Chapter 3 Chapter two

Yoko Maeyama was a little surprised when the guest came.It is not uncommon for a man to travel alone. The body that is exhausted due to daily work can get the best relaxation in a hot spring hotel in winter.But they were mostly older men, many of whom were probably nearing retirement. But the guest who appeared today was a young man in his twenties no matter what he looked at.He is not tall, and he is believed to be a high school student.Wearing jeans, a hiking jacket, and a hiking bag. The young man called himself Kimura. "Ah, welcome." Yoko greeted with a smile.She had already confirmed that this male guest named Kimura Koichi had made an appointment.

She asked the guest to fill out the accommodation ticket on the narrow counter.The young man wrote his name and address in an unattractive, but easy-to-understand handwriting.He lives in Yokohama. Yoko took the young man into the room, the window of this room was facing the back mountain. "It doesn't seem to have snowed here yet." The young man stood by the window and asked her, "I heard it from the locals on the bus." "That's right. It probably won't drop before next year. But it's been like this for the past few years. Before, at this time, the mountain is already white." Yoko said while pouring tea from a small teapot, "Guest Do you always travel alone?" The thoughts in my heart slipped out of my mouth involuntarily.

"It's not 'always', it happens occasionally." The young man took off his jacket and sat on the armchair, "Because it's easier to be alone - thank you." He stretched out his hand to the tea bowl. "Many people say that like you. Choose a time you like to soak in the hot spring. Then, if you need anything, please say hello." "OK." Yoko lowered her head, said "Please use it slowly", and exited the room. After a while, Yoko was entertaining other guests at the counter when she saw Kimura come out of the entrance.He is carrying a hiking bag and holding a camera in his hand.There may be other equipment in the hiking bag.Maybe I plan to post the photos I took on the Internet.If so, I hope he can take better pictures.That would be good publicity.

Yoko didn't pay attention to when the young man came back.In the large open room that served as the venue, he sat side by side with a dozen other guests, moving chopsticks silently alone. Yoko saw Kimura again the next morning.As soon as she unlocked the entrance, Kimura appeared wearing a jacket.It was just after six o'clock. Yoko greeted him good morning with a broad smile. "Good morning. You are up so early." "Woke up somehow. I'm going for a walk." "I see. Be careful on the road." Yoko felt a little puzzled when she sent him out.If the guests staying at the hot spring hotel get up early, they will almost always go to the hot spring.

The young man was dressed exactly the same as yesterday, still holding a camera.Maybe he loves photography more than hot springs, Yoko thought wildly. The young Kimura left after staying for two nights.Nothing troublesome happened during this time. A week later, just into December, a couple came to the hotel.The husband's name is Yoshiro Mizushiro, and the wife's name is Chisazu.But when Yoko watched Yoshiro Mizushiro fill out the accommodation ticket, she couldn't help wondering if they were really a couple, because their ages were so different.Yoshiro was wearing a fancy sweater, trying to look younger, but he was over sixty anyway.And Qian Zuodu was no more than thirty years old.Probably young lovers, Yoko speculated.

But when she looked up at Chisatsu's ring finger, she was taken aback. It was wearing a wedding ring squarely on it.Yoshiro also wore a ring on his finger.The ring still looks new, it seems that the two of them just got married not long ago. Qian Zuo is a typical Japanese beauty, very suitable for long hair, with crystal clear skin, slender and delicate eyes, shining with coquettish light.If she had done custom business before, I am afraid there will be an endless stream of customers. Yoko led the two into the room.Yoshiro sat on the armchair, Chisato stood by the window. "Thank you for patronizing our hotel." Yoko thanked as usual and made tea.

Yoshiro took out a cigarette. "To be honest, I don't know anything about the hot springs here. But my wife wanted to visit anyway. So here we are." "That's the case, is it my wife, do you want to come?" Yoko looked up at his wife. Chizuru smiled and sat down on the chair next to him. "I saw it in a magazine. It is said that it is a little-known good hot spring." "If it's what you said, there will be more and more guests." "It's good to come here to relax in the hot spring once in a while. Thanks for your hard work." Hearing what Yoshiro said, Yoko quickly turned to him, bowed her head and saluted, "I would like to ask you to take care of me, if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask."

The Shuicheng couple are scheduled to stay here for three days and two nights.From the perspective of clothing, the two should be relatively well off financially.Yoko felt that she had to work hard and try to make them repeat customers. Later, Yoko went to the village office to do business.To get there, you have to drive.Yoko walked out of the hotel, came to the parking lot not far away, and got on a domestic car produced five years ago. There are more than a dozen hotels and guesthouses around this hot spring.It was thirty years ago that Yoko's husband, who died two years ago, built a hotel here. However, there are some innovative ones in the hotel.The appearance of most hotels has the style of ancient folk houses.A few years ago, this place was used as a location for a period drama. At that time, a corner of Yoko’s hotel was also photographed, but it was eliminated with CG during post-production.

