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墨書 Inktalez
"Do you see what that is over there?" Emma deliberately stopped the car and pointed outside to Bai Yujing.
The car was parked by the lakeside, where a light mist lingered over the water in the morning. It was autumn, and leaves were scattered everywhere. On a piece of land extending into the lake stood a castle, though it looked abandoned, overgrown with trees that obscured its appearance.
This desolate yet poignant scene was filled with a dreamlike beauty—the tranquil lake surface, the gentle mist, resembling a fairyland. For Bai Yujing, it felt even more interesting than Edinburgh Castle.
"Hey, let's go explore for a bit!" Bai Yujing pulled Emma's hand. After thinking for a moment, Emma agreed.
"Alright, but we can't take too long. If we're late, we won't reach our destination on time!"
"Just for a little while; we'll take a few photos and then leave!"
The castle was small, merely a miniature version—dilapidated and decaying. If they had come here at night, it would surely provide a different experience: the desolate lakeside, the crumbling castle, combined with reluctant Undead or vampires would make it feel like a classic American horror film!
Inside the castle, there was nothing but the beautiful scenery. More importantly, it was peaceful; only Bai Yujing and Emma were there, free to take photos and play around. In contrast, Bai Yujing felt this was the kind of castle he had imagined; Edinburgh Castle felt more like a military fortress.
"Emma, you're looking at that diary again!" Bai Yujing saw Emma sitting on a stone. It had rained yesterday, so it was still quite clean.
Emma nodded. "Yeah, I want to see if there are any useful clues. We didn't find the Leprechaun this time; according to the notes, their Leprechauns moved away half a century ago, so it might be even harder to find them."
"So I want to check if there's anything useful inside!"
Bai Yujing nodded. "If we can find something, that would be our luck. If not, let's just consider this a relaxing trip together. We shouldn't put too much pressure on ourselves. There's a saying in China: 'What is gained is my fortune; what is lost is my fate.' We just need to do what we should do; as for the outcome, let God decide!"
Emma said, "You're right, but I still want to take a closer look!"
Bai Yujing nodded. "Besides this diary, I have another very important clue."
Emma looked at Bai Yujing, who immediately took out a backpack the size of a thumb. "Do you remember this?"
"I remember, it's a backpack used by a Leprechaun. You showed it to me before," Emma recalled instantly.
Bai Yujing nodded. "That's right. This diary was obtained along with it. If I'm not mistaken, their source should be very close. Take another look at this small backpack."
Emma took it and examined it from side to side but found nothing unusual. "It's a very new small backpack, made very exquisitely, and there are a few symbols on the corners. Do you know what these symbols mean?"
Bai Yujing immediately replied, "I know what these symbols mean; they should be the name of the backpack's owner, Alice. However, that's not the main point. The important thing is what you mentioned earlier: this backpack is very new!"
Emma quickly reacted. "Oh my god, Ian, you're really a genius! You can actually understand Leprechaun writing?"
Bai Yujing felt somewhat helpless. "I think you should focus on another issue."
Emma smiled and said, "Alright, you want to say that this backpack is very new, which means there should still be Leprechauns living around where this diary was discovered, right?"
Bai Yujing clapped his hands. "Exactly! That's what I wanted to say. We might actually get to see a real Leprechaun—one that is alive and can communicate with us."
The vehicle continued northward, passing through the Gorge on narrow roads filled with tourists and vehicles. Everywhere one looked, there were parked cars and travelers enjoying the scenery, stopping to hike and explore the surrounding mountains and waters.
This area had many lakes, and there were several small rivers extending from the roads. Towering mountains and dense forests lined the way, with some small towns where they could stop to rest. Many parking spots were free, making it quite convenient for tourists.
Eventually, they reached an important transfer station, Leven Lake. After driving a short distance further, they arrived at William's Fort. Due to low fuel levels, Bai Yujing and Emma needed to refuel here and decided to take a break for lunch.
"There’s a specialty dish from Scotland here—Smoked Salmon. Want to give it a try?" After refueling at the gas station, Emma parked in the lot at William's Fort and immediately recommended the local delicacy to Bai Yujing.
