Geistergrab einer buddhistischen Pagode

Kapitel 34

Why should you tell her?

Berhali gently bit her neck.

"I don't want her to worry, so why am I not going home in the middle of the night?"

"Then tell her you're going downstairs to get something to drink."

Jumarin was a little annoyed by the suggestion: "She knows I don't drink, and I'm not some frivolous woman who goes to bars to pick up men."

She had noticed that Berhali often drank a lot of alcohol, but hopefully he wasn't an alcoholic.

“You don’t need to seduce men,” Berhali teased her. “You’ve already seduced me.”

Marlene didn't notice his suggestive teasing. Did he think she was so easy? Was he implying this was just a fleeting affair, a one-night stand?

So she replied resolutely, "Listen to me, maybe we shouldn't do this. At least not tonight."

“Oh no, we should, we have, or can…” As they spoke, they arrived at the hotel. He looked up and said, “Look, we’re here.”

"Really, no, Berhali. It's late. You know I have to take care of Esme. I think we should just be friends."

Beryl felt the relaxed atmosphere between them had dissipated. He was disappointed and regretted his excessive enthusiasm. He no longer had any expectations, so he said wearily, "Okay, I'm leaving. I'm going to the bar for a drink."

He kissed her forehead: "Goodnight, my midnight pumpkin."

Then he turned around and walked towards the elevator without looking at her.

Berhali sat down in the bar feeling dejected, but within minutes he saw Jumarin again.

She rushed into the bar in a panic, panting as she approached Berhali, her voice weak and anxious: "Esmi's not here, she's gone, the dog's not here either—I told her not to leave, I warned her not to open the door. Oh! God, what am I going to do?"

"I think there's no hope."

Berhali answered coldly, pointing to the other end of the hall before Jumarin could snap—

It turned out that Esme was here, playing with her dog with the waiter.

Goodbye Lijiang (1)

The night in the ancient city passed by as my friends slept, just like the dreams of the chieftains over the centuries.

As dawn broke, Benny was still fast asleep. The bizarre experience at Stone Bell Mountain the previous day, along with the discussions among the tour group members, had left him exhausted, and he finally managed to fall asleep in the early hours of the morning.

Suddenly, the telephone by the bedside rang urgently.

Benny opened his eyes painfully, grabbed the phone, and heard a man say in English, "I'm looking for Miss Chen Bibi."

She's not here.