met free Chapter 325 Journey 2
Chapter 325 Journey 2
The next day, after everyone had breakfast, they officially set off for Leshan, the destination of their road trip.
Soon, the summer heat of Shenzhen was left behind by the wheels. The huge white RV "Gourmet" was like a mobile fortress, carrying the Yuan family and their full expectations, heading west.
The car's air conditioning provided a cool breeze, shutting out the scorching southern sun outside the window.
In the driver's seat, the eldest brother, Yuan Baoguo, wearing sunglasses, was focused on controlling the steering wheel.
The eldest brother was the main driver and safety officer for this trip; his broad shoulders gave people a sense of security.
In the passenger seat, Yuan Bao was looking down at the navigation on her phone, a faint smile playing on her lips—only she knew that the real "navigation core" was currently curled up in the specially made cat bed at her feet, taking a nap.
The round, black and white "cat-like panda" Xiao 9 is sleeping soundly on its back, its little belly rising and falling with its breath, looking incredibly cute.
Yuan Ma was sitting in the spacious booth area, knitting a little sweater for Xiao Leyi, her loving gaze occasionally sweeping over the two children playing on the carpet in the aisle.
Xiao Zhi was lying on the ground, playing a puzzle game on a tablet, occasionally looking up to chat with Aunt Ping sitting next to him.
Aunt Ping, who is the "atmosphere team leader" and "food informant" of this trip, is currently flipping through a thick "China Self-Driving Food Map" and muttering to herself: "After Zhaoqing, it's Wuzhou. I heard that the ice spring soy milk and paper-wrapped chicken there are amazing!"
"Soy milk? I want sweet soy milk!" 3-year-old Leyi replied in his childish voice. He was trying hard to cover Xiao Jiu with a small blanket, but Xiao Jiu was "quite big" and the blanket could only barely cover half of him.
Little 9 was woken up by him, stretched lazily, and snored comfortably. It rubbed its fluffy head against Little Leyi's palm, making the little girl giggle.
Auntie sat opposite Yuan's mother, slowly peeling oranges and sharing them with Yuan's mother and Xiao Leyi.
"Drive slowly, safety first. The purpose of this trip is to have a comfortable time, broaden the children's horizons, and let us taste the traditional flavors from different places."
Her voice was gentle, carrying a sense of composure that comes with the passage of time.
“That’s right,” Aunt Yuan chimed in. “Life was tough before, how could we have imagined driving such a big car around to travel and eat our way through the country? Now it’s great, while we’re still healthy, we can travel and see more of the world.”
She looked out the window at the green hills and clear waters, her eyes filled with emotion and contentment.
Yuan Bao felt a warm glow in his heart as he listened to his family's conversation.
She bent down, pretending to tidy her shoelaces, and gently touched Little 9's soft paws with her fingers.
Little 9 immediately opened its round, all-seeing "panda eyes," and a stream of thoughts that only Yuan Bao could "hear" instantly transmitted over:
【My lady, the current route is clear. We expect to arrive at the Wuzhou East Exit in 1 hour and 45 minutes.】
Three long-established soy milk shops with the highest ratings and the most local characteristics have been selected. Among them, "Baiyunshan Bingquan Soy Milk Shop" has the longest history and is closest to the highway exit, so it is recommended as the first stop.
The famous Wuzhou paper-wrapped chicken restaurant, 'Yueyou Restaurant,' is also nearby; you can check it out at the same time. Confirm?
Yuan Bao calmly replied with "confirmation" using his consciousness.
Little 9 squinted contentedly, rolled over, and started snoring again, continuing to play the role of "mascot".
"Aunt Ping, have you found the name of the most famous soy milk shop in Wuzhou?" Yuan Bao looked up and asked her cousin with a smile, as if she had just casually checked her phone.
"Found it! Found it! It's that old brand!" Aunt Ping immediately shared excitedly, "I heard their soy milk is made with spring water, it's especially rich and creamy! And they have paper-wrapped chicken, wrapped in jade paper and fried, it's so fragrant and tender! Baoguo, let's head straight there after we get off the highway!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Baoguo replied cheerfully. "Wherever Aunt Ping, the food radar, points, I'll go! Xiaozhi, Xiaoleyi, get your stomachs ready, the first stop, the food assault, is about to begin!"
The carriage was immediately filled with laughter and cheerful chatter.
Xiao Zhi put down the tablet and licked his lips expectantly.
Little Leyi clapped her hands: "Eat chicken! Drink sweet!" Auntie and Aunt Yuan looked at each other and smiled.
As Yuan Bao watched this heartwarming and lively scene, his gaze fell on the "round ball" sleeping soundly at his feet, his heart filled with boundless anticipation for this long summer vacation and the journey full of unknown deliciousness.
