Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei, three good friends with different personalities, packed their bags and embarked on this wonderful journey to China with infinite longing for distant places.

Li Xiao is cheerful and careful, and is the "wise man" in the team. Before the trip, he carefully planned the route, consulted a lot of information, and knew the characteristics of each destination. During the trip, no matter what problems he encountered, he could always analyze calmly and come up with solutions quickly.

Zhang Yuedong is enthusiastic, generous and adventurous. He always takes the lead and explores new things, adding many surprises to the journey. He never backs down in the face of challenges, and his courage to move forward infects everyone around him.

Lin Yifei is gentle and introverted, and is the "artist" in the team. He is good at capturing the beautiful moments during the journey and recording every moving picture with his camera. He has a strong interest in the culture and art of various places, and can always discover different beauty from a unique perspective.

The three of them stood in the hustle and bustle of the city, looking into the distance, their hearts full of expectations. Li Xiao unfolded the map in his hand, pointed to the first destination - BJ, and said excitedly: "Let's start from the capital and appreciate the ancient charm and prosperity under the imperial city!" Zhang Yuedong patted his chest and said with great enthusiasm: "Okay, follow me, I guarantee that this journey will be exciting and fun!" Lin Yifei smiled and nodded, with a gleam in his eyes: "I can't wait to take pictures of those beautiful scenery." Just like that, they set off towards the distance with full of joy and expectations, and a dream journey officially kicked off.

The three of them arrived in BJ. As soon as they got out of the train station, they were shocked by this ancient yet modern city. The endless stream of people, the towering skyscrapers and the ancient city walls in the distance complement each other, and history and modernity blend perfectly here. Li Xiao said excitedly: "We are finally in BJ. This is our capital, and there are endless stories to tell!" Zhang Yuedong took a deep breath, his face full of intoxication: "The air is filled with the taste of history. Let's start this trip to the capital!" Lin Yifei was busy taking out his camera to capture the wonderful moment of seeing BJ for the first time.

Their first stop was the Forbidden City. Walking into the Forbidden City, the vermilion walls and golden glazed tiles seemed to take them through time and space, back to the heyday of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Hall of Supreme Harmony stood majestically, and the dragon throne was solemn and majestic. Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh: "This Hall of Supreme Harmony is indeed a symbol of imperial power. Look at this building, it is magnificent, and every detail shows the majesty of the royal family." Zhang Yuedong looked around curiously, pointing to the golden dragon on the top of the hall and asked: "These dragons are carved like alive. How much effort did the craftsmen put in back then?" Lin Yifei was concentrating on taking pictures at the side, wanting to perfectly preserve this shocking picture, and said: "This picture, any shot is a blockbuster, enough for me to enjoy for a while when I go back."

After touring the Forbidden City, my stomach started to growl. The three of them came to a time-honored roast duck restaurant, which was filled with fragrance. The freshly baked roast duck was bright red in color, with crispy skin and tender meat. The chef skillfully cut the roast duck into thin slices, served it with scallion shreds, cucumber strips, and sweet noodle sauce, and rolled it with a pancake. When you take a bite, the mellowness of the duck meat, the spiciness of the scallion shreds, the freshness of the cucumber and the sweetness of the sweet noodle sauce are perfectly blended. Li Xiao's mouth was full of oil and he gave a thumbs up: "This Beijing roast duck is well-deserved, the taste is amazing!" Zhang Yuedong ate heartily while mumbling: "Our trip is worth it. Just this bite will make you never forget BJ." Lin Yifei smiled and took a close-up of the roast duck, saying: "Such a delicious roast duck, I have to record it, to make my friends who didn't come jealous."

As night fell and the lights came on, they came to the theater to watch a wonderful Peking Opera performance. On the stage, the actors were dressed in gorgeous costumes, singing, reciting, acting and fighting, and every move was full of charm. The facial makeup was exquisite, some were mighty and heroic, some were gentle and soft, interpreting the legends of the ages. Li Xiao was immersed in the charm of Peking Opera and said softly: "Peking Opera is worthy of being the quintessence of the country. This singing style and this posture bring the characters in the story to life." Although Zhang Yuedong didn't understand much, he was also deeply attracted and clapped gently to the rhythm: "It's really exciting, much better than on TV!" Lin Yifei used a camera to record the wonderful moments of the actors and exclaimed: "This picture is so beautiful, the charm of traditional culture is really endless."

