"Hmm..."
Chen Jianhai frowned slightly.
"Have we closed bookings for the 22nd to 31st yet?"
Wen Zifan nodded. "Yes. Our website and all booking platforms show Lang'ai Hotel as fully booked for those dates."
Chen Jianhai pondered for a moment before speaking:
"Here's what we'll do—"
"Have the customer service team contact all affected guests and issue full refunds."
"As compensation, they can stay for free at either Little Waist Island or Lion Castle Hotel, with all expenses covered by us."
"If they've already booked flights to Nanjiang but want to stay at Lion Castle instead, we'll cover their round-trip travel to Zaomen."
"If they have other requests, we can also offer free stays at Lang'ai Hotel during alternative dates."
As she listened, Wen Zifan suddenly interjected:
"Boss, isn't this a bit too generous?"
"Half-price stays with double membership points would suffice."
Chen Jianhai shook his head.
"It's our fault for disrupting their plans. Better compensation means happier guests."
"Besides, we're doing well financially—this is pocket change."
Wen Zifan's brows furrowed further.
She wanted to argue that every penny mattered,
but technically, Chen Jianhai wasn't wrong.
The refunds and covered expenses were negligible compared to the profits from hosting the annual event.
And while Chen Jianhai could afford such statements,
something about his tone rubbed her the wrong way.
Unaware of her discomfort, Chen Jianhai continued:
"Though you're right about the points—I forgot those."
"Guests will get double points on top of free stays and covered expenses."
"Also, since we're partnering with Little Fortune God Brewery for their limited-edition Autumn Fantasy Gold Beer,"
"send each guest a bottle."
"Mention that our membership points are interchangeable with Little Fortune God's rewards program."
"Hotel cardholders get their VIP perks too."
"Consider it cross-promotion."
Chen Jianhai waved magnanimously.
Wen Zifan noted it down. "Understood, Boss. I'll arrange it... But what if some guests still refuse?"
Chen Jianhai shrugged. "Then triple their refund."
"Money's no object~"
Present-day Chen Jianhai was a far cry from his stressed-out self just a week prior!
Back then, the mere mention of "money" would've made him sigh deeply.
But in seven short days,
first came Little Fortune God Brewery's Huang Baichuan signing a decade-long contract,
followed by "Who Knew There Was One Here" films booking the hotel for their annual event.
These two deals alone guaranteed massive returns.
"Whew~"
"Thank goodness Lion Castle's occupancy is low—it's our perfect fallback. Otherwise, this'd be tricky."
Lounging on his sofa, Chen Jianhai logged into *Celestial Tribulation* to check the faction war.
Lately, battles had intensified.
Initially, he and Xiao Lang dominated all three lanes—
one whip strike wiping out entire teams.
But recently, high-level players flooded the server.
Last night, *two* enemy Jiang Ziyas appeared out of nowhere.
Their emergence revived the dwindling player base.
While everyone loved PvP, nobody enjoyed being steamrolled.
Now that balance was restored, retired players returned for vengeance.
"Old Qin's full of it!"
"He claimed only 'divine providence' could summon the God-Slaying Whip. So why are Jiang Ziyas sprouting like weeds?!"
Grumbling, Chen Jianhai lurked in the jungle, picking off stragglers.
Meanwhile, at Lion Castle Hotel...
Coins arced through the air like meteors, plopping into the gilded wishing pool.
Around the ornate,浮雕-adorned pool,
crowds in wizard robes, siren gowns, and elf costumes stood transfixed by their phones.
With every golden streak on their screens, identical gasps erupted:
"Holy sh*t!"
"It actually gave me an SSR!!"
"Damn! Had I known this pool worked, I wouldn't have wasted cash on that琵琶 spirit!"
"Jiang Ziya!! FINALLY!!!"
...
Clip-clop, clip-clop—
A staff member guided black carriage horses past the pool along white cobblestones.
Autumn sunlight bathed Zaomen in warmth, leaves rustling peacefully...
until nearing the pool, where an almost palpable bloodlust thickened the air.
A chill crept down the carriage driver's spine.
"Good grief! It's just a mobile game!"
He couldn't fathom such obsession.
Since Lan Qiuming's viral video,
Lion Castle's marketing team and Digital Dynamo Games had jointly propelled the wishing pool to fame.
Hotel occupancy skyrocketed 300% in a week—
almost exclusively *Celestial Tribulation* players here to toss coins.
