Chapter 19: A Moonlit Night with a Beautiful Companion Searching for Fragrance

  The phone hung up, and the last thing heard was Zuo Xiying's surprised cry, then saw the silhouette on the floor window pause for a moment before leaving.

  It's too far away, can't see the expression clearly, Shan Yong's heart is hanging in the air. In order to master this flirting technique, he had blown his lips dry and cracked, and bubbles formed on his mouth, but hard work paid off. From junior high school onwards, he had successfully flirted with N girls who didn't give him a bad feeling, and could always pique their curiosity.

  Even with many successful precedents, it still makes him feel uncertain. Having met Zuo Xiying three times, the first time definitely left a bad impression; the second time was because of Lei Dapeng's foolishness, and there probably wasn't much good feeling; as for the third time, it was barely not bad or good. Moreover, truly being able to get together is just the beginning, whether they can stroll around and have fun on the streets is the real issue.

  What if she doesn't come down, I'd be in trouble. Can't just go knock on her door directly, right? Shanyong thought to himself, feeling a bit guilty. Most of the time when he's chasing girls, it's just for fun, and if they don't like him back, that's okay. But this time, for some reason, he felt a little uneasy. His unease made him think of all sorts of possibilities, what if she does come down, but only out of politeness? He'd have to come up with an excuse, so he thought of a reason that she couldn't refuse.

  Dan Yong's heart was racing with anxiety, more intense than having seventeen or eighteen rabbits jumping around in his arms while fighting.

  Not long after, when Li Xiangying appeared at the entrance of the opposite Kaiyue Hotel, Dan Yong's heart stopped beating, he smiled and ran up to her, with a joyful expression on his face, and warmly called out: "Shi Jie."

  "Hehe...... You managed to get my phone number, didn't you? I thought you had dialed over a thousand numbers, but it seems like you only dialed one." Zuo Xiying pointed with her slender finger, barely containing her laughter. Now that she thought about it, aside from this extremely gullible person, probably no one else would put so much effort into getting her phone number. The incomplete phone number was half a joke and half a polite decline, but unexpectedly the other party had obtained her number in such an unbelievable way.

  "Not, not me, I'm just stupid. I started typing from 0000 and only realized after 1480 that I was an idiot. Actually, I should have thought of it earlier, Shifu wanted to return 'egg' with 'egg', Wang Ba Dan returned a stupid egg." Danyong said with a smile.

  "Hehe... Alright, even if it's a coincidence, but I'll change my number tomorrow. This time, I won't tell you a single digit, let's see how you can make another coincidence." Zuo Xiying said with intention, but unexpectedly couldn't stump Shan Yong, who smiled and said: "One coincidence is enough, after today, who still thinks about tomorrow?"

  Zuo Xiying was amused by Shan Yong's silly expression, and couldn't help but laugh. Just as she was about to say something else, Shan Yong suddenly put on a serious face, as if eager to listen, which made Zuo Xiying laugh even harder and forget what she wanted to say. Then... then the two of them just looked at each other and laughed.

  Although there is a sense of restraint and awkwardness in this smile, it seems that the two people are not strangers to each other. It's as if they have known each other for a long time, yet it's also like a reunion after a long separation. There's an inexplicable feeling of familiarity. Shan Yong glanced several times at his sister, whose eyes were like autumn water and whose beauty was comparable to that of a hundred flowers. Several times he wanted to speak up but hesitated, as if afraid that one misstep would scare away the beauty. After a while, Zuo Xiying finally spoke up and asked: "You went to such great lengths to trick me into giving you my phone number, what's your intention?"

  Shan Yong was taken aback, not expecting this kind of opening. They say beautiful girls are too coquettish, rich girls are too arrogant, and elegant girls are too aloof. But what about talented girls? That's called being willful. It seems that Shi Jie is the type who is both aloof and willful. This question was asked so directly, Shan Yong's neck stiffened, and he muttered a few times, looking at Zuo Xiying's smiling expression, which seemed to be not minding at all. Emboldened, he smiled and said: "Let's play! You've come to Lu Zhou to have fun, I'll take you along."

