Los Angeles Detective

  Chapter 43 Cultural Export

  Beside the Chinese Street Archway.

   Daisy got off the motorcycle and looked at the street ahead, "Wow, this is Chinatown? I've heard it often, but it's the first time I've come here."

  Luke parked his Harley motorcycle and stretched out his right hand, "Miss Daisy, can I be your guide?"

  Daisy laughed, "I don't pay tips."

"My pleasure."

  Daisy hesitated for a moment, then put her left hand on Luke's right.

  The sky is getting dark, and the red lanterns are lit up in Chinatown, which looks more Chinese than during the day.

  You can see many Chinese faces on the street, and it is easy to distinguish locals and tourists from their demeanor, clothing, and behavior.

  The street was very busy with people coming and going. Daisy glanced around and found everything new, but she didn't seem to want to know more about it.

  A stage was set up not far away, and many spectators gathered. From time to time, there were cheers, and some foreigners shouted, "good, good."

   "Hua Guo Kung Fu."

  Luke led Daisy in and saw a big blue painted face standing on the stage, holding a red fan in his right hand, and saw the fan in his hand waved towards his face, "Crack!"

   Looking in the blink of an eye, it has turned into a big red face.

   There was another burst of applause from around.

  The red painted face turned around on the stage, and with a wave of the fan, it turned into a yellow painted face again.

   "Wow..." Daisy also showed a look of surprise, "Is this Huaguo magic? It's the first time I've seen it."

  Lu Ke introduced, "This is a traditional Chinese opera called Sichuan Opera Face Changing. It is said that performers can change fourteen faces in an instant."

  Daisy was curious, "How did he do it?"

   "This unique skill has been classified as a second-class national secret, and it has strict teacher inheritance, so it is difficult for outsiders to find out." Luke's words made Daisy more interested.

  Applause again and again, full of praise, the two did not leave until the end of the performance.

  People are both curious and resistant to unknown things.

  The face-changing of Sichuan opera made Daisy interested in Huaguo culture, and she was willing to learn more about it, instead of just watching flowers on horseback.

  Daisy walked to the door of a store, pointed to the items inside, "Are these made of wood?"

   "This is bamboo weaving, all made of bamboo."

   "It's made of bamboo? Are you sure?" Daisy pointed to a beautiful bamboo vase and said with an incredulous expression.

  "Bamboo has relatively good toughness. Artists will split bamboo into filaments and thick branches. The thick branches are bones and the filaments are ropes. They are intertwined and weaved into various patterns and tools."

  Daisy went into the store to watch, walked around, and finally chose a vase.

   Luke wants to pay the bill, but Daisy refuses.

  The two of them went out, and after a short walk, they saw a candied haws shop.

  Luke swallowed instinctively, and bought two skewers.

  Daisy looked at the thriving candied haws, blinked her big eyes, "What is this?"

   "Hawthorn, with a layer of syrup on the outside, is a special snack in Huaguo."

  Daisy took it, took a bite, and nodded slightly, "good, sweet and sour, I like this taste."

   The two of them were eating candied haws, and it really felt like a couple shopping.

  Passing by a cheongsam shop, Luke stopped, "Daisy, do you want to go in and have a look?"

   "I really want to see this style of clothes..."

   Luke reminded, "Cheongsam."

   "Yes, I saw it in a movie."

   "Want to go in and try it?" Luke really wanted to see Daisy wearing a cheongsam.

   "Now? No, I'm not ready yet..." Daisy reached out and touched the fabric, "I might be willing to try if I have a chance..."

   "OK, let's go get something to eat." Luke was somewhat disappointed, pointing to a restaurant called 'Hua Yue Ju' in front of him.

  Daisy nodded, "I like Chinese cuisine."

   "What dishes do you like to eat?"

   "Kung Pao Chicken, General Tso's Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, Fried Noodles, and Spring Rolls are all very good."

  Luke smiled, took Daisy's hand and walked into the restaurant, "I'll show you some different Huaguo cuisine."

"I am looking forward."

   Entering the restaurant, the two found a seat by the window where they could see the street view outside.

  An Asian woman in a cheongsam came over and handed them a menu. Daisy looked at the waitress, wondering if she regretted not entering the cheongsam shop to try.

