“Alright, let’s upload this onto the internet…”
Shui Miao turned around and started to leave.
Upon hearing these words, Yin Yangyang hurriedly chased after him, grabbing his arm without caring about her revealing bikini attire.
“Woah, not bad at all!” Shui Miao glanced at Yin Yangyang’s figure, grinned, and then shook his head disapprovingly. “Too bad though, you’ll soon be a world-famous celebrity. If you come out like this, it’ll make for quite a spectacle! Who knows, our hotel might even gain fame because of your little stunt.”
“Shui Miao, if you dare to upload these videos online, I’ll kill you and then commit suicide!” Yin Yangyang stomped her foot, ran back to the warehouse, and hurriedly put on the clothes she had just taken off.
When Yin Yangyang came out, Shui Miao was already gone.
She hurried upstairs to the office to change clothes before coming back to negotiate with Shui Miao.
Outside the repair department, Guo Ming and Guo Liang saw Shui Miao returning and hurriedly approached with smiles.
“Manager, please help us! My brother and I didn’t earn much from dealing with leftover food, at most, we could split the earnings with you if you’d like!”
“Yeah! We didn’t make much either, about ninety thousand or a hundred thousand yuan maybe.”
Guo Ming and Guo Liang spoke one after the other.
Shui Miao sighed, stared at the two for a while, and then shook his head. “Sorry guys, I can’t help you with this. You two shouldn’t even continue working as mechanics here. Go back and prepare for a lawsuit.”
“What? What happened, Manager?”
As Shui Miao turned to leave, Guo Ming quickly grabbed his arm.
Shui Miao frowned, clearly unhappy. “I said, I can only help you if you’re honest with me, but have you been honest? Tell me exactly how much money you made, down to the last cent. If there’s even a hint of deception, I won’t waste another word on you. That’s just who I am—someone who values trust, but only if you’re truthful with me.”
Shui Miao was convinced the two brothers were hiding the truth.
Guo Ming and Guo Liang had worked at the hotel for seven or eight years. The leftover food and drinks from the hotel were worth at least 500 yuan every day, and that was a conservative estimate. Over seven or eight years, that would amount to 1.5 million yuan. Yet they claimed they only earned 100,000 yuan, which pushed Shui Miao to his limit.
“Sorry, I, I wasn’t telling the truth… We actually made about five…”
Guo Ming stammered but was interrupted by Shui Miao.
“Stop! I’m giving you a very serious warning. I already have a rough idea of the numbers. I asked you to tell me the truth to test your sincerity. If you’re not sincere, I won’t help you at all. Now, give me the real figure. If you hide anything, I’ll go get security to arrest you right now.”
Shui Miao stared at Guo Ming with a serious expression.
“I’ll tell you!”
Suddenly, Guo Liang couldn’t hold back anymore. He directly said, “Brother Shui, I can tell you genuinely care about us brothers. I won’t hide anything from you. We actually made around 2.6 million yuan over these seven or eight years. But we’ve already spent most of that money, leaving us with only 1.2 million. I’ve told you everything, so please help us figure out what to do next. Whatever you decide, even if it means we have to go to jail, I’ll accept it.”
“…”
Upon hearing his younger brother’s frank confession, Guo Ming could only helplessly lower his head.
“Alright, time to upload this to the internet…”
Shui Miao turned and walked away.
Hearing this, Yin Yangyang quickly chased after him, grabbing Shui Miao’s arm, completely disregarding the fact that she was only wearing a bikini!
“Wow, not bad!” Shui Miao glanced at Yin Yangyang’s figure, grinned, then pursed his lips and shook his head. “What a pity—soon you’ll be a world-famous celebrity. Showing up like this is just asking for a great shot! Who knows, our hotel might even become famous because of this stunt of yours.”
“Xiao Shui, if you dare post those videos online, I’ll kill you and then myself!” Yin Yangyang stamped her foot, ran back to the warehouse, and hurriedly put on the clothes she had just taken off.
By the time Yin Yangyang came out, Shui Miao was already gone.
She quickly went upstairs to the office to change her clothes, planning to negotiate with Shui Miao afterward.
Outside the maintenance department, Guo Ming and Guo Liang saw Shui Miao return and immediately greeted him with smiles. “Manager, please help us. Our brother and I didn’t make much from those leftovers. At most, we’ll stop doing it and give you half of what we earned?”
“Yeah! We didn’t make much—around 90,000, roughly 100,000 yuan.”
Guo Ming and Guo Liang spoke one after the other.
Shui Miao sighed, stared at them for a moment, and then shook his head. “Sorry, you two, but I can’t help you with this. You shouldn’t even be working as repairmen anymore. Go back and prepare for a lawsuit.”
“What? What’s wrong, Manager?”
Seeing Shui Miao about to leave, Guo Ming quickly grabbed him.
Shui Miao frowned, clearly displeased. “I told you, I can only help if you’re honest with me. But were you honest? How much did you really make? Tell me every last cent. If there’s even a hint of deception, I won’t waste another word on you. That’s just how I am—I value trust, but only if you’re truthful with me.”
Shui Miao was certain the brothers weren’t being honest.
Guo Ming and Guo Liang had been at the hotel for seven or eight years. The daily value of leftover food and drinks was at least 500 yuan—a conservative estimate. Over seven or eight years, that amounted to 1.5 million yuan! Yet they claimed they’d only made 100,000. This made Shui Miao furious.