  "Play!?" Xie Ying's eyebrows furrowed, this word was a bit fresh to her, for her, life was all about planned and scheduled procedures, there wasn't much time left for play, even sightseeing was just a cover for transitioning from commercialization to politicization.

  "That's right, it's just a game. If you're happy playing, then that's your intention. Don't you think so? This is also a philosophical issue!" Yanrong said seriously.

  "What kind of philosophical problem is this?" Zuo Xiying was stunned and couldn't understand Shan Yong's thinking.

  "Most people just eat, drink and have fun, that's the philosophy of the masses." Shanyong threw up his hands and gave up.

  Zuo Xiying was amused by Shan Yong's seriousness and couldn't help but smile, a suppressed smile that seemed to be holding back laughter. She said with a mischievous tone: "This philosophical life is probably not suitable for me. I'm really not here in Lanzhou just to have fun. My father has ambitions to research and protect the local folk culture, and plans to establish a folk cultural museum project. I'll help him out."

  "Then ask me, don't you think I'm a local specialty of Lanzhou with this tall and handsome appearance?" Shuang Yong said proudly, but his mixed words made Li Xueying unable to take him seriously. This local specialty was afraid that he wouldn't be able to sell himself, so he added: "Don't laugh, I'm telling the truth. You study folklore, don't you just look at the eating and drinking habits of people in the past? Don't mention me, ask Dumb Da Peng, he can tell you a lot."

  This sentence is not opposed by Li Xiyin, if you say folk customs, the local specialty in front of me really understands a bit, so the topic turned to ask: "I guess your major is eating, but Shangdang is a famous food town, you have to know Shangdang's top ten famous dishes, I will believe you."

  "Ah?" Yīyǒng yīyǎo, xiàng shì bèi kǎzhùle.

  Translation: "Ah?" Single bravery one ah, as if being stuck.

  Zuo Xiying smiled with satisfaction, as if she had set an insurmountable obstacle, watching Shan Yong make a fool of himself. These ten dishes are officially recorded, some have been extinct for a long time, and even if Shan Yong and his friends can eat well, at most they will only be satisfied with the taste, but not necessarily able to appreciate it like their father, who could savor every bite with great relish.

  He was stumped. Just as Zuo Xiying's triumphant expression had just risen, Shan Yong struggled to ask: "Sister, is this a test for me?"

  "Hmm, I suppose so." Xie Ying looked like he was having a hard time with him and inexplicably became proud.

  "I just wanted to invite you out to have some fun, it's not like I'm making things difficult for you, is it?" Dan Yong said with a good-natured smile.

  Zuo Xiying smiled and said deliberately: "Originally, I didn't plan to make things difficult, but I must know whether the tall, handsome, and majestic local product is just a facade or not!"

  "You won't be disappointed, it's difficult, but to invite my sister to play together, no matter how hard it is, I have to think of a way." Shanyong said in an uncertain tone, but with a hint of cunning in his eyebrows and eyes, slowly saying: "The most common is the Luoyang Ten Bowls, the most expensive is the Gongchen Longevity Banquet, the hardest to make is the Taohou Thirteen Flowers, the most famous is the Shilong Donkey Meat Banquet, the oldest is the Shen Nong Five Grains Banquet, and there are also the Baicao Bagua Banquet, the Xiandang Su Zhai Banquet, the Zhangze Lake Middle Banquet, the Water Seat Ten Bowls, and the Yihexuan Qingzhen Ten Bowls... ...Together they are called the Luoyang Ten Great Banquets. During the Qing dynasty, this was a popular official banquet in the state government, due to the ingredients and craftsmanship, three of them have already become extinct."

  An answer that was unbeatable, even more detailed than what Zuo Xiying knew, Zuo Xiying's eyes which were originally gleaming with pride suddenly widened in shock. These obscure cultural knowledge would probably stump the local cultural museum staff, yet unexpectedly flowed out of Shan Yong's mouth. It seems that this foodie in front of him wasn't just simple-minded about eating.

