Chapter 188: So It’s Your Business

After lingering around until past eight in the morning, the two of them finally left the hotel.

“I’ll drop you at the company now. Being a bit late shouldn’t matter, right?” Zhang Yang nodded to several managers who greeted him while glancing at Wen Ting beside him.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. A little late doesn’t matter.” Wen Ting quickly waved her fair and slender hand lightly. “Um… Mr. Zhang, this hotel… you…”

She asked curiously in a soft voice.

“This?” Zhang Yang suddenly smiled. “You guess.”

Wen Ting’s beautiful eyes widened slightly. Recalling the respectful attitude of those managers just now, an unbelievable thought flashed through her mind.

“So this is your property… it’s really that big!”

She exclaimed, yet somehow it also felt perfectly natural.

Someone who could casually spend over a hundred million to buy a Peach Blossom Spring mansion should naturally have a huge enterprise behind him.

Thinking about last night and this morning, the brief time she spent with such a perfect man-

Wen Ting’s eyes instantly turned a little hazy.

Zhang Yang smiled, wrapped an arm around Wen Ting’s slim waist, and walked out of the hotel lobby to drive her back.

He could have simply asked the hotel to send a courtesy car to take Wen Ting back instead of personally making the trip. But he happened to have nothing urgent to do right now, and Wen Ting had behaved quite well. If he didn’t even send her back himself, it would feel a little too heartless.

There was no need for that.

A little after nine, at the Peach Blossom Spring sales center.

Zhang Yang parked the car at the entrance and let Wen Ting get out.

“Wen Ting, why are you arriving this late-ah? Mr. Zhang!” Inside the sales center, a woman who looked like a supervisor walked out, ready to scold her, but immediately noticed Zhang Yang.

Mr. Zhang who had just purchased the largest of the last two remaining Chinese courtyard mansions yesterday.

Mr. Zhang who had spent 130 million in full payment.

Instantly her expression softened and turned into a warm smile.

“Oh, I had asked Wen Ting to meet with me this morning to discuss some matters about the house. So… is Wen Ting considered late?” Zhang Yang asked casually.

“No, no.” The woman quickly waved her hands to deny it and then looked kindly at Wen Ting.

“Little Wen, you should have said earlier that you were with Mr. Zhang.”

“I… I was just about to say.” Wen Ting murmured, then turned to Zhang Yang. “Mr. Zhang, then I’ll go to work first. If anything comes up… please contact me.”

She made a small gesture of calling on the phone.

Zhang Yang responded with a couple of acknowledgments, feeling quite impressed with Little Wen.

Not just because of her gentle demeanor last night and this morning, but also because of her sense of boundaries.

Logically speaking, luxury housing developments like this must cooperate with many high-end interior design companies. Referring even one project would bring considerable benefits, yet Little Wen hadn’t mentioned a single word about it.

To be honest, if Wen Ting had introduced a design company, out of courtesy he might have looked into it, but the chance of him ultimately choosing it would have been small.

A mansion worth 130 million, occupying about 0.4 hectares (~0.99 acres) of land, with indoor space exceeding a thousand square meters (~10,764+ sq ft) above and below ground, and requiring extremely expensive Chinese-style decoration—the renovation budget alone would easily reach tens of millions.

How could he casually hire just any design company?

Money was secondary; the most important thing was the final result. If the design firm lacked the ability and produced an unsatisfactory result, it would be ridiculous.

As for which company to choose, he already had someone in mind.

“Yu Kaili, come to my office sometime this morning when you’re free.” On the way back, Zhang Yang called Yu Kaili.

“Alright, Mr. Zhang. Actually I was just planning to report to you about the personnel arrangements.” Yu Kaili’s voice still carried a hint of nervousness and caution.

“Good, report everything together then.” Zhang Yang hung up and smiled, thinking he should give Yu Kaili a bit of encouragement.

Otherwise it might hurt her motivation.

After ten in the morning, Zhang Yang waited for Yu Kaili in his office.

“Mr. Zhang, this is the preliminary list of personnel changes I’ve organized. Please take a look.” Yu Kaili carefully handed over the list immediately.

Zhang Yang flipped through it and asked her to explain the details.

“The biggest changes are in the marketing department. I’ve restructured the performance evaluation system and plan to let some people voluntarily…” Yu Kaili explained.

