Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1739

The sun shines through the clouds and shines on the lobby of Wuhan Tianhe International Airport. People come and go, and it is very lively. Li Xiao waited at the exit early, holding a sign that reads "Welcome Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei". The words on the sign are written crookedly, and it is obvious that he has no talent in calligraphy. From time to time, he stood on tiptoe, stretched his neck, and looked into the crowd, muttering: "Why haven't these two guys come out yet? The plane is not delayed."

Finally, Zhang Yuedong's signature loud voice came over: "Li Xiao, we are here!" Zhang Yuedong was seen dragging an oversized suitcase, followed by Lin Yifei, who was holding a camera in his hand and taking pictures of the surroundings while walking, muttering: "This Wuhan airport is quite unique, I have to take pictures of it."

When Li Xiao saw them, a bright smile immediately broke out on his face, and he walked quickly towards them: "You finally came out. I've been waiting until the flowers have wilted." As he said that, he reached out to take Zhang Yuedong's suitcase.

Zhang Yuedong patted Li Xiao on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Haha, sorry to have kept you waiting. I just want you to feel more of Wuhan's enthusiasm."

Lin Yifei also came over, hung his camera around his neck, and said, "Long time no see, Li Xiao. I can't wait to start our trip to Hubei."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the three of them walked out of the airport. In the summer in Wuhan, the air was filled with heat, like a huge steamer. Zhang Yuedong wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "The heat in Wuhan is really well-deserved. It feels much hotter than where we are."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Of course not. Wuhan is one of the three hottest cities in the world. But after you eat a bowl of hot dry noodles, you will think it's worth it."

When talking about hot dry noodles, Lin Yifei's eyes lit up: "I've heard of the fame of Wuhan hot dry noodles for a long time. I must try it today."

The three of them came to a time-honored hot-dry noodles restaurant. The restaurant was not big, but it was full of diners. Everyone was eating hot-dry noodles in big mouthfuls, and occasionally making satisfied sounds. The boss was a middle-aged uncle wearing an apron, and he greeted the guests skillfully.

Li Xiao walked to the counter familiarly and said, "Boss, give me three bowls of hot dry noodles, with more sesame paste."

The boss smiled and replied, "Okay, wait a moment."

Soon, three bowls of steaming hot dry noodles were served. The golden noodles were piled with sesame paste, chopped green onions, dried radish and chili oil, and the aroma was so fragrant that it made people salivate just by looking at it.

Zhang Yuedong couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks and stir them. As he stirred, he said, "This looks delicious." Then he picked up a large chopstick of noodles and stuffed it into his mouth. The noodles were chewy, the sesame paste was rich and mellow, the dried radish was crisp and delicious, and the aroma of the chili oil instantly spread in his mouth, stimulating his taste buds. Zhang Yuedong's mouth was full of sesame paste, and he said vaguely, "It's delicious. This hot dry noodles is really as good as its reputation."

Lin Yifei also tasted it, with a look of surprise on his face: "Wow, this tastes absolutely amazing. I have never eaten noodles so delicious before."

Li Xiao looked at them wolfing down their food and said with a smile, "Eat slowly and don't choke. Wuhan's food is more than just hot dry noodles. There are more delicious foods waiting for us later."

Zhang Yuedong swallowed the noodles in his mouth and asked, "Li Xiao, besides hot dry noodles, what other specialties are there in Wuhan?"

Li Xiao thought for a moment and said, "There are so many things to try, such as duck neck, Wuchang fish, bean curd skin, soup dumplings... every one of them is worth a try."

While eating, Lin Yifei took photos of the hot dry noodles with his camera and said, "Such delicious food must be recorded. When I go back and post it on WeChat Moments, it will surely make them drool."

After finishing their hot dry noodles, the three of them walked out of the store contentedly. Zhang Yuedong patted his stomach and said, "This hot dry noodles is so satisfying. I feel full of energy all of a sudden. Let's go to the next attraction."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Okay, the next stop is the Yellow Crane Tower! Let's go and feel the artistic conception of 'the old friend bids farewell to the Yellow Crane Tower, and goes to Yangzhou in March with fireworks'."

So, the three of them embarked on a new journey with anticipation for the next attraction, and the delicious Wuhan hot dry noodles became a wonderful start to their trip to Hubei.

The three of them took the subway and soon arrived at the foot of the Yellow Crane Tower. From a distance, the Yellow Crane Tower stood on the top of Snake Mountain, with flying eaves and brackets, and was magnificent. The golden glazed tiles sparkled brightly under the sunlight, as if telling a thousand-year history.

