Chapter 6: Night Mooring at Liyang

Jiang Yuan sent a single word: [Okay.]

She stood by the small pool at the entrance of the riverside restaurant on the first floor, snapping photos and checking in. Facing the camera, she struck a cute pose, flashing a peace sign. Just after taking two shots, she saw Chen Yubai pushing the door open.

Jiang Yuan’s eyes lit up. Isn’t this a handsome guy with a striking silhouette?

Buddhism says a person meets three kinds of encounters in life: the first is accidental, the second inevitable, the third destined. But what if you meet the same person three times in one day?

Suppressing her laughter, Jiang Yuan waved warmly. “Oh, what a coincidence, Handsome Cheng! We meet again. Are you here to dine as well?”

Chen Yubai met her enthusiastic greeting with a slight frown, nodding coldly in acknowledgment before shifting his attention elsewhere.

People came and went at the restaurant entrance. Chen Yubai wasn’t sure who his gaming partner “Ruyi” was. He took out his phone to contact “Ruyi” but found it had shut down automatically from excessive gaming, making online contact impossible.

Jiang Yuan felt a bit deflated, unwilling to keep throwing warmth at a cold shoulder. She waited briefly at the door, then messaged her gaming partner “Gu Dao” on WeChat: [Are you out yet? I’m right by the small pool at the entrance.]

She stared at the chat screen for quite a while, but received no reply.

She sent another message: [Where are you?]

Still no response.

Just then, Chen Yubai walked over, clearing his throat. “Miss Jiang, at your age, you should be down-to-earth and not look for shortcuts.”

Jiang Yuan was taken aback. “What do you mean?”

Chen Yubai continued, “Girls should respect and love themselves to earn others’ respect. You’re so beautiful—you should really consider someone your own age when looking for a partner.”

Jiang Yuan didn’t quite understand, but she sensed this handsome silhouette was not a friend.

In that case, she wouldn’t hold back.

With a smile, she fired back, eyes sparkling mischievously: “So, are you volunteering to be my pillow companion?”

Chen Yubai’s face darkened.

Though Jiang Yuan felt satisfied, she pressed on: “I admit you fit my aesthetic, but looks alone aren’t enough. A man’s greatest charm lies in his cultivation and demeanor. Unfortunately, you seem to have forgotten those before leaving the house.”

Chen Yubai’s expression turned even darker. “Sharp-tongued, aren’t you?”

Jiang Yuan smiled sweetly. “Likewise.”

Chen Yubai frowned deeply. “Do you really intend to keep going down this dark path?”

What did he mean? Why would she choose a dark path when there was a bright one ahead?

Jiang Yuan replied, “Move aside, you’re blocking the light.”

She didn’t want to engage further. Stepping around him, she entered the restaurant, looking for her gaming partner. Judging by the photo “Gu Dao” sent, finding his table shouldn’t be hard.

Just as she stepped inside, she saw Cheng Qingyan settling the bill at the front desk.

Cheng Qingyan noticed Jiang Yuan and waved. “Yuan Yuan?”

“Uncle Cheng.”

He looked surprised. “You’re here to eat too?”

“No, I’m meeting friends to play. Uncle Cheng, you’re busy—I’ll go find my friends.”

“All right.”

After paying, Cheng Qingyan went out to look for his nephew. “Have you found the person you’re looking for?”

Chen Yubai shook his head. “My phone died; I don’t know who they are. I’ll check with the front desk if they have a shared charger.”

Jiang Yuan found the table from the photo; the waiter was clearing the messy dishes. She asked, “Auntie, has the group who sat here left?”

“Just left a while ago.”

“Thank you.”

She stepped back outside and continued searching by the entrance, making voice calls on WeChat but no one answered. Just as she was about to send another message, her mother called, asking when she’d be heading home to use the electric scooter.

Jiang Yuan sighed, “Mom, I’m coming back now.”

After hanging up, she messaged her gaming partner: [Gu Dao, my mom’s calling me home. I have to leave first. Let’s meet another day.]

Chen Yubai borrowed a shared charger from the front desk, plugged in his phone, and powered it on. He soon saw the message from his gaming partner saying they had left. No wonder he hadn’t seen them by the door. He replied: [Okay, we’ll meet another day.]

Jiang Yuan walked toward the exit of Liyang IN Alley, sending a message as she went: [That was really unlucky—ran into a sharp-tongued handsome guy, so sarcastic. I don’t even know what I did to offend him. What a weirdo.]

