Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1700

"Brothers, we have to plan carefully this time and take a spontaneous trip to China!" Li Xiao said loudly, waving the map in his hand excitedly.

Zhang Yuedong pushed his glasses and said seriously, "Yes, I think we should first decide where to go for the first stop. It would be best if we could choose a place with rich history and culture as well as unique natural scenery."

When Lin Yifei heard this, he immediately became excited: "Why don't we go to Chengdu! I've heard that there are giant pandas in Chengdu, and there are all kinds of delicious food, such as hot pot, skewers, and long wontons. Just thinking about it makes me drool."

Li Xiao's eyes lit up and he clapped his hands in approval: "Chengdu is great. There are also the Wuhou Temple and Du Fu Thatched Cottage there, where you can feel the charm of history and culture. I also heard that the pace of life in Chengdu is very slow and people live a leisurely life. Let's go and experience that slow life."

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Well, Chengdu is indeed a good choice. Let's decide. First stop - Chengdu!"

So the three of them began to pack their bags in a hurry. Li Xiao stuffed a few simple changes of clothes and toiletries into his backpack, and also took his beloved camera with him, ready to use the lens to record every wonderful moment of the journey.

Zhang Yuedong carefully sorted out various certificates, maps and a thick book about Chengdu's history and culture. He didn't want to miss any opportunity to learn about this city. Lin Yifei ran around the room, stuffing a few packets of snacks into his bag, and then took out his portable speaker, saying that he wanted to enjoy the company of music at any time during the trip.

Everything was ready, and the three of them arrived at the train station. The platform was bustling with people, full of the atmosphere of travel. Li Xiao looked at the bustling crowd and took a deep breath: "Finally, we are going to set off. I can't wait to explore Chengdu!"

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "Yes, this trip will definitely leave us with unforgettable memories."

Lin Yifei jumped up and down and said, "I can already smell the aroma of Chengdu's delicious food. Let's get in the car!"

As the train slowly started, the three people's trip to China officially kicked off. They sat by the window, watching the scenery outside the window gradually recede, their hearts filled with anticipation and excitement. Li Xiao took out his camera and pressed the shutter at the fields and mountains flashing by the window, wanting to keep this beautiful moment forever.

Zhang Yuedong opened the book in his hand and began to learn about Chengdu's history and culture in advance to prepare for the upcoming journey. Lin Yifei put on headphones, listened to cheerful music, hummed a few lines to the rhythm from time to time, and shared his expectations for Chengdu food with Li Xiao and Zhang Yuedong.

On the train, the three chatted and admired the scenery along the way. They talked about their respective dreams and expectations for this trip, and also shared some of their previous travel experiences. Li Xiao talked about his shock when he saw the sunrise at the seaside, Zhang Yuedong recalled his interesting experience of exploring historical relics in an ancient town, and Lin Yifei described with great excitement the unique food he tasted somewhere. Unknowingly, the train had been running for a long time, and the distance between them became closer because of this trip.

After several hours of driving, the train finally pulled into Chengdu Station. The three stood up excitedly, picked up their luggage, and followed the crowd out of the station. As soon as they stepped out of the station, a strong Chengdu atmosphere hit them. The streets and alleys were filled with the aroma of delicious food, and people spoke fluent Sichuan dialect, warm and friendly. Li Xiao took a deep breath and exclaimed: "This is Chengdu, it is as charming as I imagined!"

Zhang Yuedong also said with emotion: "Yes, everything here feels so fresh and full of vitality."

Lin Yifei couldn't wait to look around: "Let's find a place to stay and then go eat delicious food. I'm starving!"

So, the three of them took a taxi to their accommodation according to the hotel address they had booked in advance. Along the way, they admired the street view of Chengdu through the car window and felt the unique charm of this city. High-rise buildings and ancient buildings are intertwined, and modernity and tradition are perfectly integrated here.

After a while, they arrived at the hotel. After checking in and taking a short rest, they couldn't wait to start their exploration journey in Chengdu.

The first stop of the trip was the Wuhou Temple in Chengdu. This historic temple, bearing the vicissitudes of the Three Kingdoms period, is the only temple in China that enshrines both the emperor and his ministers, and is also the most famous memorial site for Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei and the heroes of Shu Han.

As soon as you step into the Wuhou Temple, you will be greeted by a strong historical atmosphere. The ancient cypresses are dense and lush, as if telling the vicissitudes of time. The red walls and bamboo shadows complement each other, forming a unique landscape. The sunlight shines through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, leaving mottled light and shadows on the red walls, like a natural painting. Li Xiao excitedly took out his camera and kept pressing the shutter, wanting to record this beautiful scenery one by one. "This red wall and bamboo shadow is so beautiful, it's like traveling back to ancient times." Li Xiao exclaimed while taking pictures.