Zhang Yuedong looked up at the Yellow Crane Tower and couldn't help but sigh: "This Yellow Crane Tower is really magnificent, even more beautiful than what I saw in the photos."

Lin Yifei also held a camera and kept taking pictures, saying, "With this angle and this light, the pictures will definitely look good."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Let's go in and have a good look."

Walking into the Yellow Crane Tower Park, the park is shaded by green trees, flourishing flowers and plants, and the air is filled with a faint floral fragrance. Various beautifully shaped bonsai are placed on both sides of the road, adding a touch of elegance to the park. Walking along the stone road, they came to the main building of the Yellow Crane Tower. The square in front of the main building was bustling with people coming and going. Some people were taking photos, some were listening carefully to the guide's explanation, and some were taking photos with the bronze sculpture of the Yellow Crane Tower.

Li Xiao pointed at the Yellow Crane Tower and said: "The Yellow Crane Tower is a landmark building in Wuhan. It has a long history. It was first built during the Three Kingdoms period and was originally used as a military watchtower. Later, as time went by, it gradually became a place for scholars to climb up and look far into the distance, and to recite poems and compose essays."

Zhang Yuedong asked curiously: "The Yellow Crane Tower has been rebuilt so many times. What is the difference between the current Yellow Crane Tower and the previous ones?"

Li Xiao thought for a moment and said, "The current Yellow Crane Tower was rebuilt in 1985. It was designed based on the Tongzhi Tower of the Qing Dynasty and uses a reinforced concrete frame imitation wood structure. Although the building materials have changed, its appearance and internal structure have tried to retain the ancient style. Moreover, the current Yellow Crane Tower is taller and more majestic than before, and the exhibitions inside are richer."

As they talked, the three of them walked into the main building of the Yellow Crane Tower. The lobby on the first floor was spacious and bright, with a huge ceramic mural "White Clouds and Yellow Cranes" in the center. In the picture, white clouds were lingering, the river was surging, and a yellow crane spread its wings and flew high, as if it was about to break through the picture and fly into the blue sky. Around the mural, there were important documents about the Yellow Crane Tower from past dynasties, printed copies of famous poems, and replicas of paintings of the Yellow Crane Tower from past dynasties. Lin Yifei stood in front of the mural, admiring it carefully, and said, "This mural is so vivid, it makes people feel as if they are in a fairyland."

Zhang Yuedong also came over and said, "Yes, the Yellow Crane in this painting is lifelike, just like the real thing. By the way, Li Xiao, are there any other legends about the Yellow Crane Tower?"

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Of course there is. Legend has it that in ancient times there was an immortal who passed by here on a yellow crane and rested here for a while. Later, people built the Yellow Crane Tower in memory of the immortal. There is also a legend that a Taoist priest painted a yellow crane on the wall of Xin's Hotel. Whenever someone clapped their hands or sang, the yellow crane would come down to dance. The hotel's business became very prosperous because of this. Ten years later, the Taoist priest came back, and he used the sound of his flute to summon the yellow crane, and flew away on the yellow crane. In order to thank the Taoist priest, Xin funded the construction of the Yellow Crane Tower."

Zhang Yuedong listened with great interest and said, "These legends are really interesting. I didn't expect there are so many stories behind the Yellow Crane Tower."

The three of them walked up the stairs and came to the second floor. The hall on the second floor displayed replicas of the Yellow Crane Tower from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing and modern times. These models were made very delicately, and every detail was lifelike, making people feel as if they were traveling through time and space and seeing the styles of the Yellow Crane Tower in different periods.

Li Xiao pointed to a model of the Yellow Crane Tower from the Song Dynasty and said, "You see, the architectural style of the Yellow Crane Tower in the Song Dynasty is very different from that of today. Its appearance is more simple and elegant, without so many decorations, but it has a simple and elegant beauty."

While taking photos, Lin Yifei said: "These models are so realistic. Through them, we can better understand the historical changes of the Yellow Crane Tower."

Then, they came to the third floor. The theme of the third floor is humanities. The hall displays statues of 13 cultural celebrities from the Tang and Song dynasties. They are in different postures and lifelike, as if they are having a cultural feast across time and space. On both sides of the statues, their poems are hung. These poems are either bold or graceful, praising the Yellow Crane Tower and expressing their feelings about life.

Zhang Yuedong walked to the statue of Li Bai and said, "If Li Bai were still alive today and saw us visiting the Yellow Crane Tower, he might write another famous poem that will be passed down through the ages."

