Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

As they walked, they came to a shop selling Zhuang brocade. Zhuang brocade is a traditional handicraft of the Zhuang ethnic group, famous for its bright colors and exquisite patterns. The shop was filled with various Zhuang brocade products, including scarves, handkerchiefs, wall hangings, clothing, etc., each of which showed the wisdom and exquisite craftsmanship of the Zhuang people. Li Xiao picked a colorful Zhuang brocade scarf, wrapped it around his neck, looked at himself in the mirror, and said with a smile: "This scarf is really beautiful. It can be used as a decoration and as a souvenir."

Zhang Yuedong also bought some Zhuang brocade handkerchiefs to give to relatives and friends. "These handkerchiefs are very unique. Friends will definitely like them if I give them to them."

Lin Yifei has a special liking for a Zhuang brocade wall hanging. He carefully admired the pattern on the wall hanging. "The pattern of this wall hanging is so exquisite. Every detail shows the cultural characteristics of the Zhuang nationality. I want to buy it and hang it at home."

On West Street, they also bought some other specialties, such as monk fruit, Guilin chili sauce, Sanhua wine, etc. Monk fruit is one of Guilin's specialties. It has the effects of clearing heat and moistening the lungs, relieving cough and reducing phlegm, and is a very healthy drink. Guilin chili sauce is loved by people for its fresh and spicy taste. It can be used for seasoning or eaten directly. Sanhua wine is a famous wine in Guilin. The wine is clear and transparent, with a strong rice aroma, soft and mellow taste, and a long aftertaste.

As night falls, West Street becomes more lively. The lights in the bar flicker, the music plays one after another, and people relax and enjoy themselves here. The three of them walked into a bar, ordered a few drinks, sat by the window, and admired the night view outside the window. At this time, West Street was brightly lit, people came and went, and it was full of vitality and vigor.

"Today's journey was so wonderful. Not only did I enjoy the beautiful scenery of Guilin's landscape, but I also tasted a variety of delicious food and bought many special souvenirs." Li Xiao said with emotion as he picked up his drink.

Zhang Yuedong also smiled and said: "Yes, Guilin is really an intoxicating place. Everything here makes people feel extremely comfortable."

Lin Yifei looked at the night view outside the window, his heart filled with fond memories of this trip. "This trip will definitely become an unforgettable experience in our lives. I believe the rest of the journey will be even more exciting."

After resting for a while in the bar, they came to the performance venue of Impression Liu Sanjie. Impression Liu Sanjie is a large-scale live performance with the Lijiang River as the background and the legend of Liu Sanjie as the theme. The performance was directed by the famous director Zhang Yimou. Through various art forms such as lighting, music, and dance, it perfectly integrated the story of Liu Sanjie and the landscape culture of Guilin, presenting a visual and auditory feast for the audience.

At the beginning of the performance, a bright moon slowly rose above the surface of the Li River, and the moonlight sprinkled on the river, making the waves sparkle. As the melodious music sounded, a group of actors dressed in Zhuang costumes slowly walked over from the bamboo raft on the river, singing and dancing, singing Liu Sanjie's classic folk songs. The songs echoed between the mountains and rivers, as if bringing people into an ancient and mysterious world.

In the performance, the actors showed the traditional culture and living customs of the Zhuang people through wonderful dances and performances. Their movements were graceful and smooth, and their expressions were vivid and natural, which made people feel the enthusiasm and vitality of the Zhuang people. The lighting effects on the stage were also very shocking. The lights and the mountains and rivers set off each other, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. When the fishing fires lit up on the river, the entire river surface was illuminated red, and the scene was very spectacular.

"This performance is so shocking, it's really a feast for the eyes and ears." Li Xiao was fascinated by it and couldn't help but sigh.

Zhang Yuedong was also deeply attracted by the performance. "Director Zhang Yimou is really amazing. He perfectly combined the landscape of Guilin with the story of Liu Sanjie to create such a wonderful performance."

Lin Yifei was immersed in the atmosphere of the performance. "This performance gave me a deeper understanding of Guilin's landscape culture and made me feel the charm of traditional culture."

After the performance, the three left the venue with full of emotion and shock. At this time, Yangshuo was already immersed in the night, but their mood could not calm down for a long time. This day's journey made them have a deeper understanding and love for the city of Guilin. They returned to the hotel with expectations for tomorrow, ready to welcome the arrival of a new day.

