After a bumpy ride with the navigation system, I finally arrived at the place I had dreamed of countless times.
After traveling almost all over the mountains and rivers of our motherland for several months, I am finally back!
The ancient town with cobblestone roads in my memory is no longer what it used to be!
The small border town has now become a well-developed tourist attraction.
The inn where the fight took place and Lao Zhao’s tavern, where the liaison station was located, have been transformed into beautifully decorated shops with a strong modern atmosphere.
The rice noodle and chickpea flour stalls that once filled the streets with fragrance are gone.
Only the uneven bluestone slabs on the ground bear witness to what had happened in the town.
"Hello, do you have an appointment?"
Jiang Cha parked the car in front of a B&B called Fresh Flower House and went in to check in.
Because this place is close to the Myanmar border, there are a lot of tourists coming here every day.
If you don’t make an appointment in advance, it will be almost impossible to book a hotel or B&B on the day of arrival.
"My last name is Jiang. I booked this in advance. Here's my ID!"
"Okay, Ms. Jiang, your room is 209. You can see it by turning left on the second floor after entering here. There's our front desk phone number by the bed. If you need anything, you can contact us.
Breakfast is served from 7:00 to 10:00 in the morning. With your room card, you can go to the restaurant on the first floor. At other times, the restaurant will offer some special meals, which is up to you to choose.
We've also included some great nearby attractions and restaurants in the room. You can check them out. Is there anything else you need?
Holding the room card in hand and keeping his ID card, Jiang Cha asked the front desk very seriously.
"Are there any century-old shops here? Like, those that have been open for a long time and have a sense of history?"
A street in the town was transformed into a bustling commercial street after the tourism planning.
Just take a quick look and you will see several shops with signs that say they are century-old stores.
As far as I can remember, the names of these stores are probably less than ten years old, let alone a hundred years old.
"A century-old store? Let me think about it, there are actually a few genuine old stores here, but they are quite small and are no longer on this street.
If you walk straight ahead from our house, turn right at the first intersection and walk straight ahead along the alley to the end, you will see a somewhat shabby pub. I heard it has been open for a long time.
It seems to have been opened during the Republic of China period? Anyway, many elderly people in the town like to go there to buy wine. It is said that the taste has not changed for many years.
I heard that there used to be businesses on this street, but you know how much rent, utilities, and other expenses were incurred after the development! How could a small pub like theirs afford that?
I heard it from others, too. If you've been here long enough, you're almost a know-it-all! There are a few delicious, off-the-beaten-path restaurants on the street above the pub, and they seem to be family-run. You could go try one of the delicious ones.
When I opened the door and walked into the room, I saw the flowers blooming wantonly on the balcony.
The entire room is decorated in accordance with the characteristics of Yunnan Province, with a strong ethnic minority flavor, and the overall feeling is beautiful.
The room looks extremely colorful under the sunlight, and the owner's good intentions can be seen in every detail.
If it weren't for the conversation just now, she might have been sitting on the balcony, surrounded by flowers, drinking tea and enjoying the sunshine.
But what did the front desk say?
Tavern?
Old taste?
Her urgent mood made her no longer in the mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery. She put down her luggage, inserted her mobile phone room card, went downstairs and headed straight for the pub.
Running on the bluestone road again, the feeling under my feet is still familiar.
Unfortunately, the familiar people are no longer with us, and no one calls her Xiao Jiang with disdain while holding a pipe.
No one will compete with her for the fragrant rice crust in the pot anymore!
They are all gone!
I felt a dull pain in my palm, and then I realized how tightly I had clenched my fist.
The expectations for the tavern are very high. Will it be the one that Lao Zhao opened back then?
Turn right from the bustling street into the alley, and walk along the winding alley to the end where the tavern is.
This street is relatively less lively and is populated by more locals.
Especially in front of the tavern, there are several electric vehicles and tricycles parked.
You can tell at a glance that there are mostly local guests, especially the elderly.
Jiang Cha couldn't help but tremble when he saw the sign at the door. The door was full of age and had a big sign hanging on it.
——Zhao Ji Tavern!
This was the name of the tavern run by Lao Zhao at the liaison station back then.
I walked into the pub with weak legs and saw more than a dozen tables inside.
It's not dinner time, but there are quite a few people sitting inside.
There is a small stove for heating wine on each table, and the aroma of wine is mixed with the aroma of food.
It immediately whetted my appetite, and I found a table to sit down.
I ordered a few side dishes and a pot of rice wine, then started looking around the store.
There's a worn piece of wood hanging on the wall behind the cash register. If you don't look closely, you can't tell it used to be a sign.
The writing on it was very blurry, and the mottled sign was covered with traces of burns.
There is a calligraphy in the middle of the wine cabinet below, which reads "Business is booming" in a flamboyant style.
The signature is Lao Zhao!
Just two simple words, Lao Zhao.
"Boss, this calligraphy in your house is quite interesting. Was it written by an elder in your family?"
If you open a business, there is a reason to hang a calligraphy or painting.
But they are not something you can just hang up casually, they must be donated by local celebrities.
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