  Before he could ask his question, Shuang Yu saw that his aura had finally reacted to Zuo Xiying and said with a smile: "The top ten banquets have more than 200 dishes, do you want to test me? I'm good at math and physics, but these dishes won't be difficult for me. In fact, this is an official record, the snacks and famous dishes in Luoyang are just smaller in scale, but if we talk about taste, they're not worse than Xi'an, the capital of snacks. Do you want to go see the real folk customs, which will satisfy both your eyes and your appetite?"

  "It sounds pretty good." Zuo Xiying was stunned, the temptation was just right, and she couldn't help but nod her head. This time, Shan Yong, this foodie, was promoted to the position of "food talent", looking like a person with talent in eating.

  "Let's go, stroll around Chenghuang Temple, you wish you had a few more mouths to eat, and see half of the folk customs."

  Shan Yongdao turned around and walked away. Piao Yu piao yu, first of all, you must have absolute confidence, after all, a girl is a girl, if you want to control her body, you must first control her mind. This casual turn and walk, Zuo Xiying really followed him, Shan Yongdao glanced at her with a smile.

  It's not difficult to get a talented girl, just be more talented than her first, even if it's pretended.

  Duoyu thought to himself, it seems that he hasn't been in the flower circle for many years, and his skills of seducing women haven't fallen behind. However, Duoyu was still clear-headed despite being infatuated, and chased after him asking: "That's not right, Duoyu, the snacks at Chenghuang Temple are only available on the first and fifteenth days."

  "Who told you?" Dan Yong asked.

  "Minister Xu, and also Vice Mayor Chen." said Zuo Xiying.

  "Hmph, can corrupt officials ever speak the truth? Moreover, how would they know how ordinary people make a living?" Yunrong said disdainfully.

  Zuo Xiying smiled and thought to herself that this cheap younger brother was probably just trying to curry favor. As they walked out of the hotel, Zuo Xiying suddenly cried out in surprise, patted her pocket, and exclaimed "Oh no!" Zhan Yong, worried that something was wrong, asked what happened. Zuo Xiying replied awkwardly: "I... forgot my wallet. How are we going to take a taxi? Should we ask the hotel to arrange one?"

  "It's okay... we have a car." Dan Yong said nonchalantly, very confidently.

  "Which one?" Zuo Xiying looked around in surprise, but there was no parking space nearby.

  "There!" Zhanyong pointed, his majestic aura was so overwhelming that it was suffocating.

  Zuo Xiying couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight. Across the street, under the shade of a tree, an old-fashioned electric bicycle with a mottled paint job was parked, and its owner was holding onto it as if it were a precious BMW or Mercedes-Benz. The owner, not losing any face, smiled and said, "Don't underestimate that bike, it's been modified, no problem cruising for 40 kilometers, powerful engine, I even rode it up to Huanma Village. Honestly, this bike zooms through the streets faster than cars."

  Shan Yong swaggered and boasted, Zuo Xiying covered her nose with a smile, the two arrived at the car, kicked the kickstand, Shan Yong stood on one leg, waved his hand: "Go, let's go see the city's folk customs, if you don't have fun, tomorrow don't treat me as your junior brother."

  Zuo Xiying was gradually swayed in her thinking, feeling both curious and amused. She had a man of her own, but he didn't have a motorcycle, let alone a broken electric bike like this one. This time, she was really stirred up with interest. She carefully sat on the back seat, but unexpectedly, Shan Yong accelerated suddenly, startling her. Then, the speed slowed down again, and Zuo Xiying suddenly clutched tightly onto Shan Yong's clothes, holding him in a tight embrace.

  "Oh dear, this guy in front is so disappointed, but this little move often makes him scream and crash into the milk, it's really fun. But unexpectedly, the girl behind is so guarded, it seems that her reserve is real, not fake. Thinking of this, Shanyong turned his head and said on purpose: "Sister, hold on tight, the performance of this mountain-made modified car is not very stable.""