Leaving the village, drive along the national road for a short distance, and there is an unpaved trail on the right.That's the entrance to the trail.Yoko saw the people standing there and couldn't help but slow down.That was the young man who stayed in the hotel last week.His name was on his lips, but he couldn't say it for a while. Yoko hit the brakes and looked back. The young man didn't glance at her car, but just looked into the distance with a serious expression.Finally, he disappeared in the direction of the trail. Had he been here for two weeks straight?Or are you particularly fond of the hot springs here?Or, is his purpose for hiking trails?Is there anything over there on the trail?

Never mind—Yoko shook her head and restarted the car.At this time, his name popped up in his mind - Kimura. The next day, when Yoko was delivering breakfast to the open room, she ran into the Shuicheng couple.Yoshiro put on a wide-sleeved padded robe over his yukata, his face was rosy, he must have just taken a bath early in the morning.Chisato was wearing a plain sweater and had already put on her makeup. "Good morning, how's the hot spring?" Yoko asked while laying out the dishes. "Oh, it's great." Yoshiro stretched without hesitation, "The innermost part of the body is warmed up, and the open-air bath is especially good. The balance between the cold wind and the hot spring is just right."

"Thank you. There are three hot springs in our hotel, are you satisfied?" "No, I haven't been to the one farther away. That's where I'm going to enjoy tonight." "Really, today's weather is quite good, and the starry sky should also be beautiful." "That's good, it will add a little more fun." The husband seemed to be in a good mood, and Qian Zuo kept pursing his lips and smiling, looking like "fortunately I brought him here".Yoko watched from the sidelines and thought to himself, although the age difference between the two is quite a bit, their mental ages are surprisingly close. "Today we're going to see the waterfall." Yoshiro said, "My wife insisted on seeing it, saying it's a scenic spot." "Ah... really." Yoko echoed. There is indeed a waterfall, but it is not yet a scenic spot.There is no other selling point here except the hot springs, so the village's tourism department pushed the waterfall out.The water is beautiful, but it is only a trickle, neither majestic nor heroic. Most of the tourists who went to see it were disappointed. Yoko left in a hurry, she didn't want to be an accomplice in the tourism class. At eleven o'clock in the morning, Yoko was checking out the guests at the counter when she saw the Shuicheng couple walking past.Both of them are dressed to climb a mountain.Yoko thought that the two of them were going to see the waterfall, and couldn't help feeling a little worried.When they come back, how should they tell the difference? Thirty minutes later, Qian Zuodu came back alone.The check-out work has come to an end, and Yoko is discussing things with the waiter at the counter. "What's wrong?" Yoko asked. Qian Zuodu smiled bitterly and said, "I forgot to bring something." After saying that, he went upstairs. After a few minutes, she passed by Yoko again and said "I'm leaving", and Yoko responded, "Be careful on the road." After another fifteen minutes, the phone on the counter rang.Yoko answered the phone, it was Chisazu calling.Her voice was a bit strange, she sounded both excited and panicked, repeatedly saying "It's not good, come quickly". "Hey, Mrs. Shuicheng, please calm down, what happened?" Yoko heard the sound of adjusting her breath coming from the opposite side. "It's not good, my husband fell on the mountain road, motionless. Call an ambulance!" Although she was mentally prepared for something to happen, Yoko still had a "buzz" in her head.collapsed?On the mountain road?What is going on? "Mrs. Shuicheng, where are you?" "In, in the mountains... Walk along the national road for a short distance, and there is a narrow path on the right." "Is it the trailhead?" "Uh, probably." "Is there no sign? A sign that says 'Entrance to the trail'." "Ah, so speaking, it seems that there is a sign." It should be right. "Are you on the trail?" "No, there's another fork in the road from there..." "Fork in the road...?" The climbing path is a straight path, but in terms of animal trails, there are several.Maybe it's one of them? "I see. It's called an ambulance. I'll be there right away, can you give me your phone number?" "Please. The number is..." Yoko wrote down Chisato's cell phone number and hung up.Then I dialed 119 again, asked the ambulance to drive to the mountain entrance, and then put down the microphone. There happened to be an old employee next to him, and Yoko briefly explained what was going on, then left the hotel, ran to the parking lot, got into the car, and hurried forward. When she came to the entrance of the trail, she parked the car on the shoulder of the road and made a phone call while walking towards the trail.The call was connected quickly, and Qian Zuodu's voice came: "I am Shuicheng." "I'm walking up the trail. Where are you?" "Then, I'll go that way too." Qian Zuodu hung up the phone after finishing speaking. Yoko stopped in her tracks.If he walks indiscriminately, I'm afraid he and Qian Zuo will go astray. But-- She looked around, deep in thought.Why did the Shuicheng couple come here?If you want to see the waterfall, this direction is completely different. There is a faint smell of hot springs in the air.This smell is unique to this area, and it is not uncommon, but for some reason, an ominous premonition suddenly spread in Yoko's heart. A voice came from a distance, and Yoko looked around.There is a corner of red flashing in the dense forest, which is the color of Chisazu's jacket. Qian Zuodu came out from a thin animal path with a nervous expression. "Where is it?" Yoko asked. "Here, just a few more steps." When Chisato answered, the siren of an ambulance came.