Chapter 3: The First Guest
Night had fallen.
Chen Jianhai glanced at his watch, stood up from the beach, and nervously made his way back to the hotel.
The distance from the beach to the hotel entrance was only about five minutes.
As soon as he looked up, he could see the worn-out sign of "Lang Ai Hotel."
"Phew!"
Chen Jianhai took a deep breath and pushed open the hotel door.
The empty lobby echoed with the sound of his footsteps.
"It must be real, it must be real."
With a heart full of anticipation, Chen Jianhai took out the master key card and opened a room on the first floor.
This is...
Chen Jianhai's eyes widened at the sight before him.
The traditional, old wooden beds were all gone.
In their place was a classic pine bed, adorned with a thick, soft blue and white checkered mattress. The bed corners were tastefully decorated, and the elegant bed skirt resembled a gentleman's tie, exuding sophistication and elegance.
The warm bedside lamp cast a gentle light on the bed,
illuminating the fine, smooth stitching on the mattress, which emitted the unique luster of cotton.
What a treasure!
Chen Jianhai's eyes lit up.
Having grown up in the hotel business, he could tell at a glance if something was of good quality.
Touching the stitching on the mattress,
Chen Jianhai leaned back and fell onto the bed.
Instantly, a sensation of weightlessness enveloped him!
The familiar "creak" was absent, replaced only by the soft rustle of fabric against the bedding.
Is it really this comfortable!?
Chen Jianhai was astonished.
The mattress beneath him felt like a multitude of soft yet strong hands gently supporting every bone in his body.
A look of joy spread across his face as he grabbed the down pillow.
In an instant,
Chen Jianhai felt as though he was lying on the soft, supple thighs of a beautiful girl, a strange sense of relaxation washing over him from head to toe.
Especially his spine and neck, which were thoroughly relaxed.
Even his airways felt clear, each breath deeply filling his lungs.
"Such a great bed..."
Chen Jianhai stared blankly at the ceiling: "Why was I even worried about renovating the hotel..."
"Just with this bed alone, I can make a fortune in the hotel industry!"
Jumping up from the bed, Chen Jianhai eagerly ran through all the hotel rooms, finding that every single bed had been replaced with new ones.
While Chen Jianhai was enthusiastically inspecting the hotel, the electronic bell at the first-floor entrance rang:
"Hello, welcome."
Chen Jianhai was delighted: a guest!
Rushing to the first floor, he saw a middle-aged man with a hat and a backpack standing in the lobby.
"Do you have any rooms available?"
The man's voice was filled with fatigue. He looked around the lobby and asked.
"Yes! We have rooms."
Chen Jianhai quickly ran over, took the man's backpack, and led him to the service desk.
"Give me a quiet room."
The man placed his backpack on the sofa, took out his ID card from his bag, and handed it to Chen Jianhai.
"Don't worry, our hotel is absolutely quiet."
Chen Jianhai responded warmly and confidently.
He didn't mention that, counting himself, the hotel only had two living souls. How could it not be quiet?
"Quiet is good." The man nodded tiredly.
"Actually, sir..." Chen Jianhai hesitated, "Our hotel doesn't have an elevator. How about I arrange a room on the first floor for you?"
"First floor?"
The man looked around the lobby, realizing there were only circular staircases on both sides and no elevator.
"Alright." The man retrieved his ID card and took out his phone to pay for the room.
He was too tired to walk another step, let alone carry his luggage up the stairs.
"I'll take you to your room."
After completing the registration, Chen Jianhai carried the man's suitcase and led him to the best room on the first floor.
"Enjoy your stay. If you need anything, feel free to call."
Chen Jianhai said, kindly closing the door behind him.
Inside the room, the man threw his backpack on the floor, took off his sneakers, and collapsed on the sofa.
Looking at the old facilities and the creaky floor, the man sighed.
The environment was indeed poor.
"Never mind, I'll just stay here since I'm already here."
His name was Li Xun, a pedestrian traveler working on a history column.
His journey involved walking a historical route.
Two months of traveling had nearly exhausted all his strength.
He was supposed to camp out, but tonight, he just wanted a hot shower and a quiet room to sleep in.
However, it was peak tourist season, and it was too late.
B&Bs were either fully booked or too noisy.
Nearby hotels were also packed, so he ended up at this old-looking hotel.
Old as it was, it was better than pitching a tent outside.
Besides, the view outside the window was quite nice.
Li Xun took off his sweaty T-shirt, a sour smell immediately rising, and threw it into the sink.
"Phew..."
The steamy hot shower washed away his fatigue and sweat.
"Ah, that's refreshing!"
Li Xun wiped his face and reached for the body wash.
Left hand, right hand.
No body wash here??
Can't be!
Li Xun opened his eyes and saw a bar of white soap quietly sitting where the body wash should have been.
???
What's with this hotel's quirks?
Li Xun skeptically picked up the soap, rinsed it several times under the hot water, and finally lathered it up in his palms, applying it all over his body.
After the shower, Li Xun walked out of the bathroom.
"Ah, that's comfortable..."
As he fell onto the bed, a sense of soft resilience enveloped his entire body.
The white bed linens and covers emitted a fresh and clean scent, and the mattress's softness and resilience were perfectly balanced!
The soft mattress felt like a high-end masseuse, relaxing every pore in his body, changing its support with his movements, providing different massage techniques.
"Let me try the pillow!"
Li Xun excitedly grabbed the pillow.
"Wow!"
Instantly, the fatigue in his neck and back was completely alleviated!
The stiffness and soreness from long-distance walking vanished,
This cloud-like fluffiness and support were an experience he had never felt before!
The stark contrast relaxed his tense body completely.
"This bed is amazing!"
Li Xun marveled.
As a pedestrian traveler, he had stayed in many hotels, almost making them his second home.
But no hotel's bed had ever been this comfortable.
"Although the hotel's facilities are old, the bedding is top-notch!"
"The room is also clean."
Impressive!!
It seemed he had made the right choice.
As for the lack of body wash in the bathroom, replaced by soap, he automatically overlooked it.
With the sea breeze, a deep snoring began.