A Guesthouse Group Over Coffee

Three days later, at three in the afternoon, Su Jin sat in a café converted from a courtyard house in Dongcheng District, waiting for Shen Mingwei.

It was a rare spell of fine weather in Beijing's winter. Sunshine spread generously across the courtyard, warming the gray bricks and roof tiles.

The century-old scholar tree in the courtyard had long since shed its leaves. Its bare branches stretched beneath the blue sky, spaced with graceful ease, like a freehand painting rendered in dark ink.

Several wicker tables and chairs stood beneath the tree. Su Jin had taken the table in the corner, with a clump of still-green heavenly bamboo at her back and a latte that had already been refilled twice before her. She had come early, wanting to sit for a while and immerse herself in this rare peace and quiet.

She was dressed more casually than usual: an oatmeal-colored cashmere cardigan over a simple white T-shirt, dark gray wide-leg trousers, and a pair of suede ankle boots in a matching shade.

She wore only two pieces of jewelry. On her left wrist was the Bonheur watch she had just bought from Van Cleef & Arpels, its diamonds and rubies sparkling in the sunlight. On her right middle finger was a plain band, a classic Cartier design so delicate it was almost unnoticeable without a close look.

Her hair was loosely pinned up behind her head, with a few wisps hanging by her ears and swaying gently as she lowered her head.

Sunlight fell on her face, making her clear skin look almost translucent. Her eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath her eyes.

She picked up her coffee cup and took a sip. As she set it down, her fingers lingered on the rim for a moment, her movements unhurried, marked by a composure that seemed to run in her bones.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg said, poking half her head out of the air beside her. [This system gives today's outfit full marks.]

"When do you ever not give me full marks?"

[That's different.] Little Golden Egg had an answer ready. [Usually, you're the "I'm rich as hell and I'm awesome" kind of beautiful. Today, you're the "I've got all the time in the world and I'm comfortable as hell" kind. Two kinds of beautiful, two different realms. This system loves both.]

Su Jin couldn't be bothered to respond. Her gaze settled on the courtyard entrance.

A figure happened to walk in.

The woman was around thirty-five and about 165 centimeters tall. Her black cashmere coat was unbuttoned, revealing a light gray knit top and trousers in a matching shade.

Her short hair reached her ears, with one side tucked back to reveal a small pearl stud. Her features weren't striking, but together they gave her a pleasant, enduring appeal. The confidence between her brows spoke of someone who had seen the world.

Standing at the entrance, she glanced around the courtyard. Her eyes quickly found Su Jin, and she froze for a moment.

It was the instinctive reaction of someone who had known the other person was beautiful, but hadn't expected her to be quite this beautiful.

She quickly recovered, however, and walked over with unhurried steps and a composed bearing.

"Miss Su?" She bowed slightly as she reached the table. "I'm Shen Mingwei."

Su Jin stood and held out her hand. "Sister Shen, please sit. Just call me Xiao Jin."

They shook hands and sat down at the table. A server came over, and Shen Mingwei ordered an Americano before turning to study Su Jin carefully.

There was nothing offensive about her scrutiny. It was a professional, evaluative observation, like the kind she used to make when interviewing new hires in investment banking.

"To be honest," she began, "before I came, I was curious what kind of young person could find me through that sort of channel. Now that I've met you, I'm even more curious."

Su Jin smiled. "There's no need to be curious, Sister Shen. I'm just lucky, and I have a little money. I want someone to help me manage it."

"A little money?" Shen Mingwei smiled too. "Finding me through that channel isn't something you can do with just 'a little money.' That channel-do you know what the threshold is?"

Of course Su Jin knew. Little Golden Egg had told her that the so-called Talent Screening System drew on resources from across dimensions. Everyone it selected was a top figure in their field. Ordinary people couldn't even learn about them, much less contact them.

But she merely smiled and offered no explanation.

Watching her expression, Shen Mingwei's interest deepened.

"All right, I won't ask," she said. "Then tell me what you want me to do."

Two

The server brought the Americano. Shen Mingwei accepted it, took a sip, and waited for Su Jin to speak.

Su Jin didn't rush to answer. Instead, she took a folder from her bag and pushed it across the table.

Shen Mingwei opened it to find several documents: an equity transfer agreement for a boutique guesthouse hotel, a certificate of usage rights for a small island in the south,

and information on several properties, all in places with superb scenery. They included an old residence by West Lake in Hangzhou, a plot of land beside Erhai Lake in Dali, and a courtyard at the foot of Mount Qingcheng in Chengdu.

Shen Mingwei went through them page by page, her gaze growing more focused as she read. When she finished, she raised her head and looked at Su Jin.

