Chapter 450: Kissing Black Swans
Booking a room at Lion Lake Castle Hotel was incredibly easy!
As soon as Han Panpan confirmed the room type, she immediately received a confirmation from the hotel, with astonishing speed.
After passing through security and boarding the train,
Han Panpan habitually took out her earphones, let down her ponytail, and leaned back in her seat, ready to take a nap.
Cheng Yan, on the other hand, pulled out her phone, planning to catch up on the novel she was reading.
The train car was sparsely populated, with only about fifteen or sixteen people in the entire carriage, including the two of them. The air was eerily quiet.
Outside the window, the wind seemed to grow stronger, and the sky was ominously overcast.
Thick layers of dark clouds pressed down, occasionally pierced by flashes of lightning that streaked across the sky, followed by terrifying claps of thunder.
Raindrops the size of beans hit the train's windows, creating horizontal streaks. Through the glass, they could see distant trees swaying violently in the wind, and even the utility poles were shaking, as if something bad was about to happen.
"This weather is really scary..."
Cheng Yan looked out the window and shivered inexplicably. She had a strange feeling, as if something mysterious and dangerous was about to happen.
"Maybe it'll be better once we get to the hotel."
Cheng Yan glanced at her companion, who was already fast asleep, and then at the stormy weather outside that seemed like something out of a monster movie. Deciding to ignore it, she put her phone in her bag and leaned on Han Panpan's shoulder, drifting off to sleep.
...
This nap left Cheng Yan feeling groggy and restless.
At some point, she felt someone nudge her arm, and then she heard her companion's voice:
"Yanyan, wake up. We're almost at Zaomen~"
Han Panpan's slightly excited voice rang in her ears.
Cheng Yan looked up curiously and saw that the storm and lightning outside had completely disappeared. The sun was now high in the sky, and the weather was absolutely perfect!
Seeing the sunlight, Cheng Yan's earlier unease vanished instantly.
When the train arrived at the station,
Han Panpan pulled Cheng Yan off the train and walked ahead like a little tour guide. She didn't even bother to stop at the convenience store selling umbrellas near the station.
Since Zaomen Railway Station was directly connected to the subway,
the two of them got off the train and immediately took Line 3. After about 30 minutes, they heard the subway announcement:
"The train is approaching Lion Lake Castle Station. Passengers heading to Lion Lake Castle Hotel, please prepare to exit from the right side doors."
As soon as Han Panpan heard the announcement, she stood up, but when she turned around, she saw Cheng Yan sitting listlessly, looking quite unwell.
"Yanyan, are you carsick? Why do you look so pale?"
Cheng Yan replied weakly, "Maybe I caught a cold from the rain and wind. My head hurts a bit."
Hearing that her companion was sick, Han Panpan grew concerned. "Let's get out first. I'll buy you some cold medicine later, and you'll feel better after taking it."
"Okay." Cheng Yan nodded, holding onto the railing as she stood up and followed Han Panpan out of the subway car.
Strangely,
as soon as they stepped out of the car, a cool breeze swept over them,
causing both girls to shiver.
"Achoo!" Cheng Yan couldn't help but sneeze, instinctively hugging her shoulders as she felt even colder.
"Strange, why is the wind in Zaomen's subway so strong?"
Han Panpan muttered, pulling Cheng Yan quickly toward the escalator at the exit.
As the escalator ascended, the two of them rose higher and higher, and the warmth of the sunlight on their bodies felt inexplicably comforting.
Exiting the subway, they found themselves in a large square.
In the center of the square, a massive rose-colored gate stood open amidst lush green trees. Dozens of white pigeons pecked at millet scattered on the ground,
and even as people approached, the pigeons continued eating, undisturbed. Occasionally, a few bored pigeons flapped their wings and flew up to perch on the golden lion-shaped street lamps, tilting their heads to glance at the people in the square before flying off and disappearing toward the cream-colored castle spires in the distance.
"Panpan, did we take a wrong turn? This doesn't look like a hotel!"
Cheng Yan wiped her nose, looking up in surprise at the pigeons flying back.
In her past experiences, when taking a taxi to a hotel, they would usually stop right at the hotel's entrance.
But the place they were at now didn't look like a hotel—it resembled the garden gate of a private estate.
"No, the navigation says this is the right place."
Han Panpan was also a bit confused. She pulled out her phone and opened the navigation app.
"It says to exit through Subway Gate 1 and walk about 378 meters to the hotel... but where's the entrance?"