Chen Yubai sympathized: [I just met a young internet celebrity who’s obsessed with my elder family member. I tried to persuade her to see reason, but she wouldn’t listen, stubborn and temperamental.]

Jiang Yuan replied: [Don’t be mad. Losing a minute to anger means losing sixty seconds of happiness. Not worth it. I’m heading off now. Any plans tonight?]

Chen Yubai: [Just wandering around, checking out Hui-style architecture.]

Jiang Yuan: [Take your time. There’s an old saying in Tunxi: “Visit Huangshan by day, stay at Liyang by night.” It refers to Liyang IN Alley. Located at the convergence of two rivers and the intersection of three provinces, Liyang has historically been a commercial hub on the borders of Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi, and a key port on the Xin’an River. It’s known as “Ming and Qing Tunxi, Tang and Song Liyang.” There are several antique Hui-style mansions here, like the Shi family mansion, the Jia family mansion, and the Li family medicine clinic—all worth visiting. The Purple Qi East Archway and the old opera stage are charming too.]

Jiang Yuan continued: [The Shi family mansion belonged to Shi Shouxin’s descendants, a founding hero from the Northern Song dynasty. The brick, stone, and wood carvings on the walls showcase classic Hui architecture. The mansion consists of three main courtyards—east, central, and west. It’s now been converted into a bookstore called “Zhanchuan Book House,” which includes a café—perfect for leisurely sipping coffee with a book. The café’s second floor is a hidden gem; you should check it out.]

Chen Yubai: [Sounds great. What about the other two mansions?]

Jiang Yuan: [The Jia family mansion is another typical Hui-style building, constructed with bricks, earth, and wood, featuring horse-head walls and red lanterns. The plaque above the door reads “Huizhou Virtuous Scholars’ Hall.” Inside are ancient texts, family instructions, and stories of famous figures. The furniture carries a strong sense of history—you can really appreciate it.]

Jiang Yuan: [Between the Shi and Jia mansions is the Li family medicine clinic, originally a renowned pediatric clinic. It’s a quaint Hui-style building now converted into a teahouse called “Sun Yishun An Tea.” Sitting by the side entrance in the evening, sipping tea there is quite atmospheric.]

Chen Yubai: [Alright, I’ll go check them out now.]

Jiang Yuan: [Enjoy your visit. I’m heading home now. We’ll meet another day.]

Jiang Yuan reached the exit of Liyang Water Street, found the electric scooter, donned her helmet, and zipped through the bustling streets, disappearing swiftly into the night.

She rode back to Yanxi Night Market. Since her mother was going home, Jiang Yuan let her ride the scooter while she sat behind, relaxed and carefree, on their way to their rural home.

Their house was in Yucun Village, not far from Tunxi’s urban center—a 7.5-kilometer journey that took a good ten minutes on an electric scooter. Compared to her twenty-plus minutes commuting by subway to work in Shanghai, this distance was nothing.

Under the hazy night sky, moonlight like flowing water, far from the city, the village lay under a canopy of stars, with the faint glow of the Milky Way visible—a beauty Jiang Yuan had not seen in the city for three years.

***

The next day, Jiang Yuan woke at six, roused by her alarm.

She jumped out of bed instinctively to wash up and catch the subway, but as her feet touched the floor, she caught sight of the hazy green hills outside the window and realized she was back in the countryside—no need to rush to work.

A breeze stirred the wind chimes by the window, tinkling softly.

Outside, the village with its white walls and black tiles was neatly arranged, nestled among mountains and waters like a slowly unfurling ink painting. Dawn poured golden silk light over the village, with gentle smoke rising from chimneys like soft ribbons dancing in the sky, or a gentle woman whispering homesickness to faraway travelers. The scent of cooking filled the air, wrapping the village in warmth and peace.

“Wonderful—I finally don’t have to squeeze into the subway at dawn.”

Jiang Yuan slipped back under the covers, turned off her phone alarm, and fell back asleep.

She slept until naturally waking at nine-thirty.

Stretching luxuriously, she sighed, “This is the life people should live.”

Happy, she squinted and got up, still in pajamas, to wash her face and brush her teeth at the well in their yard.

