Chapter 507: Unconventional Path
At this moment, Cream Road Square could be described as a scene of roaring drums, firecrackers, fluttering red flags, and a sea of people.
A huge red banner reading "Magic Century Theme Park and Lion Castle Hotel Joint Project Launch Ceremony" hung high in the air.
On both sides, dragon and lion dancers, clad in golden costumes, leaped and danced vividly to the beat of the drums.
As a grand collaboration between the two major players of Cream Road, both sides had already announced that they had invited reporters from Zaomen Times, Dangzhou Economic Evening News, and other media outlets to cover the event.
Additionally, the subway entrance nearby occasionally brought out curious onlookers, drawing even more attention.
"Hey! This is amazing. I can't believe they actually teamed up!!"
"Yeah, I was planning to visit Lion Castle Hotel for a few days this time. I never expected them to collaborate."
"Let's go check it out. If they offer a discount on room rates, I'll sign up right away~"
As the crowd around them grew larger, Chen Jianhai and Jin Jiemi each led their teams from their respective bases toward the center stage.
"So many people!"
Chen Jianhai was momentarily stunned by the size of the crowd.
"The joint project ceremony is a big event for both of us. It's only natural to make it lively," Lin Suyang explained.
"True," Chen Jianhai nodded and walked toward the center of the square.
As he walked, he saw a burly golden-haired man, Jin Jiemi, striding toward him with a few others in tow.
One of them was a familiar face.
"Mr. Chen, hello!" Jin Jiemi extended his hand as he approached.
"Mr. Jin, hello!" Chen Jianhai extended his right hand for a handshake while his left arm gestured for a hug, his face brimming with enthusiasm.
Although Jin Jiemi was burly, Chen Jianhai was also tall.
When the two shook hands and embraced, neither seemed to outshine the other in presence. Instead, they looked like two mountains coming together, each modestly deferring to the other as they walked side by side toward the ceremony stage.
All the ceremony procedures, including the ribbon-cutting and groundbreaking, had been agreed upon and arranged in advance by both parties.
Although Chen Jianhai and Jin Jiemi were nominally the stars of the event, in reality, they were just following the script, doing whatever the host instructed.
They gave speeches, shook hands, struck gongs, and took photos.
Finally, Chen Jianhai and Jin Jiemi held up a small ceremonial cauldron together for a group photo, officially marking the end of the ceremony.
The entire event lasted just over an hour, but what it represented was a massive joint project between two of Zaomen's—and even the nation's—premier amusement parks.
A butterfly fluttered over Dream Street's Cream Road in Zaomen City, gently flapping its wings.
But the gust of wind it stirred up
swept forcefully over Cream Road, through Zaomen, across the national hotel industry association, and onto major online platforms.
"This is eye-opening."
"In all my years, this is the first time I've heard of a hotel and an amusement park collaborating—not on accommodations, but on amusement park projects."
"Honestly, Lion Castle Hotel's magic-themed park is no joke! If it weren't for the high room rates, I'd love to visit."
"Too expensive +1."
"Am I the only one who thinks Lion Castle Hotel's amusement park is more fun than Magic Century Theme Park? Magic Century has a lot of AI stuff. Going there feels like watching a 4D fantasy movie. Lion Castle's rides are way more thrilling, and you can collect cards while playing. It's a dream for collectors like me!"
"Someone finally said what I was thinking!"
"Aside from the price, Lion Castle's amusement park is perfect for me! Especially the deep lake waterslide in the Flame Knight Castle's 'Quest for the Resolute Heart'—I absolutely love it!!!"
"Unless you've actually experienced it, the darkness and suffocating feeling of the deep lake can't be replicated by AI visual simulations."
"Damn, we've got a rich one here!"
"One focuses on AI, the other on technology. I can't even imagine what kind of project they'll create together. I'm so excited!"
"I heard their joint project will span both parks. I predict this could become the largest amusement project in the country."
"Wow! Spanning two parks... unbelievable!!"
That afternoon, news of the collaboration between Magic Century Theme Park and Lion Castle Hotel not only spread throughout Zaomen but also topped the city's trending news charts.
Many amusement park enthusiasts and thrill-seekers expressed strong interest upon hearing the news.
But even more excited were the fans of magical world culture.
Magic, wizards, knights... these elements of magical culture were imported from abroad and were not native to the country.
Castle hotels, too, were originally the dwellings of foreign ancestors, exuding a distinctly Western flavor.
