Chapter 47
Warm hot springs.
In the bamboo forest, Shu Mo squatted by the stream and put his fingers into the water.
The water flowed around my fingertips, bringing a feather-soft touch. Several small fish were attracted and swam towards me curiously.
After finding out it was Shu Mo, they started swinging their bodies happily, lining up one by one and rubbing their heads against her gently.
There were also a few small fish that nimbly passed through Shu Mo's fingers, as if they were playing hide-and-seek.
Their attitude towards Shu Mo, their master, is completely different from that towards hotel guests and is much more friendly.
Shu Mo touched the head of this fish, then that one, and was busy and having a lot of fun. A few small fish even competed for attention, and those that touched it were soon pushed away by the newcomers. Soon, a circle of golden-red koi gathered near where Shu Mo was squatting.
Other players who were walking in the bamboo forest gradually gathered around and marveled at the sight.
"These fish actually have two faces? I've come here for a walk several times, and every time they run away as soon as they see people."
"Can you get the same treatment as your boss?" his companion teased.
Another person poked his head out curiously, "Boss, why do they seem to have grown a little bit?"
"Well, it's almost ripe." Shu Mo stood up and shook off the water droplets on his hands.
When the fish saw her pull her hand back, they lingered around in the same place reluctantly.
Compared to a few days ago, the size of these fry has changed significantly. Shu Mo checked the control panel and saw that they would be mature in three days.
"Should we catch them when they are mature?" a female player said with reluctance. "They look so smart, I can't eat them."
"Don't worry, the fish we caught are game materials. The fish in the pond will not disappear."
Shu Mo comforted her.
"Is it possible?" The other party was surprised.
But on second thought, I think it's quite logical.
The same is true for the trees in the game. After being cut down, they will be refreshed at the same place after a period of time. However, in order to prevent players from finding fixed resource points, the doomsday game limits the growth time of trees. The cut down plants will remain in the form of stakes within a week. The cost of this time is enough to make players give up waiting and look for new forests.
The difference between the small fish and bamboo in the hotel and the plants in the doomsday game is that they will not disappear while waiting for supplies to refresh, and their appearance will remain the same.
The girl who was speaking had a neat ponytail tied behind her head. There was a companion with short hair beside her. She poked her with a smile and said, "You are silly. Supplies are so scarce now. It's so hard to find fish. It would be a waste to just watch them. Of course we have to catch them."
"Besides, if the restaurant really serves fish dishes, will you not eat them?"
The girl with a ponytail: "..."
She held it in for two seconds and whispered a word, "Eat."
The short-haired girl: "...That's it."
I haven’t eaten fish for ten years. No matter how cute the little fish are, they have to make way for my stomach.
The two of them changed the topic to cooking methods.
Ever since the discovery of fish fry being thrown into the stream, players have been talking about a new hot topic these days - how to make the most delicious fish.
Some people argue endlessly about whether to braise or steam it.
Someone suggested making fish balls out of it, which would be especially delicious when used to make soup.
Some people were also planning to build a stove outdoors (of course, the equipment had to be borrowed from the hotel), and then ask Shu Mo to buy some cumin, chili powder, pepper powder, etc., to organize a grilled fish party.
Whenever Shu Mo went to the restaurant to get a drink, he would see them chatting animatedly. The sales in the beverage area remained high, and his experience points increased rapidly. After upgrading today, he successfully unlocked another product - jasmine tea.
Jasmine tea is different from milk tea and coffee. It is not sold by the cup, but by the pot, at 50 points per pot.
The brewed tea is placed in a purple clay teapot and paired with four small teacups. After use, just return them to the beverage area counter and the system will help clean them automatically.
The only thing that made Shu Mo a little disappointed was that the beverage area was not a dedicated teahouse facility. Apart from teapots and cups, no more tea sets were provided, and the atmosphere was somewhat lacking. Fortunately, players' requirements are not high, and jasmine tea became very popular as soon as it was launched on the market.
Players who did not go out to level up today have brought their friends along. A few people found a seat with a good view in the restaurant, ordered a pot of tea, and chatted while sipping the tea. Even the monsters that occasionally broke into the barrier became their entertainment to relieve boredom.
…
The two girls were still chattering about how to cook the small fish. Shu Mo couldn't help but laugh as he saw the fishes scattering one by one, with their backs looking as if they were fleeing in panic.
