Chapter 53 The First Day of the Trip (Part 2)
This anxiety persisted until the first dish was served, at which point Tang Mingli picked up her chopsticks and took a bite.
The unease vanished quickly, completely disappearing without a trace.
tasty!
It was just an ordinary stir-fry of assorted vegetables, but it was the best she had ever eaten so far.
She took just one bite, and her appetite was whetted, but since she wasn't at home, not all the dishes were served, and no one else had even touched their chopsticks, she felt embarrassed to take a second bite.
Fortunately, a bowl of egg drop soup was served shortly afterward.
Guide Zhong smiled and said to everyone, "The dishes for lunch today are all ready. They're a bit simple, so please make do with them. We can make sure you're full."
The simple meal of one dish and one soup reminded Tang Mingli of the days when she lived at her uncle's house.
Those were tough times. I ate vegetarian food almost every meal, and I craved meat so much that I wanted to bite my own fair and tender arms.
Fortunately, this period of peace and quiet did not last long. Soon after, she married Fu Ci and went to live with the Fu family, where she was able to eat meat at every meal.
However, to be fair, the vegetarian dish and soup at the small restaurant were much better than what my uncle had.
Whether it's this simple egg drop soup or the stir-fried mixed vegetables, it tastes so much better than my uncle's.
Because the food was delicious, everyone ate to their heart's content.
The boss was also very satisfied with his hard work and made a small profit.
When seeing them off, he didn't forget to try and drum up business with the guide.
He owns the restaurant and can make his own decisions. He can tell her to bring her group to the restaurant next time, and he will give them a discount.
Guide Zhong's expression shifted, and he thought it wasn't a bad idea.
If this tour route becomes popular and more people sign up, it's not impossible to stop for a meal along the way, so I remembered the owner's restaurant address.
After a brief stop, the group continued their journey toward their destination a few years ago.
The bus was no longer as lively as it had been in the morning. After lunch, drowsiness set in, and many people began to doze off.
Tang Mingli was the soundest sleeper; she had fallen into a deep sleep leaning on her mother's shoulder not long after getting back on the bus.
The guide glanced around the gradually quieting carriage, his gaze lingering on Tang Mingli for a while. After sitting down again, he also closed his eyes to rest.
Who would have thought that the youngest person in the group would be the one who gets tired the most easily?
Young people these days are definitely not as good at enduring hardship as people in the past.
In her understanding, falling asleep quickly was simply because she was extremely tired, and she never suspected that it was just because she was a heavy sleeper.
Sleep allows time to slip away quietly, and before you know it, half the journey has passed.
People who had been sleeping lightly gradually woke up and began chatting quietly again.
As more and more people joined in, the carriage became noisy again.
Tang Mingli also woke up. Although she was woken up by the noise, she had slept well and was in a pretty good mood.
After crossing a very, very long bridge, the guide excitedly told everyone, "We're almost at our destination."
That is indeed an inspiring statement.
Tang Mingli raised her hand and glanced at her watch; it was almost three in the afternoon.
The journey took quite a long time, but it was still acceptable.
She stretched slightly and sighed inwardly, "The roads in this era are like crossing a province, even just leaving the city."
About ten minutes later, the car entered the city and drove for another ten minutes to reach their accommodation—the Goose City Hotel.
Tang Mingli fell in love with the environment as soon as she saw it.
Located on the riverbank, it consists of several three-story villas. It occupies a large area and the gardens are well-maintained.
When I have the money in the future, I can renovate it and turn it into a proper five-star hotel.
The guide will help everyone with the accommodation arrangements, so everyone can just wait patiently.
This is one of the advantages of traveling with a tour group; you don't have to worry about food, clothing, accommodation, or transportation at all.
However, the check-in process for ten people, and the fact that it's not yet electronic, does take quite a bit of time to complete.
Even if you don't feel tired in your mind after a long day of travel, you'll still feel physically exhausted and want to get your room key as soon as possible to go back to your room and rest.
After a long wait, the check-in process was finally completed.
Room allocation wasn't difficult; two people per room, and there were exactly ten of them, so five rooms were just right.
But the tour guide and driver...
Tang Mingli, who was the last to take a room key, noticed that the guide only had one room key.
Does this mean she's going to share a room with the driver?
Even decades later, in a more open era, this would still be astonishing.
The guide noticed Tang Mingli's gaze, paused for a moment, and then suddenly burst into laughter.
"I think I forgot to tell you that the driver and I are husband and wife."
Tang Mingli: ...
Now it was her turn to feel awkward, and she quickly smiled and said, "Working as a couple is not tiring, your hotel is really good at making arrangements."
"That's exactly what we're thinking." The guide smiled and finished speaking to Tang Mingli. He looked around and, not seeing his husband, could only lead everyone to their rooms first.
Perhaps because the room hadn't been used for a long time, or perhaps due to the hotel's own negligence, a musty smell hit me as soon as I pushed the door open.
Fortunately, the musty smell dissipated considerably after the windows were opened for ventilation.
Tang Mingli went next door to check on the room of Old Master Fu and Old Madam Fu.
It was similar to theirs, and the bedding was clean.
Although the hotel room was old, it was clean, and Mr. and Mrs. Fu, who had experienced hardship, were not only not picky but also very satisfied.
Tang Mingli asked them if they wanted to rest for a while, and the two elderly people nodded.