“Sorry, I… I wasn’t honest. We actually made… five…”
Guo Ming stammered, but Shui Miao cut him off.
“Stop. I’m giving you a very, very serious warning—I already have an idea of the numbers. I asked you to tell me to see if you were sincere. If you’re not, I won’t help you at all. Now, give me the real number, straightforwardly. If you hide even a single detail, I’m calling security right now.”
Shui Miao looked at Guo Ming with utmost seriousness.
“I’ll talk!”
Suddenly, Guo Liang lost his patience. “Brother Shui, I can tell you genuinely care about us brothers. I won’t hide it—over the past seven or eight years, we made about 2.6 million yuan. But we’ve already spent more than half. Now we only have 1.2 million left. I’ve told you everything. Please help us handle the rest. Whatever you decide, even if it means going to jail, I’ll accept it.”
“…”
Hearing his brother’s blunt confession, Guo Ming could only lower his head helplessly.
“One million? One million isn’t enough. You made 2.6 million. Legally, you’d have to return all of it, plus cover lawsuit costs and other expenses—at least 2.7 million.” Seeing Guo Ming’s unconvinced expression, Shui Miao decided to push further. He turned to Guo Liang and asked, “Where are you two from? You must’ve built a house back home, right? You don’t seem like the type to splurge or waste money. How did you spend more than half?”
“Yeah, we built a house. That cost a million. I spent over 100,000 myself. The rest is with our sister-in-law.” Guo Liang was straightforward, laying everything out.
Shui Miao understood—the brothers had an unequal split. The older brother took more, making the younger one resentful. Seizing this opportunity, Guo Liang laid it all out, ready to start over from scratch if necessary.
But Guo Ming still hung his head, seeming unyielding.
Shui Miao noticed and wondered if Guo Ming was planning to flee with the money.
“Well, Guo Liang, your attitude is good. And remember, Sister Lin is the big boss—she has connections everywhere. She’s the type who responds better to softness than hardness. If you resist, she’ll pursue this to the end. But if you confess honestly and I put in a good word, I think she might only take back half. Also, there are cameras everywhere—she sees everything you do. For now, go back and gather the money. Wait for my call to settle this privately. Of course, if you have other ideas, I won’t stop you.”
“Manager, how much would it take for you to help us settle privately?”
Guo Liang looked up, getting straight to the point.
Shui Miao shook his head. “I can’t say for sure. It depends on Sister Lin’s decision. But you can also show your sincerity.”
“Sigh! Since it’s come to this, I won’t hold back. I can offer at most a million. The other 200,000… I lost it gambling last month. If you really want it, you can take our small restaurant as collateral.” Guo Ming’s eyes darted around.
Guo Liang was stunned. He knew his brother never gambled—this was clearly a lie! Guo Ming must be trying to keep that 200,000 to start over. Realizing this, Guo Liang quickly added, “Manager, that small restaurant is worth quite a bit. How about you plead with Sister Lin to let us off with just a million? We’ll give you the restaurant to manage. We signed a ten-year lease, and there are still three years left.”
“…”
Shui Miao looked at Guo Liang, who seemed utterly defeated.
“Alright, we’ll discuss this later.”
Shui Miao waved his hand and headed toward the restroom.
There were no cameras in the restroom. Guo Liang and Guo Ming exchanged a glance and quickly followed.
Shui Miao looked at the brothers and sighed. “We’re all just trying to make a living—it’s not easy. Here’s what I’ll do: hand over the restaurant’s management rights and give me 600,000 yuan. You can keep the remaining 400,000 to start a business. But you can’t stay in Zhonghai City. Go back to your hometown and never return. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Manager… you’ve saved our lives!”
“Thank you, Manager, thank you…”
Guo Liang and Guo Ming, two grown men, were so emotional they almost knelt down!
Shui Miao quickly helped them up and lowered his voice. “Given my relationship with Sister Lin, she’ll give me this favor. Let me be straight—I don’t want the 600,000. I want that small restaurant. I plan to turn it into a dormitory—just for comfort. Also, you should leave tonight. I know Sister Lin—she hates betrayal. If she doesn’t see you, she might forget. But if she ever runs into you again, I can’t guarantee she won’t come after you.”
Guo Liang nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes, we’ll leave tonight, tonight…”
“Manager, what about the money and the restaurant agreement? When should we give them to you?” Guo Ming asked urgently.
Shui Miao checked the time. “It’s after work hours. I’ll come to your restaurant in half an hour. Just hand everything over then.”
Guo Ming and Guo Liang agreed repeatedly and hurriedly left the hotel.
Shui Miao immediately called Chen Bing, informed him of the situation, and asked him to secretly keep an eye on Guo Ming and Guo Liang. He couldn’t let that restaurant slip away.
Everything was falling into place. He’d resolved the issue with Guo Ming and Guo Liang and even gained a small restaurant. Shui Miao was thrilled.
Back in the maintenance room, Shui Miao received a call from Lin Qing’er.
“Xiao Shui, two of my friends are on their way to the hotel. They’ll take over for Yin Yangyang and Feng An’an. Have two security guards assist them. As for Gao Bo’s situation, I’ll handle it myself later. I’m going to remove him in front of all the entertainment department managers and put you in charge.”
