Free Web NovelChapter 241: Chapter 200: A Matter of One Sentence
After talking with the whole group, Lin Chu collapsed onto the sofa. His head was spinning, his eyes were strained, and his neck and shoulders ached, as if he’d been worked to the bone like a beast of burden at a desk all day.
No, being a beast of burden probably wasn’t even this tiring.
After all, at least they could slack off and take paid bathroom breaks.
He lit a cigarette, and as the smoke curled into the air, an impish thought struck him.
’Go on, live a little.’
’Work?’
’To hell with work!’
’Even being the boss is exhausting.’
’Is your real business working?!’
’Time to eat, drink, and be merry!’
With a soft hiss of breath, a slight curve appeared on Lin Chu’s lips.
The club had a spa right downstairs, integrated with the gym. After all, golf was an outdoor sport, and it was important for clients to recover their strength and energy.
Some clubs in unique locations even had hot springs for wellness, but his own didn’t. It simply didn’t have the right geographical conditions.
’Time for a massage.’
With that thought, Lin Chu’s energy was partially restored. Like a dying man jolting upright in his sickbed, he headed for the door.
He went all the way downstairs, making a beeline for the spa.
His inner demon popped up again. ’I’ve heard that the owners of many clubs are the ones who "test the talent"...’
’It’s a hell of a job, using your own personal experience to scout things out for the clients.’
Ahem.
Lin Chu wanted to smile but tried to hold it back. He couldn’t quite suppress it, and his grin twisted slightly, almost turning into the smirk of a hidden boss from one of those web dramas.
Fortunately, no one saw him.
’Got to maintain my image.’
When he arrived at the spa department, the manager—who had been in the meeting that morning—was briefing her staff. The moment she saw the big boss arrive alone, she hurried over with quick, small steps.
The position was better suited for a woman, and indeed, the manager was in her late thirties, with a fine figure—mature and sexy, though with faint crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes.
Lin Chu couldn’t remember her name.
With dozens of managers across all the departments, he only had a vague impression of most of them.
"Hello, President Lin."
She greeted him with a beaming smile and a slight bow, wondering to herself what the big boss was here for. ’An inspection? Or to relax a bit?’
"Don’t let me interrupt you. Just find two people to give me a massage," Lin Chu said casually.
A strange feeling crept up on him—coming to his own establishment somehow didn’t feel as relaxing as going out somewhere else as a customer.
’Huh?’
’Why am I getting hung up on being the boss?’
’Worried about tarnishing my pristine public image.’
Tsk.
’I’m still not powerful enough.’
"Of course. Let me show you to your room first."
She said with a gentle smile, leading the way. She guided Lin Chu through a few turns before they entered a room.
Inside the room was the very private hot spring pool he had just been longing for. Though the pool wasn’t large, it could easily fit three to five people. Next to it was a separate sauna and two massage beds.
A unique, fragrant incense filled the air, reminiscent of the pleasant aroma in a five-star hotel.
"President Lin, this is a spa room I prepared specially for you a while ago. It’s deep-cleaned daily, and no other members have used it. I was just waiting for you to come by."
She said in a soft, drawn-out tone, subtly taking credit.
"How thoughtful of you," Lin Chu offered a casual compliment.
"It’s just my job. I hope you’ll come by more often. You’re so busy with work, but you must remember to get plenty of rest. The tablet is here; it has detailed profiles of all the technicians. I’ll start the water for you. Also, what would you like to drink? I’ll go prepare it."
"Since this is your first time, I’ll be sure to remember all your preferences for your next visit."
She bent over to fill the pool, revealing a soft, rounded curve as she spoke with a considerate smile.
Lin Chu casually ordered a drink. After she left, he changed his clothes and couldn’t help but hum a little tune.
’Tsk, this is the joy of being a boss.’
’And the boss of a "service-oriented company" at that.’
’This is the life.’
’It’s really like being an emperor.’
He enjoyed a comfortable soak and a good steam until he felt refreshed through and through.
Two masseuses entered. One started on his head, the other on his feet, and Lin Chu’s mind immediately relaxed.
Before long, he drifted off into a deep sleep.
He woke up a little after eight in the evening. A glance at his phone showed dozens of messages and missed calls—the usual explosion of notifications he had grown accustomed to.
He was yanked from his leisurely paradise back into the real world.
’Dammit.’
He decided to check the important ones first.
He had two missed calls from his dad.
From about two hours ago.
Lin Chu’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately called him back.
They had a "plastic" father-son relationship: they were fine on their own and almost never contacted each other unless something was up. When his dad called, it usually meant there was a reason.
The call connected.
"Hello, Dad?"
"Hey, what are you so busy with! You don’t even answer your phone!"
Hearing his dad’s robust, energetic voice, Lin Chu relaxed. His biggest fear was illness; as long as it wasn’t that, everything else was manageable. He immediately replied with a grin, "I was in a meeting. What’s up? Tell me."
"Your older cousin is heading to Peng City, so I had him bring you four Xinghua chickens—two roosters, two hens—and a case of first-laid eggs, all homegrown. There’s also a Shishan suckling goat a friend gave me, for you to try. He’s driving on the highway, so he should be there in about three hours."
Last time his dad sent chickens and lychees, Lin Chu had specially flown back from Bohe Island to receive them.
This time, it was chickens and a goat again.
And Xinghua chickens and a Shishan suckling goat, no less.
Xinghua chickens were a local specialty, a famous breed. With the added "buff" of being free-range in the mountains, they were genuinely hard to find through normal channels.
The Shishan suckling goat was a specialty from Qiong Island across the sea and was considered one of the top-tier types of mutton.
Lin Chu could feel his mouth starting to water.
"Looks like I’m in for a treat. Hey, when I finish these, send me more. You should raise some extra. I’ll even send a driver back regularly to pick them up," Lin Chu said with a grin, pushing his luck.
His dad let out a sound that was half laugh, half scoff. ’You want the moon, don’t you?’ But then a sudden thought struck him. "Raise them? To supply your place? Is there any potential in that? Is it profitable?"
