Melody was determined.
She extended her phone, pointing to a room with a lake view and asked him, "How much is this?"
"298 a day."
"Do you provide food?"
"Breakfast is complimentary."
"What about laundry?"
"There are free washing machines."
Perfect for her. She returned the phone to him.
"Alright. I'll take it."
The man drove, and she sat in the back. Through the window, she watched the lush, slightly yellowing trees. The scenery was beautiful and varied, lifting her previously gloomy mood. She couldn't help but roll down the window, letting the gentle breeze sweep across her face.
If it was fate that her life would only last thirty-one years.
If her life had already started its countdown.
This place of clear waters and verdant mountains would be a good place to end it all.
No one knew her, no one would look at her with pity. She would always be the beautiful and confident Melody. It was good.
The car sped on. The two of them remained silent.
After an unknown amount of time, the man finally spoke.
"Uh, what should I call you?"
Melody thought for a moment. "My surname is Mai. Call me Miss Mai."
"Miss Mai." He nodded in the rearview mirror. "My name is Long Yifei."
Whether it was Melody's stereotype or the sheer repetition of the name, her first reaction upon hearing it was that it sounded a bit familiar.
Long Yifei paused and then asked, "How long do you plan to stay here?"
She held the brim of her hat with one hand and rested her chin on the other. Her long hair was lifted by the breeze, her features so young and sharp, as if she were a star shooting a music video.
"I haven't decided. I'm here to recover from an injury, we'll see."
Recover from an injury?
Long Yifei could tell she had something on her mind.
Most likely, it was a heartache.
He said the place was a bit far, which was true.
They drove for almost an hour before reaching their destination.
The destination was a village, and a section of the road leading into it was unpaved and bumpy. Fortunately, there were many trees along the way, making the scenery beautiful.
This village, for some reason, had been developed. Although it was remote, there were several bars, a children's playground, restaurants, and small supermarkets along the way, like a compact but undeveloped commercial street.
Long Yifei's hotel was in the center of the village. It was a five-story building designed like a creamy castle, very dreamy, and its name was also pleasing.
"Vanguard Traveler."
Long Yifei parked the car in the open space by the entrance and motioned for her to get out.
Upon entering, the lobby was clean and quiet, with only a young girl sitting at the front desk, engrossed in her book.
Hearing someone enter, she didn't even look up. "You're back."
Long Yifei walked past her familiarly. "Mm, you didn't go out and wander, did you?"
"No. You're bringing someone back and you didn't tell me. Hello."
Melody looked at her. She was thin and fair-skinned, with very pretty features. She looked only seventeen or eighteen. Everything about her was good, except for her eyes...
"Hello."
She looked in Melody's direction with hollow, unfocused eyes and said sweetly, "Welcome to Vanguard Traveler."
Just as she had calmed her emotions, encountering someone like this left Melody unsure of how she felt.
Long Yifei led her to the agreed-upon room and explained the layout of the building as they walked. Seeing Melody staring out the window, lost in thought, he paused for two seconds.
With a knowing look.
"Rest here for a bit. I'll go handle your check-in."
Melody turned around, remembering she hadn't paid yet. She took out her wallet and pulled out three banknotes.
Looking at her attire, demeanor, and her incredibly stylish accent, she was clearly not from a small place.
Did this city socialite not understand the rules of staying at a hotel?
Seeing her feigning ignorance, Long Yifei didn't take the money.
"Miss Mai, you've traveled often, haven't you? This isn't your first time staying at a hotel. Don't you know the basic procedure?"
Melody looked at the pitiful three bills and thought, This is the poorest I've ever been in my life. Too bad you ran into me.
"Is something wrong? Do I need to register my ID? I already told you I lost my ID."
Long Yifei, impatient, took the money and flicked it in his palm with his left hand.
"Beautiful lady, guests pay a deposit to stay. You pay 500 for an overnight stay, 200 if you're not staying overnight. It's refunded when you check out. Other hotels don't have this rule?"
Melody: "..."
She had genuinely forgotten due to her poverty.
She raised her wallet again, probing with her fingers, reluctant to take it out.
With only seven bills left, paying a 500 deposit at once would mean she wouldn't even have enough for tomorrow's room fee.
Just as she found such a wonderful place, she encountered financial difficulties. Was Heaven trying to prevent her from dying peacefully?
Melody's mind raced, and she decided to find fault with him to negotiate the price.
"What's with the attitude? I didn't say I wouldn't pay. Why are you so fierce?"
"In the middle of nowhere, the room doesn't have anything valuable. What can I possibly run off with? Do you really need a deposit?"
"If I choose to stay for a month, do you still require a deposit?"
"Stay for a month?" Long Yifei looked at this fairy who had no luggage, a fairy whose words contradicted each other.
"Then you're renting a room, beautiful."
Melody countered, "Why do you care so much? Just tell me if you'll rent it or not."
"I'll rent it."
Being a fool to not make money. Long Yifei looked at her, wondering where this aloof, impulsive rich young lady who came out to experience hardship came from.
It would be exhausting to have someone like her as a girlfriend. No wonder she broke up.
Although Melody seemed out of touch with reality, she wasn't foolish and knew how to bargain.
"Since it's a long-term rental, the price should be different. How much of a discount can I get?"
Long Yifei replied, "The management of the room is here. It can't be much cheaper."
"What if I pay for a month upfront? I should get a further discount, right?"
Long Yifei pretended to ponder. "If you pay for a month upfront, then fine, I'll give you a 10% discount."
"How much after the discount?"
Long Yifei took out his phone. "Let me calculate."
"At 260 per day, 30 days is 7800. With a 10% discount, it's 7020."
"I won't take the 20 in change. I'm not that stingy. Just give me a round number."
Seven thousand a month?
In this county town of county towns, in this village of villages, he dared to ask her seven thousand a month?
According to him, renting here for a year would cost over 80,000, and ten years over 800,000. She might as well rob a bank.
"If I had known you were so greedy, I wouldn't have come."
Melody, with her poverty-stricken spirit, was shocked by the price he quoted. She deliberately put on a sour face.
"I have no money, I can't afford it. Please drive me back to the intersection."
Given his location and current customer flow, charging seven thousand a month was indeed a bit much. Long Yifei didn't want to make the trip for nothing and quickly stopped her.
"Just kidding, don't go. Let's talk nicely."
That sounded more reasonable.
Melody stopped. "Then speak properly. How much is it."
Although she didn't seem poor, her current situation clearly indicated she couldn't be squeezed for money. Long Yifei's eyes darted around, and he thought of a compromise.
"There's a room on the first floor. The view is the same as this one, just a little smaller. You can stay there, and we can discuss the price."