CH 65

As they sailed back to the hotel, Yu Zhou swiftly packed their things before checking out without hesitation.

Since they had paid for the hotel online, only the deposit was refunded. The organizer had paid for Xiang Wan’s stay as part of the group payment, so Yu Zhou asked, “The standard rate for this room is the same as what I paid online, right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Yu Zhou made a note to reimburse the organizer for Xiang Wan’s hotel stay when they returned home.

Now standing at the doorway, the two girls didn’t rush to leave. Instead, Yu Zhou searched for hotels in the city center on her phone and joked with Xiang Wan to lift her spirits. “How about I book us a five-star hotel? You can enjoy it.”

“What does five-star mean?”

“It means a really nice, really expensive hotel.”

“Do you have the money?” Xiang Wan quipped with a glance.

“Well, I still have a little bit,” Yu Zhou rolled her eyes. “But booking two rooms might be a little expensive, I’ll book a standard room for us to share.”

“We’re already here and I’ve made a plan. Let’s play for another day before we return home. I’ll take you to eat some delicious food,” Yu Zhou called for a taxi after reserving the room.

They arrived at the hotel, which was exactly as luxurious as Yu Zhou expected. A bellhop helped with their luggage while the receptionist led them to the front desk. Xiang Wan was fascinated by the scent of the lobby and admired the twin staircases and fountain flanking the statues.

Once they checked in, Yu Zhou followed the directions to the elevator. After swiping the room card, they arrived at Room 9702 and deposited their luggage.

Xiang Wan didn’t really notice anything special about the five-star hotel – it was just more spacious and brighter, had more mirrors in the bathroom and marble floors gleamed more.

Yu Zhou smoothed her clothes before sitting on the edge of the bed and playing with her phone. Then she turned to Xiang Wan and said, “Take a candid shot of me.”

“Huh?”

“Take a picture of me. I want to post it on my social media without looking like I know I’m being photographed. Remember to capture this exquisite headboard and the lamp beside it too.” Yu Zhou quickly looked down again.

Xiang Wan laughed and opened the camera app.

Seeing Xiang Wan laughing, Yu Zhou felt at ease. Actually, she wasn’t that keen on posting on social media, she was just worried that Xiang Wan was still thinking too much about that incident and still feeling upset.

But Xiang Wan was so obedient that she didn’t bring up the issue, only following Yu Zhou’s lead to switch hotels.

Yu Zhou let Xiang Wan relax and enjoy the breeze for a while before messaging the contact person they had previously reached out to on WeChat. She kindly expressed her disappointment with their disrespectful behavior and regretted informing them that Xiang Wan had decided to withdraw from the event. Xiang Wan’s money and accommodation fee would both be paid back to the organizers later.

After exiting WeChat, she saw a few missed calls. Without even opening them, she knew who they were from. Sure enough, the person called her immediately after Yu Zhou’s message. Yu Zhou hesitated on whether to answer or not. Even if she did, there was nothing for her to say. Plus, she was impulsive and easily soft-hearted. If the person sincerely apologized and promised to change, shedding some tears as explaining the consequences of their actions on the event, she didn’t know if she would give them another chance. But this was a principle issue, so she couldn’t make any concessions, it was better not to answer.

Fortunately, she wasn’t given the chance to ponder over it since her phone suddenly died and shut off.

Her phone had a battery problem and often died without warning, without even flashing a low battery warning.

Forget it, she left her phone at the hotel to charge and said to Xiang Wan, “Let’s go out and have fun, eat some good food.”

She had given Xiang Wan’s phone number to them when she registered for the event. If there was really an issue, the organizers would call Xiang Wan.

Xiang Wan smiled sweetly and said, “But you don’t have a phone.”

“So?”

“You once said that without a phone, you have no soul.”

“Then let my body go out with you,” Yu Zhou chuckled.

Xiang Wan blushed and said, “Your words sound so frivolous.”

Yu Zhou wanted to hit her, “Don’t pretend to me with such an artificial voice!”

Xiang Wan giggled before heading out with her.

After taking a carriage ride around the ancient path and visiting the arena ruins, they went to the bar street to listen to a few foreigners play the saxophone. Finally, they arrived at the riverbank at the edge of the city in the evening sunset.

The Qing River was very wide, firmly wrapping around Qing City. The two of them stood on the bridge, looking at the rushing river while feeling the breeze.

Yu Zhou held onto the railing and looked up as she said, “This bridge looks like the one where Yiping jumped into the river.[1]“

“Who jumped into the river?” Xiang Wan frowned.

“Yiping, a friend of mine.”

Xiang Wan looked at her apologetically for her slip of the tongue.

“Hahaha.” Yu Zhou burst out laughing, turned around and leaned against the railing, saying, “Ancient people are so funny.”

But Xiang Wan didn’t ask any further, just leaned on the railing while watching the passing ships on the river.

“Xiang Wanwan,” Yu Zhou called her.

“Hmm?”

“That’s just how society is, in any circle or profession, it’s difficult for girls.” Yu Zhou said, “It’s hard to just tell you to be happy, because being offended and disrespected is obvious. But at least, we can still say no, turn around and walk away.”

“There are many girls who don’t even have the chance to speak up,” Yu Zhou sighed, feeling a sense of loss.

“That’s why we need to stand taller,” Xiang Wan said.

Yu Zhou turned to look at her.

“To be popular, to be seen by others, to express your own voice, to be the person on the bridge.”

Xiang Wan said softly with her lips pursed.

Then so many people would see the girl standing on the bridge, looking down at the river and up at the sky.

“Oh…” Yu Zhou exclaimed, surprised that Xiang Wan wasn’t more upset.

Xiang Wan said, “I studied hard when I was young and prided myself on my knowledge, but I couldn’t join my clansmen and brothers in being granted titles and positions, entering officialdom. I told you, the Li Dynasty had open customs, but the positions of female officials from the previous dynasty were gradually abolished. In the end, the rank of female officials changed from the former dynasty to the inner court, from secretary to chamberlain.”

Xiang Wan was gazing at the rushing water, “I was once dissatisfied, like you said… Chūnibyō.”

“But I didn’t stay that way for long because I knew I couldn’t.”

“I wanted to help with the river management, but had never seen the river, I wanted to aid in disaster relief, but didn’t know where the disaster came from. The Li Dynasty did not practice foot binding, but it still didn’t go far.”

“When I sat on the high-speed train, looking at the beautiful scenery, passing so quickly, within a blink of an eye, I saw the arena left by the foreigners and then stood on the river.”

“Truly miraculous,” she murmured.

She could go far now, even if her childish ambitions were no longer there, she still had many feelings of gratitude.

“I should be upset because before, I wouldn’t have been able to come into contact with people like this, but I’m not upset because of this, because I can now be in contact with people like this.”

Now she could come into contact with people from all walks of life, which also meant that she was no longer trapped in a cage.

“But…” Yu Zhou began but then stopped.

She wanted to say that things might not be that optimistic, that she was actually very concerned, but she didn’t know how to say it.

The cages of modern society might not be in travel or location, they might be in places that Xiang Wan couldn’t even imagine, they might be on the internet, in thoughts and in people’s hearts.

After a moment’s thought, Yu Zhou said, “Let’s take a picture, the view on both sides of the river is beautiful.”

Xiang Wan took out her phone and they did a celebratory “yeah!” with their heads together.

But the two didn’t realize that something related to Xiang Wan had occurred on the forum lying quietly in Yu Zhou’s phone.