Although Chen Jianhai really wanted to take Song Zhan and Zhang Mingyuan on a grand tour of Nanjiang,
both Song Zhan and Zhang Mingyuan were old men with heavy responsibilities. They could spare a day or two for fun, but if they stayed away too long, their respective responsibilities would fall into chaos.
"Mr. Chen, it's a pleasure working with you!"
"Director Zhang! The pleasure is mine!"
In the conference room of Jasmine Hotel on Little Horse Armor Island, Chen Jianhai and Zhang Mingyuan signed the cooperation agreement together. They stood up and shook hands warmly.
"Director Zhang, I look forward to welcoming the uncles and aunties from the nursing home to Little Horse Armor Island for a vacation!" Chen Jianhai said enthusiastically.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Chen. It's our nursing home's good fortune to sign a contract with Jasmine Hotel," Zhang Mingyuan replied with equal enthusiasm.
"We've troubled you at the hotel these past few days. This afternoon, Old Song and I will be leaving Nanjiang. If there's an opportunity in the future, Mr. Chen, you must come to Huoxiang as our guest."
Chen Jianhai smiled, "I definitely will!"
After signing the contract, Chen Jianhai and Zhang Mingyuan had accomplished a major task, and the weight in their hearts finally lifted.
Nearby, Ruikeya had already prepared the tea and souvenirs in advance, packing them into two exquisite gift boxes and handing them over.
"Uncle Song, are you heading back to Zaomen? Let's go together!"
Chen Jianhai handed the gift boxes to Song Zhan and Zhang Mingyuan, his tone full of anticipation.
Song Zhan said, "Sure, let's go together."
...
Originally, Chen Jianhai had thought of stopping by Lang'ai Hotel in Nanjiang for a while after returning, to check on the hotel's current situation and also to see Fan.
But after Song Zhan's private yacht docked at Fumanyu Pier, they immediately got into a car and headed straight for Zaomen, leaving no time for Chen Jianhai to do anything else.
Chen Jianhai sighed quietly to himself.
Alright,
in less than 10 days, the International Beverage Exchange hosted by Little Fortune God Beer Industry would begin, and he would have to rush back then.
For now, he needed to focus and return to Lion Castle Hotel to finalize the joint project.
Taking out his phone, Chen Jianhai opened the chat page with Wen Zifan,
"I'm heading back to Zaomen now. I'll be back in ten days."
...
Ding dong~
The phone ringtone woke up the two who had been battling it out in the Taotao Treasure live stream last night, snatching up snacks.
"Who is it?"
Wen Zifan fumbled under her pillow for her phone, groggily unlocking it.
When she saw the sender's message and its content, her amber eyes snapped open!
"Got it, boss!"
Wen Zifan quickly typed out four words, then turned off her phone, rolling over with a satisfied smile.
"What's got you so happy this early in the morning?" her friend mumbled.
"My boss sent me a message on his own this morning!"
"...Idiot."
...
Time passed quickly and silently.
At first, Chen Jianhai was happily chatting with Song Zhan and Zhang Mingyuan in the car, but as the conversation went on, the two old men dozed off.
Chen Jianhai exchanged a few words with the driver, then quietly sat in the passenger seat, taking out his phone and opening the Little Peter Fanfiction website.
Although the hotel's external publicity and cultural shaping were always handled by Lin Suyang and his publicity department, as the boss, he still needed to keep an eye on things from time to time.
Most importantly...
He was genuinely curious about that strange fanfiction website and wanted to see what bizarre content had been posted recently.
Perhaps due to the website's recommendation algorithm, as soon as he opened the app, the homepage was filled with fan art and stories about the characters from Lion Castle Hotel's Vikam Magic World.
"Wow, it's only been a few days, and Pang Xuehen is already killing it!"
Chen Jianhai was stunned.
The entire homepage was filled with Pang Xuehen's artwork.
Aside from the top-rated Midnight Mermaid Carousel illustration,
the Dark Wizard Crystal Ball Divination and the Abyssal Lake Knight illustrations were also prominently featured.
The fanfiction written by the big-name authors was being updated daily, creating a buzz similar to online novels.
But what caught Chen Jianhai's attention the most was something else.
What surprised Chen Jianhai the most was that the neighboring Magic Century Theme Park had also ridden the Little Peter wave, posting fan art and stories about their Wizard Castle online.
For a while,
the two magic-themed parks were fiercely competing in the wizard genre, delighting magic enthusiasts.
