Chapter 715 Northeast Journey 1

Chapter 715 Northeast Journey 1

As the morning light begins to appear, a faint pale light appears on the horizon. The first ray of sunlight in the morning is like a gentle and delicate messenger, carefully penetrating the narrow and mysterious gap in the curtains.

The light seemed to carry traces of warmth and vitality, gently and slowly falling on Liu Ping'an's face, like a mother's warm palm, gently stroking his face, with endless tenderness and attachment, slowly waking him up from a sweet dream.

At this moment, the train they were riding on had been running tirelessly all night across the vast and majestic Northeast China. Outside the window was a breathtaking picture of snow-covered land.

The pure white snow, like a layer of soft gauze, or a white velvet carpet carefully woven by nature, covers the vast land without reservation. Fields, mountains, trees, and everything in the world are wrapped in this pure white, as if entering a dreamlike world of ice and snow, quiet and peaceful.

After a night of bumpy ride and travel, they finally arrived at the destination city of this trip.

The group dragged their slightly tired but still energetic and motivated bodies, and walked into the guesthouse in the city with firm and slightly anxious steps. The building of this guesthouse, with the unique simplicity and heavy style of that era, seemed to be a bright pearl settled in the long river of time.

The red brick walls are particularly eye-catching against the backdrop of white snow, like a burning flame, emitting a warm and enthusiastic atmosphere in this icy and snowy world. The thick snow piled on the roof sparkles with tiny and charming light under the sunlight, like countless crystal clear diamonds inlaid on the roof, shining brightly.

After entering the room, they put down their heavy luggages, as if they had unloaded the fatigue and dust from the journey. Afterwards, they simply washed their faces with clean water, and carefully arranged their clothes, so that they could welcome this strange but charming city in the best condition.

After packing everything, Liu Pingan and his colleagues could not suppress their curiosity and yearning for this strange city. The desire to explore the unknown was like a burning flame, burning in their chests. So they decided to go shopping together, experience the unique customs and customs of the Northeast, taste the local delicacies, and pick some local specialties as precious souvenirs of this trip.

When they stepped onto the street, they were immediately attracted by the bustling scene before them.

Although the winter wind was biting and sharp, blowing on the face like a knife, people's enthusiasm did not diminish at all, but was like a blazing fire, becoming even hotter in this cold air. The street vendors were all full of energy and high-spirited, shouting at the top of their lungs, and the hawking sounds were like an exciting war song, echoing in every corner of the street.

Some vendors enthusiastically introduced the goods on their stalls, praising their high quality and affordable prices; others skillfully demonstrated their unique skills, attracting passers-by to stop and watch. The laughter and chatter of the people intertwined with the incessant hawking sounds, forming a joyful movement full of the rich flavor of life, making people feel as if they were in a joyful world full of vitality and vigor.

Liu Ping'an and his friends were like curious children, looking around in this busy street, their eyes sparkling with excitement and surprise. Suddenly, they were attracted by a tempting aroma.

It was a unique and charming smell, a mixture of rich and mellow flour aroma, tender and juicy meat aroma and fresh and refreshing onion aroma, which penetrated into their noses and aroused their deep desire for food. They followed the aroma, and their steps accelerated involuntarily, their eyes eagerly searching for the source of the aroma. Finally, in a corner of the street, they found a stall selling large-stuffed dumplings from Northeast China.

In front of the stall, a big pot was bubbling with steam. The steam was like curling smoke, spreading quickly in the cold air and bringing warmth. In the pot, white and plump dumplings were rolling happily in the boiling water. They were like a group of lively and cute little ducks, playing in the water, sometimes floating on the surface, sometimes sinking to the bottom, splashing crystal water. The dumpling skin was crystal clear, and you could vaguely see the plump filling inside, which made people salivate.

"Boss, give me some dumplings!" Liu Ping'an stood in front of the steaming dumpling stall, his hands on his waist, and shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice clearly echoing in the bustling streets. He stared at the dumplings rolling in the pot, his eyes full of anticipation, as if those dumplings were the most precious delicacies in the world, and he couldn't wait to taste them.

