The Epoch of Miyu

The callback ringtone sounded, and Ji Feng immediately answered the call.

The person on the other end replied: "Sorry, President Ji, I just had someone go down and ask around. That Xu Miyu from the executive level drank too much tonight and has already been taken away by someone."

Ji Feng put down the phone, a cold, angry, and mocking smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

He had actually felt somewhat guilty over the harsh words he'd said to her earlier, which was why he wanted to help her this once.

Turns out she didn't need his help.

If she had any intention of refusing, she wouldn't have let herself get drunk and taken away in that kind of situation—it wasn't as if she hadn't been drunk before. Did she not remember what ultimately happened that night after she got drunk? Or was a one-night stand simply not considered a consequence to her?

Moreover, he had warned her early the next morning after that night: he hoped she would use her brain and control her mouth in the future, and not drink so casually. At the time, she had defiantly retorted: "Then let's each use our own brains and control our own mouths." And now, those words had gone in one ear and out the other—she got drunk again and was taken away.

So it could only be said that the consequence of that one-night stand was something she wanted—rolling in the sheets with someone for a night, then waking up with the chance to earn another two hundred thousand.

Ji Feng suddenly felt intensely furious—furious at that woman and utterly disgusted with himself.

He couldn't stand that Duan Aoxiang's malice had actually succeeded, that his first time had been with a woman like that. A woman who didn't care about such things.

Now he only blamed himself for actually softening.

Maybe it was because of the wounded look she had given him, or maybe he had been bewitched by her smile under the fireworks.

But in the end, she was still so unprincipled and lacking in self-respect. So let her be.

Ji Feng looked out at the night scenery, at the cars and pedestrians on the ground as small as ants. He clenched his fists and told himself that if he ever thought of that disgraceful night again, he might as well jump off this rooftop.

The next day, Xue Rui went to the catering department to find Chef Chen and review the menu for the upcoming week. When he returned, he was loaded with gossip he had heard from Li Kunlun, a member of the gossip squad—about what happened during the latter half of the executive level dinner the previous night.

As soon as he entered the top floor and finished reporting the official matters, Xue Rui couldn't contain the gossip surging within him. Eagerly, he tried to start a conversation to share what he had just heard with Ji Feng.

While listening to Li Kunlun earlier, he had gradually understood that such and such things had happened later that night.

He really wanted to tell Ji Feng about such and such, because he felt the developments were quite unexpected.

But following the usual approach, if he told Ji Feng, "Boss, I have something about Xu Miyu I want to tell you," he knew Ji Feng would inevitably use that line—"Don't mention that woman in front of me"—to feign or genuinely express his impatience.

So he had to use an unusual approach, to pique his interest—

"Boss, I just heard that last night at the executive level... oh, never mind."

Ji Feng was farming on his tablet. Hearing this abruptly cut-off remark, he indeed looked up, narrowed his eyes slightly, and glanced coldly at Xue Rui. "Have I let you live too long? If you want to stay alive, finish what you were saying."

He had taken the bait, as expected.Xue Rui watched as Ji Feng lowered his head again and continued tending to the vegetables. But he knew Ji Feng’s ears were perked up, listening intently.

He quickly recounted the story he had just heard from Li Kunlun, narrating it vividly to Ji Feng.

In the morning, the number of dirty rooms was relatively low. Most of the staff were busy with occupied rooms and expected check-out rooms.

Occupied rooms were usually cleaned starting from 2 p.m., while expected check-out rooms would be handled after the guests checked out and the rooms became dirty.

When there were fewer dirty rooms, everyone would return to the housekeeping department to rest and chat after finishing their tasks.

Ke Wenxue took advantage of having a friend in the food and beverage department and asked Li Kunlun to prepare some warm and soothing bean sprout hangover soup. Li Kunlun brought the soup over on a meal cart just as the women had finished cleaning the dirty rooms and were taking a break to chat.

Li Kunlun decided to stay, helping the ladies serve the soup while listening to them talk about the events of the previous night.

After drinking half a bowl of soup, Ke Wenxue let out a long sigh, feeling refreshed and a bit more energetic. Then she spoke up.

