Chapter 36
After obtaining the ginseng, the two exchanged contact information and Wen Guhua hurriedly left. After all, having fun wasn't his ultimate goal.
When Tang Yao returned to the small garden, everyone was still discussing the flowers and plants, with many taking photos with their phones or cameras.
It was as lively as a New Year's celebration.
It wasn't until Xiao Li prepared several tables of delicious food that they finally turned their gaze away from the small garden.
Considering that this group of guests was mostly elderly, Xiao Li prepared relatively light but delicious dishes.
While enjoying the delicious and nutritious meals surrounded by greenery, everyone instantly felt all their fatigue disappear.
However, being elderly, they went back to their rooms for a nap after the meal.
Tang Yao breathed a sigh of relief.
Almost everyone wanted her to sell them the flowers and plants from the guesthouse and were exceptionally enthusiastic towards her, with a few even offering to introduce her to their grandchildren.
Tang Yao was one step away from fleeing.
Back in her small building, she said weakly to Xiao Yue trio, "I'm going to rest for a while. Don't call me unless it's absolutely necessary. If I don't come out for dinner, please bring it to me."
Xiao Yue nodded, but didn't leave immediately. Instead, she placed her hand on Tang Yao's forehead: "36.2 degrees Celsius. No fever. Are you feeling unwell?"
Her hand was the most accurate thermometer.
Xiao Yue's concerned tone warmed Tang Yao's heart.
"It's nothing, I just sometimes want to be alone," Tang Yao smiled.
Xiao Yue was relieved and turned to leave.
Tang Yao took a nap, waking up at three in the afternoon.
Her room door was very soundproof. Her parents had deliberately changed it during her senior year of high school to prevent guests at the guesthouse from disturbing her studies.
Tang Yao went to the rooftop, made herself a cup of tea, and then lazily nestled into a recliner.
She could see a number of people strolling leisurely in the garden not far away, all commenting on the flowers and plants.
The sounds of voices reached her ears, the recliner swayed gently, a light breeze caressed her face, the sunlight softly shone on her body, and the aroma of tea slowly wafted into her nostrils.
In this atmosphere, Tang Yao squinted her eyes, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.
Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep again.
When she woke up, she found herself covered with a blanket. Just as she got up Xiao Yue brought up a steaming bowl of food.
Xiao Yue trio could freely enter and leave Tang Yao's small building. Tang Yao trusted them so much entirely because of the robots' programming.
The evolution of robot intelligence was nothing new in that interstellar world. There had even been instances of robots fighting humans. Therefore, they were more cautious about making modern robots. Whether for military or domestic use, if they showed even the slightest sign of disloyalty, their self-destruct program would be activated.
However, her three robots were far too gentle, seemingly completely unrelated to the interstellar people's worries.
Xiao Yue placed the food on the rooftop table, setting out the bowls and chopsticks before beckoning Tang Yao over.
"Xiao Li made Buddha Jumps Over the Wall today. She said you'd definitely like it," Xiao Yue said softly.
Upon hearing "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall," Tang Yao's mind conjured up images of thick, fragrant broth. She immediately propped up from her recliner.
The lid of the clay pot was lifted and white steam instantly rose, along with a burst of aroma.
Tang Yao first scooped a bowl of thick, golden soup. One sip and the savory aroma filled her mouth, leaving a lingering, delightful aftertaste.
The warmth spread from her mouth all the way to her stomach.
The ingredients were stewed to perfection, tender and delicious.
Tang Yao felt utterly blissful.
She finished an entire pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup by herself and was so full that she had to stand up and walk around a few times to aid digestion.
If Xiao Yue trio could eat human food, she would have loved to share this heavenly delicacy with them.
After staying for a few days, the first group of guests had to leave the guesthouse because their purchased stay had expired.
Upon leaving, their sons, grandsons, or their dedicated bodyguard teams all gathered at the guesthouse entrance.
After waiting and waiting, they didn't see their loved ones. Looking inside, they saw everyone surrounding a pretty young girl.
Unable to resist the pleas of the group of elderly people, Tang Yao could only agree to a limit of one pot for each person.
Everyone cheered and went to choose their favorites.
An elderly man remained, looking at Tang Yao with eager eyes: "Tang girl, I want to buy a piece of wood, the kind you use for the table in the dining room. That kind of old wood is very hard to find. The price is negotiable, or you can sell me the table itself."