“Mm, handle it as you see fit. There’s no need to make things too ugly. Optimize where needed, pay proper compensation, and what else?” Zhang Yang nodded.

“Also, the finance director and HR director have both submitted resignations…” Yu Kaili continued.

Zhang Yang nodded, not surprised at all.

Their resignations were only natural. Those departments were extremely important and must have been loyal to the previous owner. He definitely wouldn’t keep them.

As for how many more people needed to be replaced, that could be done gradually.

“How long until the new candidates are in place?”

“Within… within one week.” Yu Kaili said through gritted teeth.

“Fine, I’ll leave that to you as well.” Zhang Yang nodded and closed the personnel list. “By the way, there’s another task for you.”

“Mr. Zhang, please instruct me.” Yu Kaili immediately responded without hesitation.

“It’s actually more of a personal matter. Let me ask you-who handled the interior design for our hotel?”

“Mr. Zhang, the hotel’s interior design was handled by Hong Kong’s Cheng Chung Design.” Yu Kaili answered instantly. “Mr. Zhang, if there’s anything you need my help with, please just say so.”

“I recently bought a house at Peach Blossom Spring in Hangzhou and plan to renovate it. I really like the hotel’s interior design style, so I wanted to ask about it.” Zhang Yang smiled.

He didn’t state it directly, but Yu Kaili instantly understood.

For a subordinate, what represents the highest level of trust from a boss?

Entrusting personal matters.

“Mr. Zhang, if you trust me, leave it to me to handle.” Yu Kaili immediately said excitedly.

“Would that be too troublesome for you?” Zhang Yang asked.

“It’s an honor to serve you, Mr. Zhang. Just leave it to me-I guarantee it’ll be handled perfectly!” Yu Kaili assured him confidently.

“Alright then. It’s not urgent. Help me manage it, just don’t let it affect your work.” Zhang Yang nodded and agreed.

Cheng Chung Design from Hong Kong was one of the world’s top design firms. Many luxury hotels had interiors designed by them, and residential projects were also within their business scope.

Based on the Chinese-style interior design of his own hotel, Zhang Yang already had confidence in their abilities.

His Peach Blossom Spring courtyard mansion would be perfectly suited for that firm.

As the hotel’s general manager who had worked her way up step by step, Yu Kaili certainly had the capability. Since she dared to confidently take on the task, Zhang Yang felt comfortable entrusting it to her.

Others might be careless, but Yu Kaili definitely wouldn’t dare.

Zhang Yang believed she would handle it wholeheartedly.

So they spent the next period discussing the details of the house. Zhang Yang even handed her the keys.

“The renovation budget-within one hundred million.”

He had already thought it through. With the double cashback privilege he currently had, the maximum cashback limit of three hundred million meant the house itself was essentially free. Even if the renovation cost reached one hundred million, it would still feel like it cost nothing.

So there was nothing to worry about.

A renovation budget of one hundred million would be more than enough to transform the Peach Blossom Spring courtyard mansion into a breathtaking masterpiece of ultimate Chinese luxury-complete sets of redwood furniture, huanghuali wood displays, gilded staircase railings, jade steps, and more.

He wanted to recreate the grand residences of wealthy merchants from centuries past.

Yu Kaili nodded repeatedly while secretly marveling at the boss’s wealth.

“Alright, you can go now.” Zhang Yang waved his hand.

Yu Kaili lowered her head and quickly left the office.

As soon as she left, Qu Shanshan arrived at Zhang Yang’s office.

“Come here, I want to ask you something.” Zhang Yang beckoned.

Lobby manager Qu Shanshan stepped forward obediently, filled with excitement at being appreciated and hopeful for the future.

“Mr. Zhang, please ask.”

“Yes… it’s like this.” Zhang Yang nodded and casually asked a few questions about personnel matters involving several departments.

Trust always required a bit of reservation.

Although he had delegated personnel authority to Yu Kaili, he also wanted to see whether she might use the opportunity to remove rivals and insert her own people.

Qu Shanshan answered everything she knew.

Zhang Yang compared the information and nodded.

Overall, Yu Kaili indeed seemed to be handling the personnel adjustments seriously.

For example, several people from the previous owner’s circle that Qu Shanshan mentioned were all on Yu Kaili’s list of personnel changes. Qu Shanshan also casually reported some issues of corruption within the hotel-people taking kickbacks and skimming profits-and those individuals were also on the list.