Looking at the time, the Arctic Fox bus should have left Guangming Town and started its return journey.
I don't know if it's going smoothly over there?
The advertisement had just been put out, and Shu Mo didn't expect to have many new customers today. But many players are taking their families out of town for the first time and hope that nothing unexpected happens.
As soon as she had this thought, a pop-up window appeared in front of her.
[Team up to eliminate the "White Bear Beast", experience +1100]
Shu Mo was stunned for a long while before he realized that it was his summoned beast Mimic that defeated a white bear beast together with Yao Yonghui, so the system automatically counted it as a two-person team elimination.
Is there such a good thing?
Shu Mo raised his head and looked up at the barrier in the sky.
She originally thought that having a barrier that could automatically spawn monsters was powerful enough, but she didn't expect that after releasing the mimicry, she actually had a monster-killing machine that could run around the world.
...The business scope has expanded!
Then if she releases the little black dragon, wouldn’t she be invincible? If he were to kill monsters outside for three months, he might be able to become the top 1 boss in the level rankings.
Shu Mo was quite eager to make something happen.
She has played so many games, but she has never been a leaderboard leader!
For life players, the main focus is to provide for their retirement in the game. Leveling up is impossible, just enough is enough, and clearing dungeons and playing PK is also impossible. Is it fun to make fashions and decorate houses?
This directly led to Shu Mo missing the opportunity to show up in the game.
But now that she can hire someone to work for her, she doesn't mind having a fancy title.
——By the way, does this game have a title system?
Shu Mo tilted his head. He was really curious about this question, so he simply extended his evil claws towards Mo Bai who knew nothing about it.
Mo Bai had just gone to the men's bathing area to check around, collected the towels that were not thrown into the recycling basket, and returned to the lobby when he saw Shu Mo putting his hand on his shoulder with a villainous expression on his face.
Mo Bai: “?”
He hesitated, "What's wrong?"
Shu Mo's expression changed, he put on an innocent face as if nothing had happened, and smiled, "Mo Bai, what do you say I send you on a business trip?"
"On a business trip? Sure." Mo·I am the foreman·Dedicated Xiaolong·Bai agreed without thinking, "Where to?"
He agreed so generously that Shu Mo felt a pang of conscience. She shifted her gaze slightly and asked, "Uh, south?"
"Then I can also bring back some local specialties." Mo Bai thought about what she said, "I passed by there before and found a vein of Monster Bird Stone in a ravine. I can break off a piece and bring it back to decorate the hotel."
Shu Mo hasn't been busy in the past two days, so he has been catching up on game-related knowledge in his spare time. Last night he happened to see the part about the magic stone in the game, and he reacted immediately after hearing it.
Monster Stone is a translucent emerald-colored mineral that is generally used to craft equipment and has an amplifying effect on wind spells. Normal mages would take a small piece and embed it on the top of their staff. How could they describe it as breaking it like Mo Bai did?
A giant dragon that is dozens of meters in size...how big a piece would it take to break it off?
However, using that kind of crystal clear stone to decorate the hotel should have a very good effect.
Shu Mo complained in his heart but couldn't help imagining the scene.
The Q-version cutscenes of the mobile game suddenly appeared in my mind.
In the morning sun, Mo Bai, carrying a small bag, turned back and waved to Shu Mo, then set off on his journey.
Subtitle pop-up:
[Employee "Little Black Dragon" was sent out to work! 】
Mo Bai patted the dust off his palms. At his feet lay a bunch of Q-version monsters with their eyes shaped into XX shapes and their tongues tilted to the side.
【“Little Black Dragon” successfully completed the mission! Experience +9999! 】
Mo Bai had a pair of small wings fluttering on his back, and suddenly a small light bulb lit up above his head.
[“Little Black Dragon” discovered a strange mountain on the way back! 】
Standing in front of the mineral vein, Mo Bai swung the hoe with a whoosh.
[“Little Black Dragon” found the mine of Demonic Bird Stone! ! 】
In the sunset, Mo Bai was wearing a gray T-shirt. He opened his palm to Shu Mo, and a beautiful gem lay in his palm.
[“Little Black Dragon” returned home and brought back a beautiful gift! 】
【……】
Shu Mo was shocked by his own imagination: "..."
