With Richard's help, Bai Yun applied for a visa to visit Provence in less than a month, which was valid for three months. The hotel said that three months was too long to grant the visa, but Bai Yun did not want to miss the opportunity to travel and quit his job.
Not only did Richard help Bai Yun with her visa application, he also booked her flight to Provence and told her he would be waiting for her at the airport.
By the time the plane landed at Marseille Provence, Bai Yun's heart was already stirring.
Bai Yun followed the crowd towards the exit of the airport and saw Richard grinning at Bai Yun in the holding area, "Ahem, welcome to Provence, the land of dreams, how do you feel now?"
I can't believe it's real, am I really in beautiful Provence?"
Richard said, "I can testify that you are not dreaming, you are now in the city of Marseille in the Provence region, you must be very happy. Part of your dream has come true."
By the way, to be honest so far? I still don't know where you are from?"
Richard said, "You mean me? You may not believe me, but I am a man who lives and works all over the world."
Bai Yun said, "A man who is at home in all corners of the world? A man who is at home everywhere? When I first met you, you were almost sleeping on the street.
Richard said, "I'm actually French and I have a summer place in the countryside of Provence. If you want, you can stay there."
Bai Yun said, "How much is the rent? It's too expensive for me to rent."
Richard said, "Well, I'll pay for your trip to Provence. If you look at the accommodation, if you really like it, you can stay there."
Bai Yun blurted out, "Haha, with you?" After she said that, her face turned red. How can you make a joke like that?
Richard looked at Bai Yun's reddening face and laughed, "Haha, I don't usually live in Provence, I live in Paris a lot and come to stay for a few days when the weather is nice, so don't worry, I won't be with you all the time."
Bai Yun said, "I am very grateful that you have arranged this trip for me, but you even let me stay in your house.
Richard smiled and said, "I'm a man who will treat others ten times as well as they treat me. This is my principle of being a human being."
Bai Yun said, "In Chinese, we say that a drop of water should be repaid with a well of water, but I don't know how to repay your well of water to me."
Richard said, "Don't think too much about it, but sharing happiness together is the greatest reward for me. By the way, you haven't told me where you want to go."
Bai Yun said, "I want to go to every corner of Provence."
Richard laughed and said, "Provence is not too big, but not too small. That's ambitious. By the way, do you like reading novels?"
Bai Yun said, "I studied painting, so I don't read many novels, but the one that impressed me was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas."
Richard laughed and said, "Really? Would you like to walk into the novel and experience the place where the Count of Monte Cristo was once imprisoned?"
Bai Yun said, "Do you mean the island of Ives? Does this island exist not only in fiction but also in real life?"
Richard laughed and said, "Of course, Ile-Ife is located 1.5 kilometres from Marseille in the Mediterranean Sea and is only 20 minutes away by boat from the old port of Marseille. If you want to go, we can leave at any time. Or, if you've just got off the plane, we'll have something to eat and you can rest and go back another day."
Bai Yun said, "I'd like to go now if you want. I never thought I would be able to visit the island of my favourite novelist in person."
Richard and Bai Yun then took a boat to Ives Island. When Bai Yun stuck his head out of the cabin, he noticed that the romantic island in the novel was a small, desolate limestone island in the middle of the sea, with a medieval-style castle standing on the cliff face, with three cannon towers of different heights at the corners and a 10-metre-high lighthouse on the west side of the island. The presence of the fortress added a touch of mystery to this isolated island.
Richard and Bai Yun walked up to the island and the prison castle on the island looked eerie, so they unknowingly grabbed Richard's hand. Bai Yun is reminded of a scene from The Count of Monte Cristo, in which the Count of Monte Cristo, Dantes, is imprisoned on the island of Ives after being falsely accused. What Bai Yun did not realise was that the island in the novel not only existed in reality, but the cell where the Count of Monte Cristo was imprisoned also existed in the castle, and was one of the most famous attractions in the castle. In reality, this cell is located on the ground floor, next to the spiral staircase. The room is made of stone bricks and is only six or seven square metres in size, with only empty, gloomy walls. The only thing that stood out was the dark hole in the corner, illuminated by dim light. This is probably where the Count of Monte Cristo dug the tunnel to escape from the prison.