Chapter 2458 - The Use of Jasmine Hotel

Liu Dalin had unspeakable troubles. Once, he couldn't help sighing and pouring out his frustrations to Tang Tang at a Consultative Council tea party.

Tang Tang had specialized in working with these "influential old natives" in recent years and understood their thinking very well. Her work, besides making them "cooperate with peace of mind," was to guide them to "accept new things."

How to accept new things? Nothing more than visiting and comparing the two worlds of the new and old societies. This was a traditional method and quite effective. But for the Senate, this wasn't enough. These "old people" didn't just need to be "convinced"—they needed to be integrated. And the best way to integrate was to involve them in industry.

Running an industry inevitably meant engaging with new technologies, new ideas, and new business models. The huge profits of industry were irresistible to human nature. The Senate had used this method repeatedly over the years with great success, tying more and more "influential natives" to their war chariot.

Originally, Liu Dalin's indifferent nature meant this approach didn't work well on him. But Tang Tang keenly grasped an opportunity in Jinshi Liu's troubles and suggested he open a hotel.

"Open an inn?" Jinshi Liu was confused. What did opening an inn have to do with anything?

"Think about it. If you open an inn, when distant guests come, you can settle them all there. You and your family won't have to greet and accompany them constantly, leaving peace at home. That's the first benefit."

This first point attracted Liu Dalin.

"Secondly, among relatives and old friends, there's always a distinction between close and distant. If you treat everyone equally regardless of closeness, and they stay for ten days, half a month, or even months—no family has mountains of gold and silver..."

These words spoke to Liu Dalin's heart. Though Jinshi Liu didn't manage the household, he could tell from his wife's increasingly furrowed brow that finances were strained. Moreover, his wife had complained many times about the "disturbance" of relatives and friends.

"What the young lady says is true, but they've come from thousands of miles away. It's fine if I don't keep them at home, but if I ask them to pay for a hotel stay, it seems somewhat... somewhat..." Jinshi Liu still couldn't save face.

"What's difficult about this?" Tang Tang laughed. "Right now 'all who come are guests,' but your old relatives and friends treat you like a fat sheep, pulling the wool desperately? With an inn, you can set a rule..."

"Pulling wool?" This was the first time Liu Dalin had heard the expression. He found it interesting and, on reflection, quite apt and vivid.

"What rule?"

"Divide guests into three categories. The first: close relatives and close friends stay free, however many come, with all expenses covered by your residence."

Liu Dalin nodded.

"The second: free reception strictly limited to one master and one servant. Everyone else pays for their own food and lodging. The last: accommodation costs are self-paid, but with a twenty percent discount. You can also set a time limit—say, exceeding a certain number of days means all expenses become self-paid. Otherwise, some people come and stay for one or two months..."

Liu Dalin thought this was indeed a good method. Why hadn't he thought of it before?

"The method is good, but this inn..." Liu Dalin spread his hands. "Though there are some savings at home, running an inn isn't simple. Land, a building, and who would manage it..."

"As for the inn, if you want to run it, I'll naturally help in every way." Tang Tang struck while the iron was hot. "Can't you trust the Senate's credit?"

He naturally trusted the Senate's credit. Liu Dalin went home and pondered for two days, then decided: "Open it!"

Opening it was easier said than done—there was no money and no land. Tang Tang had long prepared a plan for him: use the land under the Liu family's name as collateral for a loan from the Delong Lingao Branch.

Naturally, this money wasn't enough, but Tang Tang immediately and considerately offered that the Consultative Council Affairs Office was willing to make up the shortfall as a joint venture—some public and private receptions of the Consultative Council had always needed a hotel anyway. This not only solved the funding gap but brought customers too—two birds with one stone, convenient for both public and private purposes. Liu Dalin naturally had no objection.

As soon as word spread that Liu Dalin and the Consultative Council were jointly running a hotel, other Council members expressed willingness to "invest"—each contributing a little, half a share or a share, just for fun.

So the project was established in Liu Dalin's name. The land for building was specially selected in the "New Town Area" by the Wenlan River in Bopu: not far from the coast, facing the river. The overall environment offered quietness amid bustle. The hotel was named Jasmine Hotel (Moli Hotel), taking its name from "Jasmine Pavilion Academy."

The architectural design and overall renovation of Jasmine Hotel were done by the "returnee" Zhang Xingpei. Designer Zhang was thoroughly disgusted with the Bauhaus and Neoclassical architectural schools flooding the Senate, so he found a new path and created a "Mediterranean style." Though Lingao's climate didn't match the Mediterranean at all, the year-round heat, distinct wet and dry seasons, and evergreen plants meant some related scenic atmosphere could be more or less replicated. Thus this unique Jasmine Hotel was designed.

