Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

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"The murals in Mogao Grottoes are masterpieces of ancient artists. They not only have extremely high artistic value, but also reflect the social life, religious beliefs and cultural exchanges of the time." Li Xiao explained to Huang Pengfei while admiring the murals.

They slowly toured the Mogao Grottoes, carefully appreciating the murals and sculptures in each cave, each of which made them feel the charm and wisdom of ancient art.

"Hey, Lao Li, look at the flying figures on this mural, they are so beautiful!" Huang Pengfei said, pointing to a mural.

"Flying Apsaras are a classic image in the Mogao Grottoes murals. Their light and graceful dancing symbolizes people's yearning for a better life," said Li Xiao.

After leaving Dianchi Lake, they came to the Stone Forest. As soon as they entered the Stone Forest, they were attracted by the strange stones. Some stones looked like elephants, some like mushrooms, and some like swords. The shapes were so different that they made people marvel.

"Wow, this stone forest is so magical! Look at that stone, does it look like a big turtle?" Huang Pengfei said, pointing to a stone.

"It really looks like it! The wonders of nature are truly admirable." Li Xiao said.

They shuttled through the stone forest, feeling the charm of nature. Every stone seemed to be telling a story, which made people imagine.

After visiting the scenic spots, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei were hungry, so they came to a local restaurant to taste Kunming's delicacies.

"Boss, can you recommend any special dishes?" Huang Pengfei said.

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.

Coming out of the station, the two were attracted by the lively scene in front of them. The streets were crowded with people and the shops on the street were full of dazzling goods. Li Xiao excitedly pulled Huang Pengfei's arm and said, "Hey, Lao Huang, look at how lively this place is! It must be very fun." Huang Pengfei smiled and responded, "Of course, we have come all the way here, and every place is full of surprises. Let's go, find a place to stay first, put down the luggage and have a good look around."

The two found an antique inn to stay in. After a short rest, they couldn't wait to go out to experience the charm of Fenghuang Ancient Town. Walking along the bluestone road, the Tuojiang River flows slowly, and the river water is clear and transparent. The stilt houses on the riverside are scattered and seem to be telling ancient stories.

"Wow, this is so beautiful!" Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh. Huang Pengfei also nodded and praised: "Indeed, this scenery is really amazing. Let's go to those unique shops first." The two walked into a handicraft shop, which was filled with various exquisite Miao silver ornaments, handmade embroidery, etc. Li Xiao picked up a pair of silver earrings, gestured in front of the mirror and said: "Old Huang, what do you think of these earrings? I think they are quite suitable for my sister." Huang Pengfei came over to take a look and said: "Not bad, very beautiful. Your sister will definitely like it." Li Xiao smiled and put the earrings into the shopping cart and continued to choose other gifts.

After visiting the shop, they came to the Tuojiang River. There were many small boats sailing slowly on the river, and the boatmen were rowing and singing melodious folk songs. Li Xiao said excitedly, "Old Huang, let's go take a boat ride too." Huang Pengfei nodded in agreement. They got on a small boat, and the boatman greeted them warmly. The boat moved slowly on the river, and the breeze blew on their faces, making people feel extremely comfortable.

The boss introduced enthusiastically: "Our cross-bridge rice noodles, steamed pork with rice flour, and tofu rice noodles are all very good, and are all local specialties."

"Okay, then give me one each." Li Xiao said.

Soon, all the dishes were served. The soup of the cross-bridge rice noodles was delicious and the side dishes were rich. The steamed pork with rice flour was soft, glutinous and fragrant. The tofu rice noodles were refreshing and delicious, with a unique flavor.

After visiting the Mogao Grottoes, they were still restless. In order to better experience the culture of Dunhuang, they came to a local restaurant to taste the special food of Dunhuang.

"Boss, give me a serving of donkey meat noodles and a serving of apricot peel water." Li Xiao said.

Soon, the food was served. The donkey meat noodles were chewy, the donkey meat was tender and delicious; the apricot peel water was moderately sweet and sour, refreshing and thirst-quenching.

"Well, this donkey meat yellow noodles tastes really good. Old Li, you should try it too." Huang Pengfei said while eating donkey meat yellow noodles.

Li Xiao took a bite and nodded in praise, "It's really delicious. Dunhuang's food is very unique and makes people linger on the taste."

