Entertainment from Divorce

"I'm really happy today." Chen Ziyu leaned on the railing and looked at the sunset in the distance. "Tusi City allowed me to see the history and culture of the Tujia people, and Shiziguan let me feel the beauty of nature."

"As long as you are happy." Tan Yue said this with his eyes fixed on her.

The light of the setting sun shone on her, giving her outline a golden edge and making her look particularly gentle.

As it got darker, the two of them slowly walked down the mountain along the trail.

The fog began to spread in the mountains, and the floating bridge in the distance gradually blurred into a shadow.

On the way back in the car, Chen Ziyu dozed off leaning against the car window, holding tightly in his hand the Silankap scarf he had bought that day.

Tan Yue looked at her sleeping profile, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously raised.

The day's itinerary was fulfilling and wonderful, and he knew that this memory would be like water waves on a floating bridge, creating long-lasting ripples in his heart.

When we got back to the hotel, it was completely dark.

Chen Ziyu was still a little confused after waking up. He rubbed his eyes and asked, "Are we here so soon?"

"We're here, go upstairs and have some rest." Tan Yue helped her with her luggage, and they took the elevator upstairs.

Standing at the door of the room, Chen Ziyu suddenly turned around: "Ayue, I'm really happy today."

Tan Yue looked at her, wanting to say something, but didn't open his mouth.

Return to the room.

After washing up, the two of them lay on the bed, and the scenes of the day flashed through their minds one by one:

Chen Ziyu's spicy breakfast, the clumsiness of learning the hand-waving dance in Toast City, and the laughter of Shiziguan playing in the water
Outside the window, the night in Bachu is quiet and peaceful.

The mountains in the distance are hidden in the night, with only sporadic lights flickering.

Tan Yue looked at the ceiling, thinking about tomorrow's schedule and the growing emotions that had grown during this journey.

Perhaps, the meaning of traveling is not only to see the scenery, but also to see it with whom, the memories created together, and the warmth that slowly grows in the heart.

And this day is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful moments in their memories.

……

The morning light shines through the gauze curtains, casting tiny golden spots on Tan Yue's eyelashes.

He reached out to the phone on the bedside table in a daze, but touched a ball of warm hair.

When I turned around, Chen Ziyu was curled up in the quilt, half of his white neck was exposed, and the ends of his hair were still stained with moisture from last night's hot spring.

"What time is it?" Her voice was nasal and her fingers unconsciously drew circles on the sheets.

"Seven thirty." Tan Yue glanced at his phone, and the moment the screen lit up, the view of Bachu Mountain outside the hotel window came into view - the blue-gray mountains seemed to be immersed in an ink painting, and clouds were floating slowly halfway up the mountain. The sound of porcelain bowls colliding could be heard from the breakfast area downstairs.

While washing up, Chen Ziyu sighed in front of the mirror: "My dark circles are getting heavier again."

The person in the mirror was wearing a loose white bathrobe, with water dripping from the ends of her hair.

Tan Yue handed her a towel from behind, and when his fingertips brushed behind her ears, she smelled a faint citrus scent.

The sweet aroma of corn cakes wafts through the buffet breakfast area.

Tan Yue was holding a bamboo tray, hesitating between glutinous rice dumplings and kang potatoes. Chen Ziyu had already picked up two pieces of Tujia sauce-flavored cakes: "Try this. Yesterday the owner of the B&B said they use high-altitude wheat."

"How do you know everything?" Tan Yue took a bite of the golden and crispy cake, and the aroma of sesame mixed with hot sauce exploded on the tip of his tongue.

"I've been working on the guide for half a month." Chen Ziyu poked the soft-boiled egg with chopsticks, and the yolk flowed out and wrapped around the rice. "Let's go to Pingshan first today, and then return to Daughter City in the afternoon to see the night view." Her eyes were shining as she spoke, and there were drops of water on her eyelashes, like freshly picked dewdrops.

As the chartered car wound its way up the winding mountain road, Tan Yue looked at the receding terraced fields outside the window.

