expecting some attitude and maybe humiliation. But the scene he'd imagined—snobby agents turning him away—never happened.
A sharply dressed saleswoman hurried over. "Good morning, are you Mr. Zhao Xuan who called earlier?"
Zhao Xuan glanced at her and was honestly taken aback.
Nearly 170 cm in heels, she was almost eye-level with his 175 cm. Her waist-length, wavy brown hair swayed slightly as she walked, her proportions perfect, with legs that seemed impossibly long.
Her white blouse and gray suit jacket strained against a bust so large it looked like the buttons might pop—easily a D cup—yet her frame remained slim. The exaggerated upper-body ratio gave her a teetering, almost fragile allure.
She wore a matching knee-length gray skirt, sheer nude pantyhose outlining flawless calves, and silver strappy heels.
"Yes, I'm here to see the property." Zhao Xuan dragged his gaze away, feeling a slight stir below. Luckily, his loose clothes hid it.
"I'm Lin Jingjing. It's a pleasure to assist you." She led him toward the models.
"Right now, we only have Unit C available in the showroom—242 square meters, three floors, three bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms, plus a semi-basement double garage. The hard finishes are complete, and aside from appliances, furniture's already in place. Of course, we can swap anything you don't like…" Lin spoke with practiced ease, detailing the home.
Though it was a model unit, few people were touring lately, so it was rarely disturbed. Property management kept the grounds immaculate.
Lin showed top-tier professionalism, not once treating Zhao Xuan's budget clothes with disdain. That earned his respect. In his experience, a beauty like her in sales would normally be fawned over by wealthy clients—trading charm for big money. That she treated this seemingly cash-strapped college-bound teen as an equal was rare.
"Unit C is priced at ¥5.23 million. With full payment, we can offer a 5% discount—¥4.96 million." Lin had finished the tour and dropped the price.
C was the smallest floor plan in Vanke Xishan; other layouts started above ¥6 million. Even so, Lin doubted this guy could pull out the cash immediately.
Truth was, despite her stunning looks, Lin's sales numbers were mediocre.
Sure, real estate had its share of "extras," but unlike Zhao Xuan's assumptions, the main targets weren't buyers—they were the company's senior account managers. Buyers of villas like this rarely showed up unannounced; most dealt through those managers. Agents like Lin got leftover scraps, making it hard to land deals—or opportunities of any kind.
Lin had received plenty of hints, but bedding married, middle-aged managers held zero appeal. She wasn't naïve, but at her age and looks, preserving her "value" mattered more. A villa sale earned her maybe ¥10,000—after two years out of school, she wouldn't throw away her first time for that.
She shouldn't have gotten this lead. Zhao Xuan insisted on paying cash and took a cab, so the other agents passed. One veteran had warned her: "Probably just window shopping, maybe influencers filming TikToks here. Give him a walk outside, don't let him in."
But sales pressure made her roll the dice.
"Maybe he's house-hunting for his parents. Worst case, if it's a social media shoot, I quit." With that, she took him inside.
She'd already considered leaving the business—for a pretty woman without connections, real estate sales was a black hole.
"Let me see the contract." Zhao Xuan didn't hesitate.
"Uh, sure, let's discuss details inside the sales office." The pace surprised Lin—she'd expected him to call his parents.
When she laid the pre-filled contract before him, murmurs spread through the office.
Zhao Xuan transferred the rest of his System funds while scanning the terms. Minutes later, his card gained another ¥1.6 million. With over ¥6.4 million total, he could cover the house and buy new daily-use items and appliances—the model home's dishes, bedding, and kitchenware had been touched by countless people. Furniture and lighting could stay.
Agents at high-end complexes were used to tycoons, and even pricier units sold for cash. But this buyer looked barely twenty, baby-faced, and utterly unlike the typical young heir splashing millions.
"Couple of notes: the community is gated. You can live here or rent, but no commercial activity—short-term rentals or converting to a B&B aren't allowed." Lin pointed out common oversights. Then, Zhao Xuan prepared to sign and fingerprint.
"No problem. Buying it for my parents." He wrote his name, unbothered by the rule. The gated environment was exactly why he'd chosen it.
Hearing that, the other agents groaned—so not only was he not a trust-fund kid, he was a filial self-made rich kid? How'd a 20-year-old swing a ¥5 million cash purchase?
Across from him, Lin's eyes lit up. Plenty of people could drop ¥5 million, but none this young.
Zhao Xuan wasn't handsome—just average-looking, 175 cm tall. But System-boosted, he stood tall and fit, lean muscle, not bulky.
Potential stock, Lin thought, watching him sign.
"Let's pay. I'll swipe now." Zhao Xuan finished signing all four copies. Cash deal—no bank copy needed.
After paying, seeing ¥1.4 million left in his account gave him a fleeting emptiness, quickly replaced by the thrill of moving in.
"Can I move in right away?" he asked, holding the keys like it was a silly question.
"Absolutely. You're the legal owner. Per the authorization we signed, we'll handle the property certificate within 30 days—you'll get a text and call when it's ready." Lin smiled.
Here's my WeChat—reach out with any property questions.
She liked him, but wasn't about to throw herself at him. There'd be follow-ups; her chances weren't over. Still, she wondered—was this cash from lottery luck or gambling? A taxi-riding, thrift-store-wearing teen dropping ¥5 million didn't add up.
Zhao Xuan had told his parents to visit that evening to get oriented and pick up access cards. While waiting earlier, he'd ordered brand-new daily necessities and appliances—most of the model home's stuff would be tossed.
Before leaving, he added Lin on WeChat. His fondness for the beautiful agent was through the roof. But his youthful inexperience meant he missed the signals she was already interested. If he'd been savvier, they might've wound up in a hotel—or even in the villa he'd just bought.