I'll wait for you amidst the romance of nature.

After some internal struggle, I dialed Lao Huang's number. He answered immediately and asked, "Have you finished throwing up and sobered up?"

I punched my chest hard and replied, "I'm too clear-headed right now. I think we can talk about finding Yang Sisi again."

"Do you know where she is?"

"You should know that. Anyway, I'll contact you as soon as I hear from her."

Old Huang was overjoyed, repeatedly saying "Good!" and adding, "I knew you were the most reliable person to handle this; we were completely helpless against her!"

"She's become like this because you all spoiled her."

Old Huang sighed and replied, "We only have one daughter in the family, and Old Yang and his wife have indeed wronged her over the years, so we've let her have her way as much as we could. Who would have thought she'd cause such a scene this time... This time, we've learned our lesson!"

"She really needs to be disciplined." After a brief silence, I continued, "Mr. Huang, I also have something I'd like to ask for your help with..."

"Heh... I knew you were a shrewd guy. If you didn't get something out of me, you wouldn't have called me again."

"Aren't we all just people who have no choice in the matter?"

Old Huang paused for a moment, then replied with genuine empathy, "You're right, 'I have no choice'... Tell me, is it also because of your father's matter?"

"Yeah, the only thing I can't let go of is my family... My dad just called me, saying he and my mom want to come to Shanghai to see me. How could I let them go? So I lied to them again, saying I'd been promoted to product manager and was currently on a business trip in Yunnan. That's why they gave up the idea of ​​coming... But my dad is a very suspicious person, and I'm afraid he'll call you to verify this. If he does call you, I'll have to ask you to cover for me."

I assumed that since there was a prior deal, Lao Huang would readily agree to this, but instead, he earnestly advised, "Michael, I've been wanting to promote you for the past few years, but you're not qualified enough, and the product manager position has never been vacant, so it's been dragging on... Now the opportunity has arrived. I can guarantee you, as long as you're willing to return to Shanghai, the product manager position is practically guaranteed..." He paused slightly, then added, "You probably don't know, but Lao Yang and our company's CEO have been friends for many years. If he just says a word to the CEO, plus my recommendation, this is absolutely guaranteed."

A strange sadness welled up inside me, and after a long pause, I replied in a low voice, "If only this had happened a month ago! But now I really can't go back; the tension I was holding in has completely dissipated."

"To put it bluntly, you're just being stubborn. If you just went back to Shanghai, there wouldn't be so much trouble... I've dealt with your ex-girlfriend before, don't you know what she wants?... After you go back to Shanghai, focus on your product manager job, then apologize to her, maybe she'll come back out of old feelings..."

Old Huang's hypothesis stirred something within me, but I remained clear-headed. I had to stay in Dali because it was a promise and a responsibility. I wanted to live well for Wang Lei, and I wanted my life to blossom anew in Dali. Lu Jia was already a thing of the past in my life. Even if I could start over, she wouldn't be the same Lu Jia she once was, and I wouldn't be the innocent and pure-hearted Mi Gao anymore.

So, I changed the subject again, chatted with him for a few minutes about Yang Sisi, and then hung up the phone.

But behind my feigned calm, my heart was aching terribly. I knew that the time that had passed could never be returned to a month ago.

……

After my emotions calmed down a bit, I dialed Yang Sisi's number like a guilty person, but I couldn't get through. There were only two possibilities: either her phone was off, or she had blacklisted me in her contacts.

I feel the latter is more likely.

After hanging up the phone, I wasn't discouraged. I analyzed in my mind where Yang Sisi might go. Then I remembered some details from my conversation with Ye Zhi today. I was certain that she and Yang Sisi were able to contact each other. So, was it possible that Yang Sisi was staying at her place?

The more I thought about it, the more likely it seemed. I felt it was necessary to visit her now, because if I delayed until tomorrow, who knew where Yang Sisi might have moved to? In my mind, she was a cunning fox, adept at playing games and hiding.

After making the decision, I put on a coat, left the inn, and walked along the coastal road toward the "Haitou Inn" where Ye Zhi was staying. The light in her room was still on, and she seemed to have gotten used to staying up late.

After walking for a few minutes, I arrived at the entrance of the inn. I knocked on the courtyard gate and shouted Ye Zhi's name at the top of my lungs, but I didn't get any response... After a while, I realized that since this was a high-end inn, the soundproofing must be very good, and Ye Zhi probably didn't hear me at all.

At that moment, I truly regretted not having gotten her phone number beforehand.

Somewhat annoyed, I sat down on the steps at the entrance of the courtyard, lit a cigarette, and looked towards the window where the light was coming in…

Gradually, an urge to climb over the wall and investigate began to rise within me. I started searching my mind for reasons to justify doing so. I figured this was a closed-down inn, so even if I climbed over, I wouldn't disturb anyone else. Besides, Ye Zhi and I knew each other, so any misunderstandings could be easily resolved. Most importantly, finding Yang Sisi was an extremely urgent matter… Even if she wasn't with Ye Zhi, I had to ask her for help as soon as possible.

I stubbed out my cigarette on the stone slab, took off my cumbersome coat, and then sprinted up the wall, lifting my leg and flipping myself over. But an accident happened when I jumped down; my pants were snagged by a protruding vine, instantly ripping from the hem to the crotch. Luckily, it was dark and windy, otherwise, even if I threw my face into Erhai Lake, I wouldn't be able to wash it clean.

He considered going back to change his pants, but felt that going back and forth like that was dishonorable and risky. He figured he might as well present himself as an upright gentleman when meeting Ye Zhi. So he tied a knot in his torn trouser leg and headed towards the inn's main building. But perhaps because the night was too cool, he felt a chill in his groin area.

I overcame my discomfort and went to the fourth floor where Ye Zhi was staying. I knocked again, but still received no response. A sense of unease crept in. She shouldn't be out of the room, because most upscale inns use card-operated electricity, so if she weren't there, the room shouldn't have any lights on.

I turned my head and looked again, and found that the door to the next room was not closed. In my memory, the balconies of this inn seemed to be interconnected, so I planned to stand on this balcony and look into her room again. I had no desire to spy on her, but I was worried that something had happened to her.

Through the room, I stood on the balcony and glanced across the way, only to be stunned by the scene before me. I saw Ye Zhi lying in the bathtub, and she noticed me a moment later. But she was much calmer than most women; she didn't startle awake, otherwise I would have seen everything, both what I should and shouldn't have seen. She lay there, the water surface covered in white foam, which, while perhaps sparking the imagination, offered no real insight.

I waved my hands and took several steps back, indicating that it was a misunderstanding. At that moment, Ye Zhi removed her headphones and asked coldly, "Do you know what you're doing? How did you get in?"

"Should I answer your question first, or should I step back and explain after you've gotten dressed?...

"You're insane!"

I could sense Ye Zhi's anger in those three simple words. I raised my hands in an apologetic gesture and retreated from the balcony back into the corridor, but I just couldn't calm my racing heart...

Ever since Ye Zhi first appeared in my world, her aloof personality and stunning beauty have given me a sense of sacred inviolability. So I never imagined her appearing in my life like this, but it happened. This stark contrast caught me completely off guard, and my heart was pounding...

I no longer know how to face her now that she's dressed. I even want to leave this inn and pretend nothing happened.