When we arrived at the inn, Taozi was running both the bar and the inn by herself, but Yang Sisi was nowhere to be seen. I asked her, "Why are you the only one at the inn? Where is Yang Sisi?"
"She went out early this morning, I don't know what she's busy with... Why don't you give her a call and ask if she's coming back for lunch?"
"Let me ask."
As I spoke, I picked up my phone and dialed Yang Sisi's number. After she answered, I asked her, "Where are you?"
"Wandering around."
"Are you coming back for dinner?"
"You guys eat, I'm not going back today."
"What do you mean? You're not coming back tonight either?"
"That's possible."
"I don't object to you going out to play... but please don't stay out all night, okay?"
Are you showing concern for me, or are you lecturing me?
"I'll teach you a lesson."
"You're not my parents, what right do you have to lecture me?"
"I am your boss."
"Aren't you tired of this? You keep saying you're my boss... Let me tell you, this time when I came back, I never thought about getting paid by the inn again, nor did I consider myself an employee of the inn. So don't mention the boss to me anymore, I've already fired you."
"Damn, they've really swindled some money from their family, and now they're talking tough!"
"Yes, I don't need to be subservient to you anymore."
"When have you ever been subservient to me?"
"From the day you started calling yourself the boss in front of me..."
"Your skills in persecuting people have really improved!"
"Alright, alright... I don't have time to waste with your nonsense, I'm hanging up."
"Remember to come back tonight."
Yang Sisi completely ignored me and hung up the phone decisively. I was annoyed for a while before asking Taozi, "Where's Coach Ma? Why isn't he at the inn?"
"A friend of mine is getting married today, and Coach Ma is going to be a guest performer."
"No wonder the inn is so deserted... Where's Tie Nan?"
"Oh, he went to Xiaguan to pick up some goods. Business has been good at our bar these past few days, and we're out of stock of several kinds of imported liquor!"
"Give him a call and ask him when he's coming back."
"Do you need to see him?"
"Nothing much, just wanted to grab a couple of drinks with someone. I'm pretty free today."
Taozi nodded, then called Tie Nan, only to learn that Tie Nan had been kept in Xiaguan for lunch by the liquor store owner, so he wouldn't be there at noon today.
Feeling incredibly bored, I grabbed a beer and sat down by the window at the bar. After waiting for about half an hour, Peach brought over the food and then brought me a beer to drink with her.
Although it's boring, I think this is the kind of life we should live in Dali. We can experience many new things because we're bored, which is a completely different feeling from being forced to study by life.
The sunlight was a bit dazzling, but I still stared at the boat drifting on Erhai Lake for a while before picking up a beer can and gesturing for Peach to have one.
After Peach and I touched hands, she opened the window a little wider, and a cool breeze blew in, stirring the white curtains and bringing a refreshing feeling.
Peach closed her eyes, enjoying this rare moment of relaxation, and then said to me with a sigh, "Sometimes I think it would be nice to just stay in Dali doing nothing for the rest of my life. I especially like when I'm free, sitting right here, having a drink, reading a few books, without worrying about how time slips away. Sometimes when I think back to the days I spent making money in nightclubs, I feel like it was another version of myself experiencing it, and it has nothing to do with who I am now."
I nodded, and replied with some emotion, "If I could find the right way of life in Dali, I could live so easily every day!"
“This must be what Leilei is looking forward to…” After a slight pause, Taozi laughed again, “Hehe… Who wouldn’t want to live such a life… at the foot of Cangshan Mountain, by Erhai Lake, in an inn, with a dog, a book, a cup of coffee, and choosing someone you love to grow old with!”
"You have achieved it."
"Yes...at least it happened once. One shouldn't be too greedy."
As Taozi spoke, she looked around the inn again, a hint of reluctance appearing on her face. At that moment, we all knew in our hearts that we would eventually have to say goodbye to this inn, but regrettably, we had fallen deeply in love with the lifestyle this inn offered us.
I followed Taozi's gaze and discovered that more than half of the flowers Coach Ma had planted in the yard were still in bloom, even though it was already the dead of winter. Looking at the thin coat I was wearing, I realized that Dali is a city without winter...
...
After dinner, Peach tidied up a bit, and then I brought out my laptop and organized some of the photos I had taken recently. I then posted a long Weibo post documenting the inn's history from its opening to the present.
Some fans said that after seeing the Weibo post with pictures and text, they wanted to visit our inn even more and enthusiastically reposted it. In half a day, the Weibo account gained over 20 new followers thanks to everyone's reposts. Although it's not a lot, I felt satisfied. Because everyone who follows our inn on Weibo shares the same sentiments as us; truly, being able to talk about our pursuits and interests with like-minded people is the real enjoyment in life.
As dusk fell, I chatted with a few guests who had just checked into the inn for a while. I offered them a pot of tea free of charge, and they were very grateful for my hospitality. Their gratitude gave me a sense of self-satisfaction; however, I preferred listening to the stories they had brought from afar…
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