Chapter 4 Lychee Town
The high-speed train sped along the tracks all night, passing through the deep darkness and scattered lights, and finally slowly came to a stop at the Maluan County High-Speed Railway Station in the early morning.
Lin Xili woke up from a light sleep, her neck a little stiff.
She carried a simple suitcase and got off the train with the flow of people. The sky was just before dawn, and the lights on the platform were dim.
She still needed to transfer to an inter-county bus, which took two hours. She followed the signs at the bus stop to the bus ticket window.
There weren't many people buying tickets, and she quickly got one and boarded a somewhat old-fashioned bus.
The car was filled with a smell that was a mixture of gasoline, old seats, and dirt.
She chose a seat by the window and placed her suitcase at her feet.
It wasn't time to leave yet, and perhaps her hyperthyroidism symptoms had kicked in; at that moment, she was incredibly hungry and thirsty.
I had no choice but to get off the bus and go to the convenience store at the station to buy some bread and two bottles of mineral water.
Just then, my phone rang; it was my alarm for taking my medicine.
She twisted open the cap of the mineral water bottle, then took out the box of sedges from her small bag, took one pill, and swallowed it with the mineral water.
It's quite troublesome; you have to eat it three times a day.
The bus swayed and bumped as it drove out of the station and wound its way along the mountain road.
Outside the window, the sky gradually changed from a pale white to a light orange-pink.
The morning light, like a gentle paintbrush, begins to depict the layers of the mountains and forests, the lush vegetation, and occasionally the figures of farmers working in the early morning can be seen.
She took out her phone; the signal here was intermittent.
Searching for "Lixiang Town" online, the pictures that pop up are indeed as Wen Qing described: nestled against the mountains and by the water, with blue bricks and gray tiles, ancient bridges, and babbling brooks.
During holidays, this place becomes a popular tourist destination for visitors from surrounding cities, and the photos are full of hustle and bustle and vibrant colors.
She chose a guesthouse called "Blue Snowflake". The pictures showed a tranquil environment with a courtyard full of flowers and plants, and the reviews said that the owner had great taste.
She booked the room on the lowest level, the one with an open-air balcony, wanting to be alone, facing the sky and the mountains, undisturbed.
After doing all that, she subconsciously opened the mobile banking app.
Looking at the balance of around 200,000, a bitter smile appeared on her lips.
Since she was old enough to understand, she has spent almost all her time studying in order to get her family to pay more attention to her.
Like a spinning top, thinking that excellent grades would earn them some care and recognition.
Therefore, she has almost no time to spend money and enjoy life like other heiresses.
But instead of receiving any care or recognition, he received a significant reduction in his allowance.
Lin Weihua told Song Yuan that the real estate market has been sluggish in recent years, and since she doesn't spend much money anyway.
She really doesn't spend much money; the balance in her bank card is still her salary from the past three years.
She didn't know if the money would be enough for her to live in this small town until she recovered from her hyperthyroidism.
She turned off her phone and looked out the window.
The morning light had completely dispelled the morning mist, casting a golden glow over the surrounding mountains, and every leaf on the trees was full of life.
However, this warm sunlight, which seemed to illuminate everything in the world, could not penetrate her gloomy life.
Her heart remains a barren, frozen wasteland.
Two hours later, the bus stopped at a dilapidated rural bus station.
We've arrived at Lixiang Town.
The town was much quieter than I had imagined. The cobblestone streets were lined with low-rise arcade buildings, and shops were gradually opening their doors, with a slow pace of life.
Following the navigation, she dragged her suitcase and walked for about ten minutes until she saw the sign for "Blue Snowflake" B&B at a relatively quiet street corner.
It was a small courtyard surrounded by a low fence, and as shown in the photo, the courtyard was filled with all kinds of flowers.
Many of them she couldn't name, but she felt they were colorful and full of life.
In stark contrast to the town's simple and unpretentious style, it exudes a refined elegance.
When she booked this guesthouse, she thought the name was really nice—Blue Snowflake.
The person who can manage such a courtyard must be a person of refined taste and unconventionality.
The guesthouse is a two-and-a-half-story brick building with uniform polished blue bricks on the exterior walls, and lush green moss growing in the cracks between the bricks.
