Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1699

"Hey, Li Xiao, are you sure our travel plan is reliable?" Zhang Yuedong dragged his suitcase while looking at the itinerary on his mobile phone with suspicion.

Li Xiao patted Zhang Yuedong on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Old Zhang, don't worry. I have studied it for several days and I guarantee that our trip to China will be unforgettable!"

Lin Yifei on the side echoed excitedly: "That's right, I can't wait to see the beautiful scenery of each city and taste the delicious food!"

The three of them stood in the airport lobby, their eyes full of anticipation for this trip. Their first destination was Chengdu, which is known as the "Land of Abundance".

As soon as he got off the plane, the humid air and unique city atmosphere of Chengdu hit him. "Wow, this is Chengdu, it feels completely different from where we are." Lin Yifei said after taking a deep breath.

Li Xiao introduced with a smile: "Chengdu is a great place with many fun places. Let's go to the hotel to put down our luggage first, and then go straight to the first attraction - Wuhou Temple."

Wuhou Temple is located in Wuhou District, CD City. It is a temple commemorating heroes of Shu Han such as Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang.

When the three of them stepped into the gate of Wuhou Temple, it was as if they had traveled back to the Three Kingdoms period. The quaint buildings and tree-lined courtyards made them intoxicated.

"Look, this is the statue of Zhuge Liang, with a feather fan and a royal turban. He really looks like he is planning and winning battles thousands of miles away." Li Xiao said, pointing to a tall statue.

Zhang Yuedong touched his chin and said thoughtfully: "I read about Zhuge Liang's story in books before. Now standing here, it feels so real, as if I can feel that magnificent history."

Lin Yifei kept taking pictures and muttered, "Such a beautiful view, I must take a few more pictures and show them off to my friends when I get back."

In the Wuhou Temple, they also saw many inscriptions on which the history and culture of Shu Han were recorded. Li Xiao explained the contents of the inscriptions to Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei with great interest. The three of them listened and marveled at the wisdom and cultural heritage of the ancients.

After visiting the Wuhou Temple, their stomachs started to growl. "Let's go and try some Chengdu delicacies. I'm dying of cravings," Zhang Yuedong said impatiently.

They came to a distinctive Sichuan restaurant, and as soon as they entered the door, the strong spicy aroma hit their noses. "Boss, give me some of your signature dishes." Li Xiao said loudly.

Soon, a series of delicious Sichuan dishes were served on the table, including spicy and fragrant Mapo tofu, bright red twice-cooked pork, and mouth-watering Fuqi Feipian.

"Wow, it looks delicious. Let me try this Mapo Tofu first." Lin Yifei picked up a large piece of tofu and put it in his mouth. His face instantly turned red from the spicy taste. "Hiss... So spicy, but so delicious!"

Zhang Yuedong also tasted the twice-cooked pork and praised it highly: "This taste is so authentic. The Sichuan cuisine I had in other places before was so inferior."

Li Xiao smiled as he ate, saying: "This is the charm of Chengdu cuisine, it makes people want to stop."

After eating and drinking, they learned that there was a Sichuan opera performance nearby. "Let's go and see Sichuan opera, which is a unique culture of Chengdu," Li Xiao suggested.

Arriving at the performance venue, the three found a seat and sat down. After the performance began, the actors' wonderful singing and unique performance style opened their eyes. Especially the face-changing performance, the actors changed their facial makeup in an instant, which made them stunned.

"This face changing is so magical, how did they do it?" Zhang Yuedong couldn't help but exclaimed in amazement.

Lin Yifei stared at the stage without blinking and said, "It's amazing. I've only seen it on TV before, but I didn't expect it to be so shocking to see it live."

After the performance, they left the venue with great satisfaction. "Chengdu is such a great place, with beautiful scenery, delicious food, and such wonderful cultural performances," Li Xiao said with emotion.

"Yes, and I heard that Chengdu's specialties are also very famous. Let's buy some and take them back." Zhang Yuedong said.

So, Lin Yifei, Zhang Yuedong and Li Xiao came to this famous specialty store with great expectations.

As soon as you step into the store, you will be greeted by a strong regional flavor. The store is spacious and well-organized, with shelves filled with a wide variety of specialty products that are dazzling.

The first thing that caught his eyes was the exquisite Shu embroidery works. They were carefully framed and hung on the wall. Under the soft light, they exuded a unique artistic charm. Lin Yifei walked straight to the Shu embroidery exhibition area and was instantly attracted by a Shu embroidery with a panda theme.

