Chen Lan thought that since Xiang Xi and Xiao Shuan were very experienced in what to eat and had returned to familiar territory, they could order whatever they liked and wanted.
After the group finished their meal, everyone felt a general languor, not wanting to go anywhere except to sleep. So, they booked several rooms at the guesthouse to rest.
Chen Lan, along with her two daughters, took a large room. After a quick wash, the mother and daughters lay down to rest.
After waking up from their nap, with nothing else to do, the three decided to take a stroll along the nearby streets.
So, the mother and daughters walked together out of the guesthouse and headed south. As they reached the broad streets of the capital, they noticed a great many people coming and going. The country had not yet undergone reform and opening up, so the clothing styles on the streets were very simple, with colors mostly limited to black, blue, grey, and the trendiest green.
In this era, cars were still a rare sight on the streets of the capital. The vehicles driving on the roads were mostly buses, and of course, the main mode of transportation was bicycles.
During this period, there were not many tall buildings on either side of the streets; they were mostly two-story shops or low-rise residential houses.
The mother and daughters walked, observing everything carefully. Chen Lan intended to take the sisters to wander on Qianmen Street, the most bustling area of the capital. At this time, there were few cars on the street and the roads were wide. The main vehicles on the road were large trucks and public buses, with bicycles and pedestrians being the most numerous.
The three walked quite quickly and, in no time, arrived at Qianmen Street. The street was bustling with people, as it had always been a prosperous commercial street in the capital since ancient times. The buildings on both sides of the road were mostly state-owned shops, side by side.
Chen Lan, relying on her memory, came to the front of a department store. She thought to herself that if she remembered correctly, this was where her family's fabric shop had been donated. Now, it had been converted into a state-owned department store.
The mother and daughters stepped into the department store. Chen Lan noticed that the interior had undergone significant renovations. Although the overall space of the store was not large, it offered a wide variety of goods, and the service attitude of the sales staff was remarkably good.
Chen Lan also discovered that this department store not only sold goods but also provided hot water and medicine, even offering mending services and meals.
Chen Lan mused that this department store was truly and thoroughly responding to the national call of that era to wholeheartedly serve the people, allowing this small shop to fully fulfill its role in serving the public.
Since the mother and daughters had come out simply to wander, they didn't buy anything and left after browsing the store.
As Chen Lan and her daughters passed by a post and telecommunications office, Chen Lan looked inside. Jia Hui then asked, "Mom, are you going to send a telegram home?"
Hearing Jia Hui's reminder, Chen Lan thought, "Yes! I should send a telegram to Xu Mingxuan to report our safety, so that Xu Mingxuan and my mother-in-law won't worry about us."
So, she stepped inside. This post and telecommunications office had been converted from their family's pawnshop. Chen Lan wondered what their family's silver shop had been turned into now.
After sending the telegram at the post and telecommunications office, Chen Lan felt that since they were at Qianmen Street, they should take the two daughters to try the renowned Quanjude roast duck, known as the "Number One Delicacy Under Heaven."
It was known that Quanjude's roast duck had a long history and was famous both domestically and internationally. Many foreign friends came from afar to sample its delicacy.
Especially the freshly roasted duck, with its uniform date-red color, crispy and glossy skin, tender meat, savory and not greasy, was truly unforgettable, emitting a fragrance of fruitwood. Chen Lan's mouth watered just thinking about it.
Therefore, Chen Lan decided not to continue wandering on the street and eagerly led her two daughters to an ancient building with a simple style, rich in traditional Chinese national architectural characteristics. The mother and daughters stepped into the shop. Although it wasn't mealtime yet, there were still quite a few people inside queuing to buy tickets.
Chen Lan found an empty table and let Jia Hui and Shi Mei Jia Yu sit down first. She then noticed the menu on the table and picked it up to look. To her surprise, Chen Lan couldn't help but marvel again at how incredibly cheap the prices were during this era.
A whole roast duck was only sold for about eight to ten yuan. A plate of stir-fried duck cubes was only one yuan and ninety cents; spicy chicken cubes were three yuan and thirty-five cents; lightly fried shrimp were four yuan and eighty cents; and braised fish cubes were only one yuan and fifty cents.
Since she had come specifically for the roast duck, Chen Lan decided to order a whole duck and planned to spend sixty cents for a portion of scallion sauce for everyone, and sixty cents for a large bowl of duck bone soup. After thinking for a moment, she decided to order a vegetable dish, so she also ordered a plate of fragrant mushroom and bamboo shoot slices for two yuan, half a pound of rice for fifty cents, and lotus leaf buns for fifty cents.
Chen Lan handed the menu to Jia Hui, asking the sisters to each order a dish they liked. Jia Hui took the menu and ordered a portion of her favorite spicy chicken cubes, while Shi Mei Jia Yu ordered lightly fried shrimp.
Just as Chen Lan was about to take the menu to the counter to queue, Xiang Xi and his group walked in from the entrance. As soon as they entered, they saw Chen Lan and her daughters.
Upon seeing Chen Lan, Xiang Xi exclaimed dramatically, "Little Lanzi, so you three were sneaking around here! No wonder we couldn't find you at the guesthouse."
Chen Lan turned around and saw that it was Xiang Xi and his group. She thought, "This is great! I don't have to queue anymore!" So, she immediately handed the menu, money, and tickets in her hand to Xiang Xi, and told him the dishes she and her daughters wanted to order.
When Xiang Xi and his group brought three roast ducks, with their bright red color and enticing aroma, to the table, Chen Lan felt the long wait was absolutely worth it!
Behind Xiang Xi followed a master wearing a work uniform and cap, holding a platter and a knife. Chen Lan knew this master was specially assigned to carve the duck for customers.
It was said that seventy percent of roast duck's flavor comes from roasting, and thirty percent from carving, which highlights the importance of the carving master's skill. The carving master skillfully sliced piece after piece of duck meat, with skin and flesh, and arranged them neatly on the platter.
It was rumored that there were many specific requirements for carving roast duck. A duck should be carved into exactly one hundred and eight slices, ensuring everyone gets a portion and also for good luck.