After dinner, they came to Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake. Standing on Mingsha Mountain, overlooking the Crescent Lake below, the emerald green spring looked particularly beautiful in the desert.

"Old Li, this Crescent Spring is so magical! There is such a clear spring in the desert." Huang Pengfei said with emotion.

"Crescent Lake is a masterpiece of nature. It and the Mingsha Mountain complement each other to form a unique desert beauty," said Li Xiao.

They played on Mingsha Mountain for a while and experienced the excitement of sand sliding. Then, they came to the Crescent Moon Lake and quietly admired the beautiful scenery.

In the evening, they returned to the hotel and reminisced about the day's experiences.

"Lao Li, this trip to Dunhuang is really great. I feel like I have a deeper understanding of ancient culture," said Huang Pengfei.

"Yes, Dunhuang's history and culture are shocking. However, our journey continues, and there are more beautiful scenery waiting for us to discover," said Li Xiao.

They bought some special products in Dunhuang, such as replicas of Dunhuang murals, luminous cups, etc. Then, they left Dunhuang with a lot of harvest and embarked on a new journey. They believed that there were more wonderful things waiting for them in the vast land of Xia.

After bidding farewell to the mysterious Dunhuang, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei set off on a journey to Xishuangbanna with great anticipation. Along the way, they imagined what kind of surprises the tropical land would bring them.

"Old Li, I heard that Xishuangbanna is very beautiful, with many tropical plants and ethnic minority customs." Huang Pengfei said excitedly.

Li Xiao responded with a smile: "Yes, Xishuangbanna is a charming place with unique natural scenery and rich ethnic culture."

After a lot of twists and turns, they finally arrived in Xishuangbanna. As soon as they got off the plane, a humid and hot air hit them in the face, making them feel the tropical atmosphere instantly.

"Wow, it's so hot in Xishuangbanna!" Huang Pengfei said while wiping the sweat off his face.

They came to the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. As soon as they entered the garden, it was as if they had entered a green world. Various tropical plants were lush and green, tall trees reached the sky, and exotic flowers and plants competed for beauty.

"Old Li, look how tall this tree is!" Huang Pengfei said while looking up at a huge Parashorea chinensis.

"The Parashorea chinensis is one of the iconic plants of Xishuangbanna. They are very tall and can grow to dozens of meters high," said Li Xiao.

They strolled through the botanical garden, admiring the various rare tropical plants, colorful orchids, succulents of strange shapes, and various palm trees.

"Hey, Lao Li, look at this flower, it's so beautiful!" Huang Pengfei said, pointing to a bright flower.

"This is the Datura flower. Although it is beautiful, it is somewhat poisonous," said Li Xiao.

After visiting the botanical garden, they came to a Dai village, where the architecture was full of ethnic characteristics, and bamboo houses were scattered in the village.

"Old Li, this Dai bamboo house is so unique!" Huang Pengfei said curiously while looking at the bamboo house.

"The bamboo houses of the Dai people are their traditional buildings, which are well-ventilated and very suitable for tropical climates," said Li Xiao. They visited the village and learned about the living customs and traditional culture of the Dai people. The Dai people were hospitable and invited them to taste the local specialties.

"Boss, give me a serving of grilled lemongrass fish, a serving of pineapple purple rice, and a serving of Dai-style pounded chicken feet." Li Xiao said.

Soon, the food was served. The lemongrass grilled fish was fragrant, the pineapple purple rice was sweet but not greasy, and the Dai-style pounded chicken feet was sour and spicy.

"Well, the food in Xishuangbanna is really good. Lao Li, you should try it too." Huang Pengfei said while eating grilled fish with lemongrass.

Li Xiao took a bite and nodded in praise, "It's really delicious. Xishuangbanna's food is mainly sour, spicy, and sweet, which is very unique."

After dinner, they watched a Dai dance performance. The actors were dressed in gorgeous ethnic costumes, singing and dancing, which was wonderful.

"Old Li, this Dai dance is so beautiful!" Huang Pengfei said excitedly.

"The Dai people's songs and dances are full of vitality and enthusiasm, reflecting their love for life," said Li Xiao.

In the evening, they attended a bonfire party. Everyone sat around the bonfire, singing, dancing, and playing games. The atmosphere was very lively.

"Lao Li, this trip to Xishuangbanna is really great. I don't want to leave." Huang Pengfei said.

