I Have a Five-star Seaside Hotel

After the meeting, only the amusement facilities manager supported building the Ferris wheel, 

while everyone else was either skeptical or on the fence. 

Some, like the finance department head, outright opposed the idea. 

Although Jamie appeared to be listening carefully to his employees' opinions, 

his attention was fixated on the sketch of the U-shaped Ferris wheel, his blue eyes flashing with a mix of madness and adventurous spirit. 

When the meeting ended, 

as everyone stared at Jamie, waiting for his final decision, 

Jamie closed the folder and said to his assistant: 

"Book two nights at Lion Castle Hotel for me. The finance department head, the amusement project manager, and Lin Tao will come with me." 

Huh? 

What did this mean? 

Everyone in the room was baffled, unsure what Jamie was planning. 

"In business, it's all about give and take," 

Jamie said. "Since Chen Jianhai came to us for a job, it's only fair that we return the favor and visit his place." 

As he spoke, 

Jamie suddenly cursed: 

"Damn it, I just gave Chen Jianhai 40,000 yuan for nothing." 

... 

Booking a room at Lion Castle Hotel was surprisingly easy! 

That afternoon, Jamie and his team arrived at the hotel's entrance. 

Since they were short on time, they didn't enter through the hidden gate at Squirrel Secondhand Bookstore. 

As soon as they stepped onto Rose Flower Path, Jamie was captivated by the sweet floral scent and the lush green trail. 

Even though it was late autumn, the flowers at Lion Castle Hotel seemed to bloom longer than usual. 

Large clusters of red and pink roses blossomed among the green leaves, with tender, curling shoots adding a vibrant touch of life. 

"This reminds me of my grandmother's garden in the middle of summer." 

Jamie's blue eyes filled with nostalgia and delight as he gently touched a tender green leaf, his movements as delicate as if he were handling a butterfly. 

"What kind of nutrient solution did they use? The flowers are blooming so beautifully!" 

Lin Tao marveled at the hundreds of meters of rose-covered path. 

Colorful Holiday Resort Hotel also had a garden, but as the autumn temperatures dropped, many flowers had already withered. 

Yet, this path was still bursting with blossoms, with buds shyly waiting to open, as if it were a completely different season. 

And perhaps because of the abundance of plants and the serene environment, 

Lin Tao's dry, sore throat felt much better, and the air he breathed in felt refreshing, lifting his previously heavy mood. 

"Quack~ quack!" 

Suddenly, a small yellow duckling emerged from the grass, 

tilting its fluffy head to look at Jamie and his team before flapping its tiny wings and waddling toward Emerald Lake as if leading the way. 

Seeing the little duckling, the four grown men froze, not daring to move for a while. 

"Jamie, why aren't you walking?" Lin Tao asked. 

"I'm afraid I might accidentally step on it," Jamie muttered. 

"Same here." 

"Me too..." 

And so, 

the four men waited until the duckling was about 20 meters ahead before following it. 

"Quack!" 

The duckling reached the end of the path, hopped into the lake, and quickly blended into the flock of ducks. 

Jamie and his team boarded a small wooden boat, 

which moved slowly, its pointed bow cutting through the green lake water, creating semicircular ripples. 

The waterfowl in the lake, like a group of loyal guards, didn't shy away but instead swam over, surrounding the boat and enthusiastically accompanying the four men toward the hotel. 

"Back home, there's a small river like this, with waterfowl and fish." 

"But the swans there are much fiercer." 

"I was chased and attacked by a swan when I was a kid," 

Jamie's blue eyes filled with nostalgia, and he chuckled as he spoke. 

"Sir, where is your home?" the boatman asked curiously as he rowed. 

"Stork Eagle Country. It's a very beautiful place," Jamie said with pride. 

"Back home, there are many castles like Lion Lake Castle." 

"Those castles were once home to earls and knights. They're incredibly beautiful." 

Jamie gazed at the massive castle ahead, his eyes filled with homesickness. 

"Sir, you should try our Fox and Rabbit Country Kitchen!" 

The boatman enthusiastically recommended. 