"Hey, Luo Qingping," she called out directly, "if you ask me, you should be nicer to Mi Yu from now on. Last night, she had already left, but as soon as you called, she came back without a second thought. Not only did she help you, but she helped all of us."

The previous night, when Xu Miyu returned to the private room, she noticed the situation wasn’t looking good. The guests were aggressively forcing drinks, and the girls were already flushed and dazed from the alcohol.

She quickly found an opportunity to pass a message from one girl to another: "Tonight, it seems these men have ill intentions. If we want to get out of this, we need to stick together and fight fire with fire—if we don’t want to be knocked out by these male guests, we have to knock them out first."

She reminded everyone not to drink too honestly—let the men drink heavily while avoiding drinking themselves. They could either spit the alcohol into a towel or discreetly pour it on the floor. While one girl was cheating by spitting or pouring, the others would cover for her by distracting the male guests, such as toasting them but making sure the men drank while they didn’t.

Additionally, she specifically warned the girls that she herself wouldn’t be able to avoid drinking entirely that night. But no matter what, she asked them to make sure she was brought back to the dormitory and not left to be taken away by anyone else.

She quickly relayed these instructions to the girl beside her, who passed them along one by one. The message eventually made its way back to Xu Miyu, assuring her that no matter what, they would bring her back to the dormitory.

As the drinking continued, the situation gradually reversed.

The girls had never done anything like this before when dragged to such dinners and drinking sessions—they had never cheated while drinking or banded together to outdrink the guests.

This time, inspired and encouraged by Xu Miyu’s plan, they quickly united, supporting and covering for each other. For the first time, not only did they avoid being drunk under the table, but they managed to drink the male guests under the table instead. For these vulnerable girls, it felt like a counterattack.

However, on Xu Miyu’s side, despite her efforts to cheat while drinking and the others covering for her, she couldn’t completely avoid drinking and still ended up consuming quite a bit of alcohol.Fortunately, with everyone working together, Xu Miyu ultimately managed to drink that greasy Manager Luo under the table.

"Luo Qingping, do you realize how much Mi Yu helped you last night? Without her, you'd probably have been drunk into unconsciousness and possibly even carried off and taken advantage of," Ke Wenxue paused before continuing, "To be honest, if I were Mi Yu, given how you're always opposing her and making trouble for her, even if you blew up my phone I wouldn't have come back to rescue you. These days, it's rare to encounter someone foolish enough to return good for evil. You should cherish that."

"Yeah, yesterday Mi Yu told us to help each other first. By the time we worked together to take down those guys, she had already been forced to drink so much by that so-called Manager Luo. Just watching from the side made my heart ache," Zhao Kele said with lingering fear, "If it had been me being forced to drink like that yesterday, I'd be dead by now!"

"Exactly!" Li Wan couldn't help chiming in, "And that so-called Manager Luo was clearly a greasy character, always trying to grab and grope the team leader. I saw it clearly - he was deliberately trying to get her drunk so he could take her away and take advantage!"

"Luckily Mi Yu has strong willpower," Yin Xiang added, "I really admire her. She looks so slender and delicate, yet her willpower is incredibly strong. Even after drinking so much, she managed to maintain her composure."

"...Maybe she can actually hold her liquor, that's why she dared to drink," Luo Qingping finally spoke up. Though her words were still sharp, her tone was softer than usual.

"Luo Qingping, I don't like hearing you talk like that! What do you mean she can hold her liquor? Do you know that after Yin Xiang and I helped Mi Yu back to the dorm last night, she rushed to the bathroom and nearly vomited her guts out? And as for daring to drink - she only dared because we promised we'd bring her back to the dorm no matter what and not let anyone take her away! She wasn't holding her liquor or being brave - she was forcing herself to endure! And who was she doing all this for? Wasn't it because you called her back to help you out of trouble, to help all of us out of trouble? And you say such ungrateful things - aren't you being completely thankless?"

Luo Qingping looked embarrassed by Ke Wenxue's criticism. Surprisingly, she didn't argue back this time, instead silently lowering her head.

