Ch 69: The World’s Number One Resort

“Everyone, please gather your luggage and make sure to stay close to your assigned tour guide…” Five days later, the Great Tang No. 1 docked at Sora Island. A woman in a yellow uniform, holding a small red flag, addressed the tourists.

The woman’s name was Chen Ru, the head guide for the China Travel Agency Alliance. The “Seven Days, Six Nights on Sora Island” tour was a high-end package. The Alliance sent five guides, each responsible for 15 tourists.

“So this is Sora Island? Looks pretty clean.”

“I’ve read the guides. Once we pass this beach, we’ll reach Sora Town.”

“The air is so fresh! I can’t wait to see the Ice Castle…”

As the head guide finished speaking, the tourists lined up to disembark, their faces full of excitement for the upcoming trip. besides the 80 Chinese tourists from the alliance, the remaining were independent travelers brought in by Alang. The independent travelers included people of various ethnicities, adding a diverse, international flair to the Great Tang No. 1.

“The tour fee includes six nights’ accommodation, 20 standard meals, seven island attraction tickets, and one swing ride… Sister Zhou, are we just here to sightsee?” At the back of the group, Zhuang Yingying, dressed in a blue sundress, whispered to Zhou Yuanyuan.

At that moment, Zhou Yuanyuan was wearing low-rise jeans, showing off her slim waist and long legs, which, combined with her 1.7-meter height, drew the attention of many tourists. One had an elegant vibe, while the other had a sweet appearance, making them the most eye-catching pair on the ship.

“We’ll see once we’re on the island.” Zhou Yuanyuan replied calmly when she heard Zhuang Yingying’s question. The two of them had a total of only 5,000 yuan, about 1,000 USD. Stretching 1,000 dollars over seven days… this trip was testing their budgeting skills.

The tour covered accommodation and meals; otherwise, even their basic needs would be a problem.

“Ah!”

“Are you alright?”

While they were lost in thought, someone bumped into Zhuang Yingying, but Zhou Yuanyuan quickly caught her.

They turned around.

Behind them stood a bald man in his forties, wearing a thick gold chain around his neck and a CC belt at his waist, the epitome of a showy nouveau riche.

As they sized up the man, he was also appraising Zhou Yuanyuan and Zhuang Yingying with great interest.

“Did you even look where you were going?” Zhou Yuanyuan frowned, pulling Zhuang Yingying behind her. The man’s gaze was so intrusive; it was clear he had done it on purpose.

“Sorry, I didn’t notice just now. Here’s my business card. What’s your phone number, sweetheart? I’d love to take you both out for dinner tonight,” the man said smoothly, pulling out a card from his pocket. While doing so, he made sure to flash the jade ring on his finger.

“Jinzhong Coal and Chemical… No, thanks,” Zhou Yuanyuan glanced at the card and scoffed.

Typical pick-up lines.

“My name is Wang Wenhua, with the Changlong Travel Group. If you two run into any trouble, feel free to reach out. When you’re away from home, it’s always good to have more friends.” Wang Wenhua remained calm, unfazed by Zhou Yuanyuan’s guarded attitude.

“No, we’re good…”

“We’re fine. We’ll be going now.”

Zhuang Yingying, being gentle, was about to politely decline, but Zhou Yuanyuan cut her off. Having drifted around Hengdian for two years, they had seen plenty of wealthy show-offs like him. With that, Zhou Yuanyuan grabbed Zhuang Yingying’s hand and walked away.

The meeting point for the China World Travel Group was ahead, and the two women quickly walked over.

“Mr. Wang…” After Zhou Yuanyuan and Zhuang Yingying left, two young men in black long-sleeved shirts approached, dragging their suitcases. They were Wang Wenhua’s assistants.

Wang Wenhua worked in the coal business and had made quite a fortune in recent years. With his current projects wrapping up, he decided to take a trip abroad to relax.

After comparing several options, Wang Wenhua chose the Great Tang Overseas Resort.

Wang Wenhua intended to cultivate himself and restrain his indulgences, so he only brought two assistants on this trip. Life at sea was dull, and when he saw Zhuang Yingying and Zhou Yuanyuan, he couldn’t help but feel a bit tempted.

He had the money, the time, and beautiful scenery. Now, all he needed was a pretty companion to make his trip perfect.

