Chapter 65

The restaurant manager and the phone from the on-duty executive from last night were handed to Shang Mingxian simultaneously.

She took the phone with one hand and the order details from the table with the other. Seeing the room number 2024, she glanced at her assistant, who promptly went to find the person in charge of the housekeeping department.

When the on-duty vice president heard Shang Mingxian asking about Miss San, he immediately knew something was wrong. Without waiting for further questions, he reported everything clearly. Shang Mingxian listened in silence, and her quiet demeanor made the other party sweat. After a while, she handed the phone back to her assistant and asked the housekeeping department, “What’s the situation with 2024?”

The head of the housekeeping department had been informed by the assistant that Monica was asking about room 2024. He had come after a brief understanding of the situation, bringing along today’s shift supervisor for thoroughness. The head of the department thought that losing a bed sheet wasn’t a big deal; it could be handled by asking the guest during checkout according to the rules. So why did Monica need to get personally involved? The head of the department’s mind raced through possible scenarios, wondering if something more serious, like a murder, had happened and the blood was all over the sheet.

“We lost a bed sheet,” the head of housekeeping reported, casting a cautious glance at Shang Mingxian, who raised her eyebrows slightly.

“Oh?”

The head of housekeeping’s boss had only gotten that one syllable from his superior.

“What happened?” the head of housekeeping asked the shift supervisor, trying to probe further. “Report all the details to Monica—don’t hide anything, and don’t exaggerate.”

The supervisor explained, “At 3 a.m., a double room package was used, but only one person was registered at check-in. Around 11 a.m., they asked the concierge to buy some anti-inflammatory medicine for wound healing, giving a few common drug names. Later, it was about the bed sheet issue. We called the workers to clarify the time and sent them.”

After reporting methodically, the supervisor and the head of housekeeping exchanged puzzled looks, each wondering what had happened.

Shang Mingxian slowly crossed her arms, her face expressionless. The people around her fell silent, nervously waiting. The head of housekeeping asked in a low voice, “Should we call the police, Monica?”

Shang Mingxian snapped back to attention, “Hmm?”

“What’s the matter?”

Clearing her throat, she raised her finger and said, “Go back to work. No more investigations. If I find out anyone is overstepping their bounds, they’re fired.”

Although working for Shang Mingxian was high-pressure, the good thing was that she was a clear and direct boss with no hidden meanings. Her subordinates didn’t need to guess her intentions; they just had to follow orders. Her words made it clear that gossip was not allowed.

Once everyone had left, Shang Mingxian called her assistant over: “Go tell the guests at that table…”

The assistant listened attentively and saw Shang Mingxian rubbing her temples, looking troubled.

Two seconds later, Shang Mingxian’s expression turned cold: “Tell them they’ve won Qili’s lucky prize. Their room rate and all expenses are waived, and the executive lounge, VIP rooms, and art gallery are all free for them.”

The assistant: “…”

Shang Mingxian: “What are you standing there for? Go!”

The assistant left but was called back by Shang Mingxian after a few steps—

“Forget it, I’ll go myself.”

The sound of high heels clicking approached the dining table, and Shang Mingxian put on a formal smile.

Shang Mingbao looked up and, with a “puff,” spat out her Pu’er tea.

…She had forgotten that her sister was a stickler for inspections, always either inspecting or on her way to inspect.

Xiang Feiran handed Shang Mingbao a stack of napkins and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Shang Mingbao wiped her mouth, feeling guilty and avoiding eye contact, like a quail.

“Excuse me, sir, madam,” Shang Mingxian said, her gaze briefly piercing Shang Mingbao’s face. She made a heart shape with her hands, smiled, leaned forward, and nodded in a standard etiquette manner.

Shang Mingxian and Shang Mingbao didn’t look very alike. Shang Mingxian had shoulder-length, neatly styled hair, a tailored suit with a pleated skirt, and pointed high heels, embodying a stylish professional look with simple and sharp makeup. Introducing herself to Xiang Feiran, she said, “I’m the acting general manager of this hotel. As you might have heard, you are our lucky guest today, and all your services are complimentary. Additionally, we’ve provided the following exclusive privileges…”

She listed them succinctly and observed Xiang Feiran’s reaction.

There was no change.

Xiang Feiran listened politely and nodded slightly, “Thank you, and I wish you a prosperous business.”

His calm and unruffled demeanor surprised Shang Mingxian a bit. Since he wasn’t amused, Shang Mingxian turned to Shang Mingbao, squinting at her obviously male T-shirt. She then shifted her tone, “Well, can I take this opportunity to conduct a service review with the two of you?”
Xiang Feiran nodded.

