Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1684

Amid the hustle and bustle of the bustling city, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei sat in Li Xiao's slightly messy but lively living room. The sun shone through the window onto the coffee table piled with travel magazines and maps.

"I think we have to plan carefully this time. We can't be like last time, where we were completely clueless when we got there." Li Xiao said as he flipped through the map in his hand. He was tall and slender, wearing a pair of black-framed glasses, and his eyes showed his anticipation for the unknown journey.

Zhang Yuedong leaned on the sofa, crossed his legs, and said nonchalantly: "What's there to be afraid of? I'll just adapt to the situation when the time comes. Besides, traveling is all about doing whatever you want." He has a generous personality, with neat short hair and a mouthful of white teeth when he smiles.

Lin Yifei was carefully sorting the luggage list on the side. Hearing what Zhang Yuedong said, he looked up and retorted: "That won't work. Only if we have a plan can we have more fun. Have you forgotten that last time at the beach, we almost couldn't find a place to stay." Lin Yifei is not tall, but he is meticulous and always takes various details into consideration.

On Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street, they not only tasted delicious food and enjoyed wonderful performances, but also bought many souvenirs with local characteristics. This day's trip gave them a deeper understanding and love for the city of Xiamen. When night fell again, they returned to the hotel with a full harvest and a happy mood, looking forward to the next stop of the journey.

The three of them discussed it one by one, and finally decided to make a rough itinerary. They planned to start from BJ and go south to appreciate the customs and cultures of different cities.

A few days before departure, Li Xiao was busy booking hotels in various cities online and carefully researched the opening hours and ticket prices of each attraction. Zhang Yuedong was responsible for purchasing some essential items for the trip, such as sunscreen, sunglasses, backpacks, etc. Lin Yifei polished his photography equipment and prepared enough memory cards, intending to use the camera to record every wonderful moment of the trip.

Finally, on a sunny morning, the three of them stood on the high-speed rail platform in BJ, carrying their luggage. The breeze blew gently, bringing with it a hint of anticipation for an unknown journey.

"Brothers, our journey begins!" Li Xiao shouted excitedly.

"Let's go!" Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also cheered.

As the train slowly started, the scenery outside the window gradually receded, and their journey officially began. In the following days, they will travel through ancient cities, stroll in tranquil water towns, climb majestic mountains, taste local delicacies, and experience different folk cultures. Each city will be a new starting point, and each experience will become a precious memory in their lives.

The train slowly pulled into Chengdu East Station. Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei stood up impatiently, packed their luggage and followed the crowd out of the carriage. Before leaving the station, they felt the unique enthusiasm and vitality of Chengdu. People were coming and going in an orderly manner in the station. People's faces were filled with leisurely smiles and they spoke authentic Sichuan dialect, making them feel as if they were in a world full of fireworks.

"We're finally in Chengdu!" Zhang Yuedong shouted excitedly, attracting the attention of people around him.

Li Xiao smiled and patted his shoulder: "Keep your voice down, don't scare people."

Lin Yifei took a deep breath and said, "The air is filled with the smell of delicious food. I can't wait to try the food in Chengdu."

After leaving the station, they took a taxi to the hotel they booked. Along the way, the scenery outside the car window kept changing, with high-rise buildings and ancient streets interweaving with each other, showing the unique charm of the city of Chengdu. The teahouse on the street was full of people drinking tea, chatting, and playing mahjong. Their leisurely and comfortable appearance made Li Xiao and the other two envious.

“People in Chengdu really know how to enjoy life,” Li Xiao exclaimed.

"Yeah, no wonder people say Chengdu is a city you don't want to leave once you arrive." Lin Yifei agreed.

After arriving at the hotel, they took a short rest and then couldn't wait to go out to experience the night of Chengdu. They came to Chunxi Road, which was brightly lit and bustling. The shopping mall was crowded with people, and various fashion brands were on display. Street performers were performing wonderful shows, attracting many passers-by to stop and watch.

"Chunxi Road is really lively, no worse than Wangfujing in BJ." Zhang Yuedong said as he looked at the surrounding scene.

"That's right. Chengdu is the economic center of the southwest region, so its prosperity is self-evident." Li Xiao explained.

They walked around Chunxi Road for a while and came to a hot pot restaurant. As soon as they entered the door, the rich aroma of hot pot hit their noses, making them drool. The restaurant was full of diners, eating hot pot and chatting, and the atmosphere was very lively.