Their home was a typical Hui-style farmhouse with horse-head walls and a persimmon tree. During the drying season, the branches hung heavy with bright red persimmons, like sunset clouds accidentally dropped upon the branches. Sunlight filtering through cast a charming glow, the ripe fruits’ color like carefully mixed cinnabar—vivid and captivating. Occasionally, magpies hopped about, pecking greedily at the fruit.

The yard was full of bamboo trays brimming with autumn’s bounty. Bright red chili peppers strung like flames, golden corn arranged like precious jewels, gleaming with the glow of harvest; orange pumpkins and brown dried beans complemented the vibrant persimmons, together painting a colorful picture of abundance.

In recent days, Jiang Yuan had been studying her mother’s Douyin videos. The three most popular all featured horse-head walls, red persimmons, and these bountiful autumn trays as backgrounds. Their beauty inspired viewers and fueled dreams of Hui’s drying season, explaining their viral success.

Jiang Lanfang emerged from the kitchen, apron tied around her waist. “Yuan Yuan, you’re up! Why not sleep longer? What do you want for breakfast? I made plain porridge and bought steamed buns and fried dough sticks from the village. Eat quickly and help me check Douyin—someone messaged about an advertising deal. You decide if we should take it.”

“Sure.”

When her mother brought the breakfast to the living room table, Jiang Yuan ate while scrolling through Douyin messages and backend data.

Screen swiping, endlessly refreshing.

She envied her mother, who had hit her stride in middle age and was booming.

Filming rural life and cuisine had brought so many new followers.

Like a dream of sudden wealth, Jiang Yuan still found it surreal.

She decided not to do anything else today, focusing solely on analyzing her mother’s Douyin account, studying traffic and audience data. She wanted to help her mother manage it well.

In the afternoon, Jiang Lanfang prepared to go out, carrying a bamboo basket and wearing a straw hat. Before leaving, she told Jiang Yuan, “Yuan Yuan, study at home. I promised some followers I’d go pick wild kiwis in the mountains and make a video. I won’t be back for lunch.”

Jiang Yuan closed her laptop and caught up to her. “Mom, I’ll help film. Are there still wild kiwis in the mountains?”

Jiang Lanfang nodded. “Of course. When I was young—about thirty years ago—the hills were covered with kiwi trees planted by the village. A Taiwanese investor came to put money into selling the kiwis in big cities. But back then, logistics and cold chains were undeveloped. The village shipped crate after crate, but by the time they reached elsewhere, the fruit spoiled. The investor pulled out, and the kiwi industry was abandoned. Nobody tended the trees anymore, and the orchards fell into ruin. It’s such a shame. If it were today, with advanced cold chain and transportation, Yucun would have grown wealthy long ago. Alas, bad timing. I’ll film more videos to promote it. Maybe we can find a new investor in thirty years and revive the abandoned industry.”

Jiang Yuan said, “Why not plant more persimmon trees? In drying season, hills covered in red persimmons against blue sky, white clouds, green mountains, and clear waters would become a hotspot—like the flower-selling fishing village in She County, where hundreds of acres of plum trees bloom spectacularly in early spring. Young people from Shanghai, Hangzhou, and nearby cities come specially to visit.”

Jiang Lanfang smiled. “Good idea. I’ll talk to the village. If the hillsides fill with persimmons, it would attract tourists and we could sell the fruit or make delicacies. That would bring prosperity.”

Mother and daughter walked into the mountains, chatting cheerfully, Jiang Yuan filming scenery and her mother for video material.

At the mountainside reservoir, newly leveled ground held several parked cars. Jiang Lanfang glanced and said, “Your Uncle Cheng is here fishing again. See the white car with Shanghai plates? I introduced him to this reservoir. Didn’t expect he’d get hooked and come every few days. The village fixed the road up to the reservoir so fishermen can drive right up. Many city folks come here to fish; they even hold competitions. A bunch of old men, doing nothing all day by the water. I don’t get what’s fun about fishing.”

Jiang Yuan, with poor eyesight, used her phone as a telescope, staring blankly. “His nephew’s here too. They’re sitting in the shade fishing. The nephew’s wearing sunglasses, looking cool and handsome—such a shame about his sharp tongue. Mom, if Uncle Cheng catches fish, will he really cook some for you? I want fish from the reservoir—they must be fresher and tastier than store-bought ones.”

Jiang Lanfang said, “We’ll see tonight. He’s pretty good at fishing.”