Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 325 Tour

The four of them tidied up, poured hot water into a basin in the corner to wash their hands, and then took their things downstairs.

While my sister was still sewing, she turned her head and glanced at me, saying, "Finished eating? It's so good to be young, you can eat to your heart's content. 134, here's 130. Want to go to the park? Let me tell you, don't believe those touts. If you want to take a boat, just go to the public dock. Those touts are all bluffing. There are snack vendors over there. Buy two bags and throw them over when the boat gets to the other side. There are a lot of kids squatting by the river waiting, they're so pitiful. Sometimes I go over and throw a few bags over when I have nothing to do."

Xiao Wei paid the bill, and the older woman put the money in the drawer while saying, "Be careful on the boat, it rocks really hard. Little sister, don't bump your stomach. And don't hang that camera around your neck, or you'll regret it when you fall into the river."

After saying goodbye to the enthusiastic and talkative older sister, the four of them crossed the road and arrived at the entrance of the riverside park. A large iron gate was painted green with the five red characters "Yalu River Park" on it, and a gray wall enclosed this narrow area.

The park isn't very big, and there's not much to do, but it's still considered quite nice by people at the time. The Yalu River Bridge is located just south of the park entrance, with two steel-armed bridges less than a hundred meters apart, extending to the mysterious land on the opposite bank. Both bridges were built by the Japanese, and the city of Andong, including the famous park, was built by the Japanese.

The trees in the park were just sprouting new buds, and the grass was just emerging; at first glance, it was a scene of withered decay. The ground was paved with cement bricks, and several pavilions and plazas of different designs stood there. Iron railings stood along the riverbank, and many people were leaning on them, looking towards the opposite bank. Occasionally, an old GAZ truck could be seen driving past on the dirt road; no one else was in sight, only a few factory buildings visible in the distance, and most of the land was wasteland.

The river water was murky, looking up close as if it were mixed with too much mud. Every now and then, withered branches, fallen leaves, and paper bags floated by. The river was clearly divided into two halves, one black and the other yellow. Several tour boats were going upstream, playing their whistles, and walking close to the opposite bank. You could see tourists on the boats crowding around the sides, looking across. Someone was even throwing things, forcefully tossing a bag of food onto the bank. However, the opposite bank was wild and undeveloped, so you couldn't see anything clearly.

With the bridge and the opposite bank of the river as a backdrop, the four of them took several photos, and then Chen Xiao started arranging for them to board a boat.

Chen Hui was a little worried and hesitated, which made Chen Xiao angry. She scolded Chen Hui a few times, while Xiao Hong tried to persuade him, saying, "Chen Xiao, how can you be so inconsiderate? You think you're a good person now? This is all because we're worried about you. Look at you, going up mountains and down rivers every day. Don't you ever think about the child? If he gets hurt, will it be too late to regret it?"

Chen Xiao pouted and said, "What can I do? I'm not going swimming. What's there to be afraid of if I'm just sitting in a boat?"

Xiao Hong pointed to the tour boats on the river and said, "Look at all those people on there, isn't it crowded? How come everyone is so considerate of you once you get on?"

Chen Xiao stared longingly at the cruise ship without saying a word. Xiao Wei looked around and said, "Let's go take a look. We'll wait for one that's less crowded. There should be fewer and fewer people now. Once we're on, Chen Xiao, you have to be good. Hold on tight and don't run around or push."

Chen Xiao's mood immediately brightened, and she readily agreed. Xiao Wei said to Chen Hui, "When you go up there, don't just play by yourself. Keep an eye on Chen Xiao and make sure she's well supported and protected." Chen Hui nodded helplessly.

Upon arriving at the cruise ship dock, there were about ten people standing in line waiting, and several touts constantly talking to these tourists. The park dock staff acted as if they didn't see anything, neither saying anything nor paying attention.

The man soliciting customers talked to a couple in front of them for a while, then turned around and saw Xiao Wei and his three companions. He looked them over and walked over, saying, "Want to take a boat ride? There are ten people on a boat, and you can charter the whole boat. You can stay as long as you want."

Chen Xiao immediately became interested and asked, "How much?"

The man said, "It's the same as the government, ten yuan per person. If you want to charter the boat, it's one hundred yuan. Shall we go? We can get on the boat right away, no need to wait."

Chen Xiao glanced in the direction he was pointing and asked, "Where's the boat?"

The man said, "It's definitely outside. Can we park here in the park? It's at the dock outside. We can get on the boat right there. It won't take a minute." He pointed to the north side of the park.

Chen Xiao asked, "Is it far? How far?"

The man said, "It's not far, just a few steps. Who would go if it were far?"

Chen Xiao tugged at Chen Hui's sleeve and said, "How about we charter their boat and go down the river for a ride?" Chen Hui looked at Chen Xiao with a helpless expression, then turned to look at Xiao Wei.

Xiao Wei scratched his head and asked the man, "What kind of boat are you on? Is it safe?"

The man said, "It's a cruise ship. It's safe, of course it's safe. Who would dare to go on one if it weren't safe?"

Xiao Wei asked, "What kind of cruise ship is it? What brand and model? Do you have the necessary permits?"

The man frowned and said, "Dude, are you just playing around or buying a boat? Anyway, you just want to get on a boat and go for a ride on the river, right? Come on, if you four charter the boat, I'll give you a discount of eighty yuan. How about it? Okay?"

Xiao Wei shook his head and said, "Never mind, the boat's here now, maybe next time."

The boats in the park were slowly approaching the dock, accompanied by the sound of whistles.

The man said, "Dude, are you guys kidding me? You've been asking me all this time and you're not going to sit down now. Are you playing me for a fool?"

Xiao Wei glanced at him and said, "Can't you ask questions when doing business? Then all clothing and shoe sellers would be out of business. If you ask, you have to buy, right?"

The man waved his hand and said, "You've been playing games with me for so long? It's definitely not going to work if I don't sit down today. Fine, then come on, pay up. Have I been putting up with your jokes for so long? Give me the money."

As he waved his hand, three men ran over; they were all soliciting customers throughout the park.

Chen Hui looked at Chen Xiao and asked, "Want a seat? Want a bag? You can't stand it if you don't stir up some trouble every day, can you? Are you satisfied now?"

Chen Xiao blushed immediately and said, "What's wrong? Just sit down. It's the same price whether you sit on a boat or not."

Chen Hui asked, "Do you know where it is? Do you know what kind of boat it is? Do you know how much it will cost you in the end? What else can you think about besides causing trouble? So many people aren't taking it, but you are? Didn't you hear what that lady said just now, or did you not understand?"

Tears welled up in Chen Xiao's eyes as she said to Xiao Hong, "What's wrong with me? I was just asking about a price!"

Chen Hui pointed to the group of men surrounding the four people and said, "Is this the price you asked for? Come on, you can try to bargain again."

The man said, "Come on, you guys can make all the noise you want on the gay forum later, just give me the money."

Chen Hui turned his head and yelled at him, "I'll fucking get the hell out of here." Don't be fooled by Chen Hui's submissive appearance in front of Chen Xiao; he has quite a temper and is a tough guy.

The man reached out and grabbed Chen Hui, saying, "You little brat, you think you're so tough?"

(End of this chapter)