Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1679

At a chance gathering, the three of them talked about their long-cherished dream of traveling. Li Xiao slapped the table and said excitedly: "Let's not just talk about it, why don't we take a spontaneous trip to China! Experience the beautiful scenery we have seen in textbooks and on TV." Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "This is a good idea. It's a good opportunity to relax and experience the local customs and practices of various parts of the motherland." Lin Yifei's eyes sparkled and he added: "And every time we go to a place, we can taste local food and watch folk performances. It's exciting to think about it."

Thus, a carefully planned trip began. They spent several days circling and dotting on the map, referring to various travel guides, and finally finalized a route full of surprises. The first stop was Chengdu, which is known as the "Land of Abundance".

The night before departure, Li Xiao's room was bustling with activity. He stuffed clothes into his suitcase one by one while drooling over the Chengdu food guide on his phone screen: "When I get to Chengdu, I must try hot pot, chuanchuanxiang, dandan noodles, Zhong dumplings, etc. " Zhang Yuedong was organizing various documents and medicines in an orderly manner, and reminded with a smile: "Don't forget to bring your gastrointestinal medicine. Although Chengdu food is delicious, don't get an upset stomach." Lin Yifei sat by the bed, carefully adjusting the camera, muttering: "Chengdu's Jinli Ancient Street, Wuhou Temple, Du Fu Thatched Cottage, there must be many good places to take photos, I have to prepare enough memory cards."

Li Xiao suddenly stopped what he was doing and asked expectantly, "What kind of city do you think Chengdu is? I can't imagine how we will feel when we actually stand on that land." Zhang Yuedong thought for a moment and replied, "I think Chengdu should be a city with both profound historical and cultural heritage and modern vitality. You can feel the ancient Three Kingdoms culture and experience the prosperity of a modern city." Lin Yifei continued, "Maybe we can meet some interesting people and things, which will become the most unforgettable memories of our journey."

After a sleepless night, the three of them were immersed in their vision of the upcoming trip. The next morning, they dragged their suitcases and gathered at the airport in high spirits. Looking at the people coming and going in the airport, everyone's face was full of yearning for the distant place. Li Xiao took a deep breath and said with emotion: "Finally, we are going to set off. This will definitely be an unforgettable journey." Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei smiled at each other, their eyes full of determination and expectation.

As the plane slowly took off, their hearts had already flown to the charming city of Chengdu. In the days to come, they will leave their own footprints on this land and start a journey full of laughter and touching moments.

The plane slowly landed at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. As soon as we got off the plane, a moist and warm breath hit us in the face. There seemed to be a faint spicy aroma in the air, which instantly ignited the three people's expectations for this city.

"Wow, this is Chengdu. The air feels like it's filled with the smell of delicious food." Li Xiao took a deep breath and said excitedly.

Zhang Yuedong smiled and responded: "Don't worry, there will be plenty of time for you to taste all kinds of food. Let's go to the hotel to put our luggage, and then start our trip to Chengdu."

Lin Yifei was busy using his camera to record his first moment in Chengdu. He said: "Everything here is so new. I can't wait to explore this city."

After a short rest at the hotel, the three of them headed straight to their first stop, Wuhou Temple. Located at No. 231 Wuhou Temple Street, Wuhou District, CD City, Wuhou Temple was built when Liu Bei was buried in Huiling in 223 AD. It is the only temple in China that worships both the emperor and his ministers. It is also the most famous memorial site for Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei and other Shu Han heroes, and enjoys the reputation of "the holy land of the Three Kingdoms".

Standing in front of the gate of Wuhou Temple, looking at the ancient and solemn building, Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh: "I didn't expect to see the Wuhou Temple that appeared in the textbook with my own eyes. It's really shocking."

Zhang Yuedong introduced: "The Wuhou Temple has a long history. It has undergone many repairs and reconstructions to reach its current size. There are not only statues of Shu Han heroes such as Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang, but also many precious cultural relics and inscriptions."

While taking photos, Lin Yifei said: "These red walls and black tiles, coupled with the lush ancient trees next to them, any photo you take will be a blockbuster."