Tang Yao sighed, "There's another piece of wood in the backyard, I'll sell it to you. Don't even think about my table."
The old man immediately beamed.
Their children and grandchildren were surprised to find that these usually decisive and meticulous elders in the business world were smiling like children. What was the charm of this guesthouse?
After everyone had chosen their desired items, Tang Yao's account instantly received eight figures, along with small gifts from the elderly.
Everyone held her hands, reluctant to part. Besides the valuable flowers, plants, and wood, Tang Yao's good looks and gentle, sweet demeanor truly made everyone like her.
One by one, the elderly left. Those waiting outside noticed that their parents or grandparents, who looked the same before arriving at the guesthouse, were completely different upon leaving.
They seemed to have better complexions and even looked younger.
When the question was asked and only got an eye roll from their elders.
"Yao Yao takes good care of us every day, feeding us well and chatting with us when she has time. Naturally, I'm healthier. Unlike you, my unfilial son, when have you ever spent time with me like Yao Yao?"
The man could only helplessly rub his nose, feeling guilty.
Zhou Yunliang's entire complexion had undergone a dramatic change. The hidden injuries he had sustained from his past time in the army didn't hurt at all at the guesthouse.
His son was delighted: "I'll take you to get checked out when we get back to the capital."
"I feel perfectly healthy now, I can even hit some little ghosts!" Zhou Yunliang patted his thigh, which had been aching for years but now felt no pain, and said happily.
Tang Yao was unaware that once these people returned home, the news of the guesthouse's health benefits would spread throughout the community.
After the guests left, Tang Yao didn't relax, as the next group of guests was about to arrive and the glass restaurant was booked.
Netizens complained on the guesthouse's Weibo account that rooms were booked too quickly and even the glass restaurant was sold out. They clamored for Tang Yao to offer a delivery service.
Seeing the growing number of complaints, Tang Yao simply posted an announcement: "Due to limited staff, the guesthouse will not offer a delivery service. Everyone is welcome to dine in the restaurant."
This announcement elicited many cries of despair, but those who watched the variety show knew that the guesthouse only had three employees.
While browsing online, Li Yuanyuan stumbled upon the hot and trendy guesthouse, The Garden Within The Memories. Looking at the beautiful pictures and remembering the therapist's advice to travel more, she clicked the link and snagged a 188 yuan single room for a week later.
Today was the day.
Li Yuanyuan didn't want to go. Her depression had relapsed and every moment felt like torture.
At this time, the door opened. Her mother, Zhang Ru, peeked in. Her voice was gentle. "Yuanyuan, didn't you book a trip to that guesthouse today? I've already called a car and the luggage is packed."
"I don't want to go. Let someone else have it," a muffled voice came from under the covers.
"Why? I saw the pictures online. I think it's really beautiful there. Maybe going there will make you feel better. How about I go with you?"
Li Yuanyuan peeked out from under the covers and looked at the starry wallpaper her parents had specially changed for her on the ceiling.
Perhaps she could try going out and seeing the world, instead of always staying in one place, confining herself.
Seeing Li Yuanyuan move, Zhang Ru was overjoyed and secretly wiped away a tear.
The mother and daughter packed their things and went downstairs, where the driver punctually arrived.
Seeing her disheveled appearance and dark circles under her eyes in the rearview mirror, Li Yuanyuan couldn't help but wipe her face.
She was only twenty-three, but looked like she was almost thirty.
Beside her, Zhang Ru tightly gripped her right hand. That arm was covered with numerous knife marks.
She knew she was causing her mother a lot of trouble, but she simply couldn't control herself.
The car smoothly drove to the station. The mother and daughter collected their tickets and boarded a bus.
Their small city was only a three- or four-hour drive from Wanhua Town.
Soon, the bus stopped at a station filled with flowers.
As soon as they got off the bus, a woman wearing a uniform with the words "Wanhua Town Tourism Bureau" on it approached and handed them a small bouquet of flowers in various colors.
"Welcome to Wanhua Town. We hope you have a pleasant journey."
"Thank you," Zhang Ru hurriedly spoke.
Looking at the small bouquet in her hand, Li Yuanyuan pursed her lips.
"This town is so beautiful and the pace of life is so leisurely. It's perfect for relaxing," Zhang Ru said to Li Yuanyuan after they exited the station.
