Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1640

Lin Fei laughed and joked, "Don't dream. Giant pandas are national treasures. We are satisfied just to come and see them." He raised his camera and took a lot of photos of a panda climbing a tree. "It looks so cute. I will take more photos and show them off to my friends when I get back."

Li Xiao also stared at the pandas intently, muttering, "They live such a comfortable life, eating, drinking, playing and fighting every day." As he watched, he suddenly remembered something and turned to everyone and said, "Let's go to the souvenir shop and buy some small items with panda elements."

The three of them came to the souvenir shop, where the shelves were filled with all kinds of cute panda dolls, stationery, and accessories. Zhang Yue picked out a furry panda pillow and couldn't let it go. "This pillow is so cute. It must be very comfortable to hold it when sleeping at night."

Lin Fei selected a set of panda stamps and said with interest: "These stamps are commemorative and exquisite. Maybe they will appreciate in value in the future."

Li Xiao bought a few panda badges and planned to pin them on his backpack when he got home: "These badges are small and beautiful. When I walk on the road, I can say that I am carrying the unique characteristics of Chengdu."

After visiting the souvenir shop, their stomachs started to growl, so they went to look for local specialty restaurants. Not far away, they saw a Sichuan restaurant. The red lanterns hanging at the door swayed gently in the breeze, emitting an enticing aroma.

"Let's go to this restaurant. It feels like we can eat authentic Sichuan cuisine." Li Xiao said as he led the way into the restaurant. They ordered classic Sichuan dishes such as Mapo Tofu, Twice-cooked Pork, and Kung Pao Chicken. When the Mapo Tofu was served, it was bright red with some chopped green onions sprinkled on top, which made people's appetite increase.

"This Mapo Tofu, you can tell it's authentic just by smelling it." Lin Fei couldn't wait to scoop a spoonful into his mouth. He gasped at the heat, but still praised it vaguely, "It's spicy, numbing, and fragrant, and the tofu is as tender as pudding. It's amazing!"

Zhang Yue ate the twice-cooked pork and nodded repeatedly: "This pork belly is fat and lean, and it is crispy and tasty. It is paired with green peppers and garlic sprouts. It is simply a magical tool for rice."

Li Xiao also praised the Kung Pao Chicken: "The peanuts are crispy, the chicken is tender, and the sweet and sour sauce is just right. Every bite is rich in layers."

After eating and drinking, they strolled along the streets of Chengdu, feeling the unique leisurely atmosphere of the city. The elderly people on the street sat on bamboo chairs to bask in the sun and chat, and the children laughed and played in the alleys, revealing the atmosphere of life everywhere.

"Chengdu is such a magical place. The food is so delicious that it makes your tongue dance. The cultural heritage is so profound that it can overwhelm you. The pace of life is so slow and leisurely. It's so comfortable." Zhang Yue said with emotion.

Li Xiao agreed: "Yes, I don't want to leave now that I'm here, but our journey is still long. The next city may have something else waiting for us."

Lin Fei rubbed his hands in anticipation: "I can't wait to know where the next stop is. No matter where we go, it will definitely be super interesting!"

Try to output more and continue that night. They returned to the hotel, took a short break, and sat together to discuss the next itinerary. Li Xiao flipped through the travel guides collected on his phone, and his eyes suddenly lit up: "Why don't we go to Chongqing next? It's close to Chengdu, and Chongqing's Hongyadong and light rail through the building are famous attractions, and the hot pot is even better. What's the difference between it and Chengdu hot pot?"

Zhang Yue immediately nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, I have seen the night view of Hongyadong on the Internet. It is so beautiful with brilliant lights. It feels like the real-life version of Spirited Away."

Lin Fei also became excited: "I heard that Chongqing has a complex terrain, with many hills and bumps everywhere, and navigation is likely to fail there. This must be very interesting, and I'm sure I'll encounter a lot of new things."

They left as soon as they said they would. The next morning, they boarded a train to Chongqing. When they arrived at Chongqing North Station, a hot breath accompanied by the hustle and bustle of the city hit them. When they left the station, they saw densely packed high-rise buildings, built on the mountain, layer upon layer.

"This city is so three-dimensional, it's worthy of being a mountain city." Li Xiao sighed as he dragged his suitcase up the hill with difficulty.

They first checked in at a hotel near Jiefangbei. After putting down their luggage, they headed straight to Jiefangbei. The monument stands at a busy crossroads, surrounded by crowds of people and shopping malls. Zhang Yue stood under the monument, looking up at this landmark building that carries history: "It has witnessed the changes of Chongqing over the years. Standing here, I seem to be able to feel the traces of time."

