I've Been There Before

Three Years Later

On the edge of Erhai Lake, there was a plain-looking hotel. Though it was called a hotel, it was just three stories tall. Compared to other hotel, this one was rather small.

Although it was next to Erhai Lake, the location was not particularly good. The nearest hotel were all hundreds of meters away from this small western-style building.

A woman in loose-fitting cotton and linen clothes, which were common to the area, was lying under the veranda on the first floor on an old-fashioned bamboo lounge chair. The chair swung back and forth, and the woman swayed along. Next to her chair was a square stool, with a pot of golden kumquat and Pu'er tea, and a half-full tea cup. Occasionally, a few seabirds flew across the surface of Erhai Lake to catch small shrimps that were a local specialty of Erhai Lake.

The blue sky was filled with soft, white clouds felt almost within hand’s reach. An old tree fell over on the shore, and with the rise of the lake’s water level, half of the tree was submerged, so only the old tree stump was left exposed. A parrot from somewhere flew by one day, which the lady on the lounge chair now adopted.

Everything was calm and soothing, free of worries from the rest of the world.

drew closer and closer, which interrupted the tranquility

arguing! Hurry!" Carol, the hired help, jumped to the woman on the lounge chair.

me sleep just a little longer." The woman turned over and said calmly. The chair was not spacious enough, so she changed directions, and continued to sleep. Her eyes were shut the whole time.

still want to sleep. Come

patient look, finally sat up in reaction to the weird tone

I have to tell you, don’t imitate the tone from Taiwan anymore. You don’t sound the same, your accent is not like the local accent... Carol, oh queen, goddess, your majesty... please, spare

hips. Too bad she was born with a little round face that didn’t look fierce at all, but she thought that her appearance looked fierce, "Boss! I'm going to be angry

to

Carol grabbed her arm and said, "Boss, the couple on the second floor are going to tear down our small hotel!

"OK, OK, Queen Carol, I'll go, I'll go now, alright? Please don't