Isn’t this really going to become a placement mobile game like Travel Frog?
But the frog son is going on a trip after all, and Mo Bai, as a working dragon, has to bring local specialties to his boss when he comes back from a business trip, which seems a bit too pitiful.
Shu Mo covered his conscience and waved his hands painfully: "Forget it, it's okay, just do your thing."
Mo Bai: “……?”
I always feel that the boss is very idle these days, so he becomes very imaginative.
He walked away confused, leaving Shumo standing in the hall. He came back to his senses from the little animation and moved his gaze to a corner of the hall.
The left and right sides of the hall were originally empty, but a fireplace was installed on one side, while the other side had not yet been decorated. Although elevators and stairs were added later, the scale of the hot spring also expanded, so there was always an empty area here.
Just now, Mo Bai mentioned souvenirs, which reminded Shu Mo.
Now that the Arctic Fox bus has been opened, on the one hand, the flow of non-hotel guests has increased, and on the other hand, the travel to and from Guangming Town has become more convenient. Long-term guests like Jiang Qing's family will also travel to and from Guangming Town more frequently, and the demand for purchasing specialties as souvenirs is bound to increase.
However, among the items currently sold in the hotel, none seem to be particularly suitable as gifts.
It's time to add a specialty counter in the lobby.
Shu Mo walked around the open space twice, gesturing at its size while thinking secretly in her mind - by the way, she could also arrange the packaging bags she had conceived before, which were printed with the hotel's logo and slogan.
The bus will arrive at the hotel soon, and the lobby will be crowded with people checking in, purchasing hot spring access qualifications, and other miscellaneous people, making it inconvenient to make renovations.
Shu Mo weighed his wallet and decided to wait until lunchtime when all the guests gathered in the restaurant before starting the construction.
*
"Look over there!"
When the outline of the hotel appeared in sight, there was a commotion on the Arctic Fox bus.
Several children couldn't sit still anymore, twisting and turning as if their butts were burned on the chairs, screaming, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"
Momo and Xiaoyi tried hard to press their faces against the car window until they were deformed. They finally caught a glimpse of the wooden house in the sun. Their mouths suddenly opened wide and they exhaled hot air filled with excitement.
After several expansions, Nuannuan Hot Spring has long since gotten rid of its original shabby image and has become quite large. Although the five-story building cannot be compared with the skyscrapers that Shu Mo was used to seeing before he traveled through time, it is already considered a tall and imposing building in the doomsday game.
Everyone was watching intently. Old customers like Song Wei and Zhao Yu felt a sense of pride in their hearts when they saw everyone's excitement.
They were the first people to come to the hot spring.
Unconsciously, they have developed a sense of belonging to the hot springs, and they feel very proud to see the hotel developing better and better.
In addition, the hot springs are developing so fast that I can see some fresh changes almost every time I come here, and even finding these changes has become a pleasure.
Shu Mo has made some small changes over the past few days that don't consume many points. For example, the single wooden door at the entrance was replaced with a double glass door, the area of the lawn was expanded, a light-colored carpet with cat prints was selected to be laid at the door, and two speakers were purchased and hidden in the bushes on both sides of the entrance... and so on.
For the two speakers, Shu Mo specially picked some pure music that could soothe the nerves.
At the same time, do not forget to adjust the volume to ensure that passengers arriving at the hot spring can hear the BGM without feeling it is too noisy or irritating. If you move a little further away and go into the bamboo forest, you can no longer hear the music.
The glass door at the entrance also blocks out the sound of the music.
Gu Xiao watched Shu Mo adjust the volume the whole time, and saw her walking back and forth several times. He was very puzzled, "Boss, if you adjust it this way, won't you only be able to hear the music in the short distance between entering the barrier and entering the wooden house?"
Like most people in the apocalypse, Gu Xiao has a very simple consumption concept - if you spend money to buy something, you have to use it to the fullest, otherwise it would be a waste.
But Shu Mo shook his head seriously, "This is exactly the effect I want."
She didn't want the background music to become a brainwash song that everyone avoided.
What Shu Mo wanted was a complete "Welcome to BGM".
