Chapter 11. Beidao is located four hundred kilometers east of Lincheng...
Beidao is located 400 kilometers east of Lincheng.
After getting off the high-speed train, Zhu Xu followed the signs to the basement level to hail a taxi. He told the driver the name of the hotel and they drove there.
When Zhu Xu was 15 years old, he visited Beidao with Zhu Zhen and Shen Jun.
The buildings outside the window flashed by, but she had no recollection of them. She only vaguely remembered taking a boat to an island where there was a small temple with high and thick walls, covered with bright red hawthorn berries.
The driver was a kind-hearted man who recommended local delicacies and off-the-beaten-path tourist attractions along the way, helping Zhu Xu fill his seven days with activities.
The car drove into the parking lot, made two turns, and passed through a long tree-lined road before arriving at the front of the hotel.
The driver sighed, "Wow, that's impressive. How much investment must have gone into such a large area? This world is so unfair. The rich live such comfortable lives, while we little people can only envy them."
Zhu Xu scanned the code to pay and said with a smile, "Small people have their own kind of happiness. On the contrary, the more money you have, the less freedom you have. When you open your eyes, all you see are debts and company operations. Sleeping in is a luxury. Don't you think so?"
This made the driver chuckle: "Yes, yes, you're right, young lady. We should be content with what we have. Rich people aren't necessarily happy. What's that saying?" The driver nodded his forehead: "Working like a dog, exhausted like a dog."
He finished speaking and burst into laughter, looking rather cute.
Zhu Xu smiled and prepared to get out of the car: "Thank you."
"Wait a minute, young lady." The driver called out to Zhu Xu, "I'll write down a number for you. If it's hard to get a taxi here, just call me and I'll come pick you up. I promise I won't take any detours and I'll give you a discount."
Zhu Xu added the other party on WeChat directly.
A waiter came to take the luggage, and Zhu Xu followed him into the lobby.
The hotel is designed in the style of a European castle, with the lobby alone being extremely luxurious and elegant, featuring a brightly colored dome and murals, and sparkling crystal chandeliers.
The complex is divided into two buildings, A and B, connected by a small commercial area.
After taking his room key, Zhu Xu followed the waiter onto the electric cart. Although it was indoors, a gentle breeze still greeted him.
Zhu Xu sighed and looked up. The dome along the way was exquisitely carved, and the sides were divided by Roman columns and arcades, with various shops nestled among them.
It's about a three-minute drive. Before getting out of the car, the waiter said, "Block B mainly consists of fairytale rooms and family rooms, so it's relatively lively. If we disturb you in any way, please contact us. The restaurant is in Block A. You can call for a shuttle bus tomorrow morning, or you can walk there and browse around."
Zhu Xu thanked him, took the elevator to the fourth floor, swiped his card to enter, and paused for a moment.
The room has a nautical theme, with ocean tones as the main color. The bed is shaped like a ship, and there is a children's slide and swing. Apart from that, the room is bright and spacious, with a view of the sea through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Zhu Xu put down his suitcase, opened the door to the balcony, which was right next to the road, leading directly to the beach. It turned out that the north entrance he had just used was actually the front of the hotel.
After enjoying the sea breeze for a while and resting for a bit, she changed into a thicker coat before going out.
Walking to Building A, the shops along the way are mostly Western restaurants, cafes, and tea rooms, as well as two or three women's clothing stores and lingerie shops. Further ahead is a small bar, which is not yet open and is empty, but the decoration and layout show careful attention to detail, and it will surely have a great atmosphere when night falls.
Zhu Xu saw an unrented shop at the corner. Through the glass window, he could see the door facing the sea. It looked to be about 30 square meters, not very big, but it was well-lit.
She lingered for a moment before continuing towards Building A.
Arriving at the front desk: "Excuse me..."
"Miss Zhu?"
The sound came from behind.
Zhu Xu paused for a moment, unsure if the voice was calling her, thinking the chances of running into an acquaintance in a strange city were slim.
