After a wait of about ten minutes, a server brought a large clay pot and placed it in front of him.

The server lit the burner on the table and instructed, "Wait for it to boil, then let it cook for another five minutes before you eat."

He wasn’t sure if they had used a pressure cooker in advance, but the food had certainly come out quickly.

After a few minutes, Su Chen watched the ribs and pork trotters bubbling in the pot, his mouth watering uncontrollably.

He ladled some broth into his dipping bowl, then picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a piece of pork trotter.

There was hardly any fat—just springy skin and tempting lean meat.

It was slightly different from the cured pork trotters of the Sichuan-Chongqing region. It wasn’t as dark, suggesting a variation in the smoking method.

’Delicious!’ The cured meat with the dipping sauce was simply divine.

Su Chen was in no mood to savor it slowly. He picked up his chopsticks and began to eat heartily.

He had only ordered a small dual-combo pot with a few side dishes, which was just enough to fill him up.

The meal cost over two hundred yuan, which wasn’t too expensive. The main thing was that he was satisfied; the restaurant Boss Yu had recommended was indeed quite good.

As long as the food was good, he didn’t mind if it was a bit pricey. But if it was bad, he wouldn’t eat it no matter how cheap it was.

After leaving the restaurant, Su Chen wasn’t in a hurry to head to his next destination.

It was not even one o’clock yet. The Lijiang Romance Show didn’t start until two in the afternoon, and the main performance, billed as a "must-see show of a lifetime," was at three.

Su Chen had more than enough time.

When visiting Lijiang, the one thing you absolutely had to eat was mushroom hotpot, but unfortunately, it wasn’t in season.

The next best thing was flower cakes. Su Chen decided to buy some now so he would have a snack to eat while watching the show later.

In Lijiang, the three most famous shops for flower cakes were Pan Xiangji, Jiahua, and Hua Man Lou.

Each of the three shops had its own specialty. Boss Yu had specifically recommended Jiahua, saying their freshly baked ones were the best.

Su Chen decided to give it a try and buy a few to taste.

He had thought that since it was the middle of the day, there wouldn’t be too many customers. But when he found the Jiahua store in the ancient town, he was dumbfounded.

A line nearly thirty meters long snaked out from the entrance, mostly filled with middle-aged people. He had no idea where they got the energy.

Every single one of them was buying huge quantities, as if they were stocking up on local specialties to take home.

’Looks like this will take at least half an hour,’ Su Chen thought, shaking his head. Still, he went to the end of the line and waited.

’A trip isn’t complete if you don’t experience waiting in line!’

He had to admit, the shops in tourist spots were remarkably efficient. Su Chen had expected to wait for half an hour, but who would have thought it was his turn in less than ten minutes?

Su Chen didn’t buy many, just three of each kind. His main goal was to try them. As for buying them as gifts to bring back, that was something to consider when he was about to leave.

There was a direct bus from the ancient town to the Lijiang Romance Park. To Su Chen’s surprise, the ride was free.

Nothing in the world is more expensive than "free."

Sure enough, when he arrived at the Lijiang Romance Park, Su Chen asked about the ticket price: 278 yuan!

’They call the Lijiang Romance Show a must-see in one’s lifetime. I wonder if it’s worth over two hundred yuan,’ he mused.

The Lijiang Romance Park was quite crowded, with many people bringing their children.

After entering the park, Su Chen realized that besides the main show, there were also many other attractions to see.

He checked the time; it was still a while before the three o’clock Lijiang Romance Show.

So, Su Chen decided to walk around. He had just looked at the park’s guide and was quite interested in the smaller shows.

The park wasn’t very large. Su Chen followed the crowd, strolling casually. Just as he reached a plaza, he stumbled upon a performance. A group of handsome men and beautiful women in traditional ethnic clothing were dancing in the middle of the path.

Just as he was getting into it, one of the beautiful performers pulled him into the dance. He joined the joyful, swaying group, moving to the music with the women.

Happy times are always fleeting. Su Chen was still immersed in the joy of the moment when the music suddenly stopped.

He looked around... The performance was over.

"Ah, that joy was too short-lived," Su Chen muttered under his breath.

Unexpectedly, one of the female dancers who was about to leave overheard him. "Hey, handsome! You should go check out the ’Mu Mansion’s Search for a Groom.’ It’s just up ahead and about to start!"

Hearing "search for a groom"... Su Chen’s interest was piqued.

By the time he got there, dozens of people were already gathered below a building. Su Chen had to use all his strength to squeeze through the crowd and find a spot near the front.

The show started quickly. It began with a dance performance, during which the "bride" suddenly tossed out an embroidered ball.

Before Su Chen could even react, a young man at the very front beat him to it, catching the embroidered ball in his arms.

Immediately, two staff members led him up, had him change into a bright red robe, and placed a red headdress on him, looking very festive.

"My dear son-in-law," said a man dressed as an elder, smiling. "Say a few words to our friends and neighbors!"

"Ahem... I have a bit of social anxiety!"

The tourists watching the show burst out laughing at his words.

"I have a few questions for my son-in-law. Might I ask how old you are this year?"

"I’m eighteen this year!"

As soon as he said it, the crowd erupted in laughter. Even Su Chen couldn’t help but roar with laughter.

The rest of their conversation provided plenty more laughs. It was hard to tell if the young man was a plant or just a tourist, but he certainly made the audience howl with laughter.

The "Search for a Groom" show didn’t last long, ending after the two performed the wedding ceremony.

’I didn’t expect these small shows to be so interesting. I wonder what the main Lijiang Romance Show will be like.’

After wandering around the park and watching two or three more performances, it was almost three o’clock, so Su Chen headed for the Grand Theater for the Lijiang Romance Show.

By the time Su Chen entered the theater, the seats were almost all taken. As far as he could see, it was a sea of heads.

He found a seat that wasn’t too far back.

The entire Lijiang Romance Show was divided into six acts: "Naxi Creation Legend," "Lugu Daughter Country," "The Legend of the Tea-Horse Caravan," "Mufu’s Splendor," "Jade Dragon Third Country," and "Finding Shambhala." The total performance time was nearly an hour.

As the lights dimmed and the music began, the show officially started.

This was Su Chen’s first time seeing a stage play, and he was completely captivated from the very beginning.

Dancer after dancer used their body language, moving with the music, to showcase the culture of the Naxi people.

Each act offered a unique feeling, especially the third act, "The Legend of the Tea-Horse Caravan," where the caravan men fought bravely against bandits to protect their provisions.

The line, "Get the provisions there safely," hit him especially hard. Su Chen was completely drawn into the story, and a few tears welled up in his eyes against his will.

When the lights came on, the performance came to a close.

The theater erupted in thunderous applause.