Tourism Discussion
"How did you know before I even said anything?"
Lin Tingyue looked at the other person.
Chi Zhuo gently pinched her nose. "You searched on the home computer; the records are still there."
Lin Tingyue slapped her forehead, suddenly realizing. "Oh dear, I forgot about that. I'll delete it next time I'm done using it."
Chi Zhuo chuckled softly, fiddling with the blanket in his hands. "You have a plan?"
"Not yet, but there are a few places I really want to go."
Which places?
Lin Tingyue sat cross-legged on the sofa, tilted her head and leaned on Chi Zhuo's shoulder, her fingers gently swiping on the phone screen.
“Look,” she said, opening a favorites folder with several destinations neatly listed. “The first one is Qingshi Town, which is said to be a water town in Jiangnan, with small bridges, flowing water, covered boats, and old-fashioned blue-and-white printed fabric workshops. The photos look really charming.”
Chi Zhuo leaned closer to look. "Hmm, the scenery looks nice. It's alright."
"Well... this one counts, let's look at the next one."
She slid to the next one, "Look, this one, the Cangyun Ancient Road in the Northwest. They say you can see particularly spectacular Yardang landforms, and at sunset, the whole world turns golden."
The picture shows a vast Gobi Desert, with wind-eroded mounds of various shapes casting long shadows under the setting sun, creating a desolate yet magnificent scene.
Chi Zhuo picked up the water glass next to him, took a sip, and said slowly, "The scenery is undeniably beautiful."
"Really? I heard the starry sky was incredibly beautiful that day. I wonder if we'll be able to see it?"
“The starry sky is great,” Chi Zhuo nodded readily, then changed the subject, “provided you can stay up until midnight and aren’t afraid of the cold. The temperature difference between day and night is huge in the Gobi Desert, so you might have to wear a down jacket at night.”
Lin Tingyue: "...Then let's leave it as is. I don't want to torture myself like this."
She clicked on the third saved item, "This one! Qiwan, a small seaside town in the south. It looks so relaxing, with a long coastline, white sand beaches, and incredibly blue water. The key thing is, the travel guide says the seafood there is cheap and delicious!"
As she spoke, her eyes brightened, and she looked at Chi Zhuo with anticipation.
Chi Zhuo looked at the azure sea and the white sailboats dotting the water in the picture and nodded.
“This sounds good. The climate is warm, perfect for relaxation, and…” He paused deliberately, watching Lin Tingyue’s face tighten instantly, before slowly adding, “Someone won’t have to freeze, nor will they have to take on the difficult task of staying up all night to look at the stars.”
Lin Tingyue playfully punched him, "You're just going to keep harping on my weaknesses, aren't you!"
Although his tone was complaining, the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.
“However,” Chi Zhuo pondered, “Qiwan is quite popular this season, so there may be a lot of tourists.”
"Ah...it's no fun when it's crowded." Lin Tingyue's eyes, which had just brightened, dimmed slightly again, and her fingers continued to slide unconsciously. "Then let's look at something else..."
The remaining places in the bookmarks were either too remote and difficult to access, or required extensive hiking, so Chi Zhuo rejected them all.
Lin Tingyue grew increasingly frustrated as she looked at her phone. Finally, she tossed it onto the sofa cushion, slumped into the sofa, and complained in a drawn-out voice, "Ugh—why are all the places I want to go either too strenuous, too crowded, or not suitable for this time of year? Why is it so hard to find the perfect place!"
She turned to the side, looking at Chi Zhuo expectantly, "Chi Zhuo, don't you have anywhere you want to go? Give me some suggestions."
Chi Zhuo found her stubbornness both amusing and heartbreaking.
He reached out and pulled her up, letting her lean against him again, then picked up his tablet. "Relying solely on what you have and the few in your favorites isn't enough. Let's be more systematic and filter by criteria?"
"How do we select them?" Lin Tingyue asked curiously as she leaned closer.
"First, let's define our core needs." Chi Zhuo opened a note-taking app, created a new document with a serious expression, and titled it "Travel Plan."
"First, the scenery is beautiful and suitable for taking photos, which meets Lin Tingyue's aesthetic requirements."
Lin Tingyue nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes!"
"Secondly, the itinerary shouldn't be too strenuous; the intensity should be moderate, and it's best to focus on relaxation." He said, giving Lin Tingyue a meaningful look.
Lin Tingyue touched her nose and muttered softly, "I know, I know, I'm physically useless."
Chi Zhuo chuckled and continued typing, "Thirdly, the climate is pleasant this season, neither too hot nor too cold."
"Fourth, there are relatively fewer tourists, resulting in a better experience."
"Fifth," he stopped pointing and looked at her, "food is a must."
Lin Tingyue immediately raised both hands in agreement: "The fifth point is the soul!"
"Okay." Based on these criteria, Chi Zhuo began to filter through travel websites and travel guide platforms.
After a while, Chi Zhuo slowed down and his gaze settled on a page.
“Perhaps…we can consider this place.” He tilted the tablet slightly toward Lin Tingyue.
The screen shows a place called "Yunxi Ancient Town".
Unlike the previous destinations, the images don't have a strong visual impact; instead, they carry a hazy, ancient feel.