Daily, dozens of whales gathered to summon characters.
Unlike regular guests,
these patrons barely blinked at the 5,000/night rate.
Their typical itinerary:
Day 1: Wishing pool gacha.
Day 2: Next-door Magic Century Theme Park.
Day 3: Lion Castle's own amusement park.
The bold even booked Room 1703—
only to flee screaming at midnight and nap on lobby chaises.
While surging profits delighted Lin Suyang most of all.
Had he not invited Lan Qiuming to livestream here,
the golden pool's fame wouldn't have spread so rapidly.
Watching the spenders congregate daily,
Lin Suyang yearned to proudly tell Chen Jianhai:
"Behold, Boss—the empire I built for you!"
"Isn't it magnificent?!"
Beyond Room 1703, the emerald hexagon candy jar aqua carousel, chipmunk carriage path, golden pool, and theme park,
one attraction's unexpected popularity stunned even Lin Suyang—
The Wizard Fountain.
Proximity to the wishing pool and its whimsical design
led many to mistake it for the real deal, pelting it with coins.
Originally, the fountain only sprayed reluctantly when people approached.
During slow seasons,
it often lazed for days without activating.
Now, the sudden attention baffled it.
At first, it managed feeble spurts from its wand tip.
But when the first coin struck,
the fountain froze.
...Was this an attack?
Before it could process, more coins followed.
The thin water stream faltered.
...Definitely an attack.
*SMACK SMACK SMACK!*
The fountain snapped.
You dare hit me?!
*SPLOOSH!*
Jets erupted from its broomstick, wand, shoes, buttons, even belt—
precisely drenching coin-tossers' necks with icy blasts.
Some got soaked before even approaching.
The petty retaliation became legendary.
Visitors swore the fountain housed a grudge-holding employee.
Skepticism bred curiosity, drawing more "attackers."
Thus, the Wizard Fountain became Lion Castle's second viral landmark.
...
"God-Slaying Whip!!"
"I got it!!"
"Announce in guild chat—tonight we raid nonstop!"
"Hey, if this pool grants gacha luck, can we wish for other stuff?"
The question silenced the crowd.
Right—if it fulfilled summoning desires, why not anything else?
A robed youth stepped forward, flipping a coin into the pool.
"I wish for free hotel stays."
*PLINK.*
The coin sank, ripples fading against golden tiles.
Having wished, he returned to gacha pulls without expectation.
Frankly, someone spending 5,000+/night for pixels
clearly didn't need comped lodging.
This was purely a test.
Fifteen minutes later, his phone rang.
"Hi Mom~"
"Yeah, I'm in Zaomen. School break."
"Staying at Lion Castle!"
"Right, the hotel from that video! Here with classmates, back Sunday."
"..."
"Wait—FREE?!"
The shriek drew stares.
"Okay okay, sending my ID now."
Hanging up,
a green-clad elf inquired:
"What happened?"
Dazed, the robed youth explained:
"No way... I wished for free stays just now."
"Then Mom called—our family's booked trip to Lang'ai Hotel next month got canceled."
"As apology, we get free stays at any of their chain hotels."
After texting his ID, he added:
"Turns out Lion Castle's owned by the same boss."
"I can redeem these nights' costs plus all incidental expenses!!!"
With that, he literally jumped for joy.
"Where you going?" asked a friend.
"Theme park!!"
His face glowed.
"If everything's free, I'm buying ALL the merch!!!"
"Not just figures—flame knight armor, swords of valor, EVERYTHING!!!"
...
As he sprinted off,
the crowd exchanged stunned looks.
The audacity...
Could the pool really be *that* powerful?
Hesitantly, the elf tossed a coin:
"I wish to pass finals..."
Others: ???
Inspired by such pure, heartfelt desires,
more stepped forward:
"I want a serious girlfriend... marriage material."
"Grandma's illness gone—health, longevity, happiness."
"Sister's childbirth smooth, mom and baby safe."
"Lose weight... 150lbs is enough."
Wishes piled up as silver coins glittered underwater.
While the golden pool worked miracles,
Lin Suyang tweaked Summer Momo Coffee's promotional plans.
That morning,
three themed coffee designs landed on his desk—
Chen Jianhai's concepts for Lang'ai, Jasmine, and Lion Castle.
Studying them,
Lin Suyang inhaled deeply, sighing in awe:
"The Boss is the Boss!!!"
"Not just hospitality genius—even his designs are masterpieces!!!!"