Walking into the Wuhou Temple, it was as if traveling through time and space, back to the Three Kingdoms era when heroes emerged in large numbers. The temple was filled with ancient cypresses, red walls and bamboo shadows, and the sun shone through the gaps between the bamboo leaves, forming patches of mottled light and shadow. They visited the main gate, the second gate, the Liu Bei Hall, the hall, the Zhuge Liang Hall and the Sanyi Temple along the central axis.

In the Liu Bei Hall, the three saw the statue of Liu Bei. He was majestic, sitting in the hall, as if he was still overlooking the world. Li Xiao asked curiously: "Do you think Liu Bei really looked so majestic back then?"

Zhang Yuedong smiled and replied: "Although we can't see it with our own eyes, judging from historical records and people's evaluation of him, Liu Bei was indeed a monarch with great talent and strategy."

Lin Yifei was carefully photographing every detail of the Liu Bei Hall. He said: "These statues and buildings carry a profound historical culture, so we must record them well."

Then, they came to the Zhuge Liang Hall. The statue of Zhuge Liang in the hall was wearing a feather fan and a long scarf, and he looked elegant and wise. Li Xiao walked to the statue and imitated Zhuge Liang by waving his fan, which made everyone laugh. He said, "If I could be as smart as Zhuge Liang, I could easily solve any problem in the future."

Zhang Yuedong looked at the statue of Zhuge Liang and said with emotion: "Zhuge Liang's wisdom and loyalty have always been praised by later generations. He devoted himself to the Shu Han Dynasty until his death. This spirit is really worth learning from."

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, and he also invented many things, such as wooden oxen and flowing horses, Kongming lanterns, etc., which had a great impact on the military and life at that time."

In the Wuhou Temple, they also saw many inscriptions, the most famous of which was the Tang Dynasty's "Inscription on the Temple of Zhuge Liang, Prime Minister of Shu". This inscription not only has exquisite calligraphy, but also has detailed content, which highly praised Zhuge Liang's achievements and character. Li Xiao looked closely at the words on the inscription. Although he didn't recognize some of the words, he still tried hard to recognize them, wanting to understand the content. He said: "These ancient people's words are really well written. It feels like every stroke contains a deep skill."

Zhang Yuedong patiently explained to Li Xiao the contents of the stele, while Lin Yifei kept pressing the shutter of his camera to record these precious cultural heritages.

After visiting the Wuhou Temple, it was getting dark and the three people's stomachs began to growl, so they decided to go to the nearby Jinli Ancient Street to taste Chengdu's specialties.

Jinli Ancient Street is bustling with life, brightly lit, and the antique buildings and bustling crowds complement each other. There are all kinds of food stalls and shops on both sides of the street, and the dazzling array of delicacies makes people salivate.

"Wow, there are so many delicious foods, I don't know what to eat first." Li Xiao stared at the delicious food in front of him. Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "Don't worry, let's try one by one. Let's try the most famous Long Chao Shou in Chengdu first."

They walked into a long wonton shop and ordered a few bowls of long wonton. After a while, the steaming long wonton was served on the table. The long wonton had a thin skin and tender fillings, and each one was small and exquisite in the bowl. The soup was thick and white, and some chopped green onions and seaweed were sprinkled on top, which looked very tempting.

Li Xiao couldn't wait to pick up a long wonton and put it in his mouth. He took a light bite and the soup spread in his mouth instantly. The fresh and fragrant taste made him give a thumbs up: "It's so delicious. The taste of this long wonton is really amazing. The skin is thin and the filling is big. The soup is delicious. It really lives up to its reputation."

Zhang Yuedong also tasted it and nodded in agreement: "It's really good. The meat filling of this dragon wonton is very chewy, and the seasoning is just right. It makes people linger on the taste."

Lin Yifei used his camera to record the delicious moment while eating. He said: "Such delicious long wonton must be photographed so that friends can also feel the charm of Chengdu cuisine."

After eating Long Chao Shou, they continued to stroll in the ancient street and tasted various special snacks such as Zhong dumplings, Dandan noodles, and Yeerba. Zhong dumplings are shaped like a crescent moon, white in color, full of fillings, thin in skin and tender in fillings. When served, they are drizzled with special red oil, slightly sweet and salty, spicy, and have a unique flavor; Dandan noodles are thin and thin, with crispy and fragrant marinade, salty, fresh, slightly spicy, and very tasty; Yeerba is made of glutinous rice flour with sweet sesame fillings or fresh meat and salty fillings, wrapped with fresh orange leaves, and steamed over high heat. It is fragrant and moist, mellow and sweet, refreshing, and salty and delicious. Each kind of food brought them a different taste experience, allowing them to have a deeper understanding of Chengdu's food culture.

