Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1649

Zhang Yuedong was busy taking photos of the Jiefangbei Monument. He said, "I must take more photos of such an iconic building and show them to my friends when I get back."

Starting from Jiefangbei, it takes a short walk to Bayi Food Street. There are all kinds of Chongqing specialties gathered here, and the air is filled with a strong spicy aroma, which makes people salivate. They shuttled among the crowd, tasting various snacks, hot and sour noodles, mountain city small glutinous rice balls, roasted brain flowers... Every bite is full of the unique flavor of Chongqing.

Li Xiao was holding a bowl of steaming hot and sour rice noodles, sweating profusely as he ate. He sipped the noodles and said incoherently, "This hot and sour rice noodles is so flavorful, so sour and spicy, I feel like my tongue is dancing." Zhang Yuedong praised the roasted brain flower, "At first I was a little hesitant to try it, but I didn't expect it to be so delicious. It melts in your mouth, spicy and fresh, without any fishy smell." Lin Yifei ate the small glutinous rice balls from Shancheng and said with a smile, "This glutinous rice ball is soft, glutinous, sweet, and goes well with the spicy snacks. It relieves the spiciness and satisfies your appetite."

After eating and drinking, they headed to the Yangtze River Cableway. The Yangtze River Cableway is a unique means of transportation in Chongqing and one of the must-see attractions for tourists. Riding the cableway, you can overlook the magnificent scenery on both sides of the Yangtze River and feel the pleasant breeze blowing on your face.

While queuing at the cable car station, Li Xiao looked at the long line and became anxious: "How long will it take?" Zhang Yuedong comforted him: "Don't worry, good things are worth waiting for, and we will be able to experience such a special project soon." Finally, it was their turn and they walked into the cable car. As the car slowly rose, the surging Yangtze River was under their feet, ships were shuttling on the river, and high-rise buildings on the opposite bank gradually came into view.

Lin Yifei shouted excitedly: "Wow, the scenery is so beautiful! I feel like I'm flying." Li Xiao was also shocked by the beauty in front of him: "Yes, looking at Chongqing from this angle is really unique, with mountains and rivers interdependent, and the city and nature perfectly integrated." Zhang Yuedong was busy shooting videos. He wanted to record this spectacular scenery and share it with more people.

In the evening, they came to Hongya Cave. Hongya Cave has become a popular tourist attraction in Chongqing with its unique stilt houses with traditional Bayu architectural features. When night falls, the lights of Hongya Cave are turned on, and the layers of pavilions are reflected in the river, which is like a dream, as if you are in the scene of "Spirited Away" written by Hayao Miyazaki.

Standing on the Qiansimen Bridge, Li Xiao overlooked Hongya Cave and couldn't help but sigh: "This is so beautiful, it's like a real fairy tale world." Zhang Yuedong was also attracted by the beautiful scenery: "I think this place is more charming at night than during the day. The lights show the architectural features of Hongya Cave to the fullest." Lin Yifei suggested: "Let's go down and walk around Hongya Cave to see if there is anything interesting."

Walking into Hongyadong, there is a bustling commercial street with a variety of specialty shops selling Chongqing specialties and handicrafts. They picked some hot pot base in a shop and prepared to take it back to give to relatives and friends. The shop owner enthusiastically introduced: "Our hot pot base is all handmade, using authentic Chongqing peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, the taste is very good, and the hot pot cooked is exactly the same as the one eaten in the shop."

After leaving Hongyadong, they went to watch the Tongliang Dragon Dance performance. The Tongliang Dragon Dance is a national intangible cultural heritage with a long history and unique artistic charm. At the performance, a majestic dragon flew up and down in the hands of the dragon dancers, swimming, rolling, turning, passing through, winding, circling, leaping, and other techniques cleverly alternating, making people dazzled.

Li Xiao was deeply attracted by the wonderful performance. He said excitedly: "This Tongliang Dragon Dance is so shocking. The dragon dancers' skills are so superb. Every movement is full of power and beauty." Zhang Yuedong also nodded and praised: "Yes, the Tongliang Dragon Dance is worthy of being a cultural treasure of Chongqing. Through this performance, you can feel the strong Bayu style." Lin Yifei curiously asked the audience next to him about the history of the Tongliang Dragon Dance. The audience enthusiastically explained: "The Tongliang Dragon Dance has a long history. It had its prototype as early as the Tang and Song Dynasties. Later, after continuous development and inheritance, we have such a wonderful performance today. It is not only a dance, but also embodies people's yearning for a better life, praying for good weather and good harvests."