"Their cheese fondue, lake fish, mixed meat platter, and cured beef are very authentic! You'll love it!" 

"Wow!!" 

Jamie exclaimed excitedly. "Where is it?" 

"Just follow that white pebble path. When you reach the tulip fountain, you'll see the Fox and Rabbit Country Kitchen." 

"Or you can take a carriage. It's very convenient." 

As the boat slowly reached the center of the lake, schools of large red koi fish swam beneath the emerald-green water, their tails swaying gracefully. 

"You have so many fish here!" Jamie exclaimed in amazement. 

"Ah, there are actually fewer fish here than before." 

The boatman explained: 

"You wouldn't believe it, but Emerald Lake used to be much livelier. It was full of small fish fry and other ornamental fish." 

"But for some reason, maybe because the waterfowl and swans ate them, there are hardly any fry left, and even the large koi have become scarce." 

"Huh???" 

Jamie became intrigued, comparing the size of the waterfowl and swans to the large koi in the lake. 

"It's possible for waterfowl to eat small fry," 

"but it's unlikely they could eat these large koi." 

"Who knows." 

The boatman shrugged. "Not only have the fry disappeared, but even the small waterfowl have become fewer." 

"A few days ago, there were seven or eight little black swans following the big one. Now there are only four left." 

"We suspect the fish in the lake might have eaten them." 

Jamie laughed. 

"That's impossible! How big would those fish have to be?" 

It's one thing for waterfowl to eat fish, 

but he had never heard of fish eating waterfowl before. 

As Jamie and the boatman enthusiastically discussed the predator-prey relationship between waterfowl and fish, 

the amusement project manager, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked: 

"What's that over there?" 

"Where?" The boatman followed the manager's pointing finger. 

A golden hexagonal candy jar adorned with little stars stood quietly in the center of Crescent Emerald Lake. 

"That's a carousel," the boatman said matter-of-factly. 

A carousel? 

In the middle of the lake? 

"How do you even ride it?" 

The amusement project manager was baffled. 

He had noticed the candy jar as soon as he stepped onto Rose Flower Path and boarded the boat. 

Although he suspected it was a carousel, 

he couldn't find any bridge or pathway connecting it to the shore. 

Did guests have to swim to it??? 

"Sir, that's not for guests to ride." 

"Our boss said it's for the fish to play with. He doesn't even let us ride it." 

The boatman added with a hint of resentment: 

"Even though I row on this lake every day, I'm not allowed to play on it." 

"..." 

Seeing the boatman's resentful expression, 

the amusement project manager was at a loss for words. 

The hotel owner seemed a bit eccentric… 

And the employees might have some issues too. 

... 

After disembarking and checking in, 

Jamie and his team didn't rush to their rooms. Instead, they decided to head to Fox and Rabbit Country Kitchen for a good meal before 

visiting the hotel's amusement park to scout the feasibility of building the roller coaster and Ferris wheel. 

On the white pebble path, the rhythmic clip-clop of horse hooves and the creak of carriage wheels echoed behind them. 

The golden autumn sunlight bathed the grass, releasing a unique aroma of ripe grass seeds. 

The wind blew from Cream Road, bending the long grass blades and revealing a few tiny chipmunks hiding within. 

Jamie and his team paused, 

seeing a few chipmunks under a large tree, their tiny paws clutching a handful of sunflower seeds, their cheeks stuffed full as they stared at the four men with round, black eyes. 

If I don't move, you can't see me! 

It was as if they were playing a game of hide-and-seek with themselves. 

"Chipmunk!" 

Jamie instinctively pulled out his phone to take a photo. 

Although he had been in the country for a long time, he couldn't help but name the little creature in his native language when he saw it. 

But his excited voice and sudden movement clearly startled the chipmunk. 

"Rustle rustle," 

the seeds in its paws scattered to the ground, 

and the chipmunk's fluffy tail flicked as it scurried up the tree, disappearing into the leaves in an instant. 

"Adorable little thing!" 

Jamie regretfully put his phone away. 

Although he had seen chipmunks in parks and other hotels in the country, 

he had rarely encountered ones as plump, glossy, and fluffy-tailed as these. 