The panda was adorable, with distinct black and white hair and eyes like two black gemstones, full of agility and playfulness. Lin Yifei gently picked up the Shu embroidery, his hands trembling slightly, his eyes full of amazement and love.

As he looked at it carefully, he couldn't help but exclaimed: "This Shu embroidery is so beautiful. If I buy one and hang it at home, it will definitely add a lot of artistic atmosphere to the house." He gently stroked the embroidery, as if he was having a conversation with the delicate needlework. The corners of his mouth unconsciously rose, revealing a satisfied smile.

Next to the Shu embroidery exhibition area are neatly arranged shelves of Sichuan tea.

Zhang Yuedong is quite knowledgeable about tea. He walked steadily among the various teas, picking up a bag of tea from time to time and sniffing it. He selected several different varieties of Sichuan tea, including the fragrant jasmine tea, the emerald green bamboo leaf tea, and the mellow Mengding Ganlu. While selecting, he introduced to his companions:

"Sichuan's tea is of excellent quality and each has its own characteristics. The jasmine tea has a refreshing floral scent; the Bamboo Leaf Green Tea has a fresh and refreshing taste; and the Mengding Ganlu is a famous historical tea. Bring some tea back and let your family try it. They will definitely like it." As he spoke, he carefully put the selected tea into the shopping cart with a confident look on his face.

Li Xiao was attracted by the beef strips in the corner. The beautifully packaged beef strips exuded an attractive luster through the transparent plastic bag. Li Xiao walked over quickly, picked up a few packs of beef strips, and said with a smile:
"This is delicious. I can have it as a snack when I go back." He tore open a small package, took out a piece of beef shreds, and put it in his mouth to chew carefully. The beef shreds were salty and delicious, and melted in the mouth. The unique taste spread in the mouth instantly. While eating, Li Xiao gave a thumbs up and praised it: "Well, it's still the familiar taste, so delicious." He took a few more packages and prepared to take them back to share with his friends.

There are many other special products in the store, such as exquisite bamboo handicrafts, spicy and delicious hot pot base, unique Sichuan sausage, etc. The three continued to stroll in the store, exchanging views on various specialties from time to time.

Lin Yifei also took a fancy to a small bamboo panda ornament and planned to give it to a friend as a gift; Zhang Yuedong wandered around the hot pot base area, selecting the most authentic flavors; Li Xiao stopped in front of the Sichuan sausage, imagining the scene of using it to cook delicious food when he got home.

With a lot of gains, they ended their first day of travel in Chengdu. On the second day, they embarked on a journey to Xi'an.

Xi'an, this ancient city, carries thousands of years of history and culture. As soon as they got off the train, they saw the majestic ancient city wall. "Wow, this is the ancient city wall of Xi'an, so spectacular." Lin Yifei ran over excitedly, wanting to touch the ancient city wall.

Li Xiao introduced: "Xi'an City Wall is the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. We can rent a bicycle and ride around the wall to feel the ancient charm of this city."

On the city wall, the three of them rode their bicycles, facing the breeze, and admired the scenery inside and outside the city wall. Inside the city wall, ancient buildings and modern high-rise buildings complement each other; outside the city wall, the moat is sparkling and the riverside is shaded by green trees.

"Old Zhang, look at that ancient building over there. It feels like traveling back to ancient times." Lin Yifei pointed to the distance and said. Zhang Yuedong nodded: "Yes, Xi'an is indeed the ancient capital of 13 dynasties. It has a profound historical and cultural heritage."

After descending the city wall, they came to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which is located in the Da Ci'en Temple and was built to preserve the Buddhist scriptures and statues that Master Xuanzang brought back to Chang'an from India via the Silk Road.

Walking into the Da Ci'en Temple, they saw the smoke rising from the sky, ancient trees towering into the sky, and the peaceful and harmonious atmosphere made their hearts calm.

"This Big Wild Goose Pagoda is really tall, it has seven floors." Zhang Yuedong said while looking up at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Li Xiao said: "There are many legends and stories about the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It is said that it was originally used to store relics."

Around the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, they also saw many believers and tourists who came to worship. Lin Yifei looked at them curiously and said, "The cultural atmosphere here is really strong. It feels like everyone has a special feeling for this pagoda."

After visiting the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, they came to the Muslim Street in Xi'an, which was bustling with a wide variety of special snacks.

"Wow, there are so many delicious foods, I don't know which one to eat first." Zhang Yuedong's eyes widened as he looked at the delicious food all over the street.

