Dressed neatly, Lin Yi left his hotel room and headed to the Urban and Rural Development Bureau. When he arrived, Ji Qingyan was already waiting at the door.
"Sorry for making you wait. There was traffic on the road," Lin Yi said.
"It's okay; I just got out as well," Ji Qingyan replied with a smile.
Once they got into the car, Ji Qingyan rolled down the window, and a soft fragrance filled the cabin.
"Mr. Ji, did you book the ride?" Lin Yi asked, glancing at Ji Qingyan.
"What ride?" Ji Qingyan looked a bit confused.
Lin Yi pulled out his phone. "Didi ride. I depend on this to support myself. If you don't book it, I won't have any income, and I'll have to settle for Xibeifeng in the future."
Ji Qingyan smiled, amused by Lin Yi's casual tone, though she understood that his situation was less than ideal.
Soon, Lin Yi's phone buzzed, indicating he had received a request from Ji Qingyan.
At that moment, a system notification appeared in his mind.
[Successfully received the second order. Task activated: Pick up two beautiful women with a score of 85 or higher. Reward: 10,000 skill points!]
[Mission Completion Status: 1/2.]
Lin Yi frowned slightly. This task seemed a bit odd. What criteria define an 85 or higher for beauty? What if my aesthetic preferences differ from the system's?
However, given that Ji Qingyan was clearly beautiful, she seemed to meet the criteria. With half of the mission completed, Lin Yi decided to focus on the task at hand.
"President Ji, are you heading back to the company?" Lin Yi asked, noting that the address on the order wasn't for Chaoyang Group.
"I'm almost done with work, so I won't be going back to the office. I have a computer at home, so I can still work from there," Ji Qingyan explained.
"No problem, I'll drop you off."
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask—how did you get fired?" Ji Qingyan inquired with curiosity.
"There were some issues with my job, so I got fired. I have a system that's guiding me, so my life is taking a different direction now."
Lin Yi wasn't keen on dwelling on the past's minor issues.
Ji Qingyan looked surprised. "But I saw the sales department report a few days ago. You were the top salesperson last month. What could have gone wrong?"
"President Ji, don't ask too many questions. It's my issue," Lin Yi replied with a smile.
Ji Qingyan's eyes sparkled, sensing there might be more to the story. She intended to investigate further later.
Suddenly, Ji Qingyan's phone rang.
"Have you found any information?" Ji Qingyan asked on the call.
"I'm looking into it. However, it's tough to find an available slot at a five-star hotel. Everything is fully booked," came the response.
"Okay, thanks for the update."
After ending the call, Ji Qingyan appeared worried. Lin Yi asked, "Is there a problem?"
"The company wants to hold a press conference, but all the five-star hotels are fully booked. I'm concerned about how to handle this."
"If you postpone it, it will be a bigger problem," Ji Qingyan said.
"This conference is crucial. If it's delayed too long, it will be a significant issue."
"Why not try the Peninsula Hotel? It's highly reputable," Lin Yi suggested.
"Don't joke. The Peninsula Hotel is a super five-star hotel overseas. Even if I'm willing to spend, I'm not sure I can get a reservation," Ji Qingyan shook her head.
Lin Yi thought she might be underestimating the situation. Given the scale and reputation of the Peninsula Hotel, a small company like his wouldn't be considered important, even if he had been its president before.
"That's not necessarily true. Sometimes surprises happen. You might get an unexpected result," Lin Yi said.
Ji Qingyan smiled. "Alright, I'll give it a try. Let's turn around and head to the Peninsula Hotel. But remember, if I can't secure a reservation, I won't pay for the ride. I'm counting on you."
"If you manage to get the reservation, what will you do?" Lin Yi asked with a grin.
"If I succeed, I'll invite you to dinner."
"Dinner sounds dull. Do you think I'm someone who fusses over meals?" Lin Yi joked.
"You're quite the foodie," Ji Qingyan laughed. "If I succeed, I'll cook for you myself."
"So, you do cook?"
"No, I don't."
"Then we'll just eat whatever you make."
Ji Qingyan gave Lin Yi a disapproving look. "That's not the point. I can't cook, so I'm bold enough to say anything. If I fail, I won't have to follow through."
"Alright, let's see. Maybe a miracle will happen," Lin Yi said optimistically.
"If a miracle happens, I'd be happy even if it meant eating ten times," Ji Qingyan replied.
Lin Yi and Ji Qingyan arrived at the Peninsula Hotel. The hotel staff at the entrance were surprised by Lin Yi's luxury car but didn't show any reaction.
After parking, they entered the hotel.
"Hello, I'd like to meet Manager Wang Tianlong," Lin Yi told the receptionist.
The receptionist glanced at Ji Qingyan and then at Lin Yi, and said, "Please, I'll inform Manager Wang."
They were soon led to the hotel's meeting room. Shortly after, someone arrived with coffee and tea, and the warm service impressed Ji Qingyan.
Wang Tianlong quickly approached them with enthusiasm. "Hello, President Ji. Welcome."