ATLAS TRANSLATES

Not long after, Ji Feng formally took over management of the Sui Hotel.

Although it was just a hotel, the changing of management still felt somehow like the dynastic succession of past eras to Xu Mi Yu, inexplicably.

As the boss of Xing Ji Group took over another five-star hotel, he couldn’t avoid receiving many interview invitations as usual. Just like before, Ji Feng himself would not appear in public, leaving it all to the group’s PR representatives to handle.

There was undercurrent turmoil within the hotel for a few days as well, as everyone began diligently remembering whether they had been remiss in any way when serving this esteemed guest on the top floor.

Li Kun Lun of the catering department suddenly became a hot potato, with even many management leaders starting to invite him for tea and snacks, especially those leaders who had entered the hotel through instrumental relationships and knew that Wei Si Yuan’s influence had diminished, each one anxiously hoping to probe Li Kun Lun about the new boss’s personality and preferences, because he had previously been the one serving meals to the new boss.

But their probing could not save their positions.

After taking office, the first thing Ji Feng did was to optimize and integrate the hotel’s internal management based on previously discovered issues.

Those who had entered the hotel as management through instrumental relationships, as long as their conduct was found to be unfitting for their positions, would all be removed; those who had previously embezzled funds in office were all handed over to the group’s discipline inspection committee for investigation and handling; all imperfect rules and regulations were replaced by the group’s systems, and subjected to the group’s unified strict management.

Ji Feng specially requested that each employee remain within the boundaries of their own work responsibilities and duties, and that high-level managers must not coerce low-level employees into doing anything beyond the scope of their positions, such as accompanying guests drinking – if any such behavior was discovered, the punishment would be severe without leniency.

Previously, Sui Hotel was like a gorgeous frame, luxurious on the outside but chaotic in internal management.

Now, after Ji Feng’s thorough reformation and streamlining with a sharp blade, the hotel’s internal framework suddenly became solid and reliable.

Xu Mi Yu observed the hotel’s transformation while flying higher, and felt even more admiration for Ji Feng’s true strength.

He was indeed more than just a fastidious guest on the top floor – he was a magician who could breathe new life into troubled enterprises. Compared to his great strength, even his notoriously difficult personality seemed to no longer be much of a problem.

During this time, Xue Rui finally found a new head chef, who since he came from the same culinary school as the previous head chef Chen, Ji Feng could accept his cooking.

But privately, Ji Feng quietly felt that while the new chef’s complex dishes looked appetizing and tasted good, they were not as satisfying to eat as the simple home-cooked meals made by Xu Mi Yu.

However, he did not want to become overly dependent on a woman, so he let Xu Mi Yu go.

From then on, Xu Mi Yu no longer needed to go to the top floor to take care of Ji Feng’s meals. She felt much lighter, but also faintly a bit lost. She thought perhaps it was because she no longer had the high daily wages to earn. Other than that, there couldn’t be any other more complicated reasons.

The rainy season finally passed, and the sky in Xingcheng was no longer overcast every day, with the weather gradually clearing up and lifting people’s moods as well.

Ji Feng could finally fall asleep without relying on Xu Mi Yu’s recordings, having also found a new chef to replace her. The small dependence he had on her in his life could now be thoroughly removed.

Strangely, he felt greatly relieved by this. It was as if some terrible incident would surely occur someday if this dependence was not removed. But what kind of terrible incident, he suppressed his subconscious and did not inquire further.

Xu Mi Yu also became busier.

She had previously thought that when Ji Feng told Feng Kai Xin that evening on her behalf: “You can’t fire her, she’s not one of your people,” it was just said in the moment.

Never would she have imagined that Ji Feng would actually follow through on the words he spoke casually, and afterwards she really was transferred to the lobby department, and not in the capacity of an ordinary employee.

The original front desk manager of the lobby department had been specially hired through a connection to a certain high-level manager, and that high-level manager was like Feng Kai Xin, having risen through a connection to Wei Si Yuan – their abilities were also basically lacking like Feng Kai Xin’s, but their ability to muddle good matters was quite superb.

After Ji Feng took over the hotel, he requested an investigation of instrumental relationships and incompetent employees, instantly removing both this high-level manager and the front desk manager who had entered the lobby department through him.

After this, he specifically appointed Xu Mi Yu to take over the vacant front desk manager position.

