As Ye Zhi drank water, I kept looking at her profile. Her complexion was noticeably better than a few days ago, probably because she had given herself some leisure time recently. I said that for a woman like her, as long as she doesn't work herself to the bone, regaining her former beauty wouldn't be difficult, especially since she is a woman who pays great attention to fitness.

After she finished drinking the water, she handed the cup back to me and asked, "Are you thirsty?"

When she said that, I realized I was indeed thirsty, so I replied, "Yes, I am thirsty. May I use your cup?"

That's exactly what I meant.

I smiled, then took a few sips from her water glass. The plain water was tasteless, but looking at Ye Zhi, I felt a strange sense of approachability.

...

After putting the teacup back on its seat, I shifted my attention to the night view outside the car window. I didn't dare to sleep because this was the easiest time to get sleepy. I was worried about Ye Zhi driving alone, but the journey was a bit long. The two of us couldn't find anything to talk about, which inevitably made the atmosphere a little awkward.

She's alright; at least she has something to do, with her hands on the steering wheel.

After a long silence, I finally spoke to her, "Could we talk about Thailand?"

Ye Zhi's lips twitched unconsciously, but I was unintentional. I only wanted to learn about the local customs and culture from her because I was going to Thailand for business, since she was knowledgeable and well-traveled. But I had forgotten that our nightmare began in Thailand.

After a brief silence, she replied, "In Thailand, a large proportion of the population is Buddhist, so the general population is quite friendly. If you're just looking to live there, it's relatively easy for outsiders to integrate. Your personality is an advantage there, and I think it will help you in your career."

What is my "personality"?

"Outwardly flexible but inwardly principled... Thai people are generally easygoing and principled in their interactions. For example, if an appointment is made at a certain time, it is rare for them to be late. Therefore, they really like people who are trustworthy."

"Being honest is a given, but I don't think it's anything special."

Ye Zhi smiled.

I then asked her, "If you live there long-term, will you be able to get used to their food?"

"There are many Chinese restaurants in Phuket, and rice is a staple food there, so there's nothing to worry about."

"Then I'm relieved!"

...

Along the way, we talked a lot about Thailand, and before we knew it, we were near the airport. But it was already very late, and by the time we found a place to stay, it was 1:30 a.m.

After parking the car, Ye Zhi and I went to the hotel reception. We each showed our ID cards, and the receptionist took them and said to us, "Sir, Madam, we don't have any double rooms left. How about we give you a standard room?"

Ye Zhi and I at the same time

Startled, I quickly replied, "We're not together. We need two rooms, a standard room or whatever, as long as we can find a place to stay."

Ye Zhi nodded in agreement.

The receptionist looked embarrassed and replied, "Sir/Madam, it's like this, it's the weekend, and you've come so late. The only standard room we had was left because the guest who made the reservation couldn't make it..."

Ye Zhi and I exchanged a glance, both of us looking embarrassed and at a loss. Then, almost simultaneously, we said, "Let's find another place to stay."

The receptionist said to us very sincerely, "I don't recommend you change hotels. There was a large light show at the World Expo yesterday, which attracted many tourists from other places. Plus, it was the weekend, so hotels near the airport are already operating at full capacity. If you really find it inconvenient, you can try your luck in the city center. There might still be some rooms available there. As for here, you definitely won't find a hotel with two rooms left."

Going to the city center is too far, and besides, it's only for one night. After thinking about it, I said to Ye Zhi, "You stay here, I'll sleep in the car. Anyway, it'll be dawn soon."

"That won't do."

"It's okay, your car is big, you won't be uncomfortable sleeping there, just leave it like this."

As I spoke, I took my ID card back from the front desk and then paid for the room.

I didn't give Ye Zhi a chance to refuse. After taking the car keys from her, I dragged my suitcase back to the hotel parking lot.

...

Once inside the car, I folded down the back seats completely and then found a piece of clothing in the trunk to lay underneath. There was enough space, but it still felt a bit cramped; when you feel cramped, you tend to overthink, so I ended up having insomnia around 1 a.m.

I lay there on the car seat, a cigarette dangling from my lips, gazing out the side window at the world, lost in thought. (Tank's new book is first published on the WeChat official account "Tank's Bookstall." Remember to follow for protagonist images and daily interaction with the author.)

Suddenly, the sound of raindrops pattering against the vehicle filled the air. In an instant, everything I could see blurred; the lampposts were twisted, and the bus parked not far away was also twisted...

What followed was a sharp drop in temperature; Kunming's climate is similar to Dali's. When it doesn't rain, it is indeed like spring all year round. But as soon as it rains, it will make you feel so cold that you will question your existence.

I couldn't help but shiver, but I hadn't brought any warm clothes at all. Thailand has a tropical climate, and it's summer all year round, so after searching around, the only thing I could keep warm in my suitcase was a very thin sweatshirt.

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