The shape, color scheme, decoration, and plant embellishment of Jasmine Hotel were basically modeled after architecture on popular tourist islands in the Aegean Sea of the old timeline. It bore no relation to traditional classical style and was vastly different from the Commercial Hall Hotel, Longhao Bay Hotel, and other Senate-run establishments. However, overall, it harmonized with the style of the Bopu New Town Area. As soon as it was built, it attracted many "artsy" Elders' attention. Though not by the sea, sitting on the roof offered a view of Bopu's seascape. Coupled with the surrounding environment and plants deliberately arranged by Designer Zhang, it really did feel quite "Greek."

Aesthetics aside, Jasmine Hotel was a considerable establishment with twenty single and double rooms and ten twelve-person dormitory rooms with bunk beds at low prices, similar to youth hostels. Washing facilities were complete. Not luxurious, but comfortable with complete amenities. Combined with its unique "exotic atmosphere" and "artistic sense," it quickly became a local hotel of some distinction. Wu Nanhai naturally hadn't forgotten this place and had opened a branch of Nanhai Coffee House here.

Besides ordinary tourists, scholars coming to Lingao for the first time found the "exotic atmosphere" of Jasmine Hotel eye-opening, and its unique "artistic air" made them linger. Not only outsiders—even local scholars liked coming to sit in the courtyard and roof garden. Liu Dalin, the former "Headmaster" of Jasmine Pavilion, often came to the hotel for refined conversations with scholars—this too was Tang Tang's suggestion. She called it "advertising."

Chen Lin finished registering, and a waiter took him to his guest room on the first floor—more grounded compared to the towers of Longhao Bay Hotel.

The waiter drew the curtains and opened the tall French windows. Chen Lin walked out leisurely. Beyond the window was a wooden terrace with white railings. Rattan tables and chairs sat on the terrace, overlooking the hotel's garden. The garden wasn't large, but it was decorated quite exquisitely. Green vines wound around cast-iron flower stands; hanging pots with green plants dangled from white lampposts; gravel paths meandered past the terrace, looking vibrant under the sunlight.

When had Chen Lin ever seen such an arrangement? Standing on the terrace, he was entranced for a moment. He didn't wake from his reverie until the waiter brought a tea set.

"This is our special Elder Black Tea. If the guest finds the scenery here pleasant, how about taking a nap here while tasting tea?"

"Good, good"—how could Chen Lin say otherwise? "Just leave it here."

The waiter set down the tea service on the small round table. Chen Lin took out his wallet to offer a "tip," but the waiter politely refused. "The service charge is already included in the guest's accommodation fee, so tips aren't accepted."

Chen Lin thought this was novel! But Australian establishments indeed didn't accept tips.

The waiter withdrew. Chen Lin sat on the rattan chair on the terrace and picked up the teapot—it was "Australian style" like he'd seen in Guangzhou, with glaze crystal clear and translucent, seemingly semi-transparent, painted with delicate flowers. He didn't know what method produced such firing. He'd heard from his uncle that there had been a bid for a porcelain factory at the industrial auction, but it failed because the required investment was too large.

The tea poured into the cup was dark red, the liquor transparent, and a rich, strong tea fragrance rushed straight to his nose. This was the "Black Tea" unique to Australians. It had been sold in Guangzhou several years ago, but because the aroma was distinctive and too strong, local Cantonese hadn't welcomed it. Westerners loved it, however. Supposedly this tea was durable for storage. Yet the "Ice Black Tea" sold at Great World in summer had gained many admirers—truly a curious thing.

Chen Lin didn't mind the distinctive bitterness and astringency of hot black tea. He took a sip. Within the tea fragrance, a strong citrus aroma rushed straight to his nose. This wasn't the citrus aroma of "Ice Black Tea," but closer to the scent of bergamot. Not necessarily delicious, but not unpleasant either—he just found the taste very distinctive.

"This tea is strange."

However, having seen operations like adding citrus slices and sugar to black tea at Great World's tea shops, nothing the Australians did to their black tea would surprise him now.

He leaned back in the rattan chair. Flower fragrance and tea fragrance curled at his nose. The beautiful garden spread before him, and looking up, azure sky. For a time, he felt happy and free of worries.

Truly a fine place to while away the hours, Chen Lin thought. As Uncle said: Australians are the people who know enjoyment best in the world! This enjoyment wasn't extravagant luxury substituting expense for substance, nor accumulation like lakes of wine and forests of meat, but comfort and coziness that truly touched the heart.

Yet he couldn't simply sink into "coziness" like this. Chen Lin reminded himself silently that he carried both the family's industry and his uncle's heavy trust. He could let neither down.

(End of Chapter)