“There is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below.”
Not to mention the legendary West Lake, which was formed by the tears of White Snake, attracting countless people; not to mention the memory of "the woman beside the wine shop is like the moon, and her white wrists are like frost and snow."
There are also beautiful women and beautiful scenery that make people sigh, "Don't return home before you are old, for returning home will break your heart."
The Yuhang Liangzhu culture, known as the "dawn of civilization", alone can cast a mysterious and charming veil over this Feng Shui treasure land with outstanding people and beautiful scenery.
At this time, Hangzhou, still untouched by the hustle and bustle of modernity, perfectly preserves its historical vicissitudes yet retains a gentle and graceful aura. This is a picture of a Jiangnan water town, old but on the verge of transformation.
West Lake shimmers beautifully on a sunny day. The tender voices of children echo across the Su Causeway. A group of young children, in their innocent youth, embellish the beautiful scenery along the shore.
Tourists who come to Hangzhou for recuperation happily stroll along the banks of West Lake, on the Bai Causeway, and under the weeping willows, taking slow walks. At this moment, the years are peaceful and quiet.
Accompanied by staff, Mrs. Cheng and her group strolled along the neat lakeside road. Zhang Guoqing, who was one step behind the crowd, was holding his child and whispering with his wife Zhou Jiao with his head down.
Su Causeway in Spring Dawn, Winding Garden with Lotus, Calm Lake in Autumn Moon, Broken Bridge in Snow, Willow Waves and Singing Orioles, Flower Harbor with Fish Watching, Leifeng Pagoda in Sunset, Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds, Nanping Evening Bell, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon.
The ten scenic spots of West Lake are all within sight, and then you can admire the Liuhe Pagoda which has guarded the Qiantang River for more than 800 years.
West Lake, where "light or heavy makeup always looks good", Wuyun Mountain, where "a long causeway cuts through the entire lake", and Lingyin Temple, known as the "Thousand-Year-Old Yunlin Zen Temple"...
This is the "paradise on earth" - Hangzhou!
"Beyond the mountains are green mountains, and beyond the buildings are buildings." The famous dishes of Louwailou, such as West Lake Vinegar Fish, Dongpo Braised Pork, Longjing Shrimp, Beggar Boy Chicken, Song Sao Fish Soup, and West Lake Water Shield, are mouth-watering.
The various silk brocades with light texture, gorgeous colors and luxurious splendor also attract the attention of tourists.
Longjing tea is light green in color, fragrant like orchid, mellow and sweet in taste, and shaped like a sparrow's tongue, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth. Exquisite West Lake silk umbrellas, folding fans of various materials and other handicrafts are even more attractive.
Compared to returning to S City, this place is undoubtedly a paradise for food and shopping.
Translucent as West Lake lotus root starch, sweet as lotus seeds, tender as bamboo shoots, small as walnuts...
There are countless local specialties, including well-known local pastries such as dragon beard cake and osmanthus cake.
Seeing these, Zhou Jiao couldn't help but think of the diverse snacks of the 20th century, and suddenly felt a sense of familiarity that had traveled through time and space - what are you waiting for? Buy it!
Women seem to be born with a talent for shopping.
Lin Lishan and Cheng Ruzhu not only joined the shopping spree, but also offered insightful reviews of everything from food and clothing to sightseeing and entertainment. They constantly demonstrated what "Hangzhou on the tip of the tongue" was all about, and their quick thinking and sharp eyesight made even the men bow down to their superiors.
Zhou Jiao even took on the attitude of a hamster stocking up on winter supplies, as if she was going to spend all her money. Every time she went out, the people accompanying her, whether men or women, became a "Christmas tree" - covered with bags and bamboo baskets.
The short three days passed quickly.
Zhou Jiao's trip to Hangzhou was a bonanza. Besides the bags and bags she apparently carried, her space was overflowing with them. Besides various silks and quilts, she also bought a slew of delicious food. If Lin Lishan and Cheng Ruzhu had come back with such a bounty, how could Zhou Jiao, who was eager to stock up on supplies, have done the same?
Since the beginning of the first month of this year, in addition to the original food coupons, cloth coupons, meat coupons and other tickets, beef, mutton, fresh eggs, white and brown sugar, pastry flour and other meats have all been included in the list of items that can be purchased with coupons, which makes Zhou Jiao even more worried about the future.