  "I'm sitting very steadily, it's your heart that hasn't calmed down." Zuo Xiying smiled and said, seemingly having already discerned the ulterior motives of this young rascal. Dan Yong glanced back with a flicker in his mind, chuckled awkwardly, and indeed calmed down, no longer being impetuous.

  The car was a bit off, but the speed was actually not slow, and it was shuttling back and forth in the traffic like a slippery fish, sometimes on the road, sometimes competing with other cars for position, and sometimes jumping onto the pedestrian path, whistling a carefree tune while attracting a lot of attention. This scene made Xie Ying in the back seat feel tense and sweaty every time, secretly regretting following him out, knowing that he was a bit wild. For safety's sake, she had to hold his clothes tightly and constantly remind him to be careful and slow down.

  Arriving at Hero Road Avenue, the road suddenly widened and the speed slowed down. Shuang Rong was intentionally giving Zuo Huiying an opportunity to take in the night view of Lu Zhou. Perhaps this way of sightseeing was something that Zuo Huiying had never tried before. The streets were adorned with glittering lights like a starry sky, the traffic flowed incessantly, and the sounds of people filled the air. From time to time, they saw vendors selling strawberries in bright red baskets, the aroma of roasted sweet potatoes wafted through the air, and there were food stalls on street corners surrounded by groups of people enjoying life's comforts in the gentle night breeze.

  It feels great, Li Xiyin tilted her head back, stroking her disheveled long hair, feeling very comfortable. No wonder her father always liked the city life, and she couldn't help but be infected by the warm smiles of the people coming and going. She slowly forgot where she was, and when she saw a street corner with a steaming hot pot, she curiously asked: "Shan Yong, what's that?"

  "Oh, the pig trotter seller." Danyong said with a turn of his head, fearing that Zuo Xiyin wouldn't understand, he explained: "You can't see them during the day. Usually it's at night when the city management is off duty, they go to work. When the city management works overtime, they take time off."

  The left Xiying in the back seat smiled and said, as for the great city management, how could it be unheard of? It's just that this unclear right or wrong matter can only be met with silence. Walking not far, Left Xiying pointed with interest: "What is that?"

  "Oh, sugar cane." Danyong said, guessing this thing is new to his master sister. He drove a few hundred meters, slammed on the brakes and shouted: "Hey, sugar seller, come here!"

  An old man carrying a wooden box in his hand walked over, Shuang Yong dodged to the side, Zuo Xiying stretched her head to look and was shocked. They were all sticks of sugar as thick as fingers, white, some with sesame seeds stuck on them. Just when they didn't know what to do, Shuang Yong took out two dollars and handed it directly to the old man, taking two sticks with sesame seeds and four without, even bargaining for an extra half stick. He bit into one himself and handed the rest to Zuo Xiying who was watching in shock. Zuo Xiying seemed a bit embarrassed and said: "I... I usually don't eat things randomly outside."

  "This can't be called outside food! This is your hometown, in two days when the weather gets hot, this thing won't be edible anymore. Try it, what's that Alpenliebe candy, and ours are far from comparable." Shuang Yong said with a smile.

  As they continued driving, Left Xiying in the back seat didn't make a sound, looking at the things in her hand which were about half a foot long, seemingly unsure of where to start. The sesame ones looked like something she had seen in the supermarket before, but another kind outside was white on the surface and yellow inside when split open, and the hard thing in her hand was really unfamiliar.

  She carefully asked Shuang Yong: "Shuang Yong, what is this made of?"

  "Corn maltose, handmade, absolutely natural. When I was young, there were many people selling sugar canes on the streets, but now they are rarely seen. Occasionally, one or two may appear during the day, but they will be chased away by city management. They are all from rural areas around here to make some extra money." said Dan Yong, whatever he eats is like a precious treasure.

  "How am I supposed to eat this?" Zuo Xiying held a very long stick, which felt quite heavy in her hand, and was at a loss.

