Taking Liu Yifei back to Northeast China for the Chinese New Year has sent the entire internet into

"What do you mean?"

Fang Daqiang slammed his long stick into the snow.

"This is a Class II protected animal in China!"

"Don't even mention eating it, if you pluck a single hair from it, it'll be enough to get you locked up in jail for a while."

"ah?!"

Hua Yu shrugged, his hands moving faster than his brain.

He immediately snatched the jade pendant back from Fang Yu's palm.

He stuffed it haphazardly into his pocket, then raised his gloved right hand towards everyone around him, especially in the direction of the camera.

"Just to clarify, what I just said was for the sake of the show and did not represent any real intention!"

"My team and I have long supported wildlife conservation efforts!"

"If anyone edits down dirt on me, please include this sentence as well: Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility!"

Fang Yu was too lazy to pay attention to this guy's attempt to whitewash himself.

He turned his head and looked at the dragons on the tree branch, which were tilting their heads and watching the commotion.

The craving I felt earlier was largely dispelled by the cold wind.

After a moment, he put his hands into the sleeves of his cotton-padded jacket and turned to look at the camera.

"Everyone, I know that many people online have prejudices against Northeastern cuisine."

Fang Yu's voice was exceptionally clear in the cold wind.

When you think of Northeastern Chinese cuisine, what comes to mind first?

He asked himself the question and answered it.

"Stewed goose in an iron pot, stewed pork with vermicelli, stewed chicken with mushrooms, and a pot of stewed pork with mushrooms."

"It's delicious, filling, and satisfying."

"But some people think that Northeastern cuisine is just about throwing a bunch of ingredients into a big black pot, cooking it over a fire, and that's it."

"It's said to be coarse, rough, and unsuitable for fine dining."

No one responded.

Chen Daoming and Zhang Manyu seemed to be deep in thought.

Ju Jingyi and Hua Yu's expressions also softened somewhat.

Because people often have this impression of Northeastern cuisine.

Rugged, honest, and bold.

The word "exquisite" seems to be forever separated from it by a thick lid.

"But there's nothing we can do about it."

Fang Yu smiled helplessly, his tone extremely serious.

"Because the true pinnacle of Northeastern Chinese cuisine—"

"They've all been included in the national protected list."

He counted them one by one, using his fingers which were covered by work gloves.

"Braised bear paw, with an incredibly soft and chewy texture."

"Clear Broth Flying Dragon, with an unparalleled freshness."

"And there's the hamster nose, which is also a top-grade mountain delicacy passed down from generation to generation."

"Any one of these items, picked at random, could easily grace a banquet table; wouldn't it be exquisite?"

Fang Yu lowered his hand, looked past the crowd, and gazed at the vast and desolate forest and snowfield in the distance.

"But that's not possible now."

"To give this black soil a breather, and to ensure that the roots of the Greater Khingan Mountains can still take hold."

"Northeastern cuisine has taken back the parts it was most proud of."

The snow forest fell silent immediately.

Hearing these words, everyone felt a sudden heaviness in their hearts.

Behind the dishes of Northeastern cuisine lies a complex process of choice.

But Fang Yu quickly raised his head again, and that cocky look returned to his face.

"But we Northeasterners think—this was a worthwhile deal!"

He pointed.

The dragons flapped their wings and flew deeper into the forest.

"So what if we can't afford those rare mountain delicacies?"

"A big white goose, raised by our own family, is stewing in a pot. We're munching on sticky corn in our hands, and sauerkraut that's been pickling all winter in a sauerkraut jar."

"Lying down on a heated kang bed, even if you're sweating profusely, is just as comfortable."

He turned and glanced at the crowd, his fingers tracing the snow-covered forest beneath his feet.

"Take another look around you."

"These furry, winged creatures can frolic freely in the forest."

"The old pine tree is still standing, and there are birch velvet, red lingzhi, and frozen wood ear fungus in the snowdrift."

"It's long this year, it's long next year, and it's long the year after next."

