"This is called sweet and sour spare ribs~"
Huang Baichuan patiently explained to the curious foreign guests.
"Tang cu pai gu~ delicious!"
The foreigners' emerald-green eyes sparkled with excitement as they grabbed their plates, shoveling the food into their mouths with spoons and forks.
They ate with such ravenous hunger, as if they'd stumbled upon some mythical delicacy, that even Huang Baichuan couldn't help but swallow hard.
*...Is it really that good?*
While foreigners rarely got to taste sweet and sour spare ribs, Huang Baichuan had them often—his standards were high.
And these ribs were *boneless*—how could they possibly have any soul?!
Skeptical, Huang Baichuan picked up a piece and took a bite.
*"Mmm~~~!!!!"*
His eyes widened!
The rich, meaty flavor exploded in his mouth, the tender rib meat—though deboned—had been expertly prepared. The chef had meticulously handled the connective tissue near the bone, preserving its signature chewiness while enhancing the texture.
One bite was all it took to crave another.
Huang Baichuan scooped up a spoonful of rice soaked in the meat sauce.
The fragrant, savory juices melded with the warm, fluffy rice, the aroma seeping into his very bones. Paired with pickled radishes to cut through the richness, it was *divine*.
Even as a local who'd grown up eating this, he could've devoured three bowls.
*I—I really want to be emperor for another five hundred years!!!*
Tonight, Langyi Hotel's chefs had outdone themselves.
Alongside the sweet and sour spare ribs, dishes like pan-seared beef short ribs, stir-fried lotus root with vegetables, Yangzhou fried rice, and grilled cod kept coming.
The beef short ribs were tender, fall-off-the-bone—no idea what breed of cow, but *delicious*.
The lotus root stir-fry looked simple and clean, but—*no gutter oil meant no soul!*
The Yangzhou fried rice… well, compared to the meat sauce rice, it lost *hard*.
The grilled cod was crispy outside, tender inside. The watermelon was seedless, the honeydew was seedless—
But the dragon fruit was packed with black seeds—*disappointing!*
And why did the strawberries have seeds on the *outside*?! *Trash!!!*
This damn hotel's service was *terrible*!
Still fuming from Chen Jianhai's gaming comment, Huang Baichuan grumbled internally as he devoured the seeded dragon fruit.
*So good… I really want to live another five hundred years!*
The spacious, bright Chinese restaurant displayed an array of dishes like a royal selection, each more enticing than the last. The foreigners' eyes darted between them, overwhelmed.
Huang Baichuan watched as one foreigner, spoon in mouth, bolted to the buffet the moment a new dish appeared, returning with a heaping plate like an excited child.
Yet, amid this feast, one foreigner remained loyal to the *meat dumplings*.
A true dumpling fanatic, he ignored even the sweet and sour ribs, piling his plate high with dumplings and drowning them in vinegar.
Each bite made his eyes crinkle with pleasure, like a contented cat being petted.
Huang Baichuan couldn't resist—he grabbed three dumplings for himself.
But when he returned to his seat, he froze.
One foreigner had procured a chunk of bread and was *meticulously* mopping up every last drop of sweet and sour sauce from his plate.
Like a starving refugee unwilling to waste a single crumb.
Inspired, the others rushed to grab bread too.
What should've been a 30-minute dinner stretched to *two hours*.
Thankfully, the kitchen had prepared enough—otherwise, they'd have been cleaned out.
Meanwhile, Chen Jianhai had long since finished eating and was chugging coffee in the café.
Xu Bo, however, emerged from the kitchen to inspect the leftovers, chatting with the foreigners in broken English to gather feedback.
Upon learning he was the head chef,
the foreigners *swarmed* him, shaking his hand and thanking him profusely for the delicious meal.
By the end, Xu Bo had barely checked the dishes but had *memorized* every attendee's face.
Many begged for more sweet and sour ribs tomorrow,
while others handed him business cards, inviting him to tour their breweries—*and maybe cook a few meals while there~*
That night, Huang Baichuan was *wiped*.
His foreign friends were too stuffed to drink,
so the bar plans shifted to *clubbing*.
To aid digestion, Huang Baichuan took them to Nanjiang's hottest nightclub, where they partied *all night*.
By the time they stumbled out, dawn was breaking. Huang Baichuan's legs were jelly.
Yet, his friends, revitalized from dancing and now *hungry again*, dragged him to a 24-hour bar for *sunrise cocktails*.
Staring at his drink, Huang Baichuan checked his watch: *3:47 AM*.
With a sigh, he texted Chen Jianhai:
*"Bro, you up?"*
An instant reply:
*"Yep, gaming. What's up?"*
Huang Baichuan's heart *ached*.