But as he hesitated and turned his head, the person had already walked up to him.
He was wearing a black jacket and jeans, had dark skin, a buzz cut, and a face that clearly didn't look like someone to mess with, but he liked to show eight teeth when he smiled.
"I knew I wasn't mistaken, it really is you." He smiled.
Zhu Xu was momentarily at a loss for words when addressing the other person: "You..."
He reminded him, "We've seen this before, changing tires? Clay pot restaurant?"
"I remember." Zhu Xu turned around completely and looked at him, saying, "I've only met him a few times, but I still don't know how to address him."
"Zheng Zhi. The 'Zhi' in 'Yu the Great controlled the floods'."
Zhu Xu smiled and said, "Hello."
Zheng Zhi rested one hand on the counter: "Are you here for tourism? Alone?"
"Yes," she replied.
“North Island is a great place. Even though it’s winter now, quite a few people come to see the sea. New Year’s Day is coming in a few days, so it will probably be even more lively.” He pointed to the door: “There’s a seaside park just a hundred meters away. I went there for a walk yesterday, and it’s really nice.”
Zhu Xu said, "I'm also planning to go and take a look."
Zheng Zhi realized the topic had gone off track, so he straightened up and said, "President He is here too. I'm waiting for him to go out on business."
Are you here on a business trip?
"Yes." As he spoke, his eyes kept scanning the elevator entrance. "I've been here for over two months."
Zhu Xu nodded, thinking that he hadn't returned to Lincheng since their meeting at the hospital.
Not knowing what else to talk about, in the silence, I vaguely heard the elevator "ding" behind me, followed by some chaotic and overlapping footsteps.
She subconsciously turned around and saw several men in suits walking out of the elevator. There were two men in the lead, one older and the other He Yanzhou.
Zhu Xu's breathing hitched slightly; he was actually a little nervous because of his unexpected encounter with him.
The hotel lobby was quite spacious, and the elevator was diagonally opposite the counter. With pedestrians coming and going, Zhu Xu, standing in a small corner, would not have been noticed.
But the person next to her suddenly said seriously, "Miss Zhu, let's talk again."
Before Zhu Xu could respond, he had already jogged towards the door, the slightest movement enough to attract attention.
So when she turned her head again, she met He Yanzhou's gaze.
In contrast, he didn't seem surprised to meet her in a foreign land. His cold expression softened slightly. He stared at her for two seconds before turning his gaze away and passing by her without lingering.
Zhu Xu then withdrew his gaze, asked the front desk for some information, and left the hotel.
A cold wind suddenly swept over, causing people to instinctively hunch their shoulders.
The sky and sea were a cool blue, the waves were surging, and a few seagulls circled back and forth, making empty cries.
Zhu Xu lit a cigarette with his back to the wind and slowly walked eastward along the coastline. After about ten minutes, he saw the seaside park that Zheng Zhi had mentioned.
This is a harbor where the wind has died down and the waves have stopped. The sunlight feels much warmer on my skin than before.
Zhu Xu loosened his scarf and tidied his wind-blown hair. He wanted to take out his phone to check the time, but the screen showed that he had received a message from He Yanzhou five minutes ago.
He asked: When did you arrive?
Zhu Xu typed a reply: Just arrived this morning.
He Yanzhou: How many days do you plan to stay?
Zhu Xu found a bench and sat down: about seven days.
He Yanzhou: Shall we have dinner together later?
Zhu Xu: Okay.
After thinking for a moment, Zhu Xu said again: "Whatever is convenient for you, I can do it."
I sent it over and scrolled up casually. The last time we talked was more than two months ago, and we haven't been in contact since.
Zhu Xu put away his phone, took out some cookies and a can of coffee from his backpack, and started eating them slowly.
He Yanzhou's reply came half an hour later, consisting of only one word: "Okay".
He Yanzhou did not contact her that night.
Zhu Xu returned to the hotel early, took a hot shower, and lay on the bed looking up some information on his phone. After a while, he started to feel sleepy.
