How to Catch an A - CH 1.1

CHAPTER 1

IN WHICH TODAY’S PUPPY MEETS AN OLD FRIEND

01

Zhen Xin, a beta, is a real estate agent. His daily duties include accompanying clients to check out properties, acquiring new listings, and looking for prospective homebuyers.

As he is expecting to close a real estate deal, he is naturally in a merry mood today.

【The elevator has reached the first floor. Please walk carefully.】

The elevator door slowly opens following the automated voice. The scorching weather should have been stifling, but the sight of the first person stepping out of the elevator makes one feel refreshed in an instant.

“If there’s no problem on your side, we can sign the contract by next Monday.” With a gentle smile on his delicate and beautiful face, the speaker thoughtfully holds the door. “This house is in great location, close to school and other facilities… Also, the selling price can be a hundred thousand lower than the market price. It’s a steal, so to speak.”

Everyone likes to hear nice words from good-looking people. As expected, the clients beam with happiness upon hearing the sales talk.

“Hahahaha, it’s all thanks to Xiao Zhen who has been running up and down with me and my wife these past few weeks.”

Indeed, it has taken Zhen Xin two months of darting to and fro countless houses before the couple can be wholly satisfied.

“No, this is my job. Regardless, it is truly a joyous event that you have found a suitable house, Sister Zhang.”

A joyous event for certain. The total price of this suite is 1.2 million yuans, and the brokerage fee could reach up to 24,000 yuans. Minus insurance and listing service fee, his own commission could total up to 10,000 yuans. After deducting the travel expenses and the meal money spent on establishing relationships with the clients, he will still be left with 8,000 yuans.

The abacus in Zhen Xin’s mind crackles, but not a jot of his inner thought is shown on his pleasantly smiling face.

It has only been less than two years since he was fully employed. This job has relatively low qualifications, which fit a superficial, beautiful beta like him.

——————

His physical appearance is way too attractive for a beta. Many people who just met him doubt his identity and some even believe that he is an omega pretending to be B. However, Zhen Xin has always been an ordinary beta since birth. No one knew who his biological parents were. After a few years in a welfare institution, he ran away and started to fend for himself in the society. In a flash, he is almost thirty.

Although working as a real estate agent is exhausting to death, as long as a transaction is completed, there will be benefits. Plus the company provides meals, so Zhen Xin is still 60% satisfied with this job.

Zhen Xin has just sent his clients to their car after finalizing the time and place for the contract signing when the phone in his pocket rings.

“Hey, it’s me… Okay, okay, no problem. I have time tomorrow afternoon. I can come over to look at the house.”

Business is beckoning at him again.

02

This new client is planning to settle down overseas in the near future, so he wanted to sell some villas he doesn’t like very much in exchange for some pocket money.

In this world, the easiest way to make more money is to have more money. Ordinary people have to work hard all their lives just to earn a humble abode, but the rich is different. For them, buying and selling real estates is like going to a supermarket.

However, what real estate agents like Zhen Xin love to earn the most is the brokerage fees from these rich people.

The more expensive the real estate property is, the higher the commission an agent can naturally get. Take today’s listing as example. The client’s American-style villa complex is 827 square meters wide, with well-trimmed gardens, palm trees showing off the striking ambiance of the place, and an underground garage that can park eight cars. The house has three storeys in a split-level design. Entering the first floor feels like stepping into a fantasy. The left-hand turn is a whole shoe cabinet. Further down, the living room is well-lit and well-ventilated. There is also a dining hall with fully-equipped kitchen, and even the nanny’s room at the far end is nearly 30 square meters which is several times larger than Zhen Xin’s bedroom. The second floor has one master and a couple of suites with hardwood furnitures and ridiculously large cloakrooms. The third floor has the study, the gym, and a solarium that has been converted into a recreation room. Not counting the innumerous bathrooms, there are about seven to eight toilets in total.

This whole set, calculated based on the average housing prices in this area, can be sold for over 30 million yuans. Zhen Xin’s agency in turn can earn a total of 600,000 to 700,000 yuans. Even a little leak through the cracks is enough for him to chew on.

“You must be Mr. Li, the villa owner. I’m Zhen Xin, the agent in charge. You can call me Xiao Zhen.” As soon as Zhen Xin reaches the gate of the complex, he hurries up to greet the alpha. “We chatted in the app before. You’ve arrived so early today. You must have been waiting for a long time.”

A hint of amazement flashes in Mr. Li’s eyes.

“Hello.”

They briefly shake hands out of courtesy.

People, to no one’s surprise, do tend to be more patient when facing beauties.