After walking around for a while, their stomachs started to protest, so they went to a nearby hotpot restaurant. Unlike Chengdu hotpot, Chongqing hotpot has a thicker base with a strong butter flavor.

"Boss, a slightly spicy soup base will do." Li Xiao had just finished speaking when Lin Fei laughed at him, "Can you enjoy eating slightly spicy food in Chongqing?"

The hot pot was served, the red bottom of the pot was bubbling, and it looked very impressive. They started to eat the must-order dishes such as tripe, duck intestines, and tender beef, and soon, the spicy taste exploded on the tip of their tongues.

"This Chongqing hotpot is really spicy. It's so spicy that my lips are dancing, but I just can't stop eating it." Zhang Yue said as he stuffed the cooked beef into his mouth.

After eating, the sky gradually darkened, and they came to the Hongya Cave they had been thinking about. At this time, the Hongya Cave was brightly lit, and the layers of stilt-house-style buildings were outlined with dreamy outlines by the warm yellow lights, and reflected on the river surface, like a dream.

"Oh my God, this is more beautiful than the photo, so shocking." Lin Fei held up his mobile phone and took pictures from every angle, wishing to capture every inch of the scenery.

They strolled along the river, feeling the breeze on their faces. Not far away, the light rail passed through a building, causing everyone to exclaim. Zhang Yue was amazed: "The design of the light rail passing through the building is so clever. Modern technology and life scenes are integrated without any sense of disobedience."

The next day, they went to Ciqikou Ancient Town. The stone pavement in the ancient town was winding, with old shops on both sides selling special delicacies and handicrafts such as fried dough twist, aged fried dough twist, maoxuewang, chicken offal, etc.

"This fried dough twist smells delicious. Try some of each flavor." Li Xiao said to the boss selling fried dough twist.

Walking into a Maoxuewang restaurant, the steaming hot Maoxuewang is served on the table. The duck blood is tender and juicy, and the side dishes are rich, spicy and fragrant.

"This Maoxuewang is so authentic, the duck blood melts in your mouth, and the side dishes are full of the flavor of the soup." Lin Fei ate until he was sweating. After leaving Ciqikou, they went to experience the Yangtze River Cableway. Sitting in the cable car that slowly crossed the river, overlooking the rushing river and the city scenery on both sides, they were filled with novelty and comfort.

"This view is amazing. I can see Chongqing's mountains, rivers and city landscapes clearly." Zhang Yue said, leaning against the car glass.

During the few days in Chongqing, they were intoxicated by the city's hot style, fantastic terrain and unique culture. When they returned to the hotel to pack their luggage, everyone was reluctant to leave.

"Chongqing is so charming, I really don't want to leave." Zhang Yue sighed softly.

Li Xiao smiled and consoled: "That's what a journey is like. Only when there are farewells can there be new encounters. The next stop might be even more amazing. I looked around and Xi'an seems pretty good, with a rich historical heritage."

Lin Fei immediately became excited: "Okay, let's go to Xi'an to experience the thousand-year charm of the ancient city!" When they arrived at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, a simple and heavy atmosphere seemed to follow the biting northwest wind and penetrated into their hearts and lungs. Li Xiao wrapped his coat tightly and took a deep breath: "Finally arrived in Xi'an, this is the ancient capital of 13 dynasties. It feels like you can step on a thousand years of history wherever you step."

Zhang Yue's eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked around: "I've wanted to see the Terracotta Warriors for a long time. I can't imagine how shocking the spectacular scene of thousands of soldiers and horses is."

Lin Fei dragged the suitcase with a brisk pace: "There are also Xi'an delicacies, mutton soup steamed bun, roujiamo, cold noodles, just hearing the names makes me drool."

They first put their luggage in a hotel near the Bell and Drum Tower, and then rushed to the Bell and Drum Tower. The warm winter sun shines on the old tower, with its flying eaves, carved beams and painted buildings, showing its simplicity and grandeur. Li Xiao stood under the bell tower, looking up at the big bell, and murmured: "This bell must have carried the sound of so many years. Every time it rang on the hour, it must have echoed throughout the city of Chang'an."

After visiting the Bell and Drum Tower, their stomachs started to growl, so they went into a time-honored mutton soup steamed bun restaurant. The restaurant was steaming hot and filled with the rich aroma of mutton. According to the authentic way of eating, they first broke the steamed bun into pieces, patiently breaking it into soybean-sized pieces. Zhang Yue joked as he broke the pieces, "Breaking the steamed bun is really a test of patience, but it can also be regarded as an immersive experience of Xi'an cuisine."