"Okay! Just wait a moment, it will be ready soon!"

When the dumpling stall owner heard the voice, he immediately looked up from his busy work and a warm smile broke out on his face. That smile was like the warm sun in winter, instantly dispelling the coldness around him.

He responded cheerfully while his hands kept moving, like a skilled dancer, dancing flexibly in front of the chopping board. He quickly grabbed the dumpling wrapper with both hands, scooped a spoonful of stuffing skillfully, and pinched it lightly with his fingers. A plump and round dumpling was born in his hands. His movements were smooth and seamless. After a while, several plates of steaming dumplings were served on the table like neatly arranged little soldiers.

The dumplings lay quietly on the plate, like small, flawless white ingots, emitting an alluring aroma. The dumpling skin was as thin as a cicada's wing, through which you could faintly see the plump meat filling inside, the tender pink meat mixed with emerald green onions, the bright color, which made people's appetite increase greatly.

Liu Pingan couldn't wait to reach out his chopsticks and steadily pick up a dumpling. The dumpling swayed slightly on the chopsticks, as if showing him how delicious it was. He gently brought the dumpling to his mouth and took a bite. With a "crack", the dumpling skin broke between his teeth, and the delicious soup instantly overflowed in his mouth. The soup was like nectar, with a rich meaty aroma and the freshness of chopped green onions, flowing freely in his mouth.

The meat filling is tender and juicy. With a light chew, the gravy spreads on the tip of the tongue, and every fiber is full of delicious taste. With the refreshing chopped green onions, the fragrance of the chopped green onions and the mellowness of the meat filling are perfectly blended. The taste is simply amazing, as if it is the best taste in the world, which instantly immersed Liu Ping'an's taste buds in a sea of ​​happiness.

"These dumplings are so delicious, much better than what we had in the old city!"

A colleague was eating with his mouth full of oil, while giving a thumbs up and praising vaguely. His eyes narrowed into slits, and his face was filled with a satisfied smile, which was like a blooming flower, brilliant and real. He also kept picking up dumplings with chopsticks and putting them into his mouth one by one, as if he was afraid that he would regret it if he didn't eat one.

Everyone wolfed down their dumplings while chatting with the boss, a typical Northeastern man with a burly figure and a loud voice. When he spoke, it was like thunder, shaking the air around him slightly.

He had a generous personality. He sat in a chair next to the stall with his legs crossed, and introduced the various delicacies and specialties of the Northeast to them with his hands and feet gesticulating.

"Don't just eat dumplings, there are so many delicious foods in Northeast China! Take the sweet and sour pork, for example. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sweet and sour. When you take a bite, the 'crunch' sound is so exciting! And there's also the iron pot stew. When the big iron pot is brought to the table, it's bubbling with steam. There's everything in it, spare ribs, potatoes, vermicelli, and it's stewed to such a delicious taste. I guarantee you'll want to eat more!" The boss said while gesturing with his hands, as if the delicacies were right in front of him, making people salivate.

After eating dumplings, they continued to stroll on the street. The shops on both sides of the street were full of dazzling goods, and all kinds of hawking and laughter intertwined together, forming a lively and extraordinary market movement. When passing by a sugar-roasted chestnut stall, the sweet smell was like an invisible hand, tightly grasping their noses, making them stop involuntarily. The stall owner was a gray-haired old man, wearing a thick cotton jacket and a black felt hat, and was skillfully frying chestnuts in the pot. He was seen holding a long spatula in both hands and constantly turning it in the pot. The chestnuts crackled in the pot, like a group of happy elves dancing. As the chestnuts were fried, the shells gradually became shiny, exuding a rich sweet aroma that filled the surrounding air.

Liu Ping'an and his friends were tempted by the sweet taste and took out money to buy several bags of sugar-roasted chestnuts. They could not wait to peel a chestnut, and the golden chestnut meat appeared in front of them, soft, sweet and fragrant, as if it was a sweet gift from nature. They peeled and ate while continuing to move forward. The sweetness of the chestnut lingered in their mouths for a long time, and every bite was endless, as if a sweet movement was played on the tip of the tongue.

