I Have a Five-star Seaside Hotel

"Boss, didn't you sleep well last night?"

When Chen Jianhai appeared in the small island hotel's restaurant with a look of utter despair,

Ruikeya quickly noticed that something was off with his boss.

Yesterday, he was full of energy and vigor,

but today, he looked like someone who had lost all love, hatred, and forgiveness in the world.

"No."

Chen Jianhai listlessly sipped some dough drop soup, took a bite of pickled cucumber, and then added a piece of fermented tofu to his mouth.

No particular reason,

he was just feeling under the weather,

and his mouth had no taste...

He just wanted something salty.

"Ew..." Ruikeya was baffled by the large piece of fermented tofu.

That's way too strong!

How could someone with such a taste ever find a wife?!

While Chen Jianhai was nibbling on the fermented tofu,

a blue Ocean Star dessert delivery van honked its way out of the hotel's back door, driving along the path to the Summer Momo Café in the island's mall.

"Thanks for the hard work, bro!"

After Feng Di and the café staff checked the quantity and variety of today's desserts, Feng Di updated the daily specials on the chalkboard at the entrance.

He waved as the Jasmine Hotel's dessert van honked its way back.

"Boss Chen is the best!!"

"His word is all it takes!"

Feng Di was over the moon seeing the two new helpers in the café.

Just yesterday, he had told Chen Jianhai that the café was understaffed and asked for more people.

And today, along with the dessert van, two capable and quick-witted helpers arrived.

Instantly, the café's staff expanded to four, and the workload and pressure were significantly reduced!

"What a beautiful jasmine flower~ What a beautiful jasmine flower~"

Feng Di hummed happily as he wiped down the counter.

The melodious tune gradually overpowered the café's background music, reaching the ears of Zhu Songzhou, who was sipping coffee by the window.

Zhu Songzhou paused as he raised his coffee cup.

Wow,

this jasmine flower song seems to have a hint of baijiu (Chinese liquor) in it.

But... no big deal!

After some research with his colleagues yesterday, he had a rough idea of Chen Jianhai's background.

A rising star among Nanjiang's young entrepreneurs, owning three hotels, one of which was a platinum-level five-star hotel.

The other two hotels, though not yet rated, were also top-tier in terms of social influence and scale,

with immense potential and strong growth prospects.

With such financial backing, starting a café was a piece of cake.

"This brand must be secured!"

A glint of determination flashed across Zhu Songzhou's glasses as he stood up and walked over to Feng Di.

"Sir, what would you like to order?" Feng Di greeted warmly.

"Hello, I'm Zhu Songzhou, the head of the招商部 (Business Development Department) at Luoluo Alliance,"

Zhu Songzhou handed over a business card. "Our company specializes in connecting brands with major shopping malls across the country. Would you be interested in discussing a potential collaboration?"

Feng Di, who had been smiling warmly: ???

...

"Ding ling ling."

At Jasmine Hotel,

eight phones of varying sizes were neatly lined up on a bench by the swimming pool.

Chen Jianhai was swimming vigorously in the pool,

completely oblivious to the ringing of the eight phones.

The outside world was too noisy...

The outside gaze was too piercing...

At this moment, Chen Jianhai wished the ocean could wash away all his worries and take everything with it.

He really couldn't face anyone anymore.

Damn it!!!

...

"Why isn't the boss answering his phone?" Feng Di frowned slightly.

Usually, Brother Chen would answer his phone instantly. What's going on today?

Feng Di smiled apologetically at Zhu Songzhou,

who nodded understandingly, showing no hurry, as if he could wait forever.

Negotiating a deal,

especially a big one, could take a few minutes. No problem.

...

After calling all eight of Chen Jianhai's phones with no answer, Feng Di finally gave up and called the island's front desk.

Soon, an employee ran to the poolside and shouted at Chen Jianhai, who was furiously kicking water:

"Boss! Phone call!!!"

"Who the hell is it now?!"

Chen Jianhai cursed as he climbed out of the pool, wrapped himself in a towel, and casually picked up a phone.

Ever since Xu Yong's call this morning, nothing good had happened.

"Feng Di? What does he want?"

