Chapter 210 First Day in Beijing
Tang Mingli had certainly heard of the Beijing Hotel.
As one of the earliest hotels catering to foreign guests, it has hosted many international dignitaries.
But that's not the point. The point is that right now, this hotel is practically inaccessible to ordinary people.
Tang Mingli thought to herself that although the Fu family had some status, she and her mother-in-law were probably just ordinary people.
Fu Ci's friend brought them here, which made her suspect that the other party was not simple.
After parking the car, the man did not get out immediately. Instead, he turned around and said to Tang Mingli and Fu's mother, who were sitting in the back seat, "Will it be alright if you stay here while you're in Beijing?"
If everyone lives here, what problems could there possibly be?
Tang Mingli laughed and said, "The biggest problem is probably that we didn't expect it."
The other person smiled and said, "It's convenient and safe to go anywhere from here. I've arranged everything. You can check in at the front desk in a bit."
Since they had already gone to such lengths, Tang Mingli didn't want to think too much about it.
Whatever the reason they're able to stay here, now that things have come to this, they should just settle down and live here peacefully.
After completing the check-in procedures, the man who came to pick up Tang Mingli and her mother finally asked to leave.
It's getting late, we really should go back and rest.
The other party helped them so much today, but apart from saying thank you, they felt like there was nothing else they could do.
Even with this thank you, the other party felt they were being too polite. Given his relationship with Fu Ci, there was no need to stand on ceremony.
Tang Mingli was incredibly curious. Were he and Fu Ci really that close?
One in the south, one in the north; one in commerce, one in politics.
No rush, I'll find out when I contact Fu Ci tomorrow.
Thinking of Fu Ci, Tang Mingli returned to her room and said to her mother-in-law, "I wonder if Fu Ci is asleep yet."
Fu's mother is getting on in years, and after all that commotion until the wee hours of the morning, she must have reached her physical limit. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so quiet on the way from the train station to the hotel.
Her mind was already almost completely blank when she heard her daughter-in-law's words, and she suddenly came to her senses and blurted out, "He must be waiting for us to contact him."
Tang Mingli also thought it was possible, so she decided to make a phone call to let them know she was safe.
However, Tang Mingli could tell that her mother-in-law was probably exhausted, so she helped her turn out her clothes so that she could take a shower first, before she went to the telephone to make a call.
After the call was transferred, it was answered immediately after two beeps.
Tang Mingli sighed before she could even speak.
I strongly suspect that he was sitting by the telephone the whole time.
Tang Mingli didn't speak, but Fu Ci recognized her just from that sigh and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Did you sit on the train for too long and get tired?"
"I am a little tired, but it's okay." Tang Mingli did not deny it.
After such a long train ride, it would be a lie to say I'm not tired. Although my intention was not to worry anyone, saying this will only make them more worried.
However, Fu Ci didn't quite believe it; she was just a little skeptical.
Tang Mingli could only help him recall: "Have you forgotten that time we played outside for several months? Did you ever see me tired?"
Tang Mingli, who was on vacation, was in such good spirits that she seemed to have been injected with chicken blood.
Fu Ci remembered, then smiled and asked, "Where's Mom?"
"Mom is really tired and is taking a shower."
"Well, the awards ceremony is still a few days away. Let's rest well at the hotel for a couple of days."
Speaking of hotels, Tang Mingli decided to test him: "Do you know where we're staying?"
Fu Ci smiled and said, "Isn't it the Beijing Hotel?"
Tang Mingli wasn't surprised that he knew, and asked again, "Did you ask him to arrange for us to be here?"
"No," Fu Ci denied, explaining, "I only asked him to pick you up from the train station. As for the hotel you'll stay at, I didn't specify one."
However, based on his understanding of this friend, he guessed that the other party would definitely arrange a better place for them to stay.
Among the hotels and guesthouses closest to the train station, the Beijing Hotel is the best.
Tang Mingli asked her husband, "Your friend must be quite influential to be able to get us into the Beijing Hotel so easily."
Fu Ci didn't deny it, and hummed in agreement, "It is indeed quite large."
There was no intention to say more.
Tang Mingli understood; the more concise the words, the more complex they were.
She didn't press the matter further, but there was one question she still needed to confirm with her husband.
What is your relationship with him like?
"We are very good friends."
Fu Ci answered very frankly. Although he rarely talked to his wife about the friends he made at work, he said what he meant and there was no need to deliberately hide it.
Since they were very good friends, Tang Mingli wondered if she should treat him to a meal before leaving Beijing to express her gratitude.
Fu Ci told her not to worry too much: "Let things take their course. If there's an opportunity, you can come. If not, I'll invite you next time."
Hearing this, Tang Mingli stopped thinking about it.
Just then, Fu's mother returned after taking a bath.
Seeing Tang Mingli holding the microphone, it's obvious she's talking to her son.
Now that she had let everyone know she was safe, she could finally sleep peacefully and went straight to one of the beds.
Tang Mingli was stunned for a moment. She was thinking of giving the microphone to her mother-in-law to say a few words. Knowing her mother-in-law's personality, she was sure she would say a few words to Fu Ci. But she didn't expect her to fall asleep right away.
They must be too tired.
Tang Mingli was both amused and exasperated. She said to her husband on the other end of the phone, "Mom needs to rest now, and I'm going to take a shower too. You have to go to work tomorrow, so get some rest early."