After receiving the transfer order, Xu Mi Yu couldn’t help but ask Xue Rui to inquire with Ji Feng about the reasons for this arrangement.

The reply Xue Rui brought back was: “General Ji said that based on your conditions – knowing several foreign languages, having a bachelor’s degree, and being a strong learner – if you were left to aimlessly position yourself, constantly staying in the guest rooms department would be a bit of a waste of your talents. You should go to the lobby department to hone your skills, and your language strengths will also be very suitable for receiving guests.”

Hearing all this, Xu Mi Yu couldn’t help but feel a stir in her heart.

She never expected that she would be seen in such high regard by Ji Feng. This made her feel surprised yet grateful.

Previously she only thought of working hard and living well without lingering in despondency, but had never thought clearly about her career path and opportunities for promotion.

Now Ji Feng’s arrangements awakened her – she should pursue work that could bring her abilities the greatest fulfillment, and she should work hard to improve herself along this direction.

With this realization, she told herself that she hoped the next time she was transferred or promoted, it would not be an arrangement by others, but that she would find the right direction herself and attain it through her own performance and abilities.

For now, she steeled her resolve and reminded herself to perform well and work hard in her new position, so as not to disappoint Ji Feng for this transfer and affirmation of her.

After completing her onboarding training, Xu Mi Yu officially took up her new position as Acting Front Desk Manager under the personal guidance of the General Manager for two more weeks.

She changed into a new uniform, even more stylish and fitted than her previous one. The new uniform was like a symbol of the slight difference between front office reception staff and guest room staff – as front office personnel, they were the earliest and most frequent points of contact for guests entering the hotel, and to a certain extent represented most of the hotel’s public image, so their makeup and clothing were more refined and glamorous.

The new uniform accentuated Xu Mi Yu’s lines with a more supple elegance, tapering at the knee with its fitted skirt, paired with high heels that made her legs look even more slender and straight – with every step she took, even Xu Mi Yu herself felt she was becoming more elegant, graceful and alluring.

On the day of her official transfer, Xu Mi Yu returned to the guest rooms department to say goodbye to her former colleagues. Everyone was loathe to part with her but also happy for her new opportunity.

Ke Wen Xue was so unwilling to part that she almost started crying: “Sister Mi Yu, our relationship was as close as picking each other’s hearts, and now you’re leaving for another department – you won’t forget me after going, right?!”

Xu Mi Yu patted her head and promised she wouldn’t.

Xia Xiang also looked a bit teary-eyed as she asked Xu Mi Yu: “Then after going to your new department, will you still bring us braised meat?”

Xu Mi Yu said of course.

Xia Xiang asked again: “Then will you come back here often to see us?” She asked with a sense of life-and-death parting.

Nearby, Luo Qing Ping couldn’t stand it anymore: “She’ll still be living in the dormitory, won’t she? The dorm isn’t far from us at all! What’s wrong with you guys, making it sound like she’s going to the ends of the earth or something?”

Xu Mi Yu realized she had a point, and couldn’t help wanting to laugh. The mournful atmosphere was immediately dispelled.

She smiled at Luo Qing Ping.

Luo Qing Ping had finally gotten her wish – she replaced Xu Mi Yu as head of staff.

As the new head of staff, Luo Qing Ping felt so good that even her smile for Xu Mi Yu became warm and without reservation.

She told Xu Mi Yu sincerely: “Although your time here wasn’t long, and I’m still very unwilling to admit it, but actually you were more capable of being head of staff than me. In the past I also learned a lot from you, like wanting to be a leader that everyone respects, how to behave appropriately. But the lobby department is different from our guest rooms department – the people there may take longer for you to integrate, as their temperaments are even more changeable than ours. But no matter what, you deserve this acting manager position based on your abilities and character. I believe you’ll soon integrate into the lobby department as well.”

This was the most Luo Qing Ping had ever said to Xu Mi Yu, and also the most sincere and moved. Xu Mi Yu felt quite touched, and thanked Luo Qing Ping very sincerely in return.

After arriving at her new department, Xu Mi Yu quickly discovered that Luo Qing Ping wasn’t wrong – while the lobby department was a department that greeted guests with smiling faces every day, the employees there were not as prepared to give her so many sincere smiles in welcome. They clearly showed resistance towards her joining, and their attitudes were a bit sarcastic and contemptuous.

