Chapter 88: Hotel Opening
"Boss Hart, what is that?"
"Yeah, have you started some new business again?"
They all asked at once, their eyes filled with anticipation and admiration. It seemed Boss Hart could always work miracles.
"Oh, it’s a hotel. Everyone’s welcome to stay. Leo Colby is the manager," Lily Hart replied casually.
The crowd was stunned. They all glanced at each other, seeing the shock in everyone’s eyes.
"Leo Colby, is that the one who’s number one on the list?"
"Who else could it be! He’s the real deal!"
"My god, Leo Colby is the manager? How did he manage to latch onto someone as amazing as Boss Hart?"
"No, I want to know too. Did Boss Hart just pick him because he’s handsome and powerful?"
"Is that even a question? Look at Frost Shaw, Roman Rowe, and now this Leo Colby. Aren’t they all incredibly handsome? Tsk tsk, I never thought Boss Hart was someone who judged by looks."
Lily Hart: ... ’What the hell? Is this how rumors get started?’
Just then, Leo Colby walked out of the hotel lobby, the afterglow of the setting sun spilling down behind him.
He was dressed in simple black clothes, his hair slightly messy. With broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs, he strode toward them against the light.
He formed a perfect silhouette. Even Lily Hart was a little dazed. ’As expected of the number one guy,’ she thought. ’That ranking is completely fair and just.’
Although she didn’t know what list it was, Lily Hart had to give it a thumbs-up. She only came back to her senses when he got closer.
She looked him up and down and commented, "Not bad."
For some reason, Leo Colby felt like a piece of pork, stripped bare and thrown on a cutting board for inspection and selection.
But this feeling was limited to Lily Hart. When facing others, Leo Colby had a sort of magical barrier; he never cared about their gazes of admiration, jealousy, or scrutiny.
He boarded the RV with a natural sense of familiarity, and Lily Hart didn’t think anything of it.
’He’s working for me now, so he’s one of my own. He can come up whenever he wants.’
The customers immediately crowded around the two of them, chattering away. "Boss Hart, what did you mean about that hotel?"
"Yeah, yeah, tell us about it! Can we go stay there?"
"Yes, yes! We have nowhere else to go. If the price is cheap, it would be a dream come true."
None of them dared to direct their questions at the cold and silent Leo Colby, choosing instead to ask the approachable and gentle Lily Hart.
Lily Hart looked at Leo Colby, shrugged, then reached out and patted his arm encouragingly. "Go on. This is your hotel."
’Even if I do take an eighty-percent cut.’
Leo Colby took a step forward and fell silent. The atmosphere gradually grew awkward.
After a long moment, he finally said, "A single room is 188 points per day. A double room is 288 points per day."
That’s about three Crystal Cores. Not expensive, considering a single scratch-off ticket costs one Crystal Core.
’So he was thinking about the prices?’ The thought flashed through Lily Hart’s mind.
She wouldn’t interfere with these things. As long as Leo Colby didn’t think he was losing money, it was fine.
The crowd members were also regular customers of the lottery shop, so they quickly did the mental math.
They started asking again, "So what’s inside?" They couldn’t just be giving us an empty room, could they?
Based on what they knew of Boss Hart, she would never be that stingy. It was sure to far exceed their expectations.
Leo Colby didn’t want to explain anymore. He had already said enough for one day. Giving up, he just said, "Follow me."
With that, he got off the RV and headed toward the hotel.
The crowd members looked at each other, none of them sure what he meant.
It was Lily Hart who clarified, "He’s going to give you a tour. You should hurry and follow him." She waved her hand, shooing them away.
She was starting to see it now. Everyone had a natural sense of fear toward powerful individuals like Frost Shaw and Leo Colby.
Or perhaps it was because they were quiet, rarely smiled, and generally looked difficult to approach.
’Yes, that’s it.’
It was almost six o’clock, time for dinner. Frost Shaw and the others came out of the convenience store on their own accord.
The moment they stepped out, they were hit with a massive shock. A two-story building had suddenly appeared not far away. ’What is this? Something new Boss Hart made?’
When in doubt, ask. Roman Rowe immediately scurried over to inquire, while Frost Shaw stood nearby, his ears pricked.
When he heard that Leo Colby was the manager, his heart suddenly clenched. ’Doesn’t that make his status the same as mine?!’
He was thinking about their status in Lily Hart’s heart...
He secretly glanced at Lily Hart and saw that her expression was normal. She was still smiling, her dimples showing faintly.
’It’s as if Leo Colby’s arrival hasn’t affected her mood at all?’
His anxious heart quietly settled back down. He listened to the rest of the story. ’So that’s how it is. Pfft, it’s nothing worth mentioning.’
He comforted himself.
By the time Lily Hart had explained the whole story, her mouth was dry. ’Why is a grown man so gossipy?’
She was drinking some water when Leo Colby emerged from the hotel with a dozen or so people. His face was expressionless, and he even looked a little impatient.
The crowd behind him was discussing things animatedly, their faces lit with joy. As they got closer, Lily Hart could faintly overhear a few snippets.
"This hotel is really nice!"
"Are you guys going to stay? I’m definitely going to try it for a night!"
"How could you not? I haven’t had a hot shower in years! Or felt air conditioning!"
"Exactly! And did you guys sit on the bed? It’s so soft!"
"Boss Leo was there, so I didn’t dare. How soft is it??"
Lily Hart almost died laughing. This group was both adorable and pitiable. She had originally planned to have the grand opening tomorrow, with a little ceremony to mark the occasion.
But from the looks of it, everyone was already eager to check in.
She suddenly remembered something and leaned close to Leo Colby. "Tell them they can rent long-term or short-term. There’s a discount for long-term rentals, so they can treat it like their own home. And if they need any daily necessities, they can just buy them at the convenience store. So convenient, right?"
Leo Colby just nodded, then looked toward Frost Shaw in the distance. Coincidentally, Frost Shaw was also looking at him.
But for some reason, he felt a faint trace of hostility in that gaze. ’What’s that about?’
Leo Colby carefully recalled the past few years since Frost Shaw became famous. They had rarely even crossed paths, only seeing each other at the Central Command’s annual commendation ceremony.
’Whatever,’ he thought. ’I’m Eighth Rank, and he’s only Seventh Rank. The gap between us is as wide as a mountain.’
When it came to strength, Leo Colby had some confidence.
When he looked over again, Frost Shaw had already averted his gaze and was looking elsewhere, his expression indifferent, as if that hostile glance had never happened.
"Did you hear me?" Lily Hart nudged him with her elbow.
"Mhm," Leo Colby acknowledged. Since he was already cooperating with Lily Hart, he understood the dynamic. It was about mutual support.
A few survivors, rubbing their hands together, nudged each other forward, looking flustered.
"Boss Hart, Boss Leo, can we stay here tonight?"
Leo Colby glanced at Lily Hart, and only after receiving an affirmative nod from her did he say, "You can."
Lily Hart added, "It’s the grand opening today, so there’s a discount if you stay for five days or more."
"What kind of discount?" they asked eagerly.