"These," she said after a pause, "are all yours?"

"All of them." Su Jin picked up her coffee cup, her tone as casual as if she were commenting on the fine weather. "There are a few odds and ends I didn't include. These are the core assets. I want to do something with them, but I don't have the energy to manage them myself. I need a professional."

Shen Mingwei was silent for a few seconds. Then she leaned back in her chair and let out a long breath.

"Miss Su-Xiao Jin," she corrected herself, "do you know how much these are worth?"

Su Jin gave her a figure.

Shen Mingwei nodded. "About right. And that doesn't include the potential appreciation of the land. Managed well, it could double in value within five years."

"That's why I need you."

Shen Mingwei regarded her with both scrutiny and appreciation.

"Why me?" she asked.

"With these assets, you could go to any professional asset management company. The private banking divisions of the big four banks would be fighting to serve you. Why choose a complete stranger, a former investment banker running a guesthouse in Yunnan?"

Su Jin didn't answer immediately. She picked up her coffee cup and slowly took a sip.

Sunlight filtered through the scholar tree's branches, dappling her face with light and shadow.

She set the cup back on the table, raised her eyes, and looked at Shen Mingwei.

"Because I looked into you," she said. "In your fifteen years in investment banking, not one project you handled ran into trouble. The people you trained are still in demand at major institutions.

"You didn't leave because you lacked ability. You left after falling out with senior management because you refused to help a client who had falsified accounts go public.

"The guesthouse you opened became the most highly regarded in the area in just three years. It wasn't because you were especially good at business. It was because you genuinely put your heart into it."

She paused, then continued.

"I'm not looking for an employee. I'm looking for someone I can work with.

"There are plenty of people with top-notch professional skills, but not many whose character I can trust enough to hand over so many assets."

Shen Mingwei said nothing for a long time.

Then she smiled, a light smile from the heart.

"Xiao Jin," she said, "you've surprised me."

"Have I?"

"Before I came, I considered a lot of possibilities. Maybe some rich second generation had decided to start a business on a whim. Maybe a wealthy person wanted a housekeeper. Maybe-" She paused.

"Maybe some man wanted to get close to me this way. You know, that sort of thing isn't uncommon in investment banking circles."

Su Jin raised an eyebrow. "And now?"

"Now?" Shen Mingwei picked up her coffee cup and raised it toward her. "Now I think you might really just want someone to help you get things done."

"That's what I wanted all along."

Their eyes met, and they both laughed.

Three

"Good." Shen Mingwei set down her cup and shifted into work mode. "Since you trust me so much, I won't beat around the bush. I've looked at your assets. Do you know what the biggest problem is?"

Su Jin said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

"They're too scattered." Shen Mingwei pointed at the documents. "The old house by West Lake in Hangzhou, the land in Dali, the courtyard on Mount Qingcheng, and that little island-they're all excellent assets, but each one is doing its own thing. They can't combine their strengths.

"If you just want to leave them there to preserve and increase their value, that's no problem. You only need to hire a few caretakers to watch over them.

"But if you want to do something with them, you need a central theme to tie them together."

Su Jin nodded. "For example?"

"For example," Shen Mingwei said, looking at her, "guesthouse hotels."

Su Jin's eyes lit up.

"Your assets are all in superb locations, but right now they're greatly underused. The old house by West Lake is empty, the land in Dali is lying idle, you can't even get to the Mount Qingcheng courtyard once a year, and the island goes without saying." Shen Mingwei analyzed them one by one.

"But if you converted them into boutique guesthouse hotels, it would be a different story. Each place has its own character.

"West Lake could have a cultural theme, Dali could offer pastoral scenery, Mount Qingcheng could be a wellness retreat, and the island could be an upscale private getaway. They'd be independent, but they could also work together.

"Guests could stay with you in the most beautiful places across the country, with a different experience at each one."

As Su Jin listened, images had already begun to form in her mind.

"And another thing," Shen Mingwei continued.

"Don't you have a friend in floristry? Mansheng-I looked into them, and they have an excellent reputation. If these guesthouse hotels open, you could put them in charge of all the floral arrangements. A unified style and standard would ensure quality while bringing your friend business.

"You could also develop related products, like custom fragrances and flower gifts, turning floristry from a one-time service into an ongoing opportunity for customers to spend."

Su Jin looked at her, her gaze growing more thoughtful.

"You even looked into Lin Man?"

"Of course I did my homework before meeting you," Shen Mingwei said frankly. "Your spending records from that day, the people you've been in contact with recently, changes to the assets in your name-I looked into everything I could find. It's not that I don't trust you. It's a professional habit. You don't mind, do you?"