As luck would have it, Zhen Xin happens to be a beauty. But although this beauty knows how to utilize his own advantages, he also knows how to behave within the sense of propriety.

He is cordially direct to the point, so he quickly finishes today’s work.

“Since we’ve settled everything, I’ll take my leave of Mr. Li first.”

Zhen Xin double checks the documents, then flips through the videos and pictures taken earlier, thinking of ways to promote it on the internet.

Mr. Li warmly sends him to the door, but he still wants to chat.

“The building next to mine belongs to my brother who hasn’t returned to China for several years. If he has the notion to sell, I’ll tell him to contact you.”

“Haha, thank you so much, Brother Li.” Zhen Xin smiles, his beautiful eyes becoming even more vivid. “Then I will sort out the information first and come back to confirm it with you. If there is no problem, the property will be put up for sale.”

“No problem,” Mr. Li returns, then sees a black Shelby SuperCar sweeping across the street.

“Oh, speaking of the devil. This is his car.” Mr. Li waves his hands and loudly calls out, “Da Liang!”

The sports car skids to a stop in front of them, making Zhen Xin instinctively takes a step back.

The window glass rolls down, revealing half of the driver’s sharp and superior facial features.

“Long time no see.”

Alpha’s voice is deep and magnetic, but Zhen Xin’s eyes turn red in a split second.

“Why did you come back without saying a word? Do you still regard me as a brother?”

“This time, I…”

“Huh? What?” Seeing his friend falter, Mr. Li follows alpha’s gaze past him only to see the ashen face of his real estate agent.

“What’s the matter? Do you two know each other?”

Pressing down his panic, Zhen Xin answers through pale lips, “No.”

He’d rather they didn’t know each other at all.

03

“What a good Liang Ren. You just suddenly pop home without even notifying your brother.”

It has been several years since the last time Mr. Li saw his good brother. He is so happy that he couldn’t care less about anything else. He eagerly drags him in the house to reminisce about the past.

“Did Feng Fan not tell you?” Liang Ren doesn’t take offence at being scolded. “I went back with him.”

The three of them have known each others since childhood, but after graduating from high school, Liang Ren stayed in China while Li Duoyu and Feng Fan went abroad. However, only two years after completing his undergrad studies, Liang Ren went abroad for further study. Li Duoyu then returned home after graduating from his master’s degree to take over his father’s company. Feng Fan stayed behind to pursue a PhD degree, and finally came back this year.

“That little bostord blocked me all of a sudden. I didn’t even know how I offended him… God knows how a nerd can have such a temper.” Li Duoyu hands over a can of soda. “Since you’re driving, I won’t give you a drink… By the way, you really don’t know that beauty today?”

“Humph.”

“What humph?”

Li Duoyu puzzles over the inanimation on his old friend’s face. He doesn’t know what this kid had gone through. He used to be a cheerful guy, but now he looks like his wife has ran away with someone.

Stroking the cold soda can, Liang Ren lowers his eyes and sneers.

“If he says we don’t each other, then we don’t know each other.”

Li Duoyu rolls his eyes to the sky.

“Look at how you’re brooding. You were not like this before.”

“People change.”

“Okay, okay. As long as you still treat me like a brother, it doesn’t matter how much you change.” Li Duoyu is too lazy to care about Liang Ren’s mental journey. His thoughts happily swerve to a certain beauty. “What do you think of that little agent? Pretty, right? I’d say he’s no worse than an idol. I wonder what kind of pheromone-flavored omega he is…”

Liang Ren raises an eyebrow at the word “omega”. Staring at the water droplets racing down the soda can, his mind wanders off to memory lane.

——————

“Thank you for helping me today.”

The skinny beauty was like a fragile flower which could break at the slightest touch. Those clear wet eyes were shining with worship. “You know, omegas are really no match to those betas in terms of physical strength…. Your clothes are all dirty. Can you leave a contact information? I’ll wash it for you, otherwise I’d feel guilty.”

Dazzled by those gentle eyes, Liang Ren promptly dove headlong into that cage called love.

——————

“Humph.”

Li Duoyu pauses in disbelief. He has been prattling on about his plan to chase the beauty, but this brother isn’t listening at all.

“Liang Ren, why are you scoffing again?”

Liang Ren glances at him, pulls off the ring of the can, and drinks a mouthful of the bubbly drink. Sadly, this happy water can’t make him happy at all.

[happy water: internet slang for Coca-cola]

“You better stop thinking about it,” Liang Ren strongly advises.

The real hunter here is the so-called prey, and no one knows better than he does how deceitful it is.

There is no need to fall into the same old trap like he did in the past.