Shocking! The entire court was drooling with envy because of me.

The weather was lovely today, warm but not hot. Shen Qing ordered someone to bring out a recliner so he could lie down and bask in the sun.

A gentle breeze blows, and the warm sun shines on your whole body.

Beside her, Shen's mother was rambling on and on, mostly words of concern from a mother to her child.

Shen Qing didn't hear a word she said. She squinted, lay on the recliner, and enjoyed the leisure and comfort of the moment.

Just then, Old Chen, the gatekeeper, came to report:

"Master, there's someone at the door. They say they've come because of your reputation and wish to pay their respects."

A greeting?

Upon hearing those two words, Shen Qing felt an inexplicable urge to laugh.

"Take him to the main hall."

Nine times out of ten, more diners will come looking for us. We'll stay and eat together later; it's just a matter of adding a couple more chopsticks.

After all, her diners are all lovely.

With guests arriving, Shen Qing naturally couldn't lie down. She tidied herself up and went to the main hall.

A chubby middle-aged man came into view, his face full of fat. When he saw her, he immediately put on a smile, which was also somewhat obsequious.

"Madam Shen, I'm a loyal customer of yours! Your stinky tofu is so fragrant, and your pickled radish is absolutely amazing, a dish from heaven!"

The man who came was Qian Duofu. He had never eaten at Zhiweixuan before, and he had learned these words from other diners.

But in his heart he disagreed, thinking those diners were exaggerating.

"I admire you so much, these are all gifts for you."

It was called a gift, but it was really just three or five cheap bowls and plates, and some pastries.

"To be honest, I'm not only your customer, but also the owner of a restaurant. Our restaurant is right across from Zhiweixuan. To be honest, my business is really not good, and I would like to ask you for some advice."

Qian Duofu bent down even lower, his smile widening, his heart filled with anticipation.

In the near future, his restaurant will surely be packed with customers, and then he'll be making a fortune!

After hearing these words, Shen Qing carefully examined Qian Duofu and felt that he looked somewhat familiar.

After a long while, she finally remembered.

She had seen this person before. Before Zhiweixuan opened, she and Zhao Wan went to look at the new shop. It was this person who stopped them and insisted that they go into the restaurant to eat.

Even after she explicitly refused, this person still went behind her back and complained that she was stingy.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any advice to offer," Shen Qing said coldly.

She didn't have a good impression of Qian Duofu; to put it bluntly, he seemed like a treacherous person who would betray his principles for personal gain.

Upon hearing this, Qian Duofu became anxious: "Please give me some pointers! I heard that Wang Chunhua's wontons were made with your guidance, and now her wonton shop is doing very well. Please help me out!"

"If you help me, I will never forget your kindness, and I will do whatever you ask of me in the future!"

As Qian Duofu spoke, the fat on his face twitched, and his eyes gleamed with a greedy and opportunistic light, which made people feel inexplicably disgusted.

"Sorry I can't offer any guidance. Please take these gifts back." Shen Qing, too lazy to waste words with Qian Duofu, called out again, "Old Chen! See them out!"

After saying that, she stepped directly out of the main hall.

Old Chen came over upon hearing the noise, and seeing Qian Duofu's angry face, he cautiously said, "Please come in."

"snort!"

Qian Duofu snorted coldly. He felt humiliated, humiliated like never before.

A wave of annoyance washed over me. This lousy place, I didn't even want to come here!

He took a step and walked away.

As they reached the entrance to the main hall, they suddenly stopped.

He turned around, angrily returned to the main hall, and took the gifts he had brought.

This Madam Shen is completely ungrateful. None of his things can be left behind, otherwise we'll be at a disadvantage!

......

Shen Qing lay back down on her recliner.

"Who's here?" Mrs. Shen couldn't help but ask.

"Just an insignificant person," Shen Qing said calmly. "Mother, what would you like to eat later?"

Mother Shen smiled and said, "Just do whatever you want. I love everything you make."

These days, Shen's mother has become much plumper than before. She enjoys delicious meals every day, feeling comfortable and at ease. She rarely thinks about the painful days of the past anymore.

Shen Qing thought for a moment and said, "Then let's eat noodles. It's been a long time since we've had them."

Today it was just the two of them, mother and daughter, making simple hand-pulled noodles, which was just right.

Hand-pulled noodles are arguably the most skill-intensive type of noodle, requiring meticulous attention to every step, from kneading and resting the dough to rolling and cooking it.

Kneading the dough is the first step in making hand-pulled noodles. The dough must be kneaded until it is smooth in three ways: the bowl is smooth, your hands are smooth, and the dough is smooth.

When there is no dry flour in the bowl, no dough on your hands, and the dough is smooth as jade, then it is considered kneaded properly.

After kneading the dough, let it rest for half an hour. This is very important. Dough that has rested is easier to roll out and will be chewier when cooked.

Rolling out dough is hard work. Sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal on the work surface, place the rested dough on the work surface, and use a rolling pin to push it forward from the middle and then pull it back, round and round, one stroke at a time.

Before long, the dough on the cutting board became a large sheet, getting thinner and thinner until the color of the cutting board could be seen through it.

Seeing that it was almost done, Shen Qing sprinkled another layer of cornmeal on top, then folded the dough sheet up, pressed it down with his left hand, and held the knife in his right hand. With a swift motion, the dough sheet turned into strands of thin noodles.

After cutting, pick up a strand and shake it to separate it; the cornmeal falls out in a flurry.

The noodles are now ready.

Shen Qing then heated oil in a wok, added eggs when the oil was hot, and soon the eggs were fried to a golden brown. After removing the eggs, he added a spoonful of lard to the wok, then added chopped green onions and minced garlic to sauté until fragrant, and finally added tomatoes to stir-fry until soft and mushy.

Then add sugar, soy sauce and other seasonings, pour in a bowl of water, simmer until the broth thickens, then add the scrambled eggs and sprinkle with chopped green onions.

And that's how you make braised tomato and egg.

Boil a pot of water, then add the rolled-out noodles. The noodles will be cooked in no time.

Shen Qing took out two large bowls, put the noodles into the bowls, poured a few spoonfuls of braising sauce on top, and a bowl of fragrant hand-pulled noodles was ready.

The bright red broth poured over the white noodles looked like the sunset falling on the snow. The golden egg pieces trembled slightly, and the bright green scallions were scattered on top, making it look absolutely beautiful.

Although Shen's mother couldn't see it, she could smell it. A sweet and sour aroma filled her nostrils, mixed with the fragrance of eggs, making her mouth water.

"Mom, have a taste~"

"Oh!" Mother Shen happily accepted the large bowl.

I picked up a mouthful of noodles with my chopsticks and put it in my mouth.

The first taste is of braised meat, with a hint of sweet and sour tomato flavor. The egg is tender and soft, soaking up all the tomato juice.

With a gentle bite, the noodles are smooth, chewy, and have a satisfying springiness in your mouth.

"These noodles are wonderful," Shen's mother couldn't help but exclaim.

This bowl of noodles, though simple and unpretentious, brought an unprecedented sense of comfort.

After finishing a bowl, my stomach felt comfortable.

I feel so comfortable!