Chapter 1701 - 1613: Return to the Imperial City

Julian Leighton officially moved into the Holiday Village while renovations at the Imperial City’s Fragrance Garden commenced.

Over at the Holiday Village, since it’s not the farming season and there’s no farm work to be busy with, Marcus Quinn led some people to set up an extra row of greenhouses to cultivate vegetables.

As the weather cooled, the number of tourists in the scenic area gradually decreased, marking the start of the tourism off-season.

While the Holiday Village experienced a temperature drop, the Imperial City was hit by a cold wave, immediately ushering in winter with the first snow of the year falling. Consequently, some customers who previously booked rooms at the Holiday Village canceled and opted to fly to islands for their vacations; some even paid for their bookings but simply never showed up.

Following a bustling three months since opening, the Holiday Village entered its least busy period, so idle that Julian spent his mornings waiting for lunch and his afternoons waiting for dinner.

"Hey, Sis Tan, the Holiday Village has only been open for three months, and business is already so bleak. Aren’t you guys worried?" Julian, without realizing when, developed a slight feeling of belonging to the Holiday Village and basically found himself bored to death.

Sis Tan, busy with selecting furniture and arrangements for Fragrance Garden and managing the orchard’s online business, raised her head and said, "Worry about what? We’ve always been laid-back about running the Holiday Village. Even though this is the off-season, we haven’t made a loss."

Originally, Sis Tan’s business approach was rather rough and casual. She hadn’t even bothered to calculate the initial investment costs. Besides, who would have believed half a year ago that she and Marcus only had two thousand bucks in their pockets? Now, not only do they have the Holiday Village and Fragrance Garden, but there’s also over a million in savings on the books. Julian’s accommodation alone costs twelve grand, more than covering the monthly expenses.

Julian was left speechless.

"But it’s really boring. I’ve been here four or five days without seeing a single stranger. Every day it’s just eating, or Old Man Weng dragging me to play chess, which I don’t know how to play." Julian complained, pulling a face.

"Why don’t you come up with a theme, organize an event, and draw some crowds?" Sis Tan suggested without lifting her head.

She said it casually, but Julian took it to heart. He actually started thinking seriously about it, walked around the area, gathered some information, and ran back excitedly to create a proposal.

After dinner, the Shui family chatted away, while Marcus took Sis Tan out for a stroll, enjoying their couple time at the Holiday Village. Old Man Weng dragged Oliver Zolotov to play chess. Julian took the proposal he’d spent half a day on, printed it out, and caught Marcus in the bamboo grove behind the house.

Marcus was chatting with Sis Tan on the stone bench in the bamboo grove, holding her hand and trying to sneak a kiss when suddenly Julian appeared out of nowhere, turning Marcus’s face dark.

"Marcus, I have an amazing proposal you have to hear," Julian said excitedly, rushing over.

Marcus’s face turned down, not wanting to listen.

With Marcus’s iron-like arm still around her shoulders, Sis Tan felt hot all over, with an inexplicable feeling like their clandestine affair had been caught. She nudged Marcus and said, "Let’s hear it."

Julian, of course, knew he was interrupting the couple’s intimate moment, but he couldn’t wait; he was too excited. This was his first proposal.

"Our Holiday Village’s business has been really bleak recently, with hardly anyone staying over, and not many dining. So, I strolled around nearby, and guess what?"

Marcus raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Our Holiday Village?"

Since when did the Holiday Village become this kid’s?

Julian chuckled and said, "Isn’t this just to get close? I treat the Holiday Village as home, man. Listen to what I have to say first. Today, I met two monks coming down from the mountain to buy things at the entrance of the neighboring scenic area, and then we chatted a bit."

"Get to the point," Marcus checked the time, not interested in small talk, thinking it would be better to go back and cuddle under the covers with his wife.

"The point is that there’s a small Buddhist ceremony at the mountain temple next week. Many people will come to burn incense, but there’s no place for them to eat. The little monk said they usually have a hard time getting meals, let alone catering to so many people," Julian explained, his eyes shining as he looked at Marcus and Sis Tan, a proudly expectant look on his face.

Sis Tan and Marcus were momentarily stunned, uncertain of what to say.

"I thought, normally, monastery meals aren’t charged, right?" Sis Tan said weakly, aware it involved deeper consequences.

"Hell, don’t act like I’ve never had monastery food. They charge, and it’s expensive," Julian blurted out, then toned it down upon seeing Marcus, smiling, "Sis, you’re too naive. These days monks need at least a college degree with full benefits and high salaries; they’re loaded."