Zhuang Yingying and Zhou Yuanyuan seemed like the ideal candidates in his mind, though their fiery tempers made them difficult to approach.

Wang Wenhua felt a bit of regret.

…

“Dear tourists, we are now on Sora Town’s First Avenue. Walk straight through, and ahead, you’ll find the bus to Blue Sea Forest…” Half an hour later, the group had registered their Sora Access Cards and entered Sora Town.

Sora Town boasted 60% greenery coverage, and as the group walked in, it felt like stepping into a natural oxygen bar. The air was fresh, and aside from their group, the only people around were diligent sanitation workers.

The streets of Sora Town were incredibly clean.

“You’re free to explore now. We will meet back here at six in the evening,” the guide announced, clapping her hands. It was currently three in the afternoon, so the tourists had three hours of free time.

“The Delicious Restaurant is nearby; should we grab some food first?”

“Let’s walk around a bit. I wish we could go inside those villas…”

As soon as the guide finished speaking, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“Are these all empty? Seems a bit extravagant,” Zhuang Yingying remarked, taking out her phone to snap a few pictures of the streetscape.

The buildings in Sora Town were neat and orderly. On both sides of the street were dark-colored plane trees, behind which stood vibrant, single-family villas. In China, you couldn’t get one of these villas for less than three million yuan.

Now, these villas were empty inside, serving only as a scenic backdrop.

As a girl from a humble background, Zhuang Yingying felt a pang of envy.

“Property prices depend on location. If the price in Sora Town ever matches that of Beijing, then leaving them empty would be considered extravagant,” Zhou Yuanyuan said, waving her hand dismissively. After speaking, she found it amusing. Beijing’s property prices hovered around ten thousand dollars per square meter. The idea of Sora Town’s prices catching up to that? Ridiculous.

Zhou Yuanyuan chuckled and picked up the travel agency’s brochure.

Touring Sora Town, group dinner, self-funded cinema visit, and a stay in the Blue Sea Forest.

This was the itinerary for the first day of the “Sora Island Seven-Day Tour.” The group was currently on the first step: touring Sora Town.

“Where should we go now?” Zhuang Yingying grabbed a bottle of mineral water, eager to explore. From her one-hour experience so far, Sora Town was just as impressive as the promotional videos suggested.

“Let’s store our luggage first,” Zhou Yuanyuan suggested. The town’s management office offered luggage storage services, but since it was everyone’s first time abroad, except for a few carefree individuals, most people were still clutching their belongings.

Zhou Yuanyuan and Zhuang Yingying headed toward the Sora Management Office. They weren’t carefree; they were simply too poor to worry about losing anything valuable.

…

“Dear viewers, Yingying and I have just landed on the island. Yes, this is the Sora Island that’s trending on Douyin…” After leaving the management office, Zhou Yuanyuan took out a selfie stick and started live-streaming on Xianyu.

Zhou Yuanyuan currently had over 3,000 followers on Lazy fish, placing her in the “small fry” category of streamers.

“Yuanyuan really went to Sora Island? So cool!”

“Amazing! Show us some on-site footage of Sora Island!”

“Take a deep breath! I want to see the Giants of Bianjing.”

…

Zhou Yuanyuan opened her livestream room, and her channel, Travel with Yuanyuan, had 25 viewers online. These days, Zhou Yuanyuan made sure to stream three hours daily at a fixed time.

As a full-time streamer, she didn’t dare to slack off.

“Dear viewers, we are now in Sora Town. According to our tour group’s itinerary, we will arrive at Bianjing Ancient City on the morning of the third day…”

“Hi everyone, I’m Yingying!”

Zhou Yuanyuan adjusted her phone screen while Zhuang Yingying greeted viewers sweetly beside her.

Zhou Yuanyuan and Zhuang Yingying were best friends, sharing one Lazy fish account.

“@It’sYourBrotherXiao has gifted @TravelWithYuanyuan an off-road vehicle.”

“@FlyingHero has gifted @TravelWithYuanyuan a bicycle.”

“Thank you, Brother Xiao! Thank you, Hero.”

…

Zhou Yuanyuan didn’t have many followers, but those who tuned in promptly were loyal fans. After some greetings, two or three viewers sent gifts.