"What a shame." 

Jamie sighed. 

When planning the amusement park's landscaping, he had also wanted to create a similar area for small animals and visitors to relax. 

But it wasn't feasible. 

The operational focus of Magic Century Theme Park prioritized entertainment and profitability over leisurely度假 vibes. 

Although the park covered a large area, 

it had to accommodate numerous themed attractions, shops, and restaurants, leaving little room for expansive gardens. 

This had always been a regret for Jamie. 

So when he saw the scenery here, he couldn't help but feel envious. 

Just as Jamie was feeling a bit melancholic, 

a plump, long-eared gray rabbit suddenly hopped out of the grass, 

its short, round tail wiggling as it casually crossed the white pebble path, leaving a trail of small black droppings behind. 

"Clip-clop~" 

"Clip-clop~" 

The cheerful sound of horse hooves approached from behind. 

Just as the carriage wheels were about to roll over the droppings, potentially spreading the rabbit's scent all over the path, 

the carriage driver tugged the reins, skillfully jumped down, and used a small shovel and a disposable garbage bag to clean up the mess. 

After tossing the bag into a nearby trash bin, the driver turned around and warmly asked: 

"Hello, would you like a ride?" 

"Hi, we're heading to Fox and Rabbit Country Kitchen." 

"Sure thing, hop on." 

... 

As they boarded the carriage, Jamie asked with a smile: 

"Don't you have dedicated staff to clean up litter on the paths?" 

"We do, we do." 

The driver replied enthusiastically: "But our hotel is quite large, and there are many small animals. Sometimes, cleaning up in time can be challenging." 

"So whenever we see something, we take the initiative to clean it up." 

Hearing this, Lin Tao's eyes lit up! 

"Then your hotel's division of labor isn't clear!" 

Lin Tao seemed to have found a flaw in Lion Castle Hotel's operations and asked in front of Jamie: 

"Your job is to drive the carriage, but you're also cleaning up while driving." 

"If the cleaning staff also have to feed the squirrels, wouldn't that create chaos?" 

"It's not chaotic at all! Our hotel's division of labor is very clear." 

The driver explained cheerfully: 

"But rules are rules. We're all hotel employees. If we can help out within our capabilities, we should." 

The driver smiled. "It's like at home. My dad always cooks, and my mom does face masks." 

"But if my dad is away on business, my mom will cook for me so I don't starve. It's the same at the hotel." 

"Some things don't need to be so strictly divided." 

The driver chuckled. 

Lin Tao fell silent. 

Jamie raised an eyebrow, exchanging a glance with the finance department head and the amusement project manager, and nodded in approval. 

The carriage reached a crossroads, passed a tulip fountain, and stopped in front of a log-cabin-style restaurant. 

Jamie and his team got off, 

seeing a restaurant that looked like a small snow-covered house, entirely built from sturdy logs. 

The chocolate-colored wooden door was wide open, 

and as soon as they entered, a rich aroma of cheese filled the air. 

"This smells so authentic! This is the real deal!!!" 

Jamie's eyes lit up. 

When the boatman had mentioned the Stork Eagle Country-themed restaurant earlier, Jamie had been skeptical. 

But after smelling this, memories of home flooded back, and he immediately chose a table and opened the menu. 

As he read, Jamie's expression gradually turned puzzled. 

The Fox and Rabbit Country Kitchen had an intriguing menu. 

It offered everything from Stork Eagle Country's snacks to hearty meals, 

with options ranging from a 10-yuan Basel flour soup and jam cream rolls to a 300-yuan mixed meat platter. 

No matter your budget, you could easily find something affordable, filling, and delicious. 

Unlike Magic Century Theme Park, where a hot drink started at 40 yuan, and a decent meal with steak and烤肉 could easily cost over a thousand." 

From yesterday until May 31st, I'll be attending training. 

I'll only be able to start writing after 9 PM when I get my phone back. 

Updates will be late these few days. Sorry about that. 

Thank you, my dear readers, for staying up late waiting for me. Love you all!!! 

Mwah~