Peninsula: I run a bed and breakfast on Jeju Island

When the food was ready, Li Ran called out to the kitchen entrance, "It's ready to eat."

Choi Jin-ri moved Brin off her lap.

Brin seemed a little reluctant at first, and tried to hook her hoodie with his paw but failed, so he jumped onto the sofa armrest and sat there, staring at her.

"I'll feed you later," she said.

Brin turned his head away.

Two bowls of soup were placed on the table. The lotus root slices were thinly and evenly cut, and the tofu was cut into small pieces. The soup was light in color and a few goji berries floated on it.

There were also two dishes of pickled vegetables on the side.

The guesthouse had plenty of pickled vegetables. They were served almost every meal. Li Ran felt like they'd go moldy if she didn't eat more.

Choi Jin-ri sat down in the chair, picked up the bowl, and took a sip of soup.

The broth was light, with a hint of lotus root sweetness. The tofu was very tender and melted in your mouth.

"I've been busy all morning, so I'll eat something light and easy to digest." Li Ran sat down and picked up her chopsticks.

She picked up a slice of lotus root; the slice was thin, revealing tiny pores inside, which gave it a pale yellow hue against the soup.

Choi Jin-ri took a bite.

"Click~"

The lotus root slices are crunchy, but not the hard crunch of raw lotus root. They become soft and tender after cooking, yet still retain a bit of chewiness.

She took another sip of soup. "Was the lotus root bought yesterday?"

"I bought these a while ago, and they've been sitting for a few days. It's time to use them up."

She nodded and continued eating.

Xiao Hei had somehow slipped to the dining table and sat next to Choi Jin-ri's chair leg, resting his chin on her feet.

She looked down, moved her foot slightly, and Xiao Hei pulled his chin back. Once she had stopped, he put his chin back on her.

Li Ran picked up a piece of tofu and took a bite.

He looked down and saw Little Black's appearance, then stretched out his left foot to gently tease it.

The two of them ate rather slowly, occasionally reaching for their chopsticks and occasionally sipping soup, without saying anything particularly special.

The light outside the window was blinding, there was no wind in the yard, and the plastic sheeting of the tomato greenhouse reflected the sunlight.

"Are those two eggs alright now?" Choi Jin-ri suddenly asked.

Li Ran thought for a moment, "It should be fine, I just saw the doves come back."

"Have both of them returned?"

"I only saw one." He picked up a slice of lotus root. "The other one might be nearby, but I didn't notice it."

Choi Jin-ri nodded and lowered her head again to drink her soup.

She put the bowl down after finishing the soup, wiped her mouth with a tissue, and said, "The lotus root was delicious."

"Then I'll buy some more tomorrow. We don't have any lotus roots left at home." He nodded.

Family?

Choi Jin-ri blinked.

That's right, the guesthouse is indeed home for Li Ran.

"By the way, do you prefer it crispy or soft?" Li Ran asked.

She thought for a moment, then said, "Crispy."

"Then I'll make stir-fried lotus root slices next time."

"Can you handle spicy food?" he then asked.

"I can eat a little bit, but it can't be too spicy." She gestured.

"Okay." He nodded, and seeing that everyone had finished eating, he stood up to clear the dishes.

Choi Jin-ri also stood up and handed over her bowl.

Li Ran stacked the empty bowls together.

"I'll go check on the turtledoves first."

"Okay." He nodded.

Choi Jin-ri stopped two steps away from the bird's nest.

She looked up at the bird's nest and noticed that two large doves were nearby.

One of the doves huddled low in the nest, protecting its eggs underneath.

The other one stood on the barrier, turning its head every now and then.

The two eggs were huddled in the clump of withered grass, only a tiny bit of pure white showing.

Choi Jin-ri stared at that white figure and thought for a moment.

I wonder when these baby doves will hatch.

Will I ever see him again?

She remembered that she had specifically searched online before and found that dove eggs take about two to three weeks to hatch.

She silently calculated the date in her mind and pursed her lips.

It seems I'll most likely never see the day it hatches.

Her gaze fell on the dove that was incubating its eggs.

It remained motionless, pressing down on the egg.

The round, orange-red eyes blinked occasionally.

The wind blew in from outside the shed, causing the plastic sheeting on top to buckle and make a sound.

The dove seemed startled and slightly spread its wings.

Choi Jin-ri watched for a while and then went out.

She walked around the yard for a while, and finally sat down on a deck chair.

The sun felt warm on her skin, and Choi Jin-ri began to feel sleepy.

Brin ran out of the house, surveyed the yard, and finally jumped onto her lap.

Choi Jin-ri looked down at it, placed her hand on its back, and gently stroked its neck with her thumb.

She suddenly remembered something.

She still has one painting left to finish.

A painting related to Li Ran.

It's not that Choi Jin-ri didn't want to draw; it's that she really hadn't figured out how to draw it.

She had drawn turtledoves, pufferfish, and black leopards, and could roughly know how to start drawing them after just one glance.

I saw the dove that day in the shed, huddled in its nest; that was how it looked from the first glance.

Brin has a pair of big, round eyes that have an indescribable quality when she stares at people.

She specifically outlined the eyes twice when she drew them.

Xiao Hei always sleeps in late, so she drew a simple sketch of it lying down and sleeping.

Li Ran is different.

She thought for a moment, then turned her gaze toward the kitchen.

He is not someone who can be summarized at first glance.

Or rather, she had a first impression, but that impression was changed many times later.

After making several changes, she wasn't sure if the final result was accurate.

"Meow~"

Brin adjusted her position on her lap to a more comfortable one.

She looked down at it and gently patted its head.

Choi Jin-ri remembers that the first time she met him was at night.

She was exhausted, carrying things in her hands, and her mind was a mess.

He stepped aside and said, "Come in, the room is all ready."

that's it.

For the next three days, she stayed in her room, and even after he recognized her, she maintained an attitude of neither deliberately getting close nor deliberately distancing herself.

She thought about it for a long time, drew several versions in her mind, and then rejected several versions.

"What are you spacing out for?"

Li Ran came out of the kitchen carrying two glasses of water. She placed one glass on the small table next to her, took the other glass, and sat down on the chair next to her.

"It's nothing." She gently shook her head.

"Then why are you staring at me?"

Choi Jin-ri then realized that she had been staring at him the whole time.

She looked away, picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and said, "I'm thinking about a painting."

"What?" Li Ran was slightly taken aback.

"Didn't you say you wanted a painting?"

"Ah," he nodded, "that's what I said."

"Are you done drawing?" He blinked.

Choi Jin-ri shook her head. "I haven't figured out how to draw you yet."

"Then I won't draw it." He shrugged. "I didn't say I had to."

"No." She pursed her lips. "I mean, I've been thinking about it lately."

Li Ran raised an eyebrow and placed the water glass on the table.

"As I said before, I draw based on my first impression and overall impression." She tilted her head slightly. "But your first impression is not easy to summarize."

"Really?" Li Ran scratched her brow. "Then what kind of person am I in your eyes?"

Brin rolled over on Choi Jin-ri's lap and rested her head on her elbow.

She looked down at it and patted it gently.

"So you've figured it out?" Li Ran asked.

"Soon," she said.

"How long is 'soon'?" He raised an eyebrow.

"have no idea."

Li Ran took a sip of water, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Anyway, I'm not in a hurry, as long as you draw it."

Choi Jin-ri raised her head again, looked at him, and then looked at the courtyard.

The sunlight pressed clear marks onto everything.