Zhang Yuedong looked at the surrounding buildings and inscriptions with great interest, and kept repeating stories from the Three Kingdoms period. "Look, this is the famous stone inscription of "The Memorial to the Emperor on Leaving the Capital", Zhuge Liang's loyalty and wisdom are reflected in the words." He pointed to an inscription on the stone and said to Li Xiao and Lin Yifei.

Although Lin Yifei is not as obsessed with history as Zhang Yuedong, he is also infected by the strong historical atmosphere. "I didn't expect to feel such a strong Three Kingdoms culture here. It's really worth the trip." He said with emotion.

The three of them visited the main buildings such as Zhaolie Hall, Wuhou Temple, and Sanyi Temple along the central axis. In Zhaolie Hall, the statue of Liu Bei is majestic and his eyes are deep, as if he is still thinking about the great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty. In Wuhou Temple, Zhuge Liang is wearing a feather fan and a long scarf, and is elegant and wise. Sanyi Temple was built to commemorate the oath of brotherhood between Liu, Guan, and Zhang in Taoyuan, showing the deep friendship and loyalty between the three. Every building, every statue, and every inscription made them feel as if they had traveled through time and space and returned to the Three Kingdoms era when heroes emerged in large numbers.

During the visit, Zhang Yuedong explained historical allusions and stories of people in the Three Kingdoms period to Li Xiao and Lin Yifei from time to time, allowing them to have a deeper understanding of this period of history. "Zhuge Liang is really amazing, and his wisdom and loyalty have been praised by later generations." After listening to Zhang Yuedong's explanation, Li Xiao admired Zhuge Liang even more.

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, I have only seen the story of the Three Kingdoms in TV dramas before. This time I came to the Wuhou Temple in person and truly felt the charm of that period of history."

After visiting the Wuhou Temple, the three of them rested for a while in the courtyard inside the temple. The courtyard was shaded by green trees and filled with the fragrance of flowers, making people feel particularly comfortable. They sat on stone benches and shared their feelings about the Wuhou Temple and their understanding of the Three Kingdoms culture. "This visit to the Wuhou Temple has given me a deeper respect for history," said Zhang Yuedong. "These historical sites and cultural heritage are treasures of our nation, and we should protect and pass them on." Li Xiao and Lin Yifei both agreed. "That's right. If I have the chance in the future, I will go to more historical and cultural attractions to learn more historical stories," said Li Xiao.

After a short rest, the three left the Wuhou Temple. Although they left, the ancient charm and rich historical and cultural atmosphere of the Wuhou Temple were deeply imprinted in their hearts.

As night fell and the lights came on, Jinli Ancient Street gradually became lively. The three of them strolled on the bluestone road of the ancient street, as if they had traveled back to ancient Chengdu. The buildings on both sides of the street were quaint, with blue bricks and gray tiles, flying eaves and corners, simple and elegant. The red lanterns hung high, making the entire ancient street particularly warm.

The ancient street was bustling with people and filled with laughter. There were a variety of specialty shops selling traditional handicrafts, special snacks, souvenirs, etc. Li Xiao was attracted by a handicraft shop and went in to pick out several exquisite Shu embroidery works to take back as gifts for relatives and friends. "This Shu embroidery is so exquisite, every stitch and every thread contains a strong Sichuan culture." Li Xiao said with great interest.

Zhang Yuedong found a book about the history and culture of Chengdu in a bookstore. He couldn't wait to turn the pages and immerse himself in the ocean of knowledge. "This book contains many historical allusions and folk customs about Chengdu. I must study it carefully when I go back," said Zhang Yuedong.

Lin Yifei's eyes were attracted by all kinds of delicacies. He shuttled between the snack stalls and tasted the specialties of Chengdu. The sugar-coated fruit was bright yellow in color, crispy on the outside and glutinous on the inside, sweet and delicious. Each one was wrapped in a layer of white sesame seeds. When you bite it, the skin is crispy and the inside is soft, with a light sour taste, which makes people have endless aftertaste.

The Three Big Cannons are a performance-type delicacy. When making them, the chef pulls a handful of glutinous rice cakes from the pot, separates them into three lumps, and beats them rhythmically. The cakes bounce over the wooden board and leap into the winnowing basket filled with soybean flour placed above the board, making three "bang, bang, bang" sounds like cannons. They are then poured with brown sugar and sprinkled with sesame seeds. They are sweet and delicious, not greasy or sticky, and melt-in-the-mouth.