The wheels rolled on, carrying the family of seven towards Wuzhou, where the aroma of soy milk wafted, and towards their final destination—Leshan, a paradise of delicious food.
Their journey to "discover the flavors of Sichuan and Chongqing" has only just begun.
"Baiyunshan Ice Spring Soy Milk Shop" truly lived up to its reputation. Even though it was early morning, the shop was already bustling with people, and the rich aroma of soybeans filled the air.
The family finally managed to find a large round table on the second floor to sit down.
A waiter dressed in a traditional blue cloth shirt brought over a large porcelain bowl. The soy milk in the bowl had a warm, jade-like pale yellow color, with a thin layer of "skin" on the surface.
"Wow, is this the legendary 'dripping pearl soy milk'?" Aunt Ping curiously scooped up a spoonful. The soy milk was indeed as thick as solidified cream. When the spoon was tilted, the soy milk dripped down like broken pearls, each one plump and round, instead of flowing into a pool.
"Come on, Leyi, be careful, it's hot." Aunt Yuan fed the cooled soy milk to her granddaughter.
Little Leyi took a small sip, her big eyes crinkling into crescent moons with happiness: "Sweet! Delicious!"
Xiao Zhi put down his tablet, took a big gulp, and exhaled a satisfied breath: "Mmm! It's completely different from what I buy at the supermarket! It's so fragrant and rich!"
Yuan Bao, Auntie Xiao, and Aunt Ping also sampled the food.
The soy milk has an amazingly rich and mellow aroma, and a silky smooth texture that feels like silk gliding over the tongue. It has the unique refreshing sweetness of spring water, which is slightly sweet but not cloying, and leaves a long-lasting aftertaste.
"It truly lives up to its reputation. This soy milk is made with the skill and water used." Auntie nodded in praise.
At that moment, the paper-wrapped chicken from the neighboring "Yueyou Restaurant" was also served.
Small, square packets, tightly wrapped in pale yellow paper, are stacked on the plate, still steaming and fragrant with oil from the hot pot.
"How do you eat this?" Xiao Leyi asked curiously, pointing to the paper package.
"Look at Auntie's." Aunt Ping smiled and picked up a paper package, carefully untied the string, and gently peeled off the jade-shaped paper. Instantly, a rich aroma, a blend of the fresh chicken, the mellow sauce, and the delicate fragrance of the jade-shaped paper, burst forth, instantly whetting everyone's appetite.
Inside the paper package, pieces of chicken, uniformly sized and glossy with a deep reddish-brown color, were revealed, steaming hot.
"Try it!" Baoguo was the first to pick up a piece, blow on it, and put it in his mouth.
The chicken is wrapped in paper and deep-fried to lock in the juices. The skin has a unique paper aroma and a slightly charred texture, while the chicken inside is exceptionally tender and flavorful. The secret sauce is savory with a hint of sweetness, perfectly permeating every fiber.
"Delicious! It's fragrant and tender, and the flavor is very unique!" Bao Guo exclaimed.
Xiao Zhi's mouth was glistening with oil as he ate: "Mom, this chicken is much tastier than fried chicken!" Xiao Le Yi, meanwhile, was nibbling on the chicken leg meat that Aunt Ping had torn for her, her little face puffed up from eating.
Aunt Yuan and her aunt savored the food, saying, "This method is really ingenious. Wrapping it in paper before frying preserves the aroma without making it too greasy."
"Yes, it's the old-fashioned craft, it has flavor."
Yuan Bao also picked up a piece to taste. The tenderness of the chicken and the complex flavor of the sauce intertwined in his mouth, which was indeed unique.
She glanced down and saw Little Nine squatting to her right, elegantly licking its paws, its eyes gleaming with a fierce light as it eyed the delicious food before it.
Yuan Bao took another one, divided it in half, and placed it in front of Xiao 9.
Little 9 used a thought process that only Yuan Bao could "hear" to explain: "Master, the paper used to wrap the chicken is specially made, edible paper. It releases trace amounts of beneficial plant alkaloids at high temperatures, which combine with chicken protein to produce a unique flavor."
The sauce is made with over twenty kinds of spices and a secret local soy sauce, cooked to perfection with a 99.2% accuracy rate.
Aunt Ping ate with great enthusiasm, taking photos as she ate: "This is fantastic! This is definitely a great start! I'll make them drool when I post it on WeChat Moments!"
After a satisfying brunch, everyone's stomachs were greatly soothed, and their spirits were lifted.
When we left Wuzhou, the carriage still held the lingering aroma of soy milk and the allure of paper-wrapped chicken.
The "Food Express" sets off again, laden with the aftertaste of Wuzhou's delicacies and the anticipation of its next stop—Guilin's landscape—continuing westward towards the picturesque banks of the Li River.