Although there had been many castle-themed hotels and buildings in the country before, they often captured the form but not the essence. While they looked like castles, they lacked that authentic feel.
Chen Jianhai, however, not only faithfully recreated the castle architecture but also subtly outshone Magic Century Theme Park in promoting wizard culture and magical worlds.
This collaboration between Lion Castle Hotel and Magic Century Theme Park, focusing on each other's strengths, was something to be proud of.
"Incredible, truly incredible!!"
In the office of the Secretary-General of the Zaomen Shell Hotel Intermediate Industry Association,
Su Jie looked at the news popping up on his phone, his eyes filled with surprise and excitement. He could hardly sit still.
Initially, he thought the collaboration between Chen Jianhai and Magic Century Theme Park was just a routine partnership focused on hotel accommodations.
Something like staying at Lion Castle Hotel to enjoy a 20% discount at Magic Century Theme Park, or buying amusement park tickets to get a cheaper hotel stay.
But after reading the news headline and content several times, he realized that Chen Jianhai and Magic Century Theme Park were collaborating on amusement park projects!
What did this mean?
It meant that Chen Jianhai had managed to strike a deal with a major amusement park solely based on the amusement facilities of his hotel, without compromising his hotel's core revenue from accommodations.
To put it in trendy terms:
You thought I was just running a hotel?
Think again!
I run an amusement park better than anyone!
...
"They actually teamed up!?!"
That afternoon, when Tong Tongsheng saw the news, he was so shocked that he sat frozen for a long time.
"Unconventional!!"
"This move is baffling... tsk tsk."
"These days, young people always want to try something new. Coffee shops selling soy milk, dessert shops selling milk tea, milk tea shops selling desserts, dessert shops selling coffee, and now hotels building amusement parks."
"This kind of business competition is truly ingenious. Who would've thought that fat guy Jin could be so cunning~"
A group of Zaomen business owners sat together, eagerly discussing the grand event on Cream Road.
At first, everyone was full of praise for Chen Jianhai upon hearing about the collaboration.
No one knew what kind of magic he had used to get Magic Century Theme Park to sign a cooperation agreement with him.
As fellow hoteliers, they understood the importance of a large customer base to a hotel.
If Chen Jianhai could latch onto Magic Century Theme Park, he could sit back and rake in profits from Lion Castle Hotel for the rest of his life, without lifting a finger.
But when they learned that the collaboration was focused on amusement park projects, their smiles grew even wider.
"Ah, young people just starting out, without anyone to guide them, often make mistakes."
"Such a grand move, exhausting his own hotel's resources without gaining any advantage, while sewing a wedding dress for Magic Century Theme Park. Tsk tsk tsk~~~"
"Young people, when they encounter a big project, can't help but get excited. But the consequences are hard to predict~"
"Secretary Tong, what do you think?"
Tong Tongsheng frowned slightly, wanting to say something but ultimately shaking his head lightly.
"Right now, I can't make sense of it either..."
...
Not only was Tong Tongsheng puzzled, but even Song Zhan couldn't figure it out.
Given Song Zhan's status, a collaboration between an amusement park and a hotel wouldn't normally cause a stir for him.
But perhaps because he had once attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Lion Castle Hotel, or perhaps because of Chen Jianhai,
when news of the collaboration between Magic Century Theme Park and Lion Castle Hotel popped up online, he couldn't help but click on it.
And then, he too was baffled by Chen Jianhai's bold and unconventional approach.
This young boss's strategy is truly unexpected!
"Who says we can't build the best magic-themed hotel in our own country?"
Chen Jianhai's words from the Nanjiang Beer Festival's five-star hotel tent still echoed clearly in his ears.
And now, just a short time later,
his magic-themed hotel hadn't even made a splash yet, but he had already struck a major deal with the neighboring amusement park.
Interesting...
Song Zhan glanced at the news, then put down his phone and went back to handling his own affairs.
...
Chunyang Province, "Didn't Expect This" Film Company
Recently, if there was one artist in the company who was riding a wave of success, it was undoubtedly Zhu Tingting.
Since entering the entertainment industry, Zhu Tingting's luck had been remarkably good.
First, he was chosen by renowned director Han Ke to star in an ocean conservation advertisement, followed by a steady stream of roles.
Although they were mostly small supporting roles, he performed exceptionally well and gained a strong fan base.
His first endorsement, though for a local coffee brand, came with substantial investment. Magazine covers, fashion accessories—all were top-tier items of the season.
The revenue generated from the Summer Momo Coffee endorsement alone propelled Zhu Tingting's personal performance ranking within the company into the top five.
