Dongting Mountain, also known as Xishan, is located in Taihu Lake, more than 40 kilometers southwest of Gusu City. It is 11 kilometers wide from north to south and 15 kilometers long from east to west, with an area of about 90 square kilometers. It is the largest island in Taihu Lake and the largest island in China's freshwater lakes.
Yang Fan and his group stayed in Gusu City for less than a day. In the afternoon, Wang Tingshan and his secretary acted as guides and drove them to the Xishan Scenic Area.
Xishan Scenic Area is the essence of Taihu Lake Scenic Area. It is famous for its island scenery, flower and fruit forests, and historical sites. It is a lake island area mainly for sightseeing and vacation. It has four scenic levels: islands in the lake, mountains and waters in the lake bay, valleys in the mountains, and peaks on the mountain top.
If you are an outsider who is not familiar with the area, you won’t know how to get around when you visit Taihu Island.
Before Yang Fan came here, he didn't know there was a bridge to the island and that he could drive into Xishan. He thought he could only take a boat.
"Xiao Yang, after we settle down, we can go climb Piao Miao Peak before the sun sets." Wang Tingshan held a script card, but whispered: "Piao Miao Peak is 336.6 meters above sea level and is the highest of the 72 peaks of Taihu Lake. Climb to the top and overlook Taihu Lake, bathing in the sun and the moon, with endless mist and beautiful scenery."
It is difficult to be a human being, and it is even more difficult to be an official.
Especially for the ambitious Wang Tingshan, it is not an exaggeration to say that he has devoted himself to his work.
Just to entertain Yang Fan and his group for a day, he turned himself into a guide, learning while working.
After seizing this opportunity to "take sole power", his tests have just begun.
Yang Fan and his party did not have a happy time on this trip to Xishan, and they did not write any inscriptions. If it were in ancient times, Wang Tingshan would have had to go back with his head held high.
Of course, things are not so exaggerated in modern times, but hanging or jumping from a building are not uncommon.
Wang Tingshan thought that if he didn’t get the energy of immortality during this trip to the West Mountain, he would just stay put in the future and not think about climbing up again.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that many people dream of but cannot get.
"For the motherland!" Before coming, Wang Tingshan encouraged himself that he didn't need to care about foreign countries' views on domestic culture.
The highest international literary award has nothing to do with Chinese people. It is not important. The self-proclaimed culture of those barbarians in the West is the first class.
"Before I even got to the island, I could feel the obvious improvement in the air quality. Taihu Lake is colorful and the Western Hills is charming." Yang Fan nodded secretly.
After entering the island, he could see more clearly that there were undulating mountains, rugged rocks, winding paths and secluded passages.
The minibus crossed three bridges, climbed up Xishan Mountain, drove along the lake for a few kilometers, entered a small village, and arrived outside a courtyard house facing the lake.
It is surrounded by mountains and water and lakes on three sides.
From the outside, this is a Suzhou garden-style courtyard, with a front yard and atrium. The garden-style courtyard is very suitable for children to play hide-and-seek.
The master bedroom faces the lake. When you wake up early in the morning and stand in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, you can see the scenery everywhere.
It is said that this courtyard house was built by a certain boss at a cost of several million yuan. Now someone has offered 100 million yuan for it, but the boss is unwilling to sell it.
There are some things that money can't buy.
For example, being able to vacate the room for Yang Fan's family to live in is something the boss has been longing for.
This kind of favor cannot be bought with money.
Nowadays, it is not easy for residents on the islands of Taihu Lake to build houses. It requires approval and they have to wait for several years.
Although Xishan does not have many famous tourist attractions, many people from nearby cities come here for vacation during holidays, making the island's resources more precious than many rural areas.
After checking in, it was almost time for dinner, but Yang Fan and his group did not plan to have dinner first. They just ate something to fill their stomachs and then went out and walked towards the mountain.
The scenery seen from the lakeside courtyard is different from that from the mountain.
People all like to climb and yearn for heights.
Yang Fan and his group also wanted to climb to the top of the mountain to see different scenery.
Wang Tingshan was glad that he was not a fat middle-aged man and had enough physical strength to climb the mountain with young people like Yang Fan and Shisan without losing sight of each other's shadows.
Guoguo has more energy and doesn't even feel tired after climbing this small hill.
If someone complains of being tired, it is probably just because they are being coquettish and are too lazy to walk.
When they reached halfway up the mountain, Yang Fan realized that the cold air that had arrived in Gusu yesterday had left at some point.
White clouds were floating, and the setting sun in the sky became lively again. The light was full of warmth, making people sweat all over.
There was a pavilion on the side of the road. Looking at Boss Wang and his secretary who were trying to climb up below, Yang Fan led Aunt Thirteen, Liu Qianqian and Guoguo in to rest.
"These two are quite patient." In the pavilion, Liu Qianqian wiped the sweat off her face with a tissue and looked down the mountain.
Yang Fan nodded and wiped Guo Guo's face with a tissue: "He didn't say anything else, he just served us like this, it's hard for him."
Aunt Thirteen was also sweating. She took a paper towel and wiped a stone bench next to the round table. After wiping, she threw it on the table first, then took out a new paper towel, spread it on the stone bench, then sat down, and continued to take out a new paper towel to wipe her sweat.
"They did it voluntarily. It has nothing to do with you." After wiping the sweat off her face, Aunt Thirteen waved to Yang Fan and asked for some water.
All the water was in the bag on Yang Fan's back. The three girls came up empty-handed. The only weight on Aunt Thirteen and Liu Qianqian was a mobile phone for taking pictures. Guoguo climbed the mountain completely empty-handed.
"It does matter. Without me, they wouldn't have been so determined to follow us to Xishan." Yang Fan put his backpack on the table, took out three bottles of mineral water, handed one to Aunt Thirteen, one to Liu Qianqian, and kept one for himself.
"Would you like some water?" After getting the water, Aunt Thirteen asked Guoguo and she sat down on the stool without caring whether the stool was dirty or not.
“No…” Guoguo waved her hands, not thirsty. Before she could finish her words, she saw her mother unscrew the lid and drink from it.
The little girl's eyes widened. I haven't answered yet.
"Mom, I want to drink water too." After her mother finished drinking the water, the little girl licked her lips.
"No!" Aunt Thirteen screwed the cap on the bottle.
"Please!" the little girl begged.
You just like to go against me. I tell you to drink, but you don't drink. I don't give you any drink, but you insist on drinking.
Staring at the little girl, Aunt Thirteen asked, "Did you say this to me last night?"
"What are you talking about?" Guoguo looked around.
"Did you chat with me on dad's phone yesterday?" Aunt Thirteen asked.
"No!" The little girl lifted her butt off the stool, wanting to get away from her mother.
"Sit down!" Aunt Thirteen put the bottle on the table.
"Oh." Guoguo sat back down and looked at Yang Fan with a strong desire to survive.
Yang Fan ignored it, sat down at the round table, and took out paper and pen from his bag.
Thirteenth Aunt was about to continue settling accounts with her daughter, but stopped when she saw Yang Fan was about to write.
Liu Qianqian also quietly approached, stood behind Yang Fan, and stretched out her snow-white swan-like neck.
Yang Fan turned around and Liu Qianqian quickly stood back up.
"Don't worry, you won't disturb my thoughts." Yang Fan said with a smile.
"Really?" Liu Qianqian asked in surprise.
"Yeah." Yang Fan sat back down and picked up his pen to write.
Thirteenth Aunt also stretched her neck and once again witnessed with her own eyes what it means to be a master writer.