Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1740

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Don't just look at it, eat it quickly. Let's go eat the three-fresh bean curd first, which is one of the special snacks in Wuhan."

The three of them came to a store selling three-fresh bean curd. The store was full of people, so they had to wait in line outside. After a while, it was their turn. Li Xiao ordered three servings of three-fresh bean curd and found an empty seat to sit down.

Soon, three servings of steaming three-fresh bean curd were served. The bean curd was golden in color, dotted with green chopped green onions and fresh shrimps, and looked very tempting. Li Xiao picked up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of bean curd, put it in his mouth, and took a bite. The bean curd was crispy on the outside, and the glutinous rice inside was soft, sweet, and the fillings were rich and varied, including fresh meat, fresh eggs, mushrooms, etc., and the taste was delicious. Li Xiao couldn't help but give a thumbs up and said, "It's delicious. This three-fresh bean curd is really as good as its reputation."

Zhang Yuedong also tasted it, with a satisfied expression on his face. He said, "This tastes absolutely amazing. I have never eaten such delicious tofu skin."

Lin Yifei ate and took photos at the same time, saying: "I must take more photos of this delicious three-fresh bean curd so that my friends can see it too."

After eating the three-fresh bean curd, the three continued to walk in Hubu Lane. They also tasted duck neck, noodle nest, soup noodle and other delicacies. The duck neck has firm meat and a spicy and fresh taste, which makes people more and more addicted; the noodle nest has a unique shape, thin in the middle and thick around, with a crispy taste and rich rice aroma; the soup noodle has a rich soup base, the rice noodles are smooth, and it is paired with delicious fish and chopped green onions, which tastes very delicious.

After tasting each delicacy, the three would share their feelings. Zhang Yuedong said while eating duck neck: "This duck neck is too spicy, but it is so spicy that I can't stop eating it."

Lin Yifei said with a smile: "This is the charm of Wuhan duck neck. However, if you eat too much, you may get a sore throat."

Li Xiao said: "Don't worry, we will drink a bowl of iced mung bean soup later, which will help reduce the internal heat."

While walking, Zhang Yuedong saw a shop selling stinky tofu, with a long line in front of the shop. He said curiously: "This stinky tofu looks very popular, let's go and try it."

The three of them waited in line for a long time and finally bought the stinky tofu. The stinky tofu was golden and crispy on the outside, and the tofu inside was tender and juicy, with a special sauce on top, some chopped green onions and coriander. Zhang Yuedong couldn't wait to take a bite, and the aroma of the stinky tofu spread in his mouth instantly. While eating, he said, "I didn't expect the stinky tofu in Wuhan to be so delicious. It's different from what I've eaten before."

Lin Yifei also tasted it and said, "The sauce of this stinky tofu has a unique taste, with a light sweetness, which is paired with the stinky smell of the stinky tofu to create a unique flavor."

Li Xiao said: "Yes, Wuhan's food is like this, it always brings surprises to people."

In Hubu Lane, the three of them also tasted many other delicacies, such as hot dry noodles, soup dumplings, and siu mai, etc. They ate until their bellies were full and their faces were filled with happy smiles.

After eating the delicious food, the three of them strolled around Hubu Lane and bought some local specialties, such as duck necks, bean threads, hot dry noodle seasoning, etc. Zhang Yuedong said: "I will take these specialties back and let my family and friends try them so that they can also experience the food culture of Wuhan."

Lin Yifei said: "I will take some back and eat them slowly. These delicacies are unforgettable after eating them once."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Okay, let's buy some more. But don't forget to leave some for me."

Coming out of Hubu Lane, the three of them felt very satisfied. They not only tasted the special food of Wuhan, but also felt the rich market culture of Wuhan. Zhang Yuedong patted his stomach and said, "Today's meal was so delicious. I feel like my stomach is going to burst."

Lin Yifei smiled and said: "Yes, there are so many delicious foods in Wuhan, and each one is very memorable."

Li Xiao said: "This is only part of Wuhan's delicious food. There are more delicious foods waiting for us. Let's go to the next attraction."

So, the three of them continued their trip to Hubei with the expectation of the next attraction. The food in Hubu Alley also became a beautiful memory in their hearts.