“Sure, I’ll cooperate. By the way, Sister Lin, something else happened at the hotel. Chen Bing and Yin Yangyang were fooling around in the warehouse. I’ve already fired them. Also, Guo Ming and Guo Liang have been taking hotel leftovers to their small restaurant…”
Before Shui Miao could finish, Lin Qing’er interrupted, “The leftovers would just be thrown away anyway. If they help us dispose of them, we have less garbage to deal with. Handle such trivial matters yourself. As for Chen Bing, wasn’t that too harsh? He’s your good friend and fellow townsman!”
Shui Miao was surprised—Sister Lin’s attitude toward the leftovers was unexpectedly lenient.
“Sister Lin, I’m the manager. I can’t show favoritism, can I?” Shui Miao’s mind raced.
Lin Qing’er immediately retorted, “I believe Chen Bing isn’t that kind of person. Yin Yangyang used to work at a nightclub—she must’ve seduced him. By firing Chen Bing, have you considered how hurt he must be?”
“Sister Lin, since you care so much about Chen Bing, I have a way to compensate him that could also benefit the hotel.” Shui Miao rubbed his nose, wondering why he hadn’t been this clever before. Was it because he’d been practicing Five-Star Qigong?
“What way?” Lin Qing’er valued her friends deeply.
Shui Miao explained in detail, “Chen Bing has always wanted to run his own restaurant. How about we find a small place nearby for him? We can provide him with the hotel’s leftovers—it’ll cut his costs, and the hotel can earn some profit too…”
“I see what you mean. That’s a good idea. But I’d still prefer him to come back to the hotel. If he really doesn’t want to, we’ll go with your plan. The hotel won’t take a penny from him, and we can even send a chef to help.” Lin Qing’er genuinely considered Chen Bing a friend—her words came from the heart.
Hearing this, Shui Miao was deeply moved. He hadn’t expected Sister Lin to be so sincere.
“Sister Lin, there’s one more thing—about Guo Ming…”
Touched by Lin Qing’er’s honesty, Shui Miao was about to mention the compensation from Guo Ming and Guo Liang when Lin Qing’er impatiently cut him off. “Oh, Xiao Shui! I treat you like my own brother. I made you manager, and I plan to entrust the entire hotel to you. Can’t you make some decisions on your own? Don’t ask me about everything! I’ve told you before—even if you lose money, I won’t blame you. Handle Guo Ming and Guo Liang however you see fit. At most, fire them or make them pay some compensation. If you want to use some restaurant funds to support Chen Bing’s small restaurant, go ahead. Use your judgment—stop asking me all the time. How else will you grow into a real manager? Okay, okay, I have things to do. Handle it yourself.”
Lin Qing’er truly treated Shui Miao like a brother!
She didn’t even mind if he used restaurant funds for the small restaurant—wasn’t that proof enough?
“Sister Lin is so good to me!” Shui Miao, who had initially been somewhat selfish, was stunned after hanging up. “Is this the power of family? If she were really my sister, how wonderful would that be? I’d probably wake up laughing from dreams! Okay, Sister Lin, I swear I’ll follow you for life. I’ll never leave you. I’ll protect you forever and always!”
“Yeah, we built a house, which cost a million yuan. I spent another 100,000 or so, and the rest is with my sister-in-law.” Guo Liang spoke frankly, spilling everything like beans from a bamboo tube.
Shui Miao understood immediately. The brothers had divided the spoils unevenly, with the older brother taking the lion’s share, leaving the younger brother resentful. Now, he had seized the opportunity to expose everything, ready to start over from scratch if necessary.
“Alright, time to upload this to the internet…”
Shui Miao turned and walked away.
Hearing this, Yin Yangyang quickly chased after him, grabbing Shui Miao’s arm, completely disregarding the fact that she was only wearing a bikini!
“Wow, not bad!” Shui Miao glanced at Yin Yangyang’s figure, grinned, then pursed his lips and shook his head. “What a shame—soon you’ll be a world-famous celebrity. Showing up like this would make for quite a scene! Who knows, our hotel might even become famous because of your little performance.”
“Xiao Shui, if you dare post those videos online, I’ll kill you and then myself!” Yin Yangyang stamped her foot in frustration and ran back to the warehouse, hurriedly putting on the clothes she had just taken off.
By the time Yin Yangyang came out, Shui Miao was already gone.
She quickly went upstairs to the office to change her clothes, planning to negotiate with Shui Miao afterward.
Outside the maintenance department, Guo Ming and Guo Liang saw Shui Miao returning and immediately greeted him with smiles. “Manager, please help us! Our brother and I didn’t make much money from selling the leftover food. At most, we’ll stop doing it and give you half of what we earned?”
“Yeah! We didn’t make much—around 90,000, roughly 100,000 yuan.”
Guo Ming and Guo Liang spoke one after the other.
Shui Miao sighed, stared at them for a moment, and then shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you with this. You shouldn’t work as repairmen here anymore. Go back and prepare for a lawsuit.”
“What? What’s wrong, Manager?”
Seeing Shui Miao about to leave, Guo Ming quickly grabbed him.
Shui Miao frowned, clearly displeased. “I told you, I can only help if you’re honest with me. But were you honest? How much money did you actually make? Tell me every last cent. If there’s even the slightest hint of deception, I won’t waste another word on you. That’s just the kind of person I am—I value trust, but only if you’re truthful with me.”
Shui Miao was certain the brothers weren’t being honest.
