[Main Mission: Enter the Hospitality Industry – Build Your Own Hotel Chain]
Objective: Accumulate your first fortune — 10 million yuan — from food and hospitality ventures.
[Daily Mission: Create a Business Module for Your Venture – Yearly Plan Required]
[Reward to be unlocked after submission.]
She groaned and muttered, "System, you know I'm just a middle school student. How am I supposed to make a business plan for a whole year? You're simply asking for too much."
[Ding… Host progress very low. With current skills, achieving 10 million yuan shouldn't be hard. However, lack of momentum detected. If this pace continues, we'll still be stuck on the first main mission by year-end.]
[System intends to evaluate progress and draft a backup plan.]
Her eyes twitched. "Backup plan?" she repeated with irritation. "System, do you think I'm useless?"
Straightening in her seat, she huffed, "Let me make one thing clear. Today is 22nd August. My school starts 7th September. That means I have over two weeks. Before school even begins, your precious main mission will be long over."
The system, wisely, stayed silent — but if it had eyes, they'd be rolling.
Li Ziqing crossed her arms, biting her bottom lip thoughtfully. Despite her frustration, she was already planning how to wrap up the main mission.
---
As soon as Li Ziqing reached the door of her modest home and pushed it open, she sensed something was off. The living room was unusually quiet, the atmosphere tense—like the air right before a thunderstorm.
Her eyes fell on a tall man seated on the couch, back facing her. He wore a sharp navy-blue business suit, tailored to perfection. His back was straight, posture disciplined like a blade sheathed in elegance. His hair was combed neatly, the sides slightly trimmed while the top had a slight natural wave. His hands were long and slender, clasped neatly over his knees.
Just then, he turned.
His face was angular, with well-defined cheekbones and a strong jawline that gave him a traditional masculine appeal. His skin was fair, and his dark eyes were narrow and intense, glinting like sharp obsidian under the living room light. He looked around 30 years old, and the aura around him was unmistakably that of a powerful professional. A man used to control and negotiation.
The moment his sharp gaze fell on the door, and the beautiful 14-year-old girl standing there with a school bag on her shoulder, he immediately stood up, expression shifting subtly to surprise—then to something unreadable.
"You must be Ms Li Ziqing?" he asked, voice smooth but deep, like a polished cello note.
Li Ziqing blinked. "Yes... and you are?"
"Ms. Li," he greeted, offering a polite nod, "I'm Zhou Yichen, your newly appointed assistant. I just landed back from Singapore this morning."
Li Ziqing blinked. The system's earlier reward—the Personal Summoning Card—suddenly clicked in her mind. It had summoned this man?
Zhou Yichen, the former CEO of Aurelius International Holdings. A man whose name was once listed on Forbes Asia's Under 35 Executives to Watch.
She was momentarily stunned but quickly composed herself. After all, she was his employer now.
"Mr. Zhou, welcome back to China." Li Ziqing's voice was calm and mature beyond her years. She smiled gently and gestured to the couch. "Please, have a seat."
Zhou Yichen nodded and sat with graceful professionalism.
Across the room, Li Jianfang, Li Jianping, and Li Zian exchanged confused glances, visibly unsure of what was going on.
Seeing their expressions, Li Ziqing turned to the man beside her and introduced, "By the way, Mr. Zhou, the company will be registered under my mother, Li Jianfang." She gestured toward her mother, who was seated beside the tea table. "Since I'm still a student, I can't manage daily operations. So everything—legally and practically—will be under her control."
Her mother's eyes widened slightly but didn't interrupt.
Ziqing continued, "This includes full decision-making authority. So your role will be to assist her directly and run the company as its CEO. I've reviewed your credentials. You're talented in brand development and market expansion—exactly what we need at this stage. I trust you'll serve in a capacity you're familiar with."
Zhou Yichen smiled for the first time—just a slight upturn of the lips. "Thank you for the trust, Ms. Li," he said, turning respectfully toward Li Jianfang as well. "Madam Li, I look forward to working with you closely. Honestly, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this opportunity. But after tasting the dishes you prepared, I'm convinced. This hotel venture will not just survive—it has the potential to dominate."
Li Jianfang blinked in surprise but offered a small, shy nod.
Li Ziqing's tone shifted to business. "Mr. Zhou, I want our first restaurant launched as soon as possible. The location is ready—we own a diamond-tier storefront on Jiangshen Road. I'll take you and my mother there shortly. We can finalize the setup on-site."
"Understood." Zhou Yichen pulled out a sleek notebook and began jotting notes.
Then, Ziqing reached into her bag and took out her sleek new phone. Everyone in the room—aside from Zhou—watched in stunned silence as the luxurious fruit-branded smartphone gleamed in her hand.
