Confidant

"Qu Shanshan?" Zhang Yang nodded, said nothing, and waited while drinking his tea.

Qu Shanshan stood to the side, attentively serving tea and water, seemingly aware of something.

A moment later, the elevator doors opened in the distance.

A woman in her early thirties stepped out of the elevator, glanced around, and then quickly jogged over.

"Mr. Zhang... Mr. Zhang, you've been waiting for me."

She stood in front of Zhang Yang, panting.

Zhang Yang looked up at the woman in front of him. Hmm... she was wearing a hotel uniform, had short hair that reached her ears, and looked like a strong woman. This must be Yu Kaili, the current GM of the InterContinental Garden Hotel.

"Are you the GM?"

"Yes, Mr. Zhang, my name is Yu Kaili, and I am currently the GM of our InterContinental Garden Hotel." Yu Kaili was humble but a little nervous.

Qu Shanshan, standing to the side, didn't dare to breathe.

Based on the phone call she had just heard and Mr. Yu's current attitude, she finally realized that the handsome young man in front of her was indeed the new owner of the hotel.

She looked at President Yu, who was usually cold and aloof, but now looked extremely cautious, and couldn't help but sigh.

The really awesome GMs are all just employees.

"Okay, show me around, we can talk as we walk," Zhang Yang nodded.

A new broom sweeps clean, and this is especially true for a boss like him.

In this huge five-star hotel, many of the management and staff are naturally former employees of the owner, so some changes are inevitable.

As for the GM, let's not rush into it. After all, he is the highest-ranking manager who is most familiar with the hotel's situation.

If they are used well and perform well, there's nothing wrong with keeping them.

With a new industry secured, stability is the top priority.

"Okay, Mr. Zhang, this way please," Yu Kaili said quickly.

Zhang Yang stood up and, together with Yu Kaili, prepared to take a good look around the hotel and, incidentally, learn about its basic information.

Along the way, the two walked and stopped frequently, passing through a grand lobby with three courtyards, a magnificently decorated banquet area with a mansion-like style. The hotel's decor, which was full of Chinese garden style, left a deep impression on Zhang Yang.

The hotel has 260 guest rooms ranging from tens to hundreds of square meters, of which more than 100 offer panoramic views of the Qiantang River.

There are four restaurants and one coffee shop in total, with the elegant Chinese restaurant located on the 19th and 20th floors.

It also features two 1,500-square-meter, eight-meter-high, pillarless banquet halls, twelve large multi-functional halls, and a 2,000-square-meter rooftop garden.

"It's a behemoth," Zhang Yang thought to himself.

While enthusiastically introducing the hotel, Yu Kaili was secretly observing the new owner's expression.

Unfortunately, the new boss didn't show any extra expression from beginning to end.

"Mr. Zhang, there are more specific details, such as personnel and revenue. Please allow me to report to you in my office," Yu Kaili said from the side.

"Okay, then let's go to your office."

The hotel's GM office and administrative offices were on the first floor. Soon, Zhang Yang entered the GM office.

Although the GM office isn't on the top floor, the view is still quite expansive, with the Qiantang River right outside the window, a truly refreshing sight. The interior of the GM office is also quite sophisticated, with a classic and elegant style that befits the hotel's scale and style.

Within one's own industry, there's no need to stand on ceremony.

Zhang Yang sat down directly in the leather executive chair behind the mahogany desk, glanced at the reports on the desk, and then casually picked one up to flip through.

"Mr. Zhang, this is the list of personnel. Shall I introduce you to them?" Yu Kaili asked Zhang Yang in a low voice.

"Sure, then you can introduce it." Zhang Yang didn't look up and continued flipping through the pages.

"Mr. Zhang, the hotel currently has a total of 301 employees, of which..." Yu Kaili rattled off the employee information with remarkable ease.

The entire hotel has eight departments.

The department is divided into various departments, including front desk, guest rooms, food and beverage, security, marketing, engineering, finance, and human resources.

Zhang Yang listened while glancing at the report in his hand.

Last year, the InterContinental Garden Hotel had a net profit of 89 million, with a slightly higher proportion from food and beverage and a slightly lower proportion from guest rooms, which can be seen from the room occupancy rate.

"The room occupancy rate... seems to have room for improvement." Zhang Yang looked up at Yu Kaili.

He said that for a reason.

The entire hotel faces the Qiantang River, boasting a prime river view and an excellent location, especially considering it's situated in Hangzhou.

Of course, he was just saying it casually.