She also understood why they would have such an attitude.

They had all witnessed at the hotel her outrageous mother coming to make a scene, demanding to see her daughter. Since her divorce, she had no longer gone there.

They had also witnessed how even before becoming the hotel owner, Ji Feng had helped extricate her from her mother’s harassment at the time.

They all knew the new boss held a very special esteem for this divorced woman Xu Mi Yu, often calling her up to the top floor, occasionally helping her out of situations, and now directly appointing her.

While her ascending to acting manager from a former guest floor head seemed procedurally quite reasonable. But in the view of the lobby staff, it was not so.

They heard that this Xu Mi Yu was also directly promoted to guest floor head of staff by the hotel’s original high-level management.

Later those original high-level managers were all purged by the new boss, but Xu Mi Yu seemed to escape any implications.

Moreover, not only did she escape implications, but she could be directly promoted again, which was simply bizarre.

Under this feeling of doubt and strangeness, the lobby staff, not just the front desk but other departments too, viewed Xu Mi Yu with suspicion and resistance.

Xu Mi Yu soon clearly felt her new subordinates’ obvious resistance towards her, and their attitudes were a bit snide and slippery.

They did not respect her as a person, and did not listen to her words very well either.

When she gave orders to her subordinates, no matter who it was, they would accept her orders superficially but not truly carry them out, quite at ease playing the role of passive resistance.

Xu Mi Yu thought about Luo Qing Ping’s reminder – indeed, compared to the guest rooms department, the lobby department’s employees had much stronger bending and more tricks up their sleeves. On the surface they could smile beautifully but turn around and roll their eyes – their abilities were stronger in this regard.

That day a front desk service staff member again went against her instructions behind her back, causing Xu Mi Yu to take the blame.

Her mood turned a bit sour. She didn’t know – should she keep using her old methods from the guest rooms department, slowly gathering each person’s shortcomings before becoming gentle? But the lobby staff were shrewder, and it may not be so easy to find things to criticize them about.

But if she directly used her rank and position with violent oppression against those passively resisting her, it could easily cause all employees to unite against her. As a newcomer still settling her footing, if all employees lodged a joint complaint against her, even Ji Feng wouldn’t be willing to overprotect such an incompetent person.

So what should she do to improve this situation?

Xu Mi Yu took the opportunity during her lunch break to go to the second floor terrace to get some air and relax her mind.

The sky was clear without a cloud in sight after the rainy season passed, with the air fresh and invigorating.

She stood on the terrace, tilting her head back and closing her eyes, silently processing her less-than-ideal mood.

After several deep breaths, she felt much better.

Xu Mi Yu reached into her uniform pocket and took out a chocolate bar. She peeled off the wrapper, put the chocolate in her mouth, hoping it would bring her some joy and strength.

Just then a familiar voice sounded from behind her, with the same faintly mocking and dismissive tone she knew so well ingrained in its pitch and timbre.

“How long are you going to stand there blocking my sunlight?”

Xu Mi Yu startled, immediately turning around. She instantly saw sitting on a rattan chair outside the pavilion, drinking tea and enjoying the sun, was Ji Feng.

After the rainy season passed, he seemed to really like coming here to catch some rays. She had heard others excitedly say several times, “I just saw General Ji sunbathing on the second floor terrace, our new boss is so cool! Aaaahhh!”

This time she had unexpectedly run into him too.

She thought those people were right – Ji Feng leaning casually on the rattan chair in the sunlight with his legs crossed, savoring his tea while finding it a bit distasteful but still drinking leisurely, only lightly sweeping those handsome brows, did indeed look so cool up close. Even his faintly mocking words tucked in the corners of his eyes seemed to add a kind of unique charm when seen this way.

But his gaze now looked displeased at being disturbed during sunbathing.

Recalling how just now she had tilted her head back and taken deep breaths, she must have presented quite a silly sight from Ji Feng’s perspective behind her… Xu Mi Yu couldn’t help feeling embarrassingly flushed at the thought.

Wanting to dissolve this embarrassment, she greeted him “General Ji” and was about to slip away.

But Ji Feng called her to stop.

Xu Mi Yu had no choice but to stop.

“Come back.”

Xu Mi Yu had no choice but to return the steps she had already taken.

“How are you faring in your new department?” Ji Feng unexpectedly asked her this.

