"Oh ho? What's that smell so good?"
"Goodness, I'm just getting off work and starving, this is simply criminal."
"It smells like rice and there's a strong aroma of fresh shrimp. What's going on?"
"There's a line over there, must be related. Let's go check it out."
It's the after-work rush hour, and various workers are dragging their tired bodies but excited spirits home.
Just getting off the subway, a unique fragrance wafts through the air, causing many to stop in their tracks to investigate.
Among them, a petite figure in a white down jacket with a fuzzy hat brightened up immediately upon catching a whiff.
Isn't that the scent of the rice noodles I lined up for all morning but didn't get to taste?
Though there's a delicious shrimp aroma added, the rice scent is unmistakable.
Looking up, she sees a large group heading towards the aroma, and Zhou Ruoqing gets anxious.
If she can't get it in the evening too, she won't be able to sleep well tonight!
Thinking of this, she clutches her bag and starts running.
The two rabbit ears on her hat keep bouncing up and down, looking very cute.
She doesn't even need to figure out directions; she just needs to follow the scent.
She jogs over to the stall and, seeing only a dozen people lined up, breathes a sigh of relief.
Then she joins the back of the line with great anticipation.
In the evening, there are quite a few stall options selling skewers, pancakes, and sizzling squid, all envyingly staring at the busy Wang Fan.
Though they're in the same business, they haven't even started yet, while his is almost done for the day. How can they not be envious?
Human joys and sorrows do not interconnect!
Wang Fan continues to work quickly, none of the customers waiting more than a minute.
This speed keeps the customers satisfied, allowing them to queue diligently.
"Hello, pork rice noodle is 10 yuan, fresh shrimp rice noodle is 12 yuan, fresh shrimp porridge is 3 yuan. What would you like?"
"Shrimp, shrimp, shrimp, I want shrimp porridge and fresh shrimp rice noodle."
Zhou Ruoqing responds quickly.
She loves seafood, so given the option, she'd always choose it.
Wang Fan finds the voice familiar and looks up, realizing it's the lady who missed her rice noodle in the morning.
Well then, she's back for her morning debt.
Zhou Ruoqing grumbles discontentedly, "Boss, you're not honest. You said you'd be here in the morning, almost making me miss out again."
Wang Fan quickly explains, "Wasn't planning on the evening stall, but plans changed unexpectedly."
With his laid-back personality, indeed he wasn't planning an evening stall.
But upon seeing the old man lying in the hospital bed, Wang Fan felt uneasy.
So, now he's out morning and afternoon, hoping to quickly raise his second uncle's surgery fees.
Watching the rice noodle box handed to her, Zhou Ruoqing feels dissatisfied. She puffs her cheeks and says, "Boss, you forgot the chili!"
"Huh?"
Wang Fan, surprised, didn't anticipate this seemingly delicate lady to eat spicy.
"Sorry, how much should I add?"
Zhou Ruoqing holds her rice noodle bowl, signaling Wang Fan to hand over the chili spoon, and he obliges, puzzled.
With her chopsticks still wrapped, she taps lightly on the chili spoon, allowing several pieces to fall into her bowl.
She nods in satisfaction while Wang Fan's head fills with black lines.
"Humph."
With a soft snort, she pays 15 yuan, turns around, and leaves, thinking the young boss must be impressed by her spicy tolerance, proudly swelling to six feet tall in spirit.
Originally intending to take it home, the tempting aromatic sweetness overwhelms her. She can't resist and opens her chopsticks.
No way, she must devour it now!
Picking up a piece of rice noodle, she eagerly pops it into her mouth.
Soft chewy rice layer, sweet elastic shrimp meat, uniquely flavored sauce—all three combined create an addictive taste.
Being from Guangfu, she'd had plenty of rice noodles before. She'd visited many old stores and fly restaurants countless times.
She dares to bet the boss's skill rivals any century-old establishment.
Having not tasted hometown flavors for a whole year, Zhou Ruoqing devours with unbridled enthusiasm.
Others nearby have similar scenarios, all wolfing down from their food boxes, seemingly starved for a week.
New arrivals at the station watch these people in puzzlement.
Zhou Qiang frowns dismissively, thinking it's ridiculous for a small snack stall to hire actors.
If you say it's tasty that's fine, but eating like this is too fake!
Some social extroverts fearlessly approach the food box holders, curiously asking, "Bro, is this rice noodle really that good? You're not paid for acting, are you?"
The rice noodle inhaler rolls their eyes, saying, "I earn several cents a second, wouldn't do such disgraceful things. Trust me, it's really yummy, especially the shrimp porridge. Hurry and queue; I glimpsed the boss has limited porridge. Dawdle and you'll miss out."
With that, he vigorously waves his chopsticks, enjoying the feast.
"Slurp slurp."
"Slosh slosh."
"Heavens, this shrimp porridge is so delicious, my tongue is almost eating itself."
"Rice noodle's great too. Boss, I must see you here tomorrow morning."
The extrovert brothers, hearing him, logically deduce this tiny stall can't afford so many actors.
Then they heed the advice and begin waiting in line.
By now, Zhou Ruoqing's feasting has turned her face red.
She hadn't expected Wang Fan's chili to be this potent.
Twenty years of training couldn't withstand it.
Beside her appears another furry figure looking disdainfully at Zhou Ruoqing.
"I say, Little Qingqing, don't push yourself if you can't handle spice. Braised beef noodles are your limit."
Zhou Ruoqing, panting, retorts, "No way! I can eat spicy well! It's just the boss's chili is too hot."
Shen Yu glances at the sesame-sized chili pieces in Zhou Ruoqing's bowl, huffing disdainfully.
"This tiny amount wouldn't even make me flinch if you dropped it on my hemorrhoid."
"Pfft..."
The duo's conversation catches an onlooker, who bursts out laughing upon hearing Shen Yu's words.
The laughter reddens Zhou Ruoqing and Shen Yu, reminding them they're out in public, not their rented room.
"Let's hurry away, embarrassing."
Shen Yu pulls Zhou Ruoqing, dashing away in a flash. As they run, Zhou Ruoqing calls out, "Boss, make sure you save me some rice noodle for breakfast tomorrow!"