Unexpectedly, Yu Kaili, seeing this, panicked and quickly said, "Mr. Zhang, it's like this. Our hotel has always been positioned as high-end. Since its opening, it has hosted major domestic and international conferences and has hosted hundreds of domestic and foreign political and business teams. Therefore, the room rate is relatively high compared to other five-star hotels of the same brand."

"Oh, could you please elaborate on the marketing team?" Zhang Yang glanced at the marketing department again; it seemed there were too many people.

Maintaining so many marketing personnel naturally requires sufficient performance to back it up.

Yu Kaili's voice trembled slightly. She was usually a calm and collected person, and she shouldn't have lost her composure like this.

However, given the situation today...

The big boss was replaced overnight, and she, as the hotel GM, was the first to be affected and would definitely be impacted.

She joined this hotel right after graduation, working diligently all the way up to her current position as GM at the young age of thirty-five. She's truly a young and accomplished woman. Could it be that the new boss is going to take her down today...?

You should know that there are plenty of people below who want to get promoted.

"Mr. Zhang, the marketing department currently has thirty people, including eighteen sales personnel. Regarding performance..."

Zhang Yang listened as Yu Kaili focused on introducing the situation of the marketing personnel, especially the sales staff.

There are eighteen salespeople. The top performers are exceptionally outstanding, far ahead of the competition. There are also quite a few mid-level salespeople. However, the bottom performers have been at the bottom for a long time, not just for a month or two.

"Who is the sales manager? Why aren't these bottom-ranked salespeople taking any action? Have they gone to visit the companies?" Zhang Yang asked again.

Yu Kaili took a deep breath, stepped forward, and gently bent down.

"Mr. Zhang, the sales manager was under the previous boss's control, so I haven't been able to get involved in the sales department. But rest assured, I will definitely..."

"What exactly?" Zhang Yang looked up and asked with a smile. "What are you planning to do?"

"Mr. Zhang, please give me a week. I will definitely reorganize the sales department, opening stores where necessary and promoting those who deserve it." Yu Kaili seized the opportunity to express her loyalty. "Also, not only the sales department, but the hotel as a whole, I will also reorganize..."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Lay off all the people who need to be laid off, at the lowest possible cost."

As for who should be laid off, she naturally knew.

For example, the former boss's people, those who take bribes and skim money at the hotel, and those who just coast along and are paid to do nothing.

"You're being a little too nervous." Zhang Yang laughed. "Alright, I'll leave this to you. Just don't let me down."

Yu Kaili's firm chest immediately puffed out.

"Thank you for your trust, Mr. Zhang. Kelly will definitely not let you down."

She knew this was a test for her, a test of her abilities and courage, and even more so, a test of her loyalty.

If she performs well, she can gain the new boss's trust and solidify her position; if she doesn't perform well, her fate truly depends on the new boss's word.

"Oh, right, arrange a room for me," Zhang Yang instructed, then stood up.

He felt a little hungry.

A moment later, inside the Chinese restaurant of the InterContinental Garden Hotel.

Zhang Yang sat alone by the floor-to-ceiling window, the table laden with Hangzhou dishes such as stir-fried shrimp, Ding Sheng Gao (a type of rice cake), and Longjing shrimp, all personally prepared by the head chef and served immediately.

As expected of the hotel's signature restaurant, these dishes were mainly savory with a hint of sweetness, and the overall flavor was light and moderate, preserving the original taste of the ingredients.

"The food is really good." Zhang Yang nodded.

In the afternoon, sitting in his own property, leisurely eating his food and enjoying the scenery outside the window, Zhang Yang felt an indescribable sense of comfort.

"Mr. Zhang!" A surprised voice suddenly came from the side.

Zhang Yang glanced at the figure standing to the side, finding him vaguely familiar. Wasn't that the lobby manager from today? I think his name was...

"Qu Shanshan?"

"Mr. Zhang, you still remember me?" Qu Shanshan's face lit up with surprise.

"Have a seat." Zhang Yang glanced at Qu Shanshan, who was standing cautiously to the side in her hotel uniform, and gestured for her to sit down. "Have you eaten?"

"Mr. Zhang, I've eaten," Qu Shanshan said softly.

"Then have some with me." Zhang Yang felt there was a bit too much food; even though he was the boss, he couldn't afford to waste food.

"Okay." Qu Shanshan obediently sat down.

"How many years have you been working at this hotel?" Zhang Yang asked the lobby manager as he ate.

"Mr. Zhang, I've been working at this hotel for five years." Qu Shanshan picked up her chopsticks and ate only a few bites. Whenever Zhang Yang asked a question, she would quickly put down her chopsticks and answer obediently, as if giving a work report.

