Shichahai, this place is a good spot for beating the heat in our capital city. The water here is all connected to Zhongnanhai.
What we're at now is Xihai, also known as Jishuitan. Ahead are Qianhai and Houhai. It got this name because there were originally ten Buddhist temples around here.
Come, I'll take you onto a boat. Earlier on, there were many rickshaw pullers and pedicab drivers here. But this is a new era, no one can lord over others. Now everyone rides bicycles. We can park our bikes here, then take the boat and see the surrounding scenery by water.
Liu Xiaoguang is a Beijinger. He might not know every single scenic spot in Beijing like the back of his hand, but he can certainly talk about a few things.
However, Chen Yang was noncommittal about what he said. For now, they weren't allowed to pull rickshaws, but in a few decades, there would be plenty of pedicab drivers and rickshaw pullers.
Tourists from all over the country came here. Pedicab driving and rickshaw pulling were also ways to earn money. Some old Beijinger men would pedal their tricycles while explaining the history of Shichahai to tourists, earning their keep with their words.
As for everyone being equal, whether one pedaled a tricycle or pulled a rickshaw was just about making money. Who cared about equality? As long as one could earn a living, that was enough. In this life, one had to survive, right?
"The most famous place here is Prince Gong's Mansion, that large compound where the prince lived, and its rear garden. And Prince Chun's Mansion. But we'll just take a glance at these. Nowadays, they're all government offices, and they wouldn't let us in to look."
At this time, cultural relics and scenic spots were not protected as strictly as in later generations. Many large compounds were divided up for government offices and as residences for staff families.
Of course, not just anyone could live in such a courtyard. Where there are people, there is a Jianghu, and there will always be distinctions in status.
"Let's go. We'll go to the hutong ahead and have a bowl of Zhajiangmian. The old Beijing Zhajiangmian here is incredibly fragrant. After walking and sightseeing, it's almost lunchtime."
It had been over an hour's bike ride from Renmin University. Wandering around Shichahai and boating for another almost two hours, it was nearing twelve o'clock.
Liu Xiaoguang proactively prepared to take Chen Yang and the others to eat some authentic Beijing specialty cuisine. Eating together was the best way to foster relationships.
"Alright, you're a local. You know all the good places. We'll follow you."
Chen Yang naturally had no objections to Liu Xiaoguang taking them to eat. They were outsiders and naturally couldn't compare to Liu Xiaoguang, a local who knew where to find good food.
Liu Xiaoguang led the way. Not long after, after passing through a few alleys, they finally saw a shop in a hutong with a curtain hanging at its entrance.
"The owner of this shop used to be a head chef in a government canteen. He was a master chef in restaurants before. Now that he's older, he just cooks at home. I happened to pass by once and ate here."
"But the taste is very authentic, very genuine."
Liu Xiaoguang pushed open the curtain and led Chen Yang and the others inside. Chen Yang and the others followed.
As soon as Chen Yang entered, he noticed that although the door was not large, the interior space was quite spacious. The room, about thirty square meters, contained six or seven tables.
It was lunchtime, and every table inside was packed.
"Boss, four bowls of Zhajiangmian, and also four catties of dumplings."
In the north, dumplings are bought by the catty or tael, not by the piece.
"We don't need that much. Half a catty of dumplings per person is enough."
Just as Chen Yang was about to sit down, a girl sitting at a table eating noodles, upon hearing his voice, almost inhaled the noodles she was bringing to her mouth.
"Teacher Chen?"
"Am I dreaming? How can I hear Teacher Chen's voice?"
Shen Pandi was a bit dazed. She had been studying in Beijing for a long time, and this was her first time out exploring. Usually, she was in class. Today, by chance, her roommate said she was going home to help out and try her grandfather's Zhajiangmian, which was very delicious.
Shen Pandi simply followed along. She helped knead dough and mix ingredients for the morning. When the others invited her to rest and eat noodles, she had just sat down and taken a few bites.
This bowl is so big and round, and these noodles... they're so delicious that she's hallucinating. How can she possibly be hearing Teacher Chen's voice?
"Teacher Chen!"
Shen Pandi turned around in disbelief and happened to meet Chen Yang, who had just entered.
"It really is Teacher Chen!"
Although she didn't know why Teacher Chen had come to Beijing from Shanghai, the moment she saw Chen Yang, she was so excited that tears almost fell.
Since the Lunar New Year, when she came to Beijing, she hadn't seen Teacher Chen. Although they occasionally wrote letters, it couldn't hide her current excitement.
"Pandi!"
"Pandi, why are you here too?"
Hearing Shen Pandi's voice, Chen Yang also saw her. This girl had put on a little weight since coming to Beijing; she was too thin before.
However, Chen Yang recognized her. Chen Yang had never dreamed of running into Shen Pandi in Beijing. He had originally planned to visit her before he left.
There was no help for it. His uncle and sister were his blood relatives, so he had to prioritize them. Shen Pandi naturally had to come second.
"Teacher Chen, this shop is owned by our roommate's grandfather. Today he's off, so we came to help out."
"Luzi, this is my Teacher Chen. Teacher Chen, this is my roommate Chen Lu. Come to think of it, Chen Lu is related to you, both sharing the surname Chen. This shop is opened by Chen Lu's grandfather. These noodles are delicious."
Shen Pandi was so happy that she stopped eating her noodles and pulled a tall, slender young girl over to greet Chen Yang.
"Pandi, I was just planning to visit you at school in a few days."
"I came to Beijing for some business, and today I'm visiting my sister. Xiao Yu, this is a younger sister I taught in the village when I was sent down to the countryside in Anhui Province. She got into Tsinghua University."
"From our muddy little village, to get into university, and a university in Beijing at that, Tsinghua! A university famous throughout our country, remarkable!"
Chen Yang was not stingy with his praise for Shen Pandi. Although Chen Yang didn't feel that the knowledge he taught Shen Pandi had been of great use to her, he had still saved Shen Pandi from a tragic fate in her previous life.
Seeing the girl he saved get into Tsinghua University and change her own destiny gave Chen Yang a sense of fulfillment.
"Teacher Chen, please stop praising me. Rongrong told me that your sister got into Renmin University. She's no worse than me."
Shen Pandi had a good relationship with Shen Rong and often heard about Chen Yang's family from Shen Rong. She also kept in mind Chen Yang's younger sister, who had also gotten into a university in Beijing.