Xiaopeng was very embarrassed because he drank too much on the first day, so he stayed sober for the next two days. Tao Rui happened to take him with him and they went in and out together, leaving no chance for Meng Hui to take advantage of the situation.

The project negotiations went smoothly, and the preliminary work had been well done. This was just the final step of signing the contract and finalizing everything. This gave them a lot of free time, which they could use to eat well and do some shopping.

Meng Hui would occasionally arrange for everyone to take photos together, then edit them so that only she and Tao Rui were in the picture, posting them to a Moments page visible only to Du Yawen, and then deleting them later. Unfortunately, Tao Rui and Du Yawen remained unaffected as usual.

Tao Rui would have voice chats with Du Yawen and video chat with the baby from time to time. He always had a smile on his face every time he contacted home, which made Meng Hui jealous and extremely frustrated.

On her last night away, she sent a WeChat message to Tao Rui asking him to meet her on the rooftop. Another red exclamation mark appeared, and Tao Rui had blocked her again. The work was over, and it seemed Tao Rui didn't want to be around her anymore. After being rejected so many times, she couldn't help but wonder: did Tao Rui really like her?

She couldn't understand. The phone call she made that day was something no woman could accept, and no man could deny. Why hadn't they argued? Why hadn't their daily video chats and jokes been affected at all? When Tao Rui bought Du Yawen bags and jewelry, he even took photos so she could choose the ones she liked. Such thoughtfulness stung her heart, and all her persistence became a joke.

On the way back, Meng Hui was disheartened, her former energy gone, and she didn't notice that Xie Jiao's gaze on her had only grown more disdainful. Xie Jiao was naturally intelligent, and she kept an eye on Meng Hui. Three days of living together was enough for her to realize Meng Hui was obsessed with Tao Rui. Even more ridiculous, Tao Rui showed no interest in her at all, avoiding her at every turn, even taking Xiao Peng with him for self-defense.

Xie Jiao and her friends exchanged messages complaining about this, and before she even returned home, the gossip had already spread within a small circle. There was no evidence, but what kind of evidence did gossip need?

Tao Rui returned to the company, took a leave of absence after handing over the work. His office remained, but a new manager moved into another office. Everyone then realized that Tao Rui had brought in a top industry executive during this time. This alarmed Meng Hui. Why did Tao Rui seem to be away for so long? Wasn't he just going on vacation? Why was someone replacing him?

She couldn't help but ask when Tao Rui was about to leave, "Boss Tao, are you not coming to the company anymore?"

Everyone looked at them because of the rumors going around. Tao Rui waved his hand and said, "I'm going to study after my vacation. I'm not sure when I'll be back. Everyone, work hard and don't slack off."

Tao Rui's colleagues were reluctant to leave, but Meng Hui, mingling with them, couldn't speak to him alone. She felt anxious and upset. They'd been together almost every day for the previous year. Why had it suddenly become like this? It would be hard to see each other again.

Tao Rui left without regret. He had chosen a resort not far from City A, a two-hour drive away. The nearby mountains and water made it a perfect place for Du Yawen to relax. Psychologists say that such a family vacation to a strange and relaxing place can be therapeutic and is worth trying.

Du Yawen also took some time off, and the three of them drove to the resort. This was their first family vacation, and Du Yawen was excited even on the way. Their baby, Xinxin, was traveling so far away for the first time, and her curious eyes, looking out the window, were heartwarming. Du Yawen whispered to Xinxin about the world outside, making her laugh.

Tao Rui glanced at the mother and daughter in the rearview mirror and asked curiously, "How come you can tell a story about everything you see? Did you prepare it in advance?"

Du Yawen said, "I'm a kindergarten teacher. Storytelling is a basic skill, right? Don't underestimate kindergarten teachers. They may not be as skilled as you venture capitalists, but they do have to know a lot more. My kindergarten is the best in the district, and the entrance exam is very strict."

"Yes, yes, I overlooked the professional qualities of you kindergarten teachers." Tao Rui agreed with a smile. Suddenly, an idea flashed on his mind and he suggested, "You can write something, short articles, short stories, children's books, etc. I think you have a talent in this area. What do you think?"

"Writing something?" Du Yawen was stunned and immediately shook her head. "How can it be so easy to write something? It's okay for me to read it, but writing it? No way."

Tao Rui encouraged him, "How do you know it won't work if you haven't written it yourself? Why not give it a try? We're on vacation now, and it's quiet at the resort. Just treat it as fun. You can even write something and read it to Xinxin."

Du Yawen looked down at Xinxin and thought for a moment, agreeing that she could give it a try. She wasn't interested right now, but what if she became interested after trying it? The doctor also advised her to try new things, and writing was a good option. It wouldn't be a big change from her usual routine, so it wouldn't be considered a step outside her comfort zone, and wouldn't be uncomfortable.

Seeing this, Tao Rui added, "Actually, you can also write a diary. You can write it in your email or on some sharing platform. If you don't want others to see it, just set it to be visible only to yourself. Writing down your daily joys and sorrows can also be considered a channel for expression. What do you think?"

Du Yawen pursed her lips and nodded, "You can try."

She had no desire to share her feelings with others, but the doctor said that expression was important, and perhaps writing a diary that only she could see would be a good idea. She looked up and smiled at Tao Rui, "I promise you I'll actively cooperate with the treatment. We can try all the methods you've come up with."

