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Chapter 74: Old Chen\'s Offal Shop

Li Xiaofei was an avid motorcycle enthusiast five hundred years ago. Every hero dreams of riding a horse and wielding a sword across the land, and in the era of steel and concrete jungles, a motorcycle was the steed of choice for modern-day knights seeking unbridled freedom.

In the hopeless and frustrating times of the past, Li Xiaofei would often ride his motorcycle through the mountains, clearing his mind as he imagined himself as a hero riding through the grand martial world. Thus, Li Xiaofei was also an excellent rider.

From his somewhat professional perspective, Tan Qingying\'s riding skills were not just impressive, they were professional. She was on par with the best motorcycle riders of his previous life.

The oversized, heavily modified bike responded to her control like a gentle mare as she wove through the relatively empty streets. Li Xiaofei could feel the faint warmth of her body through the leather jacket. She was fully immersed in her ride, and didn’t say a word. It was like she was performing a sacred task.

They rode through the main streets and into narrow alleys. The bike\'s speed gradually decreased until it finally stopped in an old-fashioned neighborhood. Li Xiaofei jumped off the bike and carefully looked around.

The area wasn\'t filled with neon lights like the bustling districts, nor was it as dilapidated as the slums. The red brick walls and low buildings were clean and tidy, exuding a strong sense of historical charm. Thin wisps of smoke rose from various parts of the orderly streets, and the air was filled with the aroma of different foods, giving the entire neighborhood a peaceful, homely atmosphere.

This surprised Li Xiaofei. He had expected the rebellious girl to take him to some high-end private restaurant, club, or members-only bar. Instead, she had brought him to a place full of life and warmth.

"This is the Mudfoot District, home to the families of workers from the Brightness Power Armor Assembly Plant. It may not have any high-rise buildings, but it has plenty of authentic local cuisine. I\'ll take you to a famous century-old tripe shop," Tan Qingying said as she jumped off the bike.

She removed her helmet and then took off her... pink wig? Her shoulder-length black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. When she turned, the girl’s pure and beautiful face that lacked any artificial adornment radiated a genuine smile as fresh and natural as a lotus emerging from clear water.

Wow.

Li Xiaofei was stunned. At that moment, it felt like an electric shock. Although Tan Qingying was indeed pure and beautiful, President Li had seen and experienced the ways of the world in his past life. He shouldn\'t have been so easily thrown off by a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl.

The main issue was the stark contrast. He had initially thought she was a rebellious, non-mainstream girl. But the moment she removed her wig, she transformed dramatically into a pure, first-love goddess with long, straight black hair.

The visual impact of this transformation truly shocked Li Xiaofei.

How do I describe it?

It was reminiscent of the movie King of Comedy[1] from 500 years ago, where the character Liu Piaopiao, played by Cecilia Cheung, revealed her pure and sweet charm after removing her heavy makeup, leaving a profound impression on the audience.

At one time, Cecilia Cheung, who played Liu Piaopiao, was the dream girl of countless young men. This also explained why those transformation videos on TrickTock five hundred years ago had gone viral. The before-and-after contrast was immense.

"Huh? Idol, what are you spacing out for?" Tan Qingying waved her hands in front of Li Xiaofei\'s eyes. "Don\'t you like it here?"

Li Xiaofei snapped back to reality.

"It\'s alright." He responded coolly. After all, maintaining his cool demeanor was necessary.

"Come on, I\'ll take you to eat something delicious," Tan Qingying said, grabbing Li Xiaofei\'s hand.

She was evidently very familiar with this neighborhood. She pulled Li Xiaofei along, leading him into a narrow alley. After walking for a few dozen meters, the narrow path suddenly opened up.

They found themselves on a bustling food street filled with the aroma of various dishes. They arrived at a small shop with a yellow signboard and red characters that read Old Chen\'s Offal Shop.

"Uncle Chen," Tan Qingying called out warmly as she walked in.

"Little Ying, you\'re here again?" An elderly man with snow-white hair who was wearing an apron responded with a kind smile. "I knew you\'d come today. Your usual spot is saved for you."

"Thank you, Uncle Chen," she replied.

Tan Qingying pulled Li Xiaofei to a small two-person table at the back and loudly said, "The usual three dishes... make it double this time... Idol, can you handle spicy food?"

Li Xiaofei nodded.

She called out loudly, "Extra spicy."

"Got it," Uncle Chen smiled back.

Soon, two bowls of offal soup with a layer of red chili oil, a plate of braised offal, and a plate of homemade aspic were served. The aroma was irresistible.

Uncle Chen glanced at Li Xiaofei and jokingly asked Tan Qingying, "Is this your boyfriend?"

Tan Qingying smiled sweetly and replied, "Not yet."

Uncle Chen nodded with a smile and went back to his work.

Tan Qingying picked up her chopsticks and enthusiastically said, "This old shop has been around for many years and their braised star beast meat is excellent. My mom used to bring me here often... Idol, you should try it."

Li Xiaofei took a sip of the offal soup. It was spicy and fragrant.

"Not bad," he said, his appetite immediately piqued.

The braised offal was tender and flavorful, while the aspic was cool, salty, and delicious. These were indeed rare delicacies in this era.

President Li was genuinely impressed. "Who would have thought that there\'d be such hidden culinary gems in the base city?"

"The common folk have true culinary delights," Tan Qingying said, beaming. "Most of the shops on this street use the simplest and cheapest ingredients to cook the best dishes. For example, Old Chen\'s offal shop gets all its ingredients from the nearby star beast slaughterhouse. They’re the parts that no one wants—offal and scraps. Most people can\'t cook them well, but Uncle Chen\'s flavors are the most authentic, with no gamey taste."

As they spoke, the shop had filled up with people. The air was thick with steam and the buzz of conversation. Li Xiaofei felt a sense of nostalgia. It was as if he was back in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant on an unnamed street five hundred years ago.

"Really nice," he said sincerely.

"Hehe, I knew you’d like it because you came from the slums. You must enjoy this kind of atmosphere and environment," Tan Qingying said proudly. The girl spoke very candidly.

Li Xiaofei smiled and, recalling Uncle Chen\'s earlier comment, curiously asked, "You\'ve never brought anyone else here before?"

Tan Qingying nodded. "My other friends don’t like this kind of place. They think it’s low-class and beneath them... I don’t want to bring them here either. They don’t fit in with the vibe here."

Li Xiaofei nearly choked on his soup.

Did she just call her own friends bad company so openly? Is this rebellious girl pretending to be naive?

"You look great like this," Li Xiaofei said curiously. "Why did you wear that wig in the government compound?"

"To fit in," Tan Qingying replied as she gasped from the spiciness.

"Fit in?" Li Xiaofei asked. "With those... uh, bad company friends you mentioned?"

"Yeah," Tan Qingying said. "Nobody else wants to hang out with me."

After a pause, she added, "And also to annoy my dad."

She put down her bowl and rested her chin in her hands. "My dad gets so busy that sometimes I don\'t see him for weeks. I don\'t like being alone, so I find friends to hang out with."

Li Xiaofei asked casually, "What about your mom?"

Tan Qingying replied, "She passed away ten years ago."

Li Xiaofei\'s chopsticks trembled in his hand.

1. A movie directed by Stephen Chow, Lee Lik-chi and released on February 13, 1999 (Hong Kong). ☜