Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1580 3.
Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei packed their bags and set off on a new journey to the Xia Kingdom. This stop was the famous Fenghuang Ancient Town.

When the train they were on slowly pulled into the platform, Li Xiao looked out the window and saw this mysterious ancient city. He excitedly pushed Huang Pengfei who was dozing off next to him, "Hey, wake up! We are in Fenghuang Ancient City."

Huang Pengfei rubbed his eyes and stretched, "Finally here, I was so depressed along the way."

The two walked out of the train station and took the bus to the ancient city. Along the way, they admired the scenery outside the window, their hearts full of expectations.

Soon, the bus arrived at Fenghuang Ancient Town. They stood at the gate of the ancient town and were shocked by the beautiful scenery in front of them. The ancient city walls, bluestone-paved streets, and wooden stilt houses all seemed to be telling the history of this ancient town.

"Wow, it's so beautiful here!" Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaim.

"Yes, it feels like traveling back to ancient times." Huang Pengfei also agreed.

They strolled along the street, feeling the tranquility and simplicity of the ancient city. There were various small shops on both sides of the street, selling local souvenirs. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei walked into a small shop filled with exquisite handicrafts. Li Xiao picked up a Miao silver ornament and looked at it carefully, "This is really beautiful. I will buy it back for my sister. She will definitely like it."

Huang Pengfei took a fancy to a handmade wood sculpture and said, "This is good. I will buy it and put it on my desk."

After buying souvenirs, they continued to walk forward. Not far away, they heard a melodious song. They followed the song and came to the Tuojiang River. On the river, small boats passed slowly, and the tourists on the boats admired the beautiful scenery on both sides of the river, exclaiming from time to time.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei also rented a boat and sat on it, enjoying the beautiful scenery of Tuojiang River. The river water was clear and the fish swam freely in the water. The stilt houses on both sides were reflected in the water, forming a beautiful picture.

"The scenery here is so beautiful!" Li Xiao exclaimed.

"Yes, I feel more relaxed." Huang Pengfei said.

When the boat reached a scenic spot, the boatman introduced: "This is the former residence of Shen Congwen, a famous Chinese writer. His work "Border Town" was created with the ancient town of Fenghuang as the background."

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei got off the boat and walked into Shen Congwen's former residence, where photos, manuscripts and daily necessities of Shen Congwen were displayed, giving people a sense of the writer's life.

"Shen Congwen's writing is really charming. He describes the ancient town of Fenghuang so beautifully," said Li Xiao.

"Yes, I have read his "Border Town" before. I didn't expect to come here today and see the beautiful scenery he described with my own eyes." Huang Pengfei said.

After visiting Shen Congwen's former residence, they came to a local restaurant. The restaurant was full of tourists and business was very hot. They ordered several local specialties, including blood-soaked duck, Miao-style sour soup fish, and Phoenix bacon.

As soon as the dishes were served, they couldn't wait to taste them. "Well, it tastes really good!" Li Xiao praised while eating.

"Yes, these dishes are very special and different from what we usually eat." Huang Pengfei also said.

After dinner, they came to the square of the ancient city. Folk performances were being held in the square, including Miao songs and dances, Tujia hand-waving dances, etc. The actors were dressed in bright ethnic costumes, singing and dancing, and the scene was very lively.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei were infected by the lively atmosphere and joined the dancing crowd. They danced the hand-waving dance with the actors and felt the passion and unrestrainedness of the ethnic minorities.

After the performance, they went to see a bonfire party of the Miao people. At the party, the Miao girls wore beautiful ethnic costumes and danced around the bonfire. Tourists also joined in, holding hands, singing and dancing together, and spent a pleasant night.

The next day, they went to other scenic spots in Fenghuang Ancient City, such as Hongqiao, Wanming Tower, etc. Every time they went to a place, they were attracted by the beauty of the ancient city and kept taking pictures.

After two days of sightseeing in Fenghuang Ancient Town, they bought some local specialties such as ginger candy, dried kiwi fruit, Miao embroidery, etc. Then, they packed their bags and set off on a journey to the next attraction.

Continue "Journey to the Summer Country: Guilin Landscape"

After leaving Fenghuang Ancient Town, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei traveled all the way to Guilin, which is known for its "most beautiful landscapes in the world".

As soon as he got off the train, the moist air hit him in the face. Li Xiao took a deep breath and said with an intoxicated look on his face: "Pengfei, smell it, the air has the smell of mountains and rivers."