The online "Lion Lake Castle" and "Wizard Castle" dual-castle illustrations coexisted with distinct styles.
"What exactly is going on between these two hotels?"
In Zaomen's Mesk Hotel, Tong Tongsheng looked at the news online, his eyes filled with confusion.
Recently, he had been closely monitoring the situation at Lion Castle Hotel and Magic Century Theme Park.
At first, he thought Chen Jianhai was just leveraging his wealth to ride on the coattails of Magic Century Theme Park by building a themed hotel.
But as the popularity of Lion Castle Hotel's haunted rooms grew online, the broadcast of Huadu Xiaoxiao's live stream, and the emergence of fan art and stories,
Tong Tongsheng began to take Chen Jianhai more seriously.
As the saying goes, experts see the nuances, while outsiders see the spectacle.
As a hotel operator, he was well-versed in the tactics of hotel promotion.
So when he saw Lion Castle Hotel's series of promotional strategies, he was genuinely shocked.
He didn't know where Chen Jianhai got the courage, nor whether he was crazy or confident,
to come up with such a unique idea as "haunted rooms,"
not only capturing the market's attention but also overshadowing the neighboring Magic Century Theme Park in reputation.
"No wonder he dared to come from Nanjiang to build a hotel. He really has some tricks up his sleeve!"
Tong Tongsheng shook his head lightly.
Over the past few days, he had reviewed everything about Lion Castle Hotel from its inception to the present.
If the haunted rooms were just a gimmick to attract attention,
then the subsequent live stream was the crucial step for Lion Castle Hotel to establish its name and kick open the door to Zaomen's star-rated hotels.
The young really don't follow the rules!
They agreed to just build a hotel, but you went ahead and built an amusement park inside it!
And right next to his hotel was the behemoth that is Magic Century Theme Park.
This kind of boldness and strategy, he admitted, even he couldn't do better.
Now,
Lion Castle Hotel is focusing on promoting its magic theme park, while Magic Century Theme Park has launched its Wizard Castle series, both openly and covertly competing.
But for some reason, Tong Tongsheng felt that the rivalry wasn't as intense as it seemed, and there was even a hint of mutual cooperation.
This was quite puzzling.
"What exactly is the strategy between these two hotels?"
Tong Tongsheng tapped the table, his eyes filled with contemplation.
...
"Mr. Chen, your hotel is just ahead."
"Would you like me to stop at the town entrance or the subway station entrance?"
As the car approached Zaomen, Song Zhan's driver proactively asked.
Chen Jianhai's eyes widened in surprise, "Brother, you know about the hidden entrance to my hotel too?"
"Of course!" the driver laughed.
"There are so many videos about Lion Castle Hotel online. I've seen them, and I really like them."
"It's just too expensive, over 5,000 a night. I can't afford that."
"I can only enjoy it by watching videos online."
The driver's laughter was genuine, and Chen Jianhai found it amusing.
"Brother, please stop at the subway station entrance. The town is crowded, and it's not very convenient for cars to go in."
"Oh, and give me your ID number! I'll have the front desk issue you a free experience card when I get back."
"Whenever you have time, bring your wife and family to the hotel. Everything will be free."
The driver: "Really?!~!!"
Chen Jianhai: "Really!"
With that, Chen Jianhai took out his phone and immediately asked for the driver's ID number and phone number.
Song Zhan didn't say anything, just sat in the back with a smile, watching Chen Jianhai.
The driver stopped the car at the subway station entrance.
Chen Jianhai got out of the car and waved to Uncle Song and Zhang Mingyuan.
"Uncle, whenever you have time, come to the hotel. Let's have a barbecue by the wishing pool!"
Song Zhan smiled and nodded, "Sure!"
"Take care, Uncle!"
Chen Jianhai watched as the car drove further away, then looked up at the high sky and took a deep breath.
Although he had only been away for three days,
the autumn atmosphere in Zaomen had grown stronger.
Under the scorching sun, the air was filled with a faint, dry, sun-baked scent of grass and wood.
Having grown up in Nanjiang, Chen Jianhai was used to the sea breeze,
but this dry smell made his nose and throat feel parched and uncomfortable.
However, he quite liked this warm, comforting scent.
On the square, the golden lion subway entrance shone brightly under the sun, radiating a dazzling light.
On the exterior of the golden lion subway car, five or six workers were hanging up advertisement boards.