Lin Yifei smiled and said, "Yes, when Li Bai climbed the Yellow Crane Tower, he wanted to write a poem, but after seeing Cui Hao's "Yellow Crane Tower", he sighed that he was not as good as Cui Hao and had to put down his pen. He also left behind the famous saying 'There is a scene in front of me that I cannot describe, and Cui Hao has written a poem on it'."

Li Xiao said: "Cui Hao's "Yellow Crane Tower" is indeed very well written, and it describes the charm and history of the Yellow Crane Tower. 'The ancients have gone away on the yellow crane, and only the Yellow Crane Tower remains here. The yellow crane has gone and will never come back, and the white clouds have been floating in the sky for thousands of years', which makes people feel deeply moved when reading it."

The three of them stayed on the third floor for a while, feeling the cultural atmosphere of the Tang and Song dynasties, and then continued to walk up. The decoration on the fourth floor was full of traditional flavor, and various antique carved partitions and mahogany screens made the entire hall look antique. Some traditional handicrafts related to the Yellow Crane Tower were displayed here, such as paper-cutting, embroidery, wood carving, etc. Each piece was exquisite and made people love it.

Zhang Yuedong picked up a wooden sculpture of a yellow crane, examined it carefully, and said, "The craftsmanship of this wood carving is really exquisite. The feathers of this yellow crane are carved so lifelike."

Lin Yifei also selected a paper-cut work and said, "I want to take this paper-cut back home as a souvenir."

Finally, they came to the fifth floor. The fifth floor is the highest floor of the Yellow Crane Tower and the best place to enjoy the scenery. Standing on the observation deck on the fifth floor, looking out, the Yangtze River is like a giant dragon rushing by, and ships are coming and going on the river, a busy scene. The Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge spans across the Yangtze River, connecting Wuchang and Hanyang like a rainbow. In the distance, high-rise buildings stand in rows, and traffic is heavy, showing the prosperity and vitality of Wuhan, a modern city.

Li Xiao took a deep breath and said, "From here, you can see the beautiful scenery of Wuhan. It's really like 'looking at the Chutianshu'."

Zhang Yuedong also said excitedly: "This scenery is so beautiful, it's worth our long trip here."

Lin Yifei kept pressing the shutter of his camera and said, "Such a beautiful scenery, I must take more photos."

The three of them admired the scenery on the observation deck for a while, and then began to discuss poetry and historical stories. They talked about Cui Hao's "Yellow Crane Tower" and Li Bai's "Farewell to Meng Haoran at the Yellow Crane Tower" and the Yellow Crane Tower in the Three Kingdoms period and the modern Yellow Crane Tower. Their voices echoed on the observation deck, attracting the attention of many tourists.

An old man came over and said with a smile: "Hearing you guys talking so enthusiastically, it seems you are very interested in the Yellow Crane Tower."

Li Xiao quickly said: "Yes, we all like the history and culture of the Yellow Crane Tower."

The old man nodded and said, "The Yellow Crane Tower is not only a building, but also a symbol of culture. It has witnessed the rise and fall of Wuhan, and carries the emotions and memories of countless people. I hope you can learn more about the Yellow Crane Tower and pass on its culture."

After listening to the old man's words, the three nodded thoughtfully. They knew that this trip to the Yellow Crane Tower not only allowed them to appreciate the beautiful scenery, but also gave them a deeper understanding of Chinese history and culture.

After coming down from the Yellow Crane Tower, the three people's stomachs began to growl. Li Xiao looked at the time and said, "It's already noon, let's go to Hubu Lane to eat something. It's a famous food street in Wuhan, with a variety of special snacks."

Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei immediately perked up after hearing this. Zhang Yuedong said excitedly, "Great, I've heard that there are a lot of delicious foods in Hubu Lane, so I must eat as much as I can today."

The three of them took the bus and soon arrived at Hubu Lane. Before they even entered the lane, they could smell the aroma of various delicacies in the air, including the aroma of grilled skewers, the aroma of duck necks, and the aroma of stinky tofu, which made people salivate.

Walking into Hubu Lane, you will see that it is crowded and bustling. On both sides of the street, there are many snack shops with various tempting food names written on the signs. The shop owners are greeting customers warmly, some are shouting loudly, some are making food skillfully, and some are introducing special snacks to customers.

Zhang Yuedong stared at the delicious food in front of him, not knowing which one to eat first. He looked at this one, then that one, and kept saying, "This one looks good, and that one looks delicious too."

Lin Yifei took his camera and kept taking pictures to record all the delicacies. He said: "There are so many delicacies, I have to take pictures before eating them, so that I can savor them slowly when I go back."