The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

The plane landed at Dali Fengyi Airport. The afternoon sun, carried by the breeze from Cangshan Mountain, warmly bathed Shen Qingyao's face.

Yesterday, she was still pretending to complain to Fang Shuning on the phone about the torment of final exams, and today she has arrived in Dali.

As soon as Shen Qingyao landed, she called Meng Jiangyu, who was on a business trip in Shanghai, to let him know she was safe. The two chatted for a while before hanging up.

The clouds in Dali were so low they seemed you could reach out and touch them. Following the location in Fang Shuning's WeChat Moments, Shen Qingyao found the small courtyard overlooking Erhai Lake.

The hydrangeas at the entrance of the courtyard were in full bloom, their blue and purple petals were beautiful. Just as she raised her hand to knock on the door, the wooden door creaked open from the inside.

Fang Shuning was wearing a white cotton and linen dress and carrying a watering can. When she saw Shen Qingyao standing at the door, her eyes widened suddenly, and the watering can in her hand fell to the bluestone with a "clatter", splashing a few drops of water.

"Yao Yao?!" Fang Shuning's voice trembled. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, and after confirming that the person in front of her was not a hallucination, she suddenly dropped the watering can and rushed over, hugging Shen Qingyao tightly. "Why are you here?! Didn't you say you were going to rest at home?!"

Shen Qingyao chuckled softly as she was being squeezed, then reached out and hugged her back. The scent of gardenias from her hair lingered around her nose, along with the salty, damp air from the Erhai Lake breeze.

Fang Shuning was in good condition, and her exhausted expression had disappeared.

"I missed you, so I came to see you." She rested her chin on Fang Shuning's shoulder, her voice softening. "Surprised? Unexpected?"

Fang Shuning released her, reached out and pinched her cheek. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but she couldn't help but laugh, raising her hand to gently punch her: "You little liar!"

Just then, footsteps came from the courtyard, and a man came out carrying a plate of sliced ​​green plums. He was stunned when he saw the two embracing at the door. Then he smiled, put the plate on the stone table, and laughed loudly, "You must be Shen Qingyao. I was wondering why Shu Ning was talking about you this morning. It turns out we're on the same wavelength."

Shen Qingyao looked at Fang Shuning with some confusion, "And who is this?"

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Cheng Qidong, Shu Ning's landlord! You can just call me Brother Dong!"

The man was very tall with striking features. He was wearing a simple white T-shirt, which gave him a very comfortable appearance.

"Hello, Brother Dong!" Shen Qingyao looked on with amusement.

Anyone with eyes can see that Cheng Qidong is interested in Fang Shuning.

Fang Shuning pulled her wrist and walked into the courtyard, her steps light as if she were walking on air, chattering, "Come in quickly! I'll take you to see Erhai Lake! The clouds are especially beautiful today."

Cheng Qidong helped Shen Qingyao carry her suitcase up the stairs.

Sunlight filtered through the large banyan tree in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Shen Qingyao watched Fang Shuning's joyful figure, a smile spreading across her lips and into her eyes.

It turns out that traveling thousands of miles can really make ordinary days shine.

-

Fang Shuning held Shen Qingyao's hand and walked slowly along the boardwalk by Erhai Lake.

The afternoon breeze, carrying moisture, made their hair flutter gently. The distant Cangshan Mountains were shrouded in a thin veil of clouds, their outlines as gentle as a traditional Chinese ink painting.

The wooden plank road underfoot was warm from the sun, and occasionally a few small silver fish would leap out of the water, splashing up tiny ripples.

Fang Shuning glanced at Shen Qingyao and saw her gazing absently at the white sail in the distance. She couldn't help but reach out and gently poke her arm: "Yaoyao, is he alright?"

Shen Qingyao withdrew her gaze from the distance, turned to look at her, a faint smile playing on her lips, her tone tinged with mischief: "Who is he? Which 'him'? Are you talking about Cheng Qidong?"

Fang Shuning was a little confused: "Yaoyao! Cheng Qidong and I are just landlord and tenant. Don't make wild guesses, it'll embarrass him!"

Shen Qingyao raised an eyebrow and slowly said, "Really? But why do I see a light in his eyes when he looks at you?"

Fang Shuning calmly replied, "He's just a nice person!"

"Is that so? Those involved are often blinded, while bystanders see things clearly!"

"Yes, and besides, I'm not in the mood for that right now. I feel pretty good being alone!"

Shen Qingyao became serious and said, "He's fine."

She paused, her voice softening, "He should have found someone to marry by now."

"Um!"

Fang Shuning reached out and took her arm, gently resting her head on her shoulder: "Then I wish him happiness!"

Fang Shuning felt as if something had gently bumped into her heart, and her nose tingled slightly: "Oh, let's not talk about him, it'll ruin my mood."

She perked up again: "Yaoyao, I was thinking the other day, 'If only you were here.' The sunset that evening was rose-colored, turning Erhai Lake pink. It was so beautiful."

"Maybe tonight too!"

The wind blew again, carrying the aroma of roasted milk fan wafting from the guesthouse in the distance.

Fang Shuning held Shen Qingyao's hand and continued walking forward. Their shadows overlapped, like a painting frozen in time.

-

The sunlight bathed the bluestone streets of Dali Ancient City in a warm gold color. Fang Shuning pulled Shen Qingyao along the boardwalk into the ancient city.

At the entrance of the alley, a tie-dye shop hangs blue and white cloth curtains. When the wind blows, the corners of the cloth flutter, much like the waves on Erhai Lake.