Yin Xiang quickly tried to mediate: "Alright, alright, let's not argue. Wenxue, keep your voice down - we don't want the people in the lounge to hear us gossiping. And Qingping, to be honest, the team leader is really good to you and has treated you well. Without her yesterday, could we have united to counter those greasy men who were trying to get us drunk? This has never happened before - I actually find it quite inspiring! Honestly, for us now, the team leader is someone truly worth cherishing, so please try to be nicer to her from now on."

Everyone agreed with Yin Xiang's words, all expressing that because of Xu Miyu, their small group seemed more united and warmer, and they had learned to help each other better.

Luo Qingping listened with her head lowered. After a long while, she mumbled a soft "Mm" in agreement.At that moment, Xu Miyu walked in, her face still pale from having vomited violently the night before.

Everyone quickly stood up when they saw her arrival, asking how she was feeling. Li Kunlun and Ke Wenxue rushed to serve her hangover soup, while Yin Xiang promptly brought a chair for her to sit down. Even Luo Qingping fetched a damp towel for her to wipe the cold sweat from her forehead.

Faced with so much care and concern, Xu Miyu felt warmth in her heart. She thought that getting a little too drunk yesterday was worth it. She protected them, and they protected her in return.

Xu Miyu motioned for everyone to sit down. She told them she had a few words to say.

Everyone immediately quieted down and took their seats.

Xu Miyu looked at Ke Wenxue, then at Yin Xiang, and then at the others before speaking: "I just want to tell everyone, if there are any more drinking parties like yesterday’s in the future, those of you who really want to go can go, but those who don’t want to—don’t go at all. As for my personal advice to you, it’s better not to go. After all, such parties aren’t proper or safe occasions for girls. If you get drunk and dragged away, it’s your own life that gets ruined. Besides, you’re unlikely to meet any ‘big brothers’ who can genuinely help you out at those tables. Nine times out of ten, they’re just looking to take advantage."

Everyone nodded in agreement, expressing their support for Xu Miyu’s words. Yin Xiang quietly lowered her head. She had been the one to suggest that attending such parties could help them meet influential men. But now, she agreed more with Xu Miyu’s perspective.

"But Mi Yu," Ke Wenxue voiced everyone’s concern, "if we don’t go to these parties next time, what if Manager Feng gives us trouble?" Several others chimed in with "Yeah, that’s right."

Xu Miyu looked at them and asked, "If I tell you—next time something like this happens, just refuse Manager Feng directly, and if he causes trouble for you, I have a way to deal with him—will you trust me?"

Xu Miyu wasn’t bluffing. She had thought everything through and felt confident enough to tell the girls this.

The reason she said she had a way to handle Feng Kaixin was that she had a recording of the previous night’s drinking party. Before going to the hotel, she had specifically consulted whether the sleazy and disgusting remarks Feng Kaixin made at the table constituted sexual harassment of the girls.

Unfortunately, because the girls hadn’t explicitly resisted when he teased them—and a few silly ones had even gone along with his comments—he could use the excuse that there was no coercion and it was all consensual to evade legal responsibility.

But it wasn’t a complete loss. While his oily remarks might slip through legal loopholes, they couldn’t escape moral judgment. If those words were made public, they would surely humiliate him and ruin his reputation, and his wife would definitely not let him off the hook.

So Xu Miyu had decided: if Feng Kaixin ever demanded the girls attend such parties again, she would use this recording as leverage to negotiate.But she would only use this as a last resort. Because the recording also contained the voices of the girls—especially a few naive ones who would giggle foolishly when others teased them with suggestive remarks. When coaxed with lines like "If you don't drink, you'll have to come with me tonight," they'd even cheerfully agree just to avoid alcohol. Releasing such recordings wouldn't benefit them either, as it could be misinterpreted as them throwing themselves into someone's arms or engaging willingly. Still, it would be sufficient to reject Feng Kaixin—

Everyone listened to Xu Miyu's question: "Do you trust me?"

They looked at her face.

There was a serene certainty in her expression, like she was making a promise she would undoubtedly keep to someone important.

"I trust you." A voice spoke up first.

Everyone turned to look and discovered that the first to respond was actually Luo Qingping.

