From Young Lin to Boss Lin!

Sunday.

Visitor numbers at the scenic area hit another small peak.

All the rooms at the Fortunate Inn were booked before noon.

With only so many rooms available, customers who arrived late made the trip for nothing and left disappointed, hurrying off to try other inns.

If they couldn't book a room anywhere, their only option was to pitch a tent in the camping area on the mountain.

"Hey, miss, can we eat at your canteen even if we're not staying at your inn?"

"I read online that the staple dishes in your Soul-Stirring Series are amazing. That's why I came all the way from Rao City."

"As you can see, it's not that I don't want to stay here. Your business is just too good-there isn't a room left for me."

A young man in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts had failed to book a room and could only ask Hu Ting with a helpless look.

"Of course. Our Good Fortune Canteen is open to all visitors in the scenic area. You can order food even if you're not staying here."

This wasn't the first time Hu Ting had dealt with a customer like the young man in shorts. She smiled and reminded him:

"But I should let you know that, because our ingredients are limited, the Good Fortune Canteen only serves a limited number of Soul-Stirring Series staple dishes each day."

"Dinner goes on sale at five thirty sharp, and we're usually sold out by around six."

"If you'd like to try the Soul-Stirring Series staple dishes, make sure you come early."

"Wow, the staple dishes at your canteen really sell that well!"

"All right, thanks for the reminder, miss. I'll remember that. See you later."

After thanking Hu Ting, the young man left with a touch of regret.

On a wicker chair in the reception area.

Lin Zhe, who was leafing through a copy of Homestay Management and Operations, had witnessed the entire process, from the customer's hopeful arrival to his slightly disappointed departure.

Guys, can anyone relate?

Just a few days ago, I was worrying about the inn's low occupancy. Now it's suddenly packed.

But... I clearly haven't done anything!

He hadn't advertised or run any promotions, yet business had suddenly picked up.

Even the guest room at the bend in the hallway where Lin Zhe usually stayed had been taken by a guest.

At that moment, Lin Zhe couldn't help feeling that he was winning without lifting a finger, carried along by the Mount Sanqing scenic area's success!

To attract visitors from all over the country to Mount Sanqing that summer,

the scenic area had rolled out one event after another, large and small, with an unprecedented promotional push.

The Fortunate Inn had benefited from the momentum too, enjoying the rewards brought by all that visitor traffic.

The Fortunate Inn had thirty-two rooms in total: twenty-six standard rooms at 299 yuan a night and six premium rooms at 499 yuan.

With every room occupied, room charges alone brought in 10,784 yuan a day, not counting sales of daily necessities at the front desk!

As more guests stayed at the inn, the Good Fortune Canteen's takings had risen too, setting another daily revenue record of 6,899 yuan.

Between the rooms and the kitchen, daily sales were fast approaching 20,000 yuan!

He wouldn't know the exact figure until he checked the accounts that evening, but Lin Zhe had a feeling it would be no less than yesterday's.

Yesterday, the Fortunate Inn's total revenue across all sources had been 19,756 yuan, just shy of 20,000.

Today, they would probably break that mark!

Even at a conservative gross margin of fifty percent, Lin Zhe was now a man earning 10,000 yuan a day.

And the margin on the Soul-Stirring Series staple dishes wasn't merely fifty percent-it could reach around seventy percent!

"If this trend keeps up, I can earn next year's rent in a month!"

Good fortune put a spring in his step. With business booming at the inn over the past two days, Lin Zhe was in an exceptionally good mood.

"Once midnight passes tonight, it'll be a new week. What reward will I get from this check-in?"

Lin Zhe raised his arm, turned his palm upward, and glanced at the glittering golden character for "Sign" on it, a smile curling his lips.

At first, the thing had looked awkward to him no matter how he viewed it. He kept wanting to pick at it, but he was afraid he might pick it right off.

He had both loved and hated the "Sign" character on his palm.

Now, having experienced the positive changes that the various special items rewarded by the check-in panel had brought to the inn,

he found that "Sign" character more pleasing to the eye by the day!

Without the Cleansing Talisman he had received for checking in at the Three Pure Ones Palace, and the hen he had obtained at Fox Nibbling Chicken,

the Fortunate Inn wouldn't have been enjoying such booming business today.

