Chapter 63: Shuiyun Manor, Truly Like Stubborn Taffy

Song Kai stopped the car and glanced at Ai Hao.

This guy was the one who, during a business negotiation, tried to harass Xu Ling, only to have Song Kai pour a cup of boiling water on his groin. Who would have thought this fellow turned out to be the owner of Shuiyun Manor? That was rather impressive.

Xu Ling got out of the car, her entire bearing radiant and elegant. She addressed Ai Hao, saying, “It was the people from Penguin Group who picked the location. With so many hotels and resorts in Tengyun City, their choice of your place shows that your manor under Qingyun Group is truly well-known.”

“Hahaha, you flatter me, you flatter me. But indeed, in Tengyun City, Qingyun Group is number one in the business tourism resort sector. Come, President Xu, let me take you inside.” As he spoke, Ai Hao reached out to support Xu Ling’s shoulder.

Before his hand could touch her arm, suddenly someone stepped in between them.

Startled, Ai Hao saw that it was Song Kai, this country bumpkin with his backpack, now standing between him and Xu Ling.

Ai Hao frowned. “Hey, kid, you need to know your place. Your cousin and I are talking business, so step back.”

Song Kai shook his head and smiled in a goofy way, reminiscent of Wang Baoqiang. “My mother told me I’m here to protect my cousin at all times, to make sure no lecherous wolves with ulterior motives take advantage of her.”

Ai Hao was annoyed, truly mistaking Song Kai for a clueless country relative. “Listen, brother, I’m no lecher. Just look at how well I’m dressed—do I look like one? I’m discussing an important matter with your cousin, I—”

“Wolves in sheep’s clothing. My mom said you have to be most careful with people like that,” Song Kai continued to grin foolishly.

“You... you little bastard! You’re doing this on purpose! I refuse to believe your mother knows proverbs!” Ai Hao was furious.

Xu Ling couldn’t hold back a laugh and quickly interjected, “Song Kai, stop fooling around. Mr. Ai, let’s go inside.”

The group entered Shuiyun Manor.

As soon as they stepped in, twenty security guards in camouflage uniforms stood tall on either side, wielding batons and glass shields. Besides these guards, many others patrolled the manor. In the shadows, more than a dozen plainclothes bodyguards followed Xu Ling from a distance.

At least for now, the place seemed secure.

Inside, the manor bustled with activity.

Ai Hao turned to Xu Ling. “What project are you negotiating with Penguin Group this time? I heard their vice president is here. With his arrival, all the top business leaders in Tengyun City have flocked to my manor, and even the deputy mayor is waiting over there. Looks like you’ll have to wait a while before meeting the Penguin Group people.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Xu Ling’s phone rang.

She answered, and a voice came through: “President Xu? This is Zhang Hongjun, vice president of Penguin Group. Regarding our project meeting, I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone for two hours. Please come over at eleven.”

Xu Ling frowned. “Mr. Zhang, this isn’t ideal. We agreed on the time half a month ago, and I’m already at the manor.”

A hollow chuckle came from Zhang Hongjun. “Really sorry, President Xu. I truly can’t get away at the moment. If you can get your deputy mayor to leave, then we can meet as scheduled. Otherwise, we’ll have to push back two hours. Of course, we can always reschedule for another day.”

Xu Ling bit her lip. “Very well, see you at eleven.”

“Thank you, President Xu. My apologies.” With that, the call ended.

Xu Ling put away her phone, her mood soured.

Song Kai came over and said, “It’s all right, bear with it. They haven’t seen what you have to offer yet, so it’s normal for them to underestimate you. They’re a global top-ten company, and you’re not even in the local top ten. The fact that he’s coming to speak to you in person is already something.”

“You’re right,” Xu Ling nodded.

Ai Hao immediately chimed in, “Ah, if you’re meeting at eleven, that gives us almost three hours. Come, President Xu, let me show you around the manor and let you experience our most famous specialty services.”

Xu Ling saw no polite way to refuse.

Ai Hao led her toward the rear of the manor, where there was a hot spring. The water was continuously flowing, heated as it came down from upstream, with medicinal herbs steeped in it. By the time it reached the garden, it was perfectly warm and carried the fragrance of herbs—not bad at all.

Though this heating method wasted a lot of electricity and medicine.

Ai Hao couldn’t take his eyes off Xu Ling’s exquisite figure, swallowing repeatedly. He was looking forward to admiring her body up close once she entered the hot spring.

Xu Ling glanced at the hot spring and shook her head. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit today, so I’ll pass.”