The gift amounts weren’t large, totaling only about seven or eight yuan for Zhou Yuanyuan.

She was genuinely grateful since her salary for the past two months had been accumulated in such small amounts.

As Zhou Yuanyuan strolled around, she patiently explained to the viewers. Most of her information was freshly learned and relayed.

“Huh, there’s a girl with long hair in the back, a stunning silhouette!” Half an hour later, Zhou Yuanyuan and Zhuang Yingying arrived on Sixth Avenue. Just as she was about to rent a balance bike, she heard a surprised comment from her livestream.

A viewer had used the broadcast feature.

“Looks like she’s over 1.8 meters tall. Are we sure that’s a girl?”

“I’m in love. How does she take care of her hair? It looks so silky…”

By now, the number of viewers in the livestream had grown to over a hundred. Zhou Yuanyuan glanced at the comments section, feeling a bit confused. After scanning through, she looked in the direction the viewers mentioned.

On the southern side of Sixth Avenue, there was a large construction site. It was bustling with activity, with nearly a hundred workers busy at work.

At the outermost part of the site stood two figures.

One of them, facing Zhou Yuanyuan, was dressed in a gray casual suit with short black hair, looking quite handsome.

Zhou Yuanyuan had watched Jiang Yaoyao’s livestream before and recognized this person as Tang Huai, supposedly the manager of the Great Tang Resort.

Opposite Tang Huai was a tall figure with long hair down to the waist. As the viewers had pointed out, the figure had an air of elegance that blurred the line between masculine and feminine.

“A pretty boy…” Zhou Yuanyuan muttered under her breath. She had a clearer view than the viewers. Although the figure had long hair, both the shoulder width and build unmistakably belonged to a man.

“Host, go walk around there for a bit,” the viewers urged, mixed with various gifts coming in.

Curiosity is a common trait.

Zhou Yuanyuan and Zhuang Yingying exchanged glances. Considering the gifts, they decided to approach.

…

“Manager Tang, with the Chinese New Year coming up in half a month, I’m planning to buy some red lanterns…”

“Someone’s coming.”

On the southern side of the Sora Airport, Tang Huai was discussing the opening of the Great Tang Resort with Xie Yunshu. With the Chinese New Year just half a month away, Tang Huai wanted to make it official by launching the resort on that day for good luck.

They were halfway through their conversation when two sweet-looking girls approached. Tang Huai signaled Xie Yunshu to pause.

“Hello, I wanted to ask… cough, cough.”

“What would you like to ask?”

…

Zhou Yuanyuan adjusted her composure, preparing to pretend to ask for directions. Before she could finish, Xie Yunshu turned around. The moment Zhou Yuanyuan saw Xie Yunshu’s face, she felt her brain freeze.

Due to her life experiences and profession, Zhou Yuanyuan had encountered many people who didn’t conform to traditional gender norms. She respected everyone’s way of living but personally wasn’t fond of such individuals. When she saw Xie Yunshu’s back earlier, she thought he was similar to some she had met before.

But…

Xie Yunshu’s eyes were bright, almond-shaped, with delicate features—fine eyebrows, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips. Zhou Yuanyuan recalled the descriptive terms she had read about such appearances throughout her life, assuming they were exaggerations. However, she never expected to see someone like this in reality.

His overall demeanor had nothing in common with those she thought of. Instead, he exuded a warmth, as if he had stepped out of an ancient painting.

Another phrase came to Zhou Yuanyuan’s mind… refined as jade?

“Hello?” A pleasant voice called out again.

Zhou Yuanyuan felt as if her heart had been struck by an arrow.

“Ah, I wanted to ask, how do I get to the Delicious Restaurant…” Ten seconds later, Zhou Yuanyuan finally recovered and quickly asked.

“Walk down Sixth Avenue, then turn right… There’s a detailed map of Sora Island ahead,” Xie Yunshu patiently explained. Zhou Yuanyuan carefully glanced at his eyelashes, feeling her heart flutter.

Noticing Zhou Yuanyuan’s expression, Tang Huai sighed.

Zhou Yuanyuan wasn’t the first to fall for this. When Li Yuan and Han Tao came here, many female tourists had secretly asked for Xie Yunshu’s contact information. Xie Yunshu, a clever individual, declined all advances with gentle grace.

