021, Time to Buy a House~

In the spacious, well-lit lounge of the sales office, a young sales consultant animatedly explained the contract clauses to Lin Mi, preparing to take her on a tour of the luxurious V06 unit.

Lin Mi listened patiently, a faint smile on her lips.

This apartment wasn't just her first step toward financial freedom; it was also the cornerstone of her future life's blueprint.

Just as the conversation was going smoothly and Lin Mi was about to sign, an untimely voice interjected.

"Oh dear, Xiao Wang, how can a new sales consultant like you be so careless in receiving clients? Signing a contract is an important matter—let me handle this. Look at you, the client has been here so long and you didn't even offer her a cup of tea."

Senior saleswoman Zhang approached, her expression full of the confidence of someone who considered herself experienced and seasoned.

"This is exactly what I mean about you newcomers—your work is just not up to standard. Go pour the client some tea; I'll take over from here."

"Ms. Zhang, that's not fair. I've been with the company for over half a year—how am I still a newcomer? I know every step of the home-buying process inside and out; I won't make any mistakes," Wang Yun retorted immediately. She usually didn't bother arguing over trifles, but today it was about her commission—she wasn't about to back down.

This wasn't a matter of a few hundred or a couple thousand yuan; it was a commission of sixty or seventy thousand!

If the client paid in full, there would be an extra bonus.

How could she possibly let such a big deal slip away?

But Zhang Yan ignored her completely and turned a sycophantic smile toward Lin Mi. "Miss Lin, was it? If I didn't explain things clearly before, let me go over everything with you in detail now. Rest assured, I'm our sales center's top consultant—I know all about buying property and handling household registration. If you buy through me, I can even get you some discounts and waive certain fees."

Wang Yun's expression froze instantly—Zhang was openly trying to steal her client!

At this, Lin Mi's lips curled with amusement. She gently put down her pen and looked at Zhang Yan, her tone calm but resolute.

"I appreciate your offer, but I tend to trust my instincts. This young lady has explained everything very well, and her service has been excellent. There's no need to trouble anyone else—she will handle everything moving forward."

Zhang Yan's smile stiffened immediately. Trust her instincts? Was that just a polite way of saying she didn't like her?

She hadn't expected to be refused so directly, especially after dangling her supposed advantages. Yet Lin Mi was unmoved.

Not ready to give up on the sizable commission, Zhang Yan persisted, "Miss Lin, please don't misunderstand. I'm only concerned that Xiao Wang's lack of experience might waste your time. Clients as distinguished as yourself deserve the highest quality service. I guarantee you'll have a satisfying experience with me..."

"That's enough!"

Lin Mi's voice rose, cutting her off. Her gaze was icy and direct.

"Do you have a hearing problem, or is it a comprehension issue? I've made my wishes and attitude perfectly clear. I make my own decisions. If your sales center has a policy of arbitrarily switching consultants, or if someone is trying to manipulate the contract to claim credit, then please go fetch your manager right now. I'd like to ask in person whether your company's service philosophy is dictated by the employees."

She was all too familiar with this routine—after all, she had once been a new employee forced to endure similar treatment for months.

She despised people like this the most.

At those words, Zhang Yan's face darkened. Although the manager generally favored veteran staff, he would never support her in front of a client. In fact, today's actions would likely earn her a reprimand and might even affect her performance review.

She opened her mouth to speak, but not a word came out. Swallowing her anger, she could only watch as Wang Yun led Lin Mi to the signing room.

Wang Yun was secretly delighted to see Zhang Yan put in her place. She sent Lin Mi a grateful look, relieved to have encountered such a discerning and assertive client.

Everything that followed went as smoothly as a dream.

Lin Mi signed the contract, swiftly swiped her card to pay the two million yuan deposit, and arranged to settle the balance and complete the transfer procedures the next day.

By the time she had finished viewing the apartment and returned to her old rental neighborhood, it was already eight in the evening.

After a long day, with only a complimentary lunch to sustain her, her stomach was now rumbling with hunger.

Exhausted, Lin Mi collapsed onto the sofa, too tired to cook. Instead, she opened a food delivery app and indulgently ordered a fried chicken combo.

She planned to relax, eating fried chicken while watching videos.

Now that she was, in her own way, a woman of means, there was no reason to be stingy with herself.

After a brief rest and plugging in her phone to charge, Lin Mi took a quick shower and changed into comfortable loungewear.

Right on cue, the doorbell rang.

The delivery had arrived.

Lin Mi carried the meal to the living room, sat on the rug by the coffee table, set her phone on its stand, and began munching on fried chicken while navigating to her system page.

The whole day had been a whirlwind, and she hadn't even glanced at the trending news—who knew if there was a business opportunity to seize?

Gnawing on crispy fried chicken, she scrolled through her phone.

On the system's trending board, the hot search list before her eyes was no longer just a stream of information—it had become a treasure map brimming with infinite possibilities.

She read each news item intently, and soon, one trending at the very bottom caught her attention.

"#A precious inkstone discovered on Qintai Road Antique Street damaged in customer dispute, sparking controversy in the antique world...#September 22"

Lin Mi's eyes lit up. Her intuition told her this "predictive trending news" was anything but ordinary.

She clicked in for details and read carefully, her understanding growing clearer.

In summary, it was a dramatic trending story.

Because the inkstone had an unremarkable appearance and its era couldn't be authenticated, the shopkeeper had relegated it to the discount section. A newcomer to the antique scene arrived hunting for treasures, but after a dispute with the owner, accidentally knocked the inkstone to the floor, chipping it.

Strangely, the shopkeeper was indifferent—he casually accepted two hundred yuan as "compensation" and tossed the damaged piece aside, while the buyer, deeming it worthless, simply paid and left.

Everyone agreed it was a worthless fake, now even less valuable for being broken.

However, the turning point would come two days later, on the date marked in the news: the 22nd of September.