“Yes, yes, better not, or a wolf in sheep’s clothing might take advantage with his eyes,” Song Kai echoed from the side.

Furious, Ai Hao gave Song Kai a shove. “Why are you everywhere! No manners at all!”

Then he turned to Xu Ling with a sly grin. “Well, if you don’t care for soaking, why not try our signature tendon-loosening massage? You really should! All our therapists are female students from the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, trained by both national masters and yoga gurus before starting work. No executive who’s tried it has left dissatisfied! Really, if I’m lying, may I be struck by lightning.”

“Well... all right,” Xu Ling agreed, her shoulders indeed feeling a bit stiff.

Inside, an attendant led them to the changing rooms. Xu Ling went into the women’s changing room, and Song Kai tried to follow.

Ai Hao quickly grabbed him. “Are you stupid? Didn’t you see that’s the women’s changing room? Over here.”

“Oh.”

Song Kai entered his changing room, where many freshly laundered loose robes hung.

As they changed, Ai Hao said, “Kid, you realize how lucky you are, right? Do you know how much a massage here costs? Three thousand for just one hour! You country folk can’t even make that much farming for a year.”

“Indeed, Mr. Ai, you’re the generous one,” Song Kai replied with a foolish grin.

As Ai Hao headed out, he remembered something and turned back. “Listen, when the masseuse is working on you, don’t try anything funny. All my therapists are proper university students, not call girls. Don’t scare them off.”

“Got it,” Song Kai said.

Ai Hao left, and Song Kai quickly changed, deciding to keep his backpack with him as he went out.

Outside, a tall woman in a soft towel approached. “Sir, please follow me.”

“Okay.”

Song Kai followed her into a room.

Inside were wooden tubs for hot baths and other equipment. The woman had Song Kai lie face-down on the massage table.

Looking around, Song Kai asked, “Hey, where’s your boss, and where’s my boss?”

“Oh, sir, all services here are in private rooms,” the masseuse said with an innocent smile that made her seem like a genuine university student.

Song Kai immediately shook his head. “No, I need to be with my boss for the massage.”

“Sir, you’ll see your boss in just a moment,” the masseuse assured him.

Song Kai sensed something was off. He quickly pulled a knife from his backpack. “I’m not going to waste words. Tell me, which room is my boss in?” As he spoke, he flicked the knife at her chest.

Frightened out of her wits, the masseuse pointed to a nearby door. “In that VIP suite... over there.”

“You’d better not be lying.” Song Kai placed the knife against her throat.

“No... I’m not,” the woman stammered, wetting herself in terror.

Song Kai put away the knife and strode toward the VIP suite.

Inside, Ai Hao was laughing, “Xu Ling, what would you like for lunch? Our seafood is famous here. How about salmon with Australian abalone?”

“Sounds good,” Song Kai said as he pushed open the door and entered. “Mr. Ai, make sure there’s plenty—I have a big appetite.”

The VIP suite had two large massage beds, a big-screen TV, a bathtub, a bed, and a bathroom—it was certainly much nicer than the previous room.

Ai Hao shot upright, glaring furiously at Song Kai. “Kid, why are you everywhere? There are only two beds in here—go next door, now! You’re like a leech, impossible to shake off!”

Xu Ling, lying on one of the beds in a blue massage robe, relaxed when she saw Song Kai enter. She smiled softly—indeed, having Song Kai as her bodyguard put her at ease.

She said nothing, not wanting to offend Ai Hao. After all, Ai Hao was Qingyun Group’s young executive and one of Tengyun City’s top five heirs.

Song Kai grinned. “No worries, Mr. Ai, I don’t need a bed. I actually know massage, so I’ll take the chance to work on my cousin myself—you don’t need to trouble yourself.”

“What did you say? You... damn it, what are you doing?” Ai Hao shouted.

Song Kai had already jumped onto Xu Ling’s bed, pressing his hands down on her shoulder blades.

Ai Hao was enraged. Even if they were poor relations, this was too much! Damn it, my goddess, how could a bumpkin like you get to touch her!

Xu Ling was startled, about to tell Song Kai to get off, but in the next moment, a delicious tingling sensation flooded her shoulders, spreading throughout her body like an electric current, with a painful yet relaxing release.

“Oh...” Xu Ling exhaled deeply. “Song Kai, you... you really know massage?”

“Of course. If I hadn’t used up so much inner energy yesterday, I could cure your periarthritis today,” Song Kai replied, his hand moving toward her underarm...