After bidding farewell to the picturesque Guilin, the three of them set off on a journey to Xiamen. Xiamen, a coastal city full of literary and artistic atmosphere, has always been a place they yearn for. On the way to Xiamen, they were full of expectations and imagined the wonderful journey that was about to begin in this city.

"I heard that Gulangyu Island in Xiamen is full of literary and artistic atmosphere and has many specialty shops. I must go shopping there this time." Li Xiao said excitedly.

Zhang Yuedong responded with a smile: "Yes, and there is a beautiful sea view, which is exciting just thinking about it."

Lin Yifei also said with anticipation: "I also want to try Xiamen's food. I heard that shacha noodles and fried oysters are very delicious."

After arriving in Xiamen, they took a short rest and then could not wait to go to Gulangyu Island. Gulangyu Island, known as the "Garden on the Sea", is located in the southwest corner of Xiamen Island, across the sea from Xiamen Island. The island has a pleasant climate, spring-like weather all year round, no noise of cars and horses, and birds and flowers everywhere. It is like a bright pearl on the sea, inlaid in the green waves of Xiamen Bay. There are many buildings of different styles preserved here, enjoying the reputation of "International Architecture Expo". It is also a famous "Piano Island" and "Music Island" with a very profound cultural heritage.

The three of them boarded Gulangyu by ferry. As soon as they set foot on this land, they were attracted by the unique atmosphere here. The fresh sea breeze blew on their faces, with a faint smell of the sea, making people feel particularly comfortable. There are buildings of various styles on both sides of the street, including European-style villas, Chinese-style courtyards, and Nanyang-style arcades. Each building has its own unique story and history. They strolled on the streets of Gulangyu, admiring these beautiful buildings and feeling the unique charm of this island.

As they walked, they came to Shuzhuang Garden. Shuzhuang Garden is located behind the harbor of Gulangyu Island. It was built in 1913. The owner was Lin Erjia, also known as Shuzang, and the garden was named after his name. This garden was built by the sea. In the sea-hidden garden, there are caves beside the mountains, and stones are piled up to make up the mountains. It is a unique seaside garden that complements the mountains and waters in the distance.

Walking into Shuzhuang Garden, the first thing that comes into view is an exquisite courtyard with green trees and blooming flowers, full of vitality and vigor. On the right side of the courtyard is Meishou Hall, also called "Tan Yingxuan", because Taiwan was called Yingzhou in ancient times, which means nostalgia for Taiwan. There are curved embankments on both sides of the sea. During high tides, you can sit on the embankment and lean over to scoop up water. If it is a moonlit night, you can appreciate the artistic conception of "scooping water and the moon in your hand" and "full of flying mirrors". "This garden is really beautiful, and every scene is full of poetry." Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, the architecture and natural landscape here are perfectly integrated, making people feel as if they are in a fairyland."

Then, they came to Renqiu Pavilion. Renqiu Pavilion was built in the autumn of the lunar year Renxu and got its name. On the day of its completion, it was the first clear day after a long rain, and the mountains and rivers were as clean as a mirror. The owner took this opportunity to invite guests to recite poems, and he also recited the line: "The cranes across the river have gone, but the sound of the flute remains. I don't believe it has been depressed for eight hundred years." Renqiu Pavilion is half land and half water, with two arches in the east and west, one facing the land and the other facing the water. From here, you can enjoy the mountains and the sea, the mountain mist, the clouds, the sails and the seagulls.

Coming out of Renqiu Pavilion, they walked along a winding path and came to the Forty-four Bridge. The Forty-four Bridge is the main scenery of the country, named after the owner who was forty-four years old when he built the bridge. There is a gate under this bridge, which leads the sea water into the garden, forming three parts: the sea, the outer pool and the inner pool, hiding the sea. Because the bridge is tortuous and lying on the sea, it is like a swimming dragon. There are fish viewing platform, crossing the moon pavilion and Qianbo Pavilion on the bridge. There is a couplet on the crossing the moon pavilion: "The long bridge supports the sea for three thousand feet, and the bright moon floats in the sky with twelve railings". On a moonlit night, sitting in the pavilion, watching the bright moon in the sky, the quiet shadow sinking into the jade, makes people think about it, and the sound of the waves under the moon is as light as whispers, as if talking to people. It is best to visit here on a moonlit night.

"Standing on this bridge and looking at the sea in front of me really makes people feel relaxed." Lin Yifei opened his arms and felt the sea breeze.

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Yes, the scenery here is so charming, I want to stay here for a while longer."

