Sanya — located at the southernmost tip of Hainan Island, also known as "Deer City," often referred to as the Hawaii of the East. Ranked first among China's four top-tier tourist cities — "Sanwei Hangxia" — it boasts the most beautiful seaside scenery in the entire island.
Beaches, the sea, and bikinis — this is paradise for vacationers.
The salty sea breeze carries a faint scent of coconut. Here, you don't have to worry about toxic gases or PM2.5. You can spread your arms wide and embrace the blue sky, inhaling the fragrance of nature. It's the city with the best air quality in all of China — no competition.
It was a spur-of-the-moment trip.
Floral shirt, sunglasses, and a suitcase barely packed with essentials.
Jiang Chen raised a slight smile at the corner of his lips as he squinted up at the stunning blue sky. He lingered a moment at the airport entrance before flagging down a taxi. The driver eagerly helped load his suitcase into the trunk and respectfully opened the passenger door for him.
Why so courteous, you ask?
Because our man had booked the Hilton, and not just any room — the most expensive, luxury beachfront villa suite!
Though the seven-day stay cost him a whopping 220,000 yuan — enough for a down payment on a house — Jiang Chen didn't even blink. In the past, such extravagance would've been beyond his wildest dreams. But now? The name of the game was enjoy life to the fullest.
The sooner he blew through this money, the sooner he could get back to business.
Speaking of which… how was Sun Jiao doing?
Jiang Chen started to miss his sultry "assistant." If she were here, this trip would be far more fun than flying solo. And what about Yaoyao? Was she taking care of herself?
With one arm casually resting on the car window, Jiang Chen took in the laid-back charm of Sanya. Unlike the bustle of the big cities, everything here felt relaxed and carefree.
Maybe someday… buy his own island?
As he admired the scenery and mused to himself, the car soon arrived at its destination:
The Hilton Hotel.
Nestled at the southern tip of Hainan's Yalong Bay, this place looked more like a tropical castle than a resort. Powdery white sands stretched along the South China Sea; palm trees, coconut trees — all the trappings of a beach paradise. And plenty of things the average beachgoer wouldn't expect, too.
It was a world-renowned five-star hotel, and the service certainly matched the reputation.
Even though Jiang Chen's suitcase wasn't heavy, the staff still politely asked if he needed help with his luggage. When he declined with a smile, they led him to his villa.
"If you need anything, sir, please use the service terminal. We'll be with you immediately. We hope your stay here will be a beautiful memory of your journey," said the smiling staff member as she handed him a sleek, iPad-like tablet. All the villa's functions could be accessed through it.
Tossing his suitcase aside, Jiang Chen took a deep breath.
"Woohoo!"
Stripping off his shirt and boxer shorts, Jiang Chen whooped with glee and dove into the private hot spring.
SPLASH!
Water exploded everywhere as Jiang Chen gleefully wiped his face and leaned back against the edge, fully enjoying the luxurious soak.
So… how should he spend the next seven days?
Jiang Chen had made no itinerary. To him, vacation was meant to be enjoyed, not scheduled like a mission. With both money and time on his side, why rush? If he had regrets, he'd just come back again — he wasn't short on cash.
Though his body was strong, even he couldn't endure the tropical sun for too long without sunscreen. Stepping out of the hot spring, Jiang Chen dried off with a fluffy towel and got dressed in a fresh set of leisurewear.
He walked to the back balcony of the villa — the perfect vantage point to admire the entire Hilton beach. This villa was built right on the sand, offering the best view possible.
The beach was dotted with gorgeous figures. Jiang Chen's eyes automatically filtered out the men — tanned and muscular dudes weren't his thing.
Slender Southeast Asian women, blonde and blue-eyed foreigners, even some exotic Middle Eastern beauties… Some lay lazily in the sun, others frolicked with partners, surfed, or played beach volleyball. It was lively and picturesque.
But even too many beautiful women can lead to aesthetic fatigue. Watching others have fun got dull fast. Jiang Chen took a sip of wine — in a beer-chugging posture — squinting as he tried to enjoy the supposedly refined taste…
Bleh, sour and boring.
If the Hilton manager saw how Jiang Chen treated their fancy wine, they'd probably want to kick this hillbilly out on the spot.
Perhaps because he was used to the crowds and noise of the city, Jiang Chen just wanted peace and quiet now.
He applied sunscreen this time — doing it solo was awkward, but necessary. Once done, he lay on a sun lounger on the balcony, basking in the warmth. It felt amazing, like every pore was gently opening, letting out the fatigue within him, carried off by the sea breeze.
Away from the chaos, lying in the sun and feeling the ocean wind… it was the kind of serenity that lulled you to sleep. Occasionally, the distant crashing of waves or laughter from beach volleyball floated to his ears. The subtle sounds soothed his long-tense nerves…
They said sunlight could boost testosterone?
Eh. Who cares?
Jiang Chen smiled, closed his eyes, and drifted peacefully into sleep.
No wonder rich people in movies loved beaches and oceans. Why had he never realized how enjoyable it was before?
Just like that, Jiang Chen spent a lazy and comfortable afternoon. As the sun began to set, he admired the stunning beach sunset before finally heading back inside.
It was nearly dinner time. Jiang Chen, whose metabolism was enhanced beyond normal, felt hunger more acutely than most.
Though he could have ordered room service, he didn't want to just eat in. This was a five-star hotel — how could he miss out on its dining experiences? Ordering "takeout" on vacation? What a waste.
He picked up the tablet and casually browsed through the hotel's amenities. It had detailed maps and listed each restaurant's specialties and reviews.
But as he was browsing the food options, the device vibrated slightly — notifying him of mail at the door.
Mail?
Jiang Chen blinked and stepped outside, opening the small mailbox.
Inside was an invitation.
"Prince Nayef of Saudi Arabia cordially invites you to attend the birthday banquet of his beloved Princess…"
A birthday party?
Apparently, tonight one of the Hilton's most luxurious restaurants was hosting a grand banquet — a birthday celebration organized by a Saudi prince for his beloved princess. All VIP guests of the hotel were invited. Naturally, as a guest staying in the most expensive villa, Jiang Chen received an invitation too.
"Heh… well, since I got an invite, might as well see what the fuss is about."
Jiang Chen's lips curled into a curious smirk as he tucked the invite into his pocket.
Of course, his "see what the fuss is about" really just meant "let's see what there is to eat."