Guo Ming and Guo Liang had been at the hotel for nearly eight years. The daily value of leftover food and drinks was at least 500 yuan—a conservative estimate. Over seven or eight years, that added up to 1.5 million yuan! Yet they claimed to have only made 100,000 yuan. This made Shui Miao furious.
“Sorry, I… I wasn’t honest. We actually made… five…”
Guo Ming stammered, but Shui Miao cut him off.
“Stop. I’m giving you a very serious warning—I already have an idea of the numbers. I asked you to tell me to see if you were sincere. If you’re not, I won’t help you. Now, be straightforward and give me the real amount. If you hide even a single detail, I’m sorry, but I’ll have security arrest you right now.”
Shui Miao looked at Guo Ming with utmost seriousness.
“I’ll talk!”
Suddenly, Guo Liang lost his patience. He spoke directly: “Brother Shui, I can tell you genuinely care about us brothers. I won’t hide it from you—over the past seven or eight years, we made about 2.6 million yuan. But we’ve already spent more than half of it. Now we only have 1.2 million left. I’ve told you everything. Please help us handle the rest. Whatever you decide, even if it means going to jail, I’ll accept it.”
“…”
Hearing his brother’s blunt confession, Guo Ming could only lower his head helplessly.
“One million? One million isn’t enough. You made 2.6 million. Legally, you’d have to return all of it, plus cover lawsuit fees and other expenses—at least 2.7 million.” Seeing that Guo Ming still seemed unconvinced, Shui Miao decided to push further. He turned to Guo Liang and asked, “Where are you from? You must have built a house back home, right? You don’t seem like the type to splurge or waste money. How did you end up spending more than half?”
“We did build a house. That cost one million. I spent over 100,000 on other things. The rest of the money is with my sister-in-law.” Guo Liang was straightforward, laying everything out.
Shui Miao understood—the brothers had an unequal split. The older brother took more, making the younger brother resentful. Seizing this opportunity, Guo Liang laid it all out, ready to start over from scratch if necessary.
However, Guo Ming still kept his head down, giving off an air of defiance.
Shui Miao noticed this and wondered if Guo Ming was planning to flee with the money.
“Well, Guo Liang, your attitude is good. And remember, Sister Lin is the big boss. She has connections everywhere, both legal and underground. She’s the type who responds better to softness than hardness. If you resist, she’ll pursue this to the end. But if you confess honestly and I put in a good word, I think she might only take back half. Also, there are cameras everywhere here. She sees everything you do. For now, go back and gather the money. Wait for my call to settle this privately. Of course, if you have any other ideas, I won’t stop you.”
“Manager, how much money would it take for you to help us settle this privately?” Guo Liang looked up, getting straight to the point.
Shui Miao shook his head. “I can’t say for sure. It depends on Sister Lin’s decision. But you can also show your sincerity.”
“Sigh! Since things have come to this, I’ll stop resisting. I can offer at most one million. The other 200,000… I lost it gambling last month. If you really want it, you can take our small restaurant as collateral.” Guo Ming’s eyes darted around nervously.
Guo Liang was stunned. He knew his older brother never gambled—this was clearly a lie! Guo Ming must be trying to keep that 200,000 to start over. Realizing this, Guo Liang quickly added, “Manager, that small restaurant is worth quite a bit. Why don’t you ask Sister Lin to settle for one million? We’ll give you the restaurant to manage. We signed a ten-year lease, and there are still three years left.”
“…”
Shui Miao looked at Guo Liang, who seemed utterly defeated, as if he had given up completely.
“Well, we’ll discuss this later.” Shui Miao waved his hand and headed toward the restroom.
There were no cameras in the restroom. Guo Liang and Guo Ming exchanged a glance and quickly followed.
Shui Miao looked at the brothers and sighed. “We’re all just workers trying to get by. It’s not easy. Here’s what I’ll do: I’ve thought of a compromise. Hand over the restaurant’s management rights and give me 600,000 yuan. You can keep the remaining 400,000 to start a small business. But you can’t stay in Zhonghai City. It’s best if you return to your hometown and never come back. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Manager… you’ve saved our lives!”
“Thank you, Manager, thank you…”
Guo Liang and Guo Ming, two grown men, were so emotional they almost knelt down to thank Shui Miao.
Shui Miao quickly helped them up and lowered his voice. “Given my relationship with Sister Lin, she’ll give me this favor. To be blunt, I don’t want the 600,000. What I want is that small restaurant. I plan to convert it into a dormitory—just for comfortable living. Also, you should leave tonight. I know Sister Lin—she hates betrayal. If she doesn’t see you, she might forget about it. But if she ever runs into you again, I can’t guarantee she won’t come after you.”
Guo Liang nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes, we’ll leave tonight, tonight…”
“Manager, what about the money and the restaurant agreement? When should we give them to you?” Guo Ming asked urgently.
Shui Miao checked the time. “It’s after work hours now. I’ll come to your restaurant in half an hour. Just hand everything over to me then.”
Guo Ming and Guo Liang agreed eagerly and quickly left the hotel.
Shui Miao immediately called Chen Bing, briefed him on the situation, and asked him to secretly keep an eye on Guo Ming and Guo Liang. He didn’t want to lose the restaurant he had just secured.
Everything was falling into place. Shui Miao had not only resolved the issue with Guo Ming and Guo Liang but also gained a small restaurant. He felt pleased.
