Theoretically, Chen Jian was off duty today, yet he woke up right on time just before 7:00 AM. Outside, the sky wasn’t even fully bright.
Aside from Chen Erhu, who had just returned from patrolling the building, Sanbing and Lao Si were still fast asleep in the dorm. Lao Wu had gone home yesterday and hadn’t returned yet.
“Why are you still sleeping in the dorm?” Chen Erhu asked, shucking his coat and leaning back against his pillow, preparing to catch a little more sleep as he watched Chen Jian.
“…Where else am I supposed to sleep?” Chen Jian really didn’t want to answer the question, but felt compelled to offer a response.
“Go sleep in Shan Yu’s room,” Chen Erhu said.
Chen Jian was just reaching for his jacket on the coat rack; hearing this, his hand froze mid-air. Ever since Chen Erhu recovered from his initial shock that day, he had completely abandoned any pretense of subtlety.
“It’s a workplace,” Chen Jian said. “That’s an office, not a residential home.”
“But Shan Yu lives there, doesn’t he? It’s literally his home,” Chen Erhu reasoned.
“Do you have a problem with me living here?” Chen Jian asked.
“No,” Chen Erhu said. “Just feels like you two…”
He cast a glance at the sleeping figures of Sanbing and Lao Si, then lowered his voice: “Aren’t you dating? Aren’t you supposed to be glued to each other?”
“Even people who are normally dating don’t necessarily have to live together, right?” Chen Jian matched his hushed tone.
“True. People live together when they’re married,” Chen Erhu mused. “And you two aren’t getting married.”
Chen Jian let out a soft breath, remaining silent. He stared fixedly at the side of Chen Erhu’s neck for several seconds.
Chop right here.jpg
Fortunately, Chen Erhu wasn’t the overly inquisitive type. With the training instructor arriving today, he needed to squeeze in a nap to gather his energy for the classes, so he didn’t press the matter.
Stepping out of the dorm, Chen Jian glanced toward the office and noticed the door was ajar.
He wanted to see if Shan Yu had simply forgotten to close it last night or if he was already awake. After taking two steps toward it, a shadow shifted behind the narrow gap of the slightly open door.
Even though his brain instantly deduced it had to be Shan Yu, his body still reacted a split second faster, jolting in surprise.
“Look at our store manager’s courage,” the door pulled open a hand’s breadth wider, and Shan Yu revealed half his face, wearing a smirk. “How do you manage to patrol the building all alone in the dead of night?”
“Nobody else creeps back and forth behind a cracked door in the middle of the night!” Chen Jian walked over.
“Aren’t you off today?” Shan Yu asked. “Why are you up so early?”
“I’m just not working, but I can’t sleep in either,” Chen Jian stepped into the office, glanced back toward the dorms, then leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Shan Yu’s cheek. “The instructor for the training is coming today, I need to get things ready.”
“What is there to get ready?” Shan Yu asked. “Only the instructor giving the class needs to prepare.”
“You have to attend the training today too,” Chen Jian said. “You have to participate in both days of it.”
“Hm?” Shan Yu looked at him.
“You’re way too unfamiliar with the business,” Chen Jian said. “Liu Wu knows more about this place after staying for a week than you do. At least he knows our room types and rates…”
Shan Yu laughed, stretching lazily: “So just stop making me cover the front desk, problem solved.”
“Are you going down for breakfast later?” Chen Jian asked. “Or should I bring it up for you?”
“Bring it up,” Shan Yu said. “Then call Sun Nana to come up too. The three of us need to talk.”
“Talk about what?” Chen Jian asked immediately.
“Planning to register a company next month,” Shan Yu said. “To develop and consolidate tourism projects in town. It’ll also make it easier to interface and collaborate with higher-ups.”
“Together with President Liu?” Chen Jian asked.
“Mm,” Shan Yu nodded. “Originally, I didn’t want to partner with her, but I really wanted to partner with her money…”
“Are you calling Nana up to ask her to join this company?” Chen Jian guessed.