The bluestone road winds forward, flanked by white-walled and gray-tiled houses. A clear stream flows through the town, with several stone bridges connecting the two banks.
Women were washing clothes on the stone steps by the stream, and old men were sitting on the bridge drinking tea and playing chess. Wisps of smoke rose from behind the houses, exuding a peaceful and leisurely atmosphere.
“Yunxi Ancient Town…” Lin Tingyue murmured the name, zooming in on the picture to examine it closely. “It looks so peaceful and comfortable.”
“Well,” Chi Zhuo explained, “It’s not particularly famous. Its location is a bit remote, nestled in the mountains at the junction of several provinces, so it’s not very commercialized and retains a lot of its original ecology. Transportation is convenient now too. There’s a high-speed train to the city, and then you can take a bus directly to the entrance of the ancient town. As for the climate, it’s perfect in the mountains at this time of year—not too hot, not too cold. As for the food…” He clicked on the food section, which introduced local specialties such as glutinous rice cakes, bamboo shoots, stream fish, and homemade cured meat, which looked simple yet tempting.
As he spoke, Lin Tingyue mentally compared his points to her own, and they immediately clicked—it was exactly what she wanted!
Her eyes grew brighter and brighter, and finally she grabbed Chi Zhuo's arm. "This is good! This is the place! Chi Zhuo, you're amazing, how did you find it?"
Seeing her instantly brighten and become excited, Chi Zhuo couldn't help but smile as well. "Big data push, plus a bit of rational filtering. How about it, are you satisfied with this alternative?"
"Satisfied! Very satisfied!" Lin Tingyue nodded vigorously, snatched the tablet, and couldn't wait to start searching for more travelogues and guides about Yunxi Ancient Town. "Wow, look at this photo, the morning mist shrouds the ancient town, it's like a fairyland! And this, they say the rice wine here is especially delicious! You can also watch the stars in the courtyard of the inn at night without freezing!"
Chi Zhuo looked at her excited profile, his eyes softening. He pulled over the thin blanket he had been fiddling with and gently covered her legs. "The location is set, so the next step is to finalize the itinerary and make reservations. How many days do you plan to stay?"
Lin Tingyue looked up from the travel guide, thought for a moment, and said, "How about three or four days? Not too long, not too short, just enough time to experience it in depth without being too rushed."
"Okay," Chi Zhuo agreed. "Then I'll come and check out transportation and accommodation?"
"Mmm!" Lin Tingyue nodded vigorously, having no objection to this division of labor. "You take care of these things, and I'll continue to research where to take good photos, what must-try restaurants to eat, and if there are any interesting handicrafts to buy! Most importantly, I'll be going out with you!"
Chi Zhuo joked, "Why didn't that person contact me right away?"
Lin Tingyue sighed softly, "You can make plans anytime. I was planning to form a travel group, but you're the only travel buddy I have."
Chi Zhuo chuckled softly, "What, you're not satisfied with me as your partner?"
"No, no, no, I'm very satisfied."
Lin Tingyue leaned closer, her voice soft and sweet, "You're such a great partner, it's hard to find another one like you in the whole world."
Chi Zhuo was satisfied and turned his head back. "We still have plane tickets. When do you want to leave?"
"Tomorrow, around 10 a.m. By the way, how long will it take to get there?"
"One hour."
“Okay,” Lin Tingyue nodded, “That’s the time then.” She turned to look at Chi Zhuo, somewhat surprised, “By the way, do you have time?”
Chi Zhuo has been extremely busy since the Spring Festival. It's almost March now, and she hasn't seen Chi Zhuo rest much. Even on weekends, she has to go to the company to handle things.
Lin Tingyue didn't understand. Why were there so many things to deal with? Did all the employees in their company work like this?
"Yes, don't worry. I'll definitely handle everything on my plate while we're out together. Don't worry about me. I'm afraid you'll still be thinking about your studio while you're out."
Lin Tingyue nodded, "I'm thinking about it, but my mind is too cluttered lately, so I'm not really suited to thinking about these things. I need to hire a new assistant, but no one has applied yet."
Chi Zhuo turned to look at her, "Is the salary too low?"
Lin Tingyue just laughed it off. "Please, how could that be? I wouldn't bother with something so trivial."
"What happened?"
Lin Tingyue simply opened a certain red software and said, "Look for yourself. I posted a thread that clearly explained the salary and benefits of the studio. I even wrote down the company name. A lot of people asked about it in the thread, but no one came for an interview. Some people even said that we are a scam company. What company has five social insurances and one housing fund and two days off per week, and also has a high salary? It must be a scam. I was so angry that I laughed."
Chi Zhuo said slowly, "That's because there are too few people like you, so everyone thinks you're a fraud. If everyone were like that, everyone would definitely think that those who don't exist are the fraudsters."
Lin Tingyue asked curiously, "Hey, is your company like that too?"
Chi Zhuo: "Listen to this, the larger the company, the more complete its rules and regulations will be. On the contrary, non-compliant companies will try every means to exploit their employees to make profits. Although Zhuoyue is not a perfect company, we still have the benefits we deserve. After all, employees also have to support their families, and work is just a means to make a living."
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