Back in the maintenance room, Shui Miao received a call from Lin Qing’er.
“Xiao Shui, two of my friends are on their way to the hotel. They’ll take over Yin Yangyang and Feng An’an’s positions. Have two security guards assist them. As for Gao Bo’s matter, I’ll handle it myself later. I’m going to remove him in front of all the entertainment department managers and put you in charge.”
“Okay, I’ll cooperate. By the way, Sister Lin, something else happened at the hotel. Chen Bing and Yin Yangyang were involved in an inappropriate relationship in the warehouse. I’ve already fired them. Also, Guo Ming and Guo Liang have been taking leftover food from the hotel to their small restaurant…”
Before Shui Miao could finish, Lin Qing’er interrupted, “The leftovers would just be thrown away anyway. If they help us dispose of them, we have less garbage to deal with. You can handle such trivial matters. As for Chen Bing, weren’t you too harsh? He’s your good friend and fellow townsman!”
Shui Miao was surprised. He hadn’t expected Sister Lin to have such a relaxed attitude toward the leftover food issue.
“Sister Lin, I’m the manager. I can’t show favoritism, right?” Shui Miao’s mind raced.
Lin Qing’er immediately retorted, “I believe Chen Bing isn’t that kind of person. Yin Yangyang used to work at a nightclub—she must have seduced him. By firing Chen Bing, have you considered how hurt he must feel?”
“Sister Lin, since you care so much about Chen Bing, I have a way to compensate him that could also benefit the hotel.” Shui Miao rubbed his nose, wondering why he hadn’t been this clever before. Was it because he had been practicing Five-Star Qigong that he had become smarter?
“What way?” Lin Qing’er valued her friends deeply.
Shui Miao explained in detail, “Chen Bing has always wanted to start his own business, like running a restaurant. Why don’t we find a small restaurant nearby for him to manage? We can provide him with the hotel’s leftovers. That way, he saves on costs, and the hotel can earn some profit…”
“I see what you mean. That’s a good idea. But I’d still prefer him to come back to the hotel. If he really doesn’t want to, we can go with your plan. The hotel won’t take a penny from him, and we can even send a master chef to help him.” Lin Qing’er genuinely considered Chen Bing a friend. Her words came from the heart.
Hearing this, Shui Miao was deeply moved. He hadn’t expected Sister Lin to be so sincere.
“Sister Lin, there’s one more thing. Guo Ming and the others…”
Shui Miao, touched by Lin Qing’er’s sincerity, was about to bring up the compensation from Guo Ming and Guo Liang when Lin Qing’er impatiently cut him off. “Oh, Xiao Shui! I treat you like my own brother. I made you manager, and I plan to entrust the entire hotel to you. Can’t you make some decisions on your own? Don’t ask me about everything! I’ve told you before—even if you lose money, I won’t blame you. Handle Guo Ming and Guo Liang however you see fit. At most, fire them or make them pay some compensation. You can even use some of the restaurant’s funds to support Chen Bing’s small restaurant. Use your judgment. Stop asking me all the time. How will you ever grow into a real manager if you keep relying on me? Okay, okay, I have other things to do. Handle it yourself.”
Lin Qing’er truly treated Shui Miao like a brother!
She didn’t even mind if Shui Miao used the restaurant’s money to support the small restaurant. Wasn’t that proof enough?
“Sister Lin is so good to me!” Shui Miao, who had initially been somewhat selfish, was stunned after hanging up. “Is this the power of familial love? If she were really my sister, how wonderful would that be? I’d probably wake up laughing from dreams! Okay, Sister Lin, I swear I’ll follow you for the rest of my life. I’ll never leave you. I’ll protect you forever and always!”
Observing this, Shui Miao wondered if Guo Ming was planning to flee with the money.
“Anyway, Guo Liang, your attitude is good. Also, remember this: Lin Jie is the big boss, and she has connections in both the underworld and the mainstream. She doesn’t tolerate defiance. If you confront her, she’ll pursue the matter relentlessly. However, if you honestly confess and I plead on your behalf, I think she’ll probably settle for recovering half the money. Additionally, there are cameras installed here, so she sees everything you do. For now, go back and prepare the money. Wait for my call to settle this privately. Of course, if you have any other ideas, Guo Liang, I won’t stop you.”
“Manager, roughly how much money would it take for you to help us settle this privately?”
Guo Liang raised his head and got straight to the point.
Shui Miao shook his head. “I can’t say for sure. It depends on what Lin Jie wants. Of course, you can express your willingness to cooperate.”
“Ah! The situation has come to this, so I won’t insist anymore. I can contribute up to a million yuan, but twenty thousand was lost in gambling last month. If you really insist, you can take the small restaurant as collateral.” Guo Ming’s eyes flickered as he spoke.
Guo Liang was taken aback. He knew his older brother never gambled, so this was clearly a lie! His brother’s intention was obviously to keep that twenty thousand yuan to have capital for a comeback! Understanding his brother’s thoughts, Guo Liang quickly added, “Manager, that small restaurant is worth quite a bit. Why don’t you just help us plead with Lin Jie to settle for a million yuan? We’ll give you the restaurant to operate. We signed a ten-year contract, and there are still three years left.”
“…”
Shui Miao looked at Guo Liang, who appeared dejected, seemingly completely despairing.
“Alright, we’ll talk about this later.”
