After dinner, Li Ziqing lay on her bed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling though her mind wandered far beyond it.
The days ahead won't be easy, she thought grimly, her lips curling into a faint, bitter smile. She knew all too well what kind of parasites the Li family truly were—once they latched onto something, they would never let go without bleeding it dry. This time would be no different.
The quiet was heavy, almost suffocating, when a sudden chime from her phone sliced through it. The crisp tone pulled her sharply back to reality.
She reached for the phone, and the name on the glowing screen made her pause—Zhou Yichen.
[Zhou Yichen]: Sorry for disturbing you at this hour, Miss Li. I just wanted to inform you that the designs are complete, and starting tomorrow, the renovation work will begin. It should take about seven days. Also, Mayor Han has completed the company registration today—Huiheng Group is now officially established. Our next steps are securing an office space and beginning recruitment for both the company and the hotel.
Li Ziqing's brows lifted, a flicker of genuine surprise flashing across her face. Zhou Yichen's efficiency was… remarkable. In just one day, he had not only finalized the interior designs but also assembled the renovation team. Every task was executed without delay, without hesitation. His speed was almost frightening.
Her lips curved slightly as she typed back a simple reply:
[Li Ziqing]: Alright. Let's meet tomorrow to discuss the details.
She set the phone back on the nightstand, switched off the lamp, and closed her eyes, expecting to drift into sleep. But just as the haze of drowsiness began to take her, a thought struck her like a spark in the dark.
Her eyes snapped open.
"Oh, right… my reward." She murmured into the quiet, a glint of anticipation lighting her gaze.
Sitting up, she straightened her posture and spoke clearly, her voice low but deliberate.
"System, grant the reward."
A crisp chime echoed in her mind, followed by the familiar, mechanical tone:
[Ding… Daily Mission complete: Prepare Li Jianfang for the Hospitality Business.
Reward Granted.
One of the most important factors that defines a company's prestige is its location and architectural presence. At first glance, a company's reputation is not judged solely by its leadership but by the prominence of its headquarters. Considering the Host currently lacks high-profile real estate to serve as an office space, the following reward has been granted:
A 55-floor commercial tower in Wuhan's Central District.
The property deeds and all relevant documents have been placed in the System Inventory.]
For a heartbeat, Li Ziqing sat frozen.
"…A… commercial tower?" she whispered, almost to herself, as if repeating it aloud might make it less absurd.
Speechless at first, she felt her mind spinning. Confusion settled in quickly—this wasn't a villa, or a shopfront, or even a hotel. It was an entire skyscraper in the most prestigious district of Wuhan.
Hands trembling slightly, she summoned the System Inventory and retrieved the property documents. The heavy, embossed folder appeared in her grasp, its surface cool and smooth to the touch. Slowly, she opened it.
Her breath caught.
There it was—in bold, official print—her name on the property certificate.
Owner: Li Ziqing.
A laugh—soft at first, then bright with disbelief—escaped her lips. Just moments ago, she had been planning to scour the city with Zhou Yichen tomorrow for a decent office location. Now… she owned one of the commercial building in the Central District.
The rush of exhilaration was overwhelming. Her pulse quickened; her chest felt light, almost buoyant. She could already imagine the Huiheng Group's name gleaming in gold at the top of the tower, visible from miles away. The Li family's sneers, the enemies the shadows—all of it—would be crushed beneath the sheer weight of her success.
She sank back against the headboard, still clutching the folder as if it might vanish if she let go.
After dinner, Li Ziqing lay in bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling but her mind far away.
The days ahead won't be easy, she thought grimly, her lips curling into a faint, bitter smile. She knew exactly what kind of parasites the Li family were—once they latched onto something, they wouldn't let go without draining it dry. This time would be no different.
The sudden ringing of her phone shattered the silence, dragging her back to the present. She frowned when she saw the unfamiliar number flashing on the screen.
Who could be calling at this hour?
Still, she swiped to answer but didn't speak, choosing instead to let the other party make the first move.
A slightly breathless, cautious male voice finally broke the silence.
"Uh… hello? Miss Li?"