Curious, Chen Jianhai called back.

Feng Di: "Brother Chen! Luoluo Alliance approached me, saying they're very interested in our brand and want to introduce Summer Momo Café to large shopping malls in Nanjiang and Zaomen."

"The person is sitting here right now."

"What should I do?"

It took Chen Jianhai a while to fully grasp the situation. "Tell him to come to the hotel. I'll talk to him."

"Got it, Brother Chen."

"Sigh, I guess I'll have to give Feng Di more opportunities to grow," Chen Jianhai muttered as he tossed the phone back onto the bench and dove back into the pool.

Given his current status, he could easily delegate these matters to Ruikeya or Wen Zifan.

But Summer Momo was a new brand he had personally established, separate from the hotel management. It wouldn't be appropriate to involve Ruikeya or Wen Zifan in the negotiations.

Although he had handed full management of Summer Momo to Feng Di,

Feng Di's capabilities were still limited, and his career was just starting. At this stage, he lacked the ability to independently handle business negotiations.

So, Chen Jianhai had no choice but to step in himself.

After hanging up, Feng Di apologized to Zhu Songzhou:

"Sir, our boss asked if you could go to Jasmine Hotel to discuss with him."

"Sure, thank you," Zhu Songzhou nodded.

This was more or less what he had expected.

While the best place to discuss would have been in the café itself,

the other party was, after all, a major hotel owner with three properties. It was only natural for him to take the initiative.

Fortunately, Xiaomajia Island wasn't very big.

About ten minutes later,

Zhu Songzhou arrived at Jasmine Hotel. After explaining his purpose to the front desk, he was ushered into the lobby's meeting room.

"Sir, please enjoy some tea," a hotel staff member warmly offered a cup of jasmine tea.

"Thank you," Zhu Songzhou said politely and patiently waited.

After about six or seven minutes,

a tall young man walked in.

"Hello, I'm Chen Jianhai," the young man extended his hand with a smile.

"Hello, Boss Chen, I'm Zhu Songzhou from Luoluo Alliance," Zhu Songzhou quickly stood up and shook his hand.

As they shook hands, Zhu Songzhou quickly sized up Chen Jianhai, feeling a bit surprised.

The affable, steady, and powerful young man before him seemed... different from the cheerful small landlord he had seen in the café yesterday.

He clearly remembered Chen Jianhai swaggering into Summer Momo Café yesterday, carrying a cup of Moon New Source coffee.

He looked more like a village thug collecting protection money than a business owner.

How did his demeanor change so drastically overnight?

"This guy isn't easy to fool!"

In an instant, the image of a country bumpkin tycoon was erased from Zhu Songzhou's mind.

He quickly adjusted his negotiation strategy and, after some small talk, got straight to the point.

"Boss Chen, our alliance has always been dedicated to building bridges between shopping malls and brands. We have long-standing collaborations with major shopping malls across the country."

"For example, we have partnerships with Nanjiang Jiawo and Zaomen Zhusha."

"Would Summer Momo Café be interested in entering these large shopping malls?"

In fact, Luoluo Alliance had collaborations with many large shopping malls in various cities, with a wide business coverage.

Zhu Songzhou only mentioned Nanjiang and Zaomen because, based on his earlier research, he knew that Chen Jianhai's hotels were currently only in these two cities. He was targeting his pitch accordingly.

Sure enough,

when Chen Jianhai heard "Nanjiang Jiawo and Zaomen Zhusha," a glimmer of interest appeared in his eyes.

He wasn't very familiar with Zaomen Zhusha,

but he knew Nanjiang Jiawo well.

As a global fashion retail department store, Nanjiang Jiawo had always focused on selling high-end products since its opening.

Located in Nanjiang's Five-Star Shopping Center, it attracted countless domestic and international tourists every year. It was practically Nanjiang's top money-making machine!

If Summer Momo could open a store in Nanjiang Jiawo, it would be a huge boost to the brand's prestige!

But... such high-end malls might be too selective with their clientele,

which could hinder brand visibility.

After some thought, Chen Jianhai asked:

"Aside from high-end malls like Nanjiang Jiawo, do you have any more affordable options?"

