Seeing the smug grin plastered on Wang Ming's face, Furong huffed. "I barely ever go into Liyue Harbor! How the hell am I supposed to know what's trendy?"
She spent most of her time on the ship; she wasn't exactly keeping up with the latest culinary fads.
"It's this."
Ignoring her grumbling, Wang Ming chuckled and pulled out a packet of instant noodles.
"A noodle... cake?"
Furong stared at the object in his hand, bewildered. The noodles were bizarre. They were pressed into a dry, rigid square block.
Every noodle she had ever seen was long, soft, and usually fresh. She had never seen curly, dried strands compressed into a brick like this.
This was the "instant noodle"?
"Is this even edible?" Furong poked it curiously. "Wait, is it called an 'instant noodle' because the block is instantly recognizable as a square?"
"Close, but not quite. It's the latest hit from Wanmin Restaurant."
Wang Ming laughed. "Watch and learn. I'll show you why they call it 'instant'."
He grabbed his signature bowl from the nearby table. Under Furong's skeptical gaze, he dropped the square noodle block into the bowl and tore open a small packet of seasoning powder, sprinkling it over the top.
Then, he poured hot water from a nearby kettle until the bowl was full and immediately clamped the lid down.
The whole process took less than ten seconds.
"Why is it called 'instant'? Because it's fast."
Wang Ming tapped the lid. "You can eat it dry like a cracker, or you can soak it. If you use hot water, it only takes two or three minutes to cook. It's delicious and the texture is perfectly chewy."
"That... that's it?"
Furong's jaw dropped. "You just soak it in water and it becomes food? Won't it be flavorless? That sounds awful."
She frowned. They had tried soaking dried noodles before on long voyages—it was disgusting. You had to boil water in a pot, add salt, cook the noodles properly... that was the only way to make them edible.
Wang Ming had just dumped hot water on a brick and called it lunch.
"Just wait. Seeing is believing." Wang Ming shrugged. He knew no amount of explanation would beat the smell.
Two minutes passed.
Wang Ming lifted the lid.
Instantly, a rich, savory aroma exploded from the bowl. It was the scent of the seasoning powder activating in the steam.
"Mmm?"
Furong's nose twitched. That smell... it was surprisingly appetizing.
Before she could ask, Wang Ming produced a second packet—a thick, paste-like sachet labeled [Bone Broth Base]. He squeezed the contents into the bowl.
As the rich paste hit the hot water, the clear broth transformed into a creamy, opaque white soup. The fragrance intensified tenfold, rolling off the bowl in thick, savory waves that began to drift across the deck.
It smelled incredible. It smelled like a soup that had been simmering for hours, not minutes.
Wang Ming picked up his chopsticks, mixed the broth, and slurped up a mouthful of noodles. He closed his eyes, savoring the springy texture.
Perfect.
Gulp.
Furong, standing closest to ground zero, swallowed hard. She had just eaten lunch not long ago, but that smell triggered a primal hunger in her stomach.
Her eyes were wide with shock.
It was so simple. So fast. Two minutes in hot water, and it created this?
If they had this on their voyages... no more hardtack? No more complex cooking shifts during storms?
"Holy crap, what is that smell? My stomach is growling just sniffing it!"
"Yeah, it smells amazing! Who's eating? It smells like noodles, but... richer."
"Where's it coming from? Let's go check!"
"Wait, I recognize this scent... it's like Wanmin Restaurant's special bone broth, but stronger. There's something else mixed in."
"Bet it's Wang Ming. That kid just got back with supplies. It has to be him."
"Dammit, did he bring back food just to taunt us?"
The aroma of the Bone Broth Instant Noodles rode the sea breeze, sweeping across the entire deck of The Alcor. Within seconds, every crew member on board caught the scent.
It was irresistible.
One by one, they followed their noses, converging on Wang Ming's position.
"I knew it! It was you, Wang Ming!"