The stilt houses with green tiles and white walls are embedded in the green, and the mountain breeze brings the fragrance of wild gardenias into the car windows.

Chen Ziyu suddenly pointed to the distance and shouted: "Look! Is that Qingjiang?"

The driver smiled and said, "Young lady, you have good eyesight. That is Qingjiang River. The water in Pingshan Canyon is clearer than Qingjiang River. You can even see the rocks at the bottom of the water."

At the entrance of the scenic area stands a huge stone archway with the red-painted characters "Semporna" engraved on it.

Tan Yue helped Chen Ziyu put on the hood of her sun protection jacket and stuffed the selfie stick and snacks that she insisted on bringing into her backpack.

As they passed through a dark tunnel, a cool breeze blew over them, and Chen Ziyu unconsciously leaned closer to him.

“We’re here!” a cry came from the crowd.

My eyes suddenly opened up.

The emerald-colored water surface was like a piece of solidified silk. The wooden boat gently passed by, and the reflection of the bottom of the boat was clearly visible.

Chen Ziyu grabbed Tan Yue's wrist and said, "Hurry up and take a picture for me!" She stood by the wooden boat, her white skirt blown up by the mountain breeze, vines hanging from the cliffs behind her, and the blue sky and white clouds reflected on the water.

"Come too!" She suddenly reached out and pulled him.

The wooden boat shook, and Tan Yue staggered and held onto the edge of the boat, his nose almost hitting the top of her head.

At the moment captured by the photographer, the shadows of the two people overlapped on the water, like a splash-ink painting.

At noon, we had Hezha at a restaurant in the scenic area.

The tofu dregs in the casserole were stewed until milky white, served with bacon and seasonal vegetables. Chen Ziyu ate until sweat broke out on his forehead: "I didn't expect this to be so delicious!"

She reached out to grab the pickled radish opposite her, and Tan Yue pushed the plate towards her.

The afternoon sun became blazing.

The two rented a kayak and drifted slowly in the canyon.

The water surface was so quiet that one could hear each other's breathing, and occasionally a wild monkey would peek out from the rock wall to look around.

Chen Ziyu suddenly thrust the paddle into the water, and the splashing water fell on Tan Yue's face.

"Childish." He wiped his face with a smile, but secretly scooped up some water and threw it back.

The kayak spun in the narrow waterway and the two laughed so hard that they couldn't breathe.

It was not until the setting sun dyed the rock wall into honey color that we reluctantly went ashore.

On the way back, Chen Ziyu dozed off against the car window, his head gradually tilting onto Tan Yue's shoulder.

He didn't dare move, letting her breath gently brush against his collar.

In the evening, red lanterns are lit in the Daughter City.

The bluestone road was crowded with tourists, and the Tujia hand-waving dance performance had begun.

Chen Ziyu was attracted by the silver jewelry stall on the street and couldn't let go of a pair of earrings engraved with the Silankap pattern.

"Buy it." Tan Yue took out his wallet.

"It's too expensive." She said this, but her eyes never left the jewelry box.

In the end, Tan Yue insisted on paying the money and watched her put on the earrings. The earrings emitted tiny lights in the twilight.

The sound of people making glutinous rice cakes came from the street.

Tan Yue bought a piece of glutinous rice cake covered with soybean powder, broke it in two and handed it to her.

Chen Ziyu took a bite, and the glutinous rice stuck to the corner of his mouth. He reached out to wipe it off as if possessed by a ghost.

The air suddenly became quiet. The two stood under the lantern, and the surrounding noise became background sound.

Chen Ziyu's eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks, and the silver ornaments on her earlobes were still shaking gently.

"Go see the night view?" Tan Yue withdrew his hand and pointed to the stilt houses in the distance.

"Okay." She lowered her head and bit the glutinous rice cake, her voice as light as the mountain breeze.

