Expanding Her Domain into the Sky, Between the Clouds and the Racetrack

Three days later, Su Jin stood on the private jet apron at Tianjin Binhai International Airport, a brand-new Gulfstream G650ER before her.

Its silver-white fuselage gleamed coldly in the early winter sunlight. Her personal insignia was painted on the tail-a minimalist stylization of the character Jin, designed by a young artist Cheng Yan had recommended.

The boarding stairs were in place, and the cabin door stood open, offering a glimpse of beige leather seats and walnut-colored interiors.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg peeked out from behind her shoulder, unable to hide the pride in its voice.

[What do you think? This system chose this model for you. It has the longest range in the world and can fly nonstop from Beijing to New York without a problem. The interiors were done by a design team brought in especially from France. Would you like to go inside and have a look?]

Su Jin said nothing and walked up the boarding stairs.

The cabin was more spacious than it looked from outside.

All twelve seats were business-class seats that reclined fully flat, upholstered in beige leather and paired with dark walnut. Each had an adjustable reading light and a charging port beside it.

At the rear was a private owner's suite, with a large bed two meters long and one and a half meters wide, a separate bathroom, and a small Monet Water Lilies hanging on the wall. Cheng Yan had bought it at auction for her last week. It was an original, only the size of a palm, but just right for the space.

In the bathroom, La Mer toiletries were neatly arranged beside a thick stack of Ferragamo towels. The Frette bathrobe was pure cotton, as soft to the touch as a baby's skin.

Su Jin sat on the bed in the main bedroom for a moment. The mattress was neither too soft nor too firm, and the silk bedding felt smooth and cool against her skin.

On the bedside table sat a small dish of Godiva chocolates and a box of Dom Pérignon champagne, freshly taken from the refrigerator. Thin wisps of white vapor still rose from the ice.

[Satisfied?] Little Golden Egg followed her in and floated beside her. [This system personally oversaw the suite's design. The mattress is from Hästens, the brand used by the Swedish royal family. Their mattresses start at three hundred thousand yuan apiece. The tub is a Jacuzzi whirlpool bath, the toiletries are a La Mer travel set, the bathrobe is Frette, and the bedding is Pratesi. You said before that you liked how that brand felt, and this system remembered.]

Su Jin stood and walked to the window, looking out at the apron.

"How much?" she asked.

[The jet, modifications, and interiors came to eighty-seven million dollars in total.] Having given her the figure, Little Golden Egg watched her carefully. [Host, you don't think it's too expensive, do you?]

Su Jin said nothing, but the corners of her mouth lifted.

Eighty-seven million dollars-more than five hundred million yuan. Enough to buy an entire building inside Beijing's Second Ring Road.

But right now, it was merely her means of travel, her ride from Beijing to Dali.

[It is a little expensive, but it's absolutely worth it,] Little Golden Egg added quickly. [This plane has a range of 13,000 kilometers. From now on, if you want breakfast in Paris, afternoon tea in New York, or a sunset in the Maldives, it'll all be convenient.

And the interiors were custom-made to your taste. No one else could buy one exactly like it even if they wanted to.]

Su Jin nodded and turned to leave.

"Schedule takeoff for nine tomorrow morning," she said. "Tell Shen Mingwei and Lin Man I'll see them at the airport."

Two

At eight forty-five the next morning, Shen Mingwei and Lin Man appeared on the apron.

Shen Mingwei wore a sharp black pantsuit beneath a coat in the same color and carried a Tumi cabin suitcase. She looked so capable she could have stepped into a meeting room at any moment.

Lin Man was dressed more casually in a beige cashmere cardigan, dark-blue jeans, and comfortable flat ankle boots. She carried only a Longchamp dumpling bag over her shoulder and was clearly in a vacation frame of mind.

The two stopped in front of the boarding stairs and looked at the enormous private jet before them. Without a word, both fell silent.

