"I suppose I won't be coming back here again." Chen Fei glanced back at Stone Man Village one last time, shook his head, and casually hailed a taxi.

"Where to, young man?" the driver asked enthusiastically as soon as Chen Fei got in the car.

Where should I go? The California Garden Grand Hotel, I guess. Chen Fei decided, then announced the name, recalling that it was a property owned by the Vast Sea Group.

"The California Garden Grand Hotel? That's one of the few five-star level hotels in the city! Are you going there to get a room, young man? I hear that place isn't cheap. A room costs over a thousand, right?" the driver exclaimed, surprised that Chen Fei was heading to such a high-end establishment.

With his eye for things, he naturally couldn't recognize Chen Fei's clothes. They were all foreign designer brands, carefully selected by the Manager of Splendid Sky City, and each piece cost at least tens of thousands. However, he did recognize the sneakers Chen Fei was wearing. They were just a common pair of Hongxing Erke, and they looked quite worn out. He naturally assumed Chen Fei couldn't be wealthy, so why would he be going to a five-star level hotel?

"A place that expensive? How could I afford to stay there? A friend is waiting for me, and it's an easy landmark to find, isn't it?" Chen Fei said, hoping to avoid any hassle.

"Oh, so that's how it is. Look at me being so nosy. Sit tight, young man. We're off," the driver said, finally understanding. He started the car and headed toward the California Garden Grand Hotel.

Soon, they arrived. From the outside, the California Garden Grand Hotel was exceptionally luxurious and grand. The first thing that caught the eye was a fountain featuring a statue of the Greek Pisces Goddess. It was surrounded by a lush, soothing garden path, complete with small bridges over running water, creating a fragrant, picturesque scene. A constant stream of luxurious cars and SUVs—BMW X6s, Mercedes-Benz S-Classes, Jaguars, Maseratis—cruised by, showcasing the opulent and elegant high-class atmosphere.

"So this is the California Garden Grand Hotel. It really is luxurious," Chen Fei marveled as he stepped out of the taxi, gazing at the magnificent building at the end of the garden path.

True to its five-star rating, it was far more upscale and stylish than the small inns he was used to.

"May I help you, guest?" a waiter promptly came forward to ask.

"Do you recognize this card? I'd like to check in," Chen Fei said, presenting the card Gao Zhinan had given him.

"This is… Please wait a moment, guest. I'll get our hotel manager right away. The card you have seems to be our group's top-tier VIP card." The waiter's expression turned to shock upon seeing the golden VIP card in Chen Fei's hand, and he scrambled off to find the manager. A magnate who qualified for their Vast Sea Group's premier VIP card was not someone a mere waiter like him could assist. He had to fetch the manager immediately.

Before long, a handsome, dapper, square-faced middle-aged man hurried over. "Good day, guest. My name is Lian. May I have a look at the card in your hand?"

"Sure, here you go," Chen Fei replied, casually handing it over.

"HISS! It's real..."

The Vast Sea Group owned many businesses, including various star-rated hotel chains, supermarket chains, and comprehensive commercial centers. Among these, flagship properties like Splendid Sky City and the California Garden Grand Hotel were the most prominent. Therefore, anyone who had managed to attain a management position here was certainly part of the Vast Sea Group's middle management and would naturally recognize such a top-tier VIP card.

The manager, Lian, forced a smile and spoke with surprising deference. "Distinguished guest, welcome to the California Garden Hotel. On behalf of the entire staff, I, Lian, wish to express our utmost honor."

"Sir, are you looking to stay with us? According to Director Gao's standing instructions, any guest presenting this VIP card may stay in our finest presidential suite, free of charge. The room is available for you, if you wish." By then, Manager Lian had already escorted Chen Fei into a private car and arrived at the actual hotel building, respectfully explaining the offer.

In the lavish hotel lobby, uniformed employees and fashionably dressed guests milled about. When they saw the hotel manager behaving so deferentially toward a young man, they instantly realized a person of great importance had arrived and cast looks of awe in his direction.

"The presidential suite? Alright, the presidential suite it is. It's only for a day, anyway," Chen Fei murmured, a little intimidated by the grand reception.

"Guest, you're welcome to stay for as long as you wish," Manager Lian continued, trying to curry favor. He motioned to a passing employee, instructing them to handle the check-in procedures immediately and to do so promptly. After sorting that out, he couldn't help but ask, "Guest, are you here to attend the charity gala this evening?"

"Charity gala?"

Now it was Chen Fei's turn to be stunned, as he knew nothing about it. Seeing his reaction, Manager Lian feared he had misspoken and quickly tried to recover. "You see, a very exclusive charity gala is being held at our hotel tonight. All the attendees are major figures from our Northern Mountain City. Director Gao is also attending, so I had assumed..."

"Doctor Chen, is that you?" Just then, a surprised and delighted voice interrupted from behind them.

"Director… Director Gao." Manager Lian turned to see that the speaker was none other than the hotel's highest-ranking boss, Gao Zhinan. He immediately bowed respectfully.

"Director Gao, what a coincidence. Hello," Chen Fei said with a smile. Although they'd had their conflicts and misunderstandings in the past, everything had been resolved. In fact, he had come to admire the man. After all, for a person of such high stature to be willing to kneel before someone as young as himself was truly a respectable act.

However, his attention was drawn not only to Gao Zhinan but also to the middle-aged man in his forties beside him. He was of average height with a square face, a high-bridged nose, and sharp, piercing eyes that made an immediate impact. A man in black stood beside him, his watchful eyes giving off a dangerous vibe.

As if on cue, the man smiled and spoke to Gao Zhinan with a casual and unrestrained air. "Director Gao, and this is?"

"Look at me, getting all excited and forgetting my manners. My apologies, my apologies." Gao Zhinan slapped his forehead and began the introductions. "Let me introduce you. This is Doctor Chen from the city's central hospital. His medical skills are brilliant; he's like a modern-day Hua Tuo. A while ago, my son had an accident and was on the verge of death. It was Doctor Chen who worked a miracle with his silver needle technique and brought him back to life. He is my, Gao Zhinan's, greatest benefactor.

"Doctor Chen, I'm sure this gentleman needs no introduction, right? That's correct, it's the man himself from the city government! Deputy Mayor Huang Tao! What a fateful encounter. Quick, come and greet Deputy Mayor Huang."

Deputy Mayor? Chen Fei was startled. He did look familiar, but I never imagined his background was this formidable! This is one of the top four officials in the city! On top of that, I just ran into his son, Huang Feng, not long ago, and now I'm meeting the man himself. Fate truly works in mysterious ways! What a coincidence.

"So, this young man is a doctor. That's a fine profession," Huang Tao said. Perhaps as a show of respect for Gao Zhinan, he remained cordial despite his own staggering status. "Since you and Director Gao are acquainted, I'll take the liberty of calling you Xiaofei. I hope you don't mind." This was a significant show of respect.

"Mayor Huang, you're far too kind. It's an honor for you to call me that," Chen Fei replied at once with a smile.

"Xiaofei, you certainly have a way with words," Huang Tao said with a chuckle before extending an invitation. "As it happens, there's a charity gala here today, and Director Gao and I were just heading over. Xiaofei, would you care to join us?"

This was clearly a kind gesture. It seemed that out of consideration for Gao Zhinan, he wanted to give the young man a boost. After all, being seen with him and Director Gao would carry extraordinary significance in the eyes of others. Anyone with a modicum of sense would show them some respect. For a young man like Chen Fei, this was a substantial opportunity.

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