For the next few days, Lin Wanqiu stayed in Lijia'ao, learning how to make handmade noodles from Grandpa Li. Just as Grandpa Li said, the process of making handmade noodles is extremely complicated, and there are strict requirements for temperature, humidity, and pressure.

Every day at four in the morning, before dawn, Lin Wanqiu would get up with Grandpa Li. First, they would knead the dough. The flour had to be refined from the year's new wheat, with the right amount of salt and water added. The ratio of salt to water had to be just right; too much would make it too salty, and too little would make the dough lack elasticity. When kneading, they had to knead vigorously until the dough was smooth and fine, not sticky to their hands or the bowl. When Lin Wanqiu first started kneading, she always struggled to control the pressure and amount of water; the dough would either be too dry or too wet. Grandpa Li would only give her a few cold reprimands and tell her to figure it out herself.

After kneading the dough, it needs to rest. Place the kneaded dough in a bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest in a warm place for about an hour. The resting time should not be too long or too short. If it is too long, the dough will become sour; if it is too short, the dough will not be elastic, and the noodles rolled out will not be chewy.

After the dough has rested, roll it out. Place the rested dough on a work surface and roll it out into a thin sheet. The thickness of the sheet should be uniform, without any uneven thickness. After rolling out the sheet, stack it up and cut it into thin noodles with a knife. When cutting the noodles, your knife skills should be excellent, and the noodles should be cut to be of uniform thickness, like hair strands.

After cutting the noodles, they need to be hung. Hang the noodles on a special wooden rack in a well-ventilated, dry place to dry. When hanging the noodles, pull them gently, allowing them to hang naturally; do not use excessive force, otherwise the noodles will break. The drying time depends on the weather, generally requiring four to five hours, until the noodles become dry and firm.

After going through this series of processes, Lin Wanqiu was exhausted every day, with a sore back and thick calluses on her hands. But she didn't complain at all; on the contrary, she became more and more energetic as she worked. She knew that these traditional crafts were precious because they contained the hard work and wisdom of the old craftsmen, and every step of the process could not be taken lightly.

During her time with Grandpa Li, Lin Wanqiu gradually learned that the reason for Grandpa Li's eccentric temperament was that he had once had a son who was originally his chosen successor. However, the son felt that making noodles was hard work and didn't earn much money, so he was unwilling to inherit the craft. Instead, he went to the city to do business, but the business failed, leaving him with a mountain of debt, and he disappeared without a trace. This incident deeply saddened Grandpa Li and made him lose faith in passing on the craft.

After learning all this, Lin Wanqiu admired Grandpa Li even more and became even more determined to pass on these traditional crafts. She often chatted with Grandpa Li, listened to his stories of the past, cooked her her specialty dishes, and took care of his daily needs. Grandpa Li was gradually moved by Lin Wanqiu's sincerity and persistence, and began to teach her some tips for making noodles, such as how to adjust the ratio of salt and water, how to control the resting time of the dough, and how to make the noodles more chewy and smooth.

That day, following the method taught by Grandpa Li, Lin Wanqiu finally succeeded in making a batch of handmade noodles. She cooked a bowl of noodles and brought it to Grandpa Li: "Grandpa, please try some and see how it is?"

Grandpa Li picked up his chopsticks, took a noodle, and slowly chewed it. The noodle was as thin as hair, with a smooth and chewy texture, and a faint wheat aroma. The taste was just as good as the ones he made himself. A hint of surprise flashed in Grandpa Li's eyes, and he nodded: "Not bad, it has the style I had back in the day."

Lin Wanqiu was overjoyed and quickly said, "Grandpa, it's all thanks to your excellent teaching. Do you think our cooperation can be finalized?"

Grandpa Li put down his chopsticks, looked at Lin Wanqiu, and said solemnly, "Wanqiu, I believe you. I'm willing to pass on my noodle recipe to you and cooperate with you. However, I have one condition."

"Grandpa, please tell me. As long as it's within my power, I will definitely agree," Lin Wanqiu said quickly.

"I hope you can properly inherit this craft and not cut corners for the sake of making money, thus ruining what our ancestors passed down," Grandpa Li said seriously. "Moreover, if you are to train someone to inherit this craft in the future, you must find someone who truly loves this craft and is willing to endure hardship."

"Don't worry, sir!" Lin Wanqiu said firmly. "I assure you that no matter what, I will always stick to my original intention and strictly follow the recipe. I will never cut corners. Moreover, I will definitely find a suitable successor to pass on your craft properly."

Lin Wanqiu was thrilled to receive Mr. Li's approval. She knew this was not just a collaboration, but a weighty responsibility. She signed a cooperation agreement with Mr. Li, stipulating that he would be responsible for guiding the production of handmade noodles, while Lin Wanqiu would be responsible for providing ingredients and selling the products, with profits to be split equally between them.

When leaving Lijia'ao, Old Master Li personally escorted Lin Wanqiu to the village entrance. He took out a small box wrapped in red cloth from his pocket and handed it to Lin Wanqiu: "This is a noodle recipe passed down from my ancestors. It contains not only the proportions of ingredients for making noodles, but also some methods for making noodles with special flavors. Take it."

Lin Wanqiu accepted the box with both hands, her heart filled with gratitude: "Grandpa, thank you! I will definitely treasure this formula and make good use of it."

"Go ahead and do a good job." Old Master Li patted Lin Wanqiu on the shoulder, his eyes full of expectation.

Lin Wanqiu rode her bicycle, laden with her bounty, on her way home. The setting sun cast its golden rays across the country lanes, elongating her shadow. Her heart was filled with joy and determination; she knew this was just the beginning. Next, she would visit more veteran artisans and uncover more traditional culinary recipes.

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