The journey in Wuhan came to an end. The three stood in the square of Hankou Railway Station, the sun shining on them, with a hint of summer heat. The square was crowded with people, dragging their suitcases, walking hurriedly, and the radio kept broadcasting the train number and ticket inspection information.

Li Xiao looked at the high-speed train ticket in his hand and said, "Our train will be checking tickets soon, let's get in quickly. It only takes a little over an hour to get from Wuhan to Xiangyang by high-speed train, so we'll be there soon."

Zhang Yuedong said excitedly: "I have heard that Xiangyang is a famous historical and cultural city. This time I finally have the opportunity to visit it. I wonder what fun things there are there."

Lin Yifei held up his camera and took pictures of the buildings around the train station. He said, "No matter what fun there is, I'll go there first. I can't wait to explore this city."

The three followed the crowd into the train station, passed the security check, and came to the waiting hall. The waiting hall was full of people, all waiting for their trains. They found seats and sat down. Zhang Yuedong asked Li Xiao curiously: "Li Xiao, have you been to Xiangyang before? Tell us what's special about it."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "I've been there several times. Xiangyang is most famous for its ancient city wall and ancient Longzhong, which are important relics of the Three Kingdoms culture. There are also many delicious foods in Xiangyang, especially Xiangyang beef noodles, which are delicious. When we get to Xiangyang later, we will go and try them."

Lin Yifei's eyes lit up when he heard this: "Beef noodles? It sounds very tempting. I have never eaten Xiangyang beef noodles before. I am really looking forward to it."

After a while, the announcement of ticket inspection came over the radio. The three stood up, dragged their luggage, and followed the crowd to the ticket gate. After checking their tickets, they walked along the passage to the platform, where many people were already waiting for the train.

Soon, a white high-speed train slowly pulled into the platform and stopped steadily in front of them. The three found their own carriages and got on. The carriages were clean and tidy, and the seats were spacious and comfortable. They found their seats, sat down, fastened their seat belts, and waited for the train to depart. With a clear whistle, the train started slowly, gradually accelerated, and sped towards Xiangyang. The scenery outside the window flashed by quickly like a slide show, with cities, fields, and mountains passing by one by one. Zhang Yuedong looked out the window and exclaimed: "This high-speed rail is so fast. It feels like it has brought Wuhan and Xiangyang closer in an instant."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Yes, the convenience of transportation allows us to explore different cities more easily. Although Xiangyang is not as prosperous as Wuhan, it has its own unique charm. I believe you will like it."

More than an hour later, the train arrived at Xiangyang East Station on time. The three got off the train and followed the crowd out of the station. As soon as he left the station, Zhang Yuedong took a deep breath and said, "This is the air in Xiangyang. It feels a little different from Wuhan."

Lin Yifei smiled and said, "You have a pretty sharp sense. Xiangyang's industry is not as developed as Wuhan's, so the air is relatively fresher."

Li Xiao said: "Let's go to the hotel to put down our luggage first, and then go eat beef noodles. I know a very good restaurant not far from our hotel."

The three of them arrived at the hotel, checked in, put down their luggage, and couldn't wait to go out to find the legendary Xiangyang beef noodles. They walked along the street, observing the street scenes of the city along the way. The streets of Xiangyang are not as wide as those in Wuhan, but they are full of the breath of life. There are a variety of shops on the street, selling various daily necessities, special snacks, and antiques and calligraphy and paintings.

As he was walking, Zhang Yuedong suddenly smelled a strong fragrance. He sniffed hard and said, "What is this smell? It smells so good."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "This is the aroma of Xiangyang beef noodles. The store in front is the one I told you about. It's doing great business."

The three followed the aroma to a beef noodle restaurant, where they saw a long line in front of the restaurant and the restaurant was full of people. Zhang Yuedong looked at the line and said, "There are so many people in this restaurant, the food must be good."

Lin Yifei said: "It seems that we have come to the right place today. With so many people queuing up, it must be worth waiting."

The three of them waited in line for a long time, and finally it was their turn. Li Xiao ordered three bowls of beef noodles, a few side dishes and a few bottles of rice wine. They found an empty seat and sat down. After a while, three bowls of steaming beef noodles were served.

