Chapter 177: Qingao Town

The third scenic spot was also a lighthouse. Since they had just seen one, the group had no intention of getting off the cart. They merely took a few rough glances from the electric cart before moving forward.

The electric cart continued along the winding mountain road, slowly leaving the coastline behind. As it moved forward, the scenery gradually shifted from the shoreline to a much more open terrain. Away from the salty, humid breeze of the coast, the air was now filled with a refreshing, slightly wild mountain scent.

Soon, giant windmills appeared in twos and threes in their line of sight. Not long after, they arrived at the fourth scenic spot on South Australia Island—the giant windmills.

Over three hundred massive wind turbines were scattered across South Australia Island. Towering majestically over the island, they formed a unique landscape in the region. These windmills were not just important landmarks on South Australia Island, but also the primary source of its power system.

The electric cart slowly came to a halt near the windmills. Li Xiao and his companions stepped off, looking up at the colossal structures. These windmills were incredibly huge, each standing over forty meters tall. Beside them, an ordinary person looked like a tiny ant. The windmill blades spun slowly in the breeze, letting out a deep, powerful hum. Under the sunlight, their shadows cast massive, impressive patterns on the ground.

Wen Yaqian picked up her camera, continuously capturing the spectacular sights of the windmills. Zhou Shishi, on the other hand, was full of curiosity about how they worked, constantly asking Xu in a low voice for specific details. Li Xiao stood to the side, quietly admiring the harmonious coexistence between the windmills and the natural environment.

Seeing how curious the guests were, Xu smiled and explained, "In the past, this side of South Australia Island relied entirely on thermal power generation. There was a thermal power plant on the island. Since the population wasn’t large at the time—only about a thousand people in total—the pressure on the power supply was very small. Relying on fuel brought in by ships, that small power plant was more than enough to cover the electricity needs of the island’s residents.

"However, with the continuous development of South Australia Island, the power supply from that small plant was no longer sufficient for the residents’ usage. I remember when I was a kid, we would have power outages every few mornings. Especially in the summer, the power would go out almost every day or two.

"Later, to improve the lives of the islanders, the government put a lot of effort into building these wind turbines. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly small number of these turbines; the electricity they generate is quite substantial. Because we are on an island, wind resources are extremely abundant. Even though the tourism industry on South Australia Island is becoming more and more developed now, and the number of residents is increasing, these three hundred or so wind turbines, along with the original small thermal power station, are enough to meet the island’s electricity needs."

Listening to Xu’s explanation, Li Xiao nodded. Indeed, the geographical location of South Australia Island was quite unique. Being far away from the continental plate, it was actually quite difficult to connect it to the main power grid. Relying entirely on fuel for power generation was impractical, and since South Australia Island wasn’t all that large, an oversized thermal power plant could easily cause severe environmental pollution. The construction of these wind power stations was truly the best measure at the moment.

After taking a few photos under the giant windmills, the four of them set off again. Reaching a three-way intersection, Xu slowly reduced the speed, turned his head, and asked Li Xiao beside him, "Does Mr. Li want to go to the tourist area? Or take a look at the local town?"

Li Xiao turned back to ask for the opinions of the other three. Their views were surprisingly unanimous: they would skip the tourist area and instead check out the town where the local residents lived. After all, tourist areas everywhere were mostly the same, filled with handicrafts, local specialties, and all sorts of chain stores. In contrast, the local residential areas seemed much more worthy of exploration.

Having confirmed their destination, Xu tapped his foot lightly, and the electric cart continued forward.

Upon arriving at Qingao Town, Li Xiao and the other three immediately felt the strong local cultural atmosphere of the place. Qingao Town, as a gathering place for the locals of South Australia, was full of authentic Chaoshan flavor.

The quaint buildings on both sides of the street seemed to tell stories of the past, with every brick and tile reflecting the precipitation of history. Curling smoke drifted out from temples with gray bricks and red tiles. What left Li Xiao somewhat astonished was that along the way, there were five or six different kinds of temples alone.

In stark contrast to this, right next to these ancient buildings were highly modern shops and cafes. This fusion of eras brought about a unique visual impact. Every corner here was filled with a dialogue between history and modernity, making Qingao Town a unique cultural intersection.

Li Xiao and his companions strolled leisurely down this vibrant street, drawn by the bustling scenes around them. The breath of the local residents’ daily lives was particularly strong on this busy street. Elderly people sat on stone benches by the roadside, enjoying their leisurely time. Children frolicked and played in the streets, while young people chatted in cafes or immersed themselves in their phone screens.

Soon, the four of them were attracted by the lively noise of a gathered crowd, arriving in front of an unassuming but exceptionally popular snack stall. Several customers were crowded around the stall, their eyes focused on the busy figure of the owner. Li Xiao took a glance; this roadside stall was selling a very famous local snack: oyster omelets.

The stall owner was a middle-aged woman. Her technique was skilled and swift, making it obvious that she had been working in this trade for many years. On the steaming hot griddle, she expertly mixed together pre-prepared baby oysters, eggs, and some secret batter. As the snow-white, tender baby oysters were placed on the scorching iron plate, plumes of smoke instantly rose. The female owner’s movements were incredibly adept; with a gentle slide of the spatula in her hand, the oysters on the griddle were effortlessly flipped over.

Seeing that the group was interested, Xu quickly introduced the dish to them. "This is Aunt Mei’s Oyster Omelet. If I remember correctly, this stall has been around for over twenty years. When I was in elementary school, I used to come here to eat all the time after classes ended. I remember prices were very low back then. I only had one yuan a day for pocket money, and the smallest portion of oyster omelet was just eighty cents, so I would come over here to have a meal every few days."

While they were chatting, it was soon Li Xiao’s turn in line. Seeing Xu appear in the queue, the smile on Aunt Mei’s face instantly grew a bit more enthusiastic. "Isn’t this Xu? Long time no see! You didn’t even know to find some time to come back and visit Aunt Mei!"

Xu gave a somewhat helpless smile. "I wanted to find time to come over too, but work has just been too busy. The hotel guests happened to be interested, so I quickly dropped by to see you since it was on the way."

The two chatted for a moment before the female stall owner immediately turned her attention to Li Xiao. "Handsome, do you guys want large or small portions of the oyster omelets? Large is fifteen yuan, small is ten."

Li Xiao didn’t hesitate and held up four fingers. "Give us four small ones. We still have to eat other things later, so we just want a taste."

The female stall owner’s movements wasn’t the least bit sluggish. Upon hearing Li Xiao’s order, her hands had already started moving. A ladle scooped up the batter-coated baby oysters, pouring them directly onto the scorching hot griddle.