The light in the room seemed to be frozen by the cold of the night, dim and carrying a dense tranquility.
Fang Cheng slowly woke up from the soft large bed.
Consciousness gradually became clear in the warm bedding, as if traversing a hazy dream, returning to reality.
He then rubbed his sleepy eyes, raised his wrist, and instinctively glanced at the time.
In the darkness, a circle of faint fluorescence lit up; it was the sports watch given to him by Zhou Xiumei.
On the dial, time, date, and weather information were arranged in sequence.
February 11th, the fifth day of the first lunar month, Tuesday, 5:53, overcast to partly cloudy, air index 47, excellent.
Messages appeared before his eyes one by one, silently conveying the outside situation like a panel.
This watch sports a fashionable and simple design, yet offers a variety of functions.
It not only has basic configurations for information display, satellite positioning, and alarm timing, but can also accurately calculate exercise distance and speed.
Moreover, it is rugged and durable, waterproof and shockproof, and can steadily run for half a month on a single charge.
Whether in daily life or outdoor sports, it is like a reliable partner.
Fang Cheng lovingly touched the glowing surface of the watch, the image of that considerate and gentle figure appeared in his mind.
Perhaps seeing his habit of morning exercise, Zhou Xiumei had carefully chosen this suitable gift for him.
After idly thinking in bed for a moment, Fang Cheng lifted the fluffy, soft down quilt, got out of bed, and put on slippers.
The surroundings were spacious, with outlines of various furniture faintly discernible in the dim light.
There was a slight chill in the air; the heating was not turned on inside the house.
However, Fang Cheng’s body was long accustomed to this, disliking overly hot environments.
he walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, grasped the curtains with both hands, and gently pulled, with a soft "swish," the curtains slowly slid open to both sides.
In an instant, the outside scene was like a slowly unfurling traditional painting coming into view,
at this early hour, the world had not fully awakened from sleep.
Distant mountains loomed faintly in the twilight, like great beasts hibernating in the earth.
Their outlines were gently sketched by mist, merging with the night, difficult to distinguish, exuding a sense of mystery.
The lake below was as calm as a mirror, resembling a giant piece of black jade, quietly embedded between heaven and earth.
A faint mist rose and wafted over the lake, swirling softly, delicately veiling the water.
As if covered by a veil thin as a cicada’s wing, evoking imagination, shy and timid.
This was a resort hotel located in Wanghu Town, West Gate District.
It was surrounded by the famous scenic tourist attraction of Xia Country, Yulong Lake.
During the New Year period, besides staying home, Fang Cheng mostly visited relatives and friends.
Of course, in East City, he didn’t actually have many relatives and friends.
Mainly, he visited his aunt’s house for the New Year, and after Ma Donghe visited his family, he returned the courtesy by visiting his house.
On ordinary days, he would often take his grandfather out for walks near Old Factory Street, basking in the sun.
Yesterday was the fourth day of the first lunar month, the family had agreed to go on a family trip together to relax.
This Yuehu Hotel had a perfect location, nestled by mountains and water, with an exceptionally serene environment.
It wasn’t far from West Mountain, and quite close to Ren’an Hospital, just a ten-minute taxi ride away.
The reason his uncle chose this place for vacation was mainly to consider the issue of his grandfather’s future cancer treatment and retirement in East Capital, to inspect potential places for buying a house.
Though his grandfather couldn’t bear the loneliness, wanting to return to his rural hometown.
But all the children and grandchildren worked in the city, so it was obviously impossible to take care of him that way.
More importantly, even after the successful stomach cancer surgery, there was no guarantee against postoperative recurrence.
According to doctors, the surgery only removed the visible tumor lesions; some tiny metastatic lesions are difficult to detect with current examination methods.
Only through corresponding adjuvant chemotherapy can the remaining cancer cells be thoroughly eradicated, controlling tumor growth and spread, reducing the risks of postoperative recurrence and metastasis.
Thus, in the first year after surgery, monthly intravenous medication treatment in the hospital is required.
In the second year, it can be reduced to quarterly, and if checkups show no problem by the third year, the treatment course is complete, marking full recovery.
So, his grandfather’s wish was obviously unrealistic; it’s best to stay in East Capital to avoid the fatigue of frequent travel.
As for renting a place on Old Factory Street.
The environment there was somewhat dirty and disorderly, unsuitable for retirement living.
Moreover, Fang Cheng’s house wasn’t spacious enough.
During these New Year days, he and his uncle slept on the floor in the living room, letting his grandfather sleep in his own bedroom.
After visiting this hotel and finding its environment and service very good, his uncle even considered long-term room rental here.
However, he was promptly dissuaded by his mother.
It’s known that a standard hotel room costs at least 2000 yuan per night, even with a twenty percent discount, it would amount to over half a million yuan annually.
No amount of money could withstand such expenditure.
On this, Fang Cheng also agreed.
It’d be better to find a suitable place nearby to rent or buy outright, settling the matter once and for all.
With all these thoughts in mind, Fang Cheng’s mood was tranquil and leisurely.
At this moment, all was silent; gazing at the vaguely visible mountains and ethereal, misty waters instilled a feeling of dwelling by the lakeside, sleeping alongside the mountains and waters.
In fact, the environment here was indeed tranquil and pleasing, far from the hustle and bustle of the city.
After a day of sightseeing and rest, both body and mind were greatly relaxed.
Perhaps his grandfather could also enjoy his twilight years here, living a peaceful pastoral life.