"Hm?"
Hearing Xiangling's words, Chef Mao was stunned. What does she mean?
The instant noodles were done?
It was just a noodle dish, right? How could it be such a "good thing"?
Chef Mao looked at the square block of dried noodles in Xiangling's hand with a strange expression.
This was "instant noodles"? It was the first time he had seen such a thing. It looked odd compared to regular noodles.
Not only was it a square block, but the noodles themselves were curly. Very strange.
"Dad, I figured it out!"
Xiangling looked at him with excitement. "The reason it's a 'good thing' is because you only need boiling water to eat it! Just add hot water and some seasoning, and it becomes delicious."
"The texture is incredibly springy, far better than those dry rations people carry around. And it's ready in minutes."
After an afternoon of experimenting, she had tested it herself. These "instant noodles" truly lived up to their name.
They were instant.
If she introduced this to the public, it would take the world by storm.
"Dad, these instant noodles could become famous across Teyvat!"
Xiangling held the noodle block like a treasure. Chef Mao's expression grew even weirder.
This little block of dried noodles is going to conquer the world?
You're joking, right?
But then he recalled her words. "You said... you just need to soak it in boiling water? And it tastes good?"
Impossible.
Sure, soaking dried noodles might soften them, but that didn't mean they were edible.
The texture would be terrible. Worse than gnawing on a cold mantou.
To make noodles delicious, you had to cook them properly. Soaking wasn't cooking.
"Yes! Just boiling water," Xiangling insisted. "And it only takes a few minutes. Watch."
She placed the noodle block into a bowl. Then, right in front of her father, she poured boiling water over it.
The noodles soaked in the hot water, slowly softening and unraveling.
Xiangling sprinkled some seasoning she had prepared earlier, stirred it with chopsticks, and suddenly, a rich, savory aroma wafted from the bowl.
"Here, Dad. Taste it."
Xiangling grinned. "I guarantee you won't be disappointed."
"Alright."
Seeing his daughter's confidence, Chef Mao was intrigued. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and took a bite.
"Mm?! This texture!"
The moment the noodles entered his mouth, Chef Mao's eyes lit up.
The texture was incredibly springy! Far better than he expected. And the seasoning had soaked in perfectly.
But the most important thing was the convenience.
"Dad, you tasted the texture. It's way better than ordinary dried noodles."
Xiangling was practically bouncing. "Travelers just need to carry these blocks. When they're hungry, they just need hot water. As for the flavor, it depends on the seasoning. If we make pre-packaged seasoning packets and sell them with the noodles, people can just tear open the packet, add water, and eat anywhere."
"It's so convenient! And the recipe is simple. I made this by hand, but if we used machines, we could mass-produce it even faster."
"We can make this a signature dish at Wanmin Restaurant too! We can keep a few pots of boiling broth ready. When a customer orders, we just drop the block in. It cooks in minutes—way faster than boiling fresh noodles—and the texture is consistent."
Xiangling spoke faster and faster, her excitement overflowing.
At the same time, she was internally marveling at the Jar Shop.
Her father had bought a broken jar because of a clumsy mistake, and he ended up with a treasure trove.
She could only imagine how powerful that shop truly was.
This single recipe was a golden goose.
Without the recipe, even if people wanted to copy it, they couldn't!
The process was specific. She had spent all afternoon deciphering the method described in the paper.
"Hiss..."
Chef Mao took a deep breath as he stared at the bowl of noodles.
His daughter was right.
This was a business with unlimited potential.
It was convenient, delicious, and had a great texture. The noodle block itself was the key; the flavor could be endlessly customized with different seasonings.
"No, Dad! It's not just for soaking. You can eat it dry too!"
Xiangling ran back to the kitchen and brought out another dry block. "Taste this! It's crispy. Even without seasoning, it's good. But if you crush it and sprinkle the powder on top, it's a great snack."
Chef Mao quickly took the dry block and bit into it.
Crunch.
Just one bite, and he knew.
It was delicious.
Even without seasoning, the fried noodle block had a savory, indescribable flavor that was addictive.
In fact, he almost preferred it dry!
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