"It's so delicious. Chengdu's food is really as good as its reputation!" Lin Yifei praised while eating. He also warmly invited Li Xiao and Zhang Yuedong to taste it together. The three of them ate while feeling the unique charm of Chengdu's food.

In addition to food and shopping, Jinli Ancient Street also has performances by various folk artists. In front of the ancient stage, the wonderful performances of Sichuan Opera face-changing actors won applause from the audience. The actors changed their facial makeup quickly, which was dazzling and amazing. Li Xiao and Lin Yifei were also attracted by this magical performance and watched the actors on the stage intently. "This face-changing is so magical, how do they do it?" Lin Yifei asked curiously.

Zhang Yuedong explained with a smile: "This is the unique skill of Sichuan Opera. The actors can achieve such an effect through clever techniques and training."

In a corner, a folk artist was performing sugar painting. He scooped up the melted sugar juice with a spoon and quickly drew various patterns on the stone slab. After a while, a lifelike butterfly appeared in front of him. Li Xiao and Lin Yifei stood by and watched with great interest, praising the artist's superb skills. "This sugar painting is not only beautiful, but also delicious!" Lin Yifei picked up a sugar painting and ate it happily.

As the night deepened, more and more tourists came to Jinli Ancient Street, but the three did not feel tired at all. They continued to stroll in the ancient street, feeling the nightlife and unique cultural atmosphere of Chengdu. Every corner of Jinli Ancient Street was full of stories and memories, which made them linger.

Early the next morning, the three of them arrived at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which is the home of giant pandas and an excellent place for tourists to learn about giant pandas and get close to these cute babies.

As soon as they entered the base, they were attracted by the lush vegetation and fresh air. Following the sign, they could not wait to walk to the giant panda activity area. From a distance, they saw several giant pandas lazily lying on the grass basking in the sun, and some were eating bamboo with relish, looking very cute.

"Wow, I finally saw a real giant panda, so cute!" Lin Yifei jumped up excitedly and took out his phone to take pictures. Li Xiao and Zhang Yuedong were also moved by the scene in front of them, with happy smiles on their faces.

When they got closer, they saw a giant panda sitting on the ground, holding bamboo in both hands and eating with gusto. Its black and white fur, round body, and adorable appearance made people want to hug it. "This giant panda is so cute, it's the epitome of healing," Li Xiao said with a smile.

Zhang Yuedong observed the pandas' every move with great interest, and explained the pandas' living habits and characteristics to Li Xiao and Lin Yifei from time to time. "Although pandas look docile, they are actually bears with great strength. And they spend most of their time eating bamboo and sleeping, and their lives are very leisurely," said Zhang Yuedong.

In another area, several red pandas were playing. Sometimes they climbed up trees, sometimes they rolled on the ground, their lively and cute appearance made the tourists laugh. "These red pandas are so naughty, just like a group of children." Lin Yifei looked at the red pandas and laughed.

The three also visited the Panda Museum, where they learned more about the evolution, living environment and conservation status of giant pandas through pictures, texts and exhibits. "It turns out that giant pandas are such precious animals. We must protect their living environment well." Li Xiao said with emotion after watching the exhibition.

At the panda base, they also met a keeper who enthusiastically introduced the daily care and breeding of giant pandas to them, allowing them to learn more about these lovely animals. "Giant panda breeding is very difficult, and we need to put in a lot of effort and patience," the keeper said, "but seeing them grow up healthy and happy, we feel that everything is worth it."

When leaving the panda base, the three were reluctant to leave. These lovely giant pandas left a deep impression on them and made them feel the magic of nature and the preciousness of life. "It's really worth coming to the panda base this time. I will come again if I have the chance in the future," said Lin Yifei.

On the last night in Chengdu, the three decided to taste authentic Sichuan cuisine to give their taste buds a carnival. They walked into a popular Sichuan restaurant, which was bustling with diners enjoying the food and laughing happily, full of the atmosphere of life.

The waiter came over enthusiastically and handed over the menu. The three looked at the dazzling array of dishes and were a little confused about what to choose. "When you come to Chengdu, you must try twice-cooked pork and mapo tofu, which are classic representatives of Sichuan cuisine," Zhang Yuedong suggested.

"That's right, you can't miss boiled fish and hot pot lung slices either," Lin Yifei added.