Chapter 79: My Inn, Opened Just for You

“Um… I snore too…” Su Bao’er raised her hand and admitted from the side.

…

That night, Lin Shenlu lay in bed, her phone screen lit up with a conversation with An Muxi.

Girl Abductor: Muxi… there’s something I want to tell you.

Lin Shenlu had thought about it for a long time, but finally decided she needed to be honest with An Muxi.

Hailan Jing had, for some inexplicable reason, come to Lishui.

Now, it seemed, she was even living next door.

Whether out of respect or simple honesty, Lin Shenlu didn’t want to keep this from An Muxi.

Of course, she could have kept it to herself, but if the truth ever surfaced one day, it would be impossible to explain away.

Wind Speaks Before Night: What is it? Deer, go ahead.

From An Muxi’s tone, Lin Shenlu could sense her mood and current state—likely having just finished a long day’s work.

After all, Chengdu was not Lishui.

On a night like this, in Lishui, Lin Shenlu might have finished dinner long ago, with nothing left to do but wait for sleep.

But for An Muxi in Chengdu, a busy day was probably just ending, and the city’s nightlife was only just beginning.

Girl Abductor: You asked me about Hailan Jing last time. Today I finally found out what’s going on.

Girl Abductor: She called me during the day… She’s in Lishui now.

…

…

Wind Speaks Before Night: …

Wind Speaks Before Night: She… came to see you?

Wind Speaks Before Night: Traveling with you?

Lin Shenlu stared at the screen, watching the “Typing…” indicator flash on.

She hurried to reply to An Muxi.

Girl Abductor: That’s not it. She told me she’s opening a new guesthouse in Lishui… It doesn’t have much to do with me, but since she’s here, I felt I should let you know.

She added a smiling emoji at the end.

Wind Speaks Before Night: It’s alright, Deer. I know you have your own plans, and I trust you.

Wind Speaks Before Night: It’s just a pity I can’t travel with you now. Wait for me—I promise I’ll join you on the road one day.

…

Lin Shenlu gently placed her phone against her chest.

There is sorrow on both sides of the mountain; with or without the wind, there is no true freedom.

…

The next morning, Lin Shenlu rose early, though this time Su Bao’er wasn’t waiting for her at the door.

It seemed Su Bao’er was gradually learning to trust her.

She believed Lin Shenlu wouldn’t really leave her behind.

Lin Shenlu went for her morning run alone, mapping out the next steps for her journey.

At this hour, both Su Bao’er and Hailan Jing were still asleep.

They must have slept soundly last night.

There had been faint snoring from the neighboring room, but Lin Shenlu couldn’t tell if it was Su Bao’er or Hailan Jing.

Jogging along the mountain path, Lin Shenlu decided on today’s destination.

If there’s one thing Lishui has in abundance, it’s ancient villages.

Elegant mountains and waters, quaint villages—the essence of old Jiangnan lingers here.

Lishui is called the last secret land of Jiangnan for a reason.

Countless ancient, tranquil villages are scattered among these beautiful hills and waters.

Fields in bloom, old ancestral halls, ancient houses—like a living ink painting from Jiangnan, telling stories of days gone by.

From what Lin Shenlu remembered, there were plenty of beautiful ancient villages nearby.

For example, Heyang Village in Jinyun.

This village has a long cultural history and strong traditions; it’s a thousand-year-old settlement bound by clan ties and faith.

Its ancient residences are the best-preserved examples of Wu-style architecture still standing today.

No wonder it’s called a living fossil of ancient villages.

The horse-head walls along Daqiao Road are a classic symbol of Heyang.

Black tiles, white walls, upturned eaves, nestled by mountains and water.

Looking out, there’s always blue sky, white clouds, green shirts, ancient architecture, and reflections blending together. The undulating horse-head walls look like a freehand landscape painting.

Apart from Heyang, Yangjiatang Village in Songyang is also very famous.

National Geographic once dubbed it the “Golden Potala Palace,” proof that it really is the last untouched haven of Jiangnan—a true paradise.

The ancient village is surrounded by mountains, hidden in the forests, with rows of rammed-earth buildings.

So many ancient villages have survived through the ages.

Shicang Ancient Residences in Songyang, Xikeng Village, Chenjiapu Village, Pingtian Village, Zhuanghe Village…

Each has its own special charm, all steeped in history.

After all, Lishui is a place where ancient villages gather.

But the village Lin Shenlu chose for today wasn’t one of those well-known destinations beloved by travelers.

On the contrary, it was a rather obscure spot.

Just a 3A-rated scenic area.

Lin Shenlu had stumbled upon it in a blog post years ago.

It was called the “Stone Secret”—Yanxia Village.

They said it was truly unique in the region.

The entire village was made of stone.

Stone houses, stone bridges, stone paths.

It was truly the secret world of stone—Yanxia Village.

An old inn stands on the ancient Wutai trail, deep in the mountains, surrounded by books and beauty.

A hundred-foot waterfall sprays jade and snow, and long-lived elders dwell in thousand-year-old stone houses.

Yanxia Village.

Located at the western end of the Kuocang Mountain range, the village lies at the foot of the sheer cliffs of Baizhang Rock—hence the name Yanxia, meaning “Under the Rock.”

Lin Shenlu remembered only a single photo.

A rugged, weighty cluster of houses.

All built entirely from stone.

Large and small stones stacked to form the walls and the paths around them.

The whole place looked wild and raw.

None of the stones had been cut—they were all used just as they were found.

This gave the village a truly unique character.

To Lin Shenlu, that was the essence of travel: to seek out the beautiful sights others never see.

The landscapes are simply there, unchanged.

Returning from her run, Lin Shenlu carried a few hot Jinyun biscuits.

By then, Hailan Jing and Su Bao’er were both awake.

Su Bao’er was washing her hair.

As Lin Shenlu liked to say, the first thing every morning was to wash her hair; otherwise, her wild mop was simply unpresentable.

Lin Shenlu was always curious.

Su Bao’er was naturally beautiful—even without makeup, a simple wash revealed a rare beauty.

Yet the moment she woke, she would instantly revert to a tousled, disheveled girl.

It was truly fascinating.

Hailan Jing sat in a chair in the courtyard, munching on a steaming Jinyun biscuit.

“Lin Shenlu, I’m going out to look for a location today. Do you have any suggestions?” Hailan Jing asked with a smile.

“Are you serious?” Lin Shenlu scratched her head.

“Of course I am. I’m very serious. Lishui will be my first branch location. Someday, my Whale-Deer Hotel will open in every city!” Hailan Jing replied with another smile.

“Okay, no need to rush. Take your time and look around. If you find a good place, you can ask me… But to have Whale-Deer Hotels all over the country… that’s ambitious.”

Hailan Jing just smiled and said nothing.

Open one in every city? Not really.

I just want to leave a guesthouse in every place you’ve been.

That way, wherever you are, you’ll always have a home.