After Becoming Roommates with an Obnoxious Wealthy Heiress - Chapter 12

Don’t just wander off. Stay close to me, understand?

Qin Shuyue lowered her eyes, no longer looking at her. Between them, there had always been an eternal, unbridgeable chasm.

“Don’t just stand there like an idiot. Come in.”

Zhu Lingyi glanced back, then stepped forward. Qin Shuyue followed behind her into the Linyi Hotel.

The first-floor lobby was incredibly spacious. As she walked in, she saw the lobby divided into two distinct areas. In the center stood a service desk where a young man in a crisp uniform stood tall, providing explanations and service to every entering guest. The area to the left seemed to be dedicated to food, while the right side appeared to offer entertainment services.

Qin Shuyue looked around, her eyes wide with wonder; she had never been to a place like this before. Her gaze flickered to a price list on the service desk, and her jaw nearly dropped in shock.

5,000 yuan for one night?

This had to be some kind of “black shop” scam. A thought immediately jumped into her mind: I need to leave. This wasn’t a place for someone like her! It was better to run early and stay safe!

But it was as if Zhu Lingyi knew exactly what she was thinking. She grabbed Qin Shuyue’s wrist, shooting her a warning look that said don’t you dare run.

Nearby, a male manager in a suit was attending to other guests. When he looked up and saw the woman standing next to Qin Shuyue, alarm bells rang in his head. He hurriedly whispered an instruction to a nearby staff member, then broke away and jogged over to Zhu Lingyi.

“President Zhu! Oh my! Why didn’t you inform us of your arrival in advance so we could make proper arrangements?” The manager beamed, his smile so wide it nearly reached his ears.

Zhu Lingyi handed him a black card. As curious guests looked over, they saw the three shimmering gold letters in the top left corner: VIP. Envious and respectful glances followed. Even the plainly dressed Qin Shuyue beside her was suddenly viewed with a few extra degrees of importance.

This…

Feeling those burning, intense stares for the first time, Qin Shuyue felt herself shrinking back. She moved silently and inconspicuously, trying to hide behind Zhu Lingyi.

“Has anything happened in the hotel recently?” Zhu Lingyi asked casually, her gaze drifting over both wings of the lobby.

“Rest assured, President Zhu…” The manager turned and waved to a staff member. “Xiao Li, go get this entire quarter’s turnover reports for President Zhu—”

“No need,” Zhu Lingyi interrupted. “I’m not here to audit the accounts or look for trouble today. Are there any private rooms available?”

Hearing this, the manager’s pounding heart finally settled. He tapped through his tablet, scrolling for a moment before looking up. “Chunxiang Pavilion. President Zhu, please follow me this way.”

Zhu Lingyi gave a hum of affirmation. She glanced to her side, but Qin Shuyue wasn’t there. Looking down, she realized she was still holding the girl’s wrist. She turned around to find that Qin Shuyue had hunched her shoulders and tucked herself away behind her back.

With a firm tug, she pulled Qin Shuyue out from behind her.

Qin Shuyue kept her eyes fixed on the patterned marble floor, appearing restless and anxious, her gaze darting nervously from side to side.

“Let’s go.”

Qin Shuyue moved, but it wasn’t her feet—it was her hand, trying to pull away from Zhu Lingyi’s grip. But the harder she pulled, the tighter Zhu Lingyi held on.

Zhu Lingyi leaned into Qin Shuyue’s ear and whispered, “Everyone who enters this hotel is either rich or noble. If you leave my side, care to guess what those people might do to you?”

Meeting Zhu Lingyi’s subtle, knowing gaze, Qin Shuyue looked down and stammered, “I… I don’t really like this.”

“This?” Zhu Lingyi lifted the hand holding her wrist up between them. “You mean you don’t like being held like this?”

Qin Shuyue hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

The next second, the restriction on her wrist vanished, leaving behind only a lingering warmth. Zhu Lingyi released her, shoved her hands into her pockets, and began to walk. “Then stay close.”

Qin Shuyue hurried to keep up.

Stepping into the Chunxiang Pavilion, they were met by a large round table in the center of the room. Various ancient screens were positioned around the chamber, which was filled with antique decorations. The walls were adorned with vivid, lifelike carvings that made one feel as if they had stepped into the Mogao Caves. Even the lighting mimicked ancient candlelight, with neat rows of candles placed on bronze fixtures in the corners, bathing the room in an orange glow.

Qin Shuyue entered with a sense of extreme unease. Yet, instead of the heat she expected, a wave of coolness washed over her. She looked around—there was no air conditioning in sight. Where was the cold air coming from?

She moved closer to the source of the chill, approaching the wall carvings. She reached out to touch the uneven surface and realized the cool air was seeping out from tiny, intricate holes within the artwork.

