That said, Chen Jianhai still instructed Lin Suyang and the staff to keep an eye on those two "feng shui masters."
In this day and age, you'll find all kinds of people.
If they were genuinely experts in assessing properties and feng shui, then fine.
But if those two idiots were using the feng shui compass as a front to secretly tell fortunes or read birth charts for profit in the hotel,
then they'd be blacklisted on the spot,
banned from ever staying at the hotel again.
Lin Suyang nodded vigorously. "Don't worry, boss. I've already made arrangements."
"Lion Castle Hotel has plenty of staff. We've got eyes everywhere. We'll keep tabs on what they're doing, and if they engage in any behavior that's harmful to the hotel or other guests, we'll intervene immediately!"
Good…
Chen Jianhai nodded in satisfaction, his previously tense mood gradually easing.
People love hearing nice things.
Even if those two "feng shui enthusiasts" weren't sure whether they were real masters or just amateurs, they sure knew how to flatter—
words like "strong fortune" and "auspicious energy from the east," all the nicest phrases from the dictionary.
Especially the "treasure basin" comment—that hit Chen Jianhai right in the sweet spot.
Wasn't it just a treasure basin?
Not only did it gather money, but it also gathered points!
After happily basking in the strangers' compliments for a while, Chen Jianhai remembered the real matter at hand.
"How did you arrange things for the astronomy institute people?"
Lin Suyang looked puzzled. "What arrangements?"
Chen Jianhai: "…"
"Which themed room did they stay in? The Star and Moon Wizard Room?"
Lin Suyang was stunned. "No, they didn't stay at the hotel."
He then gave Chen Jianhai a full account of his conversation with the boss of Yuxugong that day.
When he proudly declared, "Our hotel doesn't give discounts," Chen Jianhai stiffened.
"So they just checked out?"
"Yeah, they checked out." Lin Suyang nodded. "I heard they went to rent a homestay near the Secondhand Squirrel Bookstore's town."
"At first, I was worried they might be scammers, so I looked them up online."
"Turns out, they really are researchers from the domestic Xihe Astronomical Research Institute. Apparently, their team is quite well-known internationally."
"So I just instructed the subway station staff to accommodate their astronomy research needs in shifts."
Chen Jianhai listened silently.
For the sake of the hotel's harmony and unity, he didn't tell Lin Suyang that the subway station employees had already discreetly complained about him.
Chen Jianhai said, "It's about a two-and-a-half-hour walk from the town's homestay to the subway station. Even riding a shared bike takes over 50 minutes."
"Even though our hotel doesn't offer discounts, we should still show respect and support to these dedicated explorers of the stars."
"Here's what we'll do—"
"Contact them and invite them back to stay at Lion Castle Hotel."
"While Lion Castle Hotel doesn't offer discounts, I'm willing to pay out of my own pocket to host them for free, in support of astronomical research."
Lin Suyang: !!!
For a moment,
it was as if a radiant sun had appeared behind Chen Jianhai's head, casting a warm, benevolent glow.
Lin Suyang stared at him, his gaze like that of a parched traveler stumbling upon an oasis in the desert.
The longer he worked with Chen Jianhai, the more Lin Suyang admired his boss.
Even when it involved complete strangers and unrelated matters,
Chen Jianhai always stepped up to help without being asked.
"Got it, boss. I'll go invite them right away."
"Oh, and boss, here are the three ad and video samples produced by Summer Momo. Could you take a look and see if they're acceptable?"
Chen Jianhai took the tablet in surprise. "They finished them this fast? Nice work, Director Lin!"
Lin Suyang unconsciously puffed out his chest, beaming at the praise.
Chen Jianhai played the three ad and video samples, growing more satisfied with each one.
This was why his own employees were the best!
The ads for the Summer Momo flagship stores at Lang'ai, Jasmine, and Lion Castle Hotel were practically hotel promotional films.
Every shot, every play of light captured the hotels at their most beautiful.
The classic Summer Momo signature coffees looked rich and silky,
and Zhu Tingting in the ads was sharp and well-defined, his sun-kissed muscles and warm, sunny vibe a perfect match for the brand.