She dialed Manager Su at the Central Plaza store.
The call was answered almost immediately.
"Manager Su, this is Li Ziqing. When you send the delivery of the four MacBooks, add one more black MacBook and one more phone to the order. I'll make the payment here directly. And be sure to credit Xiao Yun for the commission."
There was a pause on the other end. Manager Su sounded dazed. "Miss Li, of course! That will be arranged immediately."
Li Ziqing ended the call, then turned back to Zhou Yichen.
"Your company phone and laptop will be here shortly," she said with a nod. "Once they arrive, we'll leave for Jiangshen Road."
"Perfect." Zhou Yichen gave her a confident nod.
Li Ziqing then turned to her family, pulled open her large branded shopping bag, and took out three sleek packages. "Each of you gets an iPhone and a MacBook. I'll teach you how to use the phones. As for the laptops, Uncle and Mom can rely on my brother for help—he's pretty good at these things."
She handed one to her mother, one to her uncle, and one to her twin brother, Li Zian.
Li Zian's eyes widened in disbelief. "Sis, isn't this… isn't this the new touchscreen model? The international brand?"
Li Ziqing laughed lightly. "The one and only."
Her brother let out a low whistle, holding the phone like it was made of gold.
Ziqing's eyes softened as she turned back to her mother. "Mom, can you prepare some food for LuLu? Since we're heading to Jiangshen Road, we'll stop by the City Hospital and drop it off."
Li Jianfang nodded, already rising to her feet. Her heart was still racing from the extravagance of the gifts, but she was slowly adjusting to the fact that their lives had changed.
Not through luck—but through her daughter.
And while she didn't say it aloud, her pride was written all over her face.
---
An hour later, the delivery from the Fruit Store finally arrived—five MacBooks and an additional smartphone, complete with all the necessary accessories. Li Ziqing personally handed them out, watching as everyone received their devices with visible excitement and curiosity.
She turned to her twin brother and said warmly,
"Brother, I think it's time you stop working at the internet café. You can do everything you need right here on this device."
She didn't mention anything about the game he was developing—Li Zian hadn't told their mother yet, and she respected his privacy.
Li Zian looked at her, visibly overwhelmed and touched. He clutched the MacBook and phone in his hands, then said with heartfelt sincerity,
"A Qing, thank you so much. I promise—one day, your brother will make you proud."
Li Ziqing smiled and nodded. She then turned to her uncle.
"Uncle, now that you have your MacBook, you should start the registration process for the diploma course at Wuhan University. It'll help you a lot, so try to learn how to use it properly as soon as possible."
Li Jianping's eyes lit up with determination as he clutched the sleek laptop.
"Of course, A Qing. Don't worry! Once my course is complete, we'll take our company into the jewelry business. I already have some ideas." His voice was filled with ambition, and his gaze turned dreamy.
Next, Li Ziqing looked at Zhou Yichen and handed him the new MacBook and phone.
"These are company benefits, Mr. Zhou. You can use them for anything related to work."
Zhou Yichen accepted the devices with a nod.
"Thank you, Ms. Li. Understood."
Just then, Li Jianfang entered the room, carrying an insulated food container.
"A Qing, the food is packed and ready. We can leave now."
---
Wuhan City Hospital
Thanks to Han Zhiyuan's instructions, it didn't take long for them to locate LuLu's room. It was a VIP suite on the top floor—quiet, spacious, and guarded. The air outside the room was noticeably solemn.
Li Ziqing arrived at the hospital accompanied by her mother, Li Jianfang, and Zhou Yichen. Her uncle Li Jianping and brother Li Zian had already been sent ahead to inspect the storefront location.
Li Jianfang had insisted on coming along. Ever since she heard about LuLu's illness, she'd been deeply affected. As a mother herself, she could empathize with the agony of watching one's child suffer. She felt an unspoken responsibility to offer even a sliver of comfort to Han Zhiyuan's wife, knowing that sometimes, only another mother could truly understand such pain.
As for Zhou Yichen, Li Ziqing had her own reasons for bringing him along. He was not just the newly appointed CEO of their hospitality venture, but a skilled strategist whose insights she valued highly—especially since this meeting could evolve into something far more significant.
As they approached the VIP section, security guards gave them brief, respectful nods but didn't stop them. It seemed Han Zhiyuan had already informed the hospital about their visit.
The hallway leading to the room was immaculately clean, the air faintly scented with antiseptic. The door to LuLu's room stood slightly ajar, and a gentle beeping sound from medical monitors could be heard inside.
Ziqing spotted Han Zhiyuan standing beside a woman. The woman was dressed in a light green chiffon gown—her face a little tired and pale, but still graceful and beautiful.
