The car drove to the outskirts of Beijing and stopped at a newly opened resort hotel.
The name was: Yunyou Xianju
Su Yue felt a sense of familiarity and suddenly remembered something. She opened the chat interface with Ji Chan and clicked on the hotel she had previously sent for collaboration.
It was this place!
"What a coincidence," she murmured to herself, somewhat surprised.
"What coincidence?" He stopped at the entrance. Two service staff members, waiting by the driver's and passenger's seats, opened their doors for them.
Seeing her still looking at her phone, Chen Ziming unbuckled her seatbelt and asked casually.
"This hotel invited the photographer I always work with. We were planning to come here to shoot promotional photos after the final exams," she replied, still looking at her phone and scrolling through the introduction.
Seeing that she seemed to have forgotten to get out of the car, Chen Ziming walked around, put his arm around her waist, and led her out.
"This is opened by Jin Yan."
Jin Yan?
The one she had dinner at his house with last time.
Is he that rich?!
A private car from the hotel was already waiting for them. The driver opened the rear door. Chen Ziming held her hand and led the still somewhat surprised girl into the car.
The car picking them up was a Bentley.
This was too extravagant!
As if sensing her astonishment, he squeezed her palm and said, "Jin Yan's family is in the hotel and catering business. Lan Hai Hotel is their more famous enterprise."
Lan Hai Hotel?!
A nationwide chain of five-star hotels, currently expanding into international cities overseas.
Su Yue had even stayed there when she went to Singapore for a photoshoot.
The people Chen Ziming knew were indeed extraordinary...
But then she suddenly realized something and quickly turned to look at him, asking:
"Jin Yan won't be here, will he?"
"He is, along with a few of my other friends. He invited us all for an early experience."
"...Why didn't you tell me beforehand??" She was genuinely surprised and a little nervous.
Although she didn't object to meeting his friends, but...
"You don't want to see them?" he asked, without any particular emotion.
"Not exactly..."
"Then let's go see them. They're all very eager to meet you." He put his arm around her waist, gently pinching the flesh at her waist.
The car stopped. Su Yue didn't have time to explain and followed him out of the car, her mind preoccupied. She watched the service staff carry their luggage into a villa.
There was a villa area here, located further inside from the regular hotel area.
The environment was truly excellent, nestled against mountains and water, with abundant trees. The villas with red roofs looked quite retro, giving a very casual and relaxed feeling.
The one they were staying in was one of them.
"Officer Chen, it's not that I don't want to see them."
After the service staff left, she sat on the sofa and looked up at him with a slightly wronged expression.
"Mm?"
"The clothes I brought are not suitable."
He had told her to bring pretty clothes for her photoshoot, so she had brought two rather... revealing outfits.
One was an avocado green backless halter dress, reaching only to mid-thigh.
The other was a crop top t-shirt paired with denim overalls that were just two straps, leaving her waist fully exposed when worn.
It wasn't that she favored this style; her fans had bought them for her, wanting to see her try the "pure desire" style.
The casual outfit she was wearing now was clearly unsuitable for a first meeting with his friends.
"What you're wearing now is fine," he said, looking at her t-shirt and jeans outfit.
"It's too casual, I don't want to," she replied, frowning and pouting.
Hearing this, Chen Ziming seemed quite pleased. He sat beside her and looked down at her.
"You're taking meeting my friends so seriously?"
This... it was mainly to save face for herself. She didn't want to be told she wasn't polite.
But since he asked, she suppressed her thoughts and replied cooperatively, "Yes, I don't want to embarrass you."
The man smiled and kissed her cheek gently.
"There should be a place to buy clothes here. After lunch and a rest, I'll take you."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the door.
Accompanying it was Jin Yan's booming voice:
"Officer Chen! Open the door! I know you're in there! Is the pretty sister in? I need to feast my eyes!"
Su Yue and Chen Ziming: ...