As Cheng Yan and Han Panpan huddled together, fingers swiping across the phone screen, trying to figure out the route to Lion Lake Castle Hotel,
two young men dressed very formally standing by the rose-colored gate were also observing Cheng Yan and Han Panpan.
"Do you think they're here to stay at the hotel?"
The taller doorman, Xiao Gao, crossed his arms and tilted his head, whispering.
"I think so. Look at their big backpacks—they're definitely travel bags,"
The chubbier doorman, Xiao Pang, replied uncertainly. "Should we go ask them?"
"Alright, let's ask." Xiao Gao made up his mind and walked over to Cheng Yan and Han Panpan.
It wasn't their fault for being hesitant.
Although Lion Lake Castle Hotel's interior was grand and exquisite, its external design was quite different from most hotels, and the entrance was somewhat misleading.
Even the hotel staff, when first entering from the square, had mistaken it for a wealthy person's private garden villa.
As a result, many customers would feel disoriented after getting off the subway and arriving at the square.
Although Chen Jianhai had mentioned that this issue would be resolved by a construction team, and that clear signage would be in place by the next morning,
the daytime reception work still had to be handled.
Xiao Gao and Xiao Pang had no choice but to rely on their keen eyes to keep an eye on the people in the square,
and as soon as they spotted someone who looked like a potential guest, they would go up and ask.
Xiao Gao stopped at an appropriate distance in front of the two girls, then put on a warm smile and asked, "Hello, are you two here to stay at Lion Lake Castle Hotel?"
In the next moment, two pairs of wary eyes stared straight at him.
Without hesitation, Xiao Gao took out his employee ID, then turned slightly and gestured with his right hand toward the gate behind him, saying enthusiastically:
"Hello, this is the entrance to our Lion Lake Castle Hotel.
"If you're here to check in, please come in through here. If you're unsure, you can call the front desk using the number on the website to confirm."
Cheng Yan and Han Panpan exchanged a glance, then looked at the rose-colored gate in front of them.
Although they still had some doubts, the navigation and the website's entrance description both pointed to this location. So Han Panpan nodded and said,
"We booked a room online. We're checking in today."
Xiao Gao immediately responded warmly, "Please follow me. I'll take you to the hotel."
With that, Xiao Gao waved to Xiao Pang, who quickly came over. After getting the girls' permission, he took their backpacks and led them toward the rose-colored gate.
Xiao Pang was a bit chubby, and while the employee uniforms at Langai Hotel and Island Hotel had been comfortable and casual,
the style at Lion Lake Castle Hotel was different. Due to the hotel's theme and design, Chen Jianhai had opted for a more formal look.
Although the uniforms were still comfortable and well-fitted,
the design leaned more toward a suit-like style, which looked sharp and stylish on most people.
But for Xiao Pang, it wasn't exactly friendly.
His slightly protruding belly was cinched by the belt, creating two small bulges.
Combined with the medieval castle looming in the distance,
Cheng Yan stared for a while, then suddenly tugged on Han Panpan's sleeve and whispered, "Don't they look like Lumière and Cogsworth from *Beauty and the Beast*?"
"Huh?" Han Panpan glanced at the two doormen's backs.
One was tall and thin, the other short and chubby.
At first, she hadn't noticed, but now that Cheng Yan mentioned it, the image instantly came to mind.
Han Panpan's eyes lit up, and she nodded excitedly, even pulling out her phone to secretly take a photo of the two doormen's backs.
Pushing open the rose-colored gate, they found themselves on a serene and beautiful rose-lined path.
The bright sunlight filtered through the vines and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the stone path. The delicate fragrance of roses wafted through the air, blending with the reflection of the castle in the lake at the end of the path.
"This path is the hotel's Rose Welcome Path. The castle at the end is our Lion Lake Castle Hotel," Xiao Gao explained enthusiastically, pointing to the side of the castle visible in the distance.
"Is the hotel called 'Lake Castle' because it's built by the lake?" Cheng Yan asked curiously, standing on her tiptoes to get a better look.
"Yes," Xiao Gao replied with a smile. "Originally, the hotel was supposed to be called Lion Castle Hotel, but because of the emerald lake in front, the name was changed to Lion Lake Castle Hotel."
"Once you walk through the Rose Welcome Path and reach the lake, a boat will take you directly to the castle."
Han Panpan's eyes lit up. "A boat ride to the castle? That's so cool!"
