Chapter Fifty-Five: The Platinum Hotel

Jiang Xiaotian was still feeling down, wondering if Brother Long had given him the wrong card, when suddenly a large crowd poured out of the lobby, carrying all sorts of items. Their gaze instantly locked onto him, and at the head of the group was a middle-aged man whose face was relatively young, but whose hair was streaked with white—a sign of much toil, no doubt.

“Mr. Jiang, hello!” The man nearly jogged over, grasping Jiang Xiaotian’s hand with overwhelming enthusiasm. Before Jiang Xiaotian could respond, the man turned and beckoned to those behind him.

A group of people stepped forward—some carrying fruit, others tea, and still others holding trays with towels, ready for hand-washing.

Ling’er, ever greedy for snacks, saw the offerings and, assuming they were for her, began to eat without hesitation.

Jiang Xiaotian, however, was completely bewildered. “What… are you doing?” He’d never seen such a display and was rather intimidated.

But the man mistook Jiang Xiaotian’s confusion for dissatisfaction with the reception and hurried to apologize. “Oh, Mr. Jiang, my name is Lian Yiwen. You are a distinguished guest of President Wang! We hadn’t received any notice of your arrival, so we failed in our hospitality. Really sorry! Come, let me arrange your room for you.”

Lian Yiwen was exceptionally adept at handling people. Immediately, he began to make arrangements for their stay—the best suite, the finest treatment, without a second thought.

As one of Jiangzhou’s premier luxury hotels, Platinum’s top suites were no joke. Every facility was first-class: a main bedroom, two secondary bedrooms, and a dedicated viewing platform. The décor was resplendent and lavish beyond compare.

Not only Jiang Xiaotian, but even Ling’er was a little stunned. She muttered, “When I get home, I’ll have to renovate…”

She was so pleased with the place that even if Jiang Xiaotian told her to stay at her uncle’s house now, she would refuse.

Lian Yiwen was extremely diligent. Since Jiang Xiaotian was President Wang’s guest, and even held a director’s card, all expenses went without saying. Every facility was available for their use.

He introduced everything in detail: which floor housed the recreation areas, the KTV, the small bar, even an internet café and swimming pool.

There was a gym, a café—truly, if you had money, you could live here indefinitely. Whatever you wanted, Platinum had it.

After his explanation, Lian Yiwen handed each of them a black and gold wristband, their pass for the hotel.

“After all, our traffic is huge, and it’s impossible to monitor everyone in real time, so we use wristbands. Please forgive us for the inconvenience. We have blue, red, and gold wristbands, representing three levels of spending. Some places are off-limits to guests with blue or red wristbands,” Lian Yiwen explained.

Jiang Xiaotian looked at his wristband—it was black with a hint of gold. “Is this a gold one?”

Lian Yiwen shook his head. “Impossible. Yours is a black-gold band. You can’t buy it, no matter how much money you have. Only the hotel issues them. With this, you can book every facility on an entire floor with no problem!”

So that was it. Jiang Xiaotian carefully put away the wristband—it was indeed precious.

Ling’er, on the other hand, wasn’t interested in anything except the food. She asked which floor the restaurants were on.

Lian Yiwen quickly continued his introduction.

The dining options were divided by floor: Chinese cuisine on one, Western on another, buffet on yet another, and as you went higher, the restaurants became more upscale. Weddings, banquets, birthday parties—many young gentlemen dined here, then went upstairs to sing and drink. It was extremely convenient.

Jiang Xiaotian listened and took note. No wonder the hotel was so profitable—it didn’t just make money from rooms, but from everything else as well. That’s how it grew so big.

He hadn’t expected Brother Long, rough as he was, to have such foresight in investment.

But Jiang Xiaotian didn’t actually plan to stay here. He explained to Lian Yiwen, “I have things to do here, so I won’t always be around. My girlfriend—she’s a bit naïve, please keep an eye on her.”

He was mostly worried that this silly dragon would cause trouble here.

Lian Yiwen seemed to understand. He glanced meaningfully at Ling’er.

This girl truly was a rarity—a gem among gems. If no one watched her, trouble could easily arise.

But since it was Jiang Xiaotian’s request, he patted his chest and promised to take good care of her.

While they talked, Ling’er was already wearing her wristband and eagerly heading downstairs.

She was full of excitement—mostly for the food. With so many floors and such variety, there had to be countless delicacies!

Don’t forget, she was a real dragon. Usually she just tasted things for fun, but if she ate her fill, she could probably empty the hotel’s stores.

Lian Yiwen gave more instructions, making sure every detail was covered. He dared not let anything go wrong.

Jiang Xiaotian now understood why Lian Yiwen was in charge, and why his hair was so gray.

Platinum Hotel’s facilities were so numerous, it was almost absurd.

To be able to remember all this was quite impressive.

But Jiang Xiaotian didn’t linger—perhaps he’d delayed too long already. His uncle had called several times, worried something might have happened.

As for Lian Yiwen, he was meticulous. When he heard Jiang Xiaotian was leaving, he immediately wanted to arrange a car, but Jiang Xiaotian refused.

He didn’t want to make a fuss, just wanted to return quietly. Ling’er didn’t come with him this time, so he couldn’t bear to take a taxi.

Jiang Xiaotian wasn’t foolish. He was wealthy now, but all of it was thanks to Ling’er.

She was the Dragon Princess—rich and well-connected, able to spend freely.

But he wasn’t. He had to save. In case Ling’er left one day, he wouldn’t be reduced to poverty.

So he economized, taking the bus as usual.

Perhaps he was in a rush—he forgot to change his clothes and only realized, upon seeing himself in the rearview mirror, that he looked a bit disheveled.

After all, he’d just been in a car accident.

Never mind. Jiang Xiaotian didn’t fuss. The familiar bus, the familiar route, stopping at the familiar station.

Getting off, his thoughts wandered as he gazed at the upscale apartment complex before him.

If only, one day, he could buy a villa like this on his own.

Fortunately, he came back almost every year, so the security guards at the gate recognized him and let him in without trouble.

Following his memory, he found his uncle’s home. Jiang Xiaotian took a deep breath, about to knock, when he heard a plaintive voice inside. “Dad! You’re at it again! I really don’t want to take him with me! This is my eighteenth birthday—I want to celebrate it properly!”

“How can you say that? Xiaotian grew up without parents, and even though he has no money, he always brings you gifts. What’s the harm in taking him along?”