A few days after that drinking gathering, a live-streamed investigation targeting numerous renowned five-star hotels suddenly surged to the trending list on a live-streaming platform.
The video was produced by several young individuals who documented their stays at luxury hotels across multiple cities, conducting undercover assessments of these establishments' hygiene standards.
What proved shocking and unexpected was that beneath the glossy veneer of these high-end hotels—often celebrated for their sophistication and comfort—lurked various unsanitary blind spots.
For instance, staff were seen using dirty towels—even soiled bath towels left by previous guests—to wipe cups, toothbrush holders, and wine glasses. In more egregious cases, the same cloth used to clean toilets was then repurposed to wipe drinking vessels.
If bed linens appeared unstained after guest checkouts, hotels would simply straighten them to accommodate new occupants without replacement.
Kettles and glasses previously used by guests were neither sanitized nor properly cleaned—merely dried and returned to their places.
These alarming practices left viewers appalled.
With impassioned voiceover commentary, the investigators condemned the hotels for offering such filthy and deceptive services despite exorbitant pricing, questioning whether this demonstrated blatant disrespect toward consumers and if operators had any moral boundaries or conscience.
Just as the audience was stirred into collective outrage by this fervent narration, the investigators abruptly pivoted:
"However, the hotel industry isn’t entirely hopeless. One and a half five-star hotels passed our undercover inspection. These establishments give us hope—they are beacons of light suggesting the industry can still be redeemed."
This cliffhanger hooked viewers, compelling them to keep watching as they awaited the revelation of these purported saviors.
"Across over twenty five-star hotels we stayed in, we conducted a specific test: After check-in, we would disarrange bedding, occupy the room for only thirty minutes, then check out. We left subtle marks on sheets, duvet covers, bathtubs, toilets, toothbrush holders, cups, and more. The next day, a different team would book the same room to check if the marks remained. Their presence would confirm that items hadn’t been replaced or sanitized—staff had merely tidied the surfaces."
"The results? Out of all hotels tested, only two exceptions emerged. Every other establishment failed—none had replaced linens or sanitized cups, kettles, toilets, or tubs. Though we only stayed thirty minutes, that was sufficient time to use all essential amenities. Yet staff deemed the duration too short to warrant proper cleaning—a blatant deception and disrespect toward subsequent guests!"
The revelation reignited public indignation, with viewers vowing to patronize only the two compliant hotels and urging the investigators to promptly disclose their names.Just as their curiosity about those two hotels peaked, the investigator promptly revealed the answer: "As for the two exceptional hotels, coincidentally, they're both in Star City—one is Swee Hotel, the other is Star-Ji Hotel. However, Star-Ji Hotel didn't redo all the cleaning; they only changed the bedsheets and duvet covers. They didn't thoroughly re-clean the bathrooms, so we count it as half a hotel."
"As for Swee Hotel, even we were a bit surprised by this one. To be honest, we hadn't thought highly of this five-star hotel recently, feeling its management had been somewhat chaotic over the past two years with declining guest experiences. Yet unexpectedly, it emerged completely unscathed in this undercover inspection! Our revisitors carefully checked every corner and truly found no unsanitary blind spots—not only were the bedsheets and duvet covers changed, but the bathroom was entirely refreshed, even the bath mat was scrubbed clean. In the end, even we had to admit defeat—we really couldn't find a single flaw. By the way, we swear here that our team has no relationship with Swee Hotel, and this is absolutely not an advertisement. The housekeeping staff at Swee Hotel really delivered!"
After the livestream ended, both Swee Hotel and Star-Ji Hotel shot to the top of trending searches.
Ji Feng looked at the trending topics on his tablet, his lips curling into a faint, mocking smile.
He never expected that in such an undercover inspection, it would be Swee Hotel that ultimately emerged unscathed.
He never thought his own Star-Ji Hotel would only count as half passing.
How could Star-Ji possibly lose to Swee? It was utterly baffling. The project team at Star-Ji Group headquarters, currently busy with the acquisition of Swee and fully aware of Swee's actual situation, must be feeling both incredulous and torn between laughter and tears upon seeing Star-Ji losing to Swee in the trending searches.
Xue Rui was chattering noisily beside him: "Boss! I just remembered—the two rooms in that undercover inspection were cleaned by Xu Miyu! At the time, she assigned her subordinates to do the cleaning, but no one listened to her. They even mocked her for being foolish and stubborn. In the end, she, a supervisor, rolled up her sleeves and personally cleaned those two rooms inside and out. Do you remember this? Good heavens, thanks to her, Swee actually managed to climb above our Star-Ji this time!"
