"Hey, beautiful lady! What would you like?" the stall owner said enthusiastically. He was about 1.6 meters tall, wearing a clean but faded apron. He was washing a mushroom in a basin of water. An electric appliance nearby hadn't been turned on yet, and some scraps had been left on the cutting board.
"What's delicious?" Jiang Ling asked, tilting her head to observe the restaurant across the road.
"Ramen, fried noodles, steamed buns, meat congee, and our latest stir-fried vegetables," the stall owner replied. "We serve pretty much the same things; it all depends on the skill of the chef."
"Vegetables? Have they cultivated new varieties?" Jiang Ling grasped the key point.
"Ah? No, these are samples brought back from the surface by searchers. Some of them acted like Shennong a few times and discovered several edible vegetables." The boss explained patiently. Judging from his expression, many people have been asking similar questions recently.
Jiang Ling sighed. She probably understood. Wild grasses that weren't poisonous and wouldn't kill people were considered wild vegetables, and wild vegetables that weren't deadly and tasted good were considered vegetables. A three-second silence for those unfortunate souls. "Then have some vegetables with the ramen!" she replied.
The scarcity of food will inevitably lead to changes in people's diets. Although there are still many pre-war supplies left on the surface, compared with the surviving population, these supplies will soon be consumed. If this continues, even the most conservative people will be forced to adapt to the diet of the new era.
Jiang Ling watched as the stall owner pulled out a snakeskin bag labeled "Yang's Formula Synthetic Flour" from under the counter and scooped out half a basin of flour from it using a stainless steel basin. He then added some water and began to knead the dough. Low-end ingredients often didn't require any additional processing, and in fact, such ingredients weren't considered low-end at all. She watched as the stall owner kneaded the flour into dough, then gradually stretched the dough into a long, strip-shaped dough stick. The stall owner expertly cut the dough stick into several equal-weight dough pieces, randomly selected one of them, and stored the remaining dough in the steel basin for later use.
Then came the traditional art: the dough stretched and elongated in the dry powder on the chopping board, eventually forming over a hundred equal-length noodles. Meanwhile, the water beside the owner had already boiled. He rolled the noodles into a ball and gently dropped it from the edge of the iron pot into the water. The noodles tumbled and gradually dispersed in the boiling water, and soon, a white mist rose from the surface of the water. This mist, carrying the natural aroma of the noodles, spread to the surrounding area along the convection currents within the station.
The stall owner wasn't idle either. He found a clean stainless steel bowl from under the cupboard, added some seasonings, and placed it next to the pot. He then found a plastic container behind him and used a pair of tongs to remove some already stir-fried chopped vegetables and placed them in the bowl.
At this point, the noodles in the pot are finally cooked. The stall owner scoops them up with a slotted spoon and pours them into a bowl. He then scoops two spoonfuls of boiling broth from a bucket next to the pot and pours it over the noodles. Finally, it's done!
Naturally, there were no waiters at the stall; customers had to help themselves. Jiang Ling placed her bowl on the table, and the scene inside was full of life. She realized that this stall was essentially a fast-food restaurant; no wonder she didn't have to wait too long to get her hot meal.
The noodles tasted exactly like Lao Yang's. It seemed he had succeeded. Perhaps for him, it was just a small change on the synthesizer. But he had changed everyone's taste, and his name would remain in the memory of everyone who had tasted noodles. Jiang Ling lifted the noodles into the air with chopsticks. The crystal-clear broth clung to the translucent white noodles. The briefly processed flour displayed a surprising elasticity, gleaming under the ceiling light.
A mouthful of noodles, a sip of soup—this is the true meaning of life. Ordinary yet extraordinary, the occasional burst of crisp vegetables a wonderful spice. Under the owner's smiling gaze, Jiang Ling drank the soup from his bowl, leaving behind endless praise and the reward he deserved.
This bowl of noodles cost five points, a fair price, presumably the typical price for mid-range stations. Jiang Ling couldn't judge whether it was a generous portion or not by her own standards, but the satisfied expressions of the people around her explained everything.
As she savored the Chinese fast food, she had already figured out what kind of place it was. If she had to describe it with words, it would be: lavish decor, exquisite plates, meticulous waiters, expensive menus, and a clientele that pretended to be sophisticated. She disdained such places, and most of the time, they didn't offer any decent food.
Of course, if someone treated her, Jiang Ling wouldn't mind going to see it. But if she had to go to a place that was clearly designed to rip her off, forget it. Besides, she had already scanned mutants nearby more than once, and she had a feeling that something big was going to happen at this site.
This was indeed the case. When she was about to leave, a voice sounded in her head: "Please wait a moment!"
Jiang Ling sat back down and scanned the surroundings with her sensory senses. Soon, she found a unique light spot in the restaurant. "Who are you?" She connected with him, but didn't wander into his mind.
"Um~ If possible, can you come in and talk?" The voice suddenly became much clearer, and Jiang Ling recognized it as a very young loli voice.
"Okay, but don't use this ability on me, okay? It's scary." Jiang Ling agreed, but rejected her approach.
"Ah! Ah... I'm sorry! I, I didn't mean to." The voice became a little flustered. "Actually, I was avoiding some people and had to use this ability!"
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