The next day, they traveled through the alleys of BJ, looking for special handicrafts. In a small shop, they found exquisite cloisonné handicrafts, which were colorful and exquisitely crafted. There were also lifelike BJ dough figurines, and the characters were vivid, as if they could speak in the next second. Li Xiao picked out a small cloisonné ornament and planned to take it back as a souvenir: "This thing is exquisite, I like it just by looking at it, and it also adds a cultural flavor to the home." Zhang Yuedong couldn't put down a Monkey King dough figurine: "This dough figurine is so interesting, I'll buy it back to amuse my nephew." Lin Yifei bought a set of Peking Opera mask bookmarks and said with a smile: "When I read a book in the future, when I see this mask, I will remember our wonderful trip to BJ."

The time in BJ passed in a flash. The three of them embarked on the journey to the next stop with full gains and memories, and their hearts were full of anticipation for the unknown.

Go south to Suzhou and Hangzhou, poetic water towns

After bidding farewell to BJ, the three of them headed south to the picturesque Hangzhou. As soon as they got off the train, the moist air hit them in the face, with a hint of sweetness, as if it was a gentle greeting from the city. Li Xiao stretched his body and said with an intoxicated look on his face: "The air in Hangzhou is full of spiritual energy, and I feel that my whole body is nourished." Zhang Yuedong looked around excitedly, with a new light flashing in his eyes: "I have heard that 'there is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below', and now I have to experience it well." Lin Yifei couldn't wait to raise his camera to capture every scene of his first impression of Hangzhou, saying: "The charm of this city can be seen from these streets and alleys. Any shot is full of Jiangnan style."

West Lake is naturally the top priority of the trip to Hangzhou. In the early morning, the lake was covered with a thin veil, like a dream. The mountains in the distance were looming in the morning mist, like an ink painting slowly unfolding. The three of them strolled by the lake, with weeping willows swaying, and slender willow branches dancing in the wind, as if whispering to the lake. Li Xiao gently stroked the willow branches and exclaimed: "This willow tree is like a dancer of West Lake, soft and beautiful, adding so much agility to the lake and mountains." Zhang Yuedong took a deep breath and smiled: "Looking at this scene, my heart is open, and I feel that all my worries are gone." Lin Yifei was busy choosing the angle, trying to freeze this hazy beauty, and murmured: "It's so beautiful, this light, this mist, it's simply a photographer's paradise."

They boarded the boat and slowly sailed to the center of the lake. The oars paddled, creating ripples that broke the tranquility of the lake, but also made the scene more vivid. The lake water was emerald green and clear, and fish could be clearly seen playing in the water. When they reached the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, three stone pagodas stood tall and graceful, casting their reflections in the water, like a fairyland.

Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei are good friends who have known each other for many years. They are busy with their own work and rushing around in different cities for their lives, so they rarely get to spend time together. Once, by chance, the three of them were chatting in a WeChat group, talking about the pressure of their work and the trivialities of life. They all felt exhausted and their yearning for the distant place became stronger.

"I feel like I'm being drained by work. I really want to go out and get some fresh air and see the outside world." Li Xiao sent a frustrated emoticon, breaking the silence in the group.

Zhang Yuedong responded immediately: "Yes, I think so too! We can't just work hard, we have to find some fun for ourselves. How about going on a trip together?"

Lin Yifei agreed: "That's a good idea! I've long wanted to see the beautiful mountains and rivers of our motherland. Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles." They quickly decided to go on a spontaneous trip to China. This ancient and mysterious country has countless beautiful scenery, delicious food and unique folk culture, which is enough to comfort their tired souls.

On the day of departure, Li Xiao arrived at the airport terminal early, carrying a slightly worn but practical backpack and a baseball cap, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He held a thick travel guide tightly in his hand, occasionally turning the pages marking the key attractions, muttering to himself, as if he was already in those beautiful places.

Zhang Yuedong hurried over, dragging an oversized suitcase. He was wearing a loose sports sweatshirt, with a camera hanging around his neck, and he looked like a young literary man. "Sorry, I'm a little late. There was a traffic jam on the road." He apologized to Li Xiao while panting.

Li Xiao smiled and patted his shoulder: "It's not too late, we still have plenty of time. I just studied the strategy again, and I'm sure we can have a good time this time."