"Haha, Xishuangbanna is indeed a place that makes people nostalgic. However, we still have many places to go, so let's come back when we have the chance in the future." Li Xiao said.

They bought some specialties in Xishuangbanna, such as Pu'er tea, Dai brocade, and dried tropical fruits. Then, they left Xishuangbanna with a lot of harvest and embarked on a new journey. They believed that there were more beautiful scenery waiting for them to discover in the vast land of Xiaguo.

Leaving the colorful Xishuangbanna, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei embarked on a journey to Harbin. Along the way, they were full of expectations for the ice and snow world they were about to see.

"Old Li, I heard that winter in Harbin is like a fairy tale world. I wonder if it's true." Huang Pengfei said excitedly.

Li Xiao responded with a smile: "Harbin is indeed very beautiful in winter, with spectacular ice and snow buildings, lively ice and snow activities and delicious Northeastern cuisine."

After a long journey, they finally arrived in Harbin. As soon as they got off the train, a cold breath hit them, making them instantly feel the winter in the north.

"Wow, it's too cold!" Huang Pengfei said as he wrapped his cotton coat tightly.

They came to Central Street, which was full of European style and unique architectural style. There were all kinds of shops and restaurants on both sides of the street, which was very lively.

"Old Li, look at this building, it's so beautiful!" Huang Pengfei said, pointing to a European-style building.

"Most of the buildings on Central Street are in European style. Many historical buildings are preserved here. It is one of the important attractions in Harbin," said Li Xiao.

They strolled along the central street, admiring the beautiful buildings and streetscapes. The street was paved with breadstone, which was very textured to walk on.

"Hey, Lao Li, look, there's some sausage for sale over there, let's go buy some and try." Huang Pengfei said.

They came to a store and bought some Harbin red sausages, which were delicious and fragrant.

"Well, this red sausage is really delicious. Old Li, you should try it too." Huang Pengfei said while eating the red sausage.

Li Xiao took a bite and nodded in praise, "It's really good. Harbin red sausage is a local specialty and very chewy."

Then, they came to the Ice and Snow World. As soon as they entered the park, they were shocked by the scene in front of them. Various ice sculptures and snow sculptures were lifelike and looked particularly beautiful under the light.

"Old Li, this is too spectacular!" Huang Pengfei widened his eyes and opened his mouth.

They played in the Ice and Snow World and admired the exquisite ice and snow sculptures, including castles, animals, people and other shapes, making people feel like they are in a fairy tale world.

"Hey, Lao Li, look at that ice castle, it's so beautiful!" Huang Pengfei said, pointing to an ice castle.

"The ice and snow sculptures in the Ice and Snow World are all carefully carved by artists, and each piece is full of creativity and artistic sense," said Li Xiao.

They also experienced ice and snow activities such as skating and skiing and had a lot of fun.

In the evening, they came to a Northeastern restaurant to taste authentic Northeastern cuisine.

"Boss, give me one serving of goose stewed in an iron pot, one serving of three fresh vegetables, and one serving of pork stewed with vermicelli." Li Xiao said.

Soon, the food was served. The iron pot stewed goose was fragrant, the three fresh vegetables were rich in flavor, and the pork stewed with vermicelli was smooth in taste.

"Well, this Northeastern cuisine is really delicious. Lao Li, I feel like I can eat several bowls of rice." Huang Pengfei said while eating a goose stewed in an iron pot.

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Northeastern cuisine is known for its large portions and delicious taste. It is very distinctive."

After dinner, they came to the Songhua River, where thick ice had formed on the surface, and people were playing, skating, and riding sleds on the ice, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Old Li, the Songhua River is so beautiful!" Huang Pengfei exclaimed as he looked at the beautiful scenery on the river.

"The Songhua River in winter is a unique landscape in Harbin, where you can enjoy the beautiful ice and snow scenery and river views," said Li Xiao.

The next day, they went to Sun Island again, where there were many snow sculptures and some winter entertainment activities.

"Lao Li, this trip to Harbin is really great. I don't want to leave." Huang Pengfei said.

"Haha, Harbin is indeed an unforgettable place. However, we still have many places to visit, so let's come back when we have the chance in the future." Li Xiao said.

They bought some specialties in Harbin, such as red sausage, fungus, mushrooms, etc. Then, they left Harbin with a full harvest and embarked on a new journey. They believed that there were more beautiful scenery waiting for them to discover in the vast land of Xiaguo. (End of this chapter)