Chapter 3 Section 3

Why is this slope so long——Gonghei stopped and looked around impatiently.When he came last time, Gongping had been to the beach several times.However, at that time Gongping went there in the car driven by his father.This time, it was his first time to go on foot. The surrounding scenery doesn't seem to have changed much from two years ago.Below the ramp, there should be a building that used to be a hotel.The roof and walls have been smoked gray, and the paint on the huge signboard has been mottled.The last time I drove by, my father Keiichi used the word "ruins" to describe it.

"A building like this is called a 'ruin'. It may be troublesome to write these two words, but it describes this kind of deserted building that no one lives in. In the past, this place should be a pretty grand hotel." "Why is there no one living here?" Gongping asked. "Well, it's because you can't make any money. No customers come here." "Then why don't the guests come?" Father pondered and said: "Because there is a better place than here." "A better place than here?" "It's more interesting places. Like, Disneyland, or Hawaii or something."

"Oh?" Although he has never been to Hawaii, Gongping himself likes Disneyland very much.When Gong Ping told his friends that he was going to Glass Pool, almost no one knew where it was, and no one envied him. Recalling the previous scenes in his heart, Gongping took another step and began to climb the slope.Having said that, since you can't make money, why did you build this hotel in the first place?Is it because many people came here before? Not long after, a building that had left a deep memory on Gongping appeared in front of his eyes.Compared with the ruin just now, its size is not even a quarter of the ruin.But when it comes to the degree of dilapidation, it is not much better than the ruins.The operator there is Kyohei's uncle Shigeharu Kawabata.Uncle Chongzhi was the second owner of the hotel. Since he took over, in the fifteen years since he took over, the hotel has never been repaired.In Keiichi's words, it is "that kind of broken hotel, just close it."

Gongping opened the sliding door of the entrance and stepped into the room.The cold wind of the air conditioner is turned on just right, and it feels very cool.anyone there?Gongping yelled at the back room. The curtain behind the counter moved, and Aunt Setsuko Kawabata came out with a smile. "Gongping, hello. You've grown up a lot." The first sentence my aunt said was exactly the same as Chengshi. Gongping nodded and said, "Auntie. From today onwards, please take care of me." Setsuko smiled wryly. "It's all a family, why are you being so polite? Okay, let's go into the house first."

Gongping took off his shoes and put on his shoes.Although it is not big, there is also a lobby in the store.There is a rattan bench in the lobby. "It's pretty hot outside, isn't it? I just prepared some cold drinks. Do you want juice or barley tea? By the way, there's also Coke." "Then, let me have some Coke." "Coke, right? Okay." Setsuko made a victory gesture and disappeared behind the counter. Gongping put down his schoolbag, sat down on the rattan chair, and looked around the room casually.On the wall hangs a painting of a nearby seascape.Next to the oil painting, there is a map with illustrations introducing the surrounding sightseeing spots.The map had faded so badly that it was almost impossible to read the words on it.The hands of the old clock on the wall were pointing to two o'clock in the afternoon.

"Oh." A hoarse voice reached Gongping's ears.Looking up, I saw Chongzhi appearing in the corridor of the back room, "Welcome. Come just in time." He is still the same as two years ago, short and fat, just like a snowman.There is less hair on the top of the head, and it can roughly be called bald.The only difference is that he is now on crutches.Gonghei remembered that his father Jingyi had said before that Uncle Shigeharu was too fat, so that his knees could not support his weight. Gongping stood up and called out "Hello Uncle". "You don't need to get up. Uncle, I'm about to sit down too. Hehe." Shigeharu sat down opposite Kyohei and smiled.His smile looks like the God of Wealth. "Are your parents okay?"

Ok.Gongping nodded and said, "Both of them are quite busy." "Really? Business is busy, that's a good thing." Setsuko came out with a tray of teapots and glasses.Probably because she had heard Chongzhi speak, so there were three cups on the plate.She poured a Coke into one of the glasses. "What's the matter? I want to drink Coca-Cola too." Shigeji said. "I won't drink it for you. You can't eat anything with sugar." Setsuko poured barley tea into Shigeji's cup. Gongping took a sip of Coke.Drinking this thing when you are thirsty will always make people feel extra delicious.

Although Setsuko is Jingichi's older sister, she and Jingyi are half-siblings.It is said that Setsuko's mother died in a traffic accident when Setsuko was still young.Later, Setsuko's father married someone else and gave birth to Jingichi.Therefore, there is a nine-year age difference between Setsuko and Jingyi. "I saw Sister Chengshi at the station, but she seems to have something to do." "Is there something to do? What's the matter?" Shigeji didn't seem to know yet, so he turned his head and asked Setsuko. "Just what you said about the bottom of the sea last time, and you also said that you want to dig out gold and silver from the bottom of the sea."

"Oh, that?" Chongzhi seemed indifferent to this, "How is it? Is there really such a good thing? I think it's quite mysterious." "Who knows." Setsuko tilted her head, "Chengshi is worried that if it is really developed, it will pollute the sea." "Pollution of the sea...it's not a good thing." Chongzhi took a sip of barley tea with a serious face. "Ah, that's right." Gongping opened the schoolbag and took out a small paper bag from inside, "I almost forgot. This is a gift from me. My mother told me to give it to you."

"Oh, what's so embarrassing? Why does she have to be so polite?" Setsuko frowned first, then took it with a smile, and unwrapped the paper, "Ah, it's beef Tsukudani. Is this restaurant famous? After that, we have to return the gift to Yuri." Gong Ping drank the Coke in the glass.Seeing that the glass was empty, Setsuko immediately asked, "Let's have another glass."Kyohei hummed and nodded, and Setsuko left with an empty cup.If it were in their own home, Gongping's parents would definitely tell Gongping that if they want more, they can pour it by themselves.

It seems to be a good feeling to be able to spend the rest of the summer vacation here.Gongping thought to himself.