Last night, Zheng Quan and the others arrived in such a hurry that they didn’t pay much attention to the things in the main hall on the first floor of Luguang Shanse.
This morning, after having breakfast, Zheng Quan only noticed as they were about to leave that there was a fairly prominent notice posted in the hall.
Of course, it wasn’t something disappointing like the attraction being closed.
The notice stated that Luguang Shanse Hotel could assist travelers in contacting locals from Lake City who were familiar with Qingling Lake.
These locals would provide their own vehicles to take the guests around Qingling Lake and offer private tour guide services.
What exactly was a private tour guide?
Simply put, any itinerary on the day of the trip to Qingling Lake was completely up to the traveler’s discretion.
On the way, the guide would share information about Qingling Lake, and wherever the traveler decided to explore, the guide would drive them there and quietly wait on the side until they were done.
Whether it was dining next or heading to the next scenic spot, and finally returning to stay at Luguang Shanse Hotel by evening — all of these were the traveler’s freedom.
As for whether the service lasted one or two days, and how the fees were settled, those details were up to the traveler to discuss directly with the private guide.
Before coming to Lake City, Zheng Quan had done a bit of research on Qingling Lake.
There was a tourist shuttle bus running between Lake City and Qingling Lake, passing through the holiday resort where Luguang Shanse Hotel was located.
At Qingling Lake, there were also sightseeing carts. For a thirty-yuan ticket per person, you could see most of the sights within Qingling Lake.
But compared to the private guide service, the time available for travelers to freely explore was much more limited. It wasn’t nearly as comfortable as having a private guide.
Since it was rare to take the kids out for a relaxing trip, it was better not to waste time on anything other than enjoying the beautiful scenery.
So Zheng Quan asked the receptionist, the young lady in uniform, for the contact information of a private guide.
When he called, the person who answered was a young guy, probably in his twenties judging by his voice.
The young man said the one-day service fee, including driving, was four hundred yuan.
Zheng Quan thought about it. Compared to what he had spent on accommodation for this trip, four hundred yuan for a private guide was really not a big expense.
After agreeing on the terms, the young man happily hung up the phone and soon arrived at the courtyard entrance of Luguang Shanse Hotel, quietly waiting.
“My surname is Chen. You can just call me Xiao Chen,” the young man said with a smile as he stood by his car and greeted Zheng Quan.
It had to be said, people who smiled often really did seem more pleasant to look at.
Xiao Chen wasn’t tall, and his appearance was quite ordinary, but the ever-present smile made Zi Yan feel a good impression.
Besides, the day was mostly cloudy, with thick clouds covering the sky. Occasionally, some sunlight would suddenly peek through, only to vanish moments later.
Zi Yan’s mood couldn’t have been better!
“Qingling Lake is divided into east and west parts. Which one would you like to visit first?” Xiao Chen asked after they both sat inside the car.
“What’s your suggestion?” Zheng Quan asked back.
Xiao Chen pointed to the distance. “Back when Yongcheng didn’t really pay attention to Qingling Lake, most people from Lake City went to Qingling East Lake. Later, when Yongcheng developed the west shore of Qingling Lake, that area became the main tourist attraction.”
“My suggestion is to visit Qingling East Lake first. After all, this is a private service. If you take the bus, it goes straight to Qingling West Lake.”
“Alright, then let’s go there first,” Zheng Quan nodded.
The car started moving, passing through a vast grassland on the way from Luguang Shanse to Qingling East Lake.
Well, if only places like Hulunbuir counted as true grasslands, this place wouldn’t qualify.
But the endless stretches of withered yellow grass under the occasional touch of sunlight still created a golden scenery—
Even just this roadside view was rare and beautiful enough for people living in the city.
Zi Yan tapped and rolled down the car window a bit. The air pressing in, mixed with the scent of earth, felt very fresh.
Suddenly, Zi Yan spotted a courtyard in the midst of the golden grass, with several Mongolian yurts inside.
“What’s that place?” Zi Yan asked curiously.
“That’s a theme restaurant run by a small business owner,” Xiao Chen replied, cracking his car window further to create a breeze inside.
“They mainly hold bonfire barbecue dinners there and also offer lodging.”
“Though I don’t really recommend you go. The food is mediocre, and the price isn’t cheap—one roasted leg of lamb costs seven or eight hundred yuan,” Xiao Chen said. “If you’re coming to Qingling Lake, you should definitely try the authentic Baibai Fish.”
Eat fish?
Zi Yan’s expression soured.
He liked eating fish but not the kind from Zhonghua.
It wasn’t that Zhonghua’s fish were bad, but having grown up in Antwerp, Zi Yan had gotten used to fish meat sold in supermarkets there that were completely boneless.
People there took “avoiding bones” to the extreme — fish sold as whole fillets, with heads and large bones removed.
So after returning to Zhonghua for over a month, Zi Yan had only once eaten grilled Yellow Catfish with Zheng Quan at a restaurant.
Yellow Catfish had relatively fewer bones, but after trying it, Zi Yan decided to say goodbye to eating fish in Zhonghua.
Of course, salmon was an exception!
And it had to be salmon prepared properly in a Japanese restaurant!
The car continued driving, weaving through two mountains. Zi Yan saw a dilapidated iron gate not far away.
The gate was rusty, locked, and had a crooked, chipped plaque hanging on it that read “No Entry for Vehicles.”
Before Zi Yan could ask, Xiao Chen spoke up.
“This is Qingling East Lake,” he said, pointing at the worn gate.
“That was a small park built by a Lake City entrepreneur based on Qingling East Lake. Business was quite good back then.”
“A few years ago, when Yongcheng took over Lake City, the development focus of Qingling Lake shifted to the west shore. This place became deserted.”
“No one knows exactly why, but this year officials from Yongcheng said the park doesn’t have proper permits and can’t operate. If you had come six months ago, you could have still gone inside for a walk. The park was full of wooden boardwalks built over wetlands — it was really beautiful.”
Zi Yan looked up at the park.
Six months ago, he was still in Antwerp preparing for the entrance exam at the local fashion design academy.
The car pulled up to the sandy shore of Qingling East Lake. Zheng Quan and Zi Yan got out.
Xiao Chen said, “There’s no resting area here. I’ll wait for you under that big tree over there.”
Xiao Chen explained that since Yongcheng had centered Qingling Lake’s development on the west shore, the entire East Lake area, quietly managed by Lake City locals, had become desolate.
The park had been shut down due to lack of permits.
Next to the beach were a few small mini-marts selling water toys and two small farmhouse restaurants.
Although these were still open, Xiao Chen heard that they too were probably lacking permits and were preparing to move soon.
Still, there were quite a few people playing on the beach and splashing in the water. There were giggles and laughter, and over there a young mother was building a sandcastle with her child.
Zi Yan took off his clean white shoes and held them in his hand.
He rolled up his pants and stepped barefoot onto the sand.
“Wow.” Zi Yan smiled happily, his eyes squinting.
The sand was fine and almost free of small stones, making it very comfortable to walk on barefoot.
He walked to the water’s edge.
Stepping onto the wet sand beneath the shallow water, his foot sank slightly.
“Here, slippers.” Zheng Quan called out.
He had gone to a nearby mini-mart to buy two pairs of slippers — one gray size forty-three for himself, and a white size thirty for Zi Yan.
But walking by the water’s edge in slippers wasn’t very comfortable either.
Zi Yan handed his little white shoes to Zheng Quan and put on the slippers, though some sand slipped inside and felt prickly.
“Hey!”
Squatting down, Zi Yan cupped water in both hands and tossed it toward the lake ahead.
Ripples formed on the lake surface, spreading out in waves.