Li Ziqing and Li Jianfang stepped forward with polite smiles.
"You must be Ms. Li," Han Zhiyuan said warmly. "We've been waiting for you. LuLu finished her therapy two hours ago and has been excited ever since she heard you were coming. She even insisted on wearing her favorite dress today." He then gestured toward the woman beside him. "Let me introduce my wife—Xu Shuhua."
Xu Shuhua smiled and gave a soft nod. "It's a pleasure."
"And this," Han Zhiyuan continued, "is Ms. Li Ziqing—the one who met LuLu that day in the hospital—and this is Madam Li Jianfang, the kind soul who prepared the food."
Xu Shuhua's eyes widened slightly. The elegance and beauty of both women momentarily stunned her, but she quickly composed herself. Overwhelmed with emotion, she stepped forward and gently grasped Li Jianfang's hands.
"Sister Fang… if I may call you that," she began, her voice trembling with emotion. "There aren't enough words to express how grateful I am. Watching my daughter suffer through therapy, growing weaker every day… it broke us. My husband and I often felt helpless. But your meal—your food—it gave her comfort. After everything, to see her eat with a smile… it means more than I can explain. Thank you."
Her eyes turned red as she spoke.
Li Jianfang gently patted her hand, voice warm. "Sister Hua, I'm a mother too. I understand how painful it is to see your child in distress. Don't thank me. It's just a meal. I used to run a small breakfast stall. If my cooking can bring your daughter a moment of peace, then it's no trouble at all. Please don't make me feel embarrassed."
Seeing their emotional exchange, Li Ziqing quietly stepped aside and gestured toward the man behind her.
"By the way, this is the CEO of our soon-to-be-registered company—Mr. Zhou Yichen," she said.
Zhou Yichen stepped forward, extending his hand.
"And this is Mayor Han Zhiyuan," she added, turning to Han Zhiyuan. "You can call him Mayor Han."
Han Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow slightly as he shook hands with Zhou Yichen. The man was dressed in a custom-tailored navy Armani suit, and the Patek Philippe on his wrist didn't go unnoticed.
This man doesn't seem ordinary, he thought. Why would someone like him willingly work for a company that hasn't even been registered yet?
Still, he remained composed.
After a few moments of polite conversation, they all entered the room. There, on the bed, lay a small, frail girl with no hair—clearly from chemotherapy. But the moment she heard the door open, her eyes lit up and she smiled brightly, despite the faint pain evident in her expression.
Li Ziqing walked straight to her, beaming.
"LuLu, I heard you liked the food my mom made. So today, I brought you chicken wings, egg fried rice, and so much more. You're going to love it!"
"Really, Sister?" LuLu asked, her eyes wide. "Thank you so much!"
But then, as if remembering something, she looked down slightly. "I'm sorry, Sister… I'm troubling you. And Aunty too," she added, turning to Li Jianfang.
Li Jianfang's heart ached. Her eyes turned red as she quickly shook her head.
"No, LuLu. It's no trouble at all. If Aunty's food can make your little tummy full and your heart happy, then Aunty is more than happy to cook for you."
LuLu smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Aunty." She then turned back to Li Ziqing. "Sister, when I heard you were coming, I asked Mommy to let me wear my favorite dress. I only wear it when I meet my favorite people."
Li Ziqing laughed softly. "Oh? So I'm one of your favorite people?"
"Yes!" LuLu grinned. "How do I look? I know I don't have hair anymore, and maybe I look a little strange now, but I used to have beautiful, silky hair. It was longer than my forearm! Right, Mommy?"
Xu Shuhua nodded with a soft chuckle. "Yes, you did."
Li Ziqing reached out and tucked a loose corner of the blanket around LuLu. "I believe you, LuLu. And you look like an absolute doll in that dress."
Li Jianfang chimed in. "And who said you look strange? When babies are born, they don't have hair either. Do they look weird? No, they look adorable. And do you know something? When all the hair is shaved off, the new hair that grows back is even smoother and silkier."
"Really, Aunty?" LuLu asked, her eyes wide, hope flickering within them.
"Yes, sweetheart," Li Jianfang nodded. "In our neighboring country, India, there's a tradition where they shave children's heads—sometimes once, twice, or even until they're ten years old. They believe it not only helps the hair grow thicker and the hairline stronger, but it also washes away the bad luck or negative karma from past lives. With new hair comes new hope."
LuLu's eyes sparkled as she turned to her parents. "Mommy, Daddy! That means my hair will grow back even better? Yay!"
Her excitement brought a smile to Xu Shuhua and Han Zhiyuan's faces.