The stomach of the north, the heart of the south

As an out-and-out northerner, perhaps because I have stayed in the north for too long, I am always full of curiosity and longing for the little-explored land in the south.

When you think of the South, you will inevitably think of small bridges and flowing water, Wu Nong’s soft words, small wooden houses next to the ancient streets, and old fishermen rowing boats. Water is of great significance to the south. It is precisely because of water that we have this warm, soft land and lush green plants. So every time I talk to my friends about the South, I reflexively think of the humid weather in the South. Girls who have lived in the north all year round will often express their envy to all the southern girls they meet: "You southerners have good skin!"

Although I will also hear southern friends complain about returning during the rainy season. In the south, it often rains continuously, and I can't go out for more than half a month. There is also the unbearable humidity and cold in winter, and it is simply too unbearable without heating. But it seems that these have little impact on people who have lived in the north for a long time. Everyone only remembers the ancient poem "The light rain in the street is as moist as crisp", or the girl walking in the rain alley holding an oil-paper umbrella. The South is synonymous with gentleness and beauty. As for the rest, it's all trivial matters.

I don’t know whether it’s because I have been yearning for the South since I was a child, or because I have been picky about food since I was a child. As a Henan native in the north, I don't like to eat noodles, so when my father often eats noodles, he points at me who only eats rice and vegetables and says angrily: "Those who don't like noodles are not from our family." At this time, I could only shrug my shoulders and continue to eat rice in the bowl, thinking how great it would be if I lived in the south and ate rice every day.

Later, when I went to the south with my friends and family, I discovered that the food in the south is not so easy to eat, and the weather in the south is not as good as imagined. I remember that one year I had just finished a trip to Tibet and was transiting in Chengdu. My friend screamed that it was hot as soon as he got off the plane. It felt like being thrown into a stuffy box, surrounded by a ball of heat, following him wherever he went. In the evening, I went to eat authentic Chengdu hot pot with my friends. I looked at the red eyes floating in the pot and my stomach started to burn before I even started eating. That hot pot meal was the most unforgettable hot pot meal for me, because it was the first time I ate hot pot and it was so spicy that I was numb. My brain was blurred, my lips were swollen, and my heart was boiling hot, as if I had fallen into the pot. After that, I let my friend go to the night market by himself. When I got back to the hotel, I immediately opened a takeout app and ordered a bowl of porridge. The moment I took my first sip of porridge, I felt alive. The fire in my stomach was extinguished, my mind was no longer chaotic, and my heart felt refreshed. Looking at the white rice porridge on the table that I drank completely, I suddenly began to miss the white rice porridge that my mother often cooked at night, which is called "porridge" in Henan dialect.

It seems that my father has wronged me. Even though I have a heart that yearns for the south, my stomach cannot deceive others.

Sometimes, it makes sense to say that it is better to listen to the scenery than to see the scenery. But even so, I still have a deep love for the South. I still remember traveling to a small town in Suzhou when I was in high school. My classmates saw a shopkeeper closing his shop and casually said, "It's closed." The shopkeeper, a young lady, said with a soft southern accent, "It's not closed." Sister-in-law Liang, it’s time to get off work.” We turned back and smiled at each other with the shop owner. The afterglow of the setting sun hit the slowly closing wooden door, reflecting the sparkling water on the roadside. The occasional spring breeze was still warm. This was probably because the scenery was intoxicating.

Those who don’t get it are always in turmoil, but those who are favored are fearless. Eason Chan's lyrics are always deeply rooted in people's hearts. I think as a northerner, this is probably the unfounded love I have for the south. Although I love the south, it does not affect my deep love for this land in the north as a northerner. Henan is located in the Central Plains, a battleground for ancient military strategists. Heroes competed in the Central Plains to win this geomantic treasure. No matter how many rats outside Henan have tarnished its reputation, I am still proud to be a northerner and a Henanese.

The soil and water support the people, and the heroic spirit and magnanimity in the hearts of northerners are the characteristics that have been nurtured on this land for thousands of years. Just looking at the Three Kingdoms, you will find that most of the fierce generals in the Three Kingdoms are northerners. Lu Bu is from Inner Mongolia, Guan Yu is from Shanxi, Zhang Fei is from Hebei, and Ma Chao is from Shaanxi. They are all tough northern men. Presumably these "Northern stomachs" fighting on the battlefield can only be fed by food from the North.

Just because I live in the North and still love the South does not mean that I am philanthropic. To me, the north is like a quilt that I can cover myself with when it gets cold. The south is like a landscape painting that can be viewed from a distance but not played with. I can never appreciate it enough.

But every time I feel hungry late at night, what I miss most is the white rice porridge cooked by my mother.