[Chapter 458: The Weather Array, Living Like a King]
Everyone gathered in the outer courtyard where the housekeeper, Erica, had already assembled 114 young women in the dining hall. They stood in five neat rows, all full of energy and eagerly awaiting the arrival of the big boss, hoping to be chosen for promotion and a raise by moving into the inner estate.
Li Yan and Peng Ling, already part of the finance team, were not required to participate in the selection process. Instead, they stood alongside the housekeeper.
When Linton arrived accompanied by sixteen stunning women, two of whom were the well-known Hong Kong stars Vivian Chow and Michelle Reis, the crowd applauded enthusiastically. Yet, some whispered among themselves, thinking, 'Looks like this boss has quite the reputation with women.'
Still, many others felt a flicker of hope -- maybe they had a chance too. Though they weren't as glamorous as those famous beauties, they knew they had their own strengths. After all, with something like this, you never knew how things might turn out.
...
Without much ado, Linton stated his purpose clearly: "Today, we will select a group of you to work in the inner estate. Fifteen will be responsible for various service duties there, and my sixteen companions will each choose two exclusive personal assistants from among you.
Those selected will move into the inner estate to live and work. Additionally, you will receive a monthly bonus of $500, which will depend on your job performance -- do well, and you earn more; if you slack off, deductions will be made. Are you willing to work in the inner estate?"
"Yes!" came the unified cheer. Who wouldn't want such an opportunity?
"Good. Since everyone is eager, I will begin the selection. Starting from the left of the first row, each of you will have 30 seconds to introduce yourselves."
The first girl in line confidently stepped forward and introduced herself in English, "Hello, boss. My name is Li Lijuan..."
After the thirty-second introduction, she promptly stepped back into line, a simple act that earned Linton's attention.
One by one, each girl in the first row followed suit, stepping forward to give their brief introductions until all twenty had spoken.
Linton then instructed the first row to step back and join the end of the line. The previous second row became the new first row, and the introductions continued from the left again.
By the time everyone had presented, Linton felt satisfied overall. Most could speak English quite well, with only a few struggling somewhat.
He had actually gotten a good idea of their abilities back in July when he conducted evaluations in Hong Kong, and combining those results with Erica's feedback and today's performance, he quickly chose fifteen girls for the inner estate, including Li Lijuan who had introduced herself first.
Those selected were overjoyed, while the others weren't discouraged -- there were still over thirty more spots to be chosen from. They silently motivated themselves to perform their best, hoping to be picked by one of the boss's seventeen companions.
---
Over the following ten days, Linton enjoyed a vacation in the estate's gardens.
Deep within the estate, the last courtyard spanned over 35,000 square feet. Every night featured spectacular parties and improvisational plays set in various locations -- study, tea room, lounge, entertainment room, gym, dance studio, vocal training room, master bedroom, and bathrooms.
Every corner bore the marks of these performances.
Beyond that, Linton and his many women strolled through the garden, enjoying the scenery, walking leisurely, admiring flowers, playing in the snow, and sometimes, carried by their enthusiasm, even engaging in snowball fights or building snowmen together.
The eighty-acre backyard, covered in snow, resembled a winter wonderland with its beautiful scenery, pavilions, towers, corridors, and resting spots wherever one looked -- perfect for taking a break after playing.
...
Jennifer spotted two frozen lakes covered with thick ice and excitedly suggested ice skating on them. Everyone immediately agreed.
Fortunately, housekeeper Erica had prepared well ahead of time and had brought ice skates. Once everyone slipped them on, the fun began. Linton held little Lina comfortably in his arms, cheering them on.
Finally, egged on by the women, he showcased his skating skills a bit himself. Even holding Lina, he effortlessly outpaced everyone on the ice.
Days were filled with various outings, while nights remained lively with parties. The chef team delighted everyone with new, delicious dishes daily. Life was simply perfect.
Michelle Reis even remarked that life in this estate rivaled that of a royal palace, on which everyone heartily agreed.
...
Linton also found time to use his underground movement ability to place a weather array across the gardens with quartz talismans.
This array had one function: when temperatures dropped below freezing, it would automatically absorb energy from the surrounding air and convert it to heat, raising the garden's temperature.
As the array took effect, everyone noticed that the temperature inside the estate rose significantly -- from minus 20 degrees (-4) to around minus 3 degrees (27) Celsius (Fahrenheit).
Stepping outside the estate walls, the freezing temperatures snapped back to below minus 20, which amazed everyone. They marveled at the estate as a truly precious place.
With the warmer air and the magical quartz pendants everyone wore, the women barely felt the Montana cold at all.
As a result, the inner estate blossomed with even more beautiful scenes. The women donned stunning outfits that showcased their figures as they stepped out to admire the flowers, snow, and play around.
Especially notable were Izumi Sakai and Akina Nakamori, perhaps accustomed to colder climates from Japan, who boldly wore summery dresses revealing their flawless legs, adding enchanting color to the gardens.
...
During these ten days, each of the seventeen women picked their villas and personal assistants and shared their furnishing preferences with Erica and their selected assistants, planning to furnish their homes after the snow melted.
Linton was pleased that all had chosen assistants from among the 114 service girls rather than hiring from outside. This was thanks to Miguel Herrera and Director Lin Hao's excellent eye during the initial beauty contest selection. Each girl was not only beautiful but smart, diligent, polite, and well-mannered -- qualities that earned her true acceptance.
However, Linton noticed that none of the 27 girls who had bypassed the official process by less legitimate means had been selected for the inner estate, despite their efforts to prove themselves. Clearly, everyone's judgment was sharp.
---
Happy times always flew by too quickly. The ten-day vacation ended in laughter as everyone boarded planes back to Los Angeles in two groups.
This trip was not just memorable for Linton but brought joy and fulfillment to everyone present -- it was truly a heavenly pleasure.
The only regret was that Sophie Marceau, Cristiana Reali, Monica Bellucci, and Noriko Sakai were still tied up with their film promotional tours and couldn't join the garden retreat.
They called back multiple times, hearing about the estate's splendor, unable to hide their envy. Each of them playfully begged Linton to take them on a vacation at the farm gardens once their tours ended.
Finally, Linton agreed to accompany them for a special holiday after their promotional events wrapped up.
*****
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