"Xiao Jin," Lin Man finally said, her voice a little dazed, "this is yours?"

Su Jin poked her head out of the cabin door and waved them up. "Come on in. Don't just stand there."

Lin Man climbed the stairs, and the moment she stepped through the cabin door, she froze.

The twelve seats were all empty, with only the three of them aboard. The door to the rear cabin was ajar, revealing a glimpse of the large bed. Freshly cut fruit, delicate pastries, and several fashion magazines sat on the coffee table.

A flight attendant stood smiling nearby in a neatly pressed gray suit, a small name badge pinned to her chest.

"Xiao Jin," Lin Man said, turning to her with a look as complicated as if she had seen an alien, "just how... rich are you?"

She was genuinely beginning to suspect that Su Jin was the daughter of some powerful reclusive family.

Su Jin didn't answer. She simply pointed to a window seat. "Sit here. The view's good."

Shen Mingwei was much calmer than Lin Man. She had seen plenty of private jets during her years in investment banking, and although she had never seen one this new, she could at least keep her composure.

She handed her cabin suitcase to the flight attendant, sat down opposite Su Jin, and picked up the proposal for the cluster of Dali inns from the coffee table, continuing to leaf through it.

"I'll go over it once more before takeoff," she said. "We'll go straight to the site when we arrive. Time is tight."

Su Jin nodded, leaned back in her seat, and closed her eyes.

The flight attendant came over and asked softly, "Ms. Su, would you like something to drink before takeoff?"

"Hot lemon water, please."

The flight attendant turned to prepare it, and Lin Man murmured beside her, "This service is much more attentive than at my little shop."

At nine sharp, the plane taxied out of the apron on schedule and headed for the runway.

It accelerated, raised its nose, and lifted off. The ground outside the window fell farther and farther away as the city of Tianjin spread out beneath them, then disappeared under the clouds.

Su Jin watched the sea of clouds growing thicker outside the window and slowly sipped her lemon water.

The flight attendant came over again, carrying a silver tray with three small plates of delicate refreshments: caviar with thin pancakes, foie gras mousse with bread, and a small piece of chocolate cake topped with gold leaf.

"Ms. Su, these are the refreshments prepared for today. Would you see if they're to your taste?"

Su Jin nodded and gestured for her to set them down.

Lin Man looked at the plate of caviar and couldn't resist taking a spoonful. Her eyes lit up.

"Oh my, this... I've only ever seen it in magazines."

Shen Mingwei glanced up at her, smiled, and returned to the proposal.

Three

Three and a half hours later, the plane landed at Dali Huangcaoba Airport.

A black Mercedes-Benz van was already waiting on the apron.

The driver was a local man with dark skin and a smile that showed a row of white teeth. As he helped them with their luggage, he chatted warmly. "The weather's been good these past few days. The snow on Cangshan Mountain hasn't melted yet, and the water in Erhai Lake is very clear. You've come at just the right time."

The van followed the lakeside road toward Shuanglang.

Scenes swept past the windows one after another. To the left was Cangshan Mountain, its summit covered in a thin layer of snow and clouds still lingering halfway up its slopes. To the right was Erhai Lake, sunlight rippling across its surface, with a few fishing boats dotted here and there.

Now and then, clusters of winter cherry blossoms flashed past by the roadside, their pink flowers especially vivid against the blue sky.

Lin Man leaned against the window, her eyes bright as a child's. "It's so beautiful. This place is so beautiful. Xiao Jin, where are your inns?"

"In Shuanglang Town," Su Jin said, looking at the information on her phone. "That row by the lake, seven buildings joined together."

Forty minutes later, the van stopped in front of a row of courtyards built in the traditional Bai style.

The seven courtyards stood side by side, facing Erhai Lake with Cangshan Mountain behind them. Each followed the typical layout of three wings and a screen wall, with gray-tiled roofs, white walls, and carved doors and windows.

The main structures were complete. Construction materials lay piled in the courtyards, and several workers were going in and out.

