Crepes Flipped at Suzhou Flower Auction

Golden light spills across a weathered wooden counter where a vendor flips thin crepes. Steam rises gently from the warm batter, catching the low-hanging clouds visible through the open auction hall windows. Beside the cooking station, bundles of fresh lilies and chrysanthemums rest in water buckets, their petals glowing amber in the late afternoon sun. The vendor's hands move swiftly, a spatula turning the delicate food over a portable burner. Early winter air chills the edges of the market, yet the cooking surface radiates heat. In the background, blurred figures of buyers inspect flowers while the crepe edges crisp into a deep brown. one drop of syrup drips from the spatula onto the metal tray below.