At least Ren Ziling thought that was how Luo Aiyu regarded herself to be.
"Oh, Ms. Ren is so beautiful, and successful in her career. What an admirable lady you are!"
She was dressed in an old-fas.h.i.+oned style, the hair was probably cut in some nearby county barbershop, which was neither better nor worse. Apparently, she deliberately dressed up but they seemed not to match anyways.
"Well… can I stand over here? I will probably look slimmer like this." Luo Aiyu fiddled with her hairdo, "And, Ms. Ren, I hope that the report can highlight all the best parts of this resort. I paid a large sum of money to refurbish it. It’d be a pity of it no one sees it."
Was it necessary for this resort to exist? Even though it was said near to the touristic area, Ren Ziling felt she was tricked.
She should not be greedy for small advantages. If she travelled alone to this resort to write the travel guides, she would probably be worry-free.
"Landlady, move over here a little bit. Good, right there. Good, good."
Well, this way, she wouldn’t hide the seaview outside. As to the person… She won’t appear in the photo of the report.
"Lizi, give me the 70-200mm lens."
"No problem!"
The hostess felt very pleased suddenly. Seeing this Miss Ren coming from the big city installing the long lens, the professionalism made her think that it was worthy to pay the such a heart-aching high price!
But Ren Ziling stopped now, watching through the lens, "What the h.e.l.l is that boy doing there?"
Luo Aiyu gave a start, turning back to have a look. As she saw the long bench on the gra.s.s, she frowned and said, "Excuse me, let me head over and see."
She didn’t explain it clearly, just walking immediately out of the room.
"Sister Ren, should we go follow her?" Lizi asked.
Ren Ziling shook her head, "No. Let’s walk around and take photos. Let me try finis.h.i.+ng the draft, then we can enjoy the remaining time!"
"Sounds perfect!"
…
The paper was full of irregular lines due to scribblings. In the end, it turned into a huge vortex.
The old man kept drawing circles, ‘I can’t recall’ was constantly repeating from his mouth.
"Sorry, sorry!"
Right then, the landlady walked quickly towards Luo Qiu, asking hurriedly, "Guest, did he do anything to you?"
"Will he?" Luo Qiu asked Luo Aiyu.
Luo Aiyu took a glance at the old man and the messy paper, being a.s.sured before faking a smile, "No, no! He’s just an old man, and has some cognitive disorder, so sometimes he doesn’t recognize people, but he would never hurt anyone!"
"Alzheimer disease?"
Luo Aiyu was stunned… what did he say?
Luo Qiu then said faintly, "I mean Senile Dementia."
Luo Aiyu nodded, sighing with bitterness, "Alas, it has been years and becoming more and more severe these days. It isn’t easy looking after him. I got married to this place, but have to take care of my husband, the old, and the young, along with this resort… Ah, this time, I want to see if your report can bring the dead back to life. Or we might starve after the New Year! Can you give me a hand?
Luo Qiu was not interested in the landlady’s chatter--- He could feel something from the contrast between the husband’s indifferent manner and the wife’s enthusiasm.
"It’s very windy here." Luo Qiu stood up, smiling, "Take the grandpa back then… Actually, this place isn’t bad, at least I like the tranquility here."
"Oh… OK."
Luo Aiyu nodded.
She didn’t know high officials, n.o.ble lords or influential relatives. The highest official she ever met was the village secretary. However, this young man made her feel more pressured than seeing that village secretary.
She did as he instructed unwittingly.
Luo Qiu had gone far.
But he could still hear the voice at the back.
"Stand up! Old fart! Don’t terrify my guest! You even peed here? My G.o.d! What did I do in my last life to have met you, old fart! Stand up! Stop drawing. You should be caught and eaten by the sea monster! Stand up…"
…
"Song, legend…" Luo Qiu went back to his room, closing the window. He sat on the recliner by the window, looking at the grey sky.
His phone was turned on.
The strange rhythm Lizi played in the car was heard again.
Boom---!
The lightning flashed above the sea.
…
…
"Yiyun, Yiyun!"
As she pulled him back to the resort, Luo Aiyu called her daughter.
But she saw her husband sitting at the counter, drinking beer with a straight face.
The daughter rushed out after hearing the call, "What’s wrong, mum?"
Luo Aiyu pulled her aside, asking secretly, "What is your father doing? Why isn’t he working? The day hasn’t turned dark, why is he drinking beer?"
Lui Yiyun peeped at her father, saying, "The most beautiful lady in the group asked me to take her to the kitchen, then…"
"Why?" Luo Aiyu frowned, "Is she afraid that our kitchen is not clean?"
Lui Yiyun mumbled, "No, she said she wanted to prepare the food and asked dad to take a rest. Then they had a quarrel. And… after that miss showed her cutting skills, dad walked out and drank the beer in silence."
Luo Aiyu gaped. Even though her husband had weak working ability but when it came to cooking, n.o.body else could compete with him in this neighborhood.
If he didn’t have this cooking skill and hoped to make something out of himself, she would never get married to this isolated place next to her hometown.
But she had never seen her husband being so depressed after witnessing other’s knife skills. This was the first time throughout so many years,
"Oh, what’s wrong with Grandpa?" Lui Yiyun watched her grandpa.
Luo Aiyu turned around and looked at the old man who was taking off his pants. She became angry suddenly, "You old fart! I didn’t ask you to take them off here!! Oh my G.o.d, why am I so miserable to be with this old fart and married a useless man!"
"Shut up! You can do nothing except rant!" Lui Hai stood up suddenly.
"If you’re so capable, go to the kitchen and proof it! Are you ashamed to be rousted out by a girl?" Luo Aiyu snorted.
Lui Hai didn’t know how to answer. He just snorted with a red face.
"I’m so unfortunate to have met such a weird family like yours! Luckily there’s only one useless grandpa in the house, if there’s another useless grandma, I’ll be very p.i.s.sed off!"
"Don’t mention my mother!" Lui Hai goggled his eyes like a testy ox. He smashed the beer bottle on the ground, "Dare you say it again!!"
"What? You want to hit me? Bring it on! Bring it on if you’re capable of doing so!"
Lui Hai raised his hand but drew it back after forcing himself to take a deep breath. He shut the door closed and walked out of the hall straightaway, "Don’t count me in for dinner!"
Hearing Lui Hai’s voice, Lui Yiyun became frantic but she could only pull her mother, voicing hoa.r.s.ely, "Mum, don’t get angry. Customers are here, don’t quarrel with dad."
"OK, I don’t want to care anymore!" Luo Aiyu swung her arms, walking into the room.
Lui Yiyun could only look at her grandfather quietly… he probably had no idea at all of what had happened.
The girl let out a sigh.