After the steamed buns were broken, the chef stewed them. After a while, several large bowls of mutton steamed buns were served. The thick soup wrapped the soft and glutinous steamed buns, and the tender mutton slices were spread on top, sprinkled with green chopped green onions and coriander. Li Xiao scooped a spoonful and put it into his mouth, squinting his eyes in satisfaction: "It's so comfortable, there is no smell of mutton at all, and the steamed buns are full of soup, every bite is the essence."

After eating and drinking, they went to the Shaanxi History Museum. The museum was like a treasure house of history, with pottery from ancient times, bronzes from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and porcelain, calligraphy and paintings from the Tang and Song dynasties. Lin Fei stood in front of an exquisite Tang Sancai and exclaimed: "This craftsmanship is amazing. How did the ancients make such colorful and lifelike pottery? It's incredible."

Zhang Yue paused for a long time in front of the paintings of Tang Dynasty ladies and said softly, "Look at these ladies, their manners are varied, their clothes and makeup are exquisite. The Tang Dynasty was indeed an open and prosperous era."

Coming out of the Shaanxi History Museum, the sky gradually darkened and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, with lights just turned on, appeared in front of us. The tower stood tall and majestic, surrounded by a lively square where citizens took leisurely walks and many people danced to the music. Li Xiao smiled and said, "The ancient Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the modern life scene are so harmoniously integrated. This is the charm of Xi'an."

The next day, they got up early and rushed to the Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum in Lintong. When they walked into Pit No. 1 and saw the rows and rows of lifelike terracotta warriors, everyone was shocked and speechless for a long time.

"This... This is so spectacular. It really looks like thousands of troops have been resurrected on the spot." Zhang Yue's voice was trembling, his eyes fixed on the terracotta warriors with different expressions.

Lin Fei kept changing the angles to take pictures: "The details are amazing. Each terracotta warrior has a different facial expression, hairstyle, and clothing. It is truly a wonder of the world."

After visiting the Terracotta Warriors, they tasted authentic Roujiamo at a roadside shop on their way back. The crispy steamed bun was sandwiched with chopped braised meat, and a spoonful of marinade was poured over it. When you bite it, the steamed bun is crispy and the meat is fragrant.

"This roujiamo is simple but extremely delicious. The joy of carbohydrates and protein is so real." Li Xiao's mouth was full of grease.

On their last night in Xi'an, they came to Muslim Street. It was brightly lit, with a variety of food stalls and shops. They walked around, tasting the sweet and refreshing cold noodles and the soft, sweet and fragrant zongzi. They also carried a few bags of cured beef to take back to their families.

"This trip to Xi'an is like a dream that travels through thousands of years. The history and food are so fascinating." Zhang Yue was filled with emotion.

Li Xiao nodded: "Yes, but the journey must continue. Next stop, let's go to Dunhuang to see the artistic treasures under the lonely smoke of the desert."

Lin Fei cheered: "Okay, going to Dunhuang to see the murals and ride camels will definitely be exciting!" As they boarded the train to Dunhuang, the scenery outside the window gradually changed from the bustling city to the vast northwest. Li Xiao looked out the window at the increasingly desolate yet majestic scenery, and couldn't help but feel excited: "We are about to arrive in Dunhuang. When I think of the exquisite murals in the Mogao Grottoes and the desert scenery of Mingsha Mountain, I am so excited."

Zhang Yue flipped through the tourist brochure of Dunhuang, his eyes full of longing: "It is said that the murals of Mogao Grottoes have gone through thousands of years, and the colors are still bright and beautiful. There are countless stories hidden behind each painting. I can't wait to explore it."

Lin Fei was excitedly planning: "When we get to Dunhuang, let's go riding camels first and have a leisurely journey through the desert. It won't be too late to see the murals later."

The train slowly pulled into Dunhuang Station, and the dry hot wind blew in their faces, bringing with it a faint smell of sand and dust. The three dragged their luggage, took a short rest, and headed straight for Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake. When the golden sand dunes came into view, rolling up and down to the horizon, they were instantly shocked by the magnificence before their eyes and were speechless.

"This is the Singing Sand Mountain. It's so spectacular, like a golden ocean." Li Xiao couldn't wait to take off his shoes, stepped on the fine and warm sand, and climbed to the top of the dune step by step. The sand slid through his toes, making him feel itchy.

Zhang Yue followed closely behind, panting as he climbed: "It doesn't look high, but it's quite hard to climb, but the view is definitely worth it."

When they finally climbed to the top of the sand dune, they could see the Crescent Spring in the distance. The crescent-shaped spring, surrounded by sand dunes, sparkled in the sunlight, like a bright pearl in the desert.