Walking up the stone steps, the lights of the whole Daughter City gradually spread out. The eaves and corners of the Tujia buildings were immersed in the warm light, and the aroma of fried Guangjiao and kang potatoes wafted from the snack stalls downstairs.

Chen Ziyu stood on the observation deck and kept taking pictures of the night view.

"Please take a picture for me." She handed the phone to Tan Yue.

In the camera, she stood under a lantern, looking back and smiling, her hair blown by the wind, and her new silver jewelry glowed softly under the light.

Tan Yue suddenly felt that this photo could be kept for a lifetime.

When the noise of the night market gradually subsided, the two found a bar by the river.

Chen Ziyu ordered a cup of osmanthus rice wine, and Tan Yue ordered the local za wine.

The clear river outside the window is sparkling, and the shadows of the mountains on the opposite bank have merged into the night.

"Are you happy today?" Tan Yue stirred the rice wine in the cup and watched the osmanthus petals slowly rise and fall.

"Yeah!" Chen Ziyu's eyes sparkled, "The water in Pingshan is like a dream, and the glutinous rice cake..." She suddenly paused, her ears slightly red, "In fact, the happiest thing is..."

Before he could finish his words, the bar singer started playing the guitar.

A familiar melody sounded, it was "Little Lucky".

Chen Ziyu hummed along softly, his fingers tapping the table unconsciously.

Tan Yue looked at her profile under the light and suddenly felt a warm emotion in his chest.

On the way back to the hotel, the two walked side by side on the cobblestone road.

Chen Ziyu's hand occasionally brushed against his fingertips, and was finally gently held by him.

She just leaned closer to him, the citrus scent from her hair mixed with the moisture in the night, wrapping around the shadows of the two people.

As the elevator rose, Chen Ziyu lowered his head and counted the floors.

Tan Yue suddenly said: "Let's go to Xianshan Gongshui tomorrow."

"Okay." She looked up and smiled. The elevator door just opened and the light from the corridor stretched her shadow very long, overlapping with his shadow.

When I opened the door, it was already late at night.

Chen Ziyu placed the newly bought silver jewelry on the dressing table. When she turned around, she saw Tan Yue standing in front of the window, with the lights of Bachu spreading out behind him.

"Go to bed early," he said, his voice lower than usual.

"Good night." She replied and went into the bathroom holding the pillow.

As the hot water rushed over her body, she smiled at herself in the mirror, the silver ornaments on her earlobes still swaying gently.

Outside the window, the night in Bachu is quiet.

The mountains in the distance looked like sleeping beasts, and the clouds were slowly gathering again.

Tomorrow is another new day, just like this never-ending Qingjiang River, carrying the story of two people, flowing slowly forward.

……

The next day.

The morning light sprinkled on the stone road like broken gold. Tan Yue raised his hand to block the dazzling sunlight and turned to look at Chen Ziyu beside him.

She was standing on tiptoe to look at the signs of the shops on the street. A corner of her light pink skirt was lifted up by the mountain breeze, and a ginkgo leaf was stuck to the end of her hair.

"I heard there's a Tujia wine-breaking performance ahead." Tan Yue shook the guide on his phone, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the wooden bookmark in his jeans pocket - it was bought in Daughter City yesterday, engraved with the Xilankapu pattern.

The cobblestone street gradually became lively.

The old lady selling corn cakes opened the bamboo steamer, and white mist with sweet fragrance wafted over.

Chen Ziyu came over and asked the price in the newly learned Bachu dialect: "Auntie, how much is this baba?"

The old man was amused by her awkward tone and gave her an extra one. Tan Yue hurriedly took out change, but the old man waved his hand and said, "Girl, you imitated it well, so it's a gift!"

There was the sound of drums coming from the corner.

Tan Yue pulled Chen Ziyu into the crowd and saw Tujia men drinking from coarse earthenware bowls.

With a crisp "clang" sound, the ceramic bowl shattered into pieces on the bluestone slab, and the onlookers cheered in unison.

