Third Uncle’s eyes gleamed with sycophantic enthusiasm:
"No wonder our ancestors’ graves are smoking with good fortune, to have the honor of being connected to President Feng."
Third Aunt chimed in:
"Absolutely! We were just saying how Lu Lu is the luckiest girl in our family, to marry someone like President Feng—it’s a blessing from three lifetimes."
"Even Lu Lu’s brothers and sisters often say they’d love to learn from her and President Feng."
Sang Lu didn’t feel embarrassed, just amused.
These distant relatives, connected by the thinnest of threads, spoke as if they were her flesh and blood.
Feng Yan’s expression remained indifferent, but he glanced at Sang Lu.
The moment their eyes met, he recognized it—she despised these so-called relatives.
Though she wore a smile, he knew her genuine joy by the warmth in her gaze, the kind that radiated infectious delight.
Now, it was ice-cold.
Unconsciously, his fingers curled slightly at his side.
After a long silence, Sang Lu finally chuckled and spoke:
"Brothers and sisters? Stop the nonsense. I’m an only child, and my parents have no siblings—"
"Ahem!" Third Uncle abruptly coughed, cutting her off. "Silly girl, aren’t cousins brothers and sisters too? Precisely because you’re an only child, you should cherish family ties. Supporting each other ensures you’ll always have someone to rely on."
Second Aunt nervously peeked at the silent man beside Sang Lu, whose frosty gaze scrutinized them like a blade.
The intensity made her shudder.
After gathering her courage, she blurted out:
"Ah… yes, our Yaozu has always admired Lu Lu—her grades, her career. He often says he dreams of working at a big company like hers…"
They’d visited the Sang family multiple times, always leaving empty-handed.
This was their chance!
If not now, when?
After all, not everyone gets to claim ties to the elite.
The fact that they could, even tenuously, proved their family was destined for such fortune.
Third Aunt, sharper than Second Aunt, noticed the hotel staff’s deferential demeanor and deduced President Feng owned the place.
Seizing the opportunity, she beamed:
"What a coincidence! Our Tianci studied hotel management. Lu Lu, could you help your cousin Tianci secure a position here? Anything would do."
They assumed Sang Lu, despite her attitude, wouldn’t embarrass them in front of her wealthy husband.
Humiliating them would reflect poorly on her, wouldn’t it?
Besides, for a magnate like President Feng, arranging jobs for family was trivial—a mere flick of the wrist.
And really, as a married woman, Sang Lu’s true contribution to the family’s glory lay in lifting up her male relatives.
Blinded by greed, they missed the dangerous shift in the air.
Their expectant, ingratiating smiles waited for the man beside Sang Lu to nod.
A few even shot her pointed looks: What’s wrong with you? Say something!
Sang Lu had initially found them laughable, a spectacle to observe.
As she listened, the conversation grew increasingly absurd.
She had to say something.
Her shoulders tensed as she turned to Sister Chen and suddenly asked,
"Sister Chen, is the HR manager here?"
Sister Chen, who had been watching the scene unfold, was momentarily startled at being addressed.
"Yes, we were just in a meeting when we heard the news and came over together. All the department heads are here."
Beside them, a man in a suit stepped forward and gave Sang Lu a professional smile.
"Madam Feng, hello. I'm Tom, the HR manager."
The executives didn’t know that Sang Lu was now the owner of the hotel—they only recognized her as President Feng’s wife, hence the respectful address.
Tom, however, felt a twinge of nervousness at being singled out.
Madam Feng hadn’t mentioned any other departments, only HR. Could it be…?
Was she really planning to push her relatives into the hotel’s workforce?
This was…
Before his worries could fully form, Madam Feng smiled gently and said,
"Tom, these are my distant relatives. Memorize their faces—"
Before she could finish, Third Uncle and Second Aunt eagerly introduced themselves, startling Tom into taking half a step back.
"I’m President Feng’s wife’s third uncle!"
"Oh, and I’m her second aunt!"
"Make sure you recognize us!"
"By the way, will we get free stays here from now on?"
The moment those words left their mouths, not only Tom but also the front office and housekeeping managers exchanged glances.
Their eyes spoke volumes: Wow… Madam Feng’s relatives are really something. Hard to describe.
Sang Lu remained expressionless, her gaze sweeping over Third Uncle and Second Aunt.
Unnoticed by her, the man beside her watched intently, his dark eyes simmering with unreadable emotion.
After a few seconds of silence, Sang Lu spoke again.
"HR, remember their faces…"
"If they ever try to push someone into a job here, skip the interview—just reject them outright."
"What?!" Their faces, initially bright with anticipation, froze at her last four words. Third Uncle and Second Aunt stiffened in disbelief. "Lu Lu, what are you saying? You—you—"
"Have you lost your mind?! Yaozu is your cousin!"
Sang Lu turned her head slightly, her tone cool.
"Even if he were my own blood brother, I’d tell him to earn his job on merit. Let alone some distant relative with barely a drop of shared lineage."
She took a few steps forward, calm and unflinching, then added,
"Front office, memorize their faces too."
"If these people ever come to the hotel, don’t give them a single discount."
"Don’t show them any leniency just because of me."
The executives were stunned.
The subtle skepticism on their faces moments ago had morphed into outright shock.
They glanced at each other, then hesitantly turned to Sister Chen, the hotel manager, before stealing cautious looks at President Feng, who had yet to speak.
They seemed to be waiting for a signal from him.
After all, while Madam Feng was President Feng’s wife and naturally commanded respect, directly obeying her operational directives felt… complicated.
Just as the executives stood frozen in uncertainty, the man shrouded in shadow finally lifted his gaze.
His striking features were cold, his voice detached yet firm as he said,
"Do as Madam says. She’s your boss."
The words weren’t loud, but they struck like a hammer in everyone’s hearts.
For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
