During the meal, although Ethan tried hard to create a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, Mia's professional habits remained deeply ingrained.
Although she was also eating, most of her attention was still focused on Ethan.
Pouring water, handing over napkins, and turning the shared dishes at just the right moment to make it easier for Ethan to reach food... She handled these service details naturally and without leaving a trace.
Ethan no longer deliberately asked her to "relax." He understood that this instinct, cultivated through a high degree of professionalism, couldn't be changed overnight.
Forcing it would only make things awkward.
Moreover, Mia's attentive and well-balanced service genuinely made the dining experience incredibly comfortable and smooth, as if everything was arranged perfectly.
He enjoyed the food and tacitly appreciated the convenience her expertise brought.
This lovely lunch was relaxed yet carried a subtle sense of distance, lasting about an hour and a half.
After the meal, the two took a short break.
Taking advantage of the moment, Mia immediately took out her tablet and phone, efficiently handling the "buying a house" task Ethan had assigned her.
She quickly contacted the colleagues responsible for real estate resources at the Chase branch, clearly conveyed Ethan's core requirements, and emphasized prioritizing high-quality developer projects with a long-standing relationship with the bank.
The bank's internal resource network was extremely efficient.
...
In less than twenty minutes.
A preliminary list of selected properties and the contact information of the relevant property managers had already been sent to Mia's phone.
Ethan glanced at his watch; the time pointed to 2:30 PM, the perfect time to view houses.
"Let's go," he stood up.
"Alright." Mia immediately put away her work mode, grabbed her handbag, and followed along.
The bright orange McLaren P1 started up again, carrying the two of them toward a high-end residential development in the city.
Before the car had fully stopped at the sales office entrance, Ethan and Mia saw a group waiting outside.
Led personally by the sales manager, three well-dressed, polished property consultants stood neatly at the entrance.
The leading manager, a man in his thirties with a sharp and capable demeanor, saw the highly recognizable McLaren and immediately strode over with a warm smile.
Obviously, through advance communication via Chase's channels, Mia had gotten Ethan the highest VIP treatment for this visit.
The bank's endorsement had already opened the door to the top-priority service.
After Ethan got out of the car.
The sales manager who had been waiting stepped forward with well-trained enthusiasm.
"Hello, Ethan!" He extended his hand, his smile warm yet restrained, shaking hands firmly but briefly. "I'm Marcus Feld, sales manager for The Hudson Residences. It's a real honor to have you come tour the project!"
His gaze quickly swept over Mia behind Ethan, and he nodded in greeting: "Mia, hello."
Obviously, through the bank's appointment details, both Ethan's identity and the personal secretary from Chase beside him had been precisely identified ahead of time.
Ethan nodded slightly: "Marcus."
"This way, please!"
Marcus stepped aside to lead the way, his posture respectful but not overly humble, his words filled with a carefully polished professional pitch: "Since its launch, The Hudson Residences has always been at the center of the city's high-end residential market, favored and recognized by the elite. Currently, we're sitting at nearly 80% sold out."
He led Ethan and Mia through the grand sales gallery toward a more private VIP reception room.
Stepping into the elegantly decorated reception room, an assistant in a fitted dress immediately served chilled Evian.
Marcus personally took it, handing it with both hands to Ethan and Mia before continuing his "value pitch."
His tone was proud: "As a landmark river-view flagship project in the heart of Midtown, we're committed to a truly elevated standard of living. The building features a champagne-gold aluminum panel facade, with every unit oriented for maximum southern exposure, and building spacing maximized for views and natural light. The ground floor features a fully elevated, high-ceiling five-star entrance lobby, with a grand scale that really underscores the sense of arriving home."
He pointed to a massive scale model, emphasizing the riverside area: "The project's greatest scarce resource is nearly a mile of unobstructed Hudson River views, connecting directly to acres of waterfront park, truly achieving 'vibrant outside, peaceful inside.' Inside, the landscaping plan features elevated terrain and a natural water feature system, with green coverage exceeding 50%, creating a hidden garden right in the city."
Marcus observed Ethan's calm expression, and seeing that he had no intention of interrupting, he continued to go deeper: "In terms of building technology, The Hudson Residences is one of the first projects in the city to fully embrace the 'smart residence' concept. Every unit comes standard with central air conditioning, radiant floor heating, a 24-hour fresh air system, and a central vacuum system, ensuring precise control over indoor temperature, humidity, oxygen levels, and cleanliness."
He paused, then threw out another major feature: "What's even more noteworthy is that at the base of the residential tower, we've built a 30,000-square-foot luxury private club exclusively for residents. Its centerpiece is a rare, competition-standard temperature-controlled indoor pool, setting a new benchmark for high-end residential amenities in the city. On top of that, the club includes a sunken sunlit courtyard, a gym fully equipped with Technogym's top-tier machines, an elegant private event space for hosting, and a regulation half-court basketball court, among other exclusive features."
His tone was filled with undeniable pride: "You could say that even looking across the entire high-end market in the city, The Hudson Residences has always held the benchmark position for top-tier flagship residences."
Ethan leaned back on the comfortable leather sofa, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest, as if evaluating every word Marcus said.
He wasn't unfamiliar with this information, but hearing it firsthand and cross-referencing it with what he remembered from his previous life further confirmed his judgment.
This is one of the core engines for the appreciation potential of the city's property market over the next decade.
He clearly remembered how buyers in his previous life gritted their teeth and bought in at sky-high prices back in 2014, and by 2021, seeing resale prices double or even triple listed on real estate platforms, marveled at their own luck.
However, if owners didn't sell in 2021, they'd face a rough stretch afterward, once the bubble started to deflate.
Seeing that the pitch was nearly complete, Marcus leaned forward slightly and got to the core question: "Ethan, which layout are you most interested in? Our main units for sale are two-bedrooms ranging from about 1,950 to 2,150 square feet, and three-bedrooms from 2,150 to 3,550 square feet, averaging around $2,300 per square foot, with total prices ranging from roughly $4.5 million to $8 million-plus."
There are 130 advance chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
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