160: Chapter 160 The Charm of the Dai Village at Night

After checking into the hotel, Chen Mo and Su Yingxue put away their luggage. Following a brief rest, they headed downstairs to the hotel restaurant.

The restaurant was also in the Dai style, with colorful dai brocade spread over wooden tables and chairs. Dai bamboo weavings and murals hung on the walls, and a faint scent of lemongrass wafted through the air, creating an exceptional atmosphere.

“The restaurants here are so unique; even the cloths on the tables are so beautiful,”

Su Yingxue said, sitting in her chair with eyes full of curiosity.

Chen Mo smiled as he poured her a cup of local Pu'er tea and said,

“This is dai brocade, hand-woven by the dai people. The patterns on them are significant, featuring either peacocks or elephants—both are auspicious symbols they love.”

“So that's how it is. Hand-weaving is so impressive; it looks much better than machine-woven fabric.”

Su Yingxue nodded, took a sip from her teacup, and her eyes lit up:

“This tea is delicious too. It's not bitter and has a delicate fragrance.”

“This is Pu'er from Xishuangbanna. It hasn't been aged for long, but the taste is very mellow, which suits you.”

Chen Mo added from the side,

“Quickly look at the menu. These are all local specialties; see what you'd like to eat.”

The two ordered a table full of Dai specialties, including Lemongrass Roasted Chicken, Dai-style Sour Soup Fish, Pineapple Rice, and several refreshing cold appetizers.

When the dishes arrived, the aroma was mouth-watering. Su Yingxue impatiently picked up her chopsticks, tucked into a piece of roasted chicken, and her eyes instantly curved into beautiful crescents:

“It's so delicious! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and with that lemongrass fragrance—it's better than any roasted chicken I've ever had.”

“If it's good, eat more. We can order more if it's not enough.”

Chen Mo dotingly placed a piece of fish in her bowl and said,

“Try this sour soup fish too. Dai sour soup is simmered with tomatoes and sour bamboo shoots; it's appetizing and cuts through the richness.”

Su Yingxue took a bite of the fish and nodded repeatedly, saying,

“It really is delicious! It's sour and spicy, very appetizing. I could eat an extra bowl of rice!”

The two chatted as they ate. Su Yingxue chirped away about the scenery she had seen on the way from the airport to the hotel, her joy impossible to hide;

Chen Mo sat by her side, listening quietly, occasionally interjecting with a few words, a gentle smile remaining on his face throughout.

After finishing lunch, the two returned to their room for a midday nap.

In the afternoon in Xishuangbanna, the sunlight spilled through the window, warm and carrying a faint scent of greenery. Su Yingxue quickly fell asleep.

Chen Mo sat by the bed and gently tucked her in.

Around three in the afternoon, Su Yingxue woke up. Rubbing her sleepy eyes and looking at Chen Mo beside her, she said with a smile,

“I slept for so long! I feel much more energetic now.”

“I saw you were sleeping soundly, so I didn't wake you.”

Chen Mo then said,

“Since you're awake, get ready. We'll go out for a stroll to see the Dai homeland, and when night falls, I'll show you the night view of Xishuangbanna.”

“Okay, okay!”

Su Yingxue immediately perked up at the mention of going out and hurried to get ready.

The two finished getting ready and headed out.

The hotel was right by the Lancang River. They walked slowly along the riverside path. The river water flowed gently, shimmering with light; occasionally, a breeze blew, creating ripples. The tropical plants on the banks swayed in the wind, rustling as if telling stories of the Dai homeland.

“Chen Mo, look! There are so many cruise boats on the river!”

Su Yingxue pointed to the boats on the river and said curiously,

“Should we go on a cruise too?”

Chen Mo looked in the direction she was pointing and nodded with a smile,

“Sure, we're not in a hurry anyway. We can take a cruise along the Lancang River and look at the scenery on the banks.”

They bought tickets and boarded a cruise boat.

The boat slowly pulled away from the shore and headed toward the middle of the river. Standing at the bow, feeling the river breeze and watching the scenery on both sides, one's mood became exceptionally pleasant.

“The breeze here is so comfortable; it's not cold at all, and it carries the fresh scent of the river.”

Su Yingxue said, spreading her arms wide.

“Yes, winter in Xishuangbanna is like this—warm and comfortable.”

Chen Mo stood beside her, gently putting his arm around her shoulder:

“Look at the scenery on both banks. On one side are the well-arranged Dai bamboo houses, and on the other are lush forests. Isn't it beautiful?”

“It really is beautiful!”

Su Yingxue glanced at him, then nodded in response without saying anything further:

“It's even more beautiful than I imagined. This place is like a paradise hidden from the world.”

The cruise lasted about an hour. After disembarking, they walked along a small path by the river. Many local villagers had set up stalls by the roadside, selling characteristic Dai handicrafts: small bamboo-woven baskets, wood-carved elephants, hand-woven dai brocade, and various small ornaments—a dazzling array of items.

“This little basket is so cute!”

Su Yingxue picked up a tiny bamboo-woven basket, her eyes full of delight:

“Hand-woven and so exquisite.”

The Dai auntie running the stall said with a smile,

“You have good taste, young lady. We wove this ourselves; it's perfect for holding small trinkets. I'll sell it to you cheaply.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

Su Yingxue happily paid the money and cradled the small basket in her arms.

Seeing her happy expression, Chen Mo smiled and said,

“If you like them, buy a few more. They're not expensive anyway, and you can give them to friends when we go back.”

“No need, this one is enough. It's so pretty, I'll keep it for myself.”

Su Yingxue said with a smile.

The two continued walking forward, and before they knew it, evening had arrived, and a faint sunset glow appeared on the horizon.

“The sunset is just too beautiful!”

Su Yingxue stopped in her tracks, took out her phone, and began taking pictures, saying as she snapped away,

“I want to take more photos to keep as souvenirs.”

“Take your time, don't rush. The night view is even better,”

Chen Mo said from the side.

As he spoke, he also took out his phone and took a few photos of Su Yingxue. In the pictures, Su Yingxue's smile was brilliant, blending perfectly with the sunset and the river, looking exceptionally moving.

As the sunset glow gradually faded, night fell.

The streetlights along the road lit up one by one. The lights, designed to look like betel nut trees, emitted a soft glow.

The shops on both sides of the street were brightly lit, with signs in both Dai and Chinese scripts reflecting each other under the neon lights.

“Wow, it's even prettier at night than during the day!”

Su Yingxue couldn't help but exclaim. Taking Chen Mo's hand, she skipped forward:

“Look at those lanterns, so many colors—they're truly beautiful!”

“Yes, the night view of Xishuangbanna is just like this—lively and beautiful.”

Chen Mo let her pull him along.

As night took over, more and more snack stalls appeared along the roadside. The air was filled with the aroma of various delicacies: grilled pork belly, Dai-style barbecue, bàolǔdá, and various tropical fruit juices, making one's mouth water just looking at them.

“Chen Mo, I want that bàolǔdá. I heard it's very good.”

Su Yingxue pointed to a snack stall and turned to Chen Mo.

“Okay, I'll go buy it for you.”

Chen Mo nodded with a smile, walked to the snack stall, bought a cup of bàolǔdá, and turned back to hand it to Su Yingxue.

Su Yingxue took the bàolǔdá, took a sip, and her eyes instantly lit up:

“It's so delicious! It's sweet, and with the shredded coconut and dried bread, the texture is so unique.”

Chen Mo bought a cup for himself as well. After tasting it, he agreed the flavor was sweet and refreshing, perfectly cutting through any lingering richness.

He then said,

“If it's good, drink more. We can buy more if it's not enough.”