After the performance, the three were still immersed in excitement. They strolled along the streets of Chongqing, feeling the unique charm of this city. The dim lights on the street side, in harmony with the neon lights of the high-rise buildings in the distance, outlined a unique night view of the mountain city.

When passing by a Chen Mahua shop, the rich aroma of Mahua hits your nose. There is a long queue in the shop, all of them are tourists who come to buy Mahua. They also followed the trend and bought some. The freshly-made Mahua is crispy and delicious, and the sweet taste spreads in the mouth, which makes people linger.

Li Xiao said while eating: "This Chen Mahua is really as good as its reputation, fragrant and crispy, I want to eat more after eating it." Zhang Yuedong smiled and responded: "There are so many delicious foods in Chongqing, and every one of them is irresistible." Lin Yifei said with emotion: "This trip to Chongqing is really worthwhile. Not only did I see the unique scenery, but I also tasted so many delicious foods and got a deeper understanding of the local culture."

Back at the hotel, they lay on the bed, recalling the day's experience, their hearts full of love and reluctance to leave this city. Chongqing's passion, boldness and fantasy have been deeply imprinted in their hearts, becoming an unforgettable memory of their journey.

Leaving Chongqing, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei went to Hangzhou, a city known as "Paradise on Earth" with great expectations. Hangzhou, like a shining pearl, is inlaid in the land of Jiangnan, exuding a unique charm that makes people fascinated.

As soon as they arrived in Hangzhou, they headed straight to the West Lake. The picturesque scenery of the West Lake seemed to be drawn by nature with the most delicate brushstrokes. The lake surface was sparkling, and the water was clear, reflecting the weeping willows, green mountains, and pavilions on the shore, just like an ink painting slowly unfolding.

They strolled on the Su Causeway, which is like a green ribbon running through the West Lake. The weeping willows on the embankment swayed in the wind, as if telling people a thousand-year-old story. Li Xiao gently stroked the willow branches and said with emotion: "'If you want to compare the West Lake to Xi Shi, light makeup or heavy makeup is always suitable'. This West Lake is indeed worthy of its reputation, and its beauty is intoxicating." Zhang Yuedong took a camera and kept taking pictures of the beautiful scenery in front of him. He responded: "Yes, the scenery of the Su Causeway in spring dawn is so charming, and every place is worth recording. The ancients' poems really describe the charm of the West Lake vividly."

Walking along the Su Causeway, they passed by Huagang Fish Watching. The lake water here is clear, and red carp are playing in groups in the water, attracting tourists to stop and feed them. Lin Yifei smiled and said, "Look how happy these fish are. They are also the elves of West Lake." The three of them watched the fish fighting for food, and their hearts were filled with joy, as if they were also integrated into this lively picture. After walking past the Su Causeway, they came to the Bai Causeway. The Bai Causeway was originally named Baisha Causeway. It starts from Broken Bridge and Residual Snow in the east and ends at Pinghu Qiuyue in the west. The main vegetation on the embankment is weeping willows and peach trees. In spring, peach blossoms are in full bloom, and they contrast with the tender green willow branches, which is beautiful. Although it is not spring, Baidi still has a unique charm. Li Xiao sighed: "The scenery of Baidi has its own merits in each season. No matter when you come, you can feel its unique charm." Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, the people of Hangzhou named this Baisha Causeway in memory of Bai Juyi. It can be seen that the ancients loved and attached to this piece of landscape."

After playing for a long time, their stomachs started to growl, so they decided to try the special food of Hangzhou. They came to a time-honored restaurant and ordered famous dishes such as West Lake Vinegar Fish and Longjing Shrimp. After a while, the West Lake Vinegar Fish was served. It was bright red in color, tender in fish meat, and exuded a sweet and sour fragrance. Li Xiao picked up a piece of fish meat and put it in his mouth. The deliciousness of the fish meat and the sweet and sour taste of the sweet and sour sauce blended perfectly. He couldn't help but exclaimed: "This West Lake Vinegar Fish is so delicious, the fish meat is so tender that it melts in your mouth, and the sweet and sour taste is just right, which makes people have endless aftertaste."

Zhang Yuedong tasted the Longjing shrimp, which was fresh and tender with a faint tea fragrance. He gave a thumbs up and said, "This Longjing shrimp is not inferior. The freshness of the shrimp and the fragrance of Longjing complement each other. It is worthy of being the signature dish of Hangzhou." Lin Yifei smiled and said, "Hangzhou's food is indeed exquisite and delicious, just like the beautiful scenery of West Lake, it makes people intoxicated."