Su Jin shook her head and smiled instead. "I don't mind. It shows I chose the right person."

Shen Mingwei smiled too, then continued, "Also, the most valuable of your assets might not be the houses or the land, but that island.

"Private islands are scarce in this country. If it's developed well, you could make it an upscale members-only destination, with annual fees starting at a million and a limited number of guests each year. You wouldn't have to worry about finding customers.

"And you could grow flowers on the island. Work with Lin Man and build her flower-growing base there. If the climate is right, she could grow plenty of things that can't be grown on the mainland.

"Then Mansheng's flowers would have something unique about them, and in turn they could help promote the guesthouse."

As Su Jin listened, the blueprint in her mind grew clearer and clearer.

She suddenly remembered something.

"Sister Shen," she said, "roughly how much investment would everything you just mentioned take?"

Shen Mingwei gave her a figure.

It was eight digits.

Su Jin's expression didn't change at all. She merely nodded. "Is that budget enough?"

Shen Mingwei stared at her. "You don't want to think it over some more? That's an investment of tens of millions. It's no small sum."

Su Jin leaned back in her chair. Sunlight fell on her, bathing her almost unreal beauty in a soft glow.

"Sister Shen," she said, "my way of doing things is this: either I don't do it, or I do it to the best of my ability. I've listened to what you said, and I think it's sound. Since it's sound, let's do it. As for the money-"

She paused, her tone as casual as if she were discussing something insignificant.

"Money isn't a problem."

Four

Shen Mingwei looked at her, something complicated flickering in her eyes.

She had worked in investment banking for fifteen years and seen far too many wealthy people.

Some were nouveau riche, people who didn't know how to spend their money once they had it, with "I'm expensive, but I'm tacky" written all over them.

Some were rich second generation, born with golden spoons in their mouths and no concept of money, forever saying, "My dad says."

Others were true old money: low-key, reserved, and inscrutable, but with an innate sense of superiority in their bones, looking down on everyone they saw.

But Su Jin was different.

Her "money isn't a problem" was neither the boasting of the nouveau riche, nor the cluelessness of a rich second generation, much less the restraint of old money.

When she said it, there was a faint but unmistakable certainty in her voice. It wasn't an attitude, but a fact.

It came as naturally as someone saying, "The sun rises in the east," with no need for emphasis.

More importantly, her eyes were clear as she said it, unclouded by greed, pride, or a guilty conscience.

Those eyes simply looked at you calmly, as though asking: Is there anything else we need to discuss?

Shen Mingwei sighed softly to herself.

She suddenly understood that it was certainly not luck that had brought the young woman before her to this seat and given her these assets.

"All right." She nodded and shifted back into work mode. "Since you've put it that way, I won't hold back. Over the next three months, I need to do a few things.

"First, reassess all these assets and draw up a detailed development plan.

"Second, build a team. We'll need people for hotel operations, architectural design, marketing, finance, and legal affairs. I'll screen the candidates for you.

"Third, launch the first pilot project. I suggest starting in Dali. The policies there are more relaxed, and the plot is large, so it'll be easier to build on a sizable scale."

Su Jin nodded. "How much startup capital do you need?"

Shen Mingwei gave her another figure.

After hearing it, Su Jin took a card from her bag and pushed it across the table.

"That amount is on this card," she said. "Use it for now, and tell me if it's not enough. Also-" She paused.

"Your compensation will be twice the industry's top rate. After three years, I'll give you a ten percent equity stake without requiring you to invest."

Shen Mingwei looked at the card, then at Su Jin, unable to speak for a long moment.

"Xiao Jin," she finally said, her voice a little strained, "you trust me that much?"

Su Jin smiled and lifted her coffee cup for a sip. Her gaze passed over the rim and settled on the still-green clump of heavenly bamboo by the courtyard entrance.

"Sister Shen," she said, "I looked into you. I know what kind of person you are. You work for me, and I give you respect and compensation. It's that simple."

Shen Mingwei was silent for a few seconds, then let out a long breath.

"All right." She put the card away. "Then I won't hold back. In three months, I'll give you an answer you'll be satisfied with."

They discussed a few more details: the team, the site selection, and the timeline.

The sun gradually sank westward, its rays filtering through the scholar tree's branches at an ever steeper angle and casting long shadows on the ground.

Shen Mingwei checked the time and stood. "I'll be going, then. I'll start preparing as soon as I get back."

Su Jin stood too and saw her to the courtyard entrance.

Shen Mingwei turned to leave, then suddenly stopped and looked back at her.

"Xiao Jin," she said, "may I ask you a personal question?"

"Go ahead."

