After breakfast, Hannah and Arnold Simmons took a taxi to the tourist spot.
Today was the first day of the short holiday, and while there were many people at the tourist spot, it wasn't overly crowded yet. After waiting in line for half an hour at the entrance, they finally got in.
The attraction was an ancient courtyard, with glazed tiles, vermilion-painted doors, willows drooping from green branches, a perimeter of covered walkways. In the center, decorative rock formations and structures were scattered, and a pool had been excavated to channel in mountain spring water. The spring water was crystal clear, its surface dotted with floating lotus leaves beneath which koi fish swam gracefully.
The sun peeked out from behind thin clouds, spilling golden light that glittered on the shimmering pool water. The air, however, felt as if it had been flooded with heat, and only in the shadowy embrace of the tree canopies could one find a trace of coolness.