She didn't recognize the voice, but she responded evenly, "Yes, this is she."
The man spoke quickly, as if relieved to have reached her. "Hello, Miss Li. This is Xu Jianrong from the property management office of the fifty-five-floor commercial tower you purchased today. I apologize for disturbing you so late, but I just received confirmation of the change in ownership and wanted to finalize the time for tomorrow's meeting so we can discuss the necessary details."
Li Ziqing's brows furrowed slightly. "What details?"
There was a brief pause before Xu Jianrong answered, "About our collaboration—how we'll be proceeding with renting out the office spaces and handling the building's operations."
In that moment, everything clicked for her. She smiled faintly to herself. "Alright. Let's meet tomorrow at eleven in the morning."
The man audibly sighed in relief. "Perfect, Miss Li. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance."
"Mm," she replied curtly before ending the call.
Immediately, she sent the location to Zhou Yichen, then placed her phone aside. This time, sleep came easily.
---
The next morning, Li Ziqing arrived at the address in her brand-new Rolls-Royce Phantom VII, with Li Jianping behind the wheel. The car had been parked overnight in the courtyard of their house—though not large, it was enough to accommodate the sleek luxury vehicle.
Glancing at his niece seated in the passenger seat, Li Jianping asked curiously, "A Qing, why are we here? This street is full of commercial towers on both sides. There's nothing here that would interest you, is there?"
She smiled lightly. "Uncle, yesterday Mayor Han helped us register the company using his contacts. Now Huiheng Group is officially established. We need an office space to start operations."
"Oh, so we're scouting locations today?"
Li Ziqing shook her head. "No need. We already have the perfect location—we just need to begin renovations."
Li Jianping gave her a puzzled look but didn't press the matter.
After a few blocks, they reached the towering structure. From the car window, Li Ziqing spotted Zhou Yichen standing at the entrance, checking his watch from time to time. She stepped out of the car, and as soon as she did, he approached with an approving smile.
"Miss Li, you have excellent taste. This commercial tower is brand new and located in one of the most prestigious spots in the Central District. The competition to secure office space here is fierce—if we want a spot, we'll need to pull some strings."
Li Ziqing's lips curved slightly, but she said nothing. Internally, she was taken aback. Newly built? That meant the System hadn't just given her a building—it had given her a brand-new one.
A few meters away, a short, scholarly-looking middle-aged man in a black business suit had been watching Zhou Yichen for nearly fifteen minutes, assuming he was simply waiting for someone. But when a gleaming Rolls-Royce stopped in front of the tower and a young girl stepped out, his instincts kicked in. At first, he dismissed the possibility—it was hard to believe such a young person could be the building's new owner. But then he heard Zhou Yichen address her as Miss Li.
Tentatively, he stepped forward. "Miss Li?"
Both Li Ziqing and Zhou Yichen turned toward the voice. She recognized the description from last night's call. "You must be Manager Xu Jianrong?"
Xu Jianrong nodded quickly. "Yes, Miss Li. I wasn't sure if you were the same Miss Li who took over this building."
"That's me," she replied with a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Manager Xu."
They exchanged a brief nod of acknowledgment, but before the conversation could continue, Zhou Yichen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Miss Li… did he just say you own this building?" His tone carried disbelief. "This is a fifty-five-floor commercial tower in the Central District. Its market value isn't less than one billion yuan."
Li Ziqing met his gaze with an unreadable smile. "You heard correctly."
His expression turned complex—half astonishment, half curiosity—but he stayed silent, letting the conversation between Li Ziqing and Xu Jianrong unfold.
"This tower," Xu began with pride, "was designed by the renowned British architect Jonathan Fairchild. It's inspired by the concept of a 'rising lotus,' symbolizing prosperity and elegance. The glass façade uses imported materials that adjust transparency with sunlight, reducing energy costs. The previous owner had planned to launch the building next month by opening all office spaces for lease. But now, as the new owner, you have the final say."
Li Ziqing considered this for a moment before asking, "Do we already have tenants lined up?"
"Yes," Xu replied promptly. "We've received one hundred and seven applications so far, but the tower only has sixty-nine office spaces. Some tenants want two office floors, while most want single units. Demand is… considerable."