“Mm,” Shan Yu nodded again. “There’s going to be a lot of running around in the early stages, and she should be a good fit. Then we’ll slowly recruit more people… As for you…”
Shan Yu paused, looking at him.
“You’re not asking me to go too, are you?” Chen Jian was taken aback. “I definitely can’t do it. I know absolutely nothing about that stuff, and it’s not something I can just pick up overnight…”
“Relax, relax…” Shan Yu smiled, reaching out to pinch his chin. “You aren’t going anywhere for now. If you leave, who’s going to run the inn? Right now, the inn is the only project guaranteed to actually turn a profit.”
“Mm.” Chen Jian breathed a sigh of relief.
“Going to open more branches in other places later on,” Shan Yu added.
“When?!” Chen Jian instantly tensed up again. “President Liu hasn’t even recommended those books to me yet… Why don’t you recommend a few for me first…”
“Hey, this is all down the line. It’s not like you’re taking office tomorrow,” Shan Yu reached out and pulled him into an embrace, patting his back. “Are you just not used to a boss painting a grand vision for you?”
“No boss has ever painted a vision this grand for me,” Chen Jian said. “The most they ever promised was a two-day weekend, and even they were too embarrassed to call that a ‘vision.'”
Shan Yu burst out laughing.
Zhao Fangfang had already finished making breakfast. She rarely made savory sauce-brushed flatbread, but Chen Jian loved it.
Grabbing two pieces, he finished them standing right by the kitchen door before heading to the front desk.
Hu Pan had just woken up and was sitting behind the counter, staring into space.
Chen Jian shoved both her and her chair to the side: “Let me use the printer.”
“What time is the instructor arriving?” Hu Pan asked.
“Ten o’clock,” Chen Jian grabbed the mouse, clicking through files. “Did you block off a room for them?”
“Yeah,” Hu Pan nodded. “There aren’t any exams for this training, right?”
“No exams,” Chen Jian glanced at her. “Even if there were, it’s just us testing ourselves. How could we possibly fail?”
Hu Pan laughed: “Mostly because my head swells the second I hear the word ‘class.’ Back in school, the moment a teacher opened their mouth, I’d start dozing off, and the second the dismissal bell rang, I’d be wide awake. Barely passed any of my exams.”
“Don’t fall asleep later,” Chen Jian warned. “There are only a handful of people in the class; nodding off will be way too obvious.”
“Hoo! Hah!” Hu Pan threw two quick punches in the air. “Waking myself up.”
“A bit too early for that. Still over two hours to go,” Chen Jian smiled as he grabbed the freshly printed sheet. “If you can’t stay awake, just whisper a little gossip during class to perk yourself up.”
Carrying Shan Yu’s breakfast, Chen Jian headed up to the fourth floor. Although delivering all three meals to the boss’s office was something everyone already knew about, stepping out of the elevator and running straight into Sanbing and Lao Si heading downstairs still felt slightly awkward.
Back when he confessed, he genuinely didn’t anticipate the lingering aftershocks.
“Heading to the office?” Sanbing asked with a yawn.
“Yeah,” Chen Jian responded.
“He only managed to come down and eat with us for three days,” Lao Si remarked.
“More than three,” Sanbing corrected. “It’s been a week. He probably reached his absolute limit.”
Walking toward the office, Chen Jian couldn’t help but feel a laugh bubbling up.
“What’s this?” Shan Yu asked as Chen Jian placed the printed sheet on his desk.
“Dayin’s room types, amenities, which rooms are on which floors,” Chen Jian recited. “Room rates, meal times, parking, pet policies, and what recreational services we offer. It’s all on here.”
“This much?” Shan Yu pushed the paper aside.
“It’s not that much; it just sounds like a lot,” Chen Jian slid the paper right back in front of him. “It really is just one page.”
“It’s only one page because you used a tiny font size,” Shan Yu said.
“It’s a standard font size,” Chen Jian said. “You haven’t even hit twenty-seven yet, how can you be farsighted already?”
“Hey!” Shan Yu yelled, slumping back into his chair.