"Hopefully, it won't be like that Haggis from last time!" Haggis was the dark dish Emma had eaten last time, and Bai Yujing still hadn't mustered the courage to try it.
Speaking of Haggis (haggis), Emma immediately made a very regretful expression: "Not trying haggis while in Scotland is simply the biggest regret of your life. I believe you will regret it."
Emma particularly enjoyed this, looking at Bai Yujing with disdain for not appreciating it, she pouted, "Don't worry, the Smoked Salmon here is beautifully prepared and tastes great. You will definitely be satisfied."
Bai Yujing shrugged: "Alright, my taste has been spoiled lately. If it's too bad, I might have to leave a bad review."
"What will you do if you're not satisfied?"
"I'll need some compensation tonight!"
Bai Yujing said shamelessly, causing Emma to roll her eyes. Last night, Bai Yujing had performed quite well, and Emma felt a bit shy thinking about it, so she didn't respond to Bai Yujing's comment.
Emma told Bai Yujing that although Leven Lake is called a lake, it is actually a bay and a saltwater lake. Therefore, there are many seafood farms in the lake, including salmon and oyster farms. So coming here to try seafood is quite affordable and tastes very good.
William's Fort is a small place, but there were still quite a few people on the streets, with many restaurants and cafes. There were also bookstores, banks, and Souvenir shops along the way. Upon seeing a bank, Bai Yujing immediately walked in to withdraw some money. British bank cards only support chip technology; the old-fashioned magnetic stripe cards cannot be used, so this is something to keep in mind.
Emma took Bai Yujing to a restaurant by the dock. The wind was a bit strong, making Bai Yujing and Emma dash into the restaurant. The menu was still handled by the familiar Emma. In addition to Smoked Salmon, there was also a serving of cream cheese oysters, which showed that Emma understood her preferences.
Emma looked at Bai Yujing: "Try this and see how it is."
I must say, this Smoked Salmon was indeed beautifully presented; it looked like a flower on the table. Paired with sauce and greens, it opened up the palate. The smoked fish was sliced thinly with a translucent sheen, and the greens on top were likely yellow mustard greens.
Bai Yujing couldn't wait to take a bite and immediately noticed a smoky flavor mixed with a subtle spiciness filling her mouth. The light spiciness paired with the freshness of the fish was indeed an extreme delight.
"Mm!" Bai Yujing made an exaggerated expression to show Emma how satisfied she was. Foreigners tend to express their feelings immediately, even if it’s a bit exaggerated, while Chinese people are more reserved, often speaking in a gentler manner and keeping their feelings hidden.
In front of Emma, Bai Yujing felt more relaxed. Perhaps it was since she decided to resign and come to Edinburgh that she had become more open.
Emma was very pleased with Bai Yujing's understanding and personally fed her some food. It must be said that Bai Yujing was indeed very satisfied with this dish; it had color, aroma, and taste. Whether from a sensory or taste perspective, it was an ultimate enjoyment. The Three-Flavored Fish is usually made into sashimi due to its delicious flavor.
This Smoked Salmon was made using cold smoking, preserving the fresh taste of the salmon while perfectly blending with the smoky flavor. The special sauce and accompanying lettuce were recipes decided after countless trials by many chefs, making it a meticulously crafted and distinctive dish.
As she took a bite, the tender texture with a hint of spiciness filled her palate. Swallowing it along with the side dishes and sauce, the flavor was indeed as Emma said—a must-try dish when visiting Scotland.
Emma introduced Bai Yujing to the preparation process of the dish while outside the window lay the calm and mirror-like Leven Lake. Food, beauty, and scenery all converged at this moment.
The drink was Scotch Whisky, which Bai Yujing had tasted before. Since their relationship had grown closer yesterday, there were no reservations now as they shared amusing stories from their childhoods to get to know each other better.
As they left, Emma linked arms with Bai Yujing, and they strolled together. Emma bought a blue-and-white trendy knitted hat and placed it on Bai Yujing's head. For some reason, Bai Yujing suddenly remembered shopping with Li Xinyan when she had also happily bought things for her.
"What's wrong? Don't you like it?" Emma asked immediately when she saw Bai Yujing lost in thought.
Bai Yujing shook her head, hugged Emma, and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, I really like it."
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