Ji Feng pursed his lips and shot Xue Rui an unwilling glare: "Shut up."
It wasn't as if he had amnesia—of course he remembered.
He just never expected that, in the end, it was Xu Miyu's stubbornness that allowed Swee Hotel to narrowly pass the undercover inspection, even managing to outdo Star-Ji Hotel.
It was utterly absurd.
Yet he had to admit—this time, she had actually done Swee Hotel a great service.
His thoughts were momentarily tangled when Ji Feng suddenly sprang up from the sofa and strode outward.
Xue Rui hurried after him, confused: "Boss, where are we going? Should I prepare the car?"
Ji Feng replied lazily: "No need."
Once in the elevator, he told Xue Rui: "Swipe the card, we're going to the second floor."
Xue Rui then understood—Ji Feng was heading to the hotel terrace again to enjoy the breeze and tea.
Xu Miyu thought self-mockingly that perhaps even heaven knew Jiao Xiumei's visit meant nothing good, thus specially providing a backdrop of raging wind and torrential rain for her.But thanks to the overcast weather, people on the terrace had started running back into the hotel, which at least reduced the number of outsiders witnessing Jiao Xiumei’s loud outbursts.
Xu Miyu wanted to find a quieter spot on the terrace where Jiao Xiumei could continue her nagging without drawing attention.
But Jiao Xiumei had other plans. From the moment they stepped onto the terrace, she followed closely behind Xu Miyu, relentlessly harping on her.
"Xu Miyu, stop right there and listen to me! Explain to me clearly what happened with that bank card! When you first gave it to me, I checked it at an ATM—the PIN was correct, and there was exactly 200,000 yuan in it. I handed it over to your brother’s future father-in-law as the betrothal gift that same day. When they checked the balance then, there was no issue. But how is it that right after your brother and his wife finished their wedding ceremony, your brother’s father-in-law tried to withdraw the money and was told the PIN was incorrect? You’d better explain this to me clearly! Don’t make it seem like our family is trying to pull a marriage scam. Now your sister-in-law has packed her bags and gone back to her parents’ house, saying she won’t return until this betrothal gift issue is resolved!"
Jiao Xiumei fired off a barrage of words like a machine gun, paused to catch her breath and recharge her loud voice, then continued her tirade: "I just wanted to ask you clearly about the card, but why do you hang up every time I call? Are you forcing me to confront you in person? You little nuisance, I must say you’ve got some nerve treating your own mother like this! Do you have any idea how much that wretched card of yours has ruined your brother’s life?"
Xu Miyu felt nothing but irritation. Jiao Xiumei had shown up without a single word of concern or care for her well-being—her mouth was full of nothing but money, money, money, and that damned card. No matter how difficult Xu Miyu’s life was, her survival never seemed to be within Jiao Xiumei’s considerations.
Impatiently, she retorted, "What do you mean, the card I gave you? You snatched that card from me! And how exactly did I ruin Xu Mibao’s life? It’s his own fault for being incapable but still insisting on getting married!"
Her voice rose with agitation, drawing a glance from a guest hurrying from the terrace into the hotel.
Xu Miyu immediately felt flustered and ashamed. She quickly looked for another spot, wanting to move farther away from the entrance connecting the terrace to the hotel.
Jiao Xiumei stayed right on her heels, her nagging and scolding forming an inescapable wall that trapped Xu Miyu completely.
"Hey, little nuisance, where do you think you’re going? I’m talking to you! Let me tell you, I’m keeping my voice down for now, but if you keep ignoring me, don’t blame me for turning up the volume!"
Xu Miyu genuinely wished she could jump from the second-floor terrace—even if it didn’t kill her, she’d rather plunge into the pool below and drown herself, just to end it all.
Jiao Xiumei was already shouting loud enough for the entire hotel to hear—and she called that "keeping her voice down"?
Xu Miyu felt grateful for the sudden storm. If it weren’t for the wind and rain dampening some of Jiao Xiumei’s volume, even people inside the hotel would have been able to hear the commotion on the terrace.
Jiao Xiumei always had a hundred ways to make her socially embarrassed with ease.
The wind grew stronger, and raindrops began to fall—sparse at first, then gradually thickening into a downpour.