She turned off the screen and pulled the blanket over herself from behind.
Surprisingly, in this unfamiliar environment, I slept exceptionally soundly that night.
The weather improved the next day.
The sky was a clear, deep blue, and the sea surface, glistening with light, looked as if it had been sprinkled with shimmering gold.
Zhu Xu went to Building A for breakfast and saw He Yanzhou again when he went to get milk.
He sat in a corner behind a Roman column, dressed in a formal suit despite it being early. Three other men at the table were similarly dressed. He ate a bowl of noodles slowly and deliberately, occasionally turning his head to whisper with the person next to him.
The restaurant was very large and noisy.
He didn't notice her.
Zhu Xu quietly returned, quickly finished his meal, and prepared to go for a walk.
Standing in front of the hotel, unsure of where to go, she suddenly remembered Mr. Zhao, the driver who had brought her there the day before, and called him to ask if he had time.
Mr. Zhao readily agreed, saying he happened to be nearby, and picked her up in less than fifteen minutes.
"Young lady, where would you like to go?"
"Please show me around this area."
Mr. Zhao drove very slowly. The weather was nice today, and there were many tourists. Both sides of the coastal road were lined with people riding shared bicycles. There are many attractions here, so riding a bike allows you to stop and explore at your convenience, which is much more convenient than taking other modes of transportation.
Zhu Xu looked out the car window: "Logically speaking, it's the off-season now, so why are there still so many tourists?"
Master Zhao said, "These days, young people don't care about peak or off-peak seasons when they go out to play. They just go whenever they want and enjoy life on their own." He honked his horn and gestured for the people in front to ride their bikes on the side road: "Don't underestimate the winter in our North Island. You just missed the snow. Everything is vast and desolate, and the snow falls into the sea. It's breathtaking. What's that popular word now... a sense of desolation and loneliness. That's what young people are looking for."
Zhu Xu chuckled: "You know a lot."
Master Zhao snorted smugly and pointed to the beach to the side: "This location is similar to the one near your hotel, both are classic tourist hotspots. And over there, there's a glass walkway built along the cliff."
Master Zhao led Zhu Xu on a tour of the coastal area, and then headed towards the city center. There were many old-style buildings nearby, not very tall buildings, the roads were clean and wide, and the small shops along the streets were quite charming.
Zhu Xu gave the address of a wholesale market and asked Mr. Zhao to take her there.
It was noon when she got back, and she treated us to a bowl of noodles at a well-established local restaurant.
After the meal, she returned to the hotel alone via the long street behind the hotel.
Passing by a tattoo parlor, the side of the entrance features a huge white mask relief with exaggerated cheekbones and a nose, narrow, empty eyes, and a contemptuous smile.
Zhu Xu stopped, feeling a strange attraction to this dish.
A moment later, she opened the door of the tattoo parlor and saw only a young girl sitting at a table drawing line art.
The other person looked up at the sound of the voice: "A tattoo?"
"Yes," Zhu Xu replied.
"Wait a moment, there are still two strokes to go."
The girl had long, flowing hair, wore heavy makeup, a white short-sleeved T-shirt and jeans, and had a large phoenix tattoo on her side.
The moment he looked up, Zhu Xu felt he had seen her somewhere before.
Is this your first time getting a tattoo?
“…Yes.” Zhu Xu pulled himself back to reality.
Where to get the tattoo?
"arm."
The girl put down her pen, walked over, and wanted to see where she wanted to get the tattoo.
Zhu Xu took off his coat and wore a wide-necked knit sweater today. With a slight pull, his left shoulder was exposed.
The girl paused for a moment, then said, "To cover up the scar."
"Can you cover it up?" There were three cigarette burn scars on her left shoulder, Liang Haiyang's handiwork. She didn't care about them in general, but seeing them occasionally made her feel emotional.
"Sure." The girl quickly tied her hair into a low ponytail. "Do you have a design you like?"