  "It's so simple and you still can't do it, just put it in your mouth and suck on it." Danyong smiled, with a hint of mischief in his smile.

  Zuo Xiying couldn't help but wonder about the profound meaning behind Dan Yong's words, and she tentatively licked her tongue, savoring the flavors. The sweetness, the aroma of stir-frying, and a hint of grain flavor mingled together, creating a sweet taste that wasn't cloying like sugar or honey. Even Zuo Xiying, who didn't have a sweet tooth, found this sweet and savory flavor to be incredibly appetizing.

  Furthermore, after sucking on it for a bit, the sweetness burst forth on my tongue, and in the midst of excitement, I took a big bite. Mmm... it was indeed very comfortable and pleasant. However, just as I let out a few satisfied sighs, another problem arose - while it's delicious, it's also very sticky to the teeth. Just as I thought I'd finished eating that piece and it wasn't sticky anymore, I looked at the remaining stick of sugar and savored the sweet fragrance between my teeth... and then, for some inexplicable reason, I took another bite... The more I chewed, the more energized I became.

  Then Shanyong heard the sound of "ga ga" constantly ringing behind him, and when he glanced back, Zuo Xiying was biting a lollipop, pointing at something in surprise and asking Shanyong: "Quickly look quickly, Shanyong... what is that?"

  With a stick of sugar still in his mouth, and his words slightly unclear, Shanyong laughed as he followed Lao Heiying's slender finger to the edge of a large gasoline drum that had been converted into a fire pit. A genuine Laizhou old man was putting his hand into the fire, and as it came out, something yellow and round flew out, looking like a flying wheel, and was thrown into a large sieve next to him. Shanyong turned around in surprise and asked: "Fire burning, is that really rice cake... Master sister, you're not from heaven, are you?"

  "Yes, I flew in from the sky." Zuo Xiying unexpectedly made a joke. Huo Shao was a local specialty, and it was natural that she knew about it, but she didn't know there was such a thrilling way of making it. From afar, you could see flames coming out of the oil barrel, and the person was putting their hands in without any protection, taking them out one by one, throwing out perfectly round golden brown Huo Shao. It really made her feel like sighing in amazement.

  Shan Yong understood this city person's countryside adventure, which was basically equivalent to a country bumpkin going into the city. As they walked, he said: "Little crispy Huo Shao, open-flower steamed buns, sour vegetable wok-fried noodles... these are all famous dishes in Lu Zhou, and you can find them at the City God Temple... Teacher's sister, is this your first time in Lu Zhou?"

  "Yeah, I've always heard my dad talk about how great Luoyang is, so this time I came back with him." Zuo Xiying withdrew her gaze from the roasted sweet potato vendor on the street, which was already nearing its end. A short turn to the east would lead to the City God Temple, a national key cultural relics protection unit and the first stop for anyone visiting Luoyang. What puzzled her was that she didn't remember seeing any snack market there before. She kept looking around and asking: "I seem to recall that there wasn't any snack market here?"

  "As it's a folk custom, you definitely won't be able to see it with an official escort. This place is even more lively than the commercial street at night." said Shan Yong, nodding his head towards the distance.

  Not far away, the gate tower of the city temple is getting closer in sight. The small square that was sparse during the day is now crowded with people. As you get closer, there are hundreds or thousands of people standing, sitting, and squatting. On the periphery, some people are taking a stroll, while others are dancing in the open space. The most lively crowd is gathered in the small square, which looks like an outdoor cafeteria. From a distance, you can smell all kinds of delicious aromas. There are over 20 stalls cooking, roasting, grilling, or chopping food. The sounds of chopping vegetables, vendors calling out, stir-frying, and men and women chatting fill the air, accompanied by street music. It's truly a lively scene.

  As soon as they got off the bus, Zuo Xiying was stunned by the scene in front of her. There were indeed many scenic spots for sightseeing, but a scene like this with hundreds or thousands of people holding big bowls and eating together was truly unprecedented...