Chen Ziyu's eyes lit up, and when she turned her head, the ends of her hair brushed against the back of Tan Yue's hand, making him so itchy that he hurriedly took a half step back.

"Want to try it?" Tan Yue pointed to the crowd queuing up to experience it.

Chen Ziyu bit her lower lip and hesitated, but was dragged into the team by him.

When she took the wine bowl, her fingertips were cold. Tan Yue pretended not to care and wrapped his palm around the edge of the bowl to warm it.

The wine was homemade corn liquor, which tasted spicy. Chen Ziyu choked and coughed. Tan Yue was busy patting her on the back and laughing at her, saying, "You came here to experience the folk customs, but it seems like you came to ruin the place."

In the afternoon, go to the stilt house teahouse.

The proprietress brought over some Eagle tea, the tea soup was clear and there were a few wolfberries at the bottom of the cup.

The tune of "Sister Huang Si" floated in from outside the window, and Chen Ziyu hummed along. When he sang "Why are you calling me so urgently?", Tan Yue suddenly replied "I'll give you a pair of jade bracelets". After saying this, his ears turned red and he lowered his head to drink hot tea.

Passing by the waving dance square in the evening.

Chen Ziyu was pulled into the dance group by a sister in brocade clothes. Tan Yue held up a mobile phone to record the video. In the camera, she was spinning around. Her hair tie had come undone at some point, and her long hair was fluttering and falling in the wind.

The drumbeats became faster and faster, and he somehow squeezed into the crowd and held her hand, which was warm from the sun.

The two walked back along the cobblestone road.

Chen Ziyu held the Xilankapu scarf she had just bought and suddenly said, "Let's go to Suobuya to see the stone forest next time."

Tan Yue responded with "OK" and looked at her back. He suddenly felt that the evening breeze of Bachu contained something more moving than folk customs, like the aftertaste of eagle tea, slowly spreading in his heart.

Tan Yue responded with "OK" and looked at her back. He suddenly felt that the evening breeze of Bachu contained something more moving than folk customs, like the aftertaste of eagle tea, slowly spreading in his heart.

……

As dusk fell, Chen Ziyu stood on the street, her fingertips unconsciously stroking her newly-worn silver earrings.

The setting sun stretched her shadow very long, and it fell obliquely at Tan Yue's feet.

He was looking down at the navigation on his phone, his hair blown up by the mountain breeze, revealing a small patch of sunburned skin on the back of his neck.

"It takes half an hour to get there by taxi from here." He turned the screen of his mobile phone towards her. On the map, the icon of "Xianshan Gongshui Tourist Area" flashed a blue dot. "If we leave now, we can catch the sunset."

Chen Ziyu nodded, and the ends of her hair brushed against the silver jewelry on her shoulders, making a slight tinkling sound.

The lanterns on the street lit up one after another, and the folk song of a Tujia girl came from the corner, mixed with the burnt aroma of roasted corn.

Tan Yue hailed a taxi. In the back seat, Chen Ziyu's skirt was touching his trouser legs, rubbing against them gently as the vehicle bumped along.

Outside the car window, the mountains of Bachu gradually faded into dark green.

Chen Ziyu looked at the stilt houses passing by and suddenly asked, "Do you think the water in Gongshui River is clearer than that in Pingshan?"

"It should be different." Tan Yue turned the silver bracelet on her wrist - it was bought in Daughter City yesterday, and the pattern is the same as the one on her earrings. "I heard from the owner of the B&B that there is a light show in Gongshui River at night, and the water surface will look like it is covered with broken diamonds."

Chen Ziyu turned his head to look at him. The light from the street lamp shone through the car window, casting tiny shadows on his eyelashes.

She recalled how he pretended to be angry after she splashed him with water while kayaking yesterday, and the corners of her mouth rose unconsciously.

When the car stopped by the Gongshui River, the sunset was dyeing the clouds orange.

On the riverside trail, tourists were walking in groups with their cameras. In the distance, a wind and rain bridge spanned the river, and the warm yellow lights were already on under the eaves. (End of this chapter)