Without her dad even saying it, Xiangling had already planned to visit the Jar Shop herself tomorrow and to thank the shopkeeper in person.
"Alright, let's wrap up for today. Tomorrow morning, we'll make some of these instant noodles and let everyone taste them."
"Yes!"
The next morning, the sun broke through the horizon, waking the slumbering world.
After a night of quiet, Liyue Harbor surged back to life.
The streets of Chihu Rock were crowded with pedestrians. People carried goods, rushing to work, hurrying to appointments, or lining up to buy breakfast snacks.
Though it was still morning, the bustling energy rivaled that of the evening market.
"Chef Mao, what's this?"
In front of Wanmin Restaurant, a long line had already formed. Many customers were ordering takeout for the road, while others sat down for a proper breakfast.
But one sharp-eyed customer noticed something new. Today, at the front of the restaurant, there was a basket full of square noodle blocks—something he had never seen before.
What are these?
They were placed in the noodle section.
Wanmin Restaurant organized its ingredients by type: thick noodles, thin noodles, round noodles.
But today, there was a new addition—square noodle blocks. And they looked strange.
He had to ask.
"Hm? You're right, I almost didn't notice. What kind of noodles are these?"
"Yeah, Chef Mao! What are these square noodle blocks? I've never seen anything like this before."
"That's weird. Why are the noodles curly? And why are they shaped like bricks?"
"Is this a new dish from Wanmin Restaurant?"
The first question sparked a wave of curiosity. Everyone started talking at once, staring at the mysterious noodle blocks.
They had never seen anything like this. It looked like noodles... but didn't.
Was this some kind of new invention from Wanmin Restaurant?
"Hehe, these are called instant noodles. The texture is excellent. You should try them."
Hearing the questions, Chef Mao chuckled. "I guarantee you won't be disappointed."
"In that case, I'll give it a try. Let me have one."
The first customer in line grinned. "No spice. Keep it mild."
Chef Mao nodded with a smile. "You got it!"
Then, right in front of everyone, he grabbed one of the square blocks and dropped it into a pot of boiling broth.
Two minutes later, he scooped the noodles out, poured a rich bone broth over them, and the aroma filled the air.
"Done!"
Looking at the customer who had just sat down, Chef Mao smiled. "Come get it."
"What?!"
The customer's eyes widened. "That was fast!"
Are you kidding me?! I just sat down!
Usually, noodles took at least five to six minutes to cook, sometimes longer.
But he had barely sat down for two minutes. And the noodles were already done?
"Whoa, Chef Mao! Are you cutting corners? You can't just toss noodles in and call it a day!"
"Yeah! You're supposed to cook noodles fresh in a separate pot, aren't you?"
"Wait, hold on. That smell... is that bone broth? Chef Mao, did you really just blanch the noodles in the broth?"
Not just the customer—everyone in line watching the process was stunned.
This was the most absurd noodle preparation they had ever seen.
And it was done in record time.
All he did was drop the block into boiling broth, swish it around for two minutes, and scoop it out.
That's it?
"Hehe, this is Wanmin Restaurant's new product—instant noodles."
Chef Mao chuckled at their reactions. "Why do we call it 'instant'? Because it's instant! You can even eat it dry, and it'll taste good. If you want to cook it, all you need to do is blanch it for a moment."
"And it's not just that—you don't even need to cook it. You can literally just soak it. Put the block in boiling water, let it sit for a bit, and it's ready. If the heat is high, it'll be done even faster."
"The best part? The texture is excellent, and you can customize the flavor with any seasoning you like. You can also eat it dry as a snack. The noodles are springy and delicious. Give it a try."
"You're joking!"
The customer's eyes went wide in disbelief.
Without hesitation, he grabbed his chopsticks and took a bite.
"Mmm!"
The moment the noodles hit his mouth, he felt the smooth, springy texture.
It was better than wide noodles. Better than thin noodles.
Way better.
"This is incredible!"
He stared at Chef Mao in shock. "You literally just blanched it for two minutes, and it tastes betterthan your famous Dragonbeard Noodles—which take way longer to make!"
He was stunned not just by the taste, but by the convenience.
No long cooking time. Just drop it in hot water, blanch for a moment, and it was done.
Compared to steamed buns and mantou, this was on another level.
If he were traveling long distances, having these instant noodles would be so convenient.
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