"You're so young, so beautiful, and you have so much money," Shen Mingwei said, looking at her with sincere curiosity.

"Why not find a reliable man and live a settled life? Why go to all this trouble?"

Su Jin was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

The setting sun fell directly on her, bathing her in a warm golden light.

Her face was hard to make out against the light, but its contours were as beautiful as a silhouette.

"Sister Shen," she said, "I have money, freedom, things I want to do, and people I can work with. A life like that is settled enough."

She paused and slipped on her sunglasses with one hand, a faint smile in her voice.

"As for men-they aren't a necessity."

Five

After Shen Mingwei left, Su Jin didn't leave right away.

She sat back down in the wicker chair and watched the horizon slowly turn orange-red.

A server came over and asked if she wanted anything else. She shook her head and asked only for a cup of warm water.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg said, emerging from the air and floating beside her, her voice full of feeling. [This system really had its eyes opened today.]

"What opened your eyes?"

[The way you handled things with Shen Mingwei just now,] Little Golden Egg said earnestly, [you looked like a real boss. Not the kind who throws money around and does whatever she likes, but the kind with brains, vision, and decisiveness.]

Su Jin said nothing. She simply held her glass of water and gazed at the evening glow on the horizon.

[Also,] Little Golden Egg continued,

[That last thing you said-men aren't necessities-this system has decided to add it to "Host's golden quotes" and preserve it forever. From now on, if any blind fool of a man dares harass you, this system will play it for him.]

Su Jin laughed at that, set down her glass, and stood up.

"All right, enough joking around. How much of today's allowance is left?"

[Let me see-you haven't spent much today. Exactly six million left.]

Su Jin thought for a moment, then picked up her phone and sent Lin Man a WeChat message:

"Senior sister, are you free next week? I'll take you to Dali to look at a piece of land, and we can discuss a collaboration while we're there."

After sending it, she put away her phone and headed out of the courtyard.

As she walked through the courtyard gate, her phone buzzed. It was Lin Man's reply:

"Dali? Looking at land? Xiao Jin, what on earth are you doing? How come I understand you less and less?"

Su Jin looked at the message, the corners of her mouth curving upward. Without replying, she slipped her phone into her pocket.

[Host, why didn't you tell her?]

"Tell her what?"

[Tell her you're going to build her a flower-growing base, that your guesthouses and hotels will all use her flowers in the future, and that you want to make her brand a nationally known name.]

Su Jin walked down the hutong, the setting sun casting a long shadow behind her.

"I'll tell her when it's done," she said. "If I tell her now, she'll feel pressured."

[Host, you...] Little Golden Egg's voice was touched. [You're really good to people.]

Su Jin said nothing and simply kept walking.

At the end of the hutong was a parking lot, where the silver Pagani waited quietly, its body gleaming warmly in the setting sun.

She opened the car door, climbed in, and started the engine. Its roar echoed through the narrow hutong.

The car pulled out of the hutong and joined the evening rush-hour traffic.

Outside the window, the city's lights came on one by one. Su Jin held the steering wheel with one hand and rested the other on the car window as the evening breeze lifted her hair.

In the rearview mirror, the courtyard house café grew farther and farther away, but she knew that, from today on, another piece had been added to the puzzle of her domain.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg said suddenly, [this system just scanned Shen Mingwei's loyalty to you-85 points.]

Su Jin raised an eyebrow. "That high?"

[She was at 50 points before she came. After your talk, it rose to 85,] Little Golden Egg said.

[That card at the end, the offer of a free equity stake, and the words "I'll give you respect and a return"-they broke right through her defenses. Someone like her, who's used to seeing schemes and exploitation in investment banking, suddenly meeting someone who treats her sincerely-it makes a powerful impact.]

Su Jin nodded without speaking.

The car continued forward, merging into the countless lights of the city.

Her phone buzzed. It was a spending alert from the bank-Shen Mingwei had just charged the startup funds to the card, an eight-figure sum. It buzzed again. This time it was a WeChat message from Cheng Yan, saying he would be coming to Beijing next week and asking whether Su Jin had time to meet.

Su Jin glanced at it, then put her phone aside without replying.

[Host, when are you planning to meet Cheng Yan?]

"There's no rush," she said. "I'll get things with Shen Mingwei sorted out first."

[What about Lu Shen? He's still waiting for you to call.]

Su Jin thought for a moment, the corners of her mouth curving slightly.

"Let him wait."

[...Host, is it really okay for you to do that?]

"What's wrong with it?" She pressed the accelerator, and the car sped forward. "It's not like I promised him when I'd call."

[This system suddenly feels a little sorry for those men.]

Su Jin smiled without saying anything.