Bai Li stayed quiet, her face calm but her eyes showing some interest. The setup was good. Security meant control, and she liked control. This much isolation meant she could manage who came in and out easily. She nodded lightly, showing she was listening, but she still needed to know more about the apartment itself before saying anything.
She didn't even have to ask. The manager was already flipping through papers like he couldn't wait to talk more.
"Now about the apartments themselves," he said, pointing at the map. "The twentieth floor has only two apartments. Both are luxury units and much bigger than the regular ones, so they're almost like private houses in the sky. Of course, that also means the price is higher."
He pointed at one side of the floor plan.
"This one here is a four bedroom condo. It's already owned by another young woman who lives with her mother and daughter. They're quiet people, very polite, you'll have no problems with them."
He then pointed at the other half, his smile widening.
"And this one is the six bedroom duplex which covers more than half of the entire floor and is right beside the condo. It's the biggest unit in the whole building, like a small mansion in the clouds. Every bedroom has its own balcony facing a different direction, so each one gets a unique view. The master bedroom faces east, so you'll get the sunrise every morning through those full length windows. It even connects to a wide balcony that runs almost halfway across the edge of the building."
He traced the map with his pen.
"The second and third rooms face west, perfect for sunsets. All rooms have soundproof walls, built in wardrobes, and temperature controls. The fourth and fifth rooms are upstairs, connected by a spiral staircase. Those two share a little lounge that can be used as a study or maybe a small family corner. You could even turn it into a training room if you like."
He flipped the page again to show another sketch.
"The balconies are wide enough for tables and chairs, maybe even some plants or flowers if you like gardening. The railings are tempered glass, very strong, and the view is open with nothing blocking it. Since this is the top floor, you won't have to worry about anyone peeking down from above."
He showed the living room layout next.
"The living room is huge, almost a third of the whole floor. It's open with the dining and kitchen together, and the entire eastern wall is glass, so it's bright all day. The kitchen has two sections, one for heavy cooking and one for light. There's also a small hidden storage room near the hallway, perfect as a pantry or supply closet."
He paused, taking a proud breath like he had just sold her a palace.
"The floors are marble in the living area and wooden in the bedrooms. The ceilings are high, about three meters. Bathrooms have glass shower walls and smart mirrors that dont fog. The master bathroom even has a jacuzzi facing the window. You can sit there at night, lights off, and watch the city glow below."
Bai Li listened quietly. She didn't imagine it for comfort. She imagined how useful it would be. The view would help her watch movement outside, the balconies could serve as escape points, and the private elevator would be a secured route. The extra storage meant she could keep supplies ready.
The manager kept talking, not noticing the calculation in her eyes.
"There's also a maid's room with its own bathroom near the service entry. The duplex even comes with a solar powered backup generator. It's not strong enough to power everything, but it'll keep the basics like lights, fridge, and water running if the power goes out. You won't find that in most other buildings."
He finished with a hopeful smile.
"So Miss Bai, what do you think? The four bedroom unit is already taken, but the duplex is still available. It's private, secure, and has everything anyone could need. It's honestly perfect for someone like you."
Bai Li didn't answer right away. Her eyes stayed on the map, on the six balconies that faced every direction, sunlight shining in from all sides. Her face didn't change, but her mind was already studying every wall, every corner, every route she could use if things went wrong.
When she finally spoke, her voice was calm and clear.
"I'd like to see it."
The building manager immediately smiled, followed by a reply,
"Of course! Let's go right now. If you are interested after seeing it, we can quickly finalize the price and you can move in within the next day or two. How about it?"
Bai Li nodded and said with a calm expression,
"Well, if I do like it, I would like to purchase it immediately without any delay and I will move within this very day."
The building manager was quite surprised by her decisive decisions. He immediately beamed with a smile as he led the way,
"Yes. Yes, of course. Fortunately, I had already prepared the paperwork before. If you want, we can immediately transfer the property deeds under your name today."
Bai Li nodded and they both got up and headed towards the door.
Heading outside, they reached the end of the hallway, where the elevator was. Getting inside the elevator, the building manager took out an exquisite looking card from his pockets as he said,
"You see here, Miss Bai," he said proudly, holding the card between his fingers, "this is the floor pass needed to reach the twentieth floor and above. Without this, the elevator simply won't respond. Once you insert it into this socket on the floor panel, you can then select the twentieth floor, and the elevator will go straight up without stopping anywhere else."
He inserted the card into a narrow slot on the panel, just beneath the buttons. The machine made a soft beeping sound, and the screen lit up, showing that the twentieth floor was now unlocked. He pressed the button gently, and the elevator doors closed with a quiet hiss before starting to move upward.
.
.
.
To be continued.