"But this Lion Castle Hotel coffee flagship store ad… feels a bit stiff, doesn't it?"
Chen Jianhai frowned as he watched the third sample.
Stiff?
Lin Suyang tensed up.
Of the three ads, the Lion Castle Hotel coffee flagship store one was his favorite.
Thanks to the "Wishing Pool"—a naturally stunning architectural feature with its romantic fountain—
Lin Suyang and the photographer had boldly drawn inspiration from foreign scenic cinematography and lighting techniques,
giving the ad a rich, exotic atmosphere.
If shown on its own, it could easily be mistaken for a clip from a classic foreign film.
How could it be stiff?
Lin Suyang voiced his confusion.
"Here's the thing—I think this ad looks too much like a nature documentary," Chen Jianhai explained.
"It's well-made, no doubt,"
"but Lion Castle Hotel isn't positioned as a scenic resort. It's a magical hotel meant to bring joy."
"Castles, gardens, fountains, roses, and wisteria might be rare on Cream Road,"
"but for guests who travel abroad often or international visitors, these are everyday sights. Nothing special."
"Instead of focusing on the hotel's flora, why not incorporate magical elements and make the Wishing Pool Floating Café ad as fantastical as possible?"
The words hit Lin Suyang like a bolt of clarity.
"Understood, boss. I'll revise it according to your vision."
"One more thing—"
"Should we ramp up the promotional efforts for Summer Momo Café's ads?"
Chen Jianhai paused.
"Aren't the current billboards enough?"
Lin Suyang: "Not billboards—video ads."
"For example, many video platforms and apps have a 60-second ad window for non-members before content plays. We could slot Summer Momo's ads into that 60 seconds."
Chen Jianhai looked puzzled. "Are there many non-members these days?"
Lin Suyang shot him a look. "Yes!"
Not everyone is as loaded as you!!!
"Even though members can skip pre-roll ads,"
"many platforms still insert mid-roll ads, banner ads at the bottom of videos, and even 70-second ads."
"Some TV apps also auto-play 15-second ads when launching."
"And beyond video platforms,"
"apps like Dong Dama and Little Peter usually have 10-15 second splash ads on startup."
"If you want to insert ads, there's always a way!"
"Should we negotiate with these platforms to promote the café?"
Chen Jianhai was stunned. "There are that many ad slots now?"
Lin Suyang nodded firmly. "Plenty!"
Chen Jianhai hesitated.
He'd seen these kinds of ads before,
but they were mostly for cosmetics, jewelry, and watches.
Though there were also ads for milk and yogurt,
these products were usually from major international or domestic brands with nationwide distribution, so they could afford to splurge on such placements.
But Summer Momo was just a niche regional brand… Wasn't this level of promotion a bit excessive?
Chen Jianhai frowned, deep in thought.
But the next moment,
he made the call: "Do it!"
The three Summer Momo ads weren't just for the coffee—they were also promotional material for the three hotels, with Zhu Tingting as the face of the brand!
As Lang'ai Hotel's first sub-brand, no amount of investment was too much!
And it wasn't like he couldn't afford it!
"Don't skimp on the budget. The bigger the ad campaign, the better!"
Chen Jianhai glanced at the date:
"There are about 20 days left until the end of the month."
"Before that film company in Chunyang Province holds its annual meeting, I want to see Zhu Tingting's Summer Momo splash ads on those platforms."
Lin Suyang stood at attention. "Consider it done!"
…
Upon receiving Chen Jianhai's directive,
Lin Suyang first contacted the Yuxugong boss to arrange their stay at Lion Castle Hotel.
Then, he mobilized the PR and advertising teams to overhaul the Summer Momo coffee ad with new edits and special effects.
Next, he swiftly reached out to industry giants like Little Bee, Green Fatty, Underpants, and Big Head Cabbage Studios.
With ample funding, the collaborations were secured without a hitch.
"Buddy, starting next week, you're going viral!"
Standing by his office window, Lin Suyang typed out the message and hit send.
Meanwhile, on the set of a period drama at the Wolfberry Seven Kingdoms Ancient Costume Studio in Huanglian City,
Zhu Tingting, on a break, read the message and nearly burst with excitement, barely managing to contain himself.