Huang Pengfei also took a deep breath and nodded, "It's true. I feel refreshed. Let's go and see the legendary Guilin landscape."

The two carried their bags and took a bus to the Li River. Standing by the river, they were stunned by the picturesque scenery. The clear river reflected the strange peaks on both sides of the river. The peaks were in different shapes, some like camels, some like elephants, some like old people, and some like fairies...

"Wow, this is so beautiful! It looks like a huge ink painting." Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Yes, I finally understand why they say 'Guilin's landscape is the best in the world'. The scenery is absolutely amazing." Huang Pengfei was also very excited.

They couldn't wait to board a cruise ship and started their journey on the Li River. The cruise ship was slowly sailing on the river, and the breeze was blowing, bringing a hint of coolness. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei stood at the bow of the boat, enjoying the beautiful scenery on both sides of the river.

"Look at that mountain. Doesn't it look like a frog about to jump?" Li Xiao said, pointing to a mountain peak.

"It really does! Does this one over here look like a big peach?" Huang Pengfei responded excitedly.

Along the way, they enjoyed the beautiful scenery and took photos non-stop. Occasionally, they could see fishermen paddling bamboo rafts with ospreys fishing on the river, which was a poetic scene.

After the boat sailed for a while, we arrived at the Nine Horses Painting Mountain. The tour guide said that the Nine Horses Painting Mountain is one of the essences of Guilin's landscape. The rock texture on the mountain formed a pattern of nine horses. People who can see the nine horses are said to be very smart.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei widened their eyes, looked carefully at the patterns on the mountain, and tried hard to count the number of horses.

"I saw three." Li Xiao said.

"I saw four." Huang Pengfei was not willing to be outdone.

"Haha, it seems we are not smart enough." Li Xiao said with a smile.

After touring the Li River, they went to Yangshuo West Street. West Street is an ancient street full of literary and artistic atmosphere, with various shops, bars and restaurants on both sides of the street. They strolled along West Street, feeling the liveliness and romance here.

"It's really nice here, with a great atmosphere," said Huang Pengfei.

"Well, let's come back in the evening, it will definitely be more lively." Li Xiao responded.

After walking around for a while, they felt hungry and found a local restaurant. The restaurant was crowded and business was booming. They ordered Yangshuo specialties such as beer fish, snails, and Lipu taro braised pork.

As soon as the dish was served, the aroma filled their noses. They couldn't wait to taste it. "Well, this beer fish tastes really delicious, the fish meat is tender and juicy, and it's delicious with the unique seasoning." Li Xiao praised while eating.

"Stuffed snails are also good and very unique. Stuffing meat filling into the snails has a very unique taste." Huang Pengfei also said.

After dinner, they strolled along West Street and bought some local specialties, such as Guilin rice noodles, Sanhua wine, Yangshuo painted fans, etc.

At night, West Street was even more lively. Music was heard from the bars, the streets were brightly lit, and people were coming and going. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei walked into a bar, ordered two beers, sat by the window, and admired the night view of West Street.

"The nightlife here is really rich." said Li Xiao.

"Yeah, I feel very relaxed." said Huang Pengfei.

The next day, they went to the Yulong River again. The scenery of the Yulong River is different from that of the Li River. It is more peaceful and beautiful. They took a bamboo raft down the river and admired the pastoral scenery on both sides.

"It's so beautiful here, just like a paradise." Li Xiao said with emotion.

"Yes, it makes people feel particularly peaceful." Huang Pengfei said.

After a day of sightseeing in Yulong River, they embarked on a journey to the next attraction with a lot of harvest. Continue "Summer Country Journey: West Lake in Hangzhou"

After bidding farewell to the beautiful landscape of Guilin, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei came to Hangzhou, which is known as the "paradise on earth". As soon as they set foot on this land, they felt the unique charm of the Jiangnan water town.

"Pengfei, it is said that there is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. There must be many beautiful scenery waiting for us in Hangzhou." Li Xiao said excitedly.

"That's for sure. I can't wait to see the West Lake." Huang Pengfei was also full of expectations.

The two took the subway to the West Lake. Looking up, the lake was sparkling, willows were swaying on the shore, and the mountains in the distance were looming in the clouds, like a beautiful landscape painting.

"Wow, this West Lake is so beautiful! It's even more beautiful than I imagined." Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaim.

"Yes, the scenery is simply intoxicating. Let's go and rent a boat to enjoy the beautiful scenery of West Lake." Huang Pengfei suggested.

