"The bird... 'The Empress' isn't a prop. It might be the fairy of this mountain."
"Possibly?" Jiutiao Meijie said with a tone that was both dismissive and slightly irritated.
"Go and wash up. Oh, and wake them up as well."
After the two ladies woke up, the three of them took their clothes and went to the hot spring.
They split into two groups when they left, but they returned together.
For breakfast, they had grilled fish, vegetable salad, rice, and miso soup - a simple island-style breakfast.
The air was cool at the mountain top on a late May morning, making the miso soup just right.
"I'm no chef, so don't be too critical," Dubian Che said.
"It's okay; even a plain picnic tastes good," Mrs. Kiyono remarked, though it was hard to tell if it was a compliment.
"Let's not talk about breakfast first. What's with this bird called 'The Empress,' Mr. Dubian?" Mrs. Jiutiao asked.