"Yes!" Zhu Songzhou replied naturally.

Determined to secure this deal, Zhu Songzhou had come fully prepared.

Whether it was top-tier malls or more mainstream shopping centers, he had options for every tier.

Based on his years of experience, he believed that a new brand like Summer Momo should start at the mid-tier, targeting the mass market to build a solid reputation before expanding.

But the café's owner was anything but ordinary.

From the interior design to the drink quality and dessert flavors, everything was geared toward high-end establishments.

Zhu Songzhou wasn't entirely sure about Chen Jianhai's vision for Summer Momo, so he had led with Nanjiang Jiawo as a big draw.

Now that Chen Jianhai had asked, he didn't hesitate to present more options.

While a city might only have one top-tier mall, there could be many mainstream shopping centers.

By the end of his pitch, Zhu Songzhou had even prepared a comprehensive brand entry plan for Summer Momo.

The malls weren't limited to Nanjiang and Zaomen; he also detailed options in Huoxiang and Huanglian cities.

Chen Jianhai listened attentively.

His base had always been in Nanjiang, and even in Zaomen, he was only somewhat familiar with the local market.

But through Zhu Songzhou's introduction, Chen Jianhai gained a new perspective on these major cities.

For example: Huoxiang City, though located in the north with a cold climate and few large enterprises, had a surprisingly high per capita consumption. The residents lived comfortably, and the market's purchasing power was strong.

Huanglian City, though only a second-tier city, enjoyed a perpetual spring-like climate and was known as the "City That Never Sleeps." Even at 2 a.m., many shops and food stalls remained open, creating a vibrant cultural atmosphere.

Though these cities might not stand out in people's minds, they were business paradises.

Opening a store in these cities would yield twice the results with half the effort.

However, as ideal as these locations were, they weren't suitable for Summer Momo's development.

Chen Jianhai sighed inwardly: "I'm very interested in the collaboration you're proposing."

"But Summer Momo's desserts are exclusively supplied by the hotel, so even if the brand enters these malls, it would have to be in cities where the hotel is located."

Zhu Songzhou nodded. "I understand."

"Boss Chen, I have two proposals here, one for Nanjiang and one for Zaomen. You can take a look."

"Here's my contact information. If you have any questions, feel free to call me anytime."

Chen Jianhai took the proposals, exchanged contact information, and then bid farewell.

"Zaomen Rainbow Mall: Located on Cloud Road, Rainbow Street, Zaomen City..."

"Cloud Road? Isn't that right across from Xiao Lang's East Sea Dragon Palace BBQ?"

Seeing the address of Rainbow Mall on the proposal, Chen Jianhai chuckled.

Feng Di and Xiao Lang really are fated!

Back then, Xiao Lang sold BBQ while Feng Di followed behind in a small van selling beer, soda, and bottled water.

Now in Zaomen, Xiao Lang is selling BBQ, and Feng Di is selling coffee right across the street... Tsk tsk, what a coincidence!!!

Thinking about the entanglement between these two, Chen Jianhai's eyes sparkled with mischievous excitement!

But then, Chen Jianhai suddenly slapped himself.

After reading just a few fanfictions on Little Peter, how could such terrifying thoughts pop into his head?

Damn those spicy stories!!!

Phoenix illustrations are even worse!!!

Taking a deep breath, Chen Jianhaiforced his wandering thoughts back on track and prepared to study the proposals more carefully.

Just then, another hotel employee ran over and said:

"Boss, Old Man Tian from the island wants to see you. He's in the lobby now."

...

"Gourd Boy, these fish baskets are the prettiest ones I picked from the island."

"Take them back to Nanjiang and show them to that client."

In the lobby, the shirtless old man handed Chen Jianhai a small string of colorful woven fish baskets.

After Chen Jianhai mentioned the souvenir idea yesterday, the old man had taken it to heart and asked the island's most skilled weavers to make these baskets for Chen Jianhai to take back.

"As for the ape path, I've already talked to them."

"From now on, they'll follow all safety procedures and regulations. They'll have to fasten their seatbelts tightly before going up."

"If I catch anyone breaking the rules, I'll deal with them personally!"