It's highly likely that I won't be able to update my weekly journal on time after returning home. Plus, I played hard for two days before going home (the last freedom), so I plan to temporarily change the update frequency and write a piece about "Two Days in Changsha" to fill the space. Next week's journal will cover my experiences during this time at home.
For the Lamb, Remembering Hardships and Sweetness#
After it got cold, I had been craving lamb rolls for a long time. I heard that Cha Yan and Xinhua Bookstore opened a co-branded store on Taiping Street, so I thought I'd take a look. Since most people have gone home for the New Year and I haven't, I decided to explore the Wuyi Square shopping area. Usually, I come here to watch the crowd, but this time I came to spend and have fun. The "Winter" debuff skill "Freezing Rain" has caused various delays on the high-speed trains these days. But that doesn't affect my desire to go out for hot pot; freezing rain days are the best for hot pot!
As soon as I got off the train, I headed straight for Jiji Hong. It's not that this place is particularly delicious; when I was young, its chain store opened right at my doorstep. It was cheap, so my parents were relatively willing to take me there. There was a period when it wasn't tasty, so I stopped going, but after coming to Changsha, I found the taste acceptable again.
Since it can't really be called delicious, and it mainly focuses on remembering hardships and sweetness, I won't elaborate further. However, the refreshing candy at the front desk was quite tasty.
A Taste of the Second Dimension#
After finishing the hot pot and feeling a bit full, I decided to stroll around the second dimension street to digest.
With a Cool Breeze, Let's Run a Bit#
It started to drizzle lightly, and I headed straight for "Good Ink Lime." Last time I had "Hot with a Cool Breeze," which was delicious, but I heard "Iced with a Cool Breeze" is exceptional. So I ordered one hot and one cold for a side-by-side comparison. Both came with a frame as a bonus, which was a great deal.
In recent years, the lemon tea market has become fiercely competitive. It was said that "Lemon Season" would close down in winter, but it hasn't yet, indicating that the lemon tea market is a red ocean. However, lemon tea remains a refreshing, thirst-quenching, and satisfying choice in summer. Tea Yan's entry into this market seems a bit late this year, but perhaps the coffee market has given it some confidence (thanks to the strong push from Yuan Yang's Zhuang Zhou Dream Butterfly). Because it's Tea Yan, it has its own niche: "New Chinese Style." Its differentiation is quite clear; it's not hard to do something similar in this niche, but doing it better than them is not easy.
The tea base of "Cool Breeze" is rose oil green tea, but it should be minimal; the tea flavor is not strong. The iced milk is reasonable for a milk tea; the milk cap is lime-flavored, and the salty taste paired with cheese corn chips (which are surprisingly tasty) is quite nice.
From common sense, in the cold winter, hot drinks should undoubtedly be the best companion. The hot "Cool Breeze" seems to have a stronger milk flavor, almost masking the lemon aroma, leaving only a faint lemon scent. The tea flavor is not prominent, which makes the overall taste a bit greasy, so the hot "Cool Breeze" is a "rich" lemon tea, aligning with the label of another tea, "Life's Heaviness."
On the other hand, the iced "Cool Breeze" is different; the coldness dilutes the creaminess of the milk cap, bringing a refreshing sensation. Even on a day like today, when it's minus one degree, I still finished most of the cup in one go. If I had to choose, I would definitely pick the iced "Cool Breeze."
Tea Yan's milk tea is just a small portion; you can finish a cup in two sips, which is still not as good as Lemon Season's 1L cup. Many hours later, I burped and could still recall the lime aroma of "Cool Breeze."
Irrational Consumption at Guojin#
After finishing the iced "Cool Breeze," and with the relentless rain at sub-zero temperatures, I quickly ducked into Guojin Street for some irrational consumption.
There isn't much to say about this part; I was a bit tired after eating, so I indulged in some passionate shopping. After spending a bit, I set off to check out the co-branded store of Xinhua Bookstore.
Confused on Taiping Street#
Qu Jia Yi in Changsha#
Although Taiping Street is an old street, like all "old streets" across the country, its strong commercial atmosphere has been renovated to be newer than the building I live in. I reminisce about the delicious dessert shop Xu Liu Shan that used to be here; I haven't come back since it closed.
Taiping Street is quite strange; despite its strong commercial vibe, there is still a residence of Qu Jia Yi here. The Changsha Museum vividly describes Qu Jia Yi's life, and many literati have come to his residence to pay their respects. I feel a bit regretful that Qu Jia Yi's residence is here; most tourists who don't come specifically for it wouldn't even notice it. Changsha has experienced the "Wenxi Fire," making it look like a city that doesn't carry two thousand years of memories. The residence of Qu Jia Yi, left behind by the fire, quietly and anciently sits in this bustling area. Nowadays, when people mention Changsha's "cultural symbols," their first impression might be Yuelu Academy, but for me, it's Qu Jia Yi's residence. So, seeing the bustling crowd pass by its entrance without much attention makes me feel sorry for it.