"Can I offer a suggestion?"
The girl poured her a glass of warm water and led her to sit in front of the computer: "Want a pretty one or a fierce one?"
Zhu Xu asked curiously, "How fierce is 'fierce'?"
The girl opened a folder, clicked on the artwork, and explained, "Skull, Guan Gong, and a severed head. A severed head is a severed head with a dagger stuck in it, symbolizing cutting off the past and welcoming a new self, and also representing wealth and courage..."
The meaning is good, but the imagery is too graphic.
Seeing that Zhu Xu did not react, she exited and clicked into a folder of "erotic pictures". Inside, men and women were completely naked, and their actions were all kinds of strange.
Zhu Xu: “....”
Is it fierce enough?
"...Let's look at the beautiful ones instead."
The girl burst into laughter.
Opening other folders revealed flowers, butterflies, totems...
Seeing too much makes it even harder to make a decision.
Zhu Xu said, "Let's get a flower tattooed."
What flower?
Zhu Xu asked, "What kind of tattoos do you usually get?"
"Rose, peony, lotus, peony..."
She randomly picked one: "Peony, I'll go with that."
"Okay." The girl stood up. "You sit for a while, I'll go and start drafting."
Zhu Xu nodded.
Sunlight streamed in at an angle, casting the shadows of the diamond-patterned window frames onto the tabletop.
Zhu Xu slowly sipped her warm water, waiting quietly. During this time, He Yanzhou sent her a message, asking her to meet at 6 PM at a nearby Japanese restaurant.
She checked the time; there were still almost five hours left, so she agreed.
I put down my phone. The line drawing on the other end was also finished. It was hand-drawn by the girl; she didn't use any existing drawings on the computer.
She showed it to Zhu Xu, who immediately recognized it as a Snowfield Red Star. It bloomed vigorously and flamboyantly, bending its delicate stems. Its petals were a milky white with pink undertones, and its stamens were speckled with red.
There are many varieties of peonies, but the Snowfield Red Star happens to be Zhu Xu's favorite.
The girl explained, "The peony petals are layered and have complex lines, plus the deep color in the middle, which will have a good effect on covering scars."
Zhu Xu nodded: "This one will do."
Both of them have a decisive and efficient personality.
Once preparations are complete, cut the lines after the transfer.
Zhu Xu was sitting with her upper body slumped over the back of the chair. A fine, dense pain spread throughout her arm. Her fingertips trembled, and she was covered in sweat. Suddenly, she realized that it didn't really matter if her emotions fluctuated.
It's strange. She hadn't cried when Liang Haiyang hurt her so badly, but now she's acting all sentimental, her eyes welling up with tears over this little pain.
The girl coaxed her, "Be good, bear with it, the coloring will be better in a little while."
Zhu Xu couldn't help but laugh. What an adorable girl! She looked much younger than him, yet she comforted him in a tone that sounded like she was talking to a child.
Before anyone could reply, the welcome bell on the door rang. A curtain separated the tattoo room from the outside, so they could only know that someone had come in, but they couldn't see what the person looked like.
The girl continued working on her hands, asking loudly, "A tattoo?"
No one outside answered immediately.
After a moment, she picked up her pen: "Who is it?"
"Me." A slightly deep male voice.
The girl's face fell, and she muttered under her breath, "Why is he here?" She couldn't finish her work in a short time, and putting it down was not an option, nor was making the other person wait.
She looked at Zhu Xu, and said with difficulty, "You don't mind..."
Zhu Xu understood: "It's alright." She was wearing a backless dress underneath, and besides, she was wearing a coat, only revealing one arm, so there was nothing to cover up.
The girl said, "Come in, it's inside."
The person still didn't respond, but footsteps were heard approaching.
Zhu Xu pulled out a tissue to wipe his sweat. As he looked up and down, his eyes met those of the man who had entered through the curtain.
She was so surprised that she couldn't speak, and for a moment she exclaimed how pitifully small the world was.
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