Tie Nan was right. A distance of 30 kilometers wasn't really that scary for a gasoline-powered motorcycle. So when I brought Ye Zhi to Cheng Ge and Li Jie's farmhouse, it felt like it had happened in the blink of an eye after leaving the airport. Perhaps this was the effect of relativity; the reason I didn't perceive the passage of time was because the person sitting on the back of the motorcycle was Ye Zhi!
I'm not one to shy away from strangers, so even though it was only my second time here, I acted like a regular. After offering Brother Cheng a cigarette, I started chatting with him. I said to him, "Brother Cheng, I really think your cooking is top-notch! Look, our inn is close to your farmhouse, so why don't you collaborate with us in the future and become our inn's private kitchen? We don't need to take a single penny of your commission, as long as you mention us as one of our specialties when I promote our inn."
"No problem... I'm just worried that your inn is so popular that our little kitchen won't be able to keep up!"
I replied in a Taiwanese accent, "Relax, relax, we only have ten rooms, which is a perfect match for your small kitchen."
Cheng smiled, and I turned to Ye Zhi, who had been standing idly by without saying a word, and said, "I heard from your friend that you are a hotel investor, so I would like to ask you for some advice on our inn."
"Hotels and guesthouses are completely different business models. We mainly target high-end group clients, while you are small individual clients, so my advice may not be of reference value to you."
Ye Zhi's answer surprised me a bit, because subconsciously I expected her to give me some very useful advice as an industry elite, but she seemed somewhat resistant. She seemed very unwilling to participate in the discussion about my opening a guesthouse.
After thinking about it, I felt relieved. Her personality was a bit cold, and since she ran a high-end hotel that was several levels above ours, she naturally wouldn't be interested in discussing a small business like ours.
I didn't force her; I was still basking in the joy of the upcoming collaboration with Brother Cheng. I felt his private kitchen was truly unique, and if it could be offered exclusively to our inn, it would definitely become a major highlight for our guests.
...
About half an hour later, Tie Nan finally arrived at the farmhouse with Tao Zi. At the same time, I called Coach Ma, Bai Lu, and Yang Sisi to tell them to come and have dinner there as well.
As the food was almost ready, everyone sat down around the long table, and I took the opportunity to formally introduce Peach to them. Everyone raised their beers to her in welcome.
Peach downed a large glass of beer with gusto, then said to us, "I really envy you all for having the opportunity to live in a place like Dali... Before coming here, I kept imagining what kind of charm Dali has, and why it's a place so many people dream of visiting... Actually, I've only been here for half a day, so I can't possibly find the answers in such a short time. But seeing you free spirits, able to openly let go of some things and choose to live here, I have a deep admiration for you all... So, I especially want to drink with you all tonight until we're all drunk!"
Everyone raised their glasses to Taozi again, and after drinking another beer, Yang Sisi, who always loved to express her opinions, said to Taozi, "Sister Taozi, some decisions aren't as difficult as you imagine... Take Cheng Ge and Sister Li, who cook for us, for example. One of them was a Michelin-starred chef, and the other was a senior architect... Pretty prestigious jobs, right? But for the city they love, they resolutely gave up their former glory... I bet they're incredibly grateful for the choice they made back then, because I can feel how happy they are living in Dali... Look how beautifully they've made the courtyard! Think about it, without a fulfilling inner life, how could they have the leisure to create such a meticulously crafted courtyard?!"
I've always admired Yang Sisi's eloquence. What she said was exactly what I wanted to say to Taozi, but I didn't know how to express it. Taozi, somewhat moved, looked at Cheng Ge and Sister Li, who were cooking in the kitchen.
At this moment, Tie Nan pressed on and said to Tao Zi, "In Dali, you won't be very rich, but you won't starve either... If you really yearn for Dali, you can choose to stay. You can help out at Bai Lu's bar, or you can stay and help out at our inn."
Peach hesitated for only a moment, then said firmly, "No, I still can't give up my current job!"
Yang Sisi asked with a hint of doubt, "Sister Taozi, did you have a high salary in your previous job?"
Peach hesitated for a moment before replying, "It's alright... I just have an ordinary job, barely enough to support myself."
"Then what can't you give up? It's not like I haven't lived in Shanghai before. Especially for outsiders like you, just a house can make you feel hopeless... But it's different in Dali. Even if you rent a house your whole life, no one will laugh at you."
Taozi just smiled but didn't respond to Yang Sisi's words. Among everyone present, I was probably the only one who could understand her thoughts. Unlike the lonely Wang Lei, she had a family to support. Although her current job was not respectable, it was indeed a high-income job...
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