I was very excited on the bus and didn't feel tired, but now that I've gotten off, my body still aches.
I'm getting old after all.
Tang Mingli thought it was great; the four of them acted in unison.
She told them, "Mom and I are also planning to take a nap. See you for dinner then."
Madam Fu smiled and said, "Your grandfather and I may not be able to sleep for that long, but you can sleep peacefully. We'll go for a walk in the yard when we wake up."
The hotel courtyard was safe, so Tang Mingli wasn't worried, but she still gave them some instructions.
"If you want to go outside, be sure to tell the guide, and don't go too far."
Madam Fu said, "Don't worry, we won't go out."
Tang Mingli was completely relieved. She went back to her room, took a shower, changed into loose clothes, and sprawled out on the bed.
Fortunately, the musty smell wasn't coming from the bedding, so it seems the staff were aware of it. It's probably because the hotel's decor is quite old—the floors, tables, and chairs are all very old—and the windows are rarely opened, which is why there's a musty smell.
Fu's mother hadn't originally planned to take a bath, but seeing how comfortable her daughter-in-law looked after her bath, she changed her mind and took a change of clothes into the bathroom.
Sure enough, I felt much better after taking a hot shower.
I came out of the bathroom, ready to share my thoughts with my daughter-in-law, only to find that she had already fallen asleep.
Fu's mother subconsciously moved quietly, helped Tang Mingli cover herself with the quilt, and then got into her own bed and lay down.
Although the hotel bed is not as good as the one at home, it's still a decent place to sleep.
Mingli was right to ask for more money to upgrade her accommodation and meals; some things just have to be spent.
Fu's mother was also tired, and she fell asleep not long after lying down.
The situation is similar for Old Master Fu and Old Madam Fu.
None of the four people who went out to play thought of calling home.
Kui Fuci had also told Aunt Guihua not to go out in the afternoon and to stay home and watch the phone. However, when he returned in the evening and asked her about it, he found out that she hadn't received a call from Mingli and the others.
Fu Ci was unwilling to give up and sat on the living room sofa for a long time, until it was well past his wife's usual bedtime, before he had to give up and gave a bitter smile.
I am a little worried, but I still believe they are safe.
He had previously learned that this hotel was a state-owned enterprise that the city was paying close attention to this year, and the selection and arrangement of travel routes would definitely be handled with utmost care.
Moreover, he knew about Goose City; it was a very comfortable and livable small city with excellent public security.
Knowing his wife as he does, he was probably too tired from a day's journey and forgot about it.
It's okay, it's understandable, he doesn't blame her.
Really, he doesn't blame her at all.
Fu Ci tugged at his collar, feeling that it was really hot that day.
I'll go upstairs and take a shower to calm down.
-
The second day of the trip.
At 7:30 a.m., the guide knocked on each door to wake everyone up.
"Breakfast is at 8:00 AM in the restaurant on the first floor. Don't be late! After breakfast, we'll go boating on the lake."
Tang Mingli, who had just sat up in bed at eight o'clock for breakfast, lay down again feeling weak.
Given how fast she washes up, she could easily get up at 7:45.
Fu's mother had already changed her clothes. When she saw her daughter-in-law collapse again, she was worried that she would skip breakfast because she was too sleepy, so she quickly went over to call her.
"Mingli, wake up."
Based on Fu's mother's understanding of her daughter-in-law, if she skips breakfast, the union might very well grit its teeth and give up the morning's activities.
Thinking about this possibility, Fu's mother felt both helpless and amused.
Hearing her mother-in-law's call, Tang Mingli resigned herself to her fate and sat up in bed again.
"I'll go wash up right away."
When she had time, she would naturally take her time to wash up.
After washing her face, she looked at herself in the mirror and wondered why she looked so much more haggard in just one day.
Going out is tiring, even when you're just out having fun.
She left the bathroom satisfied after applying moisturizer to her pretty face.
I glanced at the time; it had only taken twenty minutes.
As expected, their usual training was effective; they couldn't take it slow.
With ten minutes to spare, Tang Mingli was about to go next door to check on her grandparents when her eyes glanced at the telephone on the bedside table between the two beds.
Telephone?
Telephone!
She then remembered what she had forgotten and looked up at her mother-in-law.
"Mom, didn't you even think to call home yesterday to let us know you were safe?"
"Oh, I forgot." Fu's mother only remembered after hearing Tang Mingli's words and didn't know what to do.
"It's alright, it's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost."
Tang Mingli picked up the phone and dialed the front desk.
Making a phone call from the hotel at this time is quite troublesome, as you have to go through the front desk to transfer the call.
After finally getting the call transferred, it rang for a long time but no one answered.
Tang Mingli put down the microphone, somewhat puzzled.
At this time, Aunt Guihua might not have returned from grocery shopping yet, but Fu Ci should still be at home.
Were you sleeping too soundly? Or did you go out very early this morning?
It's impossible for her to sleep too soundly; Fu Ci isn't that kind of person, she is.
That means leaving home very early in the morning.
It's so hard, but it's all worth it to earn money to support my family.
Although the call didn't go through, Tang Mingli felt much more at ease and told her mother, "No one answered, let's call again when we get back tonight."
Afraid that she would forget again, she reminded her mother-in-law to remind her when the time came.
Mrs. Fu nodded, "I won't forget again."
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