Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen: Manchester

As dinner time approached, Li Shenxing led Hyori into a restaurant. He had been here a few times; the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, making it a favorite gathering spot for students.

The restaurant offered a variety of dishes, including sandwiches of all flavors, grilled meats, aromatic and reasonably priced tea snacks, various medicinal dishes, and vegetarian options. The menu catered to the tastes of most Asians, so there were quite a few Asian customers.

The restaurant was a buffet-style, so after buying their tickets, Li Shenxing and Hyori wandered around with their plates, looking for food they liked.

Although it was a buffet, there were a few signature dishes. One was the grilled meat, which was very tender and juicy, not at all dry. The vegetarian options were also unique, all ordered fresh from the farm that day. Their most distinctive dish was the medicinal cuisine, and it was unclear whether they had hired an Asian chef, but how else could they make such authentic medicinal dishes!

After dinner, as they came out, it was already dark. The two walked hand in hand down the brightly lit street.

"This feeling is so good, not being watched all day, it's so free and relaxing," Hyori said happily.

Li Shenxing stopped, pulled Hyori into his arms, and gently said, "As long as you like it, we can go out more often, take a walk, and relax. We don't have to attend those unnecessary events. You, Lee Hyori, don't need those things to prove yourself. I just want you to be happy like this."

Hyori looked at him without speaking, then stood on tiptoe, raised her head, and gave him a kiss, letting Li Shenxing feel her affection directly.

After a long while, they separated, smiled at each other, and continued to walk hand in hand.

After admiring the night view of Albert Square, Li Shenxing took Hyori into a bar.

'Alcohol' is the second home for the British, and the drinking culture here is very strong. When you come here, you must experience the unique bar culture. Some of the better bars have their own bands, and there are also some wandering and romantic artists who perform here.

Li Shenxing and Hyori entered such a bar. Their songs were either passionate or melancholic, and whether you understood the lyrics or not, you could feel the sincere and profound emotions.

"The atmosphere here is really good, just drinking and listening to music," Hyori said, taking a sip of the local fresh-brewed beer.

"Compared to noisy nightclubs, I prefer this kind of atmosphere. Every time I come to Manchester, I always come to this bar to drink and listen to music."

"To be honest, have you ever picked up women here before?" Hyori suddenly asked, staring at him.

"Huh?" Li Shenxing looked at her speechlessly.

"Isn't that the case? Look over there," Hyori nodded her head to the side.

Li Shenxing followed her gaze and saw that two tables away, a man was holding a beer and trying to chat up a woman, clearly with the intention of a one-night stand.

"I've never done that. I'm not the type to do that, and I wasn't single back then," Li Shenxing was really not interested in such things. He felt that there was no emotion involved, and it was better to use his left hand!

She knew he was talking about his ex-girlfriend in the UK. Although they had broken up, they were still friends. At first, Hyori had been jealous of his ex and had a small argument with Li Shenxing, but it was mostly her being upset.

Listening to the music and drinking the local specialty beer, Hyori felt a different kind of comfort compared to the bars she had been to before, without the noise and chaos.

The two stayed in the bar until about ten o'clock before getting up to leave and returning to the hotel to rest.

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The weather the next day was nice, not sunny, but not as gloomy as the day before.

Due to drinking some alcohol the night before and the long flight, they slept until around nine in the morning after washing up and returning to the hotel.

After washing up, they went downstairs to the restaurant for a British breakfast. First, a glass of fresh orange juice, followed by a large plate full of dishes, including an egg (usually a fried egg, but boiled or scrambled eggs can also be substituted), a few slices of lean bacon (bacon is a type of cured meat, made by rubbing pork belly with spices and sea salt and then air-drying it), some sautéed mushrooms, boiled cauliflower, a juicy sausage, a slice of tomato that had been slightly grilled with some seasoning, a slice of black pudding, and a large portion of soft and creamy baked beans.

Black pudding (Black Pudding) is made by mixing pig's blood with grains, liver, and other organs, then stuffing it into a pig intestine. Due to its texture being similar to a British dessert called rice pudding, it is called black pudding, and it can be considered the British version of blood sausage. British people often eat it with Lea & Perrins sauce.

Baked beans (Baked Beans) hold a place in British cuisine similar to rice for the Chinese or potatoes for the Germans, serving as a main staple alongside bread. Baked beans are made by stewing beans in tomato sauce.

Not just for breakfast, baked beans can appear in any meal in Britain. Since cooking beans is time-consuming, most people buy canned baked beans, especially the Heinz brand.

Finally, a slice of golden toast was served, paired with jam, butter, and jelly to perfectly conclude this rich breakfast.

Li Shenxing gave Hyori a simple summary of the full English breakfast—bacon, sausage, cornflakes, potato cakes, fried eggs, black pudding, baked beans, mushrooms, various breads, various jams, various fruits, juice, black tea, and coffee.

After the meal, Li Shenxing consulted the waiter and learned that there was a traditional market nearby. The two walked hand in hand towards the market. The market was quite large, and with plenty of time, they took their time exploring the traditional market with its unique charm.

The vegetables and fruits were displayed neatly, each stall was very distinctive and beautiful, unlike the usual messy and dirty markets, but more like a fancy pastry shop.

As they passed each stall, Hyori would point to the food that interested her and ask Li Shenxing about it. He would tell her what he knew, and if he didn't know, he would ask the stall owner and then tell her. They also tried some of the sweet treats that looked good.

In the end, they picked out some fruits and snacks that Hyori liked to eat on the way.

After buying the items, they returned to the hotel, checked out, and boarded the train to Liverpool.

Since it wasn't the weekend, there weren't many people on the train. As the train sped along, the scenery outside the window kept changing. The railway was lined with trees, and occasionally they passed a grassy field with a herd of sheep grazing. Hyori was very excited and took photos with her camera, capturing scenes that were rare in Korea.

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