A middle-aged man in a gray jacket came to meet them. He was the project manager Shen Mingwei had contacted in advance, a man surnamed Chen.

He showed them through the buildings one by one, explaining each courtyard's layout, renovation progress, and existing problems as they went.

"This building will be the common area. The lobby, restaurant, and coffee bar are on the first floor, and the reading room and tea room are on the second. This one is for guest rooms, eight in total, each with its own little courtyard. This one is for suites, four altogether, each with a terrace facing Erhai Lake directly. They have the best views..."

Lin Man followed behind, listening and taking photos on her phone while murmuring to herself, "Climbing roses could grow up this wall, hydrangeas could go under that tree, and we should plant osmanthus in the courtyard. In autumn the whole courtyard would be fragrant..."

Shen Mingwei discussed construction details, budget control, and scheduling with Manager Chen, speaking rapidly and using one technical term after another.

Su Jin walked at the back, occasionally nodding or asking a question, but mostly watching in silence.

By the time they had finished touring all seven courtyards, it was four in the afternoon.

Manager Chen took his leave, and the three women stood on the terrace of the courtyard at the far end, looking out at Erhai Lake.

The sun was sinking in the west, dyeing the whole surface of the water a warm orange-red. In the distance, the outline of Cangshan Mountain grew clearer in the twilight, and the snow on its summit glowed faintly pink.

Lin Man took a deep breath and turned to Su Jin. "Xiao Jin, if these courtyards are done right, they'll absolutely be a hit. I guarantee it."

Su Jin smiled but said nothing.

Beside them, Shen Mingwei said, "I've arranged dinner tomorrow with a few local friends who run guesthouses. They're all veterans in the business and can offer plenty of advice. There are also a few people in supply chains who could be useful for purchasing supplies later."

Su Jin nodded. "Just arrange it."

Four

They had dinner at a local restaurant in Shuanglang Town.

Manager Chen had recommended it, saying it served the most authentic Bai cuisine in Dali. It had been open for more than twenty years, and the locals all ate there.

The restaurant was small and its decor old, but it was spotless. The proprietress was a Bai woman in her fifties who wore a traditional headdress and had a hearty laugh.

The proprietress helped them order: hot and sour fish, rushan cheese, Erhai Lake shrimp, diaomei plum pork belly, mashed potatoes, stir-fried water flowers, and a large pot of copper-pot rice.

Lin Man stared at the table full of food. "This... isn't this way too much?"

"Not at all, not at all," the proprietress said, waving a hand. "It's your first time here, so have a taste of Dali. This fish was just caught in Erhai Lake, and so were the shrimp. They're very fresh. These water flowers are only available in this season. Once it's over, you won't be able to get them."

Su Jin picked up some hot and sour fish with her chopsticks. The flesh was tender, and the sour heat whetted her appetite. It went perfectly with rice.

The rushan was fried crisp and dipped in white sugar and rose jam, sweet without being cloying.

The diaomei plum pork belly was rich but not greasy, the sweet-tart plums perfectly balancing the meat's richness.

The mashed potatoes were soft and smooth, with a faint milky fragrance.

Lin Man ate without looking up, praising the food through mouthfuls. "It's so good. These shrimp are so fresh. How do they make these potatoes? I want to learn when I get back..."

Shen Mingwei ate much more restrainedly, replying to messages as she ate and occasionally looking up to say, "This rushan could be made into a souvenir and sold at the inns."

Su Jin said nothing, eating slowly and occasionally sipping the proprietress's homemade diaomei plum wine.

The wine was amber, sweet and sour on the tongue with a slightly strong finish, and went perfectly with the food covering the table.

After dinner, the three walked back along the stone-paved path by Erhai Lake. It was late, and the moon had risen, laying a silver-white path across the water.

In the distance, the lights of Shuanglang Ancient Town twinkled, and folk songs from the bars could just be heard.