They tried mutton soup steamed buns, the rich soup and tender mutton made them eat with relish. They also had roujiamo, the crispy steamed buns with fragrant braised meat, and the fragrance lingered in their mouths after taking a bite.

"This mutton soup with steamed bun is so delicious. It's completely different from what I've eaten before." Lin Yifei said while eating.

Li Xiao smiled and said, "This is the authentic taste of Xi'an. We'll try something else later."

They also ate cold noodles, zongzi and other delicacies, all of which made them praise them highly. After eating the delicacies, they watched a Huayin Laoqiang performance.

The unique singing style and heroic performance style of Huayin Laoqiang made their blood boil. The actors held various traditional musical instruments and sang and performed. The powerful voice seemed to penetrate people's souls.

"This Huayin Old Tune is so shocking. I feel like the blood in my body is boiling." Zhang Yuedong said excitedly.

Lin Yifei also clapped vigorously: "It's wonderful. This traditional culture is really charming."

After the performance, they bought some local specialties in Huimin Street, such as paper-cuts and shadow puppets. "These paper-cuts and shadow puppets are so exquisite, they can be taken back as good souvenirs," said Lin Yifei.

After leaving Muslim Street, they headed to the next city, Hangzhou, which is known as the "Paradise on Earth" and is famous for its beautiful West Lake.

When they arrived at the West Lake, they were intoxicated by the beautiful scenery. The lake was sparkling, the mountains in the distance were rolling, and the weeping willows by the lake were swaying, like a beautiful ink painting.

"This is West Lake. It's so beautiful, exactly the same as what I saw in the paintings," Zhang Yuedong exclaimed.

Li Xiao smiled and said, "There are ten scenic spots in West Lake, each with its own unique charm. Let's take our time to explore."

They strolled along the lake, visiting scenic spots such as Broken Bridge with Residual Snow and Fish Watching in Flower Harbor. At the Broken Bridge, they recalled the legend of Xu Xian and White Snake, as if they saw that romantic love story being played out before their eyes.

"It would be nice if I could have a romantic encounter here." Lin Yifei joked with a smile.

Zhang Yuedong patted him and said, "Don't think about those things. Just enjoy the beautiful scenery."

While watching fish in Huagang, they saw schools of red carp swimming in the water. Whenever someone fed them food, the fish would swam over and scramble for the food. It was a spectacular scene.

"These fish are so fat, they must be delicious," Zhang Yuedong said jokingly.

Li Xiao rolled his eyes at him and said, "You only know how to eat. These fish are for people to see."

After visiting West Lake, they came to a Hangzhou restaurant. Hangzhou cuisine is known for its lightness and freshness, and they ordered signature dishes such as West Lake vinegar fish, Dongpo pork, and Longjing shrimp.

The West Lake Vinegar Fish is bright red in color and tastes sweet and sour; the Dongpo Pork is fat but not greasy and melts in your mouth; the Longjing Shrimp is tender and smooth, with a faint tea aroma.

"The taste of this West Lake vinegar fish is really unique, sour and sweet, and delicious." Lin Yifei said.

Zhang Yuedong took a bite of Dongpo pork and praised: "This Dongpo pork is so delicious, it is worthy of being a famous dish in Hangzhou."

While tasting Longjing shrimp, Li Xiao said: "Hangzhou cuisine is not only delicious, but also pays great attention to the freshness of the ingredients and cooking techniques."

After dinner, they learned that there was a Yue Opera performance by the West Lake. Yue Opera is the second largest opera in China and is loved by the audience for its beautiful singing and delicate performance.

They came to the performance venue and found a seat to sit down. After the performance began, they were immersed in the wonderful performance of the actors. The graceful singing and beautiful posture seemed to bring them into a dreamlike world.

"Yue Opera is so beautiful. Every movement and every singing line is full of charm," said Zhang Yuedong.

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, I didn't know much about Yue Opera before, but I didn't expect it to be so exciting to watch it live."

After the performance, they bought some silk products and Longjing tea at a specialty store near the West Lake. Hangzhou silk is famous for its softness, smoothness and colorfulness, while Longjing tea is one of the top ten famous teas in China, with a pure aroma and a fresh taste.

"Bring some silk back as a gift for your girlfriend. She will definitely like it." Lin Yifei said with a smile.

Zhang Yuedong also bought a few cans of Longjing tea and said, "I'll take this Longjing tea back home and savor it slowly. It can be regarded as bringing back the taste of Hangzhou."

With full of memories and gains, they continued their journey to the next city. In the following days, they will visit more cities, appreciate different customs, taste more food, watch more folk performances, buy more specialties, and their travel story continues...