Li Xiao was eating while sighing: "Chengdu is really a food capital. Every snack is so delicious. I feel like my stomach is going to burst."

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said: "This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are still many delicious foods in Chengdu waiting for us to discover. But don't eat too fast, or your stomach will not be able to bear it."

Lin Yifei joked: "Even if my stomach bursts, I am willing to do it. How can I not eat enough of such delicious food?"

After tasting the delicious food, the three of them came to a teahouse to watch a wonderful Sichuan Opera face-changing performance. The teahouse was full of spectators, and everyone was looking forward to the performance.

As the exciting music sounded, the performance officially began. An actor in gorgeous costumes walked onto the stage. He had an exquisite mask on his face and held a folding fan in his hand. His movements were natural and free. Suddenly, he waved the fan quickly, and the mask on his face changed instantly. The original red mask turned green, and the audience below the stage immediately exclaimed.

Li Xiao was stunned. He couldn't help but sigh: "This is too magical. The speed of the face changing is too fast. I can't keep up with it."

Zhang Yuedong was also attracted by this wonderful performance. He said: "Sichuan Opera face-changing is a traditional cultural treasure of Sichuan. The actors have undergone a long period of training to reach such a level. This requires not only superb skills, but also a deep understanding and grasp of performance."

Lin Yifei kept recording the wonderful moments of the performance with his camera. He said: "This Sichuan Opera face-changing is so shocking. Every face-changing is unexpected and full of surprises."

The actor kept changing his facial makeup on the stage, the speed was getting faster and faster, dazzling the audience. He also walked to the front of the audience from time to time to interact with the audience, which drew cheers from everyone. Finally, the actor ended the performance with a wonderful appearance, and thunderous applause and cheers rang out from the audience.

Li Xiao stood up and applauded excitedly. He said: "This performance is so wonderful. It really opened my eyes. I have only seen Sichuan Opera face-changing on TV before, but I didn't expect that watching it live would be so shocking."

Zhang Yuedong also said with emotion: "Yes, this is the charm of traditional culture. Through such performances, more people can understand and love Sichuan Opera, and traditional culture can be inherited and carried forward."

Lin Yifei said: "I must share these photos on WeChat Moments to let more people know about the wonderful face-changing of Sichuan Opera."

After watching the Sichuan Opera face-changing performance, the three continued to stroll in Jinli Ancient Street. They saw many exquisite handicrafts and local specialties, such as Shu embroidery, face-changing dolls, panda dolls, etc. Shu embroidery is one of the four famous embroidery in China, famous for its exquisite craftsmanship and unique style. The patterns on the embroidery are lifelike and colorful, making people love it.

Li Xiao picked up a Shu embroidery handkerchief and admired the pattern on it carefully. He said, "The craftsmanship of this Shu embroidery is so delicate. Every stitch and every thread is full of the craftsman's hard work. I want to buy one for my mother. She will definitely like it."

Zhang Yuedong also picked out some face-changing dolls and panda dolls. He said: "These little gadgets are both cute and memorable. I will take them back and give them to my friends so that they can also experience the characteristics of Chengdu."

Lin Yifei bought some books and souvenirs about the Three Kingdoms culture. He said: "After visiting the Wuhou Temple today, I have a stronger interest in the Three Kingdoms culture. These books can help me understand the history of the Three Kingdoms more deeply."

After strolling around Jinli Ancient Street for a long time, the three returned to the hotel with a lot of gains and a happy mood. Lying on the bed, Li Xiao was still reminiscing about today's trip to Chengdu. He said: "Today is really a great day. Not only did I visit the Wuhou Temple and learn about the Three Kingdoms culture, but I also tasted various delicacies and watched the wonderful Sichuan Opera face-changing performance. This is the meaning of travel."

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said: "Yes, Chengdu has given us a good start. The rest of the journey will definitely be more exciting."

Lin Yifei also said expectantly: "I really hope there will be more surprises waiting for us tomorrow."