Chapter 17: Dancing Gracefully Along the Erhai Ring Road

…
"I can't go any further, I really can't," An Muxi said, nearly out of breath after strolling with Lin Shenlu along the shores of Erhai Lake for almost half an hour.

It was already past eight o'clock.
The morning sunlight had spilled across the entire expanse of Erhai, warm and golden, restoring every color of the world to its original brilliance.
More and more people were gathering by the lakeside.
Travelers who came here tended to fall into two extremes: either they would rise before dawn to feel the morning breeze and watch the sunrise, or they would sleep in, waking naturally at noon or even later.
Both, perhaps, were ways of savoring life.

"We've barely been running for long! And we've been strolling for the last twenty minutes," Lin Shenlu said with a laugh.

An Muxi waved her hand, signaling that she truly wasn’t that athletic. She had already exceeded her usual limits. Of course, this didn’t surprise Lin Shenlu. Most girls—unless they were accustomed to regular exercise—weren’t naturally athletic, especially when abruptly starting to run, like An Muxi. It was better not to push too hard; otherwise, she’d wake up tomorrow sore all over, which would only disrupt their plans.

So, from the moment they finished running, Lin Shenlu had purposefully chosen their direction. By the time An Muxi’s energy was nearly spent, they had almost reached the place where the driver had parked last night.

By now, daylight had fully broken. More people had appeared on the lakeside road. There were plenty of girls in sports vests with ponytails swaying, each trailed by a photographer. When Lin Shenlu and An Muxi approached the car, a cluster of girls were encircling it, snapping photos again and again.

Lin Shenlu smiled.
It was the same pink convertible Audi he’d parked there the previous night. The car was so eye-catching. In this world of pure colors, so reminiscent of a Miyazaki animation, the bright pink sports car added a unique, whimsical splash.

The lake was emerald green, the sky an endless blue, the clouds serenely quiet, the wind utterly free, the road perfectly smooth… Everything, it seemed, was just as it should be.

Lin Shenlu quietly took out the car keys and pressed a button. The headlights flashed. The girls taking photos nearby seemed to be hoping to meet the owner and perhaps pose for a picture to share online. But when they saw Lin Shenlu walking over, An Muxi at his side, they slowly dispersed.

"Tired from running? Then let’s get in the car. I’ll take you around Erhai, so you can feel the most romantic wind and freedom," Lin Shenlu said with a smile.

It would be a lie for An Muxi to say she wasn’t surprised. She had wanted to rent a car to experience the famous drive around Erhai. But it was her first day here, and after losing her phone at the airport, she’d ended up going straight to the inn. She never imagined that after just one night, Lin Shenlu would once again see straight into her heart.

Especially this little pink convertible—it was exactly her style.
Remembering this, she recalled what Lin Shenlu had said last night on the balcony before she went to sleep:
"In the evening, I trade in twilight; at night, I barter for the stars. But I will save up all my gentleness and wait for dawn, just to meet you."

Now, dawn had indeed arrived.
From the moment she stepped out the door, she felt enveloped in gentleness. At least for now, her heart felt utterly at ease.

An Muxi understood this sensation. When people are surprised or frightened, their pupils dilate. The same happens when they encounter someone or something they love. The brain processes both feelings similarly. That’s the basis of the "roller coaster theory"—that riding a roller coaster together makes people feel as if they share a special connection, because whether it’s surprise or fright, the brain sends the same signals, asking: Do I like the person beside me?

An Muxi wasn’t sure if she was imagining things. But she knew she was happy, and being with Lin Shenlu felt wonderful.

Lin Shenlu carefully lowered the convertible top. As it folded away into the trunk, he opened the car door and invited An Muxi to take a seat. She accepted with graceful ease.

Lin Shenlu slipped on the sunglasses he’d left in the car the night before, started the engine, and they were off.

Of course, this had all been part of Lin Shenlu’s plan. He’d meant to park the car in front of the inn, but the road there was closed. The lane in front of the Erduo Inn was only open to bicycles, not cars. That was why they had to jog there this morning. When your legs are aching and you finally get to sit in a car and go for a ride, it’s the most delightful, luxurious feeling.

Lin Shenlu drove with steady hands. The scenery along the way was breathtaking.

An Muxi turned her head, resting against the door, letting the wind brush her cheeks and ruffle her hair. The scenery constantly changed. Beyond the beautiful lake, there were fields of sunflowers, seas of lavender, and waves of golden canola flowers—one marvel after another.

Just as An Muxi was about to lift her head, Lin Shenlu quickly said, "Hey, don't look up—the wind’s strong! Our head sizes aren’t the same, and I don’t want my hat blown away…"

"You’re so stingy. If you lose it, I’ll buy you ten new hats," An Muxi replied with a soft hum.

As they rounded a curve, a gust of wind swept through An Muxi’s window. Just as Lin Shenlu had predicted, her baseball cap flew off, brushing Lin Shenlu’s cheek before being carried away by the breeze.

An Muxi’s hair danced wildly in the wind, some strands tickling Lin Shenlu’s face. A gentle fragrance wafted toward him—not the sharp scent of perfume, but something soft, the natural scent of a girl.

"See, I told you about my hat…" Lin Shenlu said, inhaling the fragrance, while lamenting the loss of his cap.

An Muxi gathered her hair and laughed, "How interesting—it just took off, like a kite with its string cut, off to find its true home… I’m serious, I’ll buy you a new one."

Lin Shenlu sighed, "That was a limited edition…"

…
It wasn’t easy to drive all the way around Erhai. The lake was vast, and not all areas were accessible by car, but the scenery was stunning throughout. All along the way, the sight of Lin Shenlu and An Muxi—a handsome man and a beautiful woman in an eye-catching pink convertible—drew countless admiring glances from passersby.