The old site of Ding Wang City is gone, but I still cherish the well of Jia Fu.
Du Fu
The bluestone slabs are still the same as before, and the shops have changed countless times. Originally, during the old city renovation, a batch of houses next to Qu Jia Yi's residence was demolished, but then they discovered cultural relics underneath. Thinking back, I once sat right on top of cultural relics; it's quite a feeling.
Tianxia Liangcang X Tea Yan#
Tea Yan seems to be doing well now; there are five, six, seven, or eight Tea Yan shops on Taiping Street, along with various concept stores. I first went to "Tianxia Liangcang x Tea Yan." I don't remember what shop was here before; I recall it being tightly closed (or maybe it was just closed off to me). Now that it's Tea Yan, I dared to go in and take a look.
The front building is Yuan Yang Coffee, and the back building is Xiao Shenxian Tea House, featuring wooden floors, wooden stairs, and wooden carved doors and windows, with a small courtyard behind, exuding an ancient charm.
Opening a concept store in an old brand is not something new for Tea Yan. It's commercialized but not entirely so. I can roughly understand what it wants to express with its "New Chinese Style." This can be seen from the logo design; although it's a commercial product, it hasn't turned historical architecture into a commercial gimmick. Instead, it actively promotes "Tianxia Liangcang," occupying only a small space below to display its logo. It integrates history into modernity, just like its milk tea.
Oh dear, why do I feel like I'm writing a promotion for Tea Yan? Let me tone it down a bit.
It looked unappetizing, and there were no seats. I had to queue to redeem my order, so I left and went to Xinhua Bookstore.
Xinhua Bookstore X Tea Yan#
Across from Tianxia Liangcang is the co-branded store of Xinhua Bookstore.
The entire bookstore has three floors, but it's too conceptual; there aren't many serious books, and I can't tell if Tea Yan is riding on Xinhua Bookstore's coattails or vice versa. The storefront isn't large, and the first floor is damp, featuring Tea Yan's store, displaying a few books for the New Year or something, which serious people wouldn't buy. Continuing inside, there are three animal-head fountains with an unclear design, and the rain makes the first floor even damper. Previous Tea Yan stores would display some reading materials for people to enjoy while resting, like the few poetry collections placed at the corner of the stairs, but now the Tea Yan stores are filled with cultural products and no books.
The second floor was packed with people, so I went straight to the third floor.
At the corner of the stairs between the second and third floors, there is a whole "waterfall-style book wall." If they wanted to create a "bookish atmosphere," they certainly didn't need to mistreat the books like this. However, I feel like I've seen this design somewhere before, but I can't recall where. The third floor is where Xinhua Bookstore's main area is, and it resembles most trendy bookstores: some trendy books + some trendy decor, though the selection of books is still higher than that of most trendy bookstores.
Zhi Xiao is still quite good; I feel like I'll spend some money on the upcoming Small Master Festival this year.
White Bear · Cat · Tequila#
After leaving Tea Yan, I headed towards our hidden project. There used to be many old artistic shops on these two streets, and just taking a photo at the entrance felt great. I remember a painter painted a picture on that white wall; I happened to see her painting it, depicting a girl looking out at the sea. It was very touching. Since I watched her paint it, every time I see that painting, I think of that painter. Later, during the old city renovation, it was erased, and the painter disappeared too. I don't know which big leader decided to make everything uniform, lacking character, so that everything looks the same nationwide. One of our hidden artistic streets has now turned into an ear-cleaning street, which is quite a sigh.
But time won't give people a chance to reminisce; it just rushes by and then brings a heavy rain that leaves you stuck in place.
The White Bear bar, when I was taking a photo at its entrance, a guy came out and shouted something before going back in. Whether you want to go in or not is up to you. Years ago, I went in for a cup of tea; today, with this heavy rain, I might as well sit down.
White Bear has been open for over ten years, and its layout is completely different from my last visit. The last time I came, it felt like entering an artistic tea house, more trendy than many current popular shops. Now, it feels like a bar sailing on the sea, and the overall structure has changed significantly. Time has transformed it from a fresh, artistic young woman into Captain Jack?
Inside, there are five or six cats, probably kept by the owner. After all, this bar doesn't claim to be a cat café (does it?), but that's quite a lot.
I originally wanted to drink pure tequila, considering whether to get some tequila after the New Year. The owner seemed to think I couldn't handle alcohol and repeatedly suggested that pure tequila is served in shot glasses, at forty degrees, and recommended the "Tequila Sunrise."