"If you come to Chengdu and don't eat hotpot, it would be a wasted trip." Lin Yifei said, and ordered a classic spicy hotpot.

After a while, the hot pot was served, and the red soup in the pot was boiling, and the chili peppers, peppercorns and other seasonings were swirling up and down in the pot, exuding an enticing aroma. They put various ingredients into the pot and waited for the delicious taste to come.

"Wow, this tastes so authentic!" Zhang Yuedong picked up a piece of cooked beef and put it in his mouth. His face immediately turned red due to the spiciness, but he kept saying it was so delicious.

Li Xiao and Lin Yifei also tasted the hot pot. Although they kept drinking water due to the spiciness, they still enjoyed the food. Their first hot pot in Chengdu made them feel the heat and boldness of this city.

The next morning, Li Xiao and the other two came to Wuhou Temple. Wuhou Temple is located in Wuhou District, CD City. 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 the heroes of Shu Han.

As soon as they arrived at the gate of Wuhou Temple, they were attracted by the antique buildings in front of them. A plaque with the words "Han Zhaolie Temple" hung high above the gate, solemn and majestic. Walking into the gate, a spacious sacred road came into view, with ancient cypresses on both sides of the sacred road, lush and green, as if telling the vicissitudes of history.

"I didn't expect the Wuhou Temple to be so majestic. It is worthy of being a place to commemorate Zhuge Liang." Lin Yifei exclaimed.

"Yes, Zhuge Liang is a symbol of wisdom and loyalty. His stories have been passed down through the ages and are deeply respected by people," said Li Xiao.

They walked along the sacred path and came to the Zhaolie Hall. Inside the Zhaolie Hall was a statue of Liu Bei, who looked dignified and had deep eyes, as if he was still thinking about the great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty. On both sides of the statue of Liu Bei were statues of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who were majestic and imposing.

"Liu Bei's rise in troubled times and establishment of the Shu Han regime was inseparable from the support of his brothers such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei." Zhang Yuedong said with emotion as he looked at the statue.

"That's right. They swore brotherhood in Taoyuan and shared life and death. This friendship is touching." Li Xiao continued.

After leaving Zhaolie Hall, they came to Wuhou Temple. The statue of Zhuge Liang in Wuhou Temple is wearing a feather fan and a long scarf, and is elegant and graceful, showing the demeanor of a wise man. Behind the statue of Zhuge Liang is a huge stone carving of "The Memorial to the Emperor on Leaving the State for the Emperor". The words are vigorous and powerful, full of Zhuge Liang's loyalty to Shu Han and his earnest expectations for the later lord.

"The Memorial to the Emperor on Leaving the Capital" is a masterpiece that will be remembered for centuries. Zhuge Liang's loyalty and wisdom are fully reflected in this article," Lin Yifei exclaimed as he looked at the stone carvings. "Yes, 'Devote all one's energy to the cause until death'. Zhuge Liang devoted his entire life to realize his ideals. This spirit is worth learning from," said Li Xiao.

They continued to tour the Wuhou Temple, admiring the exquisite carvings and paintings of the ancient buildings and feeling the strong Three Kingdoms cultural atmosphere. The Three Kingdoms story murals on the walls vividly depicted the era of war and heroes. From the raging war of Chibi, to Zhuge Liang's empty city plan, to Guan Yu's passing through five passes and killing six generals, each picture seemed to bring them back to that magnificent historical scene.

"This visit to the Wuhou Temple gave me a deeper understanding of the history of the Three Kingdoms, and made me admire heroes like Zhuge Liang even more," said Zhang Yuedong.

"Yes, the history of the Three Kingdoms is a very exciting period in Chinese history. It contains rich wisdom and philosophy and is worthy of our study and learning." Li Xiao agreed.

After exiting the Wuhou Temple, you will find Jinli Ancient Street not far away. Jinli Ancient Street is one of the oldest and most commercial streets in the history of Western Sichuan. It was well-known throughout the country as early as the Qin and Han Dynasties and the Three Kingdoms Period. It is quaint here, with shops lining both sides of the bluestone road, and a wide variety of special snacks and handicrafts.

"Wow, this is a paradise for foodies!" As soon as Zhang Yuedong walked into Jinli Ancient Street, he was attracted by the delicious food in front of him and his eyes were fixed on it.

"Don't be in a hurry, let's eat slowly and try all the delicious food here." Li Xiao said with a smile.

