Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1530 1446.

Li Xiao stood on the street in BJ, feeling the cool autumn breeze. His friend Huang Pengfei stood beside him, holding a map in his hand with a frown on his face.

"Brother Xiao, where are we going today?" Huang Pengfei asked, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Li Xiao smiled and patted Huang Pengfei on the shoulder, "Let's go to the Forbidden City first to feel the royal style."

The two walked through the bustling Tiananmen Square and entered the ancient palace. The sunlight shone through the ancient glazed tiles and sprinkled on the long corridor. The magnificent palace looked particularly solemn in the autumn sun.

"Wow, this place is so big. How long will it take us to walk here?" Huang Pengfei exclaimed.

Li Xiao smiled and replied: "Take your time, we have plenty of time. Let's go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony first."

In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the two stopped to watch, and Li Xiao began to explain to Huang Pengfei the history and architectural features of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

"Brother Xiao, you know so much." Huang Pengfei said admiringly.

Li Xiao smiled proudly, "Let's go to the Imperial Garden, the scenery over there is more beautiful."

In the Imperial Garden, the two strolled along the path lined with ancient trees, admiring the exotic flowers and plants in the garden. Huang Pengfei couldn't help but take out his phone and kept taking pictures.

"Brother Xiao, look at these chrysanthemums, they are so beautiful." Huang Pengfei said, pointing to a cluster of blooming chrysanthemums.

Li Xiao nodded, "Yes, in autumn in BJ, chrysanthemums are the most beautiful."

After visiting the Forbidden City, the two decided to try BJ's special snacks. They came to Wangfujing Snack Street, where the aroma of various delicacies filled their noses.

"Brother Xiao, which one should we eat first?" Huang Pengfei looked at the dazzling array of snacks, a little undecided.

Li Xiao pointed to the noodle stand in front of him and said, "First, have a bowl of noodle, and then try the others."

The two found a place to sit down, and soon, bowls of fragrant noodles were served. Huang Pengfei couldn't wait to take a bite, and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

"Well, this tastes really good!" Huang Pengfei said while eating.

Li Xiao smiled and nodded, "After we finish eating, let's go shopping and see if there are any suitable specialties."

After eating and drinking, the two began to stroll in the snack street, picking out various BJ specialties. Li Xiao bought some BJ candied haws and Peking opera masks, while Huang Pengfei was fascinated by the exquisite cloisonné crafts.

As night fell, the two sat down in a teahouse in Wangfujing and enjoyed a Peking Opera performance. The actors on the stage were dressed in gorgeous costumes, singing melodiously and moving in exaggerated and expressive ways.

"Brother Xiao, this Peking Opera has a really unique flavor." Huang Pengfei exclaimed.

Li Xiao nodded, "Yes, this is traditional Chinese art, very distinctive."

After the performance, the two left the teahouse and walked back to the hotel.

"Brother Xiao, where are we going tomorrow?" Huang Pengfei asked.

Li Xiao smiled mysteriously, "Tomorrow, let's go to the Great Wall and feel the spirit of 'If you haven't been to the Great Wall, you are not a true man.'"

Huang Pengfei nodded excitedly, "Okay, I've wanted to go and see it for a long time."

The figures of the two people gradually walked away in the night. The autumn night in BJ was quiet and beautiful.

In the morning, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei got up early and prepared to go to the Great Wall. They took a tourist bus through the suburbs of BJ and arrived at the foot of the Great Wall.

"Brother Xiao, this Great Wall is so spectacular!" Huang Pengfei stood at the entrance of the Great Wall, looking at the winding and undulating walls, and couldn't help but admire it.

Li Xiao nodded and said, "Let's go, let's start climbing from here."

The two walked up the stone steps step by step. The bricks and stones of the Great Wall looked particularly old and solid under the morning light. They walked and stopped, taking pictures from time to time.

"Brother Xiao, look at the mountains over there, they are so beautiful!" Huang Pengfei said, pointing to the mountains in the distance.

Li Xiao responded with a smile, "Yes, this is the magic of nature."

After climbing for a while, they came to a beacon tower. Standing on the tower, looking out, the Great Wall was like a giant dragon, entrenched among the mountains.

"Brother Xiao, the scenery here is really refreshing." Huang Pengfei said with emotion.

Li Xiao nodded, "Yes, only when you stand on the Great Wall can you truly feel the wisdom and courage of the ancients."

The two rested for a while on the beacon tower, and then continued on their way. They talked as they walked, discussing the history and culture of the Great Wall.

"Brother Xiao, do you know how long the Great Wall is?" Huang Pengfei asked curiously.