Li Yuanyuan's eyes darted around. Everywhere was a riot of flowers. Even the scooters were decorated with pretty blossoms.
The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers and the aroma of food.
Vendors were everywhere, and the restaurants were bustling with activity at midday.
"Should we wander around a bit more, or go check out the guesthouse first? I saw pictures online. The guesthouses have a beautiful glass-enclosed restaurant," Zhang Ru asked softly.
"Let's go to the guesthouse," Li Yuanyuan said, feeling a little uncomfortable with the hustle and bustle.
Zhang Ru nodded, hailed a small flower cart, and they got in together.
Before either of them could speak, the driver asked, "To the Garden Within The Memories?"
"Yes, sir, how do you know?" Zhang Ru asked, somewhat surprised.
"The guesthouse is really popular lately. Most of the people taking the flower carts are going there. Ordinary tourists prefer to walk," the flower cart driver said knowingly.
The driver spoke as he drove the flower cart slowly towards the guesthouse.
Soon, the cart arrived at the guesthouse.
Zhang Ru and Li Yuanyuan noticed that there were many people there. Some were buying pretty fruit baskets from the small shop across from the guesthouse, some were taking photos at the entrance, and some were going straight inside.
Li Yuanyuan instinctively wanted to back out, but Zhang Ru held her hand tightly.
"Come on, it's just a few steps. If you're not feeling well, you'll be fine once we get to the room," Zhang Ru urged her daughter with her eyes pleading.
Li Yuanyuan's heart softened instantly. She followed her mother into the guesthouse with her head down.
In contrast to the outside, the guesthouse was not noisy at all. It was quite quiet. Everyone seemed to be speaking softly.
The only clear sounds were the chirping of insects, birds, and the wind.
After entering the guesthouse, Li Yuanyuan's unease and anxiety inexplicably subsided somewhat.
At that moment, a guesthouse staff member came out to verify their names and ID cards and helped them check in.
They stayed on the second floor, with windows offering views of a quiet bamboo grove behind and a small garden in front.
The room was very soundproof. Once inside, almost no outside noise could be heard.
Although it was a single room, the bed was large enough that the mother and daughter wouldn't feel too cramped.
Xiao Yue left after showing them the way. In this private space, Li Yuanyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Standing by the window, taking in the bamboo leaves rustling in the wind, and listening to the gentle whisper, she sighed, "This place seems really nice."
"Then let's stay a couple more days. Yuanyuan, are you hungry? Would you like to eat at the restaurant or have the staff bring it up?" Zhang Ru looked around the room, quite satisfied.
"I... I'll eat here." Thinking about all the people in the restaurant, Li Yuanyuan hesitated. "Okay, what would you like to eat?" Menus were placed in the room. These were new additions for the reopening.
"You decide, I don't have much of an appetite."
Li Yuanyuan showed little interest in food and rarely ate, which worried Zhang Ru.
Zhang Ru looked at the menu and chose a few light dishes.
She called the front desk and listed the names of the dishes. It was Xiao Ling who answered the phone and wrote them down before passing them to Xiao Li in the kitchen.
About twenty minutes later, Xiao Ling brought the food up.
It was served on a tray. When uncovering, steam burst out.
There was sweet and sour pork ribs, asparagus with scrambled eggs and shrimp, and a large bowl of thick, white fish head soup.
These were all Li Yuanyuan's favorite dishes.
The aroma of the food wafted into her nostrils, even attracting the attention of Li Yuanyuan, who had little appetite.
Although they only ordered three dishes, the portions were quite generous.
"Come on, Yuanyuan, these sweet and sour pork ribs smell amazing!" Zhang Ru called to her daughter after setting the table.
Li Yuanyuan went over and sat down. As soon as she did, her stomach started growling.
She hadn't felt hungry in ages.
Li Yuanyuan was stunned.
Zhang Ru happily placed an egg and a piece of pork rib on her plate: "Eat more if you're hungry. A full stomach gives you energy."
Li Yuanyuan lowered her head and took a bite of the rib. The sweet and sour tender meat almost melted in her mouth.
After eating one, she couldn't resist eating another. It was one bite after another. Zhang Ru happily ate half a bowl of rice more than usual.
As long as she was eating, it meant everything was getting better.