She pushed open the half-closed fence gate, and soon an old woman came out of the house.
She didn't look like she was nearly seventy years old; she was well-maintained and looked very young, which Lin Xili, being a forensic doctor, could naturally tell.
Her hair was neatly combed and tied into a tidy bun at the back of her head. She wore an elegant cotton and linen long dress with a beige knitted cardigan over it, and a kind smile on her face.
"Are you Miss Lin? Welcome, welcome."
The old lady's voice was very gentle, and strangely, it didn't have a local accent.
Lin Xili was somewhat surprised; she had originally thought the boss would be a young person, a local.
"Hello, this is the room I booked."
"You must be tired from the journey. Come in quickly."
The old lady greeted her warmly, "Your room is upstairs, I'll take you up. Please put down your luggage first, then come down and have some breakfast. Breakfast is included in our guesthouse."
"Thanks."
Lin Xili thanked the old lady politely and followed her upstairs.
The old lady enthusiastically introduced the products.
The two-and-a-half-story building is an independent loft, and as described, it is a one-bedroom apartment with a bathroom, water heater, and washing machine—fully equipped.
The room was decorated in an antique style, with wooden furniture and simple bedding.
Several pots of mint were placed on the windowsill to repel mosquitoes, and a faint mint scent filled the air.
She put down her luggage and walked out of the attic. Outside the half-level attic was a small terrace, paved with anti-corrosion wood and surrounded by a low blue brick railing.
Several pots of bougainvillea were placed on the railing, their bright red petals drooping down and partially obscuring the view.
A set of bamboo woven table and chairs sits on the terrace, offering a superb view overlooking most of the town's gray brick and tile buildings, as well as the winding river and verdant mountains in the distance.
The scenery is indeed beautiful; as Wen Qing said, it's a place where one can relax.
She didn't tell Wen Qing that she was there. She didn't want to trouble Wen Qing's family to entertain her, nor did she want anyone to find her.
What she needs is a complete and undisturbed exile.
"Young lady, isn't this nice?" the old lady asked.
Lin Xili turned around and nodded to the old lady, "Boss."
"Hey, don't call me boss. Just call me grandma if you don't mind. All the children who stay here call me grandma!"
"Okay, Grandma, would it be okay if I booked a year's stay at the current price of 98 yuan per night?"
The old woman asked in confusion, "A year?"
Lin Xili thought the old lady would disagree, after all, this was a tourist price during the off-season, and it was indeed a bit unreasonable.
"Grandma, if it doesn't work out, then forget it."
"No, no, no, it's fine. I always keep the same price here. This is the first time I've encountered someone booking for such a long period. So please feel free to stay here," the old lady said cheerfully.
"Hey girl, come down and have breakfast, okay? I'm going downstairs now!"
After the old lady finished speaking, she went downstairs.
After a quick wash, she went downstairs to the restaurant.
Breakfast is ready: congee with vegetables, sweet potato, eggs, and local specialty glutinous rice cakes—simple and delicious.
The old lady sat to the side and said, "These are all grown by farmers, pollution-free, and the eggs are free-range eggs. You can't find such authentic agricultural products in the city."
Lin Xili just ate her breakfast silently, nodding occasionally in response, without saying a word.
After breakfast, Lin Xili felt the fatigue from traveling all night wash over her.
She thanked the old lady and went back to her room.
She decided to stay home today, take a good rest, and calm her mind.
Tomorrow, I'll go visit the health center that Wen Qing mentioned.
She drew the curtains, shutting out the gradually intensifying sunlight outside, and lay down on the soft, comfortable bed.
Physical exhaustion quickly made her sleepy, but before she fell asleep, the black Bentley that had brushed past her at the entrance of the villa area, and the blurry yet vivid silhouette inside the car, unexpectedly flashed through her mind again.
She gently closed her eyes, forcibly suppressing the last ripple of emotion.
From now on, only Lin Xili, an ordinary woman who is slightly ill and needs to recuperate, will be here.
He has no further connection with the Lin family in Hong Kong, Xu Yanchi, or his identity as a forensic doctor in the Bureau of Justice.
At least, that's what she hopes for now.
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