In the advertisement, Zhu Tingting was dressed in a suit, holding a blue-green cup of coffee, with a confident smile on his face.
"Getting into the entertainment industry really changes people. He looks much more handsome now!"
Chen Jianhai looked at Zhu Tingting's image on the advertisement and chuckled softly.
In his memory, Zhu Tingting was still the hotel gardener who held plant clippers, secretly rolled up his sleeves to show off his muscles, and flirted with the front desk girls.
But now, Zhu Tingting had left the hotel and entered the entertainment industry, while Qin Mengqiu had also left her position at the hotel to study abroad.
It's really... sigh!
Chen Jianhai sighed, then turned and walked into the hotel.
...
In just a few days, Zhu Tingting's endorsement of Summer Momo Coffee had spread across the streets and alleys of Nanjiang and Zaomen.
Although Summer Momo was still a local brand and not yet a national chain, the endorsement fee Chen Jianhai offered was on par with top-tier celebrities.
Not only that, everything from photographers to magazine covers and fashion accessories was funded heavily.
Since Zhu Tingting valued their past relationship,
Chen Jianhai was more than happy to spend money to support his friend.
"Suddenly, it feels like I'm a rich boss pampering a rising star..."
Chen Jianhai shuddered, then picked up his thermos and took a sip. He adjusted his tie in the mirror.
Today was the groundbreaking ceremony for the joint project between Lion Castle Hotel and Magic Century Theme Park.
Both sides would hold a ceremony before starting construction.
Due to the unique circumstances of Lion Castle Hotel and Magic Century Theme Park, neither location was suitable for hosting such an event,
so they decided to hold the ceremony at the shared square on Cream Road in Dream Street.
"Boss, it's time to go."
Lin Suyang stood at the door, addressing Chen Jianhai.
Chen Jianhai glanced at his watch, then checked himself in the mirror again.
"Do you think that fat guy Jin will recognize me as the lucky unlimited-access tourist?"
Lin Suyang stood nearby, carefully examining Chen Jianhai, then firmly shook his head.
"Don't worry, boss. He won't recognize you."
Last time, Chen Jianhai had taken Xiao Lang, Da Bo, Lin Suyang, and Xie Zhulongxiong to Magic Century Theme Park for a day of fun.
In the end, Chen Jianhai was even selected as the lucky tourist, ascending the Wizard Castle to meet Jin Jiemi and receiving an unlimited-access pass to Magic Century Theme Park.
Although it wasn't a big deal,
if he were recognized, it would still be a bit awkward.
Hearing Lin Suyang's words, Chen Jianhai raised an eyebrow, "Really? He won't recognize me?"
Lin Suyang nodded emphatically, "Don't worry! He really won't recognize you."
Clothes make the man!
Last time, Chen Jianhai was dressed in a Huluwa costume, having endured a day of queuing, climbing mountains, braving strong winds, and swimming in pools, looking like a mess.
Today, Chen Jianhai was dressed in a formal suit, freshly shaved,
and with the triple buffs of the system's [Personal Charm], [Affability], and [Networking], he exuded a humble, gentle, and approachable aura,
completely different from that day.
"Let's go~"
Chen Jianhai took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and walked confidently toward Cream Road Square.
At the same time, Jin Jiemi was also heading to the square with a few trusted aides.
Aside from the amusement project manager,
the heads of the HR and publicity departments were also present.
This time, the head of the publicity department was mentally prepared. No matter what, he would get the contact information of the neighboring hotel's publicity department head,
and then, learn from them!!!
If possible, he hoped to create a magical collaboration between the two wizard worlds, combining the strengths of both to create a Cream Road Magic World,
which would absolutely blow everyone's minds!
While the publicity department head was brimming with enthusiasm, ready to have a long talk with Lin Suyang,
on the other hand, Lin Tao was feeling heavy-hearted as he followed Jin Jiemi, occasionally coughing softly.
His illness was purely stress-induced.
Although the fever had subsided after injections and IV drips,
the internal fire hadn't dissipated, and he was still coughing badly every day.
The thought of meeting the neighboring hotel's boss filled him with both resentment and curiosity, a conflicting mix that made his throat itch and left him looking sickly.
Meanwhile, the HR department head looked excited, his eyes shining as if he were about to witness something extraordinary.
Goodness,
just thinking about how he had once interviewed Chen Jianhai...
he was absolutely thrilled!!!