"Let me tell you, this roasted milk fan is super authentic." Fang Shuning turned into a narrow alley with familiarity and pointed to the steaming stall in front of her.

The stall owner was a Bai ethnic minority woman who greeted Fang Shuning with a smile, quickly coating two milk fans with rose jam and handing them over.

Shen Qingyao took a bite, the milky and floral aromas melting on her tongue, and she couldn't help but smile: "A hundred times better than the ones near the school gate."

The two walked and browsed, their hands soon filled with things.

By the time we reached Sifang Street, it was already getting dark.

One by one, the red lanterns lit up, illuminating the entire street with a warm glow.

The sound of guitars drifted from a folk music bar by the roadside, with singers playing and singing "Snow on Cangshan Mountain, Moon over Erhai Lake".

Fang Shuning bought two cups of plum wine, handed one to Shen Qingyao, and the two leaned against the stone bridge, watching the tourists coming and going.

"I used to think that the ancient city was too crowded and noisy," Fang Shuning took a sip of wine, turned her head to look at Shen Qingyao, and smiled. "But then I realized that this is life, this is the real world."

Shen Qingyao touched her glass; the wine was sweet with a hint of plum tartness.

She gazed at the brightly lit city walls in the distance and said softly, "Yes, and the people here are kind and the scenery is beautiful!"

The glow of lanterns flowed like a warm river on the stone pavement, and the folk songs from the bars mingled with the laughter of tourists, slowly spreading throughout the entire street.

The evening breeze carried the aroma of roasted rice cakes and the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms. Fang Shuning swirled the liquor in her glass and suddenly sighed, "Yaoyao, do you know? When I first came here, I hid in the courtyard every day and cried. I felt like life was terrible."

Shen Qingyao turned her head and saw that her eyes reflected the dim light, but there was no trace of her usual dejection.

"And then?" she asked softly.

"Later," Fang Shuning smiled, her fingertips gently stroking the cool glass, "Cheng Qidong would bring fresh fruit to knock on the door every day, either to call me to see the sunrise over Erhai Lake or to take me to the morning market. He said that the wind in Dali is the best at blowing away worries."

"Why is he so good to you?" Shen Qingyao asked knowingly.

Fang Shuning was stunned for a moment.

When she first met Cheng Qidong, she was still heartbroken and listless all day. Cheng Qidong's caring words and concern were nothing more than a landlord's consideration for his tenants. She didn't realize that his kindness had already crossed the line.

Later, she slowly emerged from the shadows and gradually got used to his presence. He would remember that she didn't like cilantro, and would quietly leave an umbrella at the door on rainy days. He would sit with her by Erhai Lake until late at night.

She took these small acts of kindness for granted and never felt that there was anything wrong with them.

After Shen Qingyao pointed it out, Fang Shuning belatedly realized what was happening, and a strange, inexplicable flutter ran through her heart. It turned out that Cheng Qidong was really too good to her.

She looked up abruptly, her voice tinged with disbelief: "You mean... he likes me?"

"Otherwise what?" Shen Qingyao smiled, her lips curving upwards. "Isn't it obvious?"

"But what do I have that he would like?" Fang Shuning lowered her eyes unconsciously, her fingertips gently twisting the hem of her clothes, her tone carrying a hint of unconscious bewilderment.

"Why would you think that?" Shen Qingyao reached out and patted the back of her hand, her tone earnest. "You're beautiful, have a good personality, upright character, and are sincere and kind to others... With so many admirable qualities, how could you not be worthy?"

She paused, softening her voice, "Besides, liking someone is irrational; it's simply because you are you."

Fang Shuning stared at her blankly, a thin layer of moisture gradually welling up in her eyes. After a long while, she spoke softly, her voice warm with a choked sob: "Thank you, Yao Yao."

When I returned to the courtyard, it was already dark.

Cheng Qidong had already returned to his room. The courtyard was quiet, with only the chirping of insects in the corner.

Fang Shuning led Shen Qingyao into a south-facing guest room. As they opened the door, moonlight streamed in through the window, falling on the bed covered with blue and white sheets.

"Lying in bed at night, I can see the moon over Erhai Lake."

Shen Qingyao walked to the window, pushed open the wooden window, and sure enough, she saw a full moon hanging in the sky above Erhai Lake. On the shimmering water, the moon's reflection was broken into thousands of silver scales.

The evening breeze, carrying moisture, rushed in, causing the stray hairs at her temples to flutter gently.

After washing up, the two lay on a bed, turned off the lights, and the only things left in the room were the moonlight and their soft breathing.

"Yaoyao," Fang Shuning suddenly spoke, her voice soft, "Do you think Lu Linchuan ever thinks of me in the middle of the night?"

"Maybe!" Shen Qingyao thought for a moment, then added, "But what's the point of thinking about him? Someone else is sleeping next to her now. Stop thinking about him!"

"Sister Fang, waiting for someone—a little waiting is romantic, but a long waiting is just plain crazy!"

"If you meet someone you like, don't hesitate!" She nuzzled Fang Shuning's shoulder. "Don't dwell on the past; it's time to embrace a new life."

"The previous chapter of the story has ended; the next chapter can begin."

Fang Shuning then gently hugged her back, her nose touching the top of her head: "Let me think about it some more."

The two talked a lot, from embarrassing moments in their youth to their expectations for the future, from the Grand Hyatt Beijing to the snow-capped Cangshan Mountain in Dali.

The moonlight slowly moved across the window, the chirping of insects gradually subsided, and the two voices grew softer and softer. Finally, in the gentle night, accompanied by the breeze from Erhai Lake, they both fell into a deep sleep.