Naturally, then, Lin Zhe was eagerly anticipating tomorrow's check-in reward!

"Studying, Boss Lin? You're really absorbed in it!"

"You young people really are eager to learn!"

"At our age, we get sleepy the moment we open a book. Nothing sinks in anymore!"

As Lin Zhe held his book and let his mind wander to tomorrow's check-in reward, a loud voice suddenly rang out beside him.

"Oh, Sister Li! Please, have a seat. Hu Ting, get Sister Li a bottle of water."

Lin Zhe turned and saw Li Ying, whom he called Sister Li, from Old Li's Grain and Oil Shop.

She was carrying a square cardboard box roughly fifty centimeters in length, width, and height, with "Old Jia's Fresh Peaches" printed on it.

Lin Zhe hurried to his feet to greet Li Ying, while also asking Hu Ting to bring her some water.

Judging by her loose T-shirt, already soaked with sweat, she had probably just finished unloading a delivery at the kitchen.

Their connection had begun when Lin Zhe went to the market alone to buy supplies and Li Ying showed him a little kindness.

Ever since then, all the Good Fortune Canteen's ingredients had been delivered by Li Ying.

He even had Li Ying pick up seasonings and the vegetables the canteen needed while she was at the market.

As business at the Good Fortune Canteen grew busier, Li Ying's deliveries grew larger, and naturally, so did her profits.

By now, the Good Fortune Canteen had become the biggest customer of Sister Li's Grain and Oil Shop.

"Have some water, Sister Li."

Li Ying came to deliver supplies almost every day now, so Hu Ting had gotten to know her well too. She walked over with a smile and handed her a bottle of cold water.

"Thank you, Hu Ting. Thank you, Boss Lin!"

"You're so kind, Boss Lin. You give us so much business, we don't even know how to thank you."

"My parents-in-law grew these peaches over in Han Family Village. I brought some for you and the girls at the inn to try fresh."

As she spoke, Li Ying set the large box she was holding on the floor.

Lin Zhe offered a polite protest. "You really shouldn't have. You've gone to too much expense, Sister Li."

"Haha! What expense? They didn't cost me a thing!"

"They're from our own orchard. They're not worth much."

"If you finish this box, just say the word, Boss Lin. I'll bring you another one when I make a delivery."

Laughing, Li Ying unscrewed the bottle cap and gulped down the entire bottle of water.

Seeing this, Lin Zhe told Hu Ting, "Get Sister Li another two bottles of water."

"No need, no need, Hu Ting. I've still got other deliveries to make when I get back."

"Get back to what you were doing, Boss Lin. I only came by to give you some peaches. That's all, so I'll be off."

Li Ying was the decisive, brisk sort. As she spoke, she waved goodbye to Lin Zhe.

By the time she finished her sentence, she was already out the inn's door and in the courtyard.

Lin Zhe didn't know when Li Ying had started calling him Boss Lin instead of Young Lin.

Although the change from "Young Lin" to "Boss Lin" was only a change in how she addressed him,

he had to admit that hearing it really did feel different.

Growing from "Young Lin" into "Boss Lin" gave him quite a sense of accomplishment!

After watching Sister Li walk away, Lin Zhe turned to Hu Ting. "Hu Ting, go wash some peaches so everyone can try them."

"Sure thing, boss!"

Hu Ting agreed with a smile, lifted the cardboard flaps, and took a few peaches from the box to wash in the kitchen.

After washing them, Hu Ting picked out the biggest, reddest peach and saved it for Lin Zhe.

Lin Zhe tried it. It tasted fine, but that was about it-just an ordinary peach like any sold at the market.

It was late July, when fuzzy peaches and nectarines were coming onto the market in large quantities. Peach sellers were everywhere.

"Boss, have you heard the legend about the Penguin Offering a Peach attraction in the scenic area?"

With every room at the inn occupied, there were no check-ins to handle that afternoon, leaving Hu Ting with some free time.

She chatted with Lin Zhe as she ate her peach in small, dainty bites.

The peaches they were eating had sparked the conversation.

As they talked, the subject turned to one of the scenic area's attractions: Penguin Offering a Peach.

"Oh? Does that attraction have a legend too? What story did they dream up? Let's hear it."

Lin Zhe looked at Hu Ting with a cheerful smile, his expression full of interest.