After enjoying the beauty of the Forty-Four Bridges, they came to the Bushan Garden. Bushan Garden implies that the mountains and rivers are broken and in urgent need of repair. There are the famous Twelve Caves here, which are artificially created chain caves, like monkey caves. Because guests cannot find their way into the caves, they are also called the Soul-Locking Caves. The Twelve Caves are named after the Earthly Branches of Zi, Chou, Yin,... Wu, and Hai. The caves are of different sizes and shapes, and the paths are scattered, winding up and down, and twisting and confusing. The three people shuttled through the Twelve Caves, as if they were in a mysterious maze, full of fun.

"These Twelve Caves are really interesting. It feels like playing an adventure game." Zhang Yuedong said with a smile.

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, the design here is so ingenious that people can't help but want to find out."

After leaving the Twelve Caves, they came to Yi Ai Wu Lu, the courtyard where the Lin family lived. In the past, it was surrounded by bamboo fences and planted with chrysanthemums. The owner was quite satisfied with the home scene while appreciating "the bamboo and thatched cottage is content", so it was named "Yi Ai Wu Lu". The architectural style in the courtyard is simple and elegant, full of the breath of life.

After visiting Shuzhuang Garden, they came to the Piano Museum. Gulangyu Piano Museum is located in the "Tingtao Pavilion" of Shuzhuang Garden. It was completed in January 2000. It displays more than 1 harpsichords collected by the patriotic overseas Chinese Hu Youyi, including rare and precious gilded pianos, the world's earliest square piano and the earliest and largest upright piano, as well as ancient hand-cranked pianos, pedal-operated automatic pianos produced a hundred years ago, and eight-pedal harpsichords and other precious collections.

Walking into the piano museum, a strong artistic atmosphere hit them. They saw a variety of pianos, each with its own unique history and story. Some pianos were treasures of European noble families, and some were instruments once used by famous musicians. These pianos have different shapes, including simple and elegant square pianos, gorgeous and exquisite grand pianos, and small and exquisite upright pianos. They are made with exquisite craftsmanship, and the carvings and decorations on the pianos are exquisite and breathtaking.

In the museum, they also met an enthusiastic tour guide who introduced the history and characteristics of each piano in detail, allowing them to have a deeper understanding of these pianos. The tour guide also told them the story of Mr. Hu Youyi donating these pianos, allowing them to feel his love for music and his deep affection for his hometown.

"These pianos are truly precious. Each one carries the memory of history and the soul of music," Li Xiao said with emotion.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, through these pianos, we seem to be able to travel through time and space and feel the charm of music from different eras."

After visiting the Piano Museum, they continued to stroll on Gulangyu Island. There are many specialty shops here, selling various handicrafts, souvenirs and special foods. They walked into a small shop filled with various exquisite shell ornaments, including necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc., each of which is unique. Li Xiao picked a shell necklace, put it on his neck, and said with a smile: "This necklace is really beautiful and very memorable."

Zhang Yuedong also bought some shell crafts to give to relatives and friends. "These crafts are very unique and my friends will definitely like them."

Then, they came to a shop selling pies. Xiamen pies are a pie snack made of high-quality flour, lard, and top-grade mung beans. It is a specialty snack in Xiamen City, Fujian Province with a history of more than 100 years and belongs to the Fujian cuisine. There are two types of Xiamen pies: sweet pies are made with mung bean paste, lard, and sugar; salty pies are made with diced meat, lard, and sugar. The pies here are sweet, crispy, moist, and cool, with a variety of flavors, and are deeply loved by tourists. They tasted several different flavors of pies and thought they tasted very good, so they bought some to take back.

On Gulangyu Island, they also tasted many other delicacies, such as earthworm jelly, roasted pork dumplings, peanut soup, etc. Each delicacy has a unique flavor, which made them enjoy a great feast. Earthworm jelly is made from boiled star worm glue liquid with a special sauce, and has a chewy and smooth texture and delicious taste; roasted pork dumplings contain glutinous rice, mushrooms, pork belly, chestnuts and other ingredients, which are fragrant and soft and delicious; peanut soup is made from boiled peanuts, with a delicate taste, sweet but not greasy.

As night fell, Gulang Island became even more charming. The lights on the street flickered, intertwined with the sound of the waves, creating a romantic and warm atmosphere. They came to the beach, sat on the beach, looked at the sea view in the distance, felt the breeze, and their hearts were filled with love and attachment to this city. (End of this chapter)