From now on, whenever this music sounds in your ears and gradually gets louder as you get closer to the hot spring, it will remind players: "You have arrived at [Nuannuan Hot Spring] - this is a leisurely and comfortable area where you can relax and unwind to your heart's content."
One day, when people mention the words "Nuannuan Hot Spring", they will reflexively feel happy and think of the leisurely time they spent here.
So, as soon as people got off the Arctic Fox bus, they heard the background music carefully designed by Shu Mo.
Combined with the scene in front of you, which is completely different from the doomsday game, there is a different kind of shock.
"How come there is such a large bamboo forest? Did it appear naturally?"
"The boss has a great idea. Building the hot spring next to the bamboo forest is really the perfect fit."
Chen Hui got out of the car holding his daughter Qingqing. Hearing the discussion, he smiled and said, "No, the hotel was built first, and the bamboo forest was planted later. The stream in the forest was built later. Come closer and take a look. There are fish in it."
"Is this true?" The person who was speaking felt that his worldview had been overturned and he couldn't believe his ears. "Who is the boss here? Has anyone asked about him?"
"No, I advise you not to think about it." Chen Hui immediately said seriously, "After entering the hot spring, you can eat and play as you like, just like going on vacation before the end of the world. The prices here are not too expensive. You can have a comfortable time if you prepare a few hundred yuan - but don't bother the boss with such questions, and don't ask about the boss's privacy."
"She can even create a hot spring. Do you think she can be an ordinary player?"
He lowered his voice seriously, and his tone was serious, which really frightened the man. He gave up most of his thoughts on investigating Shu Mo, "...Is she that powerful?"
"Well, the boss must have had some experiences that we don't know about. We should be grateful that she is willing to share them with us. Don't make things worse and get kicked out of the hot spring, leaving you with no place to cry."
Chen Hui half warned and half persuaded the other party, who shrank his neck and really did not mention the matter again.
There are indeed some special opportunities in the game, and there are many legends about this among players. For example, someone accidentally breaks into a dangerous area that does not exist on the map, and after experiencing life and death, he gains a certain talent skill; or after eating a certain fruit, he gains an additional career choice and becomes a dual-career person... Who knows if there will be an opportunity that will allow the player to have more purchasable items in the mall?
Good adventures can be encountered but cannot be sought after, let alone replicated. The player felt regretful for a while, then finally let it go.
Chen Hui observed his expression and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he seemed to have given up completely.
This is not the first person to covet the hot springs, and he certainly won't be the last. Chen Hui knew that Shu Mo was capable of dealing with these people's prying eyes, but he still had a subconscious desire to protect her, hoping to save her some trouble.
After all, the boss has taken good care of them.
"Dad, can I buy a string of candied haws later?" Qingqing looked over Chen Hui's shoulder and saw the straw target set up on the mobile stall in front of the hotel door and the familiar strings of red fruits on it.
Qingqing remembered that it was given to her by Sister Shu Mo. She ate them one by one, carefully, for several days.
Chen Hui came back to his senses, "Of course! You can eat whatever you want in the next two days."
He put Qingqing on the ground and took Zhang Li's hand. Seeing the mother and daughter's surprised expressions when they looked at the hot spring, he couldn't help but feel soft in his heart. "Let's go to the restaurant first, have lunch and check in later. Dad got a very beautiful big house and can take a hot spring bath in his own room."
Around them, Sister Wang and others also walked by with their families, enthusiastically introducing the many facilities of the hot springs as they walked, which aroused a lot of exclamations.
Occasionally, their eyes met and they all smiled.
Now they finally don't have to feel guilty about leaving their families behind to enjoy all this alone, and each of them is ready to spend like crazy.
It’s so hard to bring my family here, so of course we have to have fun before going back.
Zhao Yu even said with great enthusiasm, "I'm treating you at noon today, so please don't save money for me."
"So generous?" Zhao Yu's sister poked her with her elbow and smiled, "You've gained a lot recently."
"You don't know that bathing in hot springs and eating food have attribute bonuses, which greatly improves the efficiency of killing monsters. Our team has killed two bosses in the past few days." Zhao Yu lowered his voice and said seriously.
My sister was a little surprised, but the next second, a hint of relief flashed in her eyes.
"Okay! Then I'll hang out with you today."
"Come!!"