Tequila Sunrise is full of poetry and mystery; the first thing that catches the eye is its charming color, said to resemble "the rising sun shining on the earth." Under the light, the effect isn't very noticeable; the overall drink is a blend of orange and yellow. Although the introduction suggests it should be red and orange, it seems to be the owner's modified version.
Taking a sip, I couldn't taste the tequila; perhaps the owner thought I couldn't handle two sips of alcohol, so they didn't pour much. In any case, I still don't know what tequila tastes like. The main flavor is a sweet and sour orange juice, with a smooth and layered texture, and a sweet aftertaste, like morning dew dripping on the tongue.
The overall taste isn't rich; the main issue is that there wasn't enough tequila. If they had poured a bit more to enhance the herbal aroma and the spiciness of the alcohol, it would have made the cocktail more layered and the sweet and sour taste less abrupt. Overall, it's suitable for girls who don't drink much; its approachable flavor and pleasing color can serve as a first cocktail for most people who haven't tried cocktails before. However, it's too basic; after finishing it, I felt nothing.
The wind rises, the sword is drawn, the rain washes the tassels, and I drink alone, clear and serene in my heart.
The Final Battle of Urban Heroes · Liling Fried Noodles#
After having a little drink, perhaps the cat bracelet I wore added to my "cat affection," as the cat curled up on me and fell asleep, even snoring. Cats are so cute, but I am ultimately just a passerby, not your cat's nest.
More and more people came in, and it got a bit noisy. The sky was getting darker; it was time to leave.
The White Bear bar doesn't serve main dishes, and I was a bit hungry, so I moved on to eat Liling fried noodles. Passing by Urban Heroes, I went in for a fierce battle at the claw machine and finally snagged a capybara. Actually, I wanted to play a rhythm game, but it costs a lot of coins to play once. After winning the capybara, I didn't have many coins left, so I gave up. It was a small loss in terms of cost, but it wasn't a big deal.
This fried noodle shop is one of the few I really enjoy in Changsha. Mainly, I don't like the kind of fried noodles that are overcooked, so even though it's two streets away, I didn't hesitate to come here. Bean sprouts, scallions, eggs, and shredded meat—Liling fried noodles have such simple ingredients. The bean sprouts are crunchy and refreshing, adding a crisp texture to the otherwise greasy fried noodles. The scallions are stir-fried to release their aroma, stimulating appetite and taste buds. The eggs and shredded meat bring a hint of sweetness to the fried noodles. Each ingredient plays its role without overshadowing the others.
Night fell, I was tired, and it was time to go home.
Rime#
Rime is a natural phenomenon formed when water vapor condenses upon cooling.
I had many plans for the next day, wanting to go to Songya Lake to photograph plum blossoms, thinking about going to Orange Isle (which I actually couldn't go to due to traffic control), and also considering going to Martyrs' Park to take photos.
After much hesitation, I still couldn't decide, and I dragged my feet until four o'clock before heading out. As soon as I stepped outside, I saw the rime and immediately turned back to grab my camera.
I looked at the camera and had taken quite a few similar shots, too lazy to edit; the power of nature doesn't need editing.
Domino's#
As a moderate addict of "Cool Breeze," as soon as I reached Wuyi Square, I bought two cups of "Cool Breeze," and after some spoilers, I went to buy another cup.
After finishing two sips of "Cool Breeze," I went to queue at Domino's, wanting to see how good the store that had a line of over a thousand people when it opened really is.
Even after being open for so long, the queue and order collection system are still a chaotic sight. The toppings are abundant but a bit crowded; the unique aroma of ham and bacon takes center stage in this pizza, but this pizza is a shrimp and crispy chicken pizza. The crowded toppings mean that many flavors don't blend well with each other. Overall, my experience was just like their entire storefront and ordering system: chaotic.
In general, it's better than Zunbao Pizza, but it's also more expensive, and I can't say it's particularly delicious.
Sujia Lane#
Last year, before returning home for the New Year, I visited Sujia Lane at night and had tea at a tea house, which was quite flavorful. But today, I didn't want to taste tea because I had drunk too much "Cool Breeze" and had a belly full of water.
When I first went to his tea house, I asked the owner why it was called "Observe Yourself." The owner pretended to be profound, saying, "The world is so big, first observe yourself." The shop also has calligraphy written by the owner's friends. Inside, you can play your favorite songs via Bluetooth, read books, and snack on sunflower seeds...
The cat next door looks like it's not working; its rich family's cat aura is evident.
Passing by, I saw them having a gathering, which felt great, so I secretly took a photo. It had a vibe reminiscent of "Blooming," protecting others' information by adding a mosaic over Miss Wang's face 🙏
Next Stop, Home#