Fang Yu's voice rose to its highest point in the wind.

"Isn't this worth more than a pot of dragon soup?"

"Isn't this more impressive than a table full of rare and exotic animals?"

He paused, his eyes reflecting the snow.

"The confidence of Northeast China has never come from the delicacies on our plates."

"But this is the forest and snowfield—a place where we can protect our green mountains and clear waters, and even more importantly, exchange them for wealth!"

These few words were delivered.

Everyone felt a jolt in their chest.

Liu Yifei stood behind Fang Yu, completely stunned.

The man in front of me was wearing a very unfashionable work cotton-padded coat, with a cotton hat on his head, and his nose hairs and eyelashes were covered in white frost.

But she just felt that way.

At that moment, he was so handsome it was almost excessive; he seemed to be glowing.

The live stream chat exploded.

Holy crap! That's so exciting! It gave me goosebumps!

[Who understands? Just a moment ago I was craving dragon soup, and the next second my worldview has completely changed!]

[To protect the environment, they declared themselves the pinnacle of cuisine; Northeasterners are truly generous!]

Is this the true value of being the Mohe Cultural Tourism Ambassador? I'm impressed!

[If anyone ever says Northeastern cuisine is unfashionable again, I'll throw this in their face!]

[The pot is a chaotic stew, but the heart is a vast, snowy forest—I'll sum it up for Brother Yu!]

In the snow, Chen Daoming quietly watched Fang Yu.

This seasoned artist, accustomed to grand occasions, remained silent for quite some time.

Then, he slowly raised his hands.

"Smack."

"Smack."

"Smack."

Applause rang out in the silent woods.

No rush, no secrets.

But each strike was very powerful.

Seeing this, everyone else joined in and clapped enthusiastically.

Even Hua Yu obediently took his hand out of his tattered pocket and clapped it twice.

We had to take the photos.

After all, he was the one who had just urged Fang Yu to use the jade tablet to fight the flying dragon.

If I don't quickly show some awareness now, I'll definitely be bombarded with criticism and trend on social media when I get back.

It was more than 30 degrees below zero.

Forest belt on the periphery of the Greater Khingan Mountains.

Several big stars, dressed in incredibly unfashionable work clothes and carrying burlap sacks, surrounded a young man from Northeast China.

On the vast white snowfield, they applauded enthusiastically.

The scene was absurd, yet inexplicably intense.

"Good lad."

Chen Daoming breathed a sigh of relief and gave Fang Yu a thumbs up.

"With such a broad mind and such vision, you deserve to be famous."

Fang Yu felt a little embarrassed by being stared at like that.

He scratched the cotton hat on his head and grinned.

"Alright, alright, Teacher Chen."

"Please stop praising me, or I'll get really cocky."

"Let's go, let's go, before it gets completely dark."

"Let's hurry back to the village and have dinner!"

He had only taken two steps when he turned back to look at everyone, a hint of smugness in his smile.

"A big stew can actually be quite delicious, right?"

"Hahaha!"

The slightly heavy and passionate atmosphere from before was instantly shattered by this joke.

Everyone smiled knowingly, breathed a sigh of relief, and prepared to compose themselves and head down the mountain.

Just then.

Hua Yu, who had been following at the back of the group and was still pondering those words, frowned more and more.

Suddenly, a connection clicked in his mind.

"That's not right!"

Teacher Hua stopped and stared at Fang Yu.

Everyone turned around at his shout.

"What's wrong, Xiaohua?" Chen Daoming asked.

Hua Yu raised his hand, pointed at Fang Yu, and finally showed a hint of satisfaction at having caught someone red-handed.

"Fang Yu, you just kept saying that to catch the flying dragon, you have to go inside and step on the sewing machine."

"But! When you described the taste of the Flying Dragon Soup just now, you knew every single detail!"

Teacher Hua squinted, as if she had discovered some shocking blind spot.

"So here's the question..."

"Fang Yu, did you secretly eat some?!"