   "Daisy, what would you like to eat?"

  Daisy smiled, "Aren't you going to take me to eat some different Chinese dishes?"

  Luke glanced at the menu briefly, "Roast squab, Mushu meat, ants climbing a tree, chopped pepper fish head, shiitake mushrooms and rapeseed, Buddha jumping over the wall, and a pot of Longjing."

   This restaurant has a good sense of service, and the food is served quickly.

  The first course is roast pigeon.

  Daisy said, "I like to eat roast duck, but this one...is it a bit small?"

   "It's a pigeon."

   "What? Pigeons! I bought them, but you actually eat pigeons."

   "It's delicious."

   "nonono..." Daisy resisted.

   "Delicious." Luke took a pigeon leg and gnawed it.

   "Oh..." Daisy frowned, seemingly unacceptable.

   Luke puts down another pigeon leg, "Taste it, trust me."

  Daisy hesitated for a while, and then took a small bite when she saw that Luke was eating deliciously. After savoring the taste, she chewed and ate slowly.

   Luke laughed, "How is it?"

   "It's... okay."

  Luke offered her another piece of pigeon wing, and Daisy didn't refuse, and ate it again.

  Other dishes were also served one after another.

  There are things Daisy likes, and there are things she can't accept.

  For example, for the fish head with chopped pepper, Luke persuaded him several times to lift up God, and Daisy was unwilling to try it.

  To Luke's surprise, Daisy's favorite food is actually ants climbing trees, and it tastes like spaghetti.

   The second place should be the roasted pigeon. Although she didn't say it clearly, Luke ordered another roasted pigeon, and she ate most of it.

   Overall, the dinner was not bad.

   After eating, the two were ready to go back.

   On the side of the road, Luke saw a paper cutting shop.

  The boss is a Chinese man in his forties. He is dexterous and can cut paper very quickly.

  Luke asked him to make a paper cutout for the two of them.

  I saw that the boss was holding a piece of red paper in his left hand and scissors in his right hand. He was looking at Luke and Daisy. As the scissors opened and closed, scraps of paper fell on the table.

   Within a few clicks, the prototype of the group photo of the two was formed. After some trimming, the paper-cutting was ready.

   After that, the boss inlaid the paper-cuts in the glass frame.

  Daisy took the paper-cut, looked at the lifelike characters, and was a little surprised, "It's so amazing, it's almost as good as sketch portraits."

   "Daisy, this is a gift from me, you won't refuse this time."

   "Thank you for the gift, I like it very much." Daisy picked it up again and looked at it before putting the paper-cut into the bag.

  In the paper-cut painting, the two hold hands and go shopping like a couple, drawing a successful end to this date...

   Luke sends Daisy to the door.

  Daisy got out of the car and returned the helmet to Luke, "Thank you for the dinner, I had a good time tonight."

   "Won't you invite me in for a cup of coffee?"

   "I'll treat you to a big meal another day, bye." Daisy smiled and waved goodbye.

  Luke nodded slightly, watching her walk to the door of the house.

  Start the Harley and prepare to leave.

  Suddenly, Daisy turned around and ran over, her voice flustered, "Luke, don't go yet."

   "Do you regret it?"

  There is drama.

   "Stop making trouble, I found that something is wrong." Daisy was a little nervous and hid beside Luke.

"What's wrong?"

  Daisy took a deep breath, "I just arrived at the door and found something abnormal in the door.

  Before going out, I clamped a thin wire on the door with the method you taught, and now the thin wire is gone. "

   "Are you sure you clipped the string to the door when you went out?"

   "Yes, I pulled it by hand before going out. If the door is not opened, the thin thread will not fall off at all."

  Luke scanned the surrounding area and found no suspicious person. He parked the Harley and walked into the yard.

  Luke walked to the steps and shone the light of his mobile phone on the door. On the right side of the door, he found a thin white line, about the length of a palm. It was hard to spot without looking carefully.

   "Is this the thread?"

   "Yes, this is the thread."

  Luke put his right hand on the **** of the gun, and his left hand signaled Daisy to back away. The thin wire clamped on the door fell, indicating that someone might break in...

   I'm going to write a new case. It's too late to sort out the outline today. Feel sorry.

  (end of this chapter)