Shang Mingxian asked, “How would you rate the comfort of our high-end guestroom linens on a scale from one to ten?”

Shang Mingbao, who had just sipped her tea, suddenly choked again and was searching for a napkin, her earlobes turning red.

Shang Mingxian raised an eyebrow and continued, “How do you find the response speed of our concierge service?”

Shang Mingbao started coughing intensely, pressing her hand to her mouth.

Finally, Shang Mingxian inquired, “Are you satisfied with the efficiency of our late-night dining services?”

“……”

Shang Mingbao placed her palm on her forehead, completely giving up on resisting.

After posing several subtly probing questions, Shang Mingxian turned to Shang Mingbao with concern and said, “Miss, I see you’ve been coughing a lot. It’s the transition between spring and summer in Hong Kong, and it’s allergy season with all the blooming flowers. Please be cautious about allergies and take protective measures during your stay. If you need anything, we will definitely accommodate you.”

Shang Mingbao: “…………”

She closed her eyes, enduring her flushed face, and said softly, “Thank you for the reminder…”

Satisfied with the responses, Shang Mingxian walked away with her high heels clicking assertively.

Outside the restaurant, noticing her assistant’s gaze, Shang Mingxian glanced at her and asked, “Do you think he’s handsome?”

“Yes,” the assistant nodded. “Isn’t he much better-looking than the top star who stayed here last time?”

“He’s taken. No more looking,” Shang Mingxian said, giving her a light tap on the shoulder. “If you keep staring, I’ll send you to Mexico for market research.”

“……”

Shang Mingxian arrived at Deep Water Bay for dinner promptly at 6:30 in the evening.

For the first time, Shang Shao had left work early and was already sipping tea in the lounge next to the restaurant. Shang Mingxian took a seat on the nearby sofa and casually asked, “Why isn’t babe at home?”

Shang Shao paused with his teapot, “I don’t know.”

It seemed that the older brother was unaware. Shang Mingxian felt slightly relieved and said nothing more, going to change into comfortable loungewear.

On her way back, she ran into Shang Yuye, who was returning from the group headquarters.

“Dad,” she greeted him, accompanying him as they walked through the garden.

Shang Yuye, dressed in a suit, always had an authoritative presence when returning from the group. Upon seeing his eldest daughter, he inquired about the management issues concerning Qili and gave some pointers. Then he asked, “Is babe home?”

“No,” Shang Mingxian replied, her heart racing.

Shang Yuye was not easily fooled and had a natural authority over his children. Before he could probe further, Shang Mingxian began to sweat nervously.

“She’s not home all day and won’t be back for dinner,” Shang Yuye mentioned casually, hinting at dissatisfaction.

“She said she was going to Hung Hom for a concert,” Shang Mingxian explained, adding, “The concert ends late, and she might be having a late-night snack with friends. She might not come back until tomorrow.”

Shang Yuye nodded and said nothing more before heading to find Wen Youyi.

Wen Youyi was preparing a fruit platter in the kitchen. Although the family’s size made it unnecessary for her to handle these tasks herself, she did so with care because Shang Mingbao was home on break.

Shang Yuye loosened his tie and embraced her from behind. Wen Youyi’s hand wobbled, the knife’s silver edge glinting. She smiled and scolded, “You almost made me cut myself.”

Shang Yuye took the knife from her hand, saying, “Let the workers do it.”

“I wanted to make a cake since babe is home,” Wen Youyi said, letting him take the knife. She rested her hands on the counter. “But who knew she went to Ning City.”

This was the excuse Shang Mingbao had given her, and she believed it, only finding her playfulness amusing.

Shang Yuye raised an eyebrow and asked calmly, “She went to Ning City?”

Not to the Hung Hom concert?

“She went to see friends. She hasn’t been back to the country for a long time, so a little extra fun is fine,” Wen Youyi explained.

Shang Yuye kissed her cheek, his expression calm and showing no signs of internal disturbance.

Upon leaving, he encountered Shang Shao again.

The father and son shared a smoke on the terrace, discussing candidates for expanding the biomedicine sector in the mainland. In the midst of the smoke, Shang Yuye looked at him and said slowly, “Babe…”

Shang Shao replied, “She went to Macau.”

Shang Yuye’s fingers holding the cigar: “……”

So, his youngest daughter was staying out, and his wife, eldest son, and eldest daughter had all used three geographically impossible excuses to deceive him—did they think he was easily fooled?

Unaware of the tangled web her family had woven around her, Shang Mingbao appeared at the Deep Water Bay restaurant for dinner—dressed in a freshly laundered trench coat from the hotel and a silk scarf from a boutique downstairs, covering up the suspicious red marks from earlier in the afternoon.

