The sunset painted the small town in a riot of colors. Light from nature’s filter spilled down, making it seem like a mysterious tribe waiting to be explored.
The visual enjoyment was turned up to maximum, while auditory sensitivity weakened. The town’s dialect and the tourists’ clamor became distant, yet the sound of their own conversation, just inches apart, remained clear.
“Really, your name is Chu Jiazhen?”
“You think it sounds nice?” she asked coolly.
Yun Huizhi said to herself: “It’s not bad. Many aunties in the last century had that name. It shows the family treasured their daughter. And paired with your surname, any name would sound lovely.”
“Last century? Aunties?” Miss Chu seized on the phrasing.
“The emphasis is on ‘lovely,’ okay?”
Yun Huizhi honked the scooter horn to warn a pedestrian, also drumming up her own defense.
“Heh, the surname Yun isn’t bad either.”
“Not bad, not bad.”
Exchanging compliments, they entered the small courtyard. Yun Huizhi parked the scooter and saw Miss Chu surveying the living environment.
“Acceptable?” she asked.
“It looks safe.”
The inn wasn’t in a remote location but right in a bustling area. The road outside was wide, with pedestrians and vehicles coming and going, quite lively.
Not far away, many tables and chairs were set on the street for tourists to eat dinner while enjoying the breeze.
The courtyard inside was clean and tidy. One had to go around the front yard to reach the accommodation area. It wasn’t too noisy. They could see other guests leaning against pillars under the eaves, playing on their phones.
Yun Huizhi smiled: “Safety first, of course.”
She led the person in to check in.
The young man at the front desk was a local from the town, taciturn and quiet. Usually, he never chatted beyond what was necessary.
Yun Huizhi had spoken to him beforehand. During check-in, he didn’t even raise his head and didn’t say a single unnecessary word.
Yun Huizhi glanced at the ID photo of “Swimming in the Void.” Even on an ID card, her photo was remarkably striking.
Yun Huizhi read it out: “Chu Ruoyou.”
The “You” as in “Swimming along the current to reach her.”
What a coincidence.
The room Yun Huizhi was staying in was considered the VIP suite of “Brook Inn.” It was situated further inside. The third floor had fewer guests, so there were fewer disturbances, and the view was good.
Usually, it felt slightly empty when she was alone, but with the addition of another person’s luggage, it felt just right.
The wooden furniture showed a sense of antique charm and style, but it lacked none of the necessary modern smart appliances.
The bright, soft furnishings diluted the monotony of the dark base tones. Deep walnut wood and multicolored carpets harmoniously blended together.
Chu Ruoyou was completely reassured, but another question arose: “Such elegant decoration taste is rare. I’m afraid this room alone costs more than eight hundred a day, right?”
The implication was that Yun Huizhi’s price was too low, and she suspected ulterior motives.
Yun Huizhi’s heart skipped a beat. She composed herself and explained: “The cost of living here isn’t high. The owner knows my family, and I’ve attracted many guests for him online, so he rented me this suite at a low price.”
“Many guests.”
Whether she was losing money or not was her business. Chu Ruoyou didn’t want to ask further but caught the keyword again, glancing at her with a faint, ambiguous smile.
Yun Huizhi corrected her amusedly: “Ordinary tourists. As for my guests, you’re the first.”
“Oh, I see.”
Though she said that, Chu Ruoyou’s face was full of indifference. It was unclear whether she believed her or not.
She had spent the whole afternoon traveling and had been buffeted by wind and dust on the scooter ride. She said: “I’d like to shower first.”
Such a sensitive-sounding phrase suddenly appeared. Yun Huizhi froze. Seeing how unconcerned Chu Ruoyou was, she played along: “Okay, go ahead. Are you hungry? I’ll go next door and order a few dishes.”
“I have no appetite right now. We can talk about it later.”
Right in front of Yun Huizhi, she opened her suitcase to get her clothes and asked without looking up: “Are there any evening activities outside?”
Yun Huizhi sat nearby: “I figured you’d be tired today, so I didn’t plan anything. How about we go out tomorrow? Tonight, we can enjoy the evening breeze on the terrace and look at the night view. That’s also a nice experience.”
Chu Ruoyou seemed lost in thought and didn’t respond for a while.
From Yun Huizhi’s angle looking down, her expression was cold and stern, as if she wasn’t looking forward to it at all.
Yet her words came out light and easy: “Sure, then I’ll just change into my nightgown.”
She took out her toiletry bag, a gray slip nightgown, and a set of plain black underwear.
After taking them out, she closed her suitcase. Suddenly looking up, she accurately caught the chaotic emotions in Yun Huizhi’s eyes.
Yun Huizhi immediately averted her gaze, turned away, then turned back again to meet her eyes.
Not entirely open, but not cowering either.