"I trust you too!" The second was Yin Xiang.

"Me too!" The third was Ke Wenxue.

"I trust you!" "I trust you too!"

...

One after another, voices chimed in. Amid the rising chorus, a clear male voice suddenly joined:

"I trust you too!"

Everyone looked over and saw Li Kunlun raising his soup spoon while shouting along with the others.

The whole group burst into laughter.

Xu Miyu also smiled. This was the first time in her life she had received trust from so many people. Her heart felt warm.

"If you trust me, just do as I say. If Manager Feng tries to call you to another drinking session again, you can directly refuse him. Tell him I've scheduled you for shifts and you can't get away," Xu Miyu said with a gentle smile.

Watching her calm demeanor and unhurried speech, they somehow sensed an invisible strength surrounding her. That gentle power made them trust her and willing to rely on her.

Together, they replied "Okay" to Xu Miyu, laughing and raising their hangover soup bowls like toasting with alcohol, clinking them before tilting their heads back to drink.

The warm hangover soup flowed down their throats, soothing and warming each person's stomach and heart.

Ji Feng listened to Xue Rui's account with an expressionless face throughout.

At first, he distractedly tapped away on his tablet's farming game while listening. Gradually, his tapping slowed until it finally stopped.

Though his face showed no emotion, his thoughts secretly surged with several waves.

At least it was a relief.

So she hadn't woken up in someone else's bed after all—she had actually held out until returning to her own place before allowing herself to collapse. It seemed she possessed more willpower and self-control with others than with him... Hmm.

So she had gone back for those girls, and even for the person who had consistently opposed her.

That drinking session wasn't in vain—she had even won over her last remaining opponent through it.

Xue Rui's questioning voice sounded beside him: "Boss, what are you thinking about?"

Ji Feng raised a slight eyebrow, his eyes instantly tinged with sarcasm and disdain.

"This wretched hotel—fine jade on the outside, rotten cotton within. It looks magnificent but is actually filthy through and through. Even housekeeping staff get dragged into drinking sessions? It's utterly disgusting!"

Xue Rui immediately agreed: "Absolutely. This Sweety Hotel appears impressive, but its internal management is completely rotten to the core."

Ji Feng snorted coldly, lowering his head to scatter seeds across the virtual plots in his tablet game that he hadn't gotten around to planting earlier."Having family factions as corporate leaders is like this—sooner or later, they'll turn the company into a crumbling building hollowed out by parasitic relatives."

Xue Rui sighed in agreement, "Looking back now, it was truly wise of you, boss, to insist on staying here. The longer you stay, the more problems you uncover."

Ji Feng frowned and instructed Xue Rui, "Go tell Wei Siyuan later that if there's another incident of forcing female staff to drink with guests, the acquisition deal is off."

Xue Rui quickly responded, "Understood."

"And make a list of people like that guest services manager, along with all the hotel employees who are relatives of the owner. They'll all need to be purged eventually!" Ji Feng added.

"Noted, I'll remember that."

While responding, Xue Rui began preparing tea for Ji Feng. "Boss, let me make you some tea. Don't let this hotel's messy management ruin your mood. Look how beautiful the weather is outside today."

Ji Feng followed his gaze out the window. Indeed, the weather was lovely—sunny with a refreshing breeze.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through Ji Feng's mind—this scenery would be perfect for sitting out on the second-floor terrace.

No sooner had the thought occurred than he was already moving. He rose from the sofa and strode out toward the elevator without bothering to take his jacket.

A bewildered Xue Rui snatched up his boss's suit jacket and hurried after him.

Even as Ji Feng stepped off the elevator on the second floor and marched directly toward the terrace tea room, Xue Rui remained slightly confused—he couldn't understand why his boss had suddenly descended to this place.

Ji Feng settled into an outdoor booth at the small tea room, ordering the same mediocre Biluochun tea as before, drinking it with his usual expression of distaste.

Xue Rui sat beside him, still somewhat dazed. He couldn't comprehend why his boss's moods had become increasingly unpredictable lately—one moment he'd be focused on one thing, the next he'd veer off in a completely different direction.

