Chapter 48 Where Shall We Go? Roaming the World Together

...
The next day.

At the Whale and Deer Inn.

Hailan Jing sat alone on the swing, gently swaying back and forth.

The young receptionist hurried over, sighing, “Jing, we’ve searched everywhere and couldn’t find Lin Shenlu...”

Hailan Jing said nothing, gazing at the sky as the swing moved.

“What time is it?” Hailan Jing suddenly asked.

“It’s half past nine,” the receptionist replied.

“It doesn’t matter...”

“Jing, please don’t be upset. It’s not worth getting emotional over a stranger...” the receptionist said helplessly.

Hailan Jing waved her hand lightly, “It’s alright. You should go back and watch the front desk. Who knows, maybe a new guest will arrive... I’m fine.”

“Well... Please cheer up, Jing...” the receptionist said.

Hailan Jing did not look back but nodded softly.

At the very top of Santorini, at the Whale and Deer Hotel.

A gentle breeze rippled the surface of the water, and the swing swayed lightly.

Hailan Jing stretched out her legs, rocking slowly.

She sighed quietly, alone.

Then, she stepped off the swing.

So, is it that there are no more butterflies by the Butterfly Spring?
Or is it the silk tree... that can no longer close its leaves... and is no longer joyful?

“I really dislike people who leave without saying goodbye... We agreed to go to Butterfly Spring together... We promised not to leave until we saw each other...” Hailan Jing murmured, feeling aggrieved.

Her fair hands twisted the hem of her white dress.

On the rooftop, ten pots of bougainvillea had bloomed again.

With the breeze, a few petals drifted down...

Landing before Hailan Jing.

With tear-filled eyes, she reached out and caught a petal...

“But... no matter how beautiful a petal is, it’s not snow. Dali truly has no love...” she muttered, sniffled softly, and then turned away.

...

At half past nine.

Lin Shenlu had already bought breakfast and was sitting in the courtyard of An Muxi’s inn, waiting for her to wake up.

This inn was far more enchanting by day than by night.

At the Dun Jing Inn.

A small yellow wooden sign bore the inn’s name, carved into its surface.

Early that morning, Lin Shenlu had seen the innkeeper holding a birdcage in his left hand and two walnuts in his right, whistling to his bird as he played with a cat in the inn.

From behind, Lin Shenlu would have guessed he was a man in his fifties.

Such a lifestyle, so close to that of a carefree elder.

But when the innkeeper turned around, Lin Shenlu was stunned.

He was a young man, wearing round black sunglasses and a black traditional jacket, looking no more than twenty-four or twenty-five.

“Hey, I’m Dun Jing, the innkeeper. Are you staying here or...?” the proprietor asked, noticing Lin Shenlu sitting on a chair.

“I’m waiting for someone. My friend is staying upstairs,” Lin Shenlu replied, pointing upward, realizing then that the inn was named after its owner—a peculiarity.

“Oh! Well, take your time. Wait until the flowers bloom, wait until the wind comes. Good luck!” the innkeeper said with a laugh, turning back to amuse his cat and bird.

Lin Shenlu grew curious.

What kind of story would lead such a young man to choose such a leisurely life?

Was he enlightened early? Or fleeing too fast?

Lin Shenlu shook his head and kept waiting for An Muxi.

He had just sent her a message.

Not long after, An Muxi came downstairs, ready for the day.

Today, she wore a black dress shimmering like the night sky scattered with stars.

Of course, no matter what she wore, An Muxi always stood out—radiant and unique.

They sat together, eating breakfast.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to write an article for Lonely Planet? How’s it going?” An Muxi asked gently.

Lin Shenlu nodded and smiled, “It’s going great. In fact, I’m about to start the second part. The first draft is done, and I’ve included all those beautiful photos I took of you—you’ll be my exclusive model from now on...”

He paused, then continued, “Actually, it’s also so I can showcase Dali’s charm more vividly, so that readers of the magazine can truly feel it. That’s why I decided to build a wishing pool at the hotel; this way, I can weave the stories I want to tell into the book as well.”

“It’s a pity I wasn’t with you for the story of the wishing pool,” An Muxi said quietly.

“What do you mean? Dali... you’re always here... The wishing pool was built so I could find you. I made a wish there...”

An Muxi looked up at Lin Shenlu, “Did your wish come true?”

“I can’t say... If I tell you, it won’t work,” Lin Shenlu replied with a smile.

After that, An Muxi seemed to recall something.

She lowered her head, eating in silence.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing...”

“Why the sudden silence?”

“It’s nothing... I just thought... so your wish wasn’t for me... otherwise, you would have said it came true,” An Muxi said softly, clearly a little disappointed.

Lin Shenlu smiled.

He gently stroked her hair.

“How could that be? I once told someone that my wish was for three more wishes. Only when all three are fulfilled will I return the favor. One has already come true... Wouldn’t you say that was you?” Lin Shenlu teased.

“I’m ignoring you... Greedy, making so many wishes.”

...

“Where are we going today?” Lin Shenlu asked with a smile.

“You decide. Is there anywhere else you want to visit on your Dali journey?” An Muxi smiled back.

“Actually, I wasn’t planning to go anywhere else. If I didn’t have to wrap up the Lonely Planet article, I’d take you to see the real Sky Mirror... But now that I’ve met you again, I find there are so many more places I want to go. After all, every moment with you is the most beautiful scenery to me.” Lin Shenlu grinned.

“Smooth talker.”

There were three unspoken words lingering on Lin Shenlu’s lips: Butterfly Spring.

He hesitated...

Wasn’t there a promise?

It’s alright... She probably wouldn’t care, would she?

The hotel was so busy.

The wishing pool needed to be tended by many people the next day.

There were so many messages on social media to reply to.

So many inquiries from guests.

Filming short videos by day, livestreaming at night.

Perhaps...

...

“Come on, let me take you somewhere,” Lin Shenlu said after they finished breakfast, a beautiful scene surfacing from the depths of his memory.

In Dali.

Since he had met An Muxi again, he was determined to engrave the most beautiful memories of Dali deeply in her heart.

That, too, would be the perfect end to his own journey in Dali.

Among all the sights of Dali, whether it was Nanzhao Folk Island or the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, none could compare to the scene in his memory that beckoned him to return.

“Where to?” An Muxi asked, intrigued.

“Get in the car—I’ll take you to wander the ends of the earth,” Lin Shenlu said with a smile as he opened the door.