"Okay." Just before hanging up, Fu Ci remembered something and quickly added, "Call me when you wake up tomorrow. I'll most likely be at the garment factory."
"good."
After hanging up the phone, Tang Mingli looked at her mother-in-law again.
The person who had just lain down was already asleep.
She quietly took out her clothes and quickly took a shower.
Lying on the soft bed, the fatigue that had accumulated over the past two days gradually began to clear.
Before falling asleep, Tang Mingli muttered to herself, wondering if she would feel sore all over when she woke up.
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The next day, the mother-in-law, who always gets up early, slept in for the first time ever, even waking up later than Tang Mingli.
Tang Mingli woke up around 9 a.m. and saw that her mother-in-law in the next bed was still sleeping so soundly. Surprised, she also chose to stay in bed, not wanting to make any noise and wake her mother-in-law.
However, Fu's mother wasn't too late either; about twenty minutes after Tang Mingli woke up, she also opened her eyes.
Seeing the unfamiliar surroundings, she was momentarily stunned, but a few seconds later she remembered that she was in Beijing, staying in a hotel.
Seeing that her mother-in-law was awake, Tang Mingli smiled and called out "Mom," then sat up as well.
When Fu's mother looked at her daughter-in-law, she unconsciously grinned.
What time is it?
Tang Mingli glanced at her watch. "It's almost ten o'clock."
"I can't believe I slept until this late." Mrs. Fu was a little surprised and uneasy as she sat up.
"Anyway, there's nothing I absolutely have to do today, so sleeping in a little longer won't hurt."
"That's true." Mrs. Fu smiled and lay back down with peace of mind.
I've gotten used to it all my life, and I feel subconsciously uneasy when I finally get to sleep in.
Tang Mingli stretched and asked her mother-in-law with bright eyes, "Mom, where do you want to go for a stroll later?"
Mrs. Fu didn't know either, and asked instead, "Which place is closer from here?"
"This place..." Tang Mingli smiled brightly, "is close to everything."
"Then let's go to Tiananmen Square." This was still what Fu's mother was thinking about, but it was so late today, and she didn't know if they would make it in time.
Tang Mingli assured her, "There's still time."
It's just across the street, how could it be too late?
Since there was still time, Madam Fu didn't linger in bed and quickly got up.
After washing up, the two spent another half hour eating. By the time they arrived at Tiananmen Gate, it was almost noon.
Fu's mother looked excitedly at Tiananmen Square, which she had longed for all her life, and pointed at it with great excitement.
“There, Mingli, is over there.”
"Hurry up, let's get there quickly."
The two quickened their pace, but even though the city gate was right in front of them, it still took them more than ten minutes to actually get inside.
Then we had to stop.
Tourists who want to go further must first go through a check by soldiers, so they all gather here to queue up.
Fortunately, the line wasn't long, and Tang Mingli and her group passed through smoothly after waiting for about five or six minutes.
The sacred place she had longed for was now right before her eyes, and Fu Mu couldn't quite describe her feelings.
I don't seem as excited as I was when I saw it from a distance, but to say I'm calm is definitely not an option.
Fu's mother looked around, pondering what words could accurately express her feelings.
Tang Mingli took out her camera from her backpack, snapped a few pictures of the scenery, and then called out to her mother-in-law, who was looking around.
"Mom, let me take some pictures of you while there aren't too many people around."
Fu Mu's scattered three souls and seven spirits urgently returned to their places.
"Yes, yes, hurry up and take more photos, then we'll develop them and show them to Grandpa, Grandma, and Xiaoyu."
She straightened her clothes and posed for the camera with the most proper posture.
Tang Mingli took several photos in one go, and then handed the camera to her mother-in-law so that she could take two solo photos of herself as well.
Half an hour later, Mrs. Fu felt she had seen enough and it was time to leave.
Although it's almost September, it's still the hottest time of day, and even in the north it's still quite hot.
"Let's go?" Tang Mingli shook her head. "Since we're here, let's buy tickets and go into the Forbidden City to visit and see where the emperors and empresses used to live."
"Can we go in?"
"able."
A tourist nearby overheard Tang Mingli saying she wanted to buy a ticket to visit the Forbidden City and chimed in.
"Tickets to the Forbidden City aren't cheap; for two people, it costs several tens of yuan."
That's about a third of an average person's monthly salary.
Tang Mingli didn't know how much the tickets to the Forbidden City cost at this time. They could afford whatever the price was, but they certainly couldn't say that because of someone's kind reminder.
She smiled and said, "Since I'm here, I still want to grit my teeth and give it a try."
Fu's mother chimed in, "Yes, we came from Guangcheng."
"That's really far." The other person nodded, understanding why they were willing to pay such an expensive ticket.
Unlike him, who came from Henan and arrived in half a day by train.
However, he's here on a business trip and just wants to take a look around Beijing. It's impossible for him to spend money specifically to buy tickets to see a particular place.
After this minor incident, Tang Mingli and Fu's mother arrived at the ticket office and successfully bought tickets to enter the Forbidden City.
So far, things have gone more smoothly and simply than Tang Mingli had imagined.
It's only been a few years since the reform and opening up, but traveling and sightseeing are indeed much more convenient than before.
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The author writes: On the first day of my period, my lower back always aches a lot, and my stomach feels stuffy. It's uncomfortable, yet bearable. But it's also impossible to ignore this discomfort.
There will still be red envelopes in this chapter! [starry-eyed]
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