I run a hotel in Huangshan

Chapter 5 Impressed
Han Qingyue blushed, unbuckled her seatbelt, and got out of the car without looking back. Fortunately, the moonlight provided cover, otherwise she would have been ridiculed by him.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, she heard Lu Siqing's serious voice: "Qingyue, have a good sleep. Your health is more important than anything else! I feel bad that you are exhausted!"

These words were too affectionate. Han Qingyue was a little uncomfortable when he said them, and she walked forward quickly. She couldn't help laughing, and even she couldn't believe it. She laughed happily and shyly. Of course, Lu Siqing couldn't see it.

The next day, the midsummer sun was bright and hot, with a strong warmth, and the golden beams of light danced in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking very naughty.

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, Zhou Chenyu sipped his coffee, a hint of a smile playing across his handsome, though slightly weathered, face. Having just reviewed the Qingxin Hotel's bid, he'd become quite interested in Han Qingyue, a rising star in the business world. He'd heard she was young, beautiful, and possessed a courage and determination that belied her age.

Her appointment to succeed her father at the Qingxin Hotel in a time of crisis was legendary in itself. In just three years, Qingxin had leapt from a second-tier brand to a leading hotel in Beijing. As its head, her abilities were certainly not to be underestimated. Intrigued, he decided to personally inspect the three hotels and meet this legendary woman.

Han Qingyue received notice from Zhou Chenyu about his visit to the Qingxin Hotel two days later. By then, Zhou Chenyu had already visited Wenda and Jiaxing and had chosen Qingxin as his final stop. Zhou Chenyu was reportedly very satisfied with the facilities and service at both hotels, which inevitably caused some concern for Han Qingyue and the hotel's management. However, they were well prepared for this bidding, and they had a trump card. Since the three hotels' hardware and software facilities were similar, they decided to focus on the details to impress this tourism industry tycoon.

After two days of rain, Zhou Chenyu arrived on a rare sunny day. Han Qingyue and the hotel's senior management greeted him at the hotel entrance.

Before Zhou Chenyu even got out of the car, he peered through the window and instantly identified Han Qingyue among the dozen or so people. It wasn't because she was the center of attention, the center of attention, but rather because her innate aura was simply too dazzling. The simple black dress, worn on her, imbued her with a unique charm, a look that was both soft and elegant, yet also handsome and capable.

After exiting the car, Zhou Chenyu finally came face to face with Han Qingyue, allowing him to examine the woman who had piqued his curiosity up close. Han Qingyue's delicately made-up face held a pair of glittering eyes, a faint, yet gentle smile. Her gaze, echoed by the gleaming pendant around her neck, only made her appear even more radiant and stunning.

His eyes met hers, their gazes mingling in the air. In that instant, Zhou Chenyu sensed his defeat. She was completely different from any other woman he had ever met. She exuded a tranquility and a peace of mind, a tranquility that was far from contention. In short, she was simply a delight to behold.

As the boss of a bidding company, he couldn't show excessive enthusiasm, lest he attract criticism. But he felt that he might lose his judgment because of Han Qingyue. Regardless of whether Qingxin Hotel was better than Wenda and Jiaxing, he would choose Qingxin.

Walking side by side with Han Qingyue, surrounded by a crowd, Zhou Chenyu toured the hotel's guest rooms, the Western restaurant, the Chinese restaurant, the kitchen... Nearing noon, they dined in a private room in the Chinese restaurant. Zhou Chenyu was very satisfied with the hotel, especially the Chinese restaurant. Although he had spent ten of his thirty-plus years abroad, he still loved Chinese food, especially his grandmother's home-cooked dishes: stinky mandarin fish and hairy tofu. Although these were simple ingredients, they surpassed all other delicacies in his heart.

When he was a child, his parents lived in Country M, while he lived with his grandparents in their hometown of Huangshan. He didn't move with them to Country M until he was fourteen to attend high school and then university. His hometown, for him, is more than just food; it holds childhood memories steeped in family affection. Now, with both of his parents gone, closing his eyes and savoring a bite of hairy tofu, he feels as if he's been there with them again. He's still the "Xiao Yu" they called him, still the naive young man he once was.

Everyone knew Zhou Chenyu as a business school elite and a prominent figure in Beijing's tourism industry. However, few knew about his youthful experiences. Han Qingyue, knowing this, had orchestrated a meticulously prepared table of home-cooked dishes: braised stinky mandarin fish, Yipin pot, steamed pork with rice flour in lotus leaves, and scallion pancakes...

As they spoke, Han Qingyue used her serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of meat and placed it in Zhou Chenyu's bowl. Her jade-like wrists passed before his eyes, far more captivating than the delicious food itself. Zhou Chenyu took the meat and put it into his mouth. It was truly rich, savory, and full of flavor, leaving a lasting aftertaste. Before he could even praise it, he took another piece of bamboo shoots, which were smooth and tender, with a hint of meaty aroma.

"Yes, that's the taste, that's exactly the taste!" Zhou Chenyu couldn't help himself.

After a moment of distraction, Zhou Chenyu sighed, "Boss Han, I haven't eaten such authentic hometown food in a long time!"

Han Qingyue smiled slightly, two faint dimples forming at the corners of her lips. "Our hotel specializes in Anhui cuisine, so that tourists who come here can taste authentic Huangshan cuisine. I heard that Mr. Zhou is from Huangshan, so I asked the kitchen to specially prepare our hometown dishes."

"Mr. Han is also from Huangshan?" Zhou Chenyu put down his chopsticks excitedly.

Han Qingyue nodded and said emotionally, "Yes, I'm from Huangshan too. I came to Beijing with my parents when I was eight years old. Over the years, my family's hotel has developed quite well. We opened a branch of Qingxin Hotel in Huangshan because we wanted to do something for our hometown and contribute to the development of its economy and tourism industry."

"Mr. Han is so courageous! I am also from Huangshan, so I will work with my fellow villagers to do something for our hometown!" Zhou Chenyu raised his glass.

At this point, Han Qingyue understood that Zhou Chenyu was hinting that he would cooperate with Qingxin Hotel.

She quickly raised her glass and they both drank the wine in one gulp.

After so many years away from home, he finally got to taste the flavors of home again. In the countless days he missed his parents, it was his grandmother's handmade hometown dishes that filled his childhood with the sweetness of family. Now, not only did he enjoy hometown food, he also met like-minded people from his hometown who he enjoyed chatting with. Overwhelmed with emotion, Zhou Chenyu's vision of the pretty face blurred. Not wanting to lose his composure in front of others, he quickly got up and left, claiming to use the restroom.

Han Qingyue had expected Zhou Chenyu to be touched, but at that moment, she felt no joy, but rather a bittersweet feeling. For Zhou Chenyu, hometown food was delicious, but it also touched his heart with the inseparable bond of family. Seeing something and remembering someone who's gone is often the most heartbreaking experience.

Zhou Chenyu's meal was filled with mixed emotions. Just as Han Qingyue had predicted, her strategy of focusing on the details had paid off. Two days later, Zhou Chenyu's secretary called to tell her that the Qingxin Hotel had won the bid. Chenyu Travel would sign a five-year contract with the Qingxin Hotel.

This news surprised Wu Heng of the Wenda Hotel. In the past, such large projects were always handled by the Wenda Hotel. The always arrogant Wu Heng had to face up to the rising Qingxin Hotel.

(End of this chapter)