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

Peach's resolute attitude stirred up a complex mix of emotions within me, and at the same time, I witnessed the desolation of an era that had never even begun, yet had already crumbled. Deep down, I didn't want to close the inn, but the morale of the group had already wavered, leaving me feeling utterly powerless.

I returned to the inn with a heavy heart. Everyone was already waiting for us in the small bar…

Peach asked everyone, "Have you had breakfast? I made you some porridge."

Coach Ma replied, "Let's not rush into eating. Let's talk about the inn first; it's been a tough night!"

Everyone turned their attention to me, because I was the largest shareholder of the inn, so my decision had a guiding effect on them.

I didn't rush to express my opinion, but instead asked Bai Lu, "Have you discussed the transfer of the inn with Zhao Jing? She still holds 20% of the shares, so we definitely need to take her opinion into account."

Bai Lu said, "I called Zhao Jing last night to talk about this, and she called me this morning to reply. She agreed to transfer the inn because her husband's situation hasn't improved, and they urgently need money to cover previous losses... So, even if the inn transfer hadn't happened, she would probably have brought it up with us after a while to dispose of her shares."

I nodded, and after a long pause, replied, "This morning, Peach and I also talked about the inn's transfer. She and Tie Nan discussed it... and they both agreed to transfer the inn..."

Coach Ma interrupted me, then stared intently at Tie Nan and asked, "Do you really want to sell the inn?"

Tie Nan avoided Coach Ma's gaze. His mood seemed complicated, so much so that he lit a cigarette, took several puffs, and then said, "I'll listen to Taozi on this matter."

Coach Ma then looked at Taozi.

We all saw deep regret on Peach's face, but she still replied, "Michael is right, I agree to transfer the inn... Tie Nan and I hadn't met the right person before, but now that we're finally together, we're definitely aiming for marriage... After thinking it over, I've decided to find a city that's convenient in every way, since we'll need to consider our children's schooling and education in the future, so I think a big city is more suitable for us."

Coach Ma sharply questioned, "Big cities are more suitable for you?! Then why did you come all the way from Shanghai to Dali? Just to make a quick buck from this transfer fee?"

I was worried for Taozi, fearing that Coach Ma, who also knew about it, might lose control of his emotions and reveal her past in nightclubs in public. However, I was overthinking it. Although Coach Ma has a volatile temper, he is a real man at heart. He didn't reopen Taozi's wounds because of such a big conflict.

Faced with Coach Ma's questioning, Taozi remained silent. Tie Nan then came to her rescue, saying, "If Taozi really wants to live with me, it's normal not to stay in Shanghai. Don't you know how high the housing prices are in Shanghai? ... Chongqing is not bad. Housing prices are not high, and it has everything. We've decided to settle down in Chongqing from now on."

Coach Ma looked at Tie Nan, then slapped himself and fell silent. The atmosphere was awkward, but even more so, it was heartbreaking... Coach Ma and Tie Nan had known each other for years, and Tie Nan's decision to leave for Taozi so easily was truly painful for him.

In the silence, Bai Lu asked me again, "Michael, do you agree to transfer the inn? If you agree, then there's no need to discuss this further. Just have Sun Jiwei call his friend over, and we'll sign the transfer contract."

My hands clenched and unclenched, unclenched and clenched again… It was indeed a difficult choice for me. And when I remained silent, the entire bar was eerily quiet, save for the ticking of the clock, which sounded like a urging, or perhaps a warning…

……

At this moment, Yang Sisi, who had remained silent until now, stood up and addressed the crowd: "I know I don't own any shares in the inn, so I have no say in the transfer of the inn. But I still want to ask everyone, why is Michael willing to go to jail to save the inn? Is it just to get that 200 million yuan transfer fee later?... If you think that way, I think you're all underestimating him... I don't want to say anything more, but when you want to give up, think about what kind of dream you had when you started this inn. You all vowed to make this inn a home, then turn it into a chain brand, and finally have 'Waiting for You in the Romantic Scenery' in every tourist city."

Everyone remained silent, but no one changed their decision because of Yang Sisi's words. I knew she was a complete idealist, but the others had been struggling in society and were no longer willing to talk about so-called dreams.

Finally, Bai Lu looked at Yang Sisi and whispered to her, "Sisi, prepare for the worst. If the inn really gets sold this time, what are you going to do afterward?...Will you still stay here as the receptionist?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Yang Sisi replied, "No, it's not some noble profession that I'd be so attached to! ... The reason I'm willing to do this front desk job is because I like the atmosphere we create together... If no one takes this inn seriously, I won't stoop to staying here... Anyway, I'm going abroad to study next year, so it doesn't matter whether I stay sooner or later... If the inn is sold, I'll pack my things and go back to Shanghai to continue being a pampered young lady. I won't have any regrets, because what I've seen of Dali, and the so-called new Dali people, is nothing special."

After Yang Sisi finished speaking, everyone's attention turned to me. They were all waiting for my answer, which made me feel immense pressure. I lit a cigarette and took several puffs before saying, "Whether the inn is transferred or not, I'll have to think about it more complicatedly than the rest of you... Because it was my idea to open the inn in the first place, and everyone invested everything they had because of trust. I feel I have a responsibility to each and every one of you, so I really want to give everyone a perfect ending... Please give me some more time to consider it carefully."

After a brief pause, I asked Bailu, "I'd like to know your stance on this matter."

"Whether I transfer or not, it doesn't matter to me... If I have to transfer, I'll take out my share of the money and open another bar in the old town with Xiao Ma."

"So, your stance is neutral, right?"

"From my heart, I don't want to transfer it, but this inn is really attracting a lot of attention, and we don't have the ability to deal with or prevent it. I'm afraid that if something similar happens again, we won't be as lucky as we are this time. If we can transfer it for 200 million, it will be a reward for everyone's previous efforts."

I nodded and replied, "I understand, you mean to know when to stop while you're ahead."

Bai Lu remained silent. I habitually sniffed, overwhelmed by my complicated emotions, and then turned to Coach Ma, asking, "Dude, what about you? Are you also inclined to take the money from the sale and open another bar with Bai Lu in the ancient city?"

"I disagree with transferring."

"Okay, now the shareholders, Zhao Jing, Tao Zi, and Tie Nan are all inclined to transfer, so there's not much left to discuss with them. You and Bai Lu should have a good talk again and see if you can reach a consensus."

Coach Ma picked up a cigarette from the table, lit it, and then angrily threw the pack back onto the table, saying again, "She's her, and I'm me... We have nothing to discuss. Anyway, I don't agree to the transfer... We're not gathered together to do speculation. Since we've found a business to do, let's do it properly."

……

Because they couldn't reach a consensus, the meeting ended on bad terms, but all the pressure fell on me. I knew perfectly well that if I also agreed to the transfer, there would be no need for further discussion; but I didn't understand why I was hesitating.

I always felt that this was something that wasn't finished yet, but I couldn't stop the trend of the times! I think: Sun Jiwei understood us, which is why he found a friend to take over our inn at this time. After the storm, our morale was unstable, and with a transfer price that could earn us 100 million, it was unlikely that this deal would fail.

He does seem to have a good understanding of human nature!