This was meant well, but I really can't go back to Shanghai, because my heart has died there along with Wang Lei's.
The atmosphere was a bit heavy. Whether Yang Sisi did it intentionally or unintentionally, she changed the subject and asked Ye Zhi, "Sister, did Brother Cheng also design this courtyard?"
"It's Sister Li. Sister Li used to be an architectural designer."
"Wow, that's impressive. No wonder so many friends say Dali is a place where hidden talents abound. You can meet so many amazing people just by having a meal there. But why did they give up such good jobs to come to Dali? And what about their children? Don't they need to worry about them?"
Ye Zhi tidied her wind-blown hair and replied softly, "I haven't inquired about it, and they haven't talked to me about it either."
Do they enjoy life in Dali?
As soon as Yang Sisi finished speaking, I subconsciously glanced at Sister Li and Brother Cheng, who were busy in the kitchen. This time, however, my keen senses failed me. From the moment I arrived, I could only sense their warmth and hospitality; whether they were truly happy, I couldn't discern. But they were like a mirror reflected in front of me. If they could live well in Dali after abandoning everything, why couldn't I?
Conversely, it would also affect my confidence. Because I know nothing about Dali, the only people I can refer to are like Brother Cheng and Sister Li, who are similar to me.
Just as Ye Zhi was about to answer Yang Sisi, Sister Li brought up a plate of matsutake mushrooms from downstairs, abruptly ending the conversation. Thus, whether she and Cheng were merely making do or genuinely enjoying their relationship remained a mystery.
...
As dinner began, Brother Cheng solemnly opened a glass of champagne and said to us, "Thank you all for coming to my and Sister Li's private restaurant. All the dishes today were bought from the Xiaguan market this morning, they are very fresh. I just don't know if they will suit your taste, so please try them first."
The three of us picked up our chopsticks together. Cheng Ge's cooking skills were truly top-notch. In all my years in Shanghai, I've never had such delicious Western and Taiwanese food. I suppose Ye Zhi had thought things through before inviting us to dinner, which is why she brought us here.
If fairness is the ultimate goal in interpersonal relationships, then I think this meal is enough for her to repay my small debt of gratitude.
Cheng Ge praised Yang Sisi and Ye Zhi's beauty, then asked me, "Would you like some more Dali specialty beer: 'Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon'?"
I was a little confused: "Romance and romance?"
"That's right, Dali has two towns, Shangguan and Xiaguan, and the most famous Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake. These four places each have their own unique characteristics, hence the saying 'Xiaguan wind, Shangguan flowers, Cangshan snow, Erhai moon.' Many outsiders compare Dali to 'wind, flowers, snow, and moon,' which I think is quite fitting. However, to truly experience what that atmosphere is like, you have to go and experience it for yourself!"
I watched as Cheng Ge nodded, took a jar of "Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon" from her hand, and inexplicably felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. Gradually, I felt as if I had transformed into a wisp of smoke, clinging to every possible scenario that "Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon" might present, with an intense longing.
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