As night fell, Jiulongju, now with 20 temporary guesthouses open to the public, was no longer as deserted as usual. Some guests were cooking, some were playing cards, and some were chatting on the balcony...
This is the breath of life, and the beginning of success... But sitting on the steps at the door, I felt inexplicably empty, and suddenly a dry, strange feeling stirred within me, making me feel very uncomfortable.
I pulled out a cigarette and lit it. I looked up at the sky. The moon was full and the light was just right. My gaze pierced through the darkness and saw the clouds drifting in the sky with the wind. It was a feeling of freedom, but I couldn't open myself up.
Half a day has passed, and I still haven't convinced myself to send Ye Zhi a message to discuss visiting her in the small town after the New Year... I always feel something is wrong, but I can't quite put my finger on why.
So, I froze for a while.
...
My phone vibrated. I took it out and saw a message from the woman who had taken Lu Jia's number: "My friend and I are leaving for Dali tomorrow by train. Are you sure you want to reserve a house for us?"
"Yes, but why are you taking the train? There are direct flights from Shanghai to Dali, which is quite convenient."
"We'd like to spend two days in Fenghuang Ancient Town, Hunan."
“If you haven’t booked a room in Phoenix in advance, I suggest you don’t stop there.”
"What, are you so eager to meet us?"
"Look at this joke you're making. If there's any curiosity between us, then bringing your friend into this just doesn't make sense..."
"Don't all men like beautiful women? My friend is one, what's illogical about that?"
I replied stubbornly, "I didn't know she was a beauty before I suggested it to you... To be honest, Fenghuang is just as popular as Dali, and accommodations in Dali are already very tight. I was worried that you wouldn't have a place to stay when you got there."
"I booked the room in advance."
"Then just pretend I didn't say anything before, and be careful on the road."
"Why does your writing look a bit serious? Does it mean you're angry?... You're a guy, do you get angry so easily?... Haha."
"I'm really in a bad mood, but do I have to be angry with you?"
"Feeling down! ...Did reality hit you again?"
"I was hit once before, but the problem has been resolved... I'm having some emotional troubles, and I don't know how to explain it."
The other person replied quickly: "So you have a girlfriend?"
"No...it's because my family is pressuring me."
"Hehe... This kind of thing is not worth making a fuss about; you can't see Shanghai, the streets are full of older singles, who doesn't have this kind of pressure? I think late marriage and late childbirth are already the norm in this society... So, there is really no need to worry about something that is normal."
"If I remember correctly, this seems to be the first time you've seriously given me advice."
"I'm trying to comfort you, but actually I'm also trying to comfort myself... But, what exactly is marriage?"
I thought about it for a moment, then replied, "I think getting married means entering a new world."
Whether this new world is good or bad is actually very unknown, isn't it?
"Right, but I think people who know how to manage their marriages should be doing well."
"What about those who don't know how to manage a relationship? Or those who didn't get married because of love?... I have a friend who got married young. We were chatting the other day, and she said that if there were a 'regret pill' in this world, she would definitely not get married so early. Even if that 'regret pill' was a pile of dog poop, she would take it without hesitation."
"To say something like that, how badly has she been tormented by her marriage?!"
"There's no way around it, the person you marry isn't someone you love... the longer it goes on, the more tormented it becomes."
"As bystanders, we should learn from this lesson and reflect on it."
"Hmm... But how many people in this world are truly compatible? ... If you are lucky enough to meet your true love, you should cherish it."
Her words touched me deeply, but I didn't reply to her message. After putting my phone aside, I fell into a new round of contemplation, reflecting on my life over the years.
Is there really no perfect balance between material possessions and love in this world? And am I a victim of this imbalance?
...
At 10 o'clock, I ordered takeout. Not long after I finished eating, I received a call from Sun Jiwei. After answering, he said to me, "Brother, Luo Zhuming is keeping a close eye on things. I'm really ashamed that I couldn't help you this time!"
I laughed and said, "I was just about to call you when I had some free time... I've resolved things here, and guests are starting to check in, things are going very well."
"How was it resolved?"
“It was Cao Jinbo’s son who delivered the keys… I know his son privately, but I don’t understand this matter right now, so I won’t explain it to you in detail.”
Sun Jiwei asked with concern, "Is there anything fishy going on here?"
"I don't think so. This matter was handled by his son and me. Based on my understanding of his son... he's a fairly upright person."
"Yes, but we still need to be cautious... By the way, there's something I need to tell you. Recently, the higher-ups might require relevant departments to conduct a joint enforcement operation to investigate the irregularities in the hotel industry during the Spring Festival... Seaview inns are a key target, as are some unlicensed inns in the old town... Your place is temporary, so it's relatively safer, but you have a lot of rooms, and if they really find you, it won't be easy to explain... So, I suggest you register with the industry and commerce department to ensure everything is in order."
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