Things in Thailand shouldn't be taken too seriously. Just experiencing it once is enough. There's a chance others are playing the game even harder than you—it's just about mutual benefit. A bit of exotic flavor now and then can still add some excitement to life.
The wake-up service on the second day was quite special, and Zhou You enjoyed it too. After it was over, He Mei went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and rinse her mouth.
That day, Zhou You didn't feel like sightseeing anymore. Instead, they spent the whole time visiting various shopping malls, including duty-free shops. Along the way, he took He Mei on a shopping spree—clothes, shoes, bags. Mostly things for women. Zhou You hadn't thought about keeping in touch long-term. Who knows when he'd come back to Thailand again—maybe never. Spending hundreds of thousands of Thai baht in a day only amounted to a few tens of thousands in RMB, enough for just one or two high-end bags. But even that stunned He Mei.
When the day ended, Zhou You lay in bed, enjoying a massage from He Mei. He Mei's mind was in turmoil. One moment she thought this fling should end here, the next she dwelled on her current situation in Thailand. Her younger brother had already started asking her about ladyboys—she couldn't delay any longer. Watching Zhou You's eyes narrow in comfort, she finally made up her mind. "Mr. Zhou, do you know about the customs here?" "A little. Why?" Zhou You only really knew about ladyboys. "My dad has two wives. Many rich men have multiple wives or mistresses, some even living together," He Mei said while massaging. "Really? Your dad's two wives live together?" Zhou You stopped her hand. "Yes, and many don't live together. You've also seen plenty of Westerners with many lovers here." Anyone who spent a little time in Thailand would learn this, so there was no point hiding it. Hearing this, Zhou You vaguely understood her meaning—she was offering herself to him. "So what are you getting at?" Zhou You pressed, though he already knew, he couldn't say it outright. "Mr. Zhou, you're clearly a successful man with many admirers. We Thai women have it rough—sometimes we marry a man and end up supporting him," she said, her eyes reddening. "You've seen how many ladyboys and trans people we have here. They're boys from poor families with no way to earn money, so this is their only path."
Beauty standards vary by country, especially between the West and East Asia. He Mei's looks fit East Asian preferences, with a hint of Chinese ancestry. Most Westerners went for tall, sturdy Thai women, but He Mei wasn't that type. She had little body fat, a healthy wheat-colored skin, stood 1.6 meters tall, and now wore only a thin tank top as she sat on Zhou You, radiating youthful vitality. "I don't know how long you'll stay in Thailand, but whether you're here or not, I want to belong only to you. If you have other needs in Thailand, I won't mind and will even help arrange things," He Mei said. Though she had some Chinese blood, she grew up in Thailand and was deeply influenced by its culture. Only in this bizarre country could such a bizarre culture emerge. Still, it was somewhat like the early treatment of foreigners in mainland China. Many women threw themselves at foreigners, even those with dark skin—worse than Thai women, who at least knew to secure food, clothing, and shelter. "Don't call me Mr. Zhou. Call me You Ge," Zhou You said. As the one benefiting, he wouldn't complain. This experience was rare, and Zhou You found it novel. From Thailand's perspective, being with him was better than with others. He Mei wasn't foolish; she had thought it through carefully. When she heard Zhou You tell her to change how she addressed him, she couldn't hide her joy. She leaned over him, her voice soft and seductive: "You Ge." Haha, it felt like he had some kingly aura. No wonder so many rich men liked this. It was a bit like a rural landlord, with a beautiful wife and concubine, leading two black dogs and a few thuggish servants, swaggering through the streets. This mindset was indeed strange.
"What's your next move? Any plans?" Zhou You asked. Just keeping her around with nothing to do was boring—idle hands lead to trouble. Zhou You could afford to be idle himself. "No, I'll follow your arrangements," He Mei said obediently. Once she decided, she didn't dwell on it. "We have a saying: 'What your father or mother has isn't as good as what you have yourself.'" "Since you're with me, you won't lack food or clothes, but that's like water without a source. Thailand's tourism is booming, and more Chinese are getting rich and traveling here. I'll invest, and you can start a travel company. Then you'll have your own career." Being kept like a caged bird versus having her own career—there was no contest. She'd choose the career. If she made money, great; if she lost it, Zhou You would cover her. What was there to fear? He Mei jumped up in excitement, making Zhou You's eyes blur. "Thank you, You Ge! I've always wanted to start a travel agency. I know all the routes, but I never had the capital." "How much would it cost? I'm not familiar with this industry," Zhou You asked. "A million baht could start a small one. That's enough for me." He Mei wasn't greedy; she just wanted to start small. Zhou You knew the future trends. A small operation wouldn't be interesting. He also wanted to ride the wave of *Lost in Thailand* to build it up. At the very least, he could capture part of the mainland Chinese market. That single market alone would bring in a fortune. With the movie's popularity, Xu Zheng and the others later even met with Thailand's prime minister—though he later went into exile—but it still built connections. As Thailand increasingly valued mainland tourists, it even got to the point where a deputy prime minister would greet tourists at the airport. That showed how serious they were. "I'll invest five million baht first. Start a mid-sized agency. Get the vehicles and staff ready. In a few days, when the crew wraps up, I'll invite them on a three-day trip to Chiang Mai. That'll give you a great start. Register the company and get everything set up in the next two days." Five million Thai baht was less than a million RMB. With the *Lost in Thailand* buzz, using the movie's original route as a gimmick to attract mainland tourists would be a piece of cake. He Mei was speechless. It felt like a huge pie had fallen from the sky and landed right on her head. Her mind was spinning. "But don't get too excited. I'll put up all the capital, but initially, I'll take 70%, and you'll get 30%. Later, depending on your performance, we'll adjust the shares," Zhou You said, dousing her with cold water. "That's only fair. My grandpa used to say, 'Time reveals a person's heart.' If I ever do something wrong and you don't want me anymore, I won't complain," He Mei vowed. Life's twists and turns can't be judged by common sense.