Leisurely Traveler with Check-in System

Liao Xinchun was very close. Her skin wasn’t very fair, probably due to regular exercise, it had a faint golden sheen, but it was very delicate, and under the indoor lighting, it looked smooth like silk.

After putting on the swimming goggles, Li Younan tried again, and sure enough, once he could open his eyes in the water, he didn’t feel as scared. He could focus on trying the movements he learned on the shore.

However, it being his first time learning to swim, he couldn’t grasp the knack immediately.

Thus, the two of them fussed around in the water for more than half an hour.

During this time, Liao Xinchun was quite diligent and responsible in her guidance, occasionally correcting Li Younan’s movements herself.

Feeling somewhat tired, they lay on the lounge chairs by the pool to rest.

Liao Xinchun suddenly asked, "Where are you from?"

But before Li Younan could answer, she quickly said, "Forget it, you’d better not tell me."

Li Younan looked at Liao Xinchun, not saying anything.

After resting for a while, Liao Xinchun went back into the water, swimming back and forth a few laps, and once again she was dripping wet.

Li Younan didn’t plan to go back into the water; he was well aware that swimming is not a skill that can be learned in one or two tries. That was it for today.

Liao Xinchun wrapped herself in a towel, walked over to Li Younan, and said, "Shall we go back?"

Li Younan nodded, it wasn’t early anymore.

Liao Xinchun asked again, "What fruit do you usually like to eat?"

Li Younan chuckled lightly, "Why ask this question all of a sudden?"

Liao Xinchun didn’t answer, she just looked at Li Younan.

Li Younan thought for a moment and said, "Watermelon, I guess."

Liao Xinchun nodded.

Just as Li Younan was about to get up from the lounge chair, Liao Xinchun suddenly bent down slowly and whispered, "I have chilled watermelon in my room, come have some, before 10 o’clock. I won’t lock the door."

Li Younan was taken aback for a moment.

Liao Xinchun added, "Oh, by the way, no alcohol today."

With that, she waved her towel and turned to leave, her long, straight legs leaving little puddles of water as she walked.

...

The first stop of the next day’s journey was to dock at Fengjie and tour the White Emperor City.

It was a day for an immersive tourism experience.

It’s worth mentioning that Liao Xinchun did not disembark today.

Li Younan was accompanied by two elderly gentlemen.

The ship docked steadily at Baota Ping Pier in Fengjie. The morning sun already had some warmth, but thankfully the river breeze was constant and not stifling.

Off the ship, there were shuttle buses at the pier to take all the tourists to the White Emperor City.

The bus drove up the winding mountain road, reaching the destination in about ten minutes.

The White Emperor City is actually on a hill that juts into the river and is now connected to the shore with a covered bridge.

Crossing the bridge, they arrived at the White Emperor Temple.

The temple itself isn’t particularly grand, built against the mountain terrain.

Its value is in its location—standing on the observation platform in front of the temple, the magnificent view of Kui Gate is unobstructed before Li Younan’s eyes.

The waters of the Yangtze River gush out from between two mountain walls that seem to have been cleaved by a giant axe, marking the western entrance to Qutang Gorge.

The river surface here is relatively wide, the flow relatively calm. The mountains are a heavy blue-gray color, the river water a muddy yellow-green, the colors very grounded.

Standing here, Li Younan could genuinely feel the meaning of "Kui Gate is the most heroic in the world."

Thinking about how ships from ancient to present all passed through here, Liu Bei entrusted his son here, and Li Bai wrote, "In the morning, I left the White Emperor amid colorful clouds," the stone steps underfoot may have also borne their footsteps, this feeling was very subtle.

Lunch was settled at a farmhouse restaurant outside the scenic area, where Li Younan ate some local homemade dishes, which were heavily seasoned and went well with rice.

After lunch, back at the pier, the cruise ship he was on continued its journey, heading towards Qutang Gorge.

The ship gradually approached Kui Gate, and the towering cliffs on both sides loomed closer, bringing a sense of pressure along with them.

The textures and folds of the rocks were clearly visible under the sunlight, appearing ancient and steadfast.

The ship seemed small in front of the massive mountains.

The broadcast explained the origin of the phrase "Kui Gate is the most heroic in the world," but Li Younan felt no need for excessive interpretation, as the scene before him spoke for itself.

After looking up for a long time, his neck felt a bit sore.

He took out his phone, capturing the scene, and casually sent it to Brother Long.

Brother Long quickly replied, saying, "This place is quite nice."

Li Younan sent back a voice message: "If you think it’s nice, come visit sometime."

Brother Long didn’t reply.

Sunlight sliced by the towering peaks left a stretch of river shimmering gold, while another part sank into a vast shadow.

Wind swept in through the gorge, carrying the scent of water and rock, cool and refreshing.

Li Younan leaned against the railing of the top deck, watching the occasional houses appear on the cliffs, their white walls especially striking against the backdrop of the massive mountains.

After passing through Qutang Gorge, the large ship continued sailing, reaching the Yangtze River pier near Wushan County.

Here, tourists disembarked, switching to smaller sightseeing boats to explore the Little Three Gorges.

The small boats were significantly lower than the large ship, closer to the water surface, offering a completely different feeling.

The sound of the engine was clearly audible, and sometimes the splash of the water could be felt when it was running.

Entering the Longmen Gorge of the Daining River, the river channel noticeably narrowed, and the river water became clear and emerald green.

The peaks on both sides were steeper, the vegetation lush and verdant, covering every inch of climbable rock. The shapes of the rocks were more varied and bizarre.

After the small boat tour ended, it returned Li Younan to the Wushan dock.

When he reboarded the large cruise ship, the sun had already tilted westward.

Having wandered around all day, Li Younan was indeed somewhat tired.