Ingenious! Truly ingenious! Qin Shuyue thought, a spark of delight flashing through her.

“Do you like it?”

Zhu Lingyi took the head seat as if it were second nature. The manager pulled out the chair for her, and she sat down effortlessly. He then presented the tablet to her respectfully. “President Zhu, please order.”

Zhu Lingyi scanned the menu quickly, her brow furrowing slightly. “Still these? How uninspired.”

This remark hit the manager like a heavy stone dropped into a still pond. He explained nervously, “President Zhu, new dishes are currently under development. They are in the tasting phase now. If all goes well, we expect to launch them by the end of the month.”

“Oh.”

Zhu Lingyi waved Qin Shuyue over. “Come here, see if there’s anything you like.”

Qin Shuyue trotted over to her side, clearly in high spirits. Zhu Lingyi pushed the tablet toward her. Qin Shuyue leaned over, scrolling and selecting carefully.

Looking at the items she picked, Zhu Lingyi’s expression darkened. She remarked coldly, “Are you afraid I can’t afford the bill?”

• Cream-filled Pork Bun: 45 yuan
• Sugary Heart Green Vegetables: 22 yuan
• Palm-sized Crispy Rice: 30 yuan
• Black Pepper Shredded Green Peppers: 28 yuan
• Peach Sparkling Drink: 26 yuan

Qin Shuyue had selected them while meticulously calculating the costs in her head.

Creamy Mushroom Pot for 1,888? Too expensive, low cost-performance. No. Black Pepper “Carefree” Steak for 2,380? What kind of European cow is this from… such a scam… No. Tender Leaf One-Heart Noodles for 999? Isn’t that just a piece of green leaf on regular pasta? Why so much? No!

“Ah…” Qin Shuyue scratched the back of her head sheepishly. “It’s already so expensive, this is enough.”

Zhu Lingyi glanced at her and told the manager, “Serve what she ordered first.”

“Certainly, President Zhu.”

She turned back to Qin Shuyue. “Do you have any dietary restrictions?”

Qin Shuyue shook her head. “None.”

Zhu Lingyi nodded. She took the tablet, casually selected a few items from the steak section, and handed it back to the manager. “Go on.”

While waiting for the food, Qin Shuyue sat on the soft cushion, her eyes glued to the decorations in the pavilion.

“Do you really like it here?” Seeing her so engrossed and excited by her surroundings, Zhu Lingyi felt a rare moment of being moved.

Qin Shuyue blinked, then nodded. “Ah, yes.”

She didn’t say anything more, and Zhu Lingyi didn’t press her, though her gaze remained fixed on the girl. Remembering something, she suddenly asked, “You don’t usually use skincare products?”

Hearing this, Qin Shuyue instinctively touched her face. She looked down. “I don’t.”

Qin Shuyue seemed very slow when it came to conversation; she only answered what was asked and never initiated questions. This led to a recurring problem: dead air.

Zhu Lingyi wasn’t exactly a conversationalist either. Usually, others made the effort to find topics for her, and she merely had to nod or shake her head.

Just as the silence became heavy, the manager pushed open the door to the pavilion, wheeling in a cart laden with an array of dishes. He placed them on the round table one by one, lifting the ceramic lids to reveal mouth-watering delicacies.

Is this… the Creamy Mushroom Pot?

Layers of cream and white mushrooms were stacked together to look like a literal mushroom pot. The aroma—a blend of cream and the fresh scent of mushrooms—was intoxicating. From the moment the lid was lifted, Qin Shuyue couldn’t look away.

Zhu Lingyi watched her. Seeing her intense curiosity about every dish—the way her big, bright eyes flitted from one plate to another—she found it quite cute.

As the manager lifted the final lid, it revealed what looked like a scoop of vanilla ice cream made of mashed potatoes, decorated with colorful vegetables.

The manager pointed to the dish with focused precision. “This is a new creation from the kitchen. we’ve wrapped a meticulously crafted cream exterior in a thin, fragrant milk skin. Inside, we’ve stuffed vanilla ice cream to stimulate the palate. Between the cream and the ice cream is a layer of strawberry jam and nuts.”

“President Zhu… would you like to try it?”

Zhu Lingyi waved it away. “I don’t like sweets.” She then looked at the wide-eyed Qin Shuyue beside her. “Qin Shuyue, you try it and see if it’s good.”

Hearing this, the manager tactfully moved the plate in front of Qin Shuyue. Overwhelmed by the attention, Qin Shuyue stood up quickly to take the ceramic dish from him.

“N-no need for that.”

She took the matching milky-white spoon and scooped up a piece of the dessert. As she bit through the milk skin, the cream rushed into her mouth, followed by the cool, refreshing taste of vanilla ice cream. The cream and ice cream blended together as she swallowed.

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