Lin Man linked arms with Su Jin and suddenly said, "Xiao Jin, you know, I used to think rich people's lives were all about living in big houses, buying designer bags, and eating at Michelin restaurants. But after coming here with you today, I realized that's not it."

Su Jin turned to look at her. "Then what is it?"

"Freedom," Lin Man said. "Going wherever you want, doing whatever you want, helping whoever you want. You didn't buy these inns to make money, did you? You wanted to do something interesting.

And you didn't invite me along just to help you work, did you? You wanted me to be part of it too, so we could do something interesting together."

Su Jin smiled but said nothing.

Lin Man went on, "I'm really happy today. Not because I got to ride on a private jet or eat delicious food, but because I feel like I can finally do something different.

No matter how well I ran my old shop, it was still just a little shop. But now-with these inns, and the flower supply base you mentioned, and perhaps even more things in the future-I feel like my ideas finally have somewhere to take root."

Su Jin patted her hand. "There'll be plenty more places for them to take root in the future."

Five

The next morning, Su Jin didn't go with Shen Mingwei to meet the guesthouse owners, staying behind at the inn alone instead.

She asked Manager Chen to arrange a car and drove slowly along the lakeside road, finally stopping at a place called Taoyuan Village.

A tiny café stood at the entrance to the village, housed in an old Bai courtyard. A large bougainvillea grew by the door, its flowers in brilliant bloom.

She went inside, ordered a latte, and sat down in a wicker chair in the courtyard, basking in the sun as she looked at Erhai Lake in the distance.

Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Zhou Ye: Ms. Su, I'll arrive in Dali tomorrow. Would it be convenient to meet?

She replied: Yes. Contact me when you arrive.

It buzzed again. This time it was Cheng Yan: Enjoying yourself in Yunnan? There's something I wanted to tell you. One of the young artists you asked me to keep an eye on last time is holding an exhibition in Chengdu. If you're interested, you could go take a look.

She replied: Send me the address. I'll go before returning to Beijing.

The third message came from an unfamiliar number: Hello, Ms. Su. I'm the person in charge of a certain supercar club. I heard from a friend that you've recently been following Pagani. We're holding a track day event in Chengdu next weekend, and I was wondering if you might be interested.

Su Jin looked at the message and raised an eyebrow.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg popped out. [I know this club. It's one of the most exclusive supercar circles in the country. The entry requirements are high; money alone won't get you in. The fact that they approached you shows you're beginning to attract attention.]

Su Jin said nothing. She simply forwarded the message to Zhou Ye with a note: Look into this club for me. If its background is clean, make the arrangements.

After sending it, she put down her phone and took a sip of coffee.

The sunlight was just right. Erhai Lake sparkled in the distance, and a few seagulls circled over the water.

She leaned back in the wicker chair and closed her eyes, savoring the rare peace and quiet.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg said softly, [you really seem to like Dali.]

"Mm," she said. "This place would be good for retirement."

[Retirement? You're only twenty-five.]

She smiled but said nothing.

Her phone buzzed again. It was Shen Mingwei: Lunch together? A few friends would like to meet you.

She replied: Sure. Send me the address.

Six

Lunch was at a private-kitchen restaurant in the ancient city. There was no sign outside, only an elderly Bai woman standing guard at the door, asking everyone who arrived, "Do you have a reservation?"

Five or six people were already seated in the private room, and Shen Mingwei was chatting with them.

When Su Jin entered, everyone stood up, their gazes turning in unison to the mysterious young woman.

Shen Mingwei introduced them one by one: an owner of a guesthouse chain, someone in tourism investment, someone who made cultural and creative products, and two local government officials responsible for attracting investment in cultural tourism projects.

Su Jin shook hands with each of them, then sat at the head of the table, as composed as if she had been in situations like this countless times.

The dishes arrived one by one, a little more refined than the previous night's meal but still authentically Bai in flavor.