Tao Rui was also feeling his way through this, and Du Yawen's willingness to cooperate made things much easier. Many people say that people with depression need a hand to pull them out of their dark world, and Tao Rui thought, he would keep holding Du Yawen until she got out.

Arriving at the resort, Tao Rui felt a slight increase in spiritual energy compared to the city. When he'd chosen the location from photos, he'd already imagined the lush trees and abundant birdlife. And he'd made a good choice. While the spiritual energy was only slightly greater, it was enough to relax and experience the beauty of nature.

He got out of the car, looked at the surrounding scenery, and turned back to ask Du Yawen through the car door, "How is it? Do you like it here?"

"I like it." Du Yawen said softly, holding Xinxin and standing beside him.

In the distance, a series of mountain peaks loomed in the mist, and below them lay a tranquil lake, dotted with lotus flowers and small boats. It was as beautiful as a painting. The house we stayed in was a spacious two-story building not far from the lake, decorated in a style reminiscent of a forest treehouse. There was also a grape trellis and a rocking chair in the yard.

Tao Rui picked up Xinxin and took Du Yawen in to check in. After asking, he found out that in addition to the master bedroom, there were ten guest rooms of different sizes available for stay, and all the rooms had views of the mountains and rivers.

They booked the best and largest room, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a large balcony for the best views. The room was modern, with everything from a computer to a TV, so they could entertain themselves whenever they wanted.

Tao Rui stretched out on the balcony and said to Du Yawen, "You can cook for yourself here. I'll show you my cooking skills tonight."

Du Yawen was making the bed with the sheets she had brought. She looked up at him in surprise. "You can cook? You only know how to cook instant noodles, don't you? Tell me quickly, where did you learn to cook and from whom?"

Tao Rui came over to help her spread the sheets and smiled at her: "I really can't cook home-cooked meals, but my clients cook all kinds of things. I've learned some things from them, like roast lamb legs, beggar's chicken, and barbecue skewers in the wild. I can't make them at home, and I didn't have the time before. This time is a good time to give it a try."

"Does he have ingredients? It seems quite deserted, as if business is not very good." Du Yawen was a little worried. When she was chatting with the boss just now, she found that apart from them, there was only one painting student who came here to sketch. At least half of the dishes on the menu were not available because it costs money to transport the ingredients. Since there are not many customers, the boss naturally wants to save costs.

Tao Rui gave her a reassuring look and said, "I went to the backyard and saw chickens, ducks, and sheep there. They're all ready to be slaughtered and eaten. We'll have beggar's chicken tonight."

"Like the ones on TV that are wrapped in lotus leaves and mud?"

"right."

"Okay, then let's see you show off your skills tonight!" Du Yawen smiled, full of anticipation. She had never eaten a meal cooked by her husband before, and the thought of wrapping it in mud and burying it in the fire was very interesting.

While Tao Rui asked her boss to slaughter a chicken and prepare the ingredients, Du Yawen turned on her computer and began writing short stories with inspiring morals. She planned to write more and print them into a booklet for Xinxin to read together. Perhaps it was her pure motivation for writing, or perhaps it was her rich daily experience, but by evening, she had finished the first short story.

Tao Rui asked the mother and daughter to go rowing a small boat to pick lotus leaves. Each of them picked a lotus leaf and filled it with water to play with. Xinxin had never played like this before and clapped her hands with joy. Tao Rui also picked a large lotus leaf, shaped it into a cone, and put it on Xinxin's head. Xinxin was so happy that she shook her head. Du Yawen quickly hugged her to her arms.

Tao Rui pulled out his phone and selfie stick from his waist bag and took numerous photos of the mother and daughter, as well as a few of the whole family. He thought his photos were pretty good, but Du Yawen was incredibly disapproving after seeing them. While she was explaining selfie techniques to him, she took several more group photos and several photos of Tao Rui alone.

When the three of them finally finished playing and returned to their desks, they saw the student who had come over to sketch. He smiled and waved at them, handed them a roll of paintings tied with a ribbon, and said with a smile, "This is for you. I just saw how happy you were, so I drew it. I hope you don't mind."

Du Yawen unfolded the painting, which showed her family of three laughing on a small boat, surrounded by lotus flowers and lotus leaves in an orderly manner, with distant mountains behind them. It was very beautiful.

Tao Rui smiled and said, "Don't mind. We also want to thank you. This painting is very precious and more beautiful than any photo we took."

Du Yawen also said: "Your painting is really good. I must frame it when I get home."

"Thank you." The little girl smiled happily. Nothing made her happier than having her paintings recognized by others.

Tao Rui lifted the small bucket filled with mud, gestured to the lotus leaf in his hand, and said, "We're going to light a bonfire tonight and make beggar's chicken. Are you interested? Let's eat together."

The little girl was a little moved, but also a little hesitant, "Hmm...will it disturb you?"

Du Yawen waved her hand and smiled, "No, but you have to be mentally prepared. My husband's cooking may not be delicious. I'll prepare some more food that we girls like."

"Okay, I'll help you. The vegetable salad I make is delicious."

As they walked back together, Tao Rui saw Du Yawen chatting and laughing with the little girl, and felt that they had come to the right place. He hoped that when he returned from vacation, all the gloom of the past would dissipate, replaced by only beauty.