“Have you heard of anything like that about your General Manager Yu?” Zhang Yang asked casually.

Such things were usually hidden well, but nothing remained secret forever. Qu Shanshan might know something.

“Ah?” Qu Shanshan hesitated, then said, “I heard that General Manager Yu…”

She told him a few things she knew.

Zhang Yang nodded, not surprised at all. As a GM handling everything in a hotel, it was unrealistic to expect absolute purity. Taking a little profit on the side was common.

He would keep the matter in mind and observe whether Yu Kaili continued such behavior after he took over.

For minor issues he could turn a blind eye occasionally, perhaps give a warning.

But if things went too far, he would not tolerate it-because those profits ultimately came from the hotel, which meant they came from his own interests.

“By the way, about your promotion-I’ll arrange it later,” Zhang Yang said before Qu Shanshan left.

Since he intended to use Qu Shanshan as a small informant, he had to give her the reward he promised.

“Thank you, Mr. Zhang!” Qu Shanshan bowed excitedly.

For her, the position of front office manager had been an insurmountable barrier for years. Yet it was resolved with just a word from Zhang Yang.

For a moment, she even felt a strong urge to devote herself completely out of gratitude.

“Alright, alright. Just focus on your work.” Zhang Yang laughed at her excitement.

A moment later, the office became quiet again.

Zhang Yang took out his phone and saw a series of messages sent by Xiang Xiaotian.

“I’m so angry. My dad is completely impossible to reason with.”

“He’s just putting on airs and refuses to admit he’s wrong!”

“Today he’s hosting a banquet for Uncle Lu’s family. Hmph, I’ve thought it through. I’ll just lock myself in my room and not go out… let’s see what he can do about it.”

“Brother Zhang, Zhang Yang ge… when are you coming to take me away…”

Zhang Yang looked at the messages and didn’t know how to reply for a moment.

Take her away?

Why did it suddenly feel like snatching a bride?

“If I come directly to pick you up… your dad will probably lose even more face, right?” Zhang Yang sent back a message.

Not long after, Xiang Xiaotian sent a voice message.

“Brother Zhang, just come. My dad cares too much about his pride. Just come take me away directly. Hmph, if the father-daughter relationship breaks, then so be it.”

“Wait, where is this confidence of yours coming from?” Zhang Yang couldn’t help laughing.

“Brother Zhang Yang… you’re my confidence.” Xiang Xiaotian’s voice suddenly softened, sounding slightly coquettish.

“You… I’m just helping you act, not backing you up for real. You’re making it seem like the act has become reality.” Zhang Yang shook his head. “If you really break with your family, don’t come looking for me.”

“So… you will come, right?” Xiang Xiaotian asked.

“Mm.” Zhang Yang responded and hung up.

Inside the office, Zhang Yang felt the situation was both absurd and dramatic. Somehow, what started as a simple act had gradually turned into… this kind of plot.

“So I’m supposed to play the lover descending from the sky?”

Inside the Four Seasons Hall of the Junlan Hotel.

Xiang Detao and Dong Yaru were hosting guests who had come from afar.

“It’s been so many years since we last met. I remember when your Xiaotian had just been born, she was only this tiny. Our Shaokang was the same-just a little bean-sized kid. Now he’s all grown up.” The thin middle-aged man spoke with a smile while glancing at the young man beside him.

“Shaokang, why aren’t you toasting Uncle and Aunt Xiang properly?”

The young man beside him, fair and refined in appearance, stood up with a smile and raised his glass.

“Uncle, Auntie, let me toast you.”

Xiang Detao exchanged a glance with Dong Yaru while responding politely.

The young man in front of them was named Lu Shaokang, the only son of the Lu family, and the one who had the childhood engagement with Xiang Xiaotian. His parents were also present-the middle-aged man and the elegant middle-aged woman beside him.

“Uncle, Auntie, where’s Xiaotian? Why didn’t she come?” After finishing his drink, Lu Shaokang finally asked curiously.

“She…” Xiang Detao took a light breath.

“You silly boy, why are you asking that? Xiaotian must be shy and embarrassed to meet you. Later, the two of you young people can meet privately and chat,” Lu’s father said with a smile, not minding Xiaotian’s absence at all.

“Is that so? Alright then.” Lu Shaokang nodded slightly with a hint of regret and sat back down.