Tai Jun's thoughts: Hotelier

Madam Cui passed away peacefully one afternoon. This saddened all staff at the Hotel, but we were in a way relieved that she went with such grace. She was finally rested next to the late President Cui on the mountain overseeing Hotel Seoul.

I have been nominated by the Board to take over as the president of the Hotel. In some way, I see myself as an interim caretaker for the Hotel until Rong Qi can take over the Hotel.

After losing both parents in less than a year, this little boy has finally woken up. He has been giving good performance at the Hotel and been promoted to a trainee manager position.

Jenny is also doing well in the kitchen, and the Hotel sponsored her to study at a prestigious cooking school in France for three months.

Wu has changed a lot since he became the GM. Not sure whether it is the new position or his marriage that changed him though. Under his guidance and the hard work of all Hotel staff, the World Tourism Association has selected Hotel Seoul as the Best Hotel in Asia in 2001.

I called GM Wu into my office, and asked him to attend the ceremony at Las Vegas in a few weeks' time. Then, he broke the good news to me: Manager Li is one month pregnant. I am really happy for both of them. Since he can't make it for the trip, I will have to be there myself. After he left the office, I opened a letter from Yun Xi. This is probably the fourth letter she has sent me after she left. She usually talked about her life in US, but in this letter, she told me about her funny dream... alone in the desert, rescued by me in a red convertible...

Desert... red convertible... that is me alright, but I was the one dumping you when you came looking for me in Las Vegas... Yes, I should take Rong Qi with me to the ceremony...

After lunch, I received an email from Shin Dong Xian:

Dear President Han,

I received the financial report of the hotel in mail yesterday. Thanks for the work you and your team have put in, the hotel is a much better shape earlier than I expected.

I am writing to you about my plan. I have decided to take up a job offer from Hsotnicam to lead their investment service in Korea. Please arrange for my accommodation at the Hotel, as the apartment I bought would not be ready so soon. I will email you about my flight details later, but would appreciate if you can keep this from Manager Xu as I would like to give her a surprise. Thank you.

Regards,

Shin Dong Xian

So, Shin Dong Xian is coming back, finally...

...

I found you at your normal hiding place, feeling sorry for yourself again. Manager Xu, if you don't work hard, it is difficult for me to justify your promotion...

"What up with you now?" I asked.

"What a question, you should know the answer...", you said. Zhen Yin, of course I know the answer and that is why I am here.

You sighed, "It was all my fault: can't tell the difference between friendship and love... I missed out the chance of a lifetime. What a big fool I am!"

Big fool... I already told you that last time when we were up here. Why did it take so long for it to sink in?...

But I am not here to talk about this, "I'm taking Rong Qi to Las Vegas. You should take some time off too."

"The boss is not around: how dare I take time off!" I have been rebuked straight away.

Nothing has changed. You are still as impulsive as you always have been: shout first, and apologize later. I pity our VIP guest as it looks like he has to suffer this from now on...

"Let's go now. We have VIP guest here, and you have to take good care of him", I told you.

Then, you muttered about why it has to be you all the time. If I don't give you this assignment, and when you find out who he is, I may not live beyond tonight ...

Let's go, the guest is here. I urged you again.

All the way from the rooftop, down the lift, through the corridor, you are complaining about this assignment. Couldn't you just a bit more patient sometimes? I am glad that I did not accept your proposal some four years ago...

I saw our guest before you do, walking towards you.

Then, you saw him. In confusion, you turn to me, your eyes asking me: "Is that really him?"

That is Shin Dong Xian, the one you have been waiting for... Zhen Yin, just go, don't wait anymore...

From the top of the stairs, I saw the two of you, I saw the Hotel in prosperity... so I have not failed President Cui...

I remembered Yun Xi told me once about what her father has ever said, "You spend 90% of your effort in search of 10% of your happiness." Then, I replied, "For a hotelier, that 10% of happiness is for the others, not for ourselves... but someday, the happiness will all come back to you."

Yes, that is the life, the pride, and the joy of a hotelier...