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Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: You Are Already in It

Chapter 11: You Are Already in It

They found another hot pot restaurant on the map.

Fortunately, since this area was relatively close to Sichuan Province, there were quite a few hot pot restaurants around. The owner of the one they picked even spoke with a Sichuan accent.

Though they couldn't quite guess exactly which part he was from.

While waiting for the food, Chen Xing stood outside the shop watching the stream of tourists passing by.

There were so many people.

During the day, most tourists were casual visitors. When they arrived, they had seen a lot of individuals or family groups. But now, most of the people walking by were part of tour groups. Two or three guides led their respective groups through the ancient town.

When the hot pot was served, Chen Xing came back to the table and said,

"I swear, I'm never joining a tour group again. There's no freedom at all."

"What happened?" Quan Jing was curious about what he had seen.

Chen Xing couldn't quite articulate what he felt. He scratched his head and said, "Like herding ducks? Yeah, it looked like herding ducks. Two people were clearly exhausted, and the guide was still urging them to hurry up. What's the point? Can't they rest if they're tired?"

Quan Jing burst out laughing.

"That's a funny analogy. I've been in a tour group too. I think each has its pros and cons. But you've got to make sure it's a legit one. Even if it's more expensive, it's worth it. Otherwise, you might run into those guides who pressure people to buy local products. I just saw a short video about that."

She pulled out her phone to show Chen Xing.

After he watched it, Zhou Peng leaned over, curious, and took the phone to see for himself.

They were all traveling, just on different paths. Seeing someone else suffer a rougher trip somehow lifted Zhou Peng's spirits. Even though the video wasn't that funny, it still made him laugh. When he handed the phone back, he said,

"Tour guides these days are seriously out of line."

Without thinking, Chen Xing replied, "Did you forget what your major is?"

"Uh…"

Zhou Peng was studying tourism management. While it didn't involve much actual "management," it was perfectly aligned for someone applying to be a tour guide.

He stopped laughing immediately and gave Chen Xing a sideways glance, like blaming him for killing the mood. But he quickly bounced back and changed the subject.

"Chen Xing, you should start posting short videos too. Didn't we say you need to take more photos and make a name for yourself? I think self-media could be a good direction."

"I only know how to take photos. How is a photographer supposed to do self-media?"

He didn't know the first thing about video production or editing—just color grading and a bit of photo retouching. Even then, not much. The system seemed to be telling him that a good photographer didn't need much editing. What mattered was taking the shot right.

Quan Jing chimed in with an idea:

"Photography is a skill too. And your photos are great. You just need to put them into a video and add some nice background music. That's it."

"Exactly!" Zhou Peng continued, "You could even buy another camera to record while you're shooting. That way you don't have to waste time hunting for video footage. But do people really watch food videos? I'm not too sure about that part."

"Restaurant review videos?" Quan Jing added.

"Yes, yes, yes! That's another angle!" Zhou Peng slapped the table in excitement.

Chen Xing silently watched the two of them, eyes shining, full of enthusiasm. In no time, they had imagined him gaining a million followers and becoming a top influencer.

Were they crazy?

Actually, the beginning of their idea wasn't bad. Chen Xing had been thinking about giving it a try. But how did the conversation get so wild? Now they were dreaming about him being invited by China National Geography to shoot regional cuisine specials? That's insane. Even with a system, he hadn't dared dream that big.

Zhou Peng got carried away, continuing the fantasy,

"Maybe CCTV will even invite you…"

"Ahem!"

Chen Xing coughed deliberately, cutting him off. Zhou Peng wasn't embarrassed saying it, but Chen Xing was.

He quickly tossed the freshly cooked tripe from his chopsticks into Zhou Peng's bowl.

"Eat! Shut up already!"

Zhou Peng blinked at the tripe in his sauce bowl. "It's ready? When did that happen?"

"The pot's been boiling for several minutes already!" Chen Xing facepalmed.

He had put in the ingredients earlier. A lot of them were done cooking by now.

Had these two not noticed at all?

Zhou Peng rolled up his sleeves and gripped his chopsticks like he was calling for a sword.

"Let's eat first. It's noisy outside anyway. We'll check out what's going on later."

Finally, Chen Xing relaxed. He had been worried that the surrounding diners might overhear their wild conversation and realize he was the person being talked about. Now he could enjoy the meal in peace.

All the tougher ingredients had already been tossed into the pot. What remained on the table were quick-cooking items, things you could simply dip into the broth for a few seconds.

Like the slices of beef resting on ice, not super thin, but just right.

Beef was all about tenderness and flavor. Overcook it, and it tasted just like pork. All it took was a quick dip, up and down in the hot broth, before moving it into the dipping sauce, coating it in fragrant oil and spices.

There were many types of hot pot across China. But why was Sichuan hot pot so distinct and famous both domestically and abroad?

It wasn't just because of the chili peppers. Even if you can't handle spice, you can always order the milder "white" broth favored by women and out-of-towners.

The secret was in the dipping sauces.

There were over a dozen condiments to choose from – pickled mustard, fish mint, peas, chopped mushrooms, crushed peanuts, plus green onions, ginger, garlic –covering all flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty.

All these mixed together created Sichuan's signature taste.

Bold and rich, that was the soul of Sichuan cuisine.

As soon as the tender beef hit his mouth, the heat from the pot triggered his taste buds, enhancing his sensitivity to spice. The sensation of chili fire swept across his palate.

Then he bit down.

A burst of flavors exploded in his mouth. Even his breath came out tinged with the strong aroma of garlic.

Because Chen Xing loved garlic, half of his sauce was just minced garlic. He called this blend "garlic-oil dip", his go-to mix.

Licking his lips, he said, "I feel alive again."

"Same. Suddenly I've got my appetite back."

They had planned to finish this meal quickly, but by the time they were done, it was already 9:30 p.m. Outside, the sky was pitch black, but the area wasn't dim at all. The surroundings were brightly lit with various lamps. Tourists weren't heading back yet, they were still out, excitedly taking photos everywhere.

Chen Xing burped contentedly, following his two friends toward the music.

The two guys had eaten a lot. Only Quan Jing was more restrained. She stopped halfway through the meal. As a beauty-conscious girl, she paid close attention to her figure.

The farther they walked, the more people they saw. The road widened until they reached what looked like a small plaza.

Here, the singing was clear.

A group of women in traditional ethnic costumes were singing in a distinctive southern Yunnan accent. They circled a fire slowly, as if just taking a walk. But their graceful steps and the way their hips swayed made it clear they were dancing.

The dance was simple. After a few glances, Chen Xing already understood how it worked.

Many tourists had joined in, making the scene even livelier. There were probably seventy or eighty people dancing. Inside was a small circle, surrounded by three larger ones, each bigger than the last, just enough to include everyone who wanted to dance. Others stood around taking photos of the dancers, everyone smiling, caught up in the warmth and joy.

Chen Xing's eyes sparkled like stars.

They looked so happy.

The lovely singing, the dancers' smiles, the flickering firelight, and the travelers immersed in it all…

It captivated Chen Xing, who had never before experienced the true charm of travel. He immediately wanted to pull out his camera to snap some photos, but just then, a light brighter than the spotlights around the plaza flashed in his mind. In that moment, he understood. He focused inward and read the subtitles appearing in his heart.

[The ancient dance brings with it the warmth of Lijiang's old town. Blossoming gardens release a sweet fragrance. You are already part of it, can you feel the magic of travel?]

[Congratulations, you've gained the talent: Enhanced Taste.]

(End of Chapter 11)

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