Peninsula: The Deepest Affection in Jiangnan

Chapter 162 Who is the bait?

On a cloudy day in Los Angeles, it was impossible to tell whether it was late or not.

However, it seems unlikely that it will rain; that's what the weather forecast says.

"You don't seem so unhappy anymore."

After getting out of the car, Shen Yu looked at Jiang Minjiong and said to her.

"Because you've been keeping me company and chatting with me."

She also knew that Shen Yu was part of the reason.

"Oh, you're welcome." Shen Yu was very generous.

To Jiang Minjiong, it sounded like a reminder to say thank you.

"Oh, thank you!"

"You're welcome!"

Standing in the heart of Los Angeles, there are two large shopping malls on either side.

Kang Min-kyung was staying at the InterContinental Hotel behind the two of them.

Shen Yu looked at Jiang Minjiong, "Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"Where to?"

"Of course, it's where we came from. Want to go take a look?"

"What are you looking at? There's no sunset on Sunset Boulevard today." If it weren't for the cloudy weather, now would indeed be a good time to go to Sunset Boulevard.

"Would you like to head to the Peninsula Hotel's lounge tea area and enjoy a traditional local afternoon tea?"

Shen Yu asked her a question.

"afternoon tea?"

"Hmm, the Peninsula Hotel's afternoon tea is quite famous, isn't it?"

"For afternoon tea, the Peninsula Hotel is only available if you have a reservation—"

Jiang Minjing thought that without an appointment, the two of them probably wouldn't have a chance to go there now.

She specifically checked the Peninsula Hotel's afternoon tea before coming to LA and found that reservations would be booked a long time in advance.

Moreover, currently only reservations are available for hotel guests, and a room needs to be booked at the Peninsula Hotel.

At that moment, a car stopped seamlessly in front of the two people.

A familiar Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Darian got out of the car, pretending not to recognize the two of them, opened the back door, and reached out his hand to Jiang Minjiong.

"Please go ahead." He said this in a perfect Los Angeles accent.

"——" Jiang Minjiong glanced at Shen Yu, said "thank you" to Darian, and then got into the car.

Shen Yu went around to the other side, and Darian, who had closed the car door, immediately came over and helped open it.

"Boss, please."

*

In the car.

Soundproof curtains were raised inside the car, completely separating the rear and front seats.

"Is this the Peninsula Hotel's limousine?"

"I guess so?" Shen Yu wasn't quite sure, but it seemed that the car was registered under the foundation's name, so it could be considered his personal limousine.

"I didn't expect you to stay there. The Peninsula Hotel's service is really good. I'll have to try it next time."

"OK."

She glanced at Shen Yu. "Don't overthink it. I'm just curious about what the afternoon tea at the Peninsula Hotel is like, and this car arrived at just the right time."

"Haha, maybe it's like you said, the Peninsula Hotel's service is really good."

The car arrived at just the right time? There's no such thing as perfect timing; it's always someone who put in a lot of thought and effort.

But Jiang Minjiong took this as Shen Yu's romantic gesture.

If it were a regular Uber or taxi, Kang Min-kyung felt he wouldn't have gotten on.

But with this Rolls-Royce instead, the likelihood of refusal seems to drop dramatically.

The car was very smooth and the seats were very comfortable.

Especially compared to the ordinary Ford sedan I had just ridden in, the comfort of the Rolls-Royce Phantom felt like heaven.

Shen Yu opened the small refrigerator on the armrest, took out a glass bottle of Evian, poured one-third of it into a custom-made champagne glass, and handed it to Jiang Minjiong.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Beverly Hills.

Back on Rodeo Drive and near Century City, the car arrived at a hotel plaza that resembled a manor.

The Rolls-Royce came to a smooth stop in the temporary parking space in the square, and Darian got out and opened the car door for the two of them.

"It looks pretty good."

It has a distinctly Renaissance-era private residential style, classic and elegant, full of all the hallmarks of Hollywood.

Shen Yu really liked the style of this hotel.

Jiang Minjiong is also one.

She also spent a considerable amount on hotels; the luxury suite at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Los Angeles was also quite expensive, but there was still a difference between the two compared to the Peninsula Hotel located in Beverly Hills.

The Peninsula Hotel's old-fashioned elegance and heritage are something the InterContinental can't replicate.

Especially after entering the hotel, it felt like stepping into a private aristocratic estate from the 1990s. The landscaping of the plaza and fountains after entering perfectly matched Jiang Minjiong's aesthetic.

That impression of American style and Hollywood luxury, as seen in movies.

"Sir, would you like me to take you to the villa to rest for a while?" Darian walked over, followed by a butler in a suit and tie, exuding a sophisticated air.

"Sir, welcome to your Beverly Hills villa. I am your personal butler, you may call me William."

"During your stay, I will take full responsibility for all your needs. Check-in has already been completed for you. Would you like to rest first, or would you like to enjoy afternoon tea in the living room's tea area?"

The professional butler seemed much more reliable than Darian. Shen Yu glanced at Jiang Minjiong, and the butler named William bowed to her before looking at her gently.

"How about afternoon tea?" He was passively drawn into the storyline, but Jiang Minjiong didn't dislike the feeling.

*

The living room and tea area inside the main building are separate spaces.

The two seated individuals could clearly hear the elegant playing of a classical harp, while a variety of refreshments were laid out on a three-tiered pure silver shelf on the table.

"Sir, let me introduce you to our specialties. Unlike typical afternoon tea snacks, today's savory dishes and sandwiches are unique creations with a Southern California flavor."

Each tier of the three-tiered shelf offers different tea snacks. The bottom tier features cucumber sandwiches made with Mayer lemon sour cream and cucumber.

The dish features a classic smoked salmon sandwich, chicken puffs, and a chicken roll with pesto, served on the side with a seasonal vegetable tart.

The middle tier features desserts inspired by the Peninsula Hotel's nearly 100-year history, including perfectly baked classic English scones, accompanied by handmade seasonal strawberry jam, lemon curd, and authentic Devonshire curd.

The final top layer features a selection of French pastries specially crafted by the dessert team, including premium macarons, creative blackberry tarts, and apple pie tarts.

After William finished his introduction, a waiter brought out the soul of afternoon tea: a pot of distinctive Tahitian silky vanilla tea.

Another waiter brought over an ice bucket containing a bottle of Perrier-Jouët.

Shen Yu simply felt that different types of girls deserve different types of hospitality.

Because when something is beyond her knowledge, she only knows it's expensive, but without someone specifically explaining it to her, she doesn't have the concept of "expensive" in her mind.

If it's a class reunion, perhaps a knowledgeable classmate will say that although we're at a karaoke bar, our class monitor got everyone a top-tier Ace of Spades set, which cost a fortune, etc.

Then he impressed a group of female classmates.

But what if there's no one to contrast with?

Then you need to learn to distinguish them in advance. For example, if you take a few familiar girls to a karaoke bar, they might usually be a dozen or so girls.

Or a priest or something similar.

Even if you serve them a dozen IPAs, they won't understand them.

But if you serve them a dozen cans of Budweiser, they'll naturally smile and treat you even more gently.

Shen Yu was well-versed in this.