"What are you eating? Noodles? I've never seen noodles look like that."
"Hey, do you have any more? Give me a pack! I want to try!"
"I literally just ate three bowls of rice, but smelling this... I'm hungry again."
A crowd formed around Wang Ming, watching him slurp the noodles with envy. The soup looked rich and creamy, the noodles perfectly cooked.
"These are Instant Noodles," Wang Ming announced to the gathered crew, wiping his mouth. "A new invention from Wanmin Restaurant. Just add hot water, wait two minutes, add the seasoning, and boom. A feast."
"What?"
"You're joking, right? Two minutes? For soup noodles?"
"Even plain boiled noodles take five or six minutes!"
The crew was incredulous.
"It's true! I watched him do it!" Furong jumped in, unable to contain her excitement. "He literally just put the brick in a bowl and poured water on it. And apparently, you can eat the block dry, too!"
"Seriously? That easy?"
"Instant... noodles. Damn, the name makes sense now."
"This is a game-changer! No more gnawing on rock-hard mantou buns! When we're in a storm and can't cook, we can just eat these dry!"
"Wanmin Restaurant is genius. Wang Ming, you got any more? Hook me up!"
"Me too!"
The crew of The Alcor was buzzing. They were sailors; they understood the value of convenience better than anyone. This wasn't just a snack—it was a logistical upgrade.
"What is all this noise? What's that smell?"
A commanding, husky voice cut through the chatter.
The crew instantly quieted down, their expressions turning respectful.
Walking out from the captain's quarters was a woman with a powerful presence. She wore a striking red and gold dress with thigh-high boots, her dark hair flowing freely, a crimson eyepatch covering her left eye.
It was the Captain of the Crux Fleet, the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean—Beidou.
"Smells good. Did Wang Ming bring something back?" Beidou strode over to the center of the crowd.
She looked at the bowl in Wang Ming's hand and paused. "What is that?"
"Captain!" Furong beamed. "Wang Ming brought back a treasure." She quickly explained the concept of the instant noodles.
"That convenient?" Beidou raised an eyebrow, surprised.
She glanced at the bowl. The noodles looked springy, the soup rich.
"Captain." Wang Ming quickly held up an unopened packet of noodles. "This is it. I think it could replace our dry rations."
Crunch.
Beidou didn't hesitate. She took the dry noodle block, snapped a piece off, and crunched down on it raw.
"Mm. Not bad."
She chewed thoughtfully, nodding in satisfaction. It was savory, crispy, and vastly superior to the bland buns they usually stocked.
Most importantly: it was fast. Whether cooked or eaten dry, it was efficient.
"You did well, Wang Ming," Beidou laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "How many did you bring back?"
"Uh... not many." Wang Ming scratched his head awkwardly. "Just a few packs. Wanmin Restaurant was almost sold out; I bought everything they had left on the shelf."
"Just a few? That's not enough." Beidou frowned.
This product was perfect for long voyages. They were setting sail in a few days, and she wanted to stockpile this. A few packs wouldn't feed a ship of this size.
"Oh, right! Captain!" Wang Ming suddenly remembered his other news. "There's more. The Tianquan, Lady Ningguang, has opened a new bank in Liyue. No fees for deposits or withdrawals, and the longer you save, the more interest they pay you. They're even giving out gifts."
"And then there's Wanmin Restaurant with these noodles... Liyue feels like it's changing fast. The restaurant was packed this morning."
"Oh?" Beidou's eye sparkled with interest.
She hadn't been ashore in a while. Had Liyue really changed that much in such a short time?
"Furong, get ready. We're going ashore."
Beidou made a snap decision. "We need to see these changes for ourselves. And we're going to pay a visit to Wanmin Restaurant. I want to talk to Chef Mao about a bulk order for these noodles."
Between Ningguang's new bank strategy and this revolutionary food, she needed to see what was happening in her harbor.
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