Within a few moments, they reached the 20th floor and as soon as the elevator door opened, Bai Li could immediately feel the difference between the other normal floors and this one.
The air that greeted her felt different. The moment Bai Li stepped out, she noticed it. The faint scent of lavender, the soft carpet under her shoes, and the polished silver railings along the wall—it all carried a kind of quiet luxury. The hallway here was wider than the ones below, with soft light running along the edges of the ceiling instead of harsh bulbs. Even the air felt cleaner somehow, as if the noise and dust from the lower floors couldn't reach here.
The building manager smiled, clearly proud of her reaction. "You can feel the difference, right? This floor is special. Fewer people, better maintenance, and complete privacy. It's what makes these upper floors so valuable. Let's go."
Bai Li followed him down the hallway, her eyes scanning every detail. The walls were painted in a soft beige tone, decorated with subtle golden trims. Every few meters, there were tall decorative vases holding fresh flowers. The scent of lilies mixed faintly with the lavender, giving the corridor a calm atmosphere.
After walking a short distance, they passed a sleek wooden door with a bronze nameplate above it. The elegant engraving read Yan Residence. The letters were delicate, written in both English and cursive Chinese, as if someone had taken great care to make it look graceful.
Bai Li slowed her steps slightly. So this is the four-bedroom condo, she thought. The one that family lives in.
The building manager noticed her glance and nodded. "Yes, this is the four-bedroom condo I mentioned earlier. It belongs to a young woman who lives with her mother and little daughter. They moved in a few months ago. Very polite family. You'll like them, I think."
Bai Li gave a small nod but didn't comment. She didn't care much about neighbors yet. What mattered to her was the layout, the safety, and the exit routes.
Soon, they walked a few more steps and the end of the hallway appeared. There was a door there. The hallway wasn't that long. The planning of this floor seemed quite peculiar. Since there are only two apartments, one four bedroom condo and a larger six bedroom duplex, the front side of this floor covers the area for the condo and the backside, which must cover the larger area for the duplex. The two apartments are only separated by a wall but the interior is completely different.
As they reached the exquisite looking door which was obviously made of high quality wood and looked shiny. There was a smart protective lock on the door. The building manager stood before the door and said with a smile,
"This is the door to the unit. This is equipped with a smart lock and can only be opened by a passkey, just like this card here."
As he said it, he took out a shiny, black card from his pocket which was completely different from the card meant for the elevator and inserted it into a slot on the locking mechanism and in the next second, a metallic clicking sound. The building manager took out the card and showed it to Bai Li as he said,
"You see, this lock has three functions. First of all, you can set a password to lock the door. As you can see, there is a keypad under this section."
As he said it, he touched the lock with his hand and popped up a sliding cover which revealed the keypad inside. After which, he closed it again and said again,
"Then there's the second function, which is iris scan. You see this small pin hole right above here. Just look into the hole with your eye and it will automatically scan your eye and open the door. These are all customizable. As in, after you purchase this unit, a new card will custom made for you and the previous card will become invalid. We will also help you set the password and help you register your iris information. From then on, only you can open the door and no one else."
Bai Li nodded with interest as she listened to his words. She truly felt the urge to buy this unit but she wanted to see the inside even more.
"After you, Miss Bai," The building manager said, stepping aside.
Bai Li walked in first. The moment she entered, she could tell this place was different. The air inside was faintly cool, carrying the clean scent of new furniture and polished wood. The soft sound of her footsteps on the marble floor echoed lightly through the room.
The living room opened wide in front of her. It was spacious and bright, almost glowing with natural light that poured in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows. The walls were painted a light cream color that made the whole place feel calm. A large white sofa sat in the middle, and right across from it was a dark wood cabinet built into the wall with hidden lights shining softly above it. The design was simple but rich.
The building manager spoke with the tone of someone who had done this a hundred times, but still enjoyed it every single time. "This is the main living room. The space is designed to make full use of sunlight during the day. At night, these hidden ceiling lights can be dimmed for a softer glow. It looks really beautiful when the city lights come through the windows."
Bai Li looked around slowly. Her eyes moved from the sofa to the balcony beyond the glass wall. She could see part of the skyline outside, calm and distant. She didn't say anything, just nodded slightly, her lips curling into the faintest smile.
The manager continued, clearly encouraged by her reaction. "Now, let me show you the kitchen and dining area."
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To be continued.