Cold dressed tree blossoms, steamed bowfish, yellow-braised chicken, rushan salad, clay-pot fish, ham stir-fried with porcini, and rose-sugar baba cakes.

The conversation over the meal was lively. The guesthouse owner talked about the changes in Dali over the past few years, the tourism investor discussed future trends, and the cultural-products maker brought out a pile of samples for Su Jin to examine.

Su Jin didn't speak much, but everything she said was on point. Occasionally she asked a question that made the other person think for a long time before answering.

"Ms. Su," the guesthouse chain owner said, looking at her with undisguised admiration,

"I heard you secured seven courtyards in Shuanglang. That's a prime location. So many people had their eyes on it, and you managed to get all of them at once. Impressive."

Su Jin smiled and didn't explain that she had obtained the courtyards through a system check-in.

"I got lucky," she said.

"Luck is part of strength too." The guesthouse owner raised his glass. "Here, a toast to you. Let's work together more in the future."

Su Jin picked up the diaomei plum wine in front of her, clinked glasses with him, and took a small sip.

After the meal, everyone went their separate ways. Shen Mingwei accompanied her out of the restaurant, and they walked slowly along the ancient city's stone-paved streets.

"Two or three of those people are worth getting to know better," Shen Mingwei said. "Especially the guesthouse owner, Tang. He's been working in Yunnan for more than ten years and has extensive contacts and experience. He'll be useful in the future. The cultural-products maker is good too. The products have ideas behind them, but he lacks funding. We could invest."

Su Jin nodded. "Use your judgment."

When they reached the parking lot, Shen Mingwei suddenly asked, "By the way, what are your plans for tomorrow? Want to go look at the land for the flower supply base together?"

"I'm meeting someone tomorrow," Su Jin said. "He's coming from Beijing."

"Who?"

"Zhou Ye. He works in security."

Shen Mingwei paused, then smiled. "He's quick. All right, you go meet him. I'll look at the base."

Seven

The following afternoon, Su Jin met Zhou Ye at a teahouse in Dali Ancient City.

He was around thirty, 1.85 meters tall, with a buzz cut, a darker complexion, and a sharpness in his eyes that spoke of his special forces background. He wore a black outdoor jacket over a simple white T-shirt, with jeans and sneakers. He looked so fit and capable he could have run five kilometers at any moment.

When he saw Su Jin come in, he immediately stood up. His gaze rested on her face for a moment before he quickly looked away-that restrained, courteous reaction gave Su Jin a better impression of him.

"Miss Su." He held out his hand and shook hers with a firm but measured grip, neither servile nor overbearing.

"Mr. Zhou, please sit down."

They sat by the window, and a server brought tea and snacks. Outside was a view of the old town's streets, with tourists coming and going and the occasional elderly woman in Bai clothing passing by with a bamboo basket on her back.

Zhou Ye spoke first. "Sister Shen gave me a brief rundown of your situation. You need a security team to handle your safety during your daily travels and at key locations. I can assemble, train, and manage the team for you, and I can also lead it on assignments myself. If you have any specific requirements, please let me know."

Su Jin looked at him and asked, "You used to work for royalty in the Middle East. What was that like?"

Zhou Ye paused, then answered, "There were a lot of rules, but the pay was good. When a member of the royal family traveled, we had to scout the location three days in advance and check every corner. When providing close protection, you had to stay on high alert. There was no room for even the slightest mistake.

"The upside was that I saw and learned a lot, and found out what truly top-tier security was."

"Then why did you leave?"

"I wanted to come home," he said. "I'd spent five years drifting around abroad, and I missed home."

Su Jin nodded, picked up her teacup, and took a sip.

"I need more than just a bodyguard," she said. "I need someone who can help me manage all my security concerns-at home, at the company, when I'm traveling, and possibly more in the future.

"That person needs professional expertise, the ability to lead a team and handle emergencies, and the ability to keep their mouth shut. Can you do that?"