"Tonight should be clear."

Xue Rui suddenly heard Ji Feng say this.

After a moment's processing, instead of looking up at the sky, he lit up his phone screen and quickly checked the weather forecast. "You're absolutely right—clear skies all night. Boss, you're more accurate than the weather forecast now!"

Ji Feng glanced sideways at Xue Rui, his eyes holding their usual faint mockery. "You're becoming better at flattery than Heshen ever was." He then lifted his gaze to the sky.

Somehow, as if touched by the wind, he suddenly remembered how beautiful last night's fireworks had looked against the night sky. And the smiling face beneath those fireworks. And how, for the first time in his life, it hadn't ended up with someone completely unsuitable.

Immediately, an idea formed. Though even he thought this notion was probably ridiculous, he still instructed Xue Rui: "Prepare some fireworks. Complete all the necessary procedures quickly. We'll set them off here tonight. I want to watch."

Xue Rui's already confused mind suddenly felt like traffic jammed in a narrow alleyway—so congested that not a single thought could move.

Ji Feng wanted to watch fireworks?

Was there some important occasion worth celebrating that he, as the assistant, had boldly forgotten?

Was it Ji Feng's birthday? No, that wasn't it—even on his birthday, he wouldn't be cheerful enough to want fireworks.

Had his family issues been resolved? Even less likely—just days ago he'd been so irritated about family matters that he'd been picking fights everywhere.Could it be that it's the tenth anniversary of him playing that godforsaken farming game? No, that can't be right either. He had confirmed earlier that the tenth-anniversary celebration for the farming game had already passed.

So why on earth is Ji Feng so happy that he wants to watch fireworks?

Xue Rui cautiously probed Ji Feng: "Boss, what's the occasion for tonight's fireworks show?"

Ji Feng glanced up at him, a faint, mocking smile curling at the corners of his lips: "No occasion. I just want to watch them. What, do I need to come up with a reason and pick a date just to watch fireworks?"

Xue Rui immediately fell silent.

Right, right, who made you the big boss? Of course, you get to watch whatever you want, whenever you want.

Ever since that perilous drinking party where Xu Miyu had relied on sheer willpower to prevent the lecherous Manager Luo from getting his way, she had been singled out and resented by the guest services manager, Feng Kaixin.

Generally speaking, Feng Kaixin couldn't remember who was who among the frontline service staff, but that night Xu Miyu had left an exceptionally deep impression on him.

She wasn't the youngest-looking woman, yet possessed a stubborn charm that continuously radiated from her, silently drawing people in. The more pressure she faced from external forces, the more resilient she became, and the more intriguing she appeared. This made Mr. Luo, who had been indifferent to others—merely drinking, chatting, and seeking some distraction—suddenly become intensely captivated by Xu Miyu's tenacity. In the end, he found himself unable to resist, determined to have her at any cost.

Yet, despite her seemingly fragile appearance, as if a little force could break her, she turned out to be incredibly stubborn. No matter what, she refused to get drunk, and in the end, it was she who outlasted Mr. Luo, leaving him completely worn out.

The next morning, as soon as Mr. Luo woke up, he went straight to the hospital for an IV drip. Fuming, he called Feng Kaixin and complained, "Feng, what kind of people are you hiring? Are they here to accompany us or to mess with us? Not only did they drink us all under the table, but after all that, I didn't even get to hold her hand! Forget it—the collaboration we were discussing ends here. I'm better off looking for another hotel."

After venting his frustration, Mr. Luo hung up. When Feng Kaixin tried to call back, he was met with the short, abrupt beeps of someone who had blocked his number.

Feng Kaixin was so enraged he could have skinned the woman who had ruined his plans. He had finally found a cash cow, and he had been on the verge of bypassing the marketing department to pocket a hefty side income.

With the money slipping through his fingers just like that, Feng Kaixin developed a deep-seated hatred for Xu Miyu.

He found a random excuse, intending to fire her as soon as possible.

But, as luck would have it, the woman somehow stumbled into a stroke of fortune and ended up becoming the savior of the hotel's reputation at that very moment.

For the time being, he found himself unable to touch her!