Peninsula: I run a bed and breakfast on Jeju Island

[By the way, a package should be arriving at the guesthouse in the next few days; please remember to sign for it.]

Looking at Choi Jin-ri's message, Lee Ran blinked.

[The cat food I brought for Brin? We haven't finished the cat food I bought last time! No need to buy more.]

[Not cat food.]

If it's not cat food, then what is it?

Li Ran scratched her brow.

"Is anyone home? Your package is here!"

As if his words had come true, Li Ran heard the deliveryman's voice in his ear.

He raised his eyebrows slightly, typing as he stood up:

[Isn't that a coincidence? I was just about to ask you what you sent when I heard the deliveryman calling from outside the door.]

[kkkkk, that's quite a coincidence. Go see for yourself what it is. I won't say anything more for now.]

"Tsk." He curled his lip at Choi Jin-ri's suspenseful behavior.

"Coming, coming!" he called out to the deliveryman outside the window.

As soon as Li Ran stepped outside, she saw a deliveryman in uniform.

The deliveryman carried a large cardboard box off the vehicle.

The sunlight slanted down onto the cardboard box, illuminating the three bright red characters on it: "Fragile".

It was a five-layer corrugated cardboard box, so sturdy that even pressing it with your fingers wouldn't cause it to sink in.

The seams were completely sealed with brown waterproof tape, three times horizontally and three times vertically.

Below the label is a line of small Korean text that roughly translates to "Please handle with care, this side up".

"Please confirm this first."

"Yes." He nodded and took the cardboard box from the deliveryman.

He gently shook the cardboard box and then heard a rustling sound coming from inside.

It must be the foam particles inside rubbing against each other.

Li Ran took out her key from her pocket and cut open the sealing tape.

He tore open the bubble wrap and saw three brownish-red ceramic vases inside.

The gaps around the vase were filled with foam particles.

"Please sign here first." The deliveryman handed over a pen and a delivery slip.

After signing the document, Li Ran took a picture of the three vases in the cardboard box and sent it to Cui Zhenli.

[Is this what you sent?]

[That's right, how is it? Pretty, isn't it?]

He looked at the three small ceramic vases in the cardboard box.

The reddish-brown bottle has a hand-sculpted, textured surface, giving it a rustic feel.

The base of the vase, in its original terracotta color, contrasts with the body of the vase.

[It's alright. Where did you buy it? How much did it cost?]

A little while later, Choi Jin-ri sent a "smug" emoji.

[I made this myself!]

Li Ran raised an eyebrow and looked again at the three antique vases in the cardboard box.

[You made all three vases yourself? You didn't ask anyone for help? I never knew you were so talented!]

Choi Jin-ri blinked, staring at Li Ran's message, a slight smile playing on her lips.

After a while, she pursed her lips a little shyly.

[I still needed help. After all, I've only been learning for a short time. This was made by my pottery teacher and me.]

Upon seeing this message, Li Ran smiled.

[So you sent these three vases to show off your improved skills?]

[No way!]

Choi Jin-ri rolled her eyes in slight reproach.

However, Li Ran probably won't see this eye roll. After all, they're only communicating via text messages now, not video calling.

Yup!

Why not just use a video call?

Choi Jin-ri rolled her eyes and dialed the number directly.

On the other side, Li Ran noticed that Cui Zhenli hadn't replied to her message for a while and assumed that she had something else to deal with.

So he put his phone in his pocket.

But his phone vibrated again shortly after he put it in his pocket.

He even felt the part of his skin that was pressed against the phone vibrate.

He glanced at the screen and selected to answer.

"Why did you suddenly call on video?"

"Because the message replies are too slow! And they might not even be able to fully convey my meaning."

"After all, someone's Korean isn't very good," Choi Jin-ri teased slightly.

He pursed his lips. "Don't underestimate me! After more than half a year of study, I've mastered everyday language pretty well, okay!"

"Besides, even if I really don't know it, there's always translation software!"

Choi Jin-ri has really forgotten about this.

"By the way, why did you suddenly send over three vases?" Li Ran asked, staring at the face on the screen.

"Don't you think the living room was a bit empty before?" Choi Jin-ri tilted her head and looked at him.

"Really?" he asked, somewhat bewildered.

"Yes!" she nodded.

"Alright. If you say it's empty, then it's empty." Li Ran scratched his eyebrows and started moving the cardboard boxes into the living room.

Upon entering the living room, he used his phone's light to look around and then asked, "Tell me exactly where the space is. I don't even know where to put the vase."

"Everywhere is so empty! Like here."

The camera shook slightly.

Choi Jin-ri brought her face close to the camera and pointed behind him.

Isn't it a bit too close?

Li Ran could even see the details on her face clearly.

"It's right over there."

Li Ran turned around in the direction she pointed.

It's a TV cabinet.

There were three vases in total. He placed one on one side of the TV cabinet, then, holding the last vase in his hand, asked, "Where's the last one?"

"Place it next to the sofa."

He casually put it down.

Li Ran looked at the arranged vases and said, "I have one more question now."

"What's the problem?"

"The room isn't empty. But the vase is empty!" He blinked, then looked at Choi Jin-ri on the screen.

"You want me to grow flowers in the guesthouse? It's too late!"

"Go ahead and plant it if you want," she shrugged.

"However, I've already arranged the flowers in the vase, and they should arrive by the next day at the latest."

Li Ran raised an eyebrow. "So you want to send flowers after you've already sent the vase?"

"Is that not allowed?" Choi Jin-ri tilted her head and looked at him.

"What girl gives flowers to a boy?" he joked.

"Why not?" she asked with a slightly serious tone.

"Well……"

Seeing her serious expression, Li Ran was speechless.

He scratched his eyebrows and changed the subject, "By the way, what flowers did you buy? Let me see if I recognize them."

"I haven't paid much attention to flowers before. I only know some names like roses, Chinese roses, and lilies, but if they were actually placed in front of me, I probably wouldn't recognize many of them."

"I bought quite a few different kinds, all mixed together."

"You can mix and match?" Li Ran leaned back on the sofa.

"certainly."

Li Ran nodded, admitting his ignorance.

He stared at Choi Jin-ri on the screen and fell silent for a moment.

Choi Jin-ri didn't seem to have any intention of speaking. She just rested her chin on her hand and quietly watched Li Ran on the screen.

After a while, Choi Jin-ri suddenly asked, "By the way, has that dove egg hatched yet?"

"It should be... soon, right?" he said somewhat uncertainly.