63: Yak hot pot

"Hello, I have a reservation online."

Jiang Yuan handed over his ID card.

"Ah! Okay, please wait a moment!"

The young man scrambled to turn off his phone and hurriedly stood up, his face wearing a hint of a simple, honest smile from being caught red-handed.

His Mandarin was fluent, with a slight local accent.

"Sir, please look at the camera to scan your face for registration."

The sequence of operations was skillful and efficient.

"All set, Mr. Jiang."

The young man returned the ID and an exquisite wooden room card with both hands.

"Your room is 688 on the 5th floor, which is the panoramic suite on the top floor."

"This is your complimentary breakfast voucher. You can use it to dine at the restaurant on the second floor tomorrow morning."

"The elevator is over there. Enjoy your stay."

Jiang Yuan smiled and thanked him, then took the room card and headed toward the elevator.

This homestay had only five floors, and the top floor was designed with only a few suites, focusing on privacy and the view.

"Beep."

He swiped the card to enter.

The moment he inserted the card to activate the power, the curtains automatically and slowly drew open.

Jiang Yuan's eyes lit up instantly.

It was breathtaking!

This was a massive suite measuring over a hundred square meters.

Directly facing the door was a huge, floor-to-ceiling panoramic window.

There was no obstruction outside the window.

The towering Yaomei Peak was like a massive painting, shoved right in front of his face without reservation.

It felt as if it were within arm's reach.

In the center of the room, a two-by-two-meter bed faced the snow-capped mountain.

The bedding was long-staple cotton, fluffy and soft; one look told you it was the kind that would make you sink in and never want to leave.

Even more amazing was...

By the floor-to-ceiling window, there was actually a sunken private hot spring pool for viewing.

The faucet was also in a vintage brass style.

Just imagine.

At this altitude of 3,200 meters, soaking in a steaming private hot spring, sipping some wine, and watching the sun hit the golden peaks outside the window.

How leisurely and enjoyable that would be.

On the vanity, what was placed there wasn't that kind of cheap, bulk-bottled shampoo.

Instead, it was a full set of imported toiletries.

In this plateau town where resources were relatively scarce.

Being able to manage this level of detail meant the owner of this homestay was definitely a refined person.

Of course, the price was also quite touching: 3,800 a night.

But for Jiang Yuan.

Worth it.

Totally worth it.

He walked to the balcony and pushed open the floor-to-ceiling window.

Although the air outside was chilly, that crisp scent of grass and trees was indeed much more comfortable than being in an air-conditioned room.

Looking at the nearby Yaomei Peak, Jiang Yuan stretched.

His stomach growled twice at the right moment.

Since he had come to Western Sichuan, he had to try the local specialty—yak hot pot. (Ate a meal near Qinghai Lake, two people didn't even get full and still spent over 300... Never eating yak hot pot again...)

Jiang Yuan changed into a more comfortable pair of soft-soled casual shoes and took his phone to head out.

He had originally planned to go into town to join in the bustle.

But then he thought, when he passed the second floor earlier, the fragrance he smelled was quite tempting.

Since this homestay focused on high-end, the catering standards shouldn't be too bad.

Why bother going far when he could stay nearby, instead of going to the crowded streets of the town to inhale cooking fumes?

He arrived at the restaurant on the second floor.

Although the location was a bit secluded, the restaurant was unexpectedly popular right now.

It seemed the guests here were quite knowledgeable, or simply lazy.

The air was filled with a rich aroma of beef tallow, mixed with the smell of charcoal-grilled meat, making one's saliva production accelerate.

Jiang Yuan found an empty seat by the window and sat down.

"Handsome Guy, what would you like to eat?"

A forty-year-old woman with a ruddy complexion, wearing a Tibetan-style apron, walked over.

Her Mandarin carried a heavy regional accent, but it sounded warm and friendly.

She handed over a disposable checklist menu and a pencil.

Jiang Yuan glanced at it.

Without any hesitation, the tip of his pen went straight to the signature dish.

"This hand-sliced yak hot pot."

"As for the meat... bring three catties first."

"Also, bring a portion of matsutake and a platter of assorted wild mushrooms."

As for fillers like cabbage or tofu, Jiang Yuan didn't even look at them.

He was a carnivore, not a herbivore.

The woman looked at the "3 catties" mark on the menu, paused, and kindly reminded him:

"Handsome Guy, are you alone?"

"These three catties of meat are a solid amount, and that's not even counting the mushrooms. I'm afraid you won't be able to finish it."

Around here, that's usually the amount for two or three people.

"It's fine, ma'am."

Jiang Yuan smiled and handed the menu back.

"I have a big appetite; I can finish it."

Now, possessing four times the physical fitness of an average person, his metabolism was shockingly fast; this bit of meat would only leave him about eighty percent full.

"Alright then, order more if it's not enough."

The woman didn't try to persuade him further and bustled off to the kitchen with the order.

While waiting for the food.

Jiang Yuan leaned back in his chair and boredly scrolled through his phone.

He opened TikTok, and the little red dot on his backend private messages had already exploded.

Having not streamed for several days, the buddies in his fan group were spamming "Missing Persons Notices," asking if he'd had his kidneys harvested in Northern Myanmar.

Jiang Yuan picked a few interesting ones to reply to, just to let them know he was safe.

He switched out to WeChat.

Gu Xinyu had sent a few progress reports on the charity fund.

Liu Zhuoyun had sent a few photos from the school library; she looked like she was preparing for final exams and was extremely busy.

Jiang Yuan replied briefly, not wanting to disturb them while they were busy with important matters.

Soon.

"Hot pot coming through—"

With the woman's shout, a unique fragrance wafted over.

The cookware here was very distinctive.

It wasn't the typical stainless steel basin, but a Tibetan-style copper pot engraved with the Eight Auspicious Symbols.

Set on an induction cooker, the bone broth was bubbling.

In the broth, besides corn and seasonings, some nameless plateau plant roots were floating, emitting a unique herbal aroma.

Immediately after, three large plates of evenly sliced, red-and-white marbled yak meat were brought out.

The portion was indeed solid.

"The dipping sauce is already prepared for you; this is our secret dipping sauce."

The woman brought over a bowl of bright red oil-based dipping sauce.

Jiang Yuan added a large handful of cilantro himself and mixed it well.

Time to dig in.

He picked up a few slices of bright red yak meat and dropped them into the boiling red oil.

In a dozen seconds, the meat slices changed color and curled up.

He fished them out, coated them thoroughly with the garlic and sesame oil in the dipping sauce, and popped them into his mouth.

"Mmm..."

Jiang Yuan's eyes lit up slightly.

This flavor was amazing.

It was completely different from the beef eaten in the city.

Yak meat had coarser fibers, a chewier texture, and a rich, milky aroma, with absolutely no gamey taste.

A bite of meat, a sip of wild mushroom soup.

This was the correct way to experience Western Sichuan.

Jiang Yuan ate with great satisfaction, nodding in praise without restraint.

Three catties of meat might seem like a lot to an ordinary person.

But to Jiang Yuan, it was just a few plates of appetizers.

Half an hour later.

Looking at the empty plates and the hot pot base, of which half the soup had also been consumed.

The woman who came to clear the table was so shocked her eyes almost popped out.

This Handsome Guy looked so gentle and refined; who would have thought he could really eat!

What kind of stomach was that?

"Satisfying."

Jiang Yuan wiped his mouth, paid the bill, and left.

A clean plate is the greatest respect for food.

Full and satisfied.

Jiang Yuan walked out of the homestay entrance.