For this trip, Tang Tang wasn't very well-prepared, always being careless, forgetting to pack this or that. Arriving in a place like Dali, if she didn't find the right spots to visit, she'd be just like any other tourist ready to be fleeced, and wouldn't enjoy herself at all.
So, Xiao Feng was determined to make this trip a success. Time quickly flew by to the day they had agreed upon. Xiao Feng, thoughtful as ever, arrived at Tang Tang's home ahead of time to pick her up, earning him much praise from Tang's mother.
At the airport, the two still didn't speak much. Tang Tang said little, and Xiao Feng didn't ask much.
The plane took off. As they ascended above the city, it was initially covered by dense clouds. After a while, the weather began to clear, and the scenery became brighter. Looking down at the city from the plane, the small houses resembled pieces of a puzzle. Mountains, rivers, towns, and villages formed a harmonious picture.
Even from the plane, one could feel the joy of the people in this region. Although Yunnan province's economic development level isn't high, the people's sense of happiness is very high.
They were once "border barbarians" who lived off the mountains and rivers. Now, they still reside on the nation's borders, but they have grown accustomed to this life by the mountains and water.
Looking at the vast expanses of towering forests, Tang Tang's heart swelled. She had long heard of Yunnan's famous mushroom hot pot. If it was the rainy season, they should be able to catch the best time for mushrooms.
It was a rare moment when Xiao Feng and Tang Tang's thoughts aligned. When he had researched their itinerary earlier, he had already discovered that this time of year was the best for mushroom hot pot. To visit Yunnan and not try their mushrooms would be a wasted trip.
By the time they reached the hotel, it was already evening. Dali relies primarily on tourism, so there are fewer factories. Even though it was dusk, Tang Tang could still see the deep blue sky. She never saw such clean skies back home.
The secretary hadn't booked them a hotel, but rather a private guesthouse. The guesthouse had many small courtyards, and they were given a separate one, fully equipped.
At the front was a small living room, with a simple kitchenette and a bar in the middle. Further back were their living quarters and a bathroom. Upon entering the bedroom, they discovered that the floor-to-ceiling door led to a balcony.
Opening the door, a sea breeze blew in, enveloping Tang Tang in its warmth. She couldn't help but step out onto the balcony, listening to the sound of waves lapping against the shore. Unlike at home, where she only ever heard the honking of car horns.
As she was enjoying the moment, a shawl was suddenly placed over her shoulders from behind. "Be careful not to catch a chill. The sea breeze here is quite strong," Xiao Feng said as he approached.
"The people who live here are the truly wealthy. They have mountains and water, such beautiful scenery. We, on the other hand, have nothing but the smell of money on us." This remark made Tang Tang burst into laughter.
She hadn't realized that Xiao Feng also disliked his "smell of money" so much. Earlier, when she learned that her fiancé was the top executive of a certain conglomerate, she had been very resistant. What else could such a person see besides money?
Besides politics and economics, he surely had no artistic inclination. How would they ever find common ground for conversation? And for the sake of money, he likely had no concept of family, probably living a traditional life where the man works outside and the woman manages the household. This wasn't the kind of marriage she wanted, so she had always thought so. But hearing Xiao Feng say he was covered in the smell of money today, it seemed Xiao Feng wasn't so different from her; he was just an ordinary young man.
He also enjoyed freedom and a life of wandering. It made sense, of course. Born into such a family, it would be unreasonable not to take over the family business. And if he took it over, he would surely want to do it well, making him so professional, which wasn't necessarily what he wanted.
However, thankfully, he hadn't become very materialistic.
"We should go inside," Xiao Feng urged her. The scenery was indeed beautiful, but he was worried that Tang Tang was already tired from the flight, and it was her first time here, so she needed time to adjust.
If she stayed out in the sea breeze for too long, she could easily catch a cold, and then their subsequent itinerary would be ruined.
Back in the room, Tang Tang began to complain that she didn't want to rest. She was eager to explore this leisurely city, and it was almost mealtime. Although Yunnan's specialty was rice noodles, she didn't want to settle for something so ordinary right now; she wanted to eat something she had never tasted before.
Suddenly, with no ideas, she felt a bit embarrassed to ask, "What are we having for dinner? Will the guesthouse prepare it for us?"
Xiao Feng said with some apology, "We arrived a bit late. The guesthouse has already stopped serving dinner. We might have to find something ourselves."
Hearing this, Tang Tang felt a secret delight but tried not to show it, as she didn't know what they should eat. "Then what should we have?"
"Definitely not rice noodles, definitely not rice noodles," Tang Tang chanted silently in her heart. She didn't know if Xiao Feng had ears that could hear a thousand miles, as if he had heard Tang Tang's wish.
"Let's go out and find some snacks. You probably can't eat too much after just getting off the plane. What do you think?" Xiao Feng chose to ask for her opinion first.
"I can't eat a lot right now, but I still want to try some snacks."
"Alright, I just heard that there's a good place for liangfen nearby. Shall I take you to try it?"
"Liangfen?" Tang Tang was a little hesitant. In her mind, liangfen was similar to rice noodles, just served cold and mixed. It wasn't anything special.
"Their liangfen here is different from other places. It's made from peas. It can be deep-fried, served cold, or prepared like hot noodles..."
Xiao Feng's description immediately made Tang Tang hungry. "Then let's go. I'm really hungry." Tang Tang urged, quickly grabbing her bag and pulling Xiao Feng towards the door.
She hadn't paid much attention to what Xiao Feng had just said, but she felt the dish was very intriguing. She was eager to see it. Seeing Tang Tang unconsciously holding his hand, Xiao Feng looked down. It seemed he hadn't misjudged this time.
Although Tang Tang sometimes showed him hostility, it was only temporary. When she truly let down her guard and interacted with someone, she would involuntarily show friendliness.
Xiao Feng led Tang Tang out of the guesthouse and through the winding alleys. Finally, they found the liangfen shop he had seen in his research. Even though it was nearing midnight, the small shop was still bustling with activity.