Li Xiao thought for a moment and replied, "The total length of the Great Wall is about 21196 kilometers, making it the longest wall in the world."

Huang Pengfei opened his eyes wide in surprise, "It's so long, it's hard to imagine."

As the sun gradually rose, the two felt a little tired. They decided to rest in a small shop on the Great Wall and taste local snacks.

"Brother Xiao, let's order some grilled lamb skewers," Huang Pengfei suggested.

Li Xiao smiled and nodded, "Good idea, the lamb skewers here are very famous."

The two sat on a bench in the store, enjoying delicious kebabs and cold beer. After a rest, they continued their trip to the Great Wall.

"Brother Xiao, where are we going next?" Huang Pengfei asked.

Li Xiao smiled mysteriously, "Next stop, let's go to Xi'an to see the Terracotta Warriors."

Huang Pengfei nodded excitedly, "Terracotta Warriors, I've wanted to see them for a long time."

  As the sun set, the two reluctantly left the Great Wall and embarked on a journey to Xi'an.
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It was already noon the next day when Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei arrived in Xi'an. They didn't waste any time and went directly to the famous Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum.

"Brother Xiao, this is the Terracotta Warriors, one of the eight wonders of the world!" Huang Pengfei said excitedly as he stood at the entrance of the museum.

Li Xiao smiled and nodded, "Yes, each of the terracotta figurines here has its own unique expression and posture."

The two walked into Pit No. 1 and saw rows of neatly arranged terracotta warriors and horses before them, which were magnificent and shocking.

"Look at these terracotta figurines, each one is lifelike." Huang Pengfei exclaimed and took out his camera to take pictures non-stop.

Li Xiao pays more attention to details. "Look, the hair buns, armors and even the textures of the soles of these terracotta warriors are all made very finely."

As they walked slowly in Pit No. 1, Huang Pengfei suddenly asked, "Brother Xiao, why do you think Qin Shihuang built so many terracotta warriors for burial?"

Li Xiao pondered for a moment and replied, "This may be so that he can have a strong army even after his death to protect his tomb from being disturbed."

The two continued to visit Pit 2 and Pit 3, each with different features and types of terracotta figurines. Huang Pengfei was particularly interested in the chariots and horses.

"Brother Xiao, look at these terracotta horses, they are so lifelike." Huang Pengfei said, pointing at a terracotta horse.

Li Xiao nodded, "Yes, the muscle lines and expressions of these terracotta warriors are very vivid." After the visit, the two picked up some replicas of the Terracotta Warriors as souvenirs in the museum's souvenir shop.

"Brother Xiao, I bought this general figurine. What do you think of it?" Huang Pengfei asked, holding an exquisite pottery figurine model.

Li Xiao took a look and said with a smile, "You have a good eye. This general figurine is very imposing."

Afterwards, they decided to try Xi'an's specialties - roujiamo and liangpi.

"Brother Xiao, this roujiamo shop looks good." Huang Pengfei said, pointing to a small shop on the side of the road.

The two walked into the shop and ordered Roujiamo and Liangpi. Huang Pengfei took a bite of Roujiamo and the fragrance lingered in his mouth.

"This roujiamo is so delicious. The bun is crispy and the meat is fragrant." Huang Pengfei said while eating.

Li Xiao also nodded in agreement, "Xi'an's food is indeed well-deserved."

After eating and drinking, the two strolled on the streets of Xi'an, feeling the historical atmosphere of the city.

"Brother Xiao, where are we going tomorrow?" Huang Pengfei asked.

Li Xiao smiled mysteriously, "Tomorrow, let's go to Chengdu to see the giant pandas."

Huang Pengfei nodded excitedly, "Giant pandas, I've always wanted to see them up close."

As night fell, the two ended their day in Xi'an and looked forward to the next stop of their journey.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei set out for Chengdu early in the morning, full of anticipation for the giant pandas they were about to see. After a few hours' drive, they finally arrived at the Chengdu Giant Panda Base.

"Brother Xiao, look, that's the panda house over there!" Huang Pengfei said excitedly, pointing ahead.

Li Xiao responded with a smile: "Let's go and see these cute little guys."

They walked into the panda house and saw several giant pandas lazily lying on the grass, enjoying the warm sunshine. Visitors took out their mobile phones and cameras to record these precious moments.

"Brother Xiao, look at that panda, it's eating bamboo!" Huang Pengfei said, pointing to a giant panda chewing bamboo with relish.

Li Xiao nodded, "Yes, they are so cute when they eat bamboo."

The two stayed in the panda house for a long time, observing the various behaviors of the giant pandas. They also visited the cub area and saw several newly born panda babies.