She had never heard of such a unique way to check into a hotel!
"The boat ride isn't the only special thing," Xiao Pang chimed in politely.
"I don't know how long you're staying, but if you have time, you should visit the nearby town."
"There's a Squirrel Secondhand Bookstore in the town, and the experience of entering the hotel from there is something you'd never expect. It's definitely worth trying!"
Hearing this, Xiao Gao nodded vigorously, adding,
"This is a must-try experience!"
"Really, if you have the time, you should definitely go through the Squirrel Secondhand Bookstore. The experience is amazing!"
"Ah, if it weren't for spoiling the surprise, I'd love to tell you more!"
Seeing Xiao Gao's expression, torn between wanting to share and holding back, Han Panpan and Cheng Yan laughed.
"Is the experience really that good? Even better than the boat ride?" Han Panpan asked with a smile.
"Absolutely!" Both doormen nodded emphatically.
"Alright then! We'll make sure to check it out when we have the chance."
...
The Rose Welcome Path wasn't very long.
As Han Panpan and Cheng Yan chatted with the doormen, they reached the end of the path in about four or five minutes.
Suddenly, the view opened up before them.
The crescent-shaped emerald lake lay like a piece of jade under the blue sky and white clouds. Lush green grass and umbrella-like trees surrounded the lake, and the luxurious Lion Lake Castle Hotel was beautifully reflected in the water. The serene and elegant scene instantly lifted their spirits.
Looking closer, they could see chipmunks darting happily through the grass, while white and yellow butterflies fluttered low. The fresh scent of grass and the coolness of the lake breeze instantly calmed their restless moods.
On the side near the Rose Welcome Path, ten exquisitely carved wooden boats, each seating four people, were moored.
Seeing Cheng Yan and Han Panpan, an employee immediately came over to assist, taking their luggage from the doormen and placing it on a nearby transport cart, which was then sent to the hotel along the Squirrel Carriage Path.
"Hello, please board the boat."
The boatman extended his arm, warmly guiding Cheng Yan and Han Panpan onto the boat.
Sitting shakily on the small boat, the two girls looked around in amazement.
"This hotel is so beautiful!"
Han Panpan exclaimed in admiration.
"Yeah, and there are so many animals!"
Cheng Yan gazed around curiously. Since the lake was quite large, there were many animals around.
Swans, black swans, ducks, and mandarin ducks could be seen swimming and playing in the water, bringing the tranquil emerald lake to life.
For some reason, as soon as she boarded the boat, Cheng Yan was drawn to the black swans in the lake.
Against the backdrop of the luxurious Lion Lake Castle Hotel, the black swans held their elegant necks high, their smooth, glossy wings tucked neatly at their sides as they glided gracefully across the water.
Ripples spread out behind them, like princes cursed in a magical world, waiting only for a true love's kiss to transform back into human form.
Just as Cheng Yan was fully immersed in her magical fantasy,
suddenly,
the two black swans in the lake began swimming closer and closer to each other.
Just as Cheng Yan thought they were about to collide, her eyes widened in surprise.
"?? The black swans are kissing??!!"
"Where? Where?"
Hearing about the black swans kissing, Han Panpan immediately perked up, looking around eagerly.
"Over there!" Cheng Yan pointed excitedly toward the center of the lake.
The two black swans gently touched their beaks together, kissing like lovers. Then, their slender necks curved slightly, their foreheads touching, forming a heart shape from a distance. It was like something out of a painting.
"Oh my gosh, I've never seen black swans kiss before!"
Han Panpan quickly pulled out her phone and snapped a few photos of the black swans on the lake.
Cheng Yan also excitedly reached for her phone,
but just as she was about to take a photo, a gust of wind blew across the lake, causing her to sneeze repeatedly.
"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!!"
"Are you feeling unwell?"
The boatman noticed Cheng Yan's red nose and her use of tissues, and asked with concern.
"I think I caught a chill from the wind. Is there a pharmacy nearby?" Cheng Yan asked.
"There is a pharmacy, but it's in the town behind the hotel. It might be inconvenient for you to go there. Shall I ask the front desk to prepare some medicine for you?"
"That would be great." Cheng Yan felt relieved.
She had been feeling unwell since arriving and was worried about the hotel's remote location making it difficult to buy medicine.
She hadn't expected the hotel to have its own supply!
As the boatman contacted the front desk about the medicine, Cheng Yan looked up again to see the black swans in the lake.
"Huh?"
"Where did they go?"