"It is said that it took over 300,000 to settle the matter."

"That boss is really something!"

"What did you think? Otherwise, how could they afford to open such a large restaurant?"

Everyone was buzzing with interest about the mysterious owner of the Baiyulan Hotel.

Jiang Tao walked at the front, listening to the chatter behind him about Bai Yulan, feeling somewhat amused.

When everyone sees Bai Yulan in person later, I wonder what their impression will be?

"Welcome to Baiyulan Hotel!"

As everyone reached the entrance, two hostesses in high-slit cheongsams with alluring figures bent down to greet them.

Jiang Tao led the group inside the hotel lobby.

"Jiang Tao!"

As soon as Jiang Tao and his companions entered, Bai Yulan saw him, smiled gently, and walked gracefully towards them.

Everyone’s attention was captured by Bai Yulan.

Her long, lush, and smooth black wavy hair casually draped over her shoulders.

Her delicate and fair face had finely crafted and three-dimensional features.

Her beautiful eyes looked at the crowd with a gentle smile.

She exuded an aura of warmth and springlike charm.

Upon seeing Bai Yulan, Xu Li immediately doubted whether Old Jiang had misinformed them!

Bai Yulan looked to be about the same age as Xu Li, nowhere near the ten-plus years older Jiang Tao had described!

As they spoke, Bai Yulan stood in front of them, looking at everyone with a smile, and said:

"Welcome everyone to Baiyulan Hotel; it’s an honor to have such esteemed guests."

Nearby, the customer managers and front desk staff of Baiyulan Hotel were astounded by Bai Yulan’s attitude towards Jiang Tao and the others.

"There aren’t many guests whom Sister Bai personally greets in a year; where do these esteemed guests come from?"

"That man is so handsome and charismatic; he must be a high-ranking executive of some large corporation!"

"His wife is also so beautiful and has a great figure. If only I were half as pretty!"

"It seems Sister Bai pays a lot of attention to these guests. We must provide excellent service and not drop the ball."

Everyone looked at Jiang Tao and his group with admiration and perked up their spirits.

Other guests who had just entered the scene of Bai Yulan personally welcoming Jiang Tao and his companions were equally astonished.

As frequent patrons of Baiyulan Hotel, they had never received such treatment.

Not to mention Bai Yulan’s personal reception, it wasn’t easy even to see her once!

"Sister Bai, this is my wife, Xu Li; this is my dad, Jiang Wen; my mom..."

Amidst varied expressions, Jiang Tao introduced his entourage with a smile.

"This is my friend Sister Bai, Bai Yulan."

"Ah? You are, you are the owner of Baiyulan Hotel, President Bai!"

"Oh my god! President Bai! It’s actually President Bai!"

"President Bai, um, I’ve always admired you; can I take a photo with you?"

Upon learning from Jiang Tao that Bai Yulan was the legendary mysterious owner of Baiyulan Hotel, everyone was astonished.

Xu Sha, Jiang Shijie, and the other young folks were especially excited, wanting to take a photo with Bai Yulan.

"Of course, you are Jiang Tao’s family, which makes you my friends."

Faced with the family of her lifesaver, Bai Yulan was very patient, maintaining a gentle smile throughout.

For such minor requests as taking photos, she didn’t refuse anyone.

After the greetings, Xu Sha, Jiang Shijie, Jiang Shaojie, and Jiang Bing took turns taking photos with Bai Yulan.

With Bai Yulan’s permission, they eagerly posted them on their social media, flaunting a bit.

After chatting in the lobby for a while, Bai Yulan invited everyone upstairs, taking them back to the private room where they dined the night before.

"Since it’s everyone’s first meeting today, and I’m not sure about everyone’s taste, let’s order on the spot!"

"Feel free to order whatever you’d like today; make sure to eat and drink well. Jiang Tao, why don’t you start?"

"Set an example for everyone."

After settling in, Bai Yulan smiled and invited everyone, handing Jiang Tao the menu and ordering device.

"Everyone heard what Sister Bai said, right? Order whatever you want; don’t be shy with Sister Bai."

"The roast suckling pig is good; let’s get two."

"Also, a roasted pigeon for each person."

"One set of roast duck won’t be enough; with so many people, we’ll need at least five sets."

"I’m done, Lili, you’re up."

Even though Bai Yulan, the owner, was treating, and they could order freely, Jiang Tao refrained from choosing excessively expensive dishes.

After placing his order, he handed the menu and ordering device to Xu Li for her to continue.

Next was Xu Li’s mother-in-law, sister-in-law, father-in-law, Mr. Jiang, Nanny Jiang, elder brother, sister-in-law...

The gathering today was similar to the one Jiang Tao hosted previously.

Except for Liu Zhiyuan and a few friends who weren’t present, all of Jiang Tao and Xu Li’s close family were there.

Everyone ordered two to three dishes each, totaling dozens.

Bai Yulan added some special dishes that hadn’t been ordered.

She then directed a server to bring over two cases of Maotai and two bottles of red wine entirely in English.

After ordering, the group chatted casually for a while longer.

The usually aloof Bai Yulan was uncharacteristically friendly today, displaying much warmth towards Jiang Tao and his family.

Although she and Jiang Tao had barely interacted and had only met by chance the previous evening,

Bai Yulan gave everyone the impression of a long-time close friend of Jiang Tao’s, chatting and joking with ease.

The initial awkwardness quickly melted away as everyone felt more relaxed around her.

By the time all the ordered dishes arrived, everyone was already on familiar terms with Bai Yulan.

Jiang Bing and Xu Sha, sitting on either side of Bai Yulan, affectionately called her Sister Bai.

Bai Yulan enjoyed their lively and straightforward personalities, smiling constantly.

Seeing the dishes had arrived, Jiang Tao suggested with a smile and raised his glass:

"For the first toast, let’s all raise our glasses to Sister Bai, thanking her for the generous hospitality today."

"Yes, it’s only right, thank you, Xiao Bai, for the treat."

"Thanks for Sister Bai’s hospitality."

"Thank you, Aunt Bai, for the lovely meal~"

"Thank you, Aunt Bai."

Upon hearing Jiang Tao’s words, everyone stood up, raising their glasses towards Bai Yulan.

"Today’s gathering here is also a kind of fate. Later, make sure to enjoy the food and drinks. If there’s any shortcoming in hospitality, feel free to mention it."

Laughing, Bai Yulan stood up, took a glass of red wine, circled among the guests, then downed it all in one go.

Seeing this, those with white wine also drank a glass, and those with soft drinks finished theirs.

The banquet officially commenced, with Jiang Shijie and Jiang Shaojie among the kids eagerly capturing photos to post on social media.

They certainly wouldn’t miss this rare chance to show off.

Xu Sha even started a live stream, giving her online followers a deep dive into the luxurious dining experience at the fancy hotel.

Throughout, Bai Yulan initiated topics, engaging in lively conversation with Jiang Tao, Xu Li, and the parents on both sides.

Her social prowess was evidently leagues above Jiang Tao’s, offering him much to learn about initiating and sustaining discussions.

Despite it being everyone’s first meeting and not being well-acquainted, no topic ever fell flat, thanks to Bai Yulan’s seamless ability to transition to new ones.

The engaging dialogue significantly closed the gap between them.

The meal began around noon and stretched beyond 2 p.m.

After everyone was thoroughly satisfied, Bai Yulan personally saw them off to the door.

Another round of polite exchanges at the entrance, and then the group bid farewell.

Jiang Bing drove back to Jiang Family Manor with his parents and his brother’s family of four.

Xu Li drove Jiang Tao and Jiang Xue to spend the afternoon at her father’s house.