A nearby actress noticed and asked, "What's got you so happy?"
Zhu Tingting: "My stocks finally bounced back after years of waiting."
The actress sighed enviously. "That's worth celebrating! Mine are still in the red… Ugh."
…
As Summer Momo's ads prepared to dominate streaming platforms,
at Nanjiang City's Digital Pulse Game Development Co.,
Men Youcai, Xiang Dianqian, and Pang Xuehen walked into the building, carrying briefcases and art portfolios.
After days of burning the midnight oil, they'd finally completed the initial drafts for the Wishing Pool.
With these foundational assets and models ready,
they could now integrate them into the game through technical processing.
Noticing Pang Xuehen's nervousness, Men Youcai reassured him:
"Don't worry, Lao Pang."
"Even though you're new and haven't signed the official contract yet,"
"our company treats employees well."
"We'll reimburse your pre-employment travel and lodging. You won't be out of pocket."
Due to the urgent need for specialized talent,
after seeing Pang Xuehen's extraordinary artistic style and composition skills,
Digital Pulse had conducted an online interview and hired him on the spot.
However, the formal contract still required an in-person signing at the Nanjiang headquarters.
Until then, Pang Xuehen wasn't officially an employee.
Men Youcai didn't want him stressing over expenses, so he made sure to clarify.
Pang Xuehen: "It's fine, Brother Cai. I was invited by Lion Castle Hotel to draw fan art. The hotel's covering all my lodging and meals. No out-of-pocket costs."
Men Youcai and Xiang Dianqian: …?!
The difference was stark.
They'd been called in to work, while he'd been invited to create.
As the trio walked, they entered the virtual AI game corridor.
Pang Xuehen's eyes widened at the dazzling, hyper-realistic animations lining the walls.
He looked like a baby quail dropped into an eagle's nest—
small, timid, and trembling.
"Can I really make it in such a talented team?"
He tightened the strap of his art portfolio, palms sweating, nerves on edge.
He'd faced rejection too many times in life.
After countless failed submissions, he'd thought he'd grown numb to it.
But after working with Men Youcai and Xiang Dianqian,
he genuinely liked them and wanted to be part of this passionate, driven team.
The elevator doors opened on the 14th floor.
"Lao Pang, this is our office. It looks crowded and intense, but it's actually a great environment."
"You can draw freely here. No one will disturb you or limit your creativity."
"We encourage wild, unfettered imagination."
"You're going to love it!"
Men Youcai pushed open the door.
The spacious office was packed with dozens of employees at their workstations,
surrounded by screens displaying 3D artwork.
Some huddled in discussion,
some sketched intently with headphones on,
radiating a "don't bother me" vibe.
Others stood nearby wearing Matrix-style visors,
holding black rectangular controllers as if manipulating invisible objects.
Pang Xuehen was mesmerized.
"What are they doing?"
Men Youcai explained: "AI-assisted drawing."
"It's a cutting-edge form of artistic creation."
"We provide high-level creative direction, and the AI handles the execution and refinement."
"AI isn't constrained by conventional thinking—it pushes boundaries and sparks inspiration."
"You'll love using it too."
Then he asked:
"Lao Pang, what kind of fan art have you done for the hotel? Can we see?"
"Wizards, elves, pythons… but mostly mermaids."
Pang Xuehen pulled out a mermaid sketch.
Men Youcai's pupils contracted.
The paper was darkened with heavy charcoal strokes,
like storm clouds pressing down.
In the negative space,
a massive fishtail emerged from a crescent-shaped lake,
its scales layered like a blooming lotus.
Yet despite its beauty,
the image sent chills down the spine—
as if a monstrous lake demon might surge forth at any moment.
Men Youcai gave Pang Xuehen a skeptical look.
If this was the fan art…
how had the hotel agreed to cover his expenses?
Turning Lion Castle's serene lake into a monster's lair—who'd want to stay there?!
As Men Youcai searched for a diplomatic response,
Xiang Dianqian leaned in excitedly:
"This is perfect for a dark boss!"
"The boss design team was just asking for ideas for a new monster boss!"
"We could totally make this an Abyssal Siren dungeon!"