He hesitated, adjusting his tie nervously. "Miss Li, forgive me for asking so directly, but… would you like our property management team to continue handling the rental operations? It's just—" He glanced at her cautiously. "This has been on my mind since yesterday. Managing such a high-profile property requires experience, and my team is… well, we're fully equipped to handle it."
Li Ziqing's eyes sparkled faintly, a hint of amusement dancing within them. "We'll discuss that inside, Manager Xu. I like to see things for myself before making decisions."
"Yes, of course!" he said, almost too quickly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
With that, Xu Jianrong understanding the implication, stepped toward the grand glass doors and stood there.
The moment Xu Jianrong walked away, Li Ziqing turned toward Zhou Yichen. But before she could open her mouth, he spoke first, his tone tinged with disbelief.
"Miss Li, why did you suddenly purchase an entire commercial tower? We only needed a single office space for now. Even if we expanded immediately, at most we could use two floors. But this…" He paused, glancing toward the towering structure outside the glass doors. "An entire fifty-five–story building with sixty-nine office spaces? We can't possibly utilize all of it."
Li Ziqing's lips curved into a calm, confident smile. "Mr. Zhou, didn't I tell you before? We will be expanding in the future, and I was certain of it. This tower will be our headquarters. In fact, I've already decided to name it Huiheng Tower. Right now, we'll reserve the top ten floors for our own operations, and lease out the remaining floors for the next five years."
"Five years?" Zhou Yichen's brows furrowed. "I don't think many tenants with long-term plans would want to commit to such a short lease."
She leaned in slightly, her tone laced with quiet conviction. "I've already accounted for that. The purpose of renting out the other forty-five floors is not to rely on the income, but to keep the building alive and buzzing with activity. We'll set the rental rates ten to fifteen percent lower than the market average. Any company with a shred of business sense will see the advantage—by the end of five years, they'll have saved the equivalent of a year's rent. The location alone will make it irresistible."
Zhou Yichen frowned deeper. "But wouldn't that mean a loss for us?"
"No," Li Ziqing said without hesitation. Her tone was as firm as tempered steel. "We won't lose a cent. I'm a businesswoman, Mr. Zhou. I don't make decisions that lead to losses. Trust me."
Of course, she wasn't about to tell him the truth—that she hadn't spent a single yuan acquiring the property. The entire building had been gifted by the system. Even if she leased every floor for free, she wouldn't be losing anything.
At her unwavering tone, Zhou Yichen finally exhaled, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.
After a brief pause, Li Ziqing shifted the subject. "What's your impression of Xu Jianrong? Can we trust him with the property management?"
Zhou Yichen's gaze flickered toward the short, slightly rotund man still standing near the entrance. "Perceptive and professional, from what I can see. But we'll know for certain only after more interaction."
Li Ziqing nodded thoughtfully. At that moment, Li Jianping returned after parking the car. The three of them stepped through the gleaming glass doors of Huiheng Tower.
Inside, the lobby opened up like the grand atrium of a luxury hotel. The space was vast, with polished marble floors that reflected the golden afternoon light streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. The air smelled faintly of new paint and fresh plaster.
The minimalist modern design was both imposing and elegant—white stone walls accented with brushed steel panels, a reception counter in sleek black granite, and potted green plants positioned strategically to add a touch of life to the pristine space.
Above them, the high ceiling stretched nearly three stories, making the lobby feel even more expansive. Natural light poured through the glass façade, casting sharp, clean shadows across the gleaming floor.
On either side, six high-speed elevators stood in two symmetrical rows, their doors polished to a mirror finish. Each had a discreet digital panel beside it, displaying floor access and operational status.
Although empty now, the place seemed to hum with potential. In Li Ziqing's mind's eye, she could already see the lobby bustling with well-dressed executives, visitors, and clients—her future empire in motion.
She glanced at Zhou Yichen, who was silently taking it all in, his expression unreadable. The same thought ran through both their minds: this was no ordinary purchase.
And yet, only Li Ziqing knew just how little she had truly paid for it.