After eating and drinking, the three of them went to the theater to watch a Yue Opera performance. Yue Opera, as China's second largest opera, originated in Zhejiang and has a strong Jiangnan water town characteristic. On the stage, the actors wore exquisite costumes, sang melodiously, and performed beautiful and graceful movements, interpreting touching stories one after another.

They watched the classic play "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai", and the actors' superb performances showed the love story between Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai vividly. Li Xiao was deeply moved by the plot. He said with emotion: "This Yue Opera is so beautiful. The singing and performance are full of charm. The love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is even more touching. People can't help but sigh for their fate." Zhang Yuedong also nodded and praised: "Yes, Yue Opera is worthy of being a treasure of Jiangnan culture. Through this performance, we can feel the profound cultural heritage of Hangzhou."

After the performance, they came to a silk shop by the West Lake. Hangzhou silk has a long history, is light and soft, and has beautiful colors. It is one of Hangzhou's specialties. In the shop, there are a variety of silk products, including silk scarves, cheongsams, handkerchiefs, etc. Li Xiao took a fancy to a silk scarf with a West Lake pattern. He said: "This scarf is very beautiful. It has the characteristics of Hangzhou and is very practical. It is just right to take it back as a gift to my family."

Zhang Yuedong picked a silk cheongsam. He smiled and said, "This cheongsam is finely crafted and made of soft fabric. It will definitely look very charming when worn. I'll just think of it as a souvenir of my trip to Hangzhou." Lin Yifei bought some silk handkerchiefs to give to his friends. He said, "Let everyone feel the charm of Hangzhou silk."

Then, they walked into a tea shop. Hangzhou's Longjing tea is world-famous, with flat and smooth leaves, tender green color, noble aroma, and fresh and mellow taste. The clerk enthusiastically introduced different grades of Longjing tea to them and brewed them on the spot for them to taste. After tasting it, Li Xiao praised it highly: "The aroma of this Longjing tea is so charming, and the taste is mellow. After taking a sip, it seems that the taste of spring is full in your mouth."

Zhang Yuedong bought several cans of premium Longjing tea. He said, "I will use this Longjing tea to entertain my friends when I return home, so that they can also taste the flavor of Hangzhou." Lin Yifei picked out some tea gift boxes with West Lake elements. He said, "These gift boxes are both beautiful and generous, and are very suitable as gifts."

With a lot of harvest, the three of them strolled along the West Lake and admired the night view of the West Lake. The lights on the shore were reflected on the lake, like a dream. They recalled the experience of the day, and their hearts were full of love and reluctance to leave Hangzhou. The beautiful scenery, food and culture of Hangzhou, like the water of West Lake, deeply nourished their hearts and became another unforgettable memory of the journey.

As the plane slowly landed, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei ended this wonderful trip to China and returned to their familiar hometown. Along the way, their words were full of aftertaste and reluctance to leave the journey.

"This trip was amazing. I felt like I was on a fantasy adventure. I saw so many beautiful scenery, tasted local delicacies, and learned about so many interesting cultures." Li Xiao said with emotion, excitement flashing in his eyes.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, every city has its own unique charm, the ancient charm of BJ, the style of Tianjin, the heat of Chongqing, the poetry of Hangzhou... I will never forget these memories in my life." As he spoke, he looked through the photos in the camera with a happy smile on his face.

Lin Yifei went on to say: "And through this trip, I feel that our friendship has become even deeper. Sharing happiness and facing difficulties together, these experiences have brought our hearts closer." There was a hint of emotion in his voice, and his eyes were full of warmth as he looked at his companions.

When they got home, they distributed the specialties and souvenirs they bought along the way to their relatives and friends, sharing the interesting things about their trip. Those exquisite handicrafts and special snacks all carried their good memories, allowing the people around them to feel the joy of the journey.

For Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei, this trip was not just a simple trip, but also a spiritual baptism and growth. During the trip, they appreciated the beautiful mountains and rivers of the motherland, felt the profoundness of Chinese culture, and gained precious friendships.

Although the journey has ended, their longing for the distant place has become stronger. They promised to embark on a new journey together in the future to explore more unknown beauty and continue the joy of this journey. Because, in their view, life is like a journey, and the scenery and experiences along the way are the most precious wealth.