Everyone: “……”

She still had a youthful mindset, feeling a bit guilty about staying out all night, so she specifically came back for dinner, changed clothes, and planned to find an excuse to slip out later. As she was getting into the car, Xiang Feiran leaned against the car door and kissed her for a moment, saying, “Back before nine?”

Shang Mingbao looked troubled, as if it was difficult for her.

“Then eight o’clock.”

Shang Mingbao hit him lightly, and he caught her wrist. He looked at her for a while and said, “Get in.”

He accompanied her into the taxi, and they got off at the foot of Deep Water Bay. He found a café to write his thesis while waiting for her. He didn’t mind waiting in the hotel, but maybe after she finished, they could explore Hong Kong together, holding hands under the night sky.

·

The atmosphere at the dinner table was awkward and subtle. Shang Mingbao’s previously cheerful demeanor hesitated. Just as she was about to speak, Shang Mingxian decisively took the initiative and said, “Why are you back at this hour? Didn’t you say you were going to Hung Hom for a concert?”

Shang Shao and Wen Youyi, seated on either side of Shang Mingbao, both froze at the unexpected question.

Shang Shao thought, “This is not good.”

Wen Youyi was confused, her expression questioning what was happening.

No one paid them much attention as Shang Yuye, who sat at the head of the round table, let out a deep, cold hum.

Caught off guard, Shang Mingbao stuttered, “Huh? Ah… this…”

Hung Hom? What Hung Hom? Did her elder sister cover for her? Why hadn’t she coordinated their stories first?

“Yes,” Shang Mingbao picked up on Shang Mingxian’s cue, “I was planning to…”

Shang Yuye leaned back in his chair and asked meaningfully, “Didn’t you say you were going to Ning City to meet classmates?”

Wen Youyi quickly chimed in, “Yes, you forgot? You told me that this afternoon.”

This afternoon? Oh yes, this afternoon… but at that time, she had been lost in Xiang Feiran’s embrace, overwhelmed and teary-eyed. When Wen Youyi asked, she had hastily given an excuse before Xiang Feiran took her phone away.

Shang Mingbao recalled this and fumbled to explain, “Yes… I first went to Ning City to meet classmates…” She turned to Shang Mingxian, “And then, in the evening, I went to Hung Hom for the concert…”

Phew… the story was starting to align.

Shang Shao, who had been silent, took a small sip of water, put the cup down, and said to Shang Mingbao with a calm expression, “After the concert, you’ll be going to Macau for the weekend.”

“Will be going to.”

Shang Mingxian: “…”

Wen Youyi: “…”

Shang Mingbao: “……………”

What a convoluted cover-up.

Under Shang Yuye’s sharp gaze, Shang Mingbao clapped her hands together with a forced laugh, “Yes! I went to Ning City to meet classmates today, then rushed back to Hung Hom for the concert, and then drove to Macau for a little fun… Haha, I’m so tired, so I decided not to go anywhere and just come back for dinner! Right, Mom, Elder Sister, Elder Brother?”

No one responded; everyone was facepalming.

After a long pause, Shang Yuye said slowly, “Indeed, if Dad could master your skill of multitasking, I’m sure the group would reach new heights.”

Shang Mingbao shivered with a slight tremor in her legs, desperately attempting to act cute for the next two hours.

By the time they descended the hill, it was past eight o’clock. Shang Mingxian, who accompanied her down, questioned her and gave numerous reminders.

At the junction near the café, Shang Mingxian deliberately stopped the car a hundred meters early to avoid being seen by Xiang Feiran, preventing any further mishaps with her sister’s constantly overturned car.

“Your boyfriend seems like a smart guy,” she said with a hint of a smile.

“Of course, he’s a PhD,” Shang Mingbao replied with confidence.

Watching her run into the café through the windshield, Shang Mingxian thought she looked like a child excitedly leaving school. She smiled, gently accelerated, and carefully steered clear of the café’s clean glass windows.

In the mood for something different, she took the cable car to Victoria Peak. The sea breeze was warm, and Victoria Harbour sparkled brightly below them.

They strolled hand in hand, enjoying the sea breeze and the distant sound of the waves, as if they were celebrating endlessly at a grand banquet. When they reached a road named Pineapple Road, Xiang Feiran led Shang Mingbao’s hand, discreetly turning away from that street.

Unbeknownst to Shang Mingbao, there was a song associated with Pineapple Road, where “Pineapple” and “separation” sound alike, and couples are said not to walk there.