Xiao Tang, who had been hovering nearby, couldn't resist any longer. The moment Yang Mo mentioned buying two units and asking about a discount, he immediately sprang forward, his tone laced with sarcasm.
But Yang Mo simply turned his head calmly and said, "You're not my sales consultant. Whether I can afford it or not has nothing to do with you, so please don't insert yourself where you're not needed."
The blunt remark struck home. Xiao Tang's expression twisted, but no retort came. His mouth opened, then closed again, robbed of a comeback.
Unexpectedly, murmurs began to ripple through the surrounding crowd. A middle-aged man nudged Xiao Tang with a disapproving look.
"Brother, if you can afford it, buy it. If you can't, let it go. Don't stir up trouble for others," he said flatly.
Others joined in:
"This is a mansion complex, not some discount mart. Not everyone can afford it. No need to lash out at someone who might."
"Right. Even if we can't afford one, at least don't make things harder for the sales staff."
"Exactly. It's embarrassing to cause a scene just because someone asked about a price."
Xiao Tang found himself bombarded with more and more critical remarks. Their tone grew colder, sharper.
Just then, a child tugged at his mother's sleeve and asked innocently, "What if he really can afford it?"
The crowd paused, as if stunned by the child's simple logic. The mother blushed, gently pulling her child a few steps back in silence.
Xiao Tang let out a deep breath, trying to appear unfazed, but inwardly his pride was bruised and his anger festered. Just moments ago, he had nearly been forced to apologize, and now this string of public rebukes only added fuel to the fire. He desperately wished someone else would step up and put Yang Mo in his place.
The lobby manager, meanwhile, was watching it all unfold with furrowed brows. This kid has really got them all fooled, he thought. Just because a child says he might be rich doesn't make it true.
Still, something about Yang Mo's confidence gnawed at him. His gut told him the young man was bluffing, so he decided to play along—but with a twist.
A calculating look flickered through the manager's eyes.
Alright then. Let's give him what he wants—a discount. If he's lying, this will expose him.
With a cough to draw attention, he stepped forward. "Sir, it seems you feel the price of our 'King of the Building' units is a little high. That's negotiable. Tell me, what price range are you hoping for?"
Yang Mo was momentarily silent.
He hadn't done deep research into property pricing. He only knew the basics: good location, good schools, solid design. But as for current market rates? That wasn't his area of expertise.
Seeing his hesitation, the manager's smirk widened.
"Speechless?" he taunted. "Did you call all of us here just to toy with us?"
A fresh wave of snickers passed through the onlookers.
But Yang Mo ignored them and turned instead to Yuki. "To be honest, I don't know much about real estate. What's the highest discount you offer here?"
Yuki looked uncomfortable and cast a glance toward her superior.
But the manager waved her off. "No need to ask her. At Dragon King Estate, our maximum discount is 10%. I can offer you that right now."
Still, Yang Mo kept his eyes on Yuki, who finally whispered, "We… we have a policy here. We're not allowed to publicly disclose the lowest price."
Despite the tension, Yang Mo was genuinely pleased with the unit she had shown. It was a well-designed dual-family layout in a decent location, ideal for a school district. It would be perfect for Shingu when she went to university soon. Two units would ensure both accommodation and future investment.
"If I buy two units together," Yang Mo asked, "can we negotiate a better price?"
Xiao Tang looked stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"I know this game," he sneered. "No matter what price we give you, you'll just keep performing this little act. Even if we sold them at cabbage prices, you'd still find a reason to back out. If you can afford it, buy it. If you can't, stop humiliating yourself."
Yang Mo's expression was calm, almost too calm—and for the first time, that calm seemed to unnerve those around him.