“Go attend the training session later,” Chen Jian said. “The instructor just sent me today’s syllabus. First up is how the front desk should handle incoming calls…”
“I have to go out in a bit,” Shan Yu said.
“Go where?” Chen Jian looked at him. “Without me, the farthest you could navigate is the old village, and even finding the new village is a stretch. Where are you going?”
“Screw you,” Shan Yu laughed.
“You have so many documents and news articles saved on your laptop, and you remember all of them,” Chen Jian said. “You even remembered the word ‘column plinth’ from wherever you heard it… Wait a second.”
“Hm?” Shan Yu looked at him.
“You only willingly memorized all that stuff so you could chat with Lu Yun, didn’t you?” Chen Jian asked.
“Chen Jian?” Shan Yu looked genuinely shocked.
“Hm?” Chen Jian stared right back.
“Let me look, let me look, let me look…” Shan Yu quickly picked up the printed sheet.
“Eat your breakfast first,” Chen Jian said.
Honestly, with Shan Yu’s memory, Chen Jian was certain he had already memorized a good chunk of it just from the few passing glances he took while pushing the paper back and forth. A few more scans while eating breakfast, and he’d have it all down.
Before now, no one had ever shoved the information in front of his face like this. Everyone simply assumed the boss would never cover the front desk.
But recently, the boss had not only shown up at the front desk twice, but had utterly botched several phone calls in the process.
For a guesthouse aiming to ride the rising tide of the town’s tourism development, leaving their most glaring vulnerability—the boss—unpatched was unacceptable.
Otherwise, if they ever filmed a web series episode featuring an incompetent boss…
A double-knock sounded at the door. Sun Nana walked in, carrying a cup of coffee.
“Looking for me?” she asked.
“Have a seat,” Shan Yu said. “Wanted to discuss something with you two.”
“I didn’t make coffee for you guys,” Sun Nana took a sip of hers as she sat on the sofa. “Several guests ordered coffee, so Panpan is using the machine. It’s tied up.”
“I’ll have soy milk,” Shan Yu smiled.
Sun Nana leaned elegantly against the sofa as she listened to Shan Yu give a brief overview of the company plans.
She remained silent for a few seconds. “Boss Shan.”
“Hm?” Shan Yu looked at her.
“Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to transfer someone from President Liu’s company for this?” Sun Nana asked. “Why ask me to do it?”
“He only wants President Liu’s money,” Chen Jian interjected. Though Sun Nana’s question was undeniably valid.
Sun Nana laughed.
“I’d still have to go through an adjustment period with people from her company. With my personality…” Shan Yu said, “as you both well know, it’s just easier working with someone who already understands how I operate.”
“…Mm,” Sun Nana nodded.
“There’s a lot of interfacing and liaison work in the early stages, and I personally believe you’re more than capable of handling it. If you’re unsure about anything, you can ask me. President Liu’s assistant will also come over for a while,” Shan Yu explained. “She’ll assist with the more specialized, technical aspects.”
“Mm,” Sun Nana acknowledged, followed by a stretch of silence.
“Of course,” Shan Yu added, “if you’re not willing, it’s completely fine. It won’t affect your current job at all.”
“I actually…” Sun Nana looked at him. “I really want to try it. But I have concerns too.”
“Oh?” Shan Yu tilted his head.
“My mental state. When the pressure gets too high, it can sometimes become unstable,” Sun Nana smoothed her hair back, twisting her coffee cup lightly between her fingers. “I’m worried whether it might…”
“That’s exactly why Xiao Ye will be coming over to help. If you feel the pressure is too much, you can rest,” Shan Yu paused briefly before adding, “Don’t let that illness bind you forever.”
Sun Nana set her cup down: “Thank you.”
“Is that a yes?” Shan Yu asked.
“Mm,” Sun Nana nodded firmly. “I’m going to give it my all.”
“Our Housekeeping Manager is off to give it her all,” Shan Yu turned to Chen Jian. “Thinking about hiring a replacement?”
“Let’s hold off on hiring for now,” Chen Jian considered it. “Lao Si and Lao Wu used to take turns on shifts, but now they can basically be here full-time. If we assign one to Housekeeping, we’ll have enough hands… Neither of them seems interested in leaving right now anyway…”
“Are you really being this stingy?” Shan Yu asked.
“Better to be a bit stingy, Boss,” Chen Jian said. “The inn is just starting to turn a profit, and I’m worried your new company is going to start siphoning funds from Dayin later on. Besides, if things are quiet at the company, Nana can still help out here, right?”
Shan Yu clicked his tongue, breaking into a laugh: “You’re more ruthless than I am, Store Manager Chen.”
Chen Jian shot Sun Nana a slightly embarrassed look.
“I’d be more than happy to,” Sun Nana picked up her coffee and took a sip. “This place is essentially my home now. Panpan is like a little sister to me, and I don’t want to leave here either.”
“Where is everyone?!” Hu Pan’s voice blared from the walkie-talkie at Chen Jian’s waist. “The instructor just called the front desk—they’ll be here in about half an hour!”
“With your sister’s lung capacity,” Shan Yu remarked, “if the new company ever develops a performing arts project, she could save us the cost of a microphone.”
Then he cast a pointed look at Chen Jian.
Chen Jian hurriedly unclipped the walkie-talkie, having completely forgotten the boss’s ban on bringing it into his office.
“Nana and I are in the office. We’ll be right down.”
After a few more words, Sun Nana headed downstairs first.
Chen Jian remained seated on the sofa, making no move to leave.
“Aren’t you going?” Shan Yu picked up the printed sheet again, scanning it.
Chen Jian didn’t reply. He slid a bit further down, slumping comfortably against the cushions.
“What is it?” Shan Yu stood up, walked over to shut the office door, then stepped up to him, leaning over with his hands braced against the sofa’s backrest as he looked down at him.
“If this company takes off later,” Chen Jian tilted his head back to look up, resting his forehead lightly against Shan Yu’s wrist, “will you have to be constantly running around the city, or traveling to other places…?”
“I do want to build something,” Shan Yu looked at him, “but I’m not that desperate for it.”
“Hm?” Chen Jian didn’t look up, keeping his head pressed against his wrist.
“I could handle all this early-stage groundwork myself. Handing it off to Sun Nana actually requires more effort from me to supervise,” Shan Yu said. “Why do you think I did it?”
“Because you can’t bear to leave me?” Chen Jian turned his head to look at him.
“Because I’m too lazy to run around,” Shan Yu said.
“Fuck off,” Chen Jian said.
“Truth is, I just want to stay right here,” Shan Yu said. “Even if you searched the entire city, you’d only ever find me between this office and the gym.”
“Is that really okay?” Chen Jian asked.
“Aren’t you going to take a moment to be moved first?” Shan Yu flicked him lightly on the nose.
“I’m already moved on the inside,” Chen Jian said. “What, do I have to announce it out loud? I’d sound like an idiot.”
Shan Yu smiled without speaking.
“Will this affect your career?” Chen Jian pressed.
“This guesthouse is already a career,” Shan Yu said. “How much bigger of a career do you need?”
“Then…” Chen Jian frowned. “Why did you…”
“President Liu brought it up, so I…” Shan Yu sat down on the sofa, collapsing sideways to rest his head on Chen Jian’s lap. “How do I explain it… some things are just ingrained. No matter what, that ambition is still there…”
“You don’t want to disappoint her,” Chen Jian said. “You want to prove you’re capable of doing this.”
“Mm,” Shan Yu smiled faintly. “It’s not an overwhelming obsession anymore, but those ambitions aren’t so easily erased either. I spent so many years thinking that way; you can’t just flip a switch and change completely.”
Chen Jian didn’t speak, his fingers gently tracing the lines of Shan Yu’s face.
“And it truly is an opportunity,” Shan Yu added. “If this takes off, later on I can just hand the company over to President Liu and Sun Nana, hand the inn over to you, and just lie here counting my money…”
