"She went out..."
"Did they go to the inn?"
"have no idea."
"Alright, I'll go check out the inn."
...
When we arrived at the inn, Taozi was mixing drinks for a few guests. I handed her breakfast and noticed her eyes were red-rimmed; she'd probably been crying after arguing with Tienan. Although she wasn't the type to cry in front of men, she still shed tears in private. After all, she was just a woman; how strong could she really be?
I said softly to her, "Eat your breakfast first, and then we can chat for a bit."
Peach responded, and I gestured for her to wait for me by Erhai Lake in front of the inn before leaving the inn.
...
Around midday, I sat alone by Erhai Lake. The weather in Dali has been lovely lately; the blue sky reflected in Erhai Lake, turning it a pure blue. This is also a result of environmental remediation efforts; the water is indeed much cleaner than when I first arrived, with virtually no floating debris. Villagers collecting dead branches along the shore added a touch of pastoral charm to the view.
Putting aside the darker side of human nature, this place is incredibly relaxing!
After sitting there for a while, I received a WeChat message from Ye Zhi: "I'm back in Shanghai. I wish you all the best."
My heart sank for no reason. I lit a cigarette while facing the shimmering Erhai Lake, and after a moment I replied, "Didn't you say it would be in the next couple of days? Why are you leaving today?"
"I've taken care of everything. It doesn't matter whether I leave a day earlier or a day later."
"Let's stay until tomorrow. I'll treat you to a farewell dinner; one more day won't make a difference."
"Next time."
"There might not be a next time."
This time, Ye Zhi waited a moment before replying to the message: "When I heard you say it was a farewell dinner, I lost my appetite because I don't like bringing a sense of ritual into the process of eating."
"Then just grab something to eat."
She seemed to hesitate, and after a moment, I received a message: "Okay, let's have lunch together. I'm leaving this afternoon."
I felt a little better because I could still see him.
...
After my conversation with Ye Zhi, as if by fate, I received another call from Lao Mi. Actually, since I left Dali last time, he hadn't called me very often; he seemed to have chosen to show me his trust.
After I answered the call, he asked me, "What are you busy with?"
"Aside from the inn, I haven't been busy much."
"How's business at the inn lately?"
"Everything has been fine..."
At this point, I paused for a moment, hesitating whether to tell him about the transfer of the inn. Actually, there was nothing to hesitate about. After all, I could earn several hundred thousand yuan by transferring it, and I could also go back to the small mountain town to be with them. They would definitely think it was great news.
But when I thought of Ye Zhi, I swallowed back the words I was about to say. After all, in his heart, Ye Zhi and I were still dating. What would happen to Ye Zhi if I went back to this small mountain town?
He'll definitely have that question, and that'll be another problem for me.
While weighing the options, Lao Mi said to me again, "There's something I need to tell you... Tomorrow is your grandfather's 80th birthday. I know you live far away, so I won't ask you to come back... But the old man heard that you found a girlfriend in Dali, and he's overjoyed. He insists on video chatting with you and Xiao Ye for a while... If it's convenient, please invite Xiao Ye out to chat with the old man for a bit, as a birthday present for him."
I was terrified, but also relieved that I had the foresight to ask Ye Zhi to stay for a meal. If I hadn't done that, things would have been much more complicated!
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