Zhou Ye looked at her, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected this young, beautiful boss to speak so directly and think so clearly.

"Yes." He nodded firmly.

"I was responsible for all security matters for the royal family member I served in the Middle East. At its largest, the team had twenty people from six countries, all under my command. After coming home, I took a year off and got a helicopter pilot's license. I'm in good shape now and can start whenever you need me."

Su Jin took a contract out of her bag and slid it in front of him.

The figure in the compensation section was twice what he had expected.

Zhou Ye stared at the number in silence for a few seconds, then looked up.

"Miss Su," he said, "may I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why did you choose me? There are plenty of people with more experience than me, and plenty who have served higher-profile clients. Other than being a little younger and a little cheaper, I don't have any particular advantage."

Su Jin set down her teacup and looked at him.

"Because of one line in your résumé," she said. "'No protectee suffered any harm during an assignment.' The royal family member you served faced three assassination attempts during their reign, and your people stopped every one of them. None of those three incidents was ever publicly reported, but I found out."

Zhou Ye's expression shifted.

"In security, the most important thing isn't how skilled you are, but how reliable you are," Su Jin continued. "Your record proves you're reliable. That's enough."

Zhou Ye was silent for a long time. Then he stood and held out his hand.

"Thank you for your trust," he said. "I won't let you down."

Su Jin shook his hand and nodded.

"Welcome aboard."

Eight

After they came out of the teahouse, Zhou Ye said he wanted to scout the surrounding area and familiarize himself with Dali.

Su Jin strolled alone along the streets of the old town, occasionally stopping to browse the little roadside shops or buy some interesting trinket.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg popped up. [You've been so efficient today. You met Zhou Ye and settled the security team. Are you heading back to Beijing next?]

Su Jin shook her head. "I'm going to Chengdu first."

[Chengdu? To see that art exhibition?]

"And attend a track day while I'm there." She took out her phone and forwarded the supercar club's message to Zhou Ye. "Did you look into it for me?"

[I did. Their background is clean. It really is one of the top supercar circles in the country. The founder is the child of a well-known entrepreneur, there are fewer than fifty members, and the admission standards are very strict. They invited you themselves, which means your Pagani has already caught their attention.]

Su Jin nodded and replied to the number that had invited her: Thanks for the invitation. See you in Chengdu next weekend.

After sending it, she put away her phone and continued walking.

The sun was sinking in the west, and the tourists in the old town were gradually thinning out. The bluestone streets were dyed a warm orange-red.

She went into a small shop selling tie-dyed goods and picked out a few pretty pieces of cloth to take back for Lin Man.

She passed a little shop selling flower pastries and bought two boxes fresh from the oven. Standing by the roadside, she opened one and ate a pastry. The crust was crisp, the filling sweet and fragrant, with a faint scent of rose petals.

[Host, you're actually eating snacks by the roadside?] Little Golden Egg was shocked. [That doesn't fit your persona!]

Su Jin ignored Little Golden Egg and ate another.

When she was done, she wiped her hands and continued on her way.

Her phone vibrated. It was a message from Lu Shen: I heard you went to Yunnan. Are you having fun? Have you given any more thought to the reception?

She looked at the message, the corners of her lips curving slightly, but she still didn't reply.

[Host, when exactly are you going to respond to him?]

"No rush," she said. "Let him wait a little longer."

[...This system is starting to feel sorry for Lu Shen.]

Su Jin smiled, put her phone away, and continued strolling.

The last rays of the setting sun fell on her, coating her beige cashmere coat in a warm glow.

Her face looked even softer and more beautiful in the twilight, like a freshly completed oil painting.

In the distance, the outline of Cangshan Mountain grew clearer, the snow on its peak tinged a faint pink.

Tomorrow, she would go to Chengdu.

The day after that, she would meet new people, enter new circles, and forge new paths.

As for the men waiting for her to reply to their messages-

Let them wait.