The young intern froze for a moment, then quickly nodded in excitement.
The sales manager standing nearby couldn’t help showing a look of shock. The homeowners who bought villas here were certainly all wealthy, but someone buying two at once—this had never happened.
Because the villas here were priced very high, buying two at once would come to nearly twenty thousand yuan. Few people had that much cash flow. Even with bank loans, twenty thousand was considered too large for the bank’s risk evaluation!
“Madam, please sit down. I’ll bring you a fresh cup of hot water. Or would you prefer coffee, or juice?” The manager recovered quickly, her service attitude immediately elevating tenfold.
“Coffee will do.”
“Of course, no problem.”
Before long, the male salesperson brought the contract. Shen Ci didn’t even look at him, just reached out to take it and flip through.
The manager brought over the coffee. “Please, take your time to look over the contract.”
Then she pulled the male salesperson aside.
“Xiao Liu, what’s going on with you? The mistake you made today is very serious—you nearly lost us a big client!”
“Manager, I—I really lost my head for a moment.”
“When the owner first bought the house, it was through you, and that’s why he entrusted you with selling it. That shows he trusted your abilities. If the house failed to sell because of your negligence, you’d betray the owner’s trust—and lose your own commission.”
“I understand, Manager. It won’t happen again.”
“Normally you’re quick-witted enough, aren’t you? The seller’s rights are in your hands, and no matter who you sell to, you get the commission. Do I really have to remind you of that?”
Xiao Liu nodded repeatedly, regret gnawing at him.
After Shen Ci finished reading through both contracts, she found no issues. She signed the intern’s contract first, and the girl’s eyes lit up when she saw the signature fall on the page.
A nine-thousand-yuan villa meant her commission would be several dozen yuan. She had never expected to close such a large deal during her internship.
But when it came to signing the second contract, Shen Ci paused.
She lifted her gaze toward the manager. “This one also goes under her name.”
Her slender finger lifted slightly, pointing to the intern.
Everyone was stunned, most of all Xiao Liu. He opened his mouth, but no words came, his eyes turning to the manager for help.
Shen Ci spoke first, looking straight at him. “I know you’re anxious, but don’t be. Whoever serves me earns my money—I think that’s fair.”
Then she smiled at the manager and went on, “This salesperson had a perfunctory attitude. While he was supposed to be serving me, he left me alone in the sales hall to attend to his ‘potential clients.’ If not for this intern stepping up to help, I probably would have just walked out.”
“As the manager, I believe you should have a fair system of reward and punishment. He’s an adult and should take responsibility for his negligence.”
The manager nodded. A client voicing dissatisfaction at unfair treatment was entirely reasonable—especially one who had just bought two villas at once.
Even if the owner had entrusted the sales rights to Xiao Liu, he was still an employee of the sales department and the company, and company interests had to come first.
“Very well, Miss Shen. Please rest assured, we have no objection to your request. Both sales will count under her record.”
The manager turned to the intern and said with satisfaction, “You did very well. You can be promoted to full staff today. Go to HR this afternoon to complete the paperwork.”
“Thank you, Manager. Thank you, Miss Shen!” The intern was so moved she was on the verge of tears, bowing gratefully to Shen Ci.
Only then did Shen Ci sign the second contract with satisfaction.
Xiao Liu, on the other hand, was nearly in tears himself. His hard-earned commission had just slipped through his fingers.
Leaving the sales center, Shen Ci received a message from her counselor.
“Shen Ci, the logistics office said that room 336 in West Dormitory Building C is vacant. I applied for it on your behalf. You can move in today.”
“Thank you, Director Li.”
“You’re welcome. If you encounter any difficulties at school, be sure to let me know. Try to get along with your new roommates, and remember to be understanding and accommodating.”
Clearly, Director Li still worried that Shen Ci might be bullied by her roommates.
Reading the message, Shen Ci felt a warm current in her heart and replied: “I understand, Director Li. Don’t worry.”
Back at the hotel, she packed her things. Since she had gone shopping with her younger sister, what had originally fit into one suitcase now required an extra bag.
Luckily, during her stop at LV she had bought a large-capacity travel bag.
Stacking it on her suitcase, she dragged both toward the West Dormitory. On the way, she happened to pass by the basketball court.
“Look, it’s Shen Ci!”
“She’s gorgeous—like she’s glowing!”
“Hey, Quyang, I heard Shen Ci broke up with Li Xiao. Is it true?”
The boys playing ball stopped mid-game, their eyes fixed on her. One of them slung an arm around Quyang’s shoulder, trying to dig out gossip.
Quyang also looked at Shen Ci, but he wasn’t one to gossip. “Not sure,” he said simply.
One of the others grinned. “What do you think—if I chase her, do I stand a chance?”
That set off a round of laughter and ridicule.
“Who do you think you are? A toad dreaming of swan meat?”
“Exactly. Stop dreaming with your eyes open.”
“Liking someone isn’t just about looks—you ought to look at yourself too.”
Quyang gave the boy a sidelong glance and deliberately tossed the basketball at his head. “Keep playing.”
The ball bounced off, making the boy yelp in pain. Only when Shen Ci disappeared from view did the group refocus on their game.
But Quyang’s gaze lingered on her retreating back, his eyes flickering with a subtle, unreadable light.
Room 336. Shen Ci pushed the door open to find the dormitory completely empty. Four bare wooden bunks, not a single occupant.
The floor was dusty, and the desks and chairs under the bunks were filthy too, obviously not cleaned after the last occupants had left.
She chose the spot near the balcony on the left—it was her usual preference. But in a four-person dorm with only herself, she suddenly felt an odd sense of loneliness.
Just then, the door opened again. A tall, slender girl with delicate makeup appeared in the doorway.
She frowned at the state of the room, instinctively waving away the dust in front of her.
Then her eyes lifted and landed on Shen Ci, surprise flashing across her face. “Eh? I thought this was supposed to be an empty dorm?”
“I just arrived too.” Shen Ci greeted her proactively. “Hello, I’m Shen Ci, sophomore, Department of Astronomy.”
“Hello, Gu Lianxing, sophomore, Bioengineering.”
As Gu Lianxing stepped inside, Shen Ci noticed a young man following behind her, dragging two large suitcases on her behalf.
End of Chapter