Chapter 231 Preparing to Depart
The afterglow of the celebration banquet hadn't even faded when Hu Xiaoguang called, his tone full of anticipation: "Yingxue, the show has been upgraded to a regular program. I've already drafted the proposal for the second episode, which will focus on exploring rural cuisine. Would you like to be a regular guest?"
Su Yingxue was sitting on a stone bench in the old street, holding a piece of sugar painting she had just bought in her hand. The wind blew through her hair, carrying the sweet fragrance of fermented rice.
She gently shook her head, her voice tinged with amusement: "Director Hu, thank you for the invitation. But I'd rather take this opportunity to go out and see the world on my own."
Hu Xiaoguang was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled: "That's true, you're not one to be confined to one stage. Okay, where do you want to go? You can use the program's resources anytime."
After hanging up the phone, Su Yingxue dialed her grandmother's video call. On the other end of the screen, her grandmother was sitting in a wicker chair in the courtyard, basking in the sun, with freshly picked oranges beside her. Her face was all smiles, her wrinkles smoothing out: "Xiaoxue, Grandma watched your show, and all the neighbors are praising how amazing you are!"
"I'm glad you're happy." Su Yingxue smiled as she looked at her grandmother's energetic appearance. "I plan to go out and travel by myself, to try different local delicacies and see different scenery. Remember to eat on time while you're home alone, and don't overwork yourself."
"Don't worry, don't worry," Grandma picked up an orange, peeled it, and put it in her mouth.
“I’m doing well at the sanatorium. The aunt next door comes to talk to me every day, and the vegetables in the garden are growing very well. You, just go out and explore, and be careful.”
After hanging up the video call, Su Yingxue looked up into the distance. The setting sun was slowly sinking, painting the sky a gentle orange-red.
She took out a brand new notebook from her backpack, with a line written on the title page: "Travel across mountains and rivers, experience all the flavors of life."
She didn't tell Shen Yu and Xia Paopao the specific departure time, but left a note on the table that read, "Don't worry, see you later."
After packing her simple belongings, Su Yingxue quietly left in the twilight, her silhouette stretched long by the setting sun, carrying a sense of freedom and longing.
The warm lights of the old street lit up one after another, and the sweet aroma of fermented rice wine still lingered in the evening breeze, while her footsteps had already gently moved towards the distant mountains and sea.
Her first stop was mountain climbing.
Wushan is a famous mountain in China. For many years, it has attracted countless tourists who love challenges with its hardcore reputation of "climbing to the point of death if you don't die".
The opening of the cable car in the past two years has attracted even more lazy tourists, and watching the sunrise from the mountaintop has long been a well-known must-do in Dongshi.
Wu Xiaobei is the number one among those lazy people. She has hated climbing mountains since she was a child, and climbing to high places is like torture for her.
But Ye Keke's obsession with Fog Mountain was irresistible—her birthday wish this year was to conquer this "devil's mountain" with her own hands.
Wu Xiaobei could only grit her teeth and accompany Ye Keke, who was fully equipped with protective gear. Looking at the misty mountain peak and then at Ye Keke beside her, she felt her legs go weak. Ye Keke was wearing a windproof jacket, hiking boots, carbon fiber trekking poles, and even her knee pads were wrapped tightly around her.
Ye Keke took two days of annual leave for this mountain climb, her excitement as if she were about to embark on a grand carnival.
Unfortunately, the two dawdled when they left, and it was already quite a while before they reached the foot of the mountain.
Wushan is different from other places. The ticket office is located halfway up the mountain, and the whole way is steep stone steps. Even Ye Keke, who has super physical strength, was slightly out of breath when she climbed to the ticket office, let alone Wu Xiaobei.
She collapsed on the stone steps, feeling as if all the bones in her body were broken. The cold, damp mountain wind blew over, stinging her cheeks and making her shiver uncontrollably.
The few biscuits she had eaten early in the morning had long since been digested, and now her mouth tasted slightly bitter. She was so tired and hungry that she didn't even have the energy to curse.
"Stop! Coco!"
Wu Xiaobei shouted at the top of her lungs to stop the person in front of her who kept walking, her voice trembling with tears, "I can't go on, I need to eat something, otherwise I'll die here today!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Keke stopped in her tracks, glanced back at her best friend who was sprawled out like a rag doll, and then looked at the ticket booth not far away.
She pouted helplessly: "What good food is there in this place? I've been here several times in the past few years, and all I've ever had is boiled corn and tea eggs, which are the things you dislike the most."
Wu Xiaobei hung her head, took two steps on the slippery stone steps, and desperately wanted to give up: "I can't take it anymore, I really can't take it anymore, I want to go home..."
"That won't do!"
Ye Keke immediately grabbed her wrist, her tone resolute, "You promised to spend time with me for my birthday, you can't go back on your word!"
As the two were struggling, a refreshing fragrance suddenly wafted over on the wind.
It's not as sweet as boiled corn, nor as salty as tea eggs.
Instead, it carries the freshness of shrimp, the aroma of rice, and a subtle, almost imperceptible sweetness of butter, instantly whetting one's appetite.
Wu Xiaobei's nose twitched, and her eyes suddenly lit up: "Wait... is there something delicious?"
Everyone knows Wu Xiaobei loves food. Without a doubt. That's why she's managed to eat her way into such a round little dumpling. And now, she can even enjoy some snacks on the mountaintop. They smell so delicious!
Ye Keke was also stunned. Following the scent, she looked over and saw a small stall set up in the open space next to the ticket office.
A simple wooden sign hangs on the bamboo rack, with the words "Su's Snacks" written in delicate handwriting.
Behind the stall, a girl in a plain cotton and linen dress was busy with her work, the steamer beside her emitting a hazy white steam that spread out in a warm yellow halo in the mountain mist.
The two looked at each other and saw surprise in each other's eyes.
Ignoring her leg pain, Wu Xiaobei grabbed Ye Keke and rushed over. Upon closer inspection, her eyes widened in shock.
In the bamboo steamer, the neatly arranged shrimp dumplings are crystal clear, with pink shrimp faintly visible through the paper-thin skin.
On the tray next to it, red rice sausages, glistening with an enticing rouge color, were cut into small pieces and placed on a bed of bright green lettuce leaves.
Even more outrageous, there were freshly baked pineapple buns, with a golden crust that was baked to a crispy golden brown, crumbling at the slightest touch, and the aroma of butter mixed with the sweetness of pineapple forcefully wafting into the nose.
"Cantonese dim sum?"
Ye Keke exclaimed in surprise, "Halfway up Fog Mountain? And they're making it fresh on the spot?"
Hearing the voice, Su Yingxue looked up, her eyes crinkling, her smile like the warm sun in the mountains: "Ladies, would you like some to try? They're fresh out of the oven, perfect for warming up."
"Wu Xiaobei, don't buy it. Who knows if it's a semi-finished product? This mountain is so big. Things from the mountain must be very expensive." Ye Keke, as an experienced outdoor enthusiast, naturally frequents the mountains. Transportation is inconvenient and difficult in the mountains, so things are naturally more expensive.
Those delicate pastries, though they look beautiful, might be expensive and taste bad. It's a waste of money.
"But I'm so hungry. It looks so delicious." Wu Xiaobei looked conflicted.
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