Pushing our motorcycles, Ye Zhi and I walked side by side along the lakeside road... Although it was deserted, Erhai Lake was still beautiful at night. Dali doesn't really have a winter, so the marguerites bloomed brightly on the shore...
When Ye Zhi bent down to look at the flowers, I realized why she chose to walk – because she didn't want to miss these flowers that would present a different kind of beauty at night.
I just stood there watching her, and she turned to me and said, "To be honest, I think I prefer the nights in Dali. They're quiet, free, and more pleasant than the daytime..."
"That's right, I also love Dali when it's shrouded in the night... It gives people a sense of mystery, but this mystery is not scary at all. It's inclusive and gives people a sense of security... It's like the whole world is yours."
"Beauty lies in the details."
As Ye Zhi spoke, she took a picture of the large bunch of marguerites with her phone.
I smiled and said to her, "Do you know there's a guesthouse like this in Dali? ... All the decorations inside were collected by the owner while driving along the coast... In Dali, the line between stealing and picking up is actually very blurry."
What are you trying to say?
"If you like, then take these Margaret's."
"Where should we plant it?"
“Where I live is a balcony, but it’s very bare. If I planted all these flowers, it would be much more charming.”
Ye Zhi laughed and said, "Then go ahead and dig it up, consider it stolen."
"If you think this is theft, then I might as well drag you into the crime!"
As I spoke, I took the shovel I had just used to dig the soil off the motorcycle. The reason I hadn't returned it to the Bai man who was farming was because Ye Zhi had come, and I had forgotten about returning it.
The items definitely need to be returned, so I can take this opportunity to come back again tomorrow.
Honestly, when these ridiculous thoughts popped into my head, I completely forgot I was dealing with a lot of trouble... Maybe that's why I love the night and being with Ye Zhi. Although I still have to face tomorrow, at this moment, I'm especially enjoying this sudden moment of self-reflection.
I handed the shovel to Ye Zhi, and she took it. I then began to teach her how to dig without hurting the marguerites.
...
We weren't greedy, so we only dug up two bunches from the flowerbed. I took off my coat, wrapped them in it, and handed them to Ye Zhi.
Ye Zhi said, "You deliberately wrapped yourself in clothes because you felt guilty?"
"I was afraid of getting your clothes dirty... I already said, this is picking, not stealing... Didn't you see these flowers everywhere along Erhai Lake? They're practically ownerless, so how could it be considered stealing?"
"I think this is a greening project done by the 'government'."
I was taken aback for a moment, then insisted, "The country belongs to the people, so this is not stealing!"
Ye Zhi shook her head and smiled, and I smiled back at her. Then we walked together further along the coastal road.
...
In the old town, I chose a rather upscale restaurant. When ordering, I felt guilty because, even now, I still haven't figured out where I'm going to get the money to pay the bill.
I glanced at Ye Zhi, who was looking at the menu and reading out the names of the dishes to the waiter who was standing by.
Just then, my phone rang again. I simply handed over the task of ordering food to Ye Zhi, then left the table, found a relatively quiet corner, and answered the call from Tao Zi.
Taozi asked me with concern, "Are you at Jiulongju? Tienan and I will come over and talk to you later."
"I'm in the ancient city, having dinner with friends."
Who is it?
I hesitated for a moment before replying, "Ye Zhi."
Peach smiled and said, "It seems that Tie Nan and I worried for nothing!"
“You shouldn’t have bothered with this in the first place… This is a dead end. Not to mention you outsiders, even I myself have no confidence in solving it.”
"Isn't Ye Zhi involved? She's invested in such a huge project in Dali... She must have a lot of connections. I believe there are influential figures in her circle. If you ask her for help and find a reliable person to step in, Cao Jinbo won't dare to refuse... To be honest, Cao Jinbo is just a self-taught individual. He'll still be wary of a large conglomerate like Ye Zhi that has good ties with the government."
"That's a good idea. I'll talk to Ye Zhi about it later."
When I said that on purpose, Peach suddenly fell silent.
I smiled and said, "Don't you also feel awkward? ... When I encounter trouble, I have to rely on women to solve it, but I don't have any ability to cope myself."
"She is a woman, that's true, but she's also your friend... When you're out in the world, what you rely on is your friends!"
"How are we going to repay such a huge favor?"
After another moment of silence, Peach replied, "If there's such a big distance between you and her, then just pretend I didn't mention it... I understand you, this is indeed quite difficult for you!"
"Yes... I'm really afraid of owing people, especially women. It's even more painful than losing money in business!"
Peach sighed, "When you learn to be at peace with yourself, things won't be so difficult for you now... Some people, once they encounter difficulties, are afraid of not being able to find friends to help them, but you're different!"
I chuckled and said, "If that's the case, then I really need your help... Please transfer me 1,000 yuan via WeChat right away, I need it urgently."
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