But what surprised everyone even more was that,
due to the collaboration between Magic Century Theme Park and Lion Castle Hotel, Colorful Holiday Resort Hotel leveraged the hype to launch a wave of advertising.
And the spokesperson for this campaign was none other than Zhu Tingting!
This further boosted Zhu Tingting's personal fame and endorsement income, leaving his colleagues green with envy.
"Boss Huang truly has an eye for talent!"
The agent, holding a stack of the latest announcements and schedules, looked at Huang Ning with admiration.
Since Huang Ning announced that the company's resources would be倾斜 toward Zhu Tingting starting this month, Zhu Tingting seemed to have luck on his side, achieving both fame and fortune through two endorsements.
Without Huang Ning even needing to give explicit instructions, a flood of endorsements and roles came rushing toward Zhu Tingting.
And some of the scripts were particularly good,
with production teams and main creators from serious drama circles. If these deals went through, Zhu Tingting's future would be limitless.
...
While the collaboration between Magic Century Theme Park and Lion Castle Hotel was making waves online,
inside the Fox and Rabbit Country Kitchen at Lion Castle Hotel,
Chen Jianhai sat with a look of utter despair as he accompanied Jin Jiemi for a cheese fondue meal.
After signing the contract, Chen Jianhai and Jin Jiemi got to chatting, and the conversation eventually turned to Chen Jianhai's Fox and Rabbit Country Kitchen.
Cheese fondue was one of those things that people either loved or hated.
Unfortunately, Chen Jianhai fell into the latter category—just one whiff made him want to gag.
But there was no helping it. His neighbor loved the stuff, so he had to put on a good show and endure the meal.
At the table, besides Chen Jianhai and Jin Jiemi, key figures from both sides were seated on either side, resembling the Knights of the Round Table.
"Magnificent! I haven't had such authentic cheese fondue since I left my hometown!" Jin Jiemi dipped a piece of bread into the cheese, swirling it around before popping it into his mouth.
He looked as delighted as Xiao Lang devouring a mouthful of braised pork, savoring every bite.
"If Mr. Jin enjoys the food here, I'll get you a membership card. You can dine here anytime!" Chen Jianhai offered enthusiastically.
To be honest, out of the seven restaurants in Lion Castle Hotel, Fox and Rabbit Country Kitchen was his least favorite. He simply couldn't stand the smell.
But oddly enough,
this restaurant attracted the most foreign guests, all of whom raved about the authenticity of the food.
He had no idea what made it so "authentic"...
But!
Since Jin Jiemi loved it, Chen Jianhai decided to offer him a complimentary membership as a gesture of goodwill.
"Really??" Jin Jiemi's blue eyes lit up.
"Really!!!"
Although Chen Jianhai wasn't great at foreign languages, he could understand simple words like this.
"Good neighbors are better than distant relatives! We're so close to each other, and my hotel has plenty of restaurants. Feel free to come by anytime you're craving something."
"Great!" Jin Jiemi responded happily.
"Mr. Chen, have we met before? You seem very familiar."
Chen Jianhai's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a calm expression. "We're so close to each other on Cream Road. We might have crossed paths at some point."
Jin Jiemi said, "Mr. Chen, since you've treated me to a meal, I'll invite you to Magic Century Theme Park tomorrow."
At this, Chen Jianhai's heart skipped another beat.
His previous experience of waiting in long lines at Magic Century Theme Park had left him traumatized. He never wanted to go back.
But since his new friend had extended the invitation, he couldn't refuse. He could only grit his teeth and agree with a smile.
As the two bosses chatted happily, their respective teams also began mingling, finding like-minded colleagues to chat with.
Especially the HR manager, who kept glancing at Chen Jianhai's face every few sentences.
He was the man who had once rejected Chen Jianhai!
This fact alone was enough to make him a legend in the HR world, a source of pride for life.
This expression annoyed Xie Zhulongxiong greatly.
His well-defined muscles twitched as he struggled to suppress the urge to punch someone.
After the meal, Lin Suyang exchanged contact information with the publicity manager from Magic Century Theme Park, and the two sides bid farewell, agreeing to meet at Magic Century Theme Park the next morning.
"Boss, are we really going tomorrow?" Lin Suyang asked.
"Of course! Why not?"
Chen Jianhai watched Jin Jiemi's retreating figure, feeling that this fat guy wasn't as kind-hearted as he seemed.
"Anyway, I have the Unlimited Fun Pass. No matter what, I won't lose out!"