"Five years? How many years have you been a lobby manager?" Zhang Yang asked again.

"It's been almost two years," Qu Shanshan said cautiously.

"It's been two years. Do you want to be promoted to front office manager?" Zhang Yang asked with a smile.

The front office manager is definitely higher-ranking than the lobby manager. After all, the front office manager is in charge of all the big and small matters in the front office, while the lobby manager, strictly speaking, is not considered part of the management team.

"Huh?" Qu Shanshan was stunned, and her heart immediately started pounding.

Mr. Zhang, Mr. Zhang, why are you asking this...? Could it be...?

She was so excited that her face flushed red and she couldn't speak.

The big boss has spoken; whether or not I get promoted is just a matter of a word... But why me?

In that instant, her mind raced, desperately trying to find her own value.

She glanced up and noticed Zhang Yang's gaze; a sudden realization dawned on her.

"Mr. Zhang, I think..." she said bluntly.

"Hmm," Zhang Yang hummed in response, without saying anything else.

"Mr. Zhang." Qu Shanshan bit her lip. "Mr. Zhang, I've worked at the hotel for five years. I know a lot about everyone here..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang immediately laughed.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Give me a proper report. As for the promotion... don't worry, as long as you perform well, I'll give you opportunities and give you more responsibilities."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang, thank you for your appreciation." Overwhelmed with emotion, Qu Shanshan quickly stood up to express her gratitude.

When the new big boss arrives at the hotel, the first thing he'll do is find his trusted confidants, right? How could she possibly let such a golden opportunity slip by?

A moment later, Qu Shanshan, her cheeks flushed with excitement, left first.

Zhang Yang also put down his chopsticks and got up to go to his suite.

Yu Kaili is someone he needs, but whether she can become a trusted confidante is still debatable. In this situation, it would be better to promote someone and cultivate a trusted confidante. After all, although he is the boss, he cannot possibly be aware of everything that happens in the hotel, big or small.

He stayed in the most expensive presidential suite at the InterContinental Garden Hotel, which cost 80,000 yuan per night.

With an area of over 300 square meters, roughly equivalent to five river-view suites, it features a super-large high-ceilinged living room, a Chinese and Western kitchen and dining area, a study, a media room, and master and secondary bathrooms.

The decor is rich in traditional Chinese style, yet extremely luxurious.

After walking around for a while, Zhang Yang stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window with its huge frontage.

Below us lies the magnificent Qiantang River, and across the river stretches the Qianjiang New City with its stunning skyline.

This angle and view are truly unique. And it's still daytime now; when night falls, the Qianjiang New City on the opposite bank will be ablaze with lights, making the skyline even more dazzling and captivating.

Standing in his own executive suite, gazing at the river view that was exclusively his, Zhang Yang was overwhelmed with emotion.

"It really feels... reassuring," Zhang Yang couldn't help but mutter to himself.

He was in an unfamiliar city, but ever since he acquired this business, he inexplicably felt an unparalleled sense of security.

Unbeknownst to him, his knowledge and experience had become increasingly profound.

While enjoying the river view, Zhang Yang's phone suddenly received a message.

"Xiang Xiaotian?"

The message on my phone was from Xiang Xiaotian.

"Brother Zhang, come quick, save me." This was followed by a string of pitiful and helpless emojis.

"I almost forgot about that." Zhang Yang shook his head and chuckled.

Since he had promised, he naturally wouldn't go back on his word, so he decided to go.

A moment later, he walked out of the presidential suite, went straight downstairs, and prepared to go to the Junlan Hotel... well, to save the day.

···

Lobby lounge area of Junlan Hotel.

Xiang Xiaotian sat facing her parents, feeling restless.

"You said you don't want to see your Uncle Lu's son? And you said you have a boyfriend?" Xiang Xiaotian's father, Xiang Detao, frowned and asked in a deep voice.

"Yes, yes, yes." Xiang Xiaotian nodded quickly.

Xiang Detao looked at Xiang Xiaotian's mother, Dong Yaru, who was standing to the side, and asked, "You go to Magic City every week, how come you didn't know about this?"

"I really don't know." Dong Yaru thought for a moment and then held her daughter's hand. "Xiao Tian, did you make up an excuse to lie to your parents because you didn't want to see them?"

"I really didn't. He's in Hangzhou. I've already sent him a message, and he'll be there soon," Xiang Xiaotian said somewhat guiltily.

Xiang Detao snorted and drank some tea.

Anyway, judging from their expressions, they didn't believe it at all.