The noodles in the bowl are evenly thick and golden in color, covered with a thick layer of beef slices, which are ruddy in color and have clear textures. The noodles are also dotted with green chopped green onions, coriander and golden bean sprouts, and a spoonful of red chili oil, which looks mouth-watering. The soup is made from beef bones and a variety of spices, and is rich and mellow with a fragrant aroma.

Zhang Yuedong couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks and stir the noodles so that each noodle was coated with the soup, then picked up a large chopstick of noodles and stuffed it into his mouth. The noodles were chewy and had a light alkaline taste, which was very refreshing. The beef was soft and tasty, tender and juicy, and every bite was full of the aroma of beef. The soup was spicy and mellow, with just the right amount of numbing and spicy flavors, stimulating the taste buds and making people unable to stop. While eating, Zhang Yuedong kept praising: "It's delicious, this beef noodle is really as good as its reputation. This taste is better than any beef noodles I've had before."

Lin Yifei also tasted it, with a satisfied expression on his face. He said, "Wow, the combination of noodles and beef is absolutely perfect. The soup is so delicious, I feel like I can finish this bowl of soup."

Li Xiao smiled and said: "When eating beef noodles in Xiangyang, you must pair it with rice wine and garlic, so that it will be flavorful." As he said, he picked up a garlic, peeled it, took a bite, and then drank a sip of rice wine, with an expression of enjoyment on his face.

Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also followed Li Xiao's example, eating a bite of garlic and drinking a sip of rice wine. The spicy garlic and the mellow rice wine blended with each other, complementing the taste of the beef noodles and making their taste richer. Zhang Yuedong exhaled because of the spiciness, but he kept saying, "It's so enjoyable, so enjoyable. This is the first time I've experienced this way of eating, it's so cool."

The three of them ate and exchanged their feelings about the beef noodles. Zhang Yuedong said: "There is a lot of beef in this beef noodle, and it is all real big chunks of beef, unlike some places where the beef noodles only have a few thin slices of beef."

Lin Yifei said: "Yes, and the beef is cooked just right, soft and chewy. The noodles are also very special, moderately thick and chewy."

Li Xiao said: "The characteristics of Xiangyang beef noodles are spicy, numbing and fresh, with a rich taste and endless aftertaste. The chili oil in the noodles is made by stir-frying beef fat and various chilies, which is particularly fragrant. And the soup is boiled for several hours with beef bones and various spices, so it is so rich and mellow."

The three of them ate with gusto. After a while, they finished all three bowls of beef noodles, even the soup was gone. Zhang Yuedong patted his stomach and said, "This meal is so satisfying. I feel full of energy."

Lin Yifei smiled and said, "Yes, this Xiangyang beef noodles is indeed as good as its reputation. I think I will definitely miss this taste in the future."

Li Xiao said: "Xiangyang's food is not just beef noodles, there are many other special snacks, we will slowly taste them in the next few days. Let's go to the ancient city wall and feel the historical charm of this city."

So, the three of them continued their journey to Hubei with the wonderful aftertaste of Xiangyang cuisine and the anticipation of the ancient city wall.

After eating beef noodles, the three of them took a taxi to the Gulongzhong Scenic Area. Along the way, the scenery outside the car window kept changing, and high-rise buildings were gradually replaced by green mountains and clear waters. On both sides of the road, the crops in the fields were lush and green, swaying gently in the breeze, as if telling them the story of this land. In the distance, the mountains were rolling and shaded by green trees. Occasionally, you could see a few ancient villages, scattered in the mountains, giving people a sense of tranquility and peace.

Zhang Yuedong looked at the scenery outside the window and said excitedly: "This ancient Longzhong is quite far from the city. It feels like I have suddenly moved from the city to the countryside."

Lin Yifei also said: "Yes, the air here is so fresh, completely different from the city. I can't wait to get to Gu Longzhong and experience the place where Zhuge Liang lived in seclusion."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Ancient Longzhong is a great place. It not only has beautiful natural scenery, but also has a profound historical and cultural heritage. You will know when we get there."

After a while, the car arrived at the entrance of the Gulongzhong Scenic Area. The entrance of the scenic area was bustling with people coming and going. Some tourists were queuing to buy tickets, some were taking photos with the statues at the entrance, and some were listening carefully to the explanations of the tour guide. The archway at the entrance was tall and majestic, with three big characters "Gulongzhong" engraved on it, which seemed to show people its vicissitudes of history.