They rented a small boat and slowly rowed to the center of the lake. The breeze blew on their faces, bringing bursts of flower fragrance. The lake water was so clear that you could see the bottom, and you could see fish swimming happily in the water.

"Look, there is a tower over there. Is it Leifeng Pagoda?" Li Xiao said, pointing to a tower in the distance.

"Probably. I heard there are many legends about Leifeng Pagoda." Huang Pengfei responded.

They enjoyed the beautiful scenery while talking about the legends and stories of West Lake. After a while, the boat arrived at Three Pools Mirroring the Moon. Three stone towers stood in the water. The towers were hollow, and five equidistant round holes were arranged on the spherical surface. If it was a moonlit night, thin paper was pasted on the hole mouths, and lights were lit in the towers, the hole shapes were imprinted on the lake surface, showing many moons. It was really difficult to distinguish the real moon from the fake moon, and the night scene was very charming.

"This Three Pools Mirroring the Moon really lives up to its reputation, it's so beautiful." Li Xiao exclaimed.

"Yes, this scenery is really unforgettable." Huang Pengfei also nodded in praise.

After getting off the boat, they strolled along the lake. There were many tourists taking photos and some elderly people taking a leisurely walk. They came to the Broken Bridge with Residual Snow. Although it was not winter and they could not see the beautiful scenery of the Broken Bridge with Residual Snow, they could still feel the historical charm of the bridge.

"It is said that Xu Xian and White Snake met on this bridge." Li Xiao said.

"Haha, then let's feel this romantic atmosphere too." Huang Pengfei said with a smile.

After walking around for a while, they felt hungry and went to look for local delicacies. They came to a Hangzhou restaurant and ordered special dishes such as West Lake vinegar fish, Longjing shrimp, and beggar's chicken.

As soon as the dishes were served, they were attracted by the exquisite presentation and tempting aroma.

"This West Lake Vinegar Fish looks delicious. The fish meat is tender and sweet and sour." Li Xiao picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth, saying with satisfaction.

"The Longjing shrimps are also good, the shrimps are fresh and tender, and the fragrance of Longjing tea and the deliciousness of the shrimps are a perfect combination." Huang Pengfei also praised it.

After dinner, they watched a Yue Opera performance. The actors were dressed in gorgeous costumes, sang beautifully, and performed delicately, which made them deeply feel the charm of Yue Opera.

"This Yue Opera is really beautiful and the actors' performances are wonderful," said Li Xiao.

"Yes, I didn't expect there would be such a wonderful performance in Hangzhou." Huang Pengfei said.

The next day, they went to Lingyin Temple again. Lingyin Temple is located in Feilai Peak Scenic Area, with a quiet environment and towering ancient trees. When they walked into the temple, they felt a solemn atmosphere.

"It's so quiet here, it purifies people's souls." said Li Xiao.

"Yes, in such a place, people will become calmer." Huang Pengfei responded.

After a day of sightseeing in Lingyin Temple, they bought some local specialties, such as West Lake Longjing tea, silk, Zhang Xiaoquan scissors, etc. Then, they packed their bags and prepared to go to the next attraction to continue their journey to the Summer Kingdom. Continue to "Journey to the Summer Kingdom: Chengdu"

After leaving Hangzhou, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei came to the charming Chengdu. As soon as they got off the plane, the lively and leisurely atmosphere hit them.

"Hey, Pengfei, they say Chengdu is a city you don't want to leave once you come here. I'm really looking forward to it now." Li Xiao said excitedly.

"Haha, I'm looking forward to it too. I heard there are a lot of delicious food here." Huang Pengfei responded with a smile.

The two took the airport bus to the city, found a hotel and put down their luggage, and then couldn't wait to go out and explore the city. They first came to Kuanzhai Alley, which is composed of Kuan Alley, Zhai Alley and Jing Alley in parallel.

Walking in Kuanzhai Alley, the quaint buildings make people feel like they have traveled back in time. There are all kinds of specialty shops on the street, some selling traditional handicrafts and some selling special snacks. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei looked at the various goods curiously while walking around.

"Wow, this panda doll is so cute!" Li Xiao said as he picked up a panda doll.

"Buy one. Chengdu's pandas are very famous," Huang Pengfei urged.

Li Xiao smiled and nodded, and bought the doll. Then they walked into a snack bar and ordered Chengdu specialty snacks such as Long Chao Shou, Zhong Dumplings, and Dan Dan Noodles.