Shui Miao waved his hand and headed toward the restroom.
There were no cameras in the restroom. Guo Liang and Guo Ming exchanged a glance and quickly followed.
Shui Miao looked at the two brothers and sighed. “We’re all just workers, and life isn’t easy for any of us! Here’s what I’ll do—I’ve thought of a compromise. You hand over the management rights of the small restaurant to me, give me 600,000 yuan, and the remaining 400,000 yuan you two can use to start a business elsewhere. But you can’t stay in Zhonghai City anymore. It’s best to return to your hometown and never come back. As for the rest, I’ll handle it for you.”
“Manager… you’ve saved our lives!”
“Thank you, Manager! Thank you, Manager!”
Guo Liang and Guo Ming, two grown men, were so moved they wanted to kneel before Shui Miao.
Shui Miao quickly helped them up and whispered, “With my favor, Lin Jie will probably give me this much face. Let me be clear with you—I don’t want the 600,000 yuan. What I want is the small restaurant. Later, I’ll convert it into dormitories because I just want a comfortable place to live. Also, you’d better leave tonight. I know Lin Jie well—she hates betrayal the most. If she doesn’t see you, she’ll forget about you. But if she happens to see you one day, I can’t guarantee she won’t come after you again.”
Guo Liang nodded repeatedly, “Yes, yes, we’ll leave tonight, we’ll leave tonight…”
“Manager, what about the money and the restaurant agreement? When should we hand them over to you?” Guo Ming quickly asked.
“Alright, time to upload this to the internet…”
Shui Miao turned and walked away.
Hearing this, Yin Yangyang quickly chased after him, grabbing Shui Miao’s arm, completely disregarding the fact that she was only wearing a bikini!
“Wow, not bad!” Shui Miao glanced at Yin Yangyang’s figure, grinned, then pursed his lips and shook his head. “What a pity—soon you’ll be a world-famous celebrity. Showing up like this and licking something would make quite a scene! Who knows, our hotel might even become famous because of your little performance.”
“Xiao Shui, if you dare post those videos online, I’ll kill you and then myself!” Yin Yangyang stamped her foot, ran back to the warehouse, and hurriedly put on the clothes she had just taken off.
By the time Yin Yangyang came out, Shui Miao was already gone.
She quickly went upstairs to the office to change her clothes, planning to negotiate with Shui Miao afterward.
Outside the maintenance department, Guo Ming and Guo Liang saw Shui Miao returning and immediately greeted him with smiles. “Manager, please help us. We didn’t make much money from selling the leftover food. At most, we’ll stop doing it and give you half of what we earned?”
“Yeah! We didn’t make much—about 90,000, roughly 100,000 yuan.”
Guo Ming and Guo Liang spoke one after the other.
Shui Miao sighed, stared at them for a moment, and shook his head. “Sorry, gentlemen, I can’t help you with this. You shouldn’t work as maintenance staff anymore. Go back and prepare for a lawsuit.”
“What? What’s wrong, Manager?”
Seeing Shui Miao about to leave, Guo Ming quickly grabbed him.
Shui Miao frowned, clearly displeased. “I told you, I can only help if you’re honest with me. But have you been honest? How much money did you really make? Tell me every last cent. If there’s even a hint of deception, I won’t waste another word on you. That’s just how I am—I value trust, but only if you’re truthful with me.”
Shui Miao was certain the brothers weren’t telling the truth.
Guo Ming and Guo Liang had been at the hotel for seven or eight years. The daily value of leftover food and drinks was at least 500 yuan, and that was a conservative estimate. Over seven or eight years, at 500 yuan a day, that added up to 1.5 million! But now they claimed they’d only made 100,000 yuan? That made Shui Miao furious.
“Sorry, I… I wasn’t honest. We actually made… five…”
Guo Ming stammered, but Shui Miao cut him off.
“Stop. I’m warning you very seriously—I already have an idea of the numbers. I asked you to tell me to see if you’d be honest. If you’re not sincere, I won’t help you. Now, give me the real number, straightforwardly. If you hide even a single detail, I’m calling security right now.”
Shui Miao looked at Guo Ming with utmost seriousness.
“I’ll talk!”
Suddenly, Guo Liang lost his patience. “Brother Shui, I can tell you genuinely care about us. I won’t hide it—over the past seven or eight years, we made about 2.6 million yuan. But we’ve already spent more than half. Now we only have 1.2 million left. I’ve told you everything. Please help us handle the rest. Whatever you decide, even if it means going to jail, I’ll accept it.”
“…”
Hearing his brother’s blunt confession, Guo Ming could only lower his head helplessly.
“One million? One million isn’t enough. You made 2.6 million. Legally, you’d have to return all of it, plus cover lawsuit costs and other expenses—at least 2.7 million.” Seeing Guo Ming’s unconvinced expression, Shui Miao decided to push further. He turned to Guo Liang and asked, “Where are you from? You must have built a house back home. You don’t seem like the type to splurge or waste money. How did you spend more than half?”
“We did build a house. That cost one million. I spent over 100,000 myself. The rest is with our sister-in-law.” Guo Liang was straightforward, spilling everything.
Shui Miao understood—the brothers had an unequal split. The older brother took more, making the younger one resentful. Seizing this opportunity, Guo Liang laid it all out, ready to start from scratch even if it meant losing everything.
But Guo Ming still hung his head, seeming unrepentant.