They first came to a stall selling rabbit heads, where they saw many attractive rabbit heads, which made people salivate.

“When you come to Chengdu, you must try the rabbit head. It’s a local specialty.” Li Xiao said, and then he bought a few rabbit heads and shared them with everyone.

Zhang Yuedong carefully picked up a rabbit head and looked at the densely packed bones on it, feeling a little overwhelmed. "How do I eat this?" he asked.

"Let me teach you," Li Xiao said, picking up a rabbit head and demonstrating. "Start by eating the meat on the cheeks, then eat the meat inside the skull, and finally bite the bones into pieces and suck out the marrow."

Under Li Xiao's guidance, Zhang Yuedong finally learned how to eat rabbit heads. He took a bite of the rabbit head and was immediately conquered by the spicy and fresh taste. "It's so delicious, the taste of this rabbit head is simply amazing!" He praised it while eating.

Then, they tasted Long Chao Shou, Zhong Dumplings, Sad Jelly, etc. Each delicacy had a unique taste, which made them eat with relish.

"The soup of this dragon wonton is delicious, the wonton skin is thin and the filling is large. It tastes great." Lin Yifei said while eating the dragon wonton.

"And the Zhong dumplings, served with special seasoning, are sweet, spicy and delicious, with a unique flavor." Li Xiao also praised the Zhong dumplings.

While tasting the food, they also appreciated the production process of traditional handicrafts such as clay figurines and sugar paintings. These handicrafts were exquisite and made people marvel at the superb skills of folk artists.

"These handicrafts are so beautiful, and each one is full of cultural flavor." Zhang Yuedong looked at the sugar painting in his hand and couldn't let it go.

"Yes, these traditional handicrafts are treasures of Chinese traditional culture. We should protect and pass them on well," said Lin Yifei.

They walked around Jinli Ancient Street for a long time and had a full stomach. Although they had tasted a lot of food, they still felt that they had not had enough.

“Next time I come to Chengdu, I will come to Jinli Ancient Street and try all the delicacies here.” Zhang Yuedong said with a smile, patting his belly.

As night fell and the lights came on, Li Xiao and his friends came to a Sichuan opera teahouse to watch a Sichuan opera performance. Sichuan opera is a traditional opera in Sichuan, famous for its unique singing, performance style and stunts.

They walked into the teahouse, which was already full of spectators. On the stage, actors were performing wonderfully. Their melodious singing, graceful movements, and exquisite makeup made them seem to have traveled through time and space and returned to ancient times.

"The singing style of Sichuan Opera is really unique and sounds full of charm." Lin Yifei said as he listened to the singing.

"Yes, the singing style of Sichuan Opera is a combination of five types of vocal styles: Kunqu, Gaoqiang, Huqin, Tanxi and Dengdiao, each with its own characteristics," Li Xiao explained.

When the performance reached its climax, the actors began to perform stunts such as face-changing and fire-breathing. The actors changed their facial makeup quickly on the stage, and the facial makeup switched in an instant, which was dazzling. Then, the actors performed fire-breathing, and flames spewed out of their mouths, which was a very shocking scene.

"This face changing and fire breathing are so magical, how do the actors do it?" Zhang Yuedong was stunned and couldn't help but exclaimed.

"This is the unique skill of Sichuan Opera. The actors have to go through long-term and hard training to master these skills," said Li Xiao.

After watching the Sichuan opera performance, they had a deeper understanding of Sichuan opera culture. Sichuan opera is not only an art form, but also an important carrier of Sichuan's history and culture.

"Watching the Sichuan Opera performance this time made me feel the unique charm of Sichuan Opera. If I have the chance in the future, I will learn more about Sichuan Opera culture," said Lin Yifei.

"That's right, Sichuan Opera culture is profound and worthy of our learning and inheritance." Li Xiao agreed.

On the last day in Chengdu, Li Xiao and his friends decided to buy some specialties to bring back to their relatives and friends. They came to a specialty store filled with a variety of specialties, which was dazzling.

"Chengdu has so many specialties. What should we buy?" Zhang Yuedong was a little confused as he looked at the dazzling array of specialties.

"I think Shu brocade is nice. It is a traditional handicraft of Sichuan. It has exquisite patterns and bright colors. It is very commemorative." Li Xiao picked up a piece of Shu brocade and admired it carefully.

"Well, Shu brocade is indeed very beautiful. It would be perfect to buy it and give it to your female friends as a gift." Lin Yifei also agreed.