Hearing Ji Feng’s question, Xu Mi Yu replied with a smile: “I’m faring quite well in my new department.”

Ji Feng’s mouth curled with a faint smile.

“But I heard from Xue Rui that it doesn’t seem you’re doing too well?” he said, baiting her again to see if her previous reply was just paying lip service. Would she spill complaints if led on? He wanted to see how she would respond this time.

“It’s only been a short time since I joined the new department, so occasional difficulties in integrating with everyone are quite normal. Xue Rui must have misunderstood – please rest assured General, I’m nearly adapted to everything in the new department!” Xu Mi Yu replied, still smiling.

Ji Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, pouring himself another serving of tea.

“Do you need any help?” he asked, looking at Xu Mi Yu with eyes suggesting she could try asking him for assistance. He wanted to test if she would take the bait.

But Xu Mi Yu immediately shook her head and firmly declined. “No need for help, please don’t help at all.”

Ji Feng raised his eyebrows. She actually seemed determined not to accept his help.

“How so, can you handle it yourself?”

Xu Mi Yu nodded. “I must handle it myself. As you said before, if one wants others to respect them, they have to rely on themselves.”

Ji Feng narrowed his eyes subtly, picking up his teacup nonchalantly.

She hadn’t turned back into a person he disliked.

He didn’t know if he felt relieved or disappointed by this.

Nonetheless seeing her understand self-improvement and self-reliance lifted his mood, and he generously provided her a free strategy.

“Remember, methods that work the first time may not necessarily work a second time. What works in the guest rooms department may not be effective in the lobby. So instead of relying on finding faults to suppress others, it’s better to gain following through ability.”

Hearing Ji Feng’s words, Xu Mi Yu realized Ji Feng seemed to be guiding her on how to open up the situation and integrate into her new work group in the lobby department – he was teaching her to speak with abilities and accomplishments, so that the lobby staff would naturally respect and heed her words once knowing she truly had the skills to take on a managerial position.

The problem that had been troubling her was suddenly dissolved. Xu Mi Yu felt greatly enlightened, and even her mood seemed to change as clearly as the weather, instantly lightening up.

She couldn’t help but take out a chocolate from her pocket, smiling as she offered it to Ji Feng saying: “I understand what to do now! Thank you General for your guidance, please have this!”

She smiled so radiantly and happily under the clear skies that even Xu Mi Yu herself felt she had become more luminous and dazzling overall.

Ji Feng glanced at her, narrowing his eyes slightly. She beamed so beautifully then offered him chocolate – was this woman developing feelings for him after leaving the top floor, and now trying to subtly charm him without making a sound?

These days, had her thoughts often drifted to him as she ate braised meat, tried sleeping, or read English texts? If so, she should firmly rein herself in. How could she indulge thoughts of liking, longing for, or attempting to seduce him? That was simply preposterous!

Ji Feng’s frown lines creased deeper. This woman casually took chocolate from her pocket – didn’t that mean she had prepared it long ago? Her look when he called out to her just now was clearly filled with light and surprise.

“Do you know what it means when a woman gives a man chocolate?” Ji Feng asked indifferently.

Xu Mi Yu was puzzled. “Huh?” What could one small chocolate candy possibly mean?

Ji Feng eyed her, narrowing his eyes further. Was this feigned ignorance? Coyness to seduce him?

Ji Feng glanced at the chocolate in her hand, flicking up an eyebrow faintly. “Take it back, I don’t want it.”

Perplexed by Ji Feng’s sudden strangeness, Xu Mi Yu returned to the lobby department in a contemplative mood. She felt he had acted a bit oddly just now – why did he react as if she was trying to poison him by casually offering a sweet? But she had no time to dwell on it further, because she saw a familiar figure walk through the hotel’s main entrance into the lobby. At first glance she thought she was mistaken, but looking closely again, she realized it truly was the wife of Nie Youcheng’s former boss Hu Tu. Previously she often went to the Hu residence to bring braised meat for Mrs. Hu to eat while helping Nie Youcheng’s career. But since her divorce, she hadn’t been there. Xu Mi Yu walked over with a smile, greeting Mrs. Hu respectfully. At first Mrs. Hu was surprised upon seeing her face, but soon smiled warmly in return, saying familiarly, “Ah it’s you Little Xu! What a coincidence running into you here. By the way, have you started bringing me braised meat again?”