Watching him, Shui Miao wondered if Guo Ming was planning to flee with the money.
“Well, Guo Liang, your attitude is good. Remember, Sister Lin is the big boss. She has connections everywhere. She’s the type who responds better to cooperation than defiance. If you’re honest and I put in a good word, I think she might only take back half. Also, there are cameras everywhere. She sees everything you do. For now, go back and gather the money. Wait for my call to settle this privately. Of course, if you have other ideas, I won’t stop you.”
“Manager, how much would it take for you to help us settle privately?”
Guo Liang looked up, getting straight to the point.
Shui Miao shook his head. “I can’t say for sure. It depends on Sister Lin’s decision. But you can show your sincerity.”
“Sigh! Since things have come to this, I won’t hold back. I can offer one million at most. The other 200,000… I lost it gambling last month. If you really want it, you can take our small restaurant as collateral.” Guo Ming’s eyes darted around.
Guo Liang was stunned. He knew his brother never gambled—this was clearly a lie! Guo Ming must be trying to keep that 200,000 to start over. Realizing this, Guo Liang quickly added, “Manager, that small restaurant is worth quite a bit. Please ask Sister Lin to settle for one million. We’ll give you the restaurant to manage. We signed a ten-year lease, and there are still three years left.”
“…”
Shui Miao looked at Guo Liang, who seemed utterly defeated.
“Alright, we’ll discuss this later.”
Shui Miao waved his hand and headed toward the restroom.
There were no cameras in the restroom. Guo Liang and Guo Ming exchanged a glance and followed him.
Shui Miao looked at the brothers and sighed. “We’re all workers—life isn’t easy. Here’s what I’ll do: hand over the restaurant’s management rights and give me 600,000 yuan. You can keep the remaining 400,000 to start a business. But you can’t stay in Zhonghai City. Go back to your hometown and never return. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Manager… you’ve saved our lives!”
“Thank you, Manager, thank you…”
The two grown men were so emotional they almost knelt before Shui Miao.
Shui Miao quickly helped them up and lowered his voice. “Given my relationship with Sister Lin, she’ll give me face. To be frank, I don’t want the 600,000. I want the restaurant. I’ll convert it into a dormitory—just for comfort. Also, you should leave tonight. Sister Lin hates betrayal. If she doesn’t see you, she might forget. But if she ever runs into you, I can’t guarantee she won’t come after you.”
Guo Liang nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes, we’ll leave tonight, tonight…”
“Manager, what about the money and the restaurant agreement? When should we give them to you?” Guo Ming asked urgently.
Shui Miao checked the time. “It’s after work now. I’ll come to your restaurant in half an hour. Just hand everything over then.”
Guo Ming and Guo Liang agreed eagerly and hurriedly left the hotel.
Shui Miao immediately called Chen Bing, explained the situation, and asked him to secretly monitor Guo Ming and Guo Liang. He couldn’t let the restaurant slip away.
Everything was falling into place. He’d resolved the issue with Guo Ming and Guo Liang and even gained a restaurant. Shui Miao was thrilled.
Back in the maintenance room, Shui Miao received a call from Lin Qing’er.
“Xiao Shui, two of my friends are on their way to the hotel. They’ll take over for Yin Yangyang and Feng An’an. Have two security guards assist them. As for Gao Bo, I’ll handle it myself later. I’ll dismiss him in front of all the entertainment department managers and put you in charge.”
“Sure, I’ll cooperate. By the way, Sister Lin, something else happened at the hotel. Chen Bing and Yin Yangyang were involved in an inappropriate relationship in the warehouse. I’ve already fired them. Also, Guo Ming and Guo Liang have been taking leftover food from the hotel to their restaurant…”
Before Shui Miao could finish, Lin Qing’er interrupted, “Leftover food and drinks would just be thrown away anyway. If they help us dispose of it, we have less garbage to deal with. Handle such trivial matters yourself. As for Chen Bing, wasn’t that too harsh? He’s your good friend and fellow townsman!”
Shui Miao was surprised. He hadn’t expected Sister Lin to be so lenient about the leftover food.
“Sister Lin, I’m the manager. I can’t show favoritism,” Shui Miao replied, his mind racing.
Lin Qing’er immediately retorted, “I believe Chen Bing isn’t that kind of person. Yin Yangyang used to work at a nightclub—she must have seduced him. By firing him, have you considered how hurt he must feel?”
“Sister Lin, since you care so much about Chen Bing, I have a way to compensate him that could also benefit the hotel.” Shui Miao rubbed his nose, wondering why he hadn’t been this clever before. Was it because he’d been practicing Five-Star Qigong?
“What way?” Lin Qing’er valued her friends deeply.
Shui Miao explained in detail, “Chen Bing has always wanted to run his own restaurant. Why don’t we find a small place nearby for him? We can provide him with the hotel’s leftovers—it’ll reduce his costs, and the hotel can earn some profit too…”
“I see what you mean. That’s a good idea. But I’d prefer if he returned to the hotel. If he really doesn’t want to, we can go with your plan. The hotel won’t take a cut, and we can even send a chef to help him.” Lin Qing’er genuinely considered Chen Bing a friend, and her words came from the heart.
Hearing this, Shui Miao was deeply moved. He hadn’t expected Sister Lin to be so sincere.
