Taiwan Travelogue — CHAPTER IX

1. 1. Aoyama-san chose to spend the Gregorian New Year in Taiwan with Chi-chan, foregoing his family's traditional celebrations in Nagasaki.
2. 2. Chi-chan's inscrutable nature became apparent during the New Year celebrations, unsettling Aoyama-san's perception of their relationship.
3. 3. Chi-chan led Aoyama-san on a trip to Kīrun's Double Dragon Waterfalls, a historical railway landmark she personally wished to see.
4. 4. Taiwan's railway history, particularly its tunnels, embodies the layered dreams and challenges of both Qing and Japanese imperial rule.
5. 5. Chi-chan expressed concern that the ongoing war between Japan and Shina could eliminate the need for Han-language translators in Taiwan.
6. 6. Master A-Phûn, a legendary Taiwanese master chef, initially refused to cook for Aoyama-san, declaring she would not cook for Japanese people.
7. 7. Chi-chan challenged Master A-Phûn to a dice game of s p-pat-á, winning the right for the chef to prepare a single dish for Aoyama-san.
8. 8. Chi-chan requested 'tshài-bué-thng,' a 'leftovers soup' delicacy requiring Master A-Phûn to prepare a full twelve-dish Taiwanese banquet first.
9. 9. Chi-chan threatened to resign her interpreter post, giving Aoyama-san a severe ultimatum due to his inability to change his attitude towards her.