“Oh my god, what is that smell? It’s so fragrant!”

“Yeah, yeah! It smells even better than the food from the restaurants!”

Hearing the excited chatter from the crowd around them, Lin Yutang secretly rejoiced. She had asked Lin Zhi about it—cooking methods in this era were still quite simple, mostly limited to steaming, boiling, and roasting, so flavors were generally plain. Instant noodles, beloved by everyone in the 21st century, were sure to win them all over!

“Little girl, what are you selling here?”

“Yeah, yeah! I’ve never smelled anything like this before!”

“Uncles and aunties, we’re selling instant noodles. Right now, we have three flavors: braised meatball noodles, which are not spicy, with a rich sauce and delicious broth—suitable for all ages; spicy meatball noodles, which is what I’m cooking now, perfect for those who love spicy food; and another called pickled cabbage meatball noodles, which is sour and spicy and really appetizing!” After saying this, Lin Yutang scooped out some of the ingredients from the simmering pot to show everyone.

“Each bowl of noodles costs five coins and includes two meatballs. Meatballs alone cost one coin for two. Marinated eggs are three coins each, dried tofu is one coin per slice, and greens are one coin per serving.”

(Just so you know, the meatballs are about the size of those mushroom beef balls you get in hot pot—don’t imagine they’re as big as lion’s head meatballs, folks!)

Everyone thought the price was quite reasonable. After all, a plain bowl of noodles usually cost four coins, let alone such fragrant noodles that came with two small meatballs.

Lin Yutang divided the cooked noodles into small paper cups, each with a small bamboo fork, and said to the still-hesitant crowd, “Everyone can try a sample first. If you like it, you can buy it.”

When they heard they could try it for free, the crowd erupted, swarming forward all at once. But since there was only so much one packet of instant noodles could make, only a few managed to get a taste. Those who didn’t get any could only watch longingly.

“How does it taste? Tell us already!”

“Yeah, yeah! If it’s good, I need to hurry up and get in line to buy some!”

Those who hadn’t tried it anxiously asked those who had. Without exception, everyone who tasted the noodles drank every last drop of the broth from the small cups. This—this was just too delicious! What an out-of-this-world flavor! The noodles were smooth and chewy, and the broth was spicy, aromatic, and savory. It felt like even shoe soles would taste good boiled in this broth!

Without even bothering to answer the others, those who had tried the noodles immediately called out to Lin Yutang and her sister, “Boss, give me a bowl of braised meatball noodles!”

“I can handle spice—give me a bowl of spicy meatball noodles, and add a marinated egg!”

“I love sour flavors—I’ll try the pickled cabbage meatball noodles today! And two slices of dried tofu.”

As for why Lin Yutang didn’t call it beef noodles—she was afraid the fingernail-sized beef bits in the seasoning packet would scare the customers away. After all, to use a phrase popular in her previous life: “The cow probably only suffered a minor scratch after a year.”

Lin Yutang swiftly poured out the broth from the pot, added fresh water, and hung six powder baskets on the pot. This way, she could cook six servings at once, just like the malatang from her previous life.

When the noodles in the pot were almost done, she placed the seasoning in bowls, added boiling water to dissolve it, then forked in the noodles and mixed them well. Finally, she topped each bowl with two meatballs. And just like that, a bowl of instant noodles, complete with color, aroma, and flavor, was ready.

Lin Zhi was responsible for handing the cooked noodles to the corresponding customers and collecting payment. Watching those who had gotten their bowls lower their heads and slurp up the noodles without looking up, and seeing the long line of people who hadn’t eaten yet waiting with eager anticipation, Lin Zhi felt that life was truly full of hope!

“How are these noodles so delicious? And the marinated eggs—so rich and fragrant, with springy egg whites and soft, glutinous yolks that don’t stick in your throat at all. Even the plain dried tofu becomes incredibly flavorful.”

The steaming bowls of instant noodles, emitting an irresistible aroma, instantly caused a sensation throughout the entire street. Word spread like wildfire, and the 150 servings of instant noodles and pot of simmered ingredients the Lin sisters had brought were completely sold out before noon. They could only apologize to the onlookers who hadn’t managed to buy any: “We only brought this much today. We’ll bring more tomorrow and make sure everyone gets a serving.”

The crowd had no choice but to disperse reluctantly. Not getting to taste the noodles today felt like a huge loss, and they could only come earlier tomorrow.

Lin Zhi and Lin Yutang pushed their cart back home. The first day of their business venture had been a success—exhausting but joyful! They had originally planned to stroll around after packing up, but now they just wanted to go home, count their earnings, and then lie down and relax. Today had been truly exhausting!