Xie Yunshu’s appearance was just too captivating.

“Still not quite clear… Do you have WeChat? I might need to send you a voice message if I get lost later,” Zhou Yuanyuan asked, not wanting to give up.

“Ding Yi, please take these two guests to Delicious Restaurant,” Xie Yunshu called over a nearby patrol guard.

To keep things simple, Tang Huai had given every guard a straightforward name, like Ding Yi, Zhao Er, and Wang San.

A burly patrol guard walked over.

Zhuang Yingying forced a smile. Since Xie Yunshu had already said so, it wasn’t appropriate to persist further.

“Thank you…” Zhou Yuanyuan reluctantly left.

“Quite the charm,” Tang Huai teased Xie Yunshu after Zhou Yuanyuan and Zhuang Yingying left. Tang Huai felt a bit conflicted. Perhaps Xie Yunshu’s looks were a bit wasted on Sora Island.

“Manager Tang, you’re joking,” Xie Yunshu responded calmly.

Tang Huai sighed inwardly. This truly is a world that values appearances.

…

“Damn, so it wasn’t a girl. But still, those looks… I think I’m in love.”

“The host’s tactics weren’t deep enough. You should have pushed harder to get his WeChat.”

“That’s it, I’m done. I think I’m turning. Anyone want to form a group to visit Sora Island? Let’s go together.”

…

On the way back, the chat room in @TravelWithYuanyuan exploded.

“Dear viewers, I have to head to our gathering point. We’ll start live streaming again tomorrow at 8 a.m.,” Zhou Yuanyuan said with a sweet smile as she glanced through the comments.

She ended the livestream, and by the end, @TravelWithYuanyuan had over 3,000 viewers online.

“Sister Yuanyuan, coming to Sora Island was a great decision. I hope we can earn back our investment,” Zhuang Yingying checked the livestream’s backend. In these two hours, they had earned over 700 yuan, almost half of what they used to make in two weeks.

Livestreaming on Sora Island was a wise choice!

“The total cost plus labor means we need to make at least 50,000 yuan to break even,” Zhou Yuanyuan said as she put her phone away.

The live-streaming industry was like a carp crossing a river—many attempted, but not all succeeded. The two had been down on their luck for the past two months. Now… things seemed to be picking up.

Half an hour later, they arrived at Delicious Restaurant. Although it was time to gather, many tourists were still wandering around, which meant they likely wouldn’t start eating until six-thirty.

“That guy was really handsome earlier. It was the first time I saw you actively asking for someone’s WeChat. It was great for the livestream! The short-haired guy next to him was also handsome, just my type…” Zhuang Yingying said excitedly, recalling the encounter.

“Not bad…” Zhou Yuanyuan replied absentmindedly. She thought again of the long-haired man. Whether it was just for the livestream effect, only she knew.

…

“Dear guests, we’re at table six at Delicious Restaurant. The group meal will be served for ten people per table…” Half an hour later, once all the guests had arrived, the short-haired tour guide raised her small red flag.

The tourists followed the guide’s directions and made their way inside.

The first floor of Delicious Restaurant had ten large tables and five small ones. Each large table could accommodate ten people, while the small tables could fit between two to five.

Zhou Yuanyuan and her group were seated at one of the large tables, while most of the solo travelers sat at the small tables.

Ten minutes later, the dishes were served one after another. Each large table received twelve dishes, a balanced mix of meat and vegetables that looked quite nutritious.

As the dishes were brought out, everyone picked up their chopsticks and started eating.

The food tasted average, similar to what they would have in China.

“Smells pretty good.”

“So fragrant… Is that Blue Sea Fish? Guide, why doesn’t our group meal include fish?”

“The dishes taste different too. I noticed that this plate of candied yam isn’t the same as the one on the other table!”

…

The group was about seventy percent full when the dishes for the small tables began to arrive. They glanced at the small tables nearby, and after seeing the dishes there, some became disgruntled.

The dishes on the small tables, both in appearance and presentation, far surpassed what they were eating.

“Dear guests, the other dishes belong to Delicious Restaurant’s in-house menu and are not included in the group meal. You are welcome to purchase them separately,” the guide announced through a megaphone.