The full implementation of the bill system that will follow next year has made Zhou Jiao even more anxious, and she would rather save every blade of grass she comes across.
During these short three days, Zhou Jiao took Zhang Guoqing and the couple took time out to drive around to the surrounding towns and villages to collect information and purchase goods.
Zhou Xiaozheng took one photo after another with his camera - grandparents and grandchildren under the courtyard in the wall gate (large courtyard) of a wealthy family, young men climbing the creaking wooden stairs of the two-story buildings on both sides of the street, and children playing games in front of the thatched houses of farmers.
Along the way, they found that nowadays, except for big cities, most families are no longer divided by region, but are all poor.
At that time, blue cloth clothes and gray cloth shoes were popular, and people tried to be as simple as possible. Most people not only patched their clothes, but also "recycled" them. That is, clothes that adults could no longer wear were altered to be smaller and given to older children. If they could no longer wear them, they were altered again and given to even younger children. Shirts were trimmed narrower and used as skirts for children.
If clothing was difficult, getting enough to eat was even more of a challenge. Aside from a few wealthy families, ordinary households could only manage a few grains of rice to make a thick soup, while those with less resources could only make do with wild vegetables. Furthermore, housing was crammed into small, not very spacious courtyards, creating a filthy, chaotic, and messy existence. Only courtyards with more female residents were relatively clean.
What is rare and precious is that these hardworking, honest, warm-hearted and hospitable people have not lost their positive spirit despite living in poverty. With their beliefs, they are full of enthusiasm and passion for the future.
I thought again of the tourist attractions not far away, those tourists in formal attire, low-key but unable to hide their wealth, and those old aristocrats in the capital who were walking their birds.
In fact, history has been moving along the trajectory it should have taken.
The car moved forward towards S City.
Zhou Jiao finally glanced back at the city of Hangzhou. She clasped her hands together, bowed her head, and prayed silently, asking the various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of Lingyin Temple to grant her father a peaceful and stable life and that all would be well with her family.
Zhang Guoqing freed his hands from holding the child and gently patted her shoulder. He was distressed by the presence of others, so he could only silently comfort his wife.
At three o'clock this morning, the couple rushed to Lingyin Temple to burn the first incense and make a wish. Didn't you see the abbot tell them that everything would come true?
That ancient temple, which could stand firm even in the face of great disasters, has been prosperous and has attracted countless believers for thousands of years.
He firmly believed that God was merciful and that if they continued to do good deeds and act in accordance with their conscience, perhaps they would be blessed, as the master had said.
Zhou Jiao turned her head and smiled at him.
Old Mrs. Cheng smiled as she silently watched the young couple. She looked at Zhou Jiao, who was like an older sister to her, and silently prayed that her sister and brother-in-law would be in heaven and protect their children and grandchildren.
When the tree fell in the Gu family's side house, the monkeys scattered, some died, some were demoted, which made her believe even more that all cause and effect will come back in cycles.
At this moment, she touched the wooden beads in her hand, feeling even happier for her nephew, Zhou Xiaozheng. Over forty years ago, her sister had gone to Lingyin Temple to pray for his safety, and forty years later, his daughter had gone there to pray for him. Her nephew was no longer an orphan wandering the world; he had a blood relative who cared deeply for him.
"Jiaojiao, did your dad tell you when he'll be back at the Gu family mansion?"
Old Mrs. Cheng asked softly. She had only heard her nephew say it would be done soon. Her husband said there must be some unresolved grudges, so they wouldn't be returning to the old house to pay their respects for now.
She knew the children hadn't told her because they were worried about the repercussions, so she decided to pretend she didn't know. The truth didn't matter anymore. God saw what people did, and she'd just wait and see who God would let off.
Zhou Jiao paused and smiled, "Aunt wants to go back to Sucheng? How about going back and calling my dad?"
"Forget it this time. Let's wait until your father finishes his business before going." Old Mrs. Cheng shook her hand and said.
Zhou Jiao said nothing. With the Gu family's concubine being brought down, there were undoubtedly many interested parties watching their actions. Since this matter concerned the safety of her entire family, she had to wait for her father's final decision.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
