The Chinese pancake, or jianbingguozi, is one of the most common breakfast foods in northern China, usually filled with materials like vegetables, eggs and spicy paste. On the video-sharing platform Douyin, French chef Corentin Delcroix’s video of his own type of jianbing has been viewed about 250,000 times. But just how does his differ? It is packed with cheese, ham, pickle (泡菜) and black truffle mayonnaise (黑松露蛋黄酱) — materials typically found in French pancakes, which Delcroix says aren’t all that different to Chinese pancakes.

Delcroix’s addiction to Chinese cuisine started in 2002 when he was studying in Beijing. “The first Chinese dish I learned to cook was scrambled eggs with tomatoes. But my favorites are cooked wheat-based foods such as jiaozi and xiaolongbao,’” says Delcroix. After learning how to prepare some of the popular local dishes, Delcroix decided to share his favorite Chinese and French dishes on social media. And many of his videos show him preparing dishes that marry elements of both cuisines.

But this effort is not just about self-improvement — Delcroix says he has also managed to learn more about Chinese cuisines through the comments that he receives from his viewers. “It is through the viewers that I get to learn how to create truly local dishes. The suggestions are faster and more direct than those from the market,” Delcroix says.

Delcroix is presently a chef, a successful businessman and a food blogger who has millions of followers on Chinese social media platforms. Despite having learned so much about Chinese cuisine over the years, Delcroix is still hungry for more knowledge.

Looking ahead, he wants to do more to spread Chinese cuisine to people overseas. “I always feel that there might be cultural barriers when Chinese chefs introduce their local cuisines to foreigners. It might be much easier for a foreigner to explain,” he adds, “I want to be that bridge.”

Informal conversation is an important part of any business relationship. Before you start a discussion, however, make sure you understand which topics are suitable and which are considered taboos (禁忌) in a particular culture. Latin Americans enjoy sharing information about their local history, art and customs. They expect questions about their family and are sure to show pictures of their children. You may feel free to ask similar questions of your Latin American friends. The French think of conversation as an art form, and they enjoy the value of lively discussions as well as disagreements. For them, arguments can be interesting ---- and they can cover pretty much or any topic ---- as long as they occur in a respectful and intelligent manner.

In the United States, business people like to discuss a wide range of topics, including opinions about work, family, hobbies, and politics. In Japan, China, and Korea, however, people are much more private. They do not share much about their thoughts, feelings, or emotions because they feel that doing so might take away the harmonious (和谐的) business relationship they’re trying to build. Middle Easterners are also private about their personal lives and family matters. It is considered rude, for example, to ask a businessman from Saudi Arabia about his wife or children.

As a general rule, it’s best not to talk about politics or religion with your business friends. This can get you into trouble, even in the United States, where people hold different views. In addition, discussing one’s salary is usually considered unsuitable. Sports is typically a friendly subject in most parts of the world, although be careful not to criticize a national sport. Instead, be friendly and praise your host’s team.

For most people, Friday, which happens to be the 13^th, means little more than the start of a weekend. However, to million people worldwide who suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia (周五 13 恐惧症), the combination of the day and number brings had luck. While no one knows for sure how it began, there are many theories.

Experts think it starts with the fear of the number 13. The number 13 suffers from its position after 12, which is regarded as a complete number. After all, there are 12 months in a year, 12 gods of Olympus, and so on. This has caused the belief that 13 is incomplete and, therefore, unlucky.

The number’s bad name is worsened by the fact that several unfortunate incidents are linked with 13. One example is NASA’s Apollo 13 mission (任务). The seventh manned mission in the Apollo space program, launched (发射) at 13:13, never landed on moon. For some people, the mission failed because of the number 13.

If you are among those who can “Shake It Off”, you are in great company. Taylor Swift is not affected by the number, who says, “I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. Every time I’ve won an award I’ve been seated in either the 13th seal or the 13th row. Basically, whenever a 13 comes up in my life, it’s a good thing.”

The fear of Friday appears to come mainly from ancient religion. It was the day Jesus was killed. Though the date was not the 13th, it happened after the Last Supper, which had 13 guests.

When the date and day meet, people suffer from anxiety. Construction and shipbuilding workers easily become nervous, which often leads to more accidents. This, of course, further adds to their anxiety. It is reported that businesses lose more than $800 million because many people avoid traveling or shopping on this day.