“Sister Lin, there’s one more thing—about Guo Ming…”
Inspired by Lin Qing’er’s honesty, Shui Miao was about to mention the compensation from Guo Ming and Guo Liang when Lin Qing’er impatiently cut him off, “Oh, Xiao Shui! I treat you like a younger brother. I made you manager because I plan to entrust the entire hotel to you. Can’t you make decisions on your own? Don’t ask me about everything! I’ve told you before—even if you lose money, I won’t blame you. Handle Guo Ming and Guo Liang however you see fit. At most, fire them or make them pay compensation. If you want to use some restaurant funds to support Chen Bing’s place, do it. Use your judgment. Stop asking me all the time—how else will you grow into a real manager? Anyway, I’m busy. Handle it yourself.”
Lin Qing’er truly treated Shui Miao like a brother!
She didn’t even mind if he used restaurant funds for the small restaurant—wasn’t that proof enough?
“Sister Lin is so good to me!” Shui Miao was stunned after hanging up. “Is this the power of family? If she were really my sister, I’d be overjoyed! Okay, Sister Lin, I swear I’ll follow you for life. I’ll never leave you. I’ll protect you forever!”
Guo Ming and Guo Liang repeatedly agreed and hurriedly left the hotel.
Shui Miao immediately called Chen Bing to inform him of the situation and asked him to secretly monitor Guo Ming and Guo Liang. He couldn’t let that small restaurant slip away so easily.
Things went smoothly—resolving the issues with Guo Ming and Guo Liang and gaining a small restaurant in the process. Shui Miao felt delighted.
Returning to the repair room, Shui Miao received a call from Lin Qing’er.
“Little Shui, my two friends are heading to the hotel. They’ll take over Yin Yangyang and Feng An’an’s positions. You need to accompany them with two security guards. Also, regarding Gao Bo’s matter, I’ll come personally later to dismiss him in front of all the management under the Entertainment Department and let you take over.”
“Okay, I’ll definitely cooperate. By the way, Lin Jie, there’s something else that happened at the hotel. Chen Bing and Yin Yangyang were caught having an inappropriate relationship in the warehouse, and I’ve already fired them. Also, Guo Ming and Guo Liang took leftovers from the hotel to their small restaurant…”
Before Shui Miao could finish, Lin Qing’er interrupted, “The leftovers were going to be thrown out anyway. If they helped us dispose of them, we saved on garbage disposal. It’s such a trivial matter—you can handle it yourself. As for Chen Bing, you were too harsh! He’s your good friend and fellow townsman, right?”
Shui Miao’s heart stirred, surprised by Lin Jie’s attitude toward handling the leftover food issue.
“Lin Jie, I’m the manager—I can’t show favoritism or bend the rules,” Shui Miao quickly thought.
Lin Qing’er immediately retorted, “I believe Chen Bing isn’t that kind of person. Yin Yangyang used to work in a nightclub; she must have seduced Chen Bing. How do you think Chen Bing feels after being fired by you?”
“Lin Jie, since you care so much about Chen Bing, I have a good idea to compensate him and even generate profit for the hotel,” Shui Miao rubbed his nose, secretly wondering how he had become so clever recently. He could come up with brilliant ideas effortlessly—could it be because of his Five-Star Qigong training?
“What’s your idea?” Lin Qing’er cared deeply about her friends.
Shui Miao immediately explained in detail, “Well, Chen Bing has always wanted to start his own business, like opening a restaurant. How about we find a small restaurant nearby for him to run, and we give him the hotel’s leftover food and drinks? This way, he can save on costs, and the hotel can also earn some profit…”
“I understand what you mean. That’s actually a good idea. However, I still want him to come back to work at the hotel. If he really doesn’t want to return, then we’ll proceed with your plan. We won’t ask him for a single penny from the hotel, and we can even send a senior chef to help him,” Lin Qing’er genuinely considered Chen Bing a friend, and these words came straight from her heart.
Hearing this, Shui Miao was deeply moved, never expecting Lin Jie to be so sincere.
“Lin Jie, there’s another thing about Guo Ming…”
Still touched by Lin Qing’er’s sincerity, Shui Miao was about to reveal how Guo Ming and Guo Liang planned to compensate the hotel when Lin Qing’er impatiently interrupted him.
“Oh! Little Shui! I treat you like my own younger brother. I appointed you as the manager, and I plan to entrust the entire hotel to you in the future. Can’t you make some decisions on your own without consulting me about everything? I’ve told you long ago—even if you lose some money, I won’t blame you. You can handle Guo Ming and Guo Liang however you like. At worst, you can fire them or make them pay some compensation. Even if you want to use some restaurant funds to support Chen Bing’s small restaurant, that’s fine too. You can figure out these solutions however you want. Stop asking me all the time! When will you grow into a true management talent? Alright, alright, I have other things to attend to. Handle it yourself.”
Lin Qing’er truly regarded Shui Miao as her younger brother!
Even if Shui Miao used restaurant funds to operate a small restaurant, Lin Qing’er wouldn’t mind—wasn’t that proof enough?
“Lin Jie actually cares for me this much!” Shui Miao, who originally had some selfish thoughts, was stunned after hanging up the phone. “Is this the power of familial love? How wonderful it would be if she were really my older sister! I’d probably wake up laughing in my dreams! Well then, Lin Jie, I swear from this day forward, I’ll follow you forever. I’m willing to stay by your side, forever and always, protecting you!”
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