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墨書 Inktalez
Jia Qianjun listened to Hanno's words and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "It seems that my decision to step back into the shadows was indeed correct. Just two years have passed, and the audience can hardly remember me; they only find me familiar."
Hanno quickly replied, "Well, I'm not a local from Bay Island. I've only seen you play a supporting role in one idol drama, so that's why I didn't recognize you."
Aside from idol dramas, Hanno never watched local dramas or martial arts shows, while the person beside her had only acted in one idol drama and had done mostly local dramas.
"Oh, so you're not a local? Are you here on vacation?" Jia Qianjun asked, realization dawning on him.
"Just here for a bit of business and to travel," Hanno answered.
"The scenery in Yilan is quite nice, and the homestays are very famous. I guarantee you'll have a great time," Jia Qianjun introduced. "Places like Turtle Mountain Island, Yuan Yang Lake, Mingchi Forest Recreation Area, and Songluo Lake are all natural wonders with fresh air; they are no less beautiful than Sun Moon Lake."
Hanno said, "Almost everyone who travels to Bay Island has to visit Sun Moon Lake; it's practically become a landmark."
Jia Qianjun replied, "The scenery at Sun Moon Lake is indeed beautiful, but there are too many people. It does a lot of damage to the natural beauty; when you go there, you'll see more people than scenery."
Hanno laughed, "You don't look like a star at all."
Jia Qianjun said, "If I were a star, those paparazzi would have surrounded me by now. Then you'd see me in the tabloids as someone's secret lover."
Hanno remarked, "The paparazzi in Bay Island really know how to spin stories."
Jia Qianjun responded, "Isn't that right? I always treat entertainment news as if it's a storybook. Occasionally, I incorporate some interesting bits into my scripts."
"Did you transition to behind-the-scenes work as a screenwriter?" Hanno asked.
Jia Qianjun replied, "Actually, I want to be a director more than anything else. Unfortunately, no one appreciates me; others lack confidence in me."
"Don't be discouraged; you'll definitely find your mentor," Hanno casually comforted him, knowing she might become that mentor.
Jia Qianjun drove up to the hotel entrance. As Hanno got out of the car and waved goodbye, a paparazzo captured the moment. Although Hanno noticed it, she didn't react much; she wasn't part of Bay Island's entertainment scene, and Jia Qianjun was already past his prime. A single photo didn't seem like a big deal to her—little did she know that this photo would stir up quite a commotion later.
During dinner, Hanno naturally went to the night market to enjoy local specialties. Bay Island boasts ten famous night markets, with Yilan County having one: Yilan Luodong Night Market. The Luodong Night Market operates day and night year-round and features well-organized stalls. The food stalls combine traditional and modern culinary delights such as Meat Soup, Boba Balls, Dragon Phoenix Legs, Skewered Heart, Lamb Soup, Pork Belly, Spring Roll, Three-Star Scallion Pancake, Peanut Ice Cream Roll Rice Noodles, Cake Crumbs, Scallion Pancake, and Yilan Three Treasures Ice—all representative dishes of the Luodong Night Market. Additionally, common snacks like octopus balls, fried chicken steak, oyster omelets, braised dishes, barbecued meat, red bean cakes, freshly squeezed juice, and icy treats were also plentiful.
Hanno indulged from start to finish; once the food settled in her stomach, she could convert it into energy with just a bit of effort—truly a blessing for food lovers! With her left hand holding a Spring Roll—an iconic dish from Bay Island featuring ingredients like bamboo shoots, carrots, cabbage (also known as bok choy), chives, mung bean sprouts, mushrooms, crispy seaweed, pork leg meat, shrimp bits, and egg skin—she rolled various fillings into a pillow shape using thin wrappers. She dipped it in different sauces according to her preference; it was tender and crispy with rich flavors similar to spring rolls. In her right hand was a spoon scooping up Meat Soup while on the table before her lay Dragon Phoenix Legs, Skewered Heart, fried chicken steak, and barbecued meat that she had bought earlier. Many diners looked at Hanno and her spread with admiration and curiosity—wondering how such a well-proportioned girl could eat all this.
"Are you really eating all that by yourself? Aren't you afraid of gaining weight?" A somewhat familiar voice came from above her head. Hanno looked up and exclaimed with surprise, "What a coincidence! Want to join me?"
Jia Qianjun was not polite; he sat down and placed a pile of food he had bought in front of him, then asked the Boss for a bowl of Meat Soup.
"You bought more food than I did? Are you going to finish it all?"
Hanno swallowed the last bite of Spring Roll and laughed, "If I couldn't finish it, I wouldn't buy so much."
Jia Qianjun looked at Hanno with admiration, "It's rare to see you eat so much and still maintain such a good figure."
I have True Essence to cheat!