Chu Ruoyou seemed to have something to say, but ultimately didn’t speak. She turned and went into the bathroom.
Only when she heard the sound of water from the bathroom did Yun Huizhi walk further away, leaning restlessly by the window to catch the evening breeze.
In the distance were the emerald-green, rolling mountain ranges that strung together the summer of Jianjia Town.
Close by were the streams and the town. She could hear the waterfall, but as the sky darkened, she couldn’t see it clearly.
Only the warm glow of scattered lights remained.
Layer upon layer of lights spread out, but instead of illuminating the night clearly, they made it hazier.
Yun Huizhi heard her own heartbeat. Thump, thump, thump.
Her initial intentions were innocent. Once the person arrived at the inn, she planned to explain: it was just a joke, let’s just be friends normally, no money needed.
But she changed her mind the moment they met.
And the other party was the first to question whether she was an adult. She thought that since the other person took it seriously, explaining now would make her look like a complete jerk.
—
Yun Huizhi poured two cups of herbal tea and set out a few plates of local snacks on the table.
While she was busy, she heard the sound of a hairdryer.
All her movements stopped.
It was subtle. The hairdryer was in the cabinet behind the mirror above the vanity. Chu Ruoyou had found it without even asking, as if this was also a space she was familiar with.
Yun Huizhi couldn’t quite describe this feeling, but she sensed the hairdryer blowing warm air, right next to her ear, whirring.
During those few minutes, she tried very hard not to think about Chu Ruoyou and what was about to happen.
But her consciousness was like a taut rubber band. No matter how far it was pulled, with the slightest slackening, it would snap right back.
When Chu Ruoyou came out, the sunset had completely fallen, and the sky outside was mostly dark.
Yun Huizhi asked with concern again: “Are you hungry? Would you like to eat something?”
The nightgown’s style wasn’t revealing, but it still exposed the beautiful scenery of her shoulders and neck to Yun Huizhi’s eyes. The lines and bone structure were just the right amount of alluring.
She only allowed herself one extra glance before forcing her eyes elsewhere.
Chu Ruoyou knew in her heart that if she didn’t say she was hungry, she’d hear this question several more times tonight.
“I can’t eat anything too spicy, and I don’t want anything greasy today. Just get some vegetables.”
“Okay.”
Yun Huizhi lowered her head and ordered two plates of seasonal vegetables and one soup on the app. “The restaurant is next door. It’ll be delivered within half an hour.”
“The one with tables set on the street?”
“Yes. Their food is good and business is booming. But don’t worry, once the dinner rush is over, most places in town will quiet down. It definitely won’t be noisy after 9:30.”
Chu Ruoyou responded “Mm” and sat down. She tasted the tea and was slightly surprised: “This is good.”
Yun Huizhi smiled: “It clears heat and reduces internal fire. The locals all love drinking it.”
They each sat in wicker chairs, drinking tea, while Yun Huizhi introduced the town to her.
Yun Huizhi smelled the post-shower scent on her and glanced at her profile, noticing that without makeup, she felt more approachable, though she still maintained a sense of detachment and vigilance.
“You’re very beautiful without makeup.”
Chu Ruoyou was being particular again: “Implying I’m not beautiful with makeup.”
What an unfounded accusation. Yun Huizhi curved her eyes in a plea for mercy: “Not at all. It’s just that you’re so unfairly beautiful with makeup on that it creates a sense of distance. This afternoon I was very nervous. I only just relaxed now.”
“Really?”
The other woman smiled faintly, raising an eyebrow. “How, exactly, are you relaxed?”
Her laughter was lazy, not entirely heartfelt, yet Yun Huizhi detected an ambiguous atmosphere.
She could also sense that Chu Ruoyou wanted to tease her.
Clearly, all the thoughts one should have were present. She’d been restless since Chu Ruoyou mentioned showering.
But now, hearing this, Yun Huizhi suddenly wanted to put on an act. So she gave the other woman an exceedingly innocent look.
The other woman was several years older than her. Mature women all liked teasing innocent girls. Yun Huizhi wanted to play along.
But Chu Ruoyou wasn’t as she expected. She didn’t show shallow delight. Instead, as if bored, she changed the subject and chatted with her seriously:
“Among the scenery you photographed, my favorites are the waterfall and all the different kinds of trees. You look like a professional photographer.”
Yun Huizhi was a bit disappointed, and also quite embarrassed. The other woman wasn’t as vulgar as she thought.
“Just a hobby. I take pictures for fun. If you like them, we can visit them one by one later, and I can take photos for you.”
“Okay, you arrange it.”
After chatting for a while, Yun Huizhi got a phone call. She left the room to pick up their meal.
“Taste it, see if it’s to your liking.”
“The vegetables are fresh and cooked in a refreshing way. Perfect for when you have no appetite.”
