Chapter 38: Some Wake at Dawn, Some Drift into Sleep
“What do you think of this guy?” As the atmosphere in the live stream heated up, Blue Whale continued to answer questions.
“He’s just awful… Only here for two days and already wants to smash our Sky Mirror in the courtyard…”
“That’s right, and he wants to build a wishing pool in my courtyard, too. He even wants me to write down the story I’m waiting for, put it in a bottle, and throw it into the pool myself…”
“Exactly, and this wishing pool won’t just hold one bottle—every story from every friend who’s ever stayed at our Whaledeer Inn will be put in there…”
“From now on, every night I’ll do a livestream fishing bottles out of the pool… and reveal a Dali love story from one of our guests!”
“What? You want to watch a live demolition of the Sky Mirror with a sledgehammer tomorrow? You really have no mercy…”
…
“I have to say, Blue Whale is a true professional influencer. Her way with words and showmanship are far better than what we briefed her on. The sense of anticipation she created is way beyond what I’d expected…” Ye Yaochen admitted, a note of admiration in his voice.
Lin Shenlu nodded.
With Blue Whale leading, the atmosphere had already surpassed all expectations.
Livestreaming the demolition of the Sky Mirror tomorrow… That was going to be intense.
…
Nine thirty in the evening.
Blue Whale smiled and waved goodbye to everyone in the live stream, then turned off the screen.
She took a sip of water, realizing just how parched she was.
Who could have guessed she’d be able to say everything so smoothly—and apparently, to such great effect.
She wondered how Lin Shenlu and Ye Yaochen were doing with their preparations.
If things went sideways, she’d be the one left holding the bag—after all, she’d made bold promises in front of thirty thousand viewers.
Outside, Lin Shenlu and Ye Yaochen came in.
As soon as they entered, before Blue Whale could say anything, Lin Shenlu took the lead and began to applaud.
It had truly been a stellar promotional livestream.
Blue Whale blushed even deeper, a bashful smile on her face.
“Don’t worry, leave the rest to us… Tomorrow we’ll smash the Sky Mirror and restore Dali’s true romantic spirit,” Ye Yaochen declared with conviction.
Lin Shenlu looked at the ethereal Blue Whale, and couldn’t help recalling what Ye Yaochen had just said.
If you don’t love this girl, please don’t hurt her.
He didn’t know where the words had come from, but he took them to heart.
Getting along is an art.
And not everyone is an artist.
…
Many by the shores of Erhai Lake lay sleepless that night.
Blue Whale couldn’t sleep.
But she didn’t go out to the swing.
Ye Yaochen was sleepless, too.
It was his first time in Dali not ending the night at a bar or falling asleep with some girl in his arms.
Lin Shenlu was sleepless as well.
He didn’t know who it was he was thinking of.
Whenever he closed his eyes, a figure would appear before him.
Sometimes a delicate, elfin face; sometimes cold and distant as a fairy…
Far, far away, on the other side of Erhai Lake.
A slender, fragile silhouette stood at the edge of a balcony, gazing out at the water.
The screen in her hand glowed, but she didn’t have the heart to look at it.
Her mind was filled with a name that had just been spammed hundreds of times across her phone screen.
Lin Shenlu.
Was it really him?
Could it possibly be him?
How could he be here?
How was he doing now?
That adorable, beautiful girl in the livestream—her name was Blue Whale…
They really did seem like a perfect match.
…
An Muxi had been searching for a more comfortable, beautiful hotel by the shores of Erhai.
On Douyin, An Muxi had come across Santorini—an idyllic paradise everyone dreams of visiting.
She saw a graceful figure swinging gently in the breeze.
Opposite was Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake; the sunset breeze, the moon shining over drifting clouds…
It was a view of mountains and rivers, a world pure and clear.
An Muxi longed to stay there, to simply enjoy the tender landscape, to watch that elfin girl swinging—it would be happiness enough.
Even just watching her videos felt like a rare pleasure.
So that night, after dinner, An Muxi tuned in to the livestream.
And then… just like that, the rest of the night was a blur.
The screen was filled with nothing but the name Lin Shenlu, over and over.
That was what had prompted An Muxi to scroll back through the girl’s videos.
And that’s how she learned the story of three years spent waiting.
The arrival of someone fate had chosen.
The timing—when she and Lin Shenlu had parted ways—matched exactly.
The timing—when Lin Shenlu had come to Santorini—matched exactly.
…
Was he still there—was he all right?
And what about herself?
Lin Shenlu, do you still think of me?
…
Dawn broke.
And for those who had lain awake, the proof was that at last, they could close their eyes and slip into peaceful sleep.
Lin Shenlu still rose early, as always—his morning run accompanied by the sunrise over Erhai Lake.
When he returned, breakfast was ready at the Whaledeer Hotel.
The rhythm of a stable life suited him perfectly.
Indeed, just a few days of routine are enough for a person to settle into a habit.
Using a towel to wipe the sweat from his brow, Lin Shenlu began to fill his tray with breakfast.
Ye Yaochen would never be up this early.
His philosophy was to sleep until he woke naturally.
After all, sunshine was the rarest treasure here, and time the least precious.
The finest sunlight was in the afternoon.
The sun drifted westward as time passed.
Wisps of cloud gently veiled the light.
Sunbeams filtered through the clouds, through the mountains, through the forest, falling across people’s faces.
Looking up, the sunlight took on shape as it shone through the gaps.
Only when the Tyndall effect appeared did sunshine truly have form.
Many longed to witness this beautiful phenomenon, but not everyone was granted the chance.
Ye Yaochen was always waiting for such a moment, which was why he always woke in the afternoon…
But he’d never encountered it.
Today, however, would be different.
Sipping cold milk, Lin Shenlu began a video call to Ye Yaochen.
After a rare night without female company, Ye Yaochen had gone to bed early—so he ought to be up early now.
Today’s task… smashing the mirror.
No sleeping in until the afternoon.
Around nine o’clock, Ye Yaochen came downstairs, rubbing his eyes.
A peaceful night had left him looking listless, as though he’d slept poorly.
The only change was that the dark circles under his eyes had faded a little.
Without bothering to flatten his tousled hair, Ye Yaochen watched Lin Shenlu eat with curiosity.
“What’s that?”
“Breakfast.”
“Breakfast? What a mysterious thing—I’ve been off it for years…” Ye Yaochen declined the meal.
“You’ve quit smoking, drinking, borrowing, sleeping around… and even breakfast?” Lin Shenlu laughed.
“It’s not that kind of quitting… So, has our package arrived?” Ye Yaochen asked.
Lin Shenlu nodded, gesturing toward the doorway.
Outside were three or four enormous cardboard boxes.
“All right then, let’s get to work!” Ye Yaochen perked up instantly.