Chapter 239 - 207: Why Don’t You Get a Membership

Chapter 239: Chapter 207: Why Don’t You Get a Membership

Chen Kingdom and Lin Cuiju showed up while breakfast was still being eaten.

Chen Dequan and Liu Fang arrived on their three-wheeler, followed by the old-timers like Chen Nan, the newer staff like Chen Hanwen, and then Liang Chunping and the rest, all trickling in one after another.

Before long the courtyard was packed. Everyone had their work uniforms on, walkie-talkies clipped to their waistbands or breast pockets — the whole crew looked sharp and put-together.

"Didn’t I set up shifts? How come you’re all here?"

Chen Yuan wolfed down the last of his breakfast, wiped his mouth, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes to pass around.

"Ha, it’s the first day of the new project — nobody knows what’s going to come up. Better to get through today together as a team, then things’ll settle into a routine."

Chen Dequan took a cigarette with a grin.

His hair was combed neat and flat, and the work uniform suited him well — he looked a good few years younger than usual.

"Fair enough. Once we’re through the opening rush, dinner’s on me — third floor, all of you."

The staff were buzzing with energy, so naturally Chen Yuan had to show his appreciation.

"Two meat dishes and two veggie ones?" Chen Dequan tilted his head and lit up, cracking a joke.

Everybody in the village knew what the third floor had — hotpot, skewers, grilled meat, barbecue, bubble tea. Having all that right in the village was a real convenience for the locals.

Though the third floor also had boxed meals.

Quite a gap, really.

"Listen to you — you really think that little of Boss Chen? A man of his caliber? Hotpot at the very least."

Chen Yiheng took a drag and shot Chen Dequan a look of mock disdain.

"Uncle, you’re thinking too small. Boss Chen’s gonna book out the whole third floor — hotpot, barbecue, bubble tea, the works."

Chen Nan puffed contentedly on his cigarette, grinning over at Chen Yuan.

"Alright, quit buttering me up."

Chen Yuan shot Chen Nan a look.

Joking aside, since the village had its own dining options now, it made sense to bring the staff out for a meal sometime — a little get-together every now and then wasn’t a bad thing.

"I’ll pass on the smoke — already had three back-to-back this morning, my throat’s about done."

Yang Yangyang was standing at the courtyard entrance and waved Chen Yuan off when he offered him a cigarette.

Chen Yuan nodded — he got it.

His father-in-law was a total chimney. You couldn’t exactly call it a heavy addiction — he could manage without — but the moment cigarettes were around, he’d go one after another without a second thought.

Yang Yangyang had been out restocking with Chen Jun early that morning. With a father-in-law like that constantly passing you cigarettes, what were you supposed to do — refuse?

"Beep beep~"

While the men smoked and the women chatted, a car horn sounded from around the bend. Everyone turned to look at once.

They followed Chen Yuan out of the courtyard.

"Whoa, you poor bastard — look at the army you’ve built!"

It was Qin Fen.

He pulled up close and took in the uniformed crew standing behind Chen Yuan, clearly impressed. His buddy had only been back in the village for less than two months, and look at him now.

"Ha, all thanks to my so— whoa, Mr. Qin! And the two gentlemen — it’s been a while!"

Chen Yuan had spotted Qin Fen’s car from a distance and already had cigarettes ready before they even pulled up. When Qin Fen ribbed him, he’d been about to say "all thanks to my son bringing in business" — but then he bent down and saw that Mr. Qin was in the car too, along with the other two elders.

He swallowed the words right back down.

"Ha, it hasn’t been that long, has it."

Mr. Qin and the others stepped out of the car, laughing.

They’d actually come by after the membership launch — so it really hadn’t been all that long.

Cigarettes went around the whole group.

Qin Fen accepted one and said, "No time to stand around chatting — the other fishing buddies will be here soon. We booked rooms on the second floor, plan to stick around for a few days. Plenty of time to catch up."

Qin Fen had booked the inn for three days straight — he was planning to soak in the hot springs, take in the scenery around the village, and get some proper fishing in.

He had his membership card, so even if the elders couldn’t snag a regular fishing spot, his card alone could lock in four sessions over three days without any trouble.

"Sounds good. Park out front of the inn."

There were a few parking spots reserved in front of the inn specifically for overnight guests — no need to go all the way to Old Pond, and it helped keep those spaces free.

"Got it. Don’t worry about us — I’ll take the gentlemen to Old Pond first. We’ve got a daytime fishing session booked today, so they can fish for a bit and then hit the hot springs this afternoon."

Qin Fen called out, got back in the car, and gunned it toward Old Pond — he’d double back to the inn afterward.

Beep beep~

Qin Fen’s car had barely pulled away when three more vehicles came rolling up. Chen Yuan recognized them right away. Out in front, leading the group, was none other than God of Wealth.

"Ha! Congratulations, Boss Chen!"

Once the car stopped, God of Wealth stuck his head out the window with a big smile.

"Thanks, thanks~"

Chen Yuan stepped forward to offer cigarettes.

"My, my — long time no see, and Boss Chen’s gotten smoother. Those two ’thanks’ didn’t exactly come from the heart now, did they?"

Ye Zhi leaned over from the passenger seat to have her fun.

"That’s a bit harsh, Ye — if your heart runs off on you, you’re just a walking corpse. Come on, admit it, you’re into zombie flicks, aren’t you?"

Chen Yuan smiled and tucked the cigarette between his lips. The girl’s teasing had zero bite.

Ye Zhi was about to fire back.

God of Wealth cut her off: "Boss Chen’s got a busy morning ahead — no need to stand around gabbing. We booked the inn for five days anyway, plenty of time."

Now that was a real God of Wealth.

Running his own company and dropping five days without blinking an eye.

"Boss Chen~"

Right behind them, another car pulled up — one Chen Yuan knew very well, since he’d driven it more times than he could count. It was Dongfang Ouyang’s crew.

The four of them had arrived.

"Brother Wang~"

Chen Yuan stepped forward with a grin, cigarette pack still out — no chance to put it away — and offered them around.

"Boss Chen, you seriously don’t have enough rooms. We were all set to come stay for a few days and give you the business, but blink and the whole inn’s booked out till next month."

Blond Punk, never one to mince words, launched straight into a complaint about the lack of rooms.

"You wanna hang around? Easy — same place as always, no charge."

Chen Yuan said with a smile.

The inn might be full, but there were still plenty of spare rooms at his place and at his uncle’s. Wang Heng and the others had stayed there before — they were welcome anytime.