"Brother Xiao, these baby pandas are so small and cute!" Huang Pengfei couldn't help but reach out to touch them, but quickly withdrew his hand because he knew he should not disturb them.

Li Xiao smiled and reminded: "Yes, they are still very small and need our protection."

After visiting the panda house, the two decided to try another specialty of Chengdu - hot pot. They found a hot pot restaurant recommended by the locals and ordered a classic spicy hot pot.

"Brother Xiao, this hotpot is so spicy!" Huang Pengfei wiped the sweat from his forehead with a tissue while eating.

Li Xiao also ate with gusto, "Chengdu's hotpot is indeed well-deserved, spicy but not dry, and fragrant."

After eating and drinking, the two walked on the streets of Chengdu, feeling the leisure and vitality of the city. They also went to Kuanzhai Alley to experience the integration of Chengdu's traditional culture and modern life.

"Brother Xiao, look at these teahouses, they really have a unique flavor." Huang Pengfei said, pointing to an antique teahouse.

Li Xiao nodded, "Yes, Chengdu's tea culture is very unique. We can find some time to sit down and taste tea."

As night fell, the two sat down in a tavern, tasting the local wine and listening to the melodious guzheng music.

"Brother Xiao, where are we going tomorrow?" Huang Pengfei asked.

Li Xiao smiled mysteriously, "Tomorrow, we will go to Lijiang to experience the customs of the Naxi people."

Huang Pengfei nodded excitedly, "Lijiang, I heard the scenery there is beautiful."

As the night deepened, the two ended their day in Chengdu and prepared for their next stop with great anticipation.

It was afternoon when Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei arrived in Lijiang. The sun shone on the stone pavement of the ancient city of Lijiang, emitting warm golden light. Carrying their bags, the two strolled through the alleys of the ancient city, feeling the unique Naxi culture here.

"Brother Xiao, the architecture here is so unique, simple and elegant." Huang Pengfei exclaimed, his fingers gently stroking an exquisitely carved wooden door.

Li Xiao nodded, "Yes, Lijiang Ancient Town has preserved many traditional buildings of the Naxi people. Every stone and tile here carries history."

They walked along the alley to Sifang Street, the center of the ancient city, surrounded by various shops and food stalls. They were attracted by a small shop selling Naxi handicrafts and walked in to take a closer look.

"Brother Xiao, look at this embroidery, it's so delicate." Huang Pengfei picked up a Naxi embroidered scarf and couldn't let it go.

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Buy it if you like it. This is a specialty of Lijiang."

The two strolled around Sifang Street for a long time, tasting local snacks such as chicken bean jelly and Naxi grilled fish. Huang Pengfei praised these novel foods.

"Brother Xiao, this grilled fish is really delicious. The fish meat is tender and the seasoning is unique." Huang Pengfei said while eating.

Li Xiao also nodded in agreement, "The snacks here are indeed unique."

As night fell, the lights of Lijiang Ancient Town gradually lit up, and the whole ancient town was decorated like a dream. The two decided to listen to a performance of Naxi ancient music.

"Brother Xiao, I heard that Naxi ancient music is very famous. Let's go and listen to it." Huang Pengfei suggested.

Li Xiao nodded, "Good idea, this is a good opportunity to learn about Naxi culture."

At the Ancient Music Hall, the two listened to the performance of ancient musical instruments and felt the charm of Naxi music. Huang Pengfei was deeply attracted by this unique music and used his mobile phone to record this unforgettable moment from time to time.

"Brother Xiao, this music is so beautiful. It gives me a feeling of traveling through time and space." Huang Pengfei said with emotion.

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Yes, music is a carrier of culture. It allows us to feel the emotions and history of different ethnic groups."

After the performance, the two found a small bar on the bar street in the ancient city and sat down, tasting local beer and enjoying Lijiang's nightlife.

"Brother Xiao, where are we going tomorrow?" Huang Pengfei asked.

Li Xiao smiled mysteriously, "Tomorrow, let's go to Dali to see the scenery of Erhai Lake."

Huang Pengfei nodded excitedly, "Erhai Lake, I heard the scenery there is very beautiful."

As the night deepened, the two ended their day in Lijiang and prepared for their next stop with great anticipation.

In the morning, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei set off for Dali. The car shuttled through the mountain roads in Yunnan, and the scenery outside the window was like a flowing painting, which made people feel relaxed and happy.

"Brother Xiao, how big is the Erhai Lake in Dali?" Huang Pengfei asked curiously.

Li Xiao looked out the window and replied, "Erhai Lake is the second largest freshwater lake in Yunnan, with an area of ​​about 256 square kilometers. It is one of the iconic attractions of Dali."