The first rays of sunlight in the morning woke Chen Ying through the cracks in the curtains. After a while, she lifted the blanket, sat up from the bed, and walked barefoot to the window. The river below the mountain is sparkling, sweeping away the darkness of the night and showing new vitality. Only then did Chen Ying notice that there were many dense pine trees planted on the mountain where they were located, and these evergreen trees secreted a thick oil, producing a special aroma that dispersed, making the surrounding air more solemn and quiet.

It's too early to go to breakfast. Chen Ying heard several waiters communicating in Czech at the top of the staircase, and then took the iron cage elevator down. She reminded herself that she should give them a little time and space to prepare, and not to rush others without culture. And she wasn't so hungry that she had to eat right away. Wang Yi still slept on the sofa and did not wake up. His head sank between two feather pillows, and one hand hung over the blanket. Chen Ying walked over and quietly pulled the corner of the blanket to cover him. She picked up the book he had left here the previous night, leaned against the wall with the window, and looked through the light between the curtains. There is a page of the book with a bookmark on it. She flipped through the bookmark and saw him scribbling a sentence in pencil:

"When I love you, pine trees in the wind, sing your name with their silky leaves."

She closed her book and stepped out onto the balcony. The sun rose, and the remaining chill fled in all directions, hiding in the narrow, dark crevices of the stone. In a few moments, the astronomical clock in the square will ring, passing the secrets of the previous night everywhere. Even though she didn't do anything, there were still traces of sleeping alone on the bed. She looked up at the pale blue sky, and several blackbirds flew overhead with a chirp. It was another harbinger of sunny days.

"Awake?" Wang Yi asked with his hand over his eyes. He was holding on to the edge of the couch with one hand, and he almost slipped off. Chen Ying hurriedly closed the window and walked to his side. She crouched on the ground and watched him yawn sleepily and his hair was a mess.

"Good morning." She handed him her glasses. He blinked, put on his glasses, and looked around symbolically. On the carpet in the middle of the house stands a folding dining table, which divides the room in two like a screen. Last night they talked until midnight through this unstable table, and finally they fell asleep.

"I—want to go to the bathroom." He shrunk into the covers. The light of day embarrassed them, Chen Ying hurried into the kitchen, looking down to see the crystal droplets of water falling from the edge of the rusty faucet. After a while, Wang Yi came out of the bathroom, he treated the ends of his curly hair with cold water, and wiped his glasses anew. He quietly walked into the kitchen and gently hugged Chen Ying, who was staring at the pool in a daze.

"Are you going to have breakfast?" He asked softly. The chin pressed against her shoulder.

"Hmm."

He led her hand downstairs and took a window seat in the dining room. He brought two cereals and some seasonal fruits, and she took a few buns and baked bacon. He quietly finished his bread and made himself another cup of coffee.

"What's your plan for today?" He asked as she drank the last bit of milk. At this time, the plate in front of them was empty.

"Gotta think about it." She took out the guidebook from the bag she was carrying and flipped through it without a clue.

"Come back to Berlin with me." He pressed the book in her hand and said, "I can be your guide." ”

She looked at him, weighing the decision over and over again.

"We can't stay here too long – unless we apply for a tourist visa." He continued, "You haven't been to Germany either, and then you can go back to Copenhagen from Hamburg. ”

She couldn't think of a reason to refute it, and followed him upstairs to pack her bags. In order to save money, he proposed to take an international bus, which was a suggestion that suited her mind, not to mention that the station was very close, just a block from the hotel.

Since leaving Denmark at the end of October, she doesn't remember how many times she packed her bags. Obviously just a stranger as a guest, but every time he leaves, he is as nostalgic as his hometown. In Prague, Chen Ying had never been to the Golden Lane or visited Wenceslas Square. She didn't even get a chance to try Herder's beer and bouncy ice cream cones, and she didn't even visit a few of her favorite museums. She couldn't help but feel sad as she packed up her belongings by her suitcase, not wanting to leave the shiny water-covered dishes in the bohemian kitchen. In theory, it is a case of absolute freedom, but in reality there are always other constraints. The suitcase is like an astronomical clock, which precisely measures the time and mercilessly reminds the bearer of every departure. She had to learn to deal with parting while traveling, wandering aimlessly between different countries and cities, listening to different languages and saying goodbye to herself.

She remembered the two old men she had met on the train, and Johann in Denmark imitating the playful demeanor of the Germans and Italians, respectively. She remembered the loneliness she had just set out from Brussels. When she dragged her suitcase out, Wang Yi was waiting for her at the door of the hotel. He picked up her bag and walked towards the station with his free hand interlocking her fingers. They walked cautiously along the moss-covered road, and there were still few passengers at the station, except for two staff members cleaning up the broken glass bottles left in the corner the night before.

"Two tickets to Berlin." Wang Yi said.

The conductor tore two green ticket stubs from his pocket and handed them to him, then walked to the ticket booth and skillfully rolled the tobacco leaves with one hand in the sun. He tried to stand as far away from them as he could, and the smoke rings he spit out dissipated around him. He took a few hard puffs and threw the remaining cigarette butts into the broken iron bucket full of water.

"The car will be coming soon." He said to them in broken English, taking off his hat and running his hair with his hands, and then he casually inserted his hands and erected his round beer belly.

Chen Ying nodded, looking at the moving white dots in the river below the mountain. Wang Yi told her that they were mute swans, which flew from northern Europe, passed through here and then went south to the Mediterranean Sea to spend the winter.

"We're swimming against the current." He said half-jokingly.