“Why is there such a big difference between the group meal and the regular menu… Are these even made by the same chef?” One of the more short-tempered tourists slammed the table. After all, the dishes on the small tables looked way more enticing, while their meal felt like mere belly fillers.

“The group meal is prepared by chefs we brought from China. It’s considered an economy meal. As for the other dishes… You can check Delicious Restaurant’s price list,” the guide replied helplessly. Their group meal chef had twelve years of culinary experience, but now, listening to the tourists’ complaints, even she began to doubt if the chef was merely an intern from a cooking school.

By the staircase of Delicious Restaurant, there was a large price board. Currently, the board was facing away from the tourists. Someone turned it around.

“Blue Sea Grilled Fish, 200 USD. Tomato Scrambled Eggs, 100 USD. Stir-fried Cabbage, 50 USD… What the heck, daylight robbery!” The tourists scanned the prices, their eyes widening in disbelief.

They thought they must have misread it, but the board was clearly labeled in both Chinese and English, with prices listed in USD. After some quick calculations, they were in a daze.

The prices were beyond what they had imagined.

Indeed, the dishes at Delicious Restaurant couldn’t be included in the group meal; otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to afford eating there for seven days, even if they spent all their money.

“Guide, is this a mistake?” the tourist who had slammed the table earlier asked, unwilling to give up and making a final attempt to clarify.

“Delicious Restaurant is a high-end establishment. Our group meal dishes are imported from Mexico City and not produced locally on Sora Island…” the guide confirmed.

The travel agency received a ten percent discount on the Sora Island package, but this did not include the meals.

“Oh my, this is food kissed by the gods.”

“Is this the Blue Sea Fish? I’ve never tasted grilled fish this tender.”

“It’s a bit pricey, but worth every penny.”

…

As the crowd marveled at Delicious Restaurant’s prices, the guests at the nearby small tables, a group of German tourists, expressed their amazement.

They weren’t on a group meal plan, so they had bought some hot dogs and bread from the Sora supermarket. After some hesitation, they decided to try a few of Delicious’s signature dishes, as their financial situation was relatively stable.

They had braced themselves for a hefty bill, but to their surprise, the food turned out to be exceptionally delicious.

“Waiter, another steak, please. And let the chef know that she is the greatest chef in the world.” One of the tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed tourists said to the waiter, feeling unsatisfied after wolfing down their meal.

The waiter headed to the kitchen.

“The dishes will take about five minutes. Here is a fruit platter from our chef.” Thirty seconds later, the waiter returned, carrying an exquisite fruit platter with kiwi, banana, cherry tomatoes, and other fruits, all beautifully arranged.

“This is the best kiwi I’ve ever tasted.”

“Pure bliss! I never thought a banana could taste this good.”

They each picked up a small fork, took a bite, and their faces lit up with expressions of sheer delight. The joy was palpable.

“Isn’t this a bit exaggerated…” The Chinese tourists exchanged glances. Their English was good enough to understand most of the conversation. It wasn’t a cartoon, but the Germans’ reactions were as dramatic as those of food critics in animated shows.

“It’s just 200 dollars. I’ll take one Blue Sea Grilled Fish.”

“I’ll have the candied yams.”

A few of the wealthier tourists couldn’t hold back any longer and slapped the table in determination.

Since they were already here, spending a thousand yuan on a dish… might as well go for it. They decided to indulge, even if it was just this once.

In no time, five or six tourists went to the small tables to order more food.

“Jie, should we buy a plate of tomato scrambled eggs?” The dishes at Meiwei Restaurant were too enticing. Zhuo Yingying tugged at Zhou Yuanyuan’s sleeve.

There was a currency exchange counter on Sora Island, and they had already exchanged their 5,000 yuan for 1,000 US dollars. Buying a plate of tomato scrambled eggs was still within their budget.

“Let’s—”

“Fancy meeting you two again. What would you like to eat? It’s on me.”

Zhou Yuanyuan was just about to respond when a familiar voice rang out. She looked up to see a bald man with a big gold chain—it was Wang Wenhua, the man they had briefly encountered earlier.

Wang Wenhua looked at them with great interest. Having navigated the ups and downs of society for many years, he could easily sense the predicament Zhou Yuanyuan and Zhuo Yingying were in.

His mischievous intentions resurfaced.

He thought he had a chance.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️