Song Wei also led her parents to the restaurant on the second floor. When passing the counter on the first floor, she pointed to the hot buns in the glass cabinet and said, "After dinner, I will take you back to the room to rest for a while, and then come out to soak your feet. While you are soaking, buy some snacks. The waiter will bring them to you. We will eat while watching the snow. It will be beautiful."
No longer will the family have to cherish sharing a meat bun.
When you come to the hotel, you can eat as much as you want, and it's all hot.
"Also, mom, don't you like the Tremella and Snow Pear Soup here? Have a bowl too." Song Wei kept chattering, "Now it's convenient to go back and forth, we'll come here often in the future."
Father Song was a little worried, "Weiwei, are the things here expensive? Don't add to your burden."
"Why is it so expensive? It's a good deal!"
Song Wei said this sincerely.
**
Unlike others, Zhang Ping and Wu Sulan looked unhappy after getting off the car.
Compared with the joy of the people around, it seemed so abrupt that passers-by couldn't help but take a look.
This is the first time I see someone who is unhappy about coming to the hot spring and instead has a sullen face.
What's wrong?
Wu Sulan felt those inquiring gazes, took a deep breath, and still couldn't control her expression, "This hot spring...how could it be like this?"
It was so different from what they imagined!
The two originally thought that the so-called hot spring hotel was where a player accidentally dug up hot spring water in the wild, so they built a small pool around it, put up some small rooms, and started to make money by calling it a hotel - but now that they had arrived at the place, Wu Sulan discovered that this was not the case at all.
The environment here is even better than in town.
Knowing that a large group of new guests would be coming today, Shu Mo had already told Mo Bai to cook oden. At this time, the first pot had just been cooked and was bubbling with a rich aroma. Wu Sulan tried her best to convince herself not to look, but her saliva still flowed out honestly.
My face hurts and I'm hungry.
But wouldn't it be even more embarrassing if my son saw me eating the food here?
Wu Sulan couldn't help but feel resentful towards her husband: It was all his fault. He was so determined at the beginning, as if everyone was deceived by the hot spring owner and only he guessed the truth, and he brainwashed her as well. Now that the son has run away in anger, the couple has been put in a difficult position.
She felt embarrassed and uncomfortable, with no place to vent her anger.
If we start a quarrel here, we will really make a fool of ourselves in front of everyone.
Zhang Ping has remained silent ever since Xu Ruixi confronted him in the car, with a gloomy look on his face. He guessed what his wife was thinking, and his lips moved, but before he could speak, he saw a familiar figure in the distance, and his pupils suddenly shrank.
"Welcome to Nuannuan Hot Spring. Guests with reservations can check in at the lobby. Snacks are sold at the counter on the first floor of the hotel and at the mobile stalls outside. The restaurant on the second floor will open for dining at 8 a.m., 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. every day. It's lunch time now, so you can go and take a look..."
When Wu Sulan heard Liu Yan's voice, she also froze.
She subconsciously hid behind her husband, but was grabbed by Zhang Ping, who scolded her in a low voice, "Why are you hiding? She is a waiter, and you are a customer. Don't act like you can't hold your head up in front of her."
As soon as she finished speaking, someone called Liu Yan over there, "Sister Liu."
It’s Jiang Qing.
She greeted Liu Yan with a smile, and the two stood and chatted for a few words. Haohao even ran over to say hello to Liu Yan with his friend.
In order to talk to them, Liu Yan, who was originally facing the other side, turned around and showed most of her profile to Zhang Ping and his wife.
Unlike her past state of being tormented by life and full of fatigue, Liu Yan now looks radiant and smiling, and her whole spirit is different.
Wu Sulan was stunned and pulled her husband's sleeve, "Is Liu Yan pale?"
Zhang Ping fell silent again. He glanced at his wife and his expression became extremely strange.
Jiang Qing and his friends rushed to the restaurant to grab a seat. They exchanged a few words and left. Liu Yan saw them off and turned to greet other customers. She saw Zhang Ping and his wife standing there.
"Mr. Zhang, Ms. Wu, you are here too." She was stunned for a moment, then came up to them with a smile.
When Liu Yan came closer, Wu Sulan discovered that her skin color was indeed whiter than before, the wrinkles and dark spots on her face faded a lot, and her dry gray hair became glossy and shiny. No wonder she looked like a different person from a distance.