As they walked, they came to a market. The market was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder, and as lively as a boiling pot of water. There were stalls selling handicrafts, which were filled with exquisite wood carvings, lifelike paper-cuts, and colorful embroidery. Each piece embodied the hard work and wisdom of folk artists; there were stalls selling leather goods, and various leather products glowed softly in the sun, as if telling the cold and warmth of the Northeast; there were also stalls selling special snacks, and the aroma of roasted sweet potatoes, the crisp sound of fried cakes, and the crystal clear candied haws all attracted their attention.

Liu Pingan stopped in front of a stall selling furs. His eyes were deeply attracted by the exquisite leather products on the stall, as if he was under a spell and couldn't move. The stall was filled with various leather products, including leather hats, the fur on the hats was soft and smooth, as light as clouds; leather gloves, the lines of the gloves were smooth, the workmanship was fine, and they were high-quality products; leather waistcoats, the patterns on the waistcoats were unique, full of Northeast folk customs; and scarves made of whole fox skins, the fox skins sparkled with charming luster in the sun, and the fur was bright, as if they were elves in the forest.

The boss was a shrewd middle-aged man, wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses. Seeing that Liu Ping'an and his friends were interested in furs, he immediately came up to them enthusiastically. His face was full of smiles, his eyes were shining with shrewdness, and he gently stroked the furs with his hands while introducing them in a torrent of words: "These are all authentic Northeast furs, and the quality is absolutely impeccable. Look at this fur hat, it's so warm to wear. In the icy and snowy Northeast, with it, your head will no longer be afraid of freezing! It's like wrapping your head with a small quilt, very comfortable! And these leather gloves, warm and flexible, don't delay work at all. This leather waistcoat, it's so stylish to wear, walking on the street, the rate of turning heads is very high! This fox fur scarf is even more rare, wear it, you will be the most handsome guy in the crowd!" As the boss spoke, he kept picking up the furs and gesturing to Liu Ping'an, as if he was tailoring a precious gift for him.

Liu Pingan picked up a fur hat and tried it on. It was indeed very warm and the style was also very good. Colleagues also picked out their favorite fur products. Some bought leather gloves, and some bought leather waistcoats. Everyone bargained with the boss while choosing, and laughter echoed in the market.

At another corner of the market, they found a stall selling special snacks. The stall was filled with all kinds of snacks they had never seen before, including frozen pears, frozen persimmons, and sticky bean buns made from sticky corn.

Liu Ping'an and his friends came over curiously. The boss greeted them warmly: "Try these frozen pears and frozen persimmons. They are the specialties of our Northeast. You can't get such authentic ones in other places." As he said that, the boss picked up a frozen pear, soaked it in water for a while, and when a thin layer of ice formed on the surface of the pear, he handed it to Liu Ping'an.

Liu Pingan took the frozen pear and took a bite. The taste was very unique. The flesh was soft and sticky, and the juice was sweet and refreshing. It tasted very good in cold weather. The same was true for frozen persimmons. Biting a small hole and sucking the juice inside was like drinking a glass of sweet smoothie.

They also bought a few sticky rice dumplings, which were bright yellow and exuded a strong corn aroma. When you take a bite, you will find that the sticky glutinous rice skin is wrapped with sweet red bean filling, which is soft, sweet and makes you want to eat more.

After being tired from shopping and having almost finished their shopping, Liu Pingan and his colleagues returned to the guesthouse with great satisfaction. They sat in the room, eating the remaining food and sharing what they had seen and felt today.

"Today is a feast for both our taste buds and our eyes. The Northeastern delicacies and specialties are so attractive!" a colleague exclaimed.

“Yes, and the people here are very hospitable and make people feel very warm.” Another colleague agreed.

Liu Pingan looked at everyone with a smile and said, "We came out this time not only to complete the procurement task, but also for a rare experience. Through this shopping trip, we have a deeper understanding of the customs and practices of the Northeast, which will definitely help us in our future work. Everyone, take a good rest. Tomorrow we will officially start the procurement work and strive to complete the task as soon as possible!"