They exchanged a few words as they ate. Just as they put down their chopsticks, Chu Ruoyou’s phone rang. She went aside to answer it.
Yun Huizhi swiftly cleared the table and put the trash outside the door.
Seeing Chu Ruoyou sitting by the window, speaking in a lowered voice, Yun Huizhi tactfully didn’t disturb her. She grabbed her clothes and went into the bathroom.
A wave of hot steam, carrying a fragrant scent, hit her. The evidence of another person’s recent visit was obvious. A hint of awkwardness rose in Yun Huizhi’s heart, mixed with novelty.
She’d never had the experience of sharing a room with a stranger before. She didn’t wholly accept it.
But perhaps because her state of mind was too bored, amidst that unnatural feeling, there was also a hidden anticipation.
When Yun Huizhi came out, Chu Ruoyou had already hung up the phone. She was standing by the wooden window, looking at the view outside.
A crescent moon hung among the branches, teetering in the evening breeze.
Her silhouette, framed by the lines and patterns of the window, possessed a unique soft beauty and a sense of fragility. Her incongruous aura made it obvious at a glance that she was a new tourist.
Yun Huizhi deliberately made some noise, plugging her phone in to charge at the bedside before walking over.
She sensed that Chu Ruoyou wasn’t very happy after the phone call. Her mood was lower than before.
But she didn’t want to ask why. It would probably kill the mood. She guessed it might be family matters.
A person can never truly escape their life. As long as they have a phone, as long as they can be reached, they are forever trapped in a tailor-made cage.
Only the body can briefly run away.
Yun Huizhi stood beside her: “You didn’t even ask for my photo. How did you dare to come?”
“I didn’t want to expend energy distinguishing whether the photos were real or fake, nor think too much. Meeting a netizen like opening a mystery box is more thrilling, isn’t it?”
This Older Sister looked like she belonged to the shrewd type. She wasn’t smiling when she said this, but it sounded rather foolish, even a bit crazy.
Yun Huizhi thought about it for a moment, then felt relieved. If she weren’t a little crazy, why would she have contacted her?
It could only be said that the divorce had probably hit her hard. So she was seeking thrills, deliberately indulging herself?
“But that’s very dangerous,” Yun Huizhi reminded her.
Without even glancing at her, Chu Ruoyou reached out and scooped up a handful of the evening breeze. “You mean I’m in danger right now?”
Yun Huizhi let out two clear peals of laughter and went straight to the point: “So, am I the mystery box type you like?”
Chu Ruoyou turned her head to look at her. Light fell into the small-town girl’s clear eyes, making her flirtatious words appear a lot more innocent.
“You’re the hidden edition I never imagined. Pure, beautiful, making people feel very comfortable.”
She had felt at ease from the first glance.
Looking closely now, after washing up, the girl’s eyelashes were still slightly damp.
Like a small white flower by the roadside, carrying dewdrops, clean and flawless.
“Older Sister really knows how to compliment people,” Yun Huizhi showed appropriate shyness and delight.
“I just fear knowing someone’s face but not their heart.”
Yun Huizhi, feeling targeted, put on an innocent expression.
Her gaze traveled from Chu Ruoyou’s eyes—indifferent yet deeply alluring—to her straight nose, and then to her full lips. The other woman let her admire freely.
A sudden gust of wind rose outside the window, breaking the atmosphere with its coolness.
Yun Huizhi diverted both her gaze and the topic. “The wind is picking up. It would be nice if it rained tonight. This room is great for listening to the rain. And it’ll be cool for going out tomorrow.”
“Will it rain?”
“The forecast says no, but you never know. There might be a sudden, impulsive downpour. It comes fast and leaves fast, pouring down in the middle of the night, and when you wake up tomorrow, it’s sunny again.”
After she finished, Chu Ruoyou didn’t respond, just continued looking out the window.
The groundwork was laid. Yun Huizhi took her hand and, following the movement, looked down. Unconsciously, she stroked Chu Ruoyou’s ring finger, imagining it wearing a diamond ring.
She didn’t know why that thought came to her. Perhaps she felt these beautiful hands looked so empty.
Chu Ruoyou suddenly tightened her grip on Yun Huizhi’s fingertips and leaned closer. “Does it start counting from today? Do you want cash or a bank transfer?”
Yun Huizhi wasn’t that calculative: “Tomorrow.”
The other woman didn’t appreciate the gesture and even made a cutting remark: “Then what about tonight? A free trial?”
A person has many facets. At least until she asked this, Yun Huizhi hadn’t detected too many traces of flirtation or coquettishness from her.
But now, the amorous feeling in her brows and eyes had driven away the last vestiges of summer night’s decorum.
Yielding to her heart’s desire, Yun Huizhi wrapped her arm around Chu Ruoyou’s waist and whispered in her ear: “Tonight counts as a meeting gift.”