Hanno smiled, "I exercise regularly, so I digest quickly."
Jia Qianjun replied, "You're really different from the girls these days. They either eat only vegetables or count every grain of rice they consume. It makes my stomach hurt just watching them."
Hanno chuckled and asked, "Aren't you going back to Taipei?"
Jia Qianjun said, "Things didn't go well, and I still have to continue tomorrow, so I'm staying in Yilan."
From their conversation on the road, Hanno learned that Jia Qianjun had come to Yilan not only to visit relatives but also to bring his own script, hoping to find some old friends to invest in a movie. Looking at the situation now, it seemed like things weren't going smoothly. After all, who would trust someone with no filming experience and only a few minor roles in the entertainment industry to produce a good film?
"You don't seem too disappointed; you still have the mood to stroll through the night market."
Jia Qianjun forced a smile, "I've faced too many setbacks; I've gotten used to it. I've even thought about it—if I can't find any investors, I'll sell my house and car and fight for it all."
"That's bold," Hanno praised. She admired those with dreams but didn't plan on taking action herself. Although she had money on hand, she never considered investing in Jia Qianjun's film.
Jia Qianjun smiled; many people said similar things to him, but most of their words were laced with sarcasm. He could tell that Hanno genuinely praised him, but so what? Hanno was just a stranger he had recently met; she didn't appear to be from a wealthy background either, so it was unlikely she would invest money to help him solve his problems.
Neither of them continued this somewhat heavy topic and casually chatted about food instead. Jia Qianjun had grown up on Bay Island; apart from its local delicacies, he knew little about other cuisines compared to Hanno. Listening to her talk about various foods made his mouth water.
"A couple of years ago, there was a documentary filmed in the mainland called A Bite of China. I wonder if it has aired on Bay Island. You should search for it online; it should be available," Hanno introduced.
"I will definitely watch it." Jia Qianjun was a foodie; otherwise, he wouldn't have come to the night market for snacks. "Bay Island has many unique dishes from other places, but after so many years of fusion, they've lost their original characteristics."
Hanno nodded; she encountered similar situations when working in the south. Although there were hometown restaurants there, the dishes were tailored to southern tastes and often tasted strange to her.
The two talked about food for quite a while until they finished everything on the table. They parted ways reluctantly without exchanging contact information because they both felt that even though they had crossed paths once or twice, that was probably it. One was a local, and the other was a tourist—would they really meet again?
"Can you really eat?" Jia Qianjun gave a thumbs up.
Hanno laughed, "You eat just a little less than I do. Aren't you afraid of losing your figure?"
Jia Qianjun shrugged and smiled, "I'm not in the spotlight anymore, so it doesn't matter if I gain some weight. What about you? Aren't you worried about not getting married?"
Hanno chuckled, "I already have a husband. If he doesn't want me, I'll just beat him up."
Jia Qianjun replied, "Haha, your husband must really love you!"
...
Hanno spent three days in Yilan, visiting several tourist spots recommended by Jia Qianjun. She also stayed at a well-known guesthouse in Yilan to experience the difference from hotels. After that, her travels took her all over Bay Island, from north to south and back again. She visited almost all the locations listed in her travel brochure, though she mostly skimmed through them. Her final stop was Taipei: Jinghua City, Yangmingshan Park, Ximending, New Beitou Hot Springs, Wufenpu, Maokong Tea Garden, Shilin Night Market, and more.
Hanno emerged from Wufenpu with a massive hiking backpack filled with her treasures from inside. Wufenpu wasn't very large, but it hid over a thousand clothing and accessory stalls within. No matter where you stood in this area, you would see endless rows of clothing. Many celebrities often sneak away to shop for gifts here.
Feeling a bit hungry, Hanno spotted a Spicy Hot Pot Restaurant and walked in. The spicy hot pot in Bay Island is famous; although the locals prefer spicy food over numbing flavors, it still bears the name "spicy hot pot." This restaurant seemed to have good flavors; even though it was past meal time, many people were still seated inside. The decor was quite nice as well; there was ample space between tables separated by plants, creating individual dining areas. Hanno asked the waiter to find her a quieter corner and ordered a three-flavor hot pot. The three broths included spicy broth, kimchi broth, and Japanese seafood broth. She also ordered a table full of dishes and ice cream. The waitstaff seemed numb to the orders; perhaps their headquarters had restrictions on what they could serve? As for the issue of waste from uneaten food, this wasn't an all-you-can-eat place; wasted food meant wasted money for customers—not for them.
After placing her order and dismissing the waiter, Hanno leaned back against the comfortable leather chair and sighed in relief. Shopping had been more exhausting than rushing through three tourist spots. She let her left hand dangle beside her and accidentally knocked against something thick on the chair that caused a slight sting.
"Hey, who left something behind so carelessly?"
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