Not long after, Lin Yifei also arrived. He was wearing a pair of sunglasses, and his fashionable outfit was eye-catching. He also had a cup of steaming hot coffee in his hand. "Here, I know you must have missed breakfast, so fill your stomach." He handed the coffee to the two of them and said considerately.

The three of them sat together, drinking coffee and discussing the upcoming journey with great interest. Their conversations were full of expectations for the unknown, as if what they were about to embark on was not an ordinary journey, but a dreamlike adventure.

The boarding reminder sounded over the radio, they smiled at each other, stood up, and strode towards the boarding gate with joy and anticipation. The plane slowly took off and rushed into the blue sky, and their trip to China officially began.

After leaving the airport, they went straight to the hotel to drop off their luggage. After a short rest, they could not wait to go to their first stop - the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City, the royal palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, is like a silent history book, carrying hundreds of years of vicissitudes. When they passed through Tiananmen Square, the magnificent Meridian Gate came into view. The vermilion walls were tall and majestic, and the golden glazed tiles sparkled in the sun, showing the royal majesty.

Walking into the Forbidden City, it feels like traveling through time and space and returning to ancient times. Li Xiao said excitedly: "Wow, this is where the ancient emperors lived, it's so spectacular! It feels like every brick and tile is full of the breath of history." Zhang Yuedong held up his camera and kept pressing the shutter to record every wonderful moment. He responded: "Yes, these buildings are simply ingenious, the wisdom and skills of the ancients are amazing. I have to take more photos and enjoy them slowly when I go back."

They walked along the central axis and visited the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony in turn. The Hall of Supreme Harmony, commonly known as the Golden Throne Hall, is the largest and highest-level building in the Forbidden City. The golden dragon throne is placed in the center of the hall, and the ceiling above is painted with golden dragon patterns. It is solemn and dignified, making people imagine the majestic scene when the emperor went to court. The Hall of Central Harmony is where the emperor rests before going to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to hold a ceremony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony is used for banquets for princes and nobles, imperial examinations, etc. Each palace has a unique purpose and profound historical and cultural connotations.

Lin Yifei curiously asked the tour guide beside him: "What are the architectural styles of these palaces? Why do they all look so magnificent?" The tour guide smiled and explained: "The Forbidden City uses a lot of yellow glazed tiles and red walls. Yellow symbolizes the supremacy of imperial power, and red represents auspiciousness and prosperity. In addition, in terms of architectural details, dragon patterns are carved everywhere. In Chinese culture, the dragon is a symbol of the emperor, representing majesty and power. These elements combined together show the dignity and luxury of the royal family."

After visiting the three main halls, they traveled through the six palaces in the east and west, which were once the residences of the concubines. Each palace has its own story. Some palaces are elegantly decorated, revealing the gentleness of women; some palaces are a little deserted, as if telling the helplessness of the harem struggles. Along the way, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei stopped to admire the exquisite carvings on the buildings, and sometimes exchanged their views on history, immersed in the rich historical atmosphere.

After leaving the Forbidden City, it was already late and the three people's stomachs began to growl. They came to a time-honored roast duck restaurant to taste Beijing's specialty food - Peking duck. The restaurant was bustling with people and the air was filled with the tempting aroma of roast duck.

As soon as we sat down, the waiter enthusiastically served a freshly baked roast duck, which was red in color and shiny. The chef skillfully sliced ​​the roast duck into thin slices, each slice was evenly thick and the skin and meat were connected. The waiter introduced: "Our roast duck uses high-quality BJ stuffed duck, which has undergone a unique roasting process, with crispy skin and tender meat. Please try it." As he spoke, he placed lotus leaf cakes, scallion shreds, cucumber strips, and sweet noodle sauce on the table.

Li Xiao followed the waiter's instructions, picked up a lotus leaf pancake, put a few slices of duck meat on it, added scallion and cucumber strips, dipped it in sweet noodle sauce, rolled it up gently, and put it in his mouth. The tenderness of the duck meat, the crispness of the duck skin, the spiciness of the scallion, the freshness of the cucumber and the mellowness of the sweet noodle sauce were perfectly integrated, with a rich taste and distinct layers. He couldn't help but give a thumbs up: "This Beijing roast duck is really worthy of its reputation, it's so delicious! The roast duck I ate outside the city before is far inferior to this authentic one."

Zhang Yuedong also nodded and praised: "Yes, the taste is amazing! It is worthy of being BJ's signature food." (End of this chapter)