When the two shook hands, there was an obvious difference in their skin color.
Wu Sulan quickly withdrew her hand and hid it in her sleeve, then belatedly realized that the touch of the handshake was so smooth and delicate - only two days had passed, and the calluses on Liu Yan's hands from doing housework were almost gone!
Is she here to work or to enjoy herself? !
Zhang Ping could hardly hide his shock.
He knew that his wife always paid attention to skin care. She would wear a hood and a homemade mask to protect herself from the sun when going outdoors. Compared with other players, her skin was much better. Good skin makes people look younger, and Wu Sulan is very proud of it and often brags about it at home. But now when his wife and Liu Yan stood together, it was Wu Sulan who looked more haggard.
They are elite players after all. Their food, clothing, housing and transportation are all in accordance with the highest standards in the game, which is at least far better than those ordinary players. How come a waiter now seems to be living better than them?
Zhang Ping couldn't believe it and forced himself to keep up the friendly facade.
Liu Yan was unaware of the couple's surging emotions and looked around, "Where's Xiaoliang? Didn't he come with you?"
Zhang Xiaoliang was not far away. Seeing this, he was worried that his parents would embarrass Liu Yan again, so he came over and said, "Aunt Liu."
He looked at Liu Yan and said honestly, "You look much better than before."
After these words were spoken, the expressions of Zhang Ping and his wife became even worse.
"Really?" Liu Yan was a little embarrassed and quickly changed the subject. "I was just about to tell you that the hotel recruitment is true. The staff dormitory is equipped with all kinds of modern furniture, and there are separate shower rooms and 24-hour hot water supply. The restaurant also has free employee meals, which are unlimited. The conditions are very good."
"The boss is also very kind and takes special care of the employees. If you do a good job, you will get a raise."
"If there is a job opening next time, Xiaoliang, you should give it a try."
Liu Yan's idea is very simple. She has already prepared to work in the hot spring for a long time, so she doesn't need to be so humble in front of Zhang Ping and his wife as before. She just needs to treat them as ordinary guests and get along with them normally.
Liu Yan still remembers what they said before.
But she really felt a little sorry for Zhang Xiaoliang.
It's really suffocating to meet such a pair of parents. Liu Yan always felt that Zhang Xiaoliang wrote two resumes in a row and fought hard for this opportunity just to escape from his parents.
So she wanted to help in any way she could, even if it was just to tell him about the hot spring situation and give him some hope to keep working hard.
Zhang Ping and Wu Sulan certainly didn't want to hear good things about Wenquan from her, but Liu Yan didn't care much about their feelings now - this job at Wenquan gave her the confidence, allowing her to finally stand up straight and face these two people.
Sure enough, every time Liu Yan said something about the welfare benefits of the hotel employees, the couple's expressions became more and more unhappy. When the last sentence was thrown out, Wu Sulan tugged at Zhang Ping's sleeve hard.
Zhang Ping couldn't hold back his anger any longer. "Sister Liu, what you said..."
"I see." This time, Zhang Xiaoliang decisively interrupted his father, "Aunt Liu, thank you for telling me this."
He bowed slightly and thanked him sincerely.
Liu Yan waved her hand. Having said everything that needed to be said, she went back to her work.
After she left, Zhang Xiaoliang looked at his parents and left too.
He also wanted to learn more about the hot spring environment.
So in the end, only the couple were left standing at the door with gloomy faces.
"Modern furniture? 24-hour hot water? Unlimited free meals for employees?"
Wu Sulan felt a tightness in her chest.
She instinctively refused to believe it, but looking at the imposing appearance of the building in front of her, she felt a little uneasy.
A voice told her that what Liu Yan said might be true.
Look at the scene where it is hard to get a room in Nuannuan Hot Spring. Elite players of the same status as them have to queue up to stay in a room with high-end facilities and get a seat in the restaurant, but Liu Yan, as an employee, can enjoy all these easily.
Only a few days had passed, and the cleaning lady Liu Yan, who had once brought them countless feelings of superiority, was already living a good life that they could hardly imagine.
And this is simply because she became an employee of this hot spring.
...Wu Sulan looked up and saw the four round and lovely characters "Nuannuan Hot Spring" printed on the wooden sign hanging at the entrance, and suddenly felt a little dazed.
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