*Five hundred years is too long… just gimme today.*
Luckily, even these foreigners had limits. By 4:30 AM, they called it a night, heading back to the hotel to nap before the morning tour.
Huang Baichuan, *completely* drained,
checked into a room and *passed out*.
He woke disoriented,
stumbling to the restaurant where the foreigners were already piling their plates with *fried dough sticks, salted duck eggs, stuffed pancakes, noodles, and fried rice*—looking *energized*, as if they'd mainlined adrenaline.
After breakfast, they boarded the Blue Sky Travel Agency bus to *Full Blessing Fish Pier*.
Yesterday, Ning Youyou had given them a coastal tour. Today's agenda:
*Golden Jellyfish Lake* at Little Mahjong Island,
the *"Great Trouble"* meal at Jasmine Hotel,
followed by *snorkeling and fishing*.
Oddly, the *Ocean Star Luxury Cruise* was *packed*.
Alongside their group, elderly tourists clustered by the railings, snapping photos.
Crew members gently reminded everyone to return to their seats—rough seas ahead.
At first, no one listened.
But when the waves *hit*,
*everyone*—foreigners, seniors, locals—obediently strapped in.
Huang Ning, in sunglasses and a life jacket, sat quietly among them.
Last night, her concierge had detailed *Jasmine Hotel* on Little Mahjong Island.
As another of Chen Jianhai's properties, Langyi and Jasmine guests could freely switch between them.
So Huang Ning had booked a *water villa* for a night, testing the island's privacy.
If it suited, she'd host her company's annual party here—
*no paparazzi, no fans*.
But… her plans wavered upon seeing the elderly guests.
Though she didn't speak to them,
she gathered they were from *Huoxiang City's retirement home*, here for a *relaxing getaway*.
Would a *rowdy* corporate party disturb them?
Then again… *do seniors even care about celebrities?*
Huang Ning glanced at the nearby aunties, who were reviewing photos on their phones:
*"Ugh, look at these wrinkles! Can you edit them out?"*
*"My sister's photos were *flawless*—no eye bags, *and* she looked *pale*!"*
*"My granddaughter can edit! I'll send these to her!"*
*"...How'd she learn? I'll make *my* grandson study it."*
*"She didn't *study*—just obsessed over editing pics for her *idol*, Zhu Tingting. Self-taught!"*
*"What's an idol?"*
*"Idols are *Zhu Tingting*!"*
*"A girl?"*
*"A *boy*!"*
Huang Ning, initially amused, *snorted* upon hearing her artist's name.
---
The *Ocean Star* docked at *Lightbulb Pier*.
Morning sunlight bathed the island,
the sea breeze carrying a salty tang.
The water shimmered in blues, greens, and purples,
cotton-candy clouds floating lazily above.
Palm trees and bougainvillea lined the shore,
white sand stretching endlessly, dotted with *hermit crabs* scurrying between waves.
Glass walkways linked *24 water villas*,
while a *blue-roofed, white-walled* mansion nestled against a green hillside—
less a hotel, more a *fairy-tale castle*.
Disembarking, the group splintered—
some to *Golden Jellyfish Lake*, others to check-in.
Huang Ning, here to unwind, strolled the island leisurely.
The pace was *slow*, the air *fresh*.
Even the ads seemed *lazy*—
including one of *Zhu Tingting* holding a coffee cup, his smile *softer* here.
*"Zhu Tingting and Chen Jianhai must be *close*!"*
Huang Ning mused, studying the billboard.
Honestly, *Summer Momo Coffee* ads were *everywhere* in Nanjiang—
bus stops, malls, *even this remote island*.
If she didn't know better, she'd suspect *something* between them.
What boss would *invest* this much in a minor celeb?!
As Huang Ning pondered,
by *Golden Jellyfish Lake*,
the foreigners marveled at the golden jellyfish,
especially taken with the *woven fish-basket souvenirs*.
Huang Baichuan exhaled in relief.
*Finally*, something *went right*.
If they loved the baskets,
his *Little Fortune God gift sets* would be a *hit*.
---
*Ring ring~*
That night, *8 PM*.
Chen Jianhai's phone buzzed mid-*guild war*.
(Thankfully, he had *eight phones*—gaming *and* work *simultaneously*.)
*"Fan-ge? I'm at Xiao Lang's. What's up?"*
*"WHAT?! *Poaching*?!"*
Chen Jianhai *froze*, his face darkening.
Xiao Lang, sensing the shift, looked up—
just as Chen Jianhai *exploded*:
*"Dammit!"*
*"First Zhu Tingting, now *An Xia*?!"*
*"Is my hotel their *talent agency* now?!"*
*"Might as well take *me* too!!"*