Xu Miyu struggled toward the far corner of the terrace, the most shaded spot where even if Jiao Xiumei raised her voice further, those inside the hotel likely wouldn’t hear. But halfway there, Jiao Xiumei grabbed her forcefully.
"It’s raining so hard—where do you think you’re going? Do you want the rain to beat your poor mother to death?"
Without waiting for a response, Jiao Xiumei dragged her under an overhanging eave, squeezing into the narrow shelter."Stop wandering around aimlessly, just stand here. At least this spot provides some shelter from the rain."
Xu Miyu quickly surveyed her surroundings. They were outside a small bookstore, its glass door secured with a chain lock. It seemed the shop had closed early due to the bad weather.
Relieved to confirm no one was inside, Xu Miyu let out a sigh.
The rain grew heavier, falling so densely it resembled sheets of cloth hanging from the sky, obscuring everything. Through the curtain of rain, she could barely make out the large sun umbrella standing outside the teahouse next door.
In such a fierce storm, surely no one would be idle enough to sit drinking tea under that umbrella.
Xu Miyu gave in and stopped insisting on moving to the shaded corner of the terrace.
"Xu Duoyu!" Jiao Xiumei's loud voice cut through the howling wind and rain, her tone already impatient. "Stop wandering around! Hurry up and explain this card situation to me clearly, or you'll regret it!"
Xu Miyu knew exactly what the card matter was about, but she had no desire to explain anything to Jiao Xiumei.
That day after leaving the police station, having confirmed that reporting to the police wouldn't help her retrieve the card and money from Jiao Xiumei, she had felt momentarily lost, unsure what to do next. (29)
With her lunch break nearly over, she had no choice but to rush back to the hotel to continue her shift.
It wasn't until after work that evening that she finally came up with a solution.
She remembered Xue Rui had called her before, so she tried dialing back using that number. Thank goodness, the call actually went through!
Xue Rui asked from the other end: "May I ask who's calling and what this is regarding?"
She quickly explained to Xue Rui that she had accidentally lost that bank card, and since the withdrawal password was written on the back, she requested him to directly report the card as lost to prevent strangers from taking the money.
After responding with "Let me check the card's status," Xue Rui hung up.
Soon after, she received a text message from him.
Xue Rui informed her: "I just checked the balance - it's still two hundred thousand in the account, not a cent missing. So no need to report it lost. I've directly changed it to a new password for you. The new password is ******."
Reading the message, Xu Miyu thought that although the card hadn't been reported lost - she felt that would be equivalent to returning the money to Ji Feng - having the password changed was good too. This way, Jiao Xiumei would just be left holding an useless card while the two hundred thousand remained safe.
From the moment the card's password was changed, she stopped answering Jiao Xiumei's calls. She was afraid Jiao Xiumei might trick her into revealing the new password. It was also from that moment she knew Jiao Xiumei would eventually come looking for her - when she discovered the password had been changed and she couldn't withdraw a single cent from the card.
Now Jiao Xiumei had indeed arrived, bringing her unreasonable behavior with her.
Amid the wind and rain, Jiao Xiumei shouted at Xu Miyu reproachfully: "Little Duoyu, what's wrong with you? Your mother has traveled all this way through wind and rain, and instead of getting me a room to rest in, you keep leading me to this miserable rain-soaked place. What, are you trying to find a secluded spot to murder your own mother? Go get me a room right now, so I can sit comfortably and hear your explanation!"Xu Miyu listened to Jiao Xiumei's unreasonable demands and could only respond with a cold laugh: "Do you think I'm a hotel owner? Able to arrange a room just because you say so, offer you rest whenever you demand it? I'm just a lowly worker! I make beds and change sheets for others, scrub toilets and clean bathtubs for others!"
She viciously trampled on her own dignity. It seemed she could find some release and catharsis in doing so. This was her daily reality. She lived with such exhaustion, without any ease. She laid bare this struggling version of herself to Jiao Xiumei, hoping her mother might see from this self-deprecation that she too needed care.
But Jiao Xiumei's eyes and heart could only see Xu Mibao.
"Stop playing the victim! I haven't even complained about my hardships, and you're already whining to me. You used to be so much better—why is it now all you do is yell at me about having no money? But then, I've figured you out—you're the kind of child who can't be treated kindly. You only understand filial duty when you're pushed! Hurry up and stop wasting time. Explain why the card's password keeps coming up wrong! You made us look like marriage fraudsters in front of Mibao's father-in-law. You've completely shamed the Xu family!"
Xu Miyu felt so weary and irritated that she took a step forward, leaving the shelter of the eaves and standing directly in the rain.
The cool downpour enveloped her, washing over her.
Soaked to the bone, she turned in the rain and coldly told Jiao Xiumei: "Aren't you exactly a fraudster? You're the one who swindled that card from me. Let me be clear—that 200,000 isn't mine. Don't even think about laying a hand on it!"
Jiao Xiumei shouted at her: "Have you lost your mind? Talk properly! What are you doing standing in the rain? Trying to collect water with your brain? What do you mean, don't think about that 200,000? Do you really want to see your brother suffer at the hands of his in-laws? I refuse to believe you. If that 200,000 isn't yours, then how did the card end up with you? Xu Duoyu, if you don't explain this clearly today, I'll just—I'll drag you with me, and we'll both jump from here together! If you don't want your brother to live well, then let's all stop living properly! Unless you cough up that 200,000 private savings immediately!"
Jiao Xiumei raised her voice in the heavy rain, hurling a stream of words at Xu Miyu.
At that moment, Xu Miyu's heart turned cold and desolate.
Standing in the rain, she loudly asked Jiao Xiumei: "I told you the money in that card isn't mine, it isn't mine! Why are you still pressuring me to hand it over? Am I even your biological daughter? Why are you treating me like this? How long are you going to keep squeezing me dry? Tell me, Ms. Jiao, do you still have a heart when it comes to your daughter?"
By the end, she was nearly emotionally broken. Her voice sounded torn by the wind, hoarse and sorrowful.
But Jiao Xiumei remained unmoved, turning even harsher: "Xu Duoyu, let me tell you, cut out the dramatic weeping and wailing. It's clear you haven't been disciplined enough! Being nice to you doesn't work—do I have to get tough with you?"
As she spoke, she raised her hand and jabbed Xu Miyu's forehead: "I don't care how the money in that card came to be, but since the card is with me, the money inside is mine! Today, you must give me the correct withdrawal password!"
She jabbed so hard she knocked Xu Miyu's head sideways.
Standing in the rain, Xu Miyu laughed coldly and shouted at Jiao Xiumei: "This time, you really should stop dreaming. I will never tell you the password!"Jiao Xiumei’s expression instantly darkened, as if she had lost all patience. Furious and flustered, she raised her hand to slap Xu Miyu.
Xu Miyu stood motionless in the rain. She closed her eyes, waiting for Jiao Xiumei to shatter the last remaining warmth of familial affection in her heart.
But the slap never landed on her face.
She opened her eyes in the rain and was astonished to see Ji Feng, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere under the eaves, gripping Jiao Xiumei’s wrist.
She stood frozen in the rain, staring blankly at Ji Feng’s face.
He turned to look at her, his expression full of disgust, his tightly furrowed brow brimming with disdain and impatience.
With that look, he asked her in a low voice, "Are you an idiot? Even if she’s your mother, can’t you dodge when she hits you?"
Xu Miyu was even more stunned by his words.
Ji Feng released Jiao Xiumei’s wrist, shoving her aside, then reached out into the rain and grabbed Xu Miyu’s wrist, pulling her back under the eaves to shelter from the rain.
Then he positioned himself in front of Xu Miyu, subtly shielding her behind him.
Rubbing her wrist, Jiao Xiumei shouted angrily at Ji Feng, "What kind of upbringing did you have to be so rude? Grabbing an old lady like that right away! Are you trying to break the law? I’ll have you know, my daughter and I are discussing our own family matters. Mind your own business and step aside, or I’ll make sure you regret it!"
Ji Feng remained unmoved.
Jiao Xiumei grew even angrier and yelled, "What’s wrong with you? Who do you think you are?"
Ji Feng looked down at her coldly and said, "I’m a guest at this hotel. Coincidentally, a while ago, I lost a bank card with 200,000 yuan in it. I’ve been searching for it, and today I realized that your daughter must have stolen it while cleaning the room and then given it to you, right? So you and your daughter are accomplice thieves. Neither of you is going anywhere today. I’m calling the police right now."
As he spoke, he took out his phone and continued to intimidate Jiao Xiumei, "From a legal standpoint, 200,000 yuan is no small amount. Today, I’m going to make sure you greedy thieves face the consequences and go to jail."
Upon hearing Ji Feng’s words, Jiao Xiumei’s heart immediately began to race, and her bravado deflated.
Still, she stubbornly straightened her neck and retorted, "Cut the nonsense! Who do you think you’re fooling? What a coincidence—just as we’re talking about 200,000 yuan, you pop up out of nowhere! I think you’re the one trying to scam money!"
Ji Feng sneered, unwilling to engage in pointless arguments with this unreasonable woman, and directly recited a string of bank card numbers.
As soon as he spoke the numbers, Jiao Xiumei froze.
It was exactly the card number of the card she had snatched from Xu Miyu.
Looking at Ji Feng’s ruthless expression, a thought struck her: No wonder Xu Miyu had repeatedly warned her that the money in the card wasn’t hers and must not be touched. So it turned out Xu Miyu had stolen it from a guest while cleaning the room!
With this realization, fear crept into Jiao Xiumei’s heart. She was afraid Ji Feng would really report her and Xu Miyu as thieves to the police.She quickly distanced herself from Ji Feng: "Don't you drag me into this! My daughter was the only one who stole the card—it has nothing to do with me! If you want to settle accounts, go talk to her. I've got things to do at home, so I'm leaving now. Xiaoduoyu, you'd better explain clearly to our guest what happened with that 200,000 yuan. Don't get me involved, okay! Once you've sorted this out, I'll come back in a couple of days to discuss your brother's father-in-law's situation!"
With that, Jiao Xiumei turned and fled, ignoring the howling wind and intensifying rain.
Xu Miyu stood rooted to the spot, watching Jiao Xiumei's retreating figure, feeling nothing but heartbreak and despair.
Ji Feng also turned to her and asked mockingly, "So that's your own mother? She leeches off you when things are fine, but the moment trouble comes, she pushes it all onto you and runs away?"
Xu Miyu asked herself the same question: Was this really her own mother?
For the sake of two hundred thousand, they could ruthlessly push her to the brink without a second thought. Yet the moment they realized they might have to bear some responsibility for that money, they vanished without a trace, abandoning her without hesitation.
Xu Miyu stepped forward, then retreated back into the rain. The downpour masked the tears streaming from her eyes.
She looked up at Ji Feng.
He must have heard every word of her conversation with Jiao Xiumei.
She felt utterly ashamed.
From the way Ji Feng was looking at her, she could clearly see disdain and mockery.
His expression stung her.
When she spoke, she found her voice trembling with uncontrollable sobs and choked emotions.
She asked him, "Why do you always look at me like that? You think I'm disgusting, don't you?"
His voice carried its usual tone of disdain and sarcasm: "Don't you think the way you've degraded yourself into such a pitiful existence is disgusting?"
The contempt in his tone provoked Xu Miyu.
Standing in the rain, she shouted at him, "And what about you? Aren't you disgusting too? You always act so superior, your eyes filled with nothing but disdain or mockery. You look down on ordinary people like us as if we're dust, but what do you actually know? Do you know how ordinary people live? Do you understand what we—the people you regard as worthless—are going through, how we struggle to survive? Your biggest worry each day is probably just being in a bad mood! But for us ordinary people, we're truly humble. Our greatest concern is how to barely scrape by! If you lack empathy, then please don't so easily judge and belittle us!"
Ji Feng was stunned by Xu Miyu's retort.
He had always considered himself disciplined and principled—though not particularly approachable, certainly not disgusting. This was the first time he'd heard this alternative perspective of himself. He stood there dumbfounded, unable to speak for a long moment.
Was he really so superior? Was he filled with disdain and mockery? Did he lack empathy?
Forcing down these unsettling questions hammering at his heart, he coldly said to Xu Miyu, "Attacking me now only makes you appear more guilty and pitiful."
Xu Miyu froze.
He said she was pitiful. Was he sympathizing with her?
"But pitiful people have their own hateful aspects. There's nothing worth sympathizing with anyway."
His words stung her once more.
"How am I hateful?" she asked, standing defiantly in the rain, her voice choked with emotion.
Ji Feng glanced at her, suppressing the faint stirrings of compassion with irritation, then loudly replied, "The reason your family treats you this way is ultimately because you've enabled them! You lack backbone, obediently turning them into vampires. Don't you think that's hateful?"
Xu Miyu stood there stunned.
Then, hidden by the curtain of heavy rain, she broke down into uncontrollable tears.
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