Saturday.
The car rolled along the winding mountain road before pulling into the Qilan Hot Spring Resort Hotel nestled halfway up the hillside.
Not wanting to appear too flashy or ostentatious, Sang Lu had opted against using her personal driver and instead booked a ride-hailing service.
As she stepped through the revolving doors and caught sight of the fifty-meter-high waterfall curtain wall, her expression froze in awe.
The hotel’s real-life grandeur far surpassed anything she’d seen in online photos.
A crystal chandelier hung from the domed ceiling, and the subtle fragrance of white sandalwood lingered in the air.
Sang Lu took a shallow breath.
Ah… the scent of money…
The thought that this place now belonged to her nearly made her cover her mouth to stifle a giggle—or maybe even break into a beatboxing session.
A bellboy flashed her a polite smile.
Instantly, she wiped the money-grubbing grin off her face and replaced it with the poised, dignified smile of someone well-acquainted with luxury.
A front desk attendant guided her to a plush leather sofa in the lobby and handed her a cup of warm tea.
"Ma’am, please wait a moment. A member of our front office team will be with you shortly…"
Sang Lu nodded, maintaining her high-class-cool-smile.jpg expression while inwardly marveling: Wow, just wow!
No wonder this is the most luxurious resort hotel in the capital—the service is impeccable!
As she waited, snippets of conversation drifted over from a middle-aged couple nearby.
"Good thing I pulled some strings ahead of time," the curly-haired woman said. "Otherwise, they’d probably tell us the rooms are fully booked soon."
"You’ve always been one step ahead," the potbellied man replied, casting a sidelong glance in Sang Lu’s direction. "Unlike that girl over there—she’s probably wasting her time."
Sang Lu caught the remark out of the corner of her eye, her expression tightening slightly.
Huh?
You need connections just to book a room here?
Before she could dwell on it, a bespectacled man in uniform approached the couple.
Sang Lu spotted the words Front Office Department on his name tag.
After a brief exchange, the middle-aged couple happily followed him inside.
Halfway there, the potbellied man turned back and shot Sang Lu a pitying look.
Sang Lu: "…?"
Still puzzled, another employee approached her—a woman with her hair neatly pinned up and a professional smile.
"Good afternoon, ma’am. Do you have a reservation?"
Sang Lu shook her head. "No."
The employee’s smile remained fixed as she launched into a well-rehearsed rejection script:
"I’m terribly sorry, ma’am, but currently, our hotel—"
Sang Lu anticipated where this was going and cut in before the spiel could fully unfold:
"Could you connect me with the hotel’s general manager, please?"
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized she sounded like a disgruntled guest throwing a tantrum over a booking mishap.
Sure enough, the employee’s expression faltered.
Eh, no need to make things harder for fellow workers.
Sang Lu softened her tone with a smile. "Actually, the front office manager would be fine too."
The employee visibly relaxed. "Of course, ma’am. One moment, please."
Ten minutes later, the manager arrived.
Skipping the small talk, Sang Lu got straight to the point, succinctly introducing herself.
The manager’s eyes widened in surprise, scanning her up and down several times.
After confirming she wasn’t joking—and recalling the recent ownership transfer paperwork—the manager’s demeanor instantly shifted to one of deference.
"General Manager Sang, please wait just a moment…"
Then, tilting his head toward his earpiece, he barked out orders:
"Attention all departments—immediate executive meeting. Relay to Housekeeping, Spa, Food and Beverage, and—"
"…" Sang Lu was taken aback by the sheer number of departments listed. She waved a hand. "No need for such a fuss. I just need to speak with the person in charge."
The manager nodded vigorously. "Understood, General Manager Sang!"
He then pressed his earpiece again, announcing with grave solemnity:
"Urgent update—cancel the previous directive!"
A chorus of "Copy that," "Over," and "Received" crackled through his walkie-talkie in response.
Sang Lu blinked. "…"
What in the…
The way this guy’s clutching his collar and muttering into his mic, he looks like a spy mid-mission.
And how exactly do they differentiate between a "notification" and a "major notification" anyway?
For the first time, Sang Lu found herself questioning: Are all executives this… eccentric?
"General Manager Sang, right this way…" The spy-like manager bowed slightly, guiding her toward the elevators.
He pressed the button for the private executive floor.
Just as the doors slid shut—
A boisterous group burst through the revolving doors in the lobby below.
"Wow, this place is insane!"
"Xiao Xiao, you really went all out inviting us here. Must’ve cost a fortune, huh?"
"Second Uncle, Third Aunt, you’re family—why so formal?" Zhuang Xiao beamed.
"True, true." Second Uncle chuckled, turning to praise Zhuang's Mother. "You’ve raised such a thoughtful, filial daughter."
Zhuang's Mother seized the moment to slip in a dig:
"Of course. Our Xiao Xiao always remembers her elders—unlike that Sang family girl…"
She trailed off deliberately, letting Second Uncle take the bait.
Second Uncle: "Yeah, last time we visited the Sangs, the way she scowled at us—like we weren’t even welcome!"
Second Uncle's Wife, mindful of still needing favors from the Sang family, quickly changed the subject, linking arms with Zhuang's Mother.
"Among all the younger generation in our family, Xiao Xiao is such a role model for her cousins. You’ve done an amazing job raising her."
Zhuang's Mother preened under the praise. "Alright, everyone, take lots of photos! Look how impressive this waterfall wall is—let’s get some group shots for the family chat!"
Amid the cheerful photo session, the bespectacled front office employee quietly pulled Zhuang Xiao aside to finalize her check-in.
Meanwhile, upstairs—
Sang Lu had just finished her meeting with the hotel’s general manager.
The manager, Sister Chen, was a poised woman in her thirties—a seasoned professional with years of experience in the industry.
When Sang Lu mentioned she was primarily there to discuss filming locations, Sister Chen’s professionally composed face broke into an amused smile.
"General Manager Sang, there’s no need for such formalities. The entire hotel is yours—just tell us where you’d like to shoot, and we’ll arrange a full clearance if needed."
Sang Lu shook her head. "No clearance necessary. I’d prefer to film without disrupting normal operations."
Sister Chen adapted seamlessly. "Understood. I’ll send you the floor plan shortly and mark out scenic areas that won’t interfere with guests."
"That’d be perfect. Thanks!"
"Not at all, General Manager Sang."
General Manager Sang…
The title still felt foreign every time she heard it.
It was just… weird.
At the TV station, colleagues called her Little Sang, Sang-Sang, or Lu-Lu.
Acquaintances sometimes addressed her as Director Sang.
On location shoots, she’d even been called Engineer Sang.
But General Manager Sang?
That was a first.
Especially coming from someone older than her.
Extra weird.
She’d also noticed the slight hesitation in Sister Chen’s tone earlier—probably feeling just as awkward about it.
As a fellow worker, Sang Lu understood the discomfort.
With an easygoing smile, she let it slide.
"Miss Chen, there's no need to be so formal. Just call me by my name. I'll be counting on your help from now on."
Sister Chen was taken aback.
She hadn’t expected someone from a wealthy family to be so down-to-earth.
"Alright then, I won’t stand on ceremony either. Calling you by your full name might be too casual, so... how about Sang Lu?"
Sister Chen wasn’t just sharp in appearance—she adapted quickly and spoke with ease.
With a light smile, she asked,
"Sang Lu, what brings you here all of a sudden? An incognito visit, perhaps?"
