Chapter 1475: Chapter 1475: Encounter in the Daming Palace
After returning to the hotel, they each went to rest.
After taking a shower and lying on the bed, Luo Ziling took out his phone to see if Yang Qingyin had replied to his messages.
To his disappointment, the surprise he hoped for did not appear, but Yang Qingyinâs photo in her WeChat Moments was still there, as well as his comment on it.
He dialed both Yang Qingyinâs and Ye Xiaoliâs numbers again, but was still informed that their phones were turned off.
Luo Ziling called Wang Zhenjun to ask if he had found any information about Yang Qingyin and Ye Xiaoli. Wang Zhenjun replied that he couldnât track them down, as it seemed their phones had been technically tampered with, making it impossible to locate them via SIM card or device tracking.
Wang Zhenjun asked Luo Ziling if he and Yang Xiaodong should come over to assist, but Luo Ziling declined.
Still, he knew that even if he refused, Yang Xiaodong and Wang Zhenjun were likely to come to Changâan anywayâperhaps they were already there.
Ling Ruonan wouldnât feel comfortable letting him come to Changâan alone and would definitely send Yang Xiaodong and Wang Zhenjun to follow him, even if she didnât want him to know.
But Luo Ziling didnât want them interfering in his search for Yang Qingyin this time.
Ouyang Feifeiâs sudden appearance was also beyond his expectations.
However, he didnât wish for Ouyang Feifei to come along either, even though she brought him some unexpected surprises the previous night.
Thus, early the next morning, Luo Ziling left the hotel without saying goodbye to Ouyang Feifei. By the time she woke up, he was already gone. When Ouyang Feifei texted him, he was standing inside the Daming Palace Ruins Park.
âI went out for a morning jog. Iâll come back after Iâm done,â Luo Ziling replied to Ouyang Feifeiâs message before turning off his phone.
Still unable to reach Yang Qingyin by phone and with no reply to his messages, Luo Ziling felt that finding her through such means was no longer possible. He thought to himself that Yang Qingyin wasnât avoiding him but was likely still in Changâan today, perhaps attempting to test him.
Or maybe Yang Qingyin hoped they could have a romantic, unplanned encounter in Changâan without relying on direct communication.
Therefore, he turned off his phone as well, deciding to trust his instincts to find Yang Qingyin. Perhaps they would cross paths just like that.
From Yang Qingyinâs WeChat Moments, Luo Ziling saw that after arriving in Changâan, she had only visited the Shan Provincial Museum and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Square, as well as Ciâen Temple. She hadnât gone anywhere else.
There was a time when they discussed the must-visit sites of the thousand-year-old city of Changâan.
The Shan Provincial Museum, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Square, Daming Palace Ruins Park, Tang Paradise, Qian Mausoleum, and the Stele Forest were all places they deemed essential to visit.
Tang Paradise hosted a Lantern Festival, and if Yang Qingyin planned on going, it would certainly be on the Lantern Festival Night. That meant the most likely destination for today would be the Daming Palace Ruins Park.
Luo Ziling first went to the Danfeng Gate Museum.
Because he got there early, he was the museumâs first visitor. After a quick walkthrough, Luo Ziling decided to wait in the core area. After buying a ticket and some fruits and snacks, he resolved to spend the entire day inside.
Once inside the ruins park, Luo Ziling strolled up to the Hanyuan Hall Site Platform.
From the platform, he could take in the surrounding scenery. Deciding to sit and watch for a while, he settled down.
The weather was greatâno smog, bright sunlight, and no wind. Sitting on the platform and basking in the sun felt wonderfully warm.
Luo Ziling savored this warm sensation.
But his attention remained fixed on the visitorsâ entrance.
As time slipped by, Luo Zilingâs mood grew more anxious. He began to suspect that Yang Qingyin might not visit the Daming Palace Ruins Park today after all.
Checking the time, it was already half-past nine. Feeling somewhat restless, Luo Ziling began pacing back and forth atop the Hanyuan Hall Site Platform.
Just as he was debating whether to look elsewhere or take a walk around the park to see if Yang Qingyin might enter from another gate, he was taken aback to spot two women entering from the distanceâboth extraordinary in appearance.
After a closer look, his heart leapt with joyâit was Yang Qingyin and Ye Xiaoli.
Without hesitation, he jumped down from the several-meter-high platform, eager to approach them.
However, as soon as he reached the pathway near the Dragon Tail Road and prepared to sprint toward them, he saw the two women board an electric cart within the park and quickly leave the entrance area.
With no choice, Luo Ziling turned back and ran up to the very top of the Hanyuan Hall Site Platform again.
By the time he returned to the platformâs highest level, the electric cart carrying Yang Qingyin was approaching the Daming Palace miniature model area.
Luo Ziling didnât hesitate further and sprinted toward that direction as quickly as he could.
After a brief stop at the miniature area, the electric cart continued to move forward.
When Luo Ziling saw that Yang Qingyin and Ye Xiaoli hadnât gotten off the cart, he could only continue walking onward.
The cart was not moving very fast, but the distance made it hard for him to catch up right away.
Luckily, Luo Ziling was in good shape, and since he wasnât running in a straight line, the gap between him and the cart didnât grow wider.
When the cart stopped near Taiye Pool again, several tourists disembarked, but the Taiye Pool stop was significantly lower in elevation than the surrounding area. At that moment, Luo Ziling hadnât yet reached the vicinity of Taiye Pool, so he didnât see Yang Qingyin and Ye Xiaoli get off.
His attention was still on the cart as he continued chasing it.
It wasnât until he ran seven or eight hundred meters further and got a clear view of the cartâs occupants that he realized they had already gotten off.
This left Luo Ziling frustrated.
Could they have spotted him and deliberately hidden themselves?
He had no choice but to double back toward Taiye Pool and the Pear Garden area.
But after running a short distance, he stopped suddenly.
Because, to his surprise, the two women he had just lost sight of reappeared before him.
They were walking leisurely along a path by Taiye Pool.
Seeing them again made Luo Zilingâs heart settle, and his footsteps slowed.
Glancing around, he decided not to follow them directly but instead took a detour through the Pear Garden on the right, picking up his pace.
After taking a small path, he caught sight of Taiye Poolâs shimmering waters ahead once again. Yang Qingyin and Ye Xiaoli were walking across a stone path, heading toward the lakeside of Taiye Pool. This meant they had their backs to the spot where Luo Ziling had reemerged.
Without hesitation, Luo Ziling quickened his pace and ran toward Taiye Pool, cutting through from another direction along the path, rushing to meet them head-on.
When he was about ten meters from the two women, Luo Ziling came to a stop, adjusted his clothes, and then strode forward with an air of elegance. When Yang Qingyin lifted her head and looked over at him, he smiled and greeted them with a bow like an ancient scholar: âTwo beautiful ladies, do you need a tour